Not long ago, my wife and I spent a weekend together without any of our three children. This was the first time we had been alone for more than a few hours since our oldest was born four years ago.
What did we do on our short vacation? My wife read the first hundred or so pages of Tom Jones , a book she has been meaning to read for ages. There was takeout and a nice long walk along the shore of Lake Michigan. Football was watched. But mostly? We slept, without worrying for once about whether a shrill voice might awaken us between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. to demand a glass of water (“No，not that one，the Tinkerbell cup!’’）. We were too relaxed to do anything else.
As parents, we might tell other people that given the chance for even a short child-free break we would love to do some reading or take in a concert. This is not true. The truth is that what most of us really want is a chance not to think about how well we are using our time.
By admitting this，I realize the myth(错误的看法）of the brain-dead parents. Being brain-dead is what a parent like me looks forward to rather than something to be accused of. The novelist Lucy Ellmann recently provided a convenient summary in an interview：
You watch people get pregnant and know they’ll be emotionally and intellectually absent for 20 years. Thought, knowledge, adult conversation, and vital political action are all put on hold. With a kiddo, you become a human koala while your old friends continue to have “interests”. They do art and literature and science, you see, not diapers(尿不湿）.
When you become responsible for the life of a very small person, nothing is more important than shouldering that responsibility. In that sense，parenting is a chance to reconsider the value of an extra 20 minutes in bed or a short phone conversation with an old friend. As to my wife and me, we spent the weekend eating steamed dumplings and drinking wine until we fell asleep.
We value the all-too-rare experience of being brain-dead.
1.What did the author and his wife mainly do on the weekend?
A.They did some reading. B.They had a sound sleep.
C.They had a nice long walk. D.They watched a football match.
2.What do the underlined words “put on hold” in paragraph 5 refer to?
A.In control. B.Forbidden.
C.Abandoned. D.In vain.
3.How does keeping kids change the author’s life?
A.He begins to feel lonely. B.He is no longer responsible.
C.He becomes absent-minded. D.He hardly has his own time.
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Tips for new parents B.Avoiding being brain-dead parents
C.The myth of brain-dead parents D.How to steal time as brain-dead parents
英语阅读理解中等难度题
Not long ago, my wife and I spent a weekend together without any of our three children. This was the first time we had been alone for more than a few hours since our oldest was born four years ago.
What did we do on our short vacation? My wife read the first hundred or so pages of Tom Jones , a book she has been meaning to read for ages. There was takeout and a nice long walk along the shore of Lake Michigan. Football was watched. But mostly? We slept, without worrying for once about whether a shrill voice might awaken us between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. to demand a glass of water (“No，not that one，the Tinkerbell cup!’’）. We were too relaxed to do anything else.
As parents, we might tell other people that given the chance for even a short child-free break we would love to do some reading or take in a concert. This is not true. The truth is that what most of us really want is a chance not to think about how well we are using our time.
By admitting this，I realize the myth(错误的看法）of the brain-dead parents. Being brain-dead is what a parent like me looks forward to rather than something to be accused of. The novelist Lucy Ellmann recently provided a convenient summary in an interview：
You watch people get pregnant and know they’ll be emotionally and intellectually absent for 20 years. Thought, knowledge, adult conversation, and vital political action are all put on hold. With a kiddo, you become a human koala while your old friends continue to have “interests”. They do art and literature and science, you see, not diapers(尿不湿）.
When you become responsible for the life of a very small person, nothing is more important than shouldering that responsibility. In that sense，parenting is a chance to reconsider the value of an extra 20 minutes in bed or a short phone conversation with an old friend. As to my wife and me, we spent the weekend eating steamed dumplings and drinking wine until we fell asleep.
We value the all-too-rare experience of being brain-dead.
1.What did the author and his wife mainly do on the weekend?
A.They did some reading. B.They had a sound sleep.
C.They had a nice long walk. D.They watched a football match.
2.What do the underlined words “put on hold” in paragraph 5 refer to?
A.In control. B.Forbidden.
C.Abandoned. D.In vain.
3.How does keeping kids change the author’s life?
A.He begins to feel lonely. B.He is no longer responsible.
C.He becomes absent-minded. D.He hardly has his own time.
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Tips for new parents B.Avoiding being brain-dead parents
C.The myth of brain-dead parents D.How to steal time as brain-dead parents
英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
My wife and I were at a crowded grocery store not long ago. It was a weekday evening, cold and wet-and tense. People were carelessly blocking aisles, complaining and cutting one another off with their carts.
Things got worse at the checkout line. The cashier scanned a man’s discount card, but he misread the savings on her screen as an additional charge. He decided she was acting deliberately and began to argue.
“She is being spiteful (恶意的) !” he yelled. “This is unbelievable.”
Other customers looked away as the cashier tried to reason with him. She called a manager, who accompanied him to customer service. Shaken, she moved to the next customer in line.
We’ve all witnessed uncomfortable scenes like this in public places. The grocery scene was another example of how our trust in others has eroded. But it was also a teachable moment on how we can rebuild our faith-starting with just one person.
Back at the grocery store, my wife and I reached our uneasy cashier. I grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby cooler and handed it to her. “We felt bad about how that man treated you and wanted to buy this for you.” I said. Her face lit up, and we talked as she scanned our items. She told us she had been working that evening through severe foot pain and would be having surgery later that week. We wished her well in her recovery, and she thanked us as we left.
Those are the balancing acts, the moments of responding social and emotional pain with healing, which will add up to restore trust among people. You can start that pattern in someone else’s life, even in a place as ordinary as the neighborhood grocery store.
1.Why did the man at the checkout line argue with the cashier?
A. The cashier called a manager to help her.
B. Someone jumped the queue waiting to check out.
C. There was something wrong with his discount card.
D. He believed the cashier charged him more on purpose.
2.The underlined word “eroded” in Paragraph 5 probably means ________.
A. changed B. increased
C. faded D. formed
3.The author bought a bottle of water for the cashier because ________.
A. he thought the cashier might feel a little bit thirsty
B. he knew she had gone through much trouble recently
C. he wanted to restore the trust between her and the man
D. he wanted to comfort her after the terrible experience just now
4.The last paragraph in the passage is intended to ________.
A. add a warning B. make a suggestion
C. introduce a topic D. present an argument
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
My wife and I were at a crowded grocery store not long ago. It was a weekday evening, cold and wet and tense. People were carelessly blocking aisles, complaining and cutting one another off with their carts. At one point, two women quarreled for several minutes after colliding in the freezer section.
Things got worse at the checkout line.The cashier scanned a man's discount card, but he misread the savings on her screen as an additional charge. He decided she was acting intentionally and began to argue.
Other customers looked away as the cashier tried to reason with him. She called a manager, who took him to customer service. Shaken , she moved to the next customer in line.
We’ve all witnessed uncomfortable scenes like this in public places. My reaction when I see them is both personal and professional. I am a data analyst and sociologist who studies how and why people interact with one another--or why they choose not to. To me, the grocery scene was another example of how our trust in others has faded. But it was also a teachable moment on how we can rebuild our faith — starting with just one person.
Therefore, my wife and I reached the disturbed cashier. I grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby cooler and handed it to her. We learned her name was Beth.
“We felt bad about how that man treated you and wanted to buy this for you.” I said.
Beth’s face lit up, and we talked as she scanned our items.She told us she had been working that evening through severe foot pain and would be having surgery later that week. We wished her well in her recovery, and she thanked us as we left.
That is the balancing act, the moment of countering social and emotional pain with healing, that will add up to restore trust across the United States. You can start that pattern in someone else's life , even in a place as ordinary as the neighborhood grocery store.
1.By describing the arguments, the author wants to show__________.
A.the job as a cashier is not easy. B.people in the U.S are unfriendly.
C.arguments in public are very common. D.confidence in each other has worn off.
2.How did Beth probably feel when the couple gave her a bottle of water?
A.Sad and regretful. B.Sorry and wronged.
C.Cheerful and rewarded. D.Grateful and relieved.
3.What's author's attitude towards Americans' regaining trust?
A.Doubtful. B.Optimistic.
C.Uncaring D.Cautious
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.A Miserable Cashier. B.A Helping Hand.
C.Learning to Trust Again. D.Starting a new life.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
My wife and I were at a crowded grocery store not long ago. It was a weekday evening, cold and wet-and tense. People were carelessly blocking aisles, complaining and cutting one another off with their carts.
Things got worse at the checkout line. The cashier scanned a man’s discount card, but he misread the savings on her screen as an additional charge. He decided she was acting deliberately and began to argue.
“She is being spiteful (恶意的) !” he yelled. “This is unbelievable.”
Other customers looked away as the cashier tried to reason with him. She called a manager, who accompanied him to customer service. Shaken, she moved to the next customer in line.
We’ve all witnessed uncomfortable scenes like this in public places. The grocery scene was another example of how our trust in others has eroded. But it was also a teachable moment on how we can rebuild our faith-starting with just one person.
Back at the grocery store, my wife and I reached our uneasy cashier. I grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby cooler and handed it to her. “We felt bad about how that man treated you and wanted to buy this for you.” I said. Her face lit up, and we talked as she scanned our items. She told us she had been working that evening through severe foot pain and would be having surgery later that week. We wished her well in her recovery, and she thanked us as we left.
Those are the balancing acts, the moments of responding social and emotional pain with healing, which will add up to restore trust among people. You can start that pattern in someone else’s life, even in a place as ordinary as the neighborhood grocery store.
1.Why did the man at the checkout line argue with the cashier?
A.The cashier called a manager to help her.
B.Someone jumped the queue waiting to check out.
C.There was something wrong with his discount card.
D.He believed the cashier charged him more on purpose.
2.The underlined word “eroded” in Paragraph 5 probably means ________.
A.changed B.increased
C.faded D.formed
3.The author bought a bottle of water for the cashier because ________.
A.he thought the cashier might feel a little bit thirsty
B.he knew she had gone through much trouble recently
C.he wanted to restore the trust between her and the man
D.he wanted to comfort her after the terrible experience just now
4.The last paragraph in the passage is intended to ________.
A.add a warning B.make a suggestion
C.introduce a topic D.present an argument
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Long ago there was a poor farmer called Fred. Fred and his wife Doris lived __1._(happy) together in their small old house. One winter night, the Luck Fairy visited _2.__.
“Fred, you’re a good farmer. I’d like to give you a wish,” said the Luck Fairy.
“A wish?” said Fred.
Fred and Doris smiled __3. each other. Then Fred said, “Thank you, Luck Fairy. We’re very healthy and happy.”
“You work very hard _4. _ you make very little money. Would you like some gold coins?” asked the Luck Fairy.
“We’re poor, but we have enough food __5.__(eat).” replied Fred.
“You can use the gold coin to buy __6._ clothes. The winter here is very cold,” said Luck Fairy.
“__7._we haven’t got many clothes, we’ve got enough.” said Doris.
“Well, what about 8. nice new house?” asked Luck Fairy.
“Thank you, but I love my small old house very much. I __9. _(live) here since I was born. We don’t need a new house,” said Fred.
“You’re quite different _ 10.__ others. I like you very much,” said the Luck Fairy. “I wish you happy forever.” Then the Luck Fairy disappeared and never came back.
高一英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
My wife, daughter, and I moved into our home nine years ago and we spent a lot of time and energy in the yard to get it looking like the way it does today. We live on a corner, higher than street level, and the entire side of the yard is surrounded by a professionally built rock wall. The front of the house though is another story because instead of a wall along the sidewalk, the rocks appear to be just thrown up onto the dirt as if someone were in a hurry to finish.
We did the best we could with what we had to work with and called this area our “rock garden”. Whenever we had leftover flowers or plants, Denise or I would stick them out front, just to bring some color to the area. We would do all of the yard work on our own, even the tiring weed-pulling.
Last summer I had reached the end of the rock garden and found a tiny little plant that I could not immediately identify, I knew I didn’t plant it and Denise claimed that she didn’t either. We decided to let it continue growing until we could figure out what it was.
Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the mystery plant, it appeared to be a sunflower with a tall skinny stalk(茎，杆) and only one head on it. I decided to baby it along and weed around it. As I pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds, I noticed something unusual. The sunflower had not started where I saw the stalk begin. It actually had begun under a big rock and grown under and around it to reach the sun.
That’s when I realized that if a tiny little sunflower didn’t let a big rock stand in its way of developing, we too have the ability of doing the same thing. Once our environment begins to see that we believe in ourselves like that little sunflower, we can attain the same nourishment(营养) and growth as well.
Stand tall like the sunflower and be proud of who and what you are and the environment will begin to support you. You will find a way to go under or around your big obstacle in order to reach your desires.
1.We can know from the first paragraph that _______.
A. there is a wall along the sidewalk
B. the author’s home is made of rock walls
C. the author finished building his home hurriedly
D. the author’s family have lived in this home for nine years
2.The author found it unusual that_______.
A. the mystery plant turned out to be a sunflower B. the sunflower had a tall stalk and only one head
C. the sunflower grew under and around a big rock D. the sunflower had started where the stalk was seen
3.Which of the following best describes the sunflower?
A. Brave and stubborn. B. Confident and persistent.
C. Optimistic and modest. D. Mysterious and devoted.
4.What can be inferred from this passage?
A. Human beings are able to remove obstacles.
B. The universal truth made the sunflower survive.
C. A big rock blocked out the sunlight of the sunflower.
D. We can achieve success as long as we are self-confident.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
My wife, daughter, and I moved into our home nine years ago and we spent a lot of time and energy in the yard to get it looking like the way it does today. We live on a corner, higher than street level, and the entire side of the yard is surrounded by a professionally built rock wall. The front of the house though is another story because instead of a wall along the sidewalk, the rocks appear to be just thrown up onto the dirt as if someone were in a hurry to finish.
We did the best we could with what we had to work with and called this area our “rock garden”. Whenever we had leftover flowers or plants, Denise or I would stick them out front, just to bring some color to the area. We would do all of the yard work on our own, even the tiring weed-pulling.
Last summer I had reached the end of the rock garden and found a tiny little plant that I could not immediately identify, I knew I didn’t plant it and Denise claimed that she didn’t either. We decided to let it continue growing until we could figure out what it was.
Weeks passed and as I made my way back to the mystery plant, it appeared to be a Sunflower with a tall skinny stalk（茎，杆）and only one head on it. I decided to baby it along and weed around it. As I pulled rocks from the area to get to the weeds, I noticed something unusual. The Sunflower had not started where I saw the stalk begin. It actually had begun under a big rock and grown under and around it to reach the sun.
That’s when I realized that if a tiny little Sunflower didn’t let a big rock stand in its way of developing, we too have the ability of doing the same thing. Once our environment begins to see that we believe in ourselves like that little Sunflower, we can attain the same nourishment（营养）and growth as well.
Stand tall like the Sunflower and be proud of who and what you are and the environment will begin to support you. You will find a way to go under or around your big obstacle in order to reach your desires.
1.We can know from the first paragraph that ______.
A. the author finished building his home hurriedly
B. the author’s family have lived in this home for nine years
C. the author’s home is made of rock walls
D. there is a wall along the sidewalk
2.The author found it unusual that ______.
A. the mystery plant turned out to be a Sunflower
B. the Sunflower had a tall stalk and only one head
C. the Sunflower grew under and around a big rock
D. the Sunflower had started where the stalk was seen
3.Which of the following best describes the Sunflower?
A. Brave and stubborn B. Confident and persistent
C. Optimistic and modest D. Mysterious and devoted
4.What can be inferred from this passage?
A. Human beings are able to remove obstacles
B. The universal truth made the sunflower survive
C. A big rock blocked out the sunlight of the sunflower
D. We can achieve success as long as we are self-confident
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Several months ago, my husband(丈夫) and I were on an island for a long weekend with our five-year-old twin daughters. As we went back and talked about what to do next, our girls jumped in and told us exactly what they wanted to do. “We want to go to the butterfly（蝴蝶） museum,” said Emily and Hanna.
As soon as we walked into the main area of the museum, we saw thousands of beautiful butterflies. They all flapped (拍打) their colorful wings.
My girls were jumping up and down, and I knew it was right for us to take them to the museum. They were having so much fun.
I turned to our museum tour guide because I was curious (好奇的) and asked, “How long do butterflies live?”
She said, “About ten days.”
“What can butterflies do in ten days?” I asked.
The guide stopped, looked at me, and said, “They make the world a more beautiful place.”
“Wow,” I said, “I never thought about butterflies like that. Thank you.”
After we said goodbye, I couldn’t stop thinking about what the guide said. She was right. We all have something to give the world with the time we have. When we put our gifts on taking care of each other every day, we can make a difference.
Appreciate (欣赏) the impact (影响) you can have on your family, friends, co-workers and neighbours. Like a butterfly, you have your own way of making a difference in the world.
1.Who wrote this article?
A. The father. B. The mother. C. Emily. D. Hanna.
2.How did Emily and Hanna feel when they visited the museum?
A. Happy. B. Curious. C. Tired. D. Afraid.
3.What did the guide think of butterflies?
A. She thought butterflies could do nothing for the world.
B. She was surprised to know the butterflies live so long.
C. She felt sorry for the butterflies that live such a short life.
D. She believed the lives of butterflies are short but meaningful.
4.By writing this story, the writer tries to .
A. ask more people to visit the butterfly museum B. tell us something surprising about life
C. encourage (鼓励) us to make a difference in the world D. share her wonderful story in the museum
七年级英语阅读单选困难题查看答案及解析
Several months ago, my husband and I were on an island for a long weekend with our five-year-old twin daughters. As we went back and talked about what to do next, our girls jumped in and told us exactly what they wanted to do. “We want to go to the butterfly museum,” said Emily and Hanna.
As soon as we walked into the main area of the museum, we saw thousands of beautiful butterflies. They all flapped (拍打) their colourful wings.
My girls were jumping up and down, and I knew it was right for us to take them to the museum. They were having so much fun.
I turned to our museum tour guide because I was curious (好奇的) and asked, “How long do butterflies live?”
She said, “About ten days.”
“What can butterflies do in ten days?” I asked.
The guide stopped, looked at me, and said, “They make the world a more beautiful place.”
“Wow,” I said, “I never thought about butterflies like that. Thank you.”
After we said goodbye, I couldn’t stop thinking about what the guide had said. She was right. We all have something to give the world with the time we have. When we put our gifts on taking care of each other every day, we can make a difference.
Appreciate (欣赏) the impact (影响) you can have on your family, friends, co-workers and neighbours. Like a butterfly, you have your own way of making the world more beautiful for everyone.
1.Who wrote this article?
A. The father. B. The mother. C. Emily. D. Hanna.
2.How did Emily and Hanna feel when they visited the museum?
A. Excited. B. Curious. C. Tired. D. Bored.
3.What did the guide think of butterflies?
A. She was surprised to know the butterflies live so long.
B. She thought butterflies could do nothing for the world.
C. She felt sorry for the butterflies that live such a short life.
D. She believed the lives of butterflies are short but meaningful.
4.By writing this story, the writer tries to .
A. tell us something surprising about life
B. share her wonderful story in the museum
C. ask more people to visit the butterfly museum
D. encourage (鼓励) us to make a difference in the world
七年级英语阅读单选中等难度题查看答案及解析
A few years ago, my husband and I were on an island for a long weekend with our two daughters. As we wondered about what to do __________, our girls jumped in and told us exactly what they wanted to do. “__________ want to go to the butterfly museum，” said Ariela and Eliana.
As soon as we __________ into the main area of the museum, we saw thousands of __________ butterflies, all flapping their colourful wings.
My girls were __________up and down, and I knew we had made the right __________ to come to the museum.They were having so much fun.
I __________ to our museum tour guide because I was curious, and asked, “__________ do butterflies live？”She said, “About ten days.”
“What can butterflies do __________ ten days？” I asked.
The guide stopped, looked at me, and said, “They make the world __________ more beautiful place.”
“Wow，” I said, “I never thought about butterflies like that.Thank you.”
After we said goodbye, I __________ stop thinking about what the guide had said.She was right.We all have __________ to offer the world with the time we have.__________ we focus our gifts on taking care of each other every day, we can make a __________.
How thankful it is that you can have the influence on your family, friends and neighbors! Like a butterfly, you have your own way of making the world a little __________ for everyone.
1.A. now B. next C. once D. again
2.A. We B. You C. I D. They
3.A. drove B. walked C. looked D. brought
4.A. free B. lonely C. beautiful D. ordinary
5.A. coming B. moving C. showing D. jumping
6.A. way B. time C. decision D. advice
7.A. got B. went C. turned D. worried
8.A. How soon B. How long C. How much D. How often
9.A. on B. for C. over D. in
10.A. a B. an C. the D. /
11.A. can B. can't C. could D. couldn't
12.A. nothing B. anything C. something D. everything
13.A. When B. Since C. Unless D. Whether
14.A. note B. chance C. lesson D. difference
15.A. better B. faster C. larger D. slower
九年级英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析