One evening in February 2007, a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote road in Wales. She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path .That’s when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train. Her Renault Clio was parked across a railway line. Seconds later, she watched the train drag her car almost a kilometre down the railway tracks.
Ceely’s near miss made the news because she blamed it on her GPS (导航仪). She had never driven the route before. It was dark and raining heavily. Ceely was relying on her GPS, but it made no mention of the crossing. “I put my complete trust in the device and it led me right into the path of a speeding train,” she told the BBC.
Who is to blame here? Rick Stevenson, who tells Ceely’s story in his book When Machines Fail Us, points the finger at the limitations of technology. We put our faith in digital devices, he says, but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job. They are filled with small problems. And it’s not just GPS devices: Stevenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless keyboards.
The problem with his argument in the book is that it’s not clear why he only focuses on digital technology, while there may be a number of other possible causes. A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map. Maybe we should blame Ceely for not paying attention. Perhaps the railway authorities are at fault for poor singalling system. Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the GPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn’t say.
It’s a problem that runs through the book. In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an account of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars. He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country. He says that once again not all new locks have proved reliable. Perhaps, but maybe it’s also due to the shortage of policemen on the streets. Or changing social circumstances. Or some combination of these factors.
The game between humans and their smart devices is amusing and complex. It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in. Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be a way for a wiser use of technology.
If there is such a way, it should involve more than just an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines. After all, we have lived with them for thousands of years. They have probably been fooling us for just as long.
1.What did Paula Ceely think was the cause of her accident?
A. She was not familiar with the road.
B. It was dark and raining heavily then.
C. The railway workers failed to give the signal.
D. Her GPS device didn’t tell her about the crossing.
2.The phrase “near miss” (Paragraph 2) can best be replaced by______.
A. close hit B. heavy loss
C. narrow escape D. big mistake
3.Which of the following would Rick Stevenson most probably agree with?
A. Modern technology is what we can’t live without.
B. Digital technology often falls short of our expectation.
C. Digital devices are more reliable than they used to be.
D. GPS error is not the only cause for Ceely’s accident.
4.In the writer’s opinion, Stevenson’s argument is _______.
A. one-sided B. reasonable
C. puzzling D. well-based
5.What is the real concern of the writer of this article?
A. The major causes of traffic accidents and car thefts.
B. The relationship between human and technology.
C. The shortcomings of digital devices we use.
D. The human unawareness of technical problems.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
One evening in February 2007, a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote road in Wales. She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path .That’s when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train. Her Renault Clio was parked across a railway line. Seconds later, she watched the train drag her car almost a kilometre down the railway tracks.
Ceely’s near miss made the news because she blamed it on her GPS (导航仪). She had never driven the route before. It was dark and raining heavily. Ceely was relying on her GPS, but it made no mention of the crossing. “I put my complete trust in the device and it led me right into the path of a speeding train,” she told the BBC.
Who is to blame here? Rick Stevenson, who tells Ceely’s story in his book When Machines Fail Us, points the finger at the limitations of technology. We put our faith in digital devices, he says, but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job. They are filled with small problems. And it’s not just GPS devices: Stevenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless keyboards.
The problem with his argument in the book is that it’s not clear why he only focuses on digital technology, while there may be a number of other possible causes. A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map. Maybe we should blame Ceely for not paying attention. Perhaps the railway authorities are at fault for poor singalling system. Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the GPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn’t say.
It’s a problem that runs through the book. In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an account of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars. He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country. He says that once again not all new locks have proved reliable. Perhaps, but maybe it’s also due to the shortage of policemen on the streets. Or changing social circumstances. Or some combination of these factors.
The game between humans and their smart devices is amusing and complex. It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in. Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be a way for a wiser use of technology.
If there is such a way, it should involve more than just an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines. After all, we have lived with them for thousands of years. They have probably been fooling us for just as long.
1.What did Paula Ceely think was the cause of her accident?
A. She was not familiar with the road.
B. It was dark and raining heavily then.
C. The railway workers failed to give the signal.
D. Her GPS device didn’t tell her about the crossing.
2.The phrase “near miss” (Paragraph 2) can best be replaced by______.
A. close hit B. heavy loss
C. narrow escape D. big mistake
3.Which of the following would Rick Stevenson most probably agree with?
A. Modern technology is what we can’t live without.
B. Digital technology often falls short of our expectation.
C. Digital devices are more reliable than they used to be.
D. GPS error is not the only cause for Ceely’s accident.
4.In the writer’s opinion, Stevenson’s argument is _______.
A. one-sided B. reasonable
C. puzzling D. well-based
5.What is the real concern of the writer of this article?
A. The major causes of traffic accidents and car thefts.
B. The relationship between human and technology.
C. The shortcomings of digital devices we use.
D. The human unawareness of technical problems.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
One evening in February 2007, a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote road in Wales. She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path. That’s when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train. Her Renault Clio was parked across a railway line. Seconds later, she watched the train drag her car almost a kilometer down the railway tracks.
Ceely’s near miss made the news because she blamed it on the GPS. She had never driven the route before. It was dark and raining heavily. Ceely was relying on her GPS, but it made no mention of the crossing. “I put my complete trust in the device(设备)and it led me right into the path of a speeding train,” she told the BBC.
Who is to blame here? Rick Stevenson, who tells Ceely’s story in his book When Machines Fail Us, points the finger at the limitations of technology. We put our faith in digital(数码)devices, he says, but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job. They are filled with small problems. And it’s not just GPS devices:Stevenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless keyboards.
The problem with his argument in the book is that it’s not clear why he only focuses on digital technology, while there may be a number of other possible causes. A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map. Maybe we should blame Ceely for not paying attention. Perhaps the railway authorities are at fault for poor signaling system. Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the GPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn’t say.
It’s a problem that runs through the book. In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an account of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars. He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country. He says that once again not all new locks have proved reliable. Perhaps, but maybe it’s also due to the shortage of policemen on the streets. Or changing social circumstances. Or some combination of these factors.
The game between humans and their smart devices is amusing and complex. It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in. Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be a way for a wiser use of technology.
If there is such a way, it should involve more than just an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines. After all, we have lived with them for thousands of years. They have probably been fooling us for just as long.
1.The phrase “near miss” (Paragraph 2) can best be replaced by______.
A. close hit B. heavy loss C. narrow escape D. big mistake
2.Which of the following would Rick Stevenson most probably agree with?
A. Modern technology is what we can’t live without.
B. Digital technology often falls short of our expectation.
C. Digital devices are more reliable than they used to be.
D. GPS error is not the only cause for Ceely’s accident.
3.In the writer’s opinion, Stevenson’s argument is _______.
A. one-sided B. reasonable C. puzzling D. well-based
4.What is the real concern of the writer of this article?
A. The major causes of traffic accidents and car thefts.
B. The relationship between human and technology.
C. The shortcomings of digital devices we use.
D. The human unawareness of technical problems.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
One cold rainy evening last October, as a medical student, I was in a hospital, gathering data
for my graduation paper.
Holding a patient questionnaire34 some simple yes-or-no questions, I walked towards a 43-year-old patient who lay in bed alone. I was worried whether she would approve of my demands at such a late hour.35 , she treated it with consideration. Soon I finished and prepared to leave. 36 I could stand up, she spoke up in a weak voice asking where I was from and why I was working so late in the evening.
Then she started talking about herself as well as her37 , "My husband died about a year ago, 38 me the only breadwinner of my family. My pay as a cleaner is39 enough for me and my three kids. I don't know what my children would be if something bad happened to me."
I didn't know what to say. I desperately tried to remember the lessons from a communication skills class I had taken years earlier, but my mind was 40.
Without realizing it, I had begun41 her hand. Now that I didn't have anything to say, I just sat quietly while she talked. That's when it occurred to me that she was not expecting any 42 from me. She 43 wanted me to listen. All 1 did was nod my head as a way of showing my 44.
The conversation went on for about 20 minutes. Finally, she stopped talking. "I'm very sorry for keeping you here to listen to my problems, but I feel45 now. I had no one to46 out my problems to. Thank you so much, doctor."
Sometimes patients do not need expensive medicine or advanced technology. 47 , they just need someone with the48 to lend an ear and spare a little of their time. For me, that is one of the best things a doctor can do for a patient, doesn't it?
1.A. made up of B. fed up with C. put up with D. come up with
2.A. Calmly B. Excitedly C. Gladly D. Eagerly
3.A. When B. Before C. As D. After
4.A. job B. illness C. family D. children
5.A. causing B. getting C. forcing D. leaving
6.A. extremely B. exactly C. especially D. absolutely
7.A. casual B. clear C. steady D. blank
8.A. holding B. shaking C. carrying D. treating
9.A. thanks B. praise C. warmth D. reply
10.A. even B. ever C. just D. still
11.A. sympathy B. support C. sorrow D. respect
12.A. relaxed B. awkward C. fragile D. satisfied
13.A. leave B. pour C. try D. find
14.A. However B. Otherwise C. Instead D. Besides
15.A. emotion B. patience C. experience D. preference
高二英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son and his girlfriend in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister. I left with complete confidence that the older children would do a wonderful job of babysitting the younger children and the younger children would do a wonderful job of accompanying(陪伴)the older ones. Later, I discovered that I was completely wrong.
I had decided to return home earlier than planned so that my son and his girlfriend could go out. I called home with this happy news. But instead of hearing his cheerful, grateful voice on the other end of the line, all I heard was the sound of a telephone ringing.
It was, I should point out, after 10 p.m., when the two younger children should have been in bed, and when the two older children should have been answering the phone. “I’ll give him a lesson, ” I said.I decided they must be outside.Why they might be outside at 10:30 on a winter night I had no idea, but it was the only explanation I could come up with.
Finally, in desperation(绝望), I called his girlfriend’s house. His girlfriend answered. “Yes,” she said brightly, “He’s right here.”
He came on the phone.I was not my usual calm, patient. After all, one of the rules of survival for modern parents is that you can’t trust modern teenagers. “Where are the children?” I said. He said they were with him. They had done nothing wrong. My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend’s house just for ice cream and cake. Well, it turns out that I shouldn’t have believed it. It was only part of the truth.
The following Saturday evening we were at my parents’ home, celebrating my birthday. My oldest son gave me the children’s gifts — a series of lovely color photographs of my children, dressed in their best clothes, and wearing their most wonderful expressions. They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son’s girlfriend.
1.The author went out and left her eldest son in charge of the younger children because________.
A.she knew that his girlfriend was a good baby-sitter
B.she believed he could take good care of the younger ones with the help of his girlfriend
C.the older children have always loved the younger ones
D.she could not find a baby-sitter on that winter night
2.Shortly after the author left home one evening, she discovered that _________.
A.her son had brought his girlfriend home
B.her son had left home with his girlfriend
C.she shouldn’t have completely trusted her son
D.she should have taken the children along with her
3.“It was only part of the truth.” implies that the children not only enjoyed ice-cream but also _________.
A.had their pictures taken B.received some gifts
C.had a birthday party D.showed off their best clothes
4. Which is the best title of this passage?
A.An Evening Out B.Modern Teenagers
C.Mother and Children D.A Precious Birthday Gift
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
One evening I went out and left my 17-year-old son and his girlfriend in charge of his 8-year-old brother and 4-year-old sister. I left with complete confidence that the older children would do a wonderful job of babysitting the younger children and the younger children would do a wonderful job of accompanying(陪伴)the older ones. Later, I discovered that I was completely wrong.
I had decided to return home earlier than planned so that my son and his girlfriend could go out. I called home with this happy news.But instead of hearing his cheerful, grateful voice on the other end of the line, all I heard was the sound of a telephone ringing.
It was, I should point out, after 10 p.m., when the two younger children should have been in bed, and when the two older children should have been answering the phone. “I’ll give him a lesson, ” I said.I decided they must be outside.Why they might be outside at 10:30 on a winter night I had no idea, but it was the only explanation I could come up with.
Finally, in desperation(绝望), I called his girlfriend’s house. His girlfriend answered.“Yes,” she said brightly, “He’s right here.”
He came on the phone.I was not my usual calm, patient.After all, one of the rules of survival for modern parents is that you can’t trust modern teenagers.“Where are the children?” I said.He said they were with him.They had done nothing wrong.My son had taken the younger children over to his girlfriend’s house just for ice cream and cake. Well, it turns out that I shouldn’t have believed it.It was only part of the truth.
The following Saturday evening we were at my parents’ home, celebrating my birthday.My oldest son gave me the children’s gifts-- a series of lovely color photographs of my children, dressed in their best clothes, and wearing their most wonderful expressions. They are pictures to treasure a lifetime, all taken by the father of my son’s girlfriend.
1.The author went out and left her eldest son in charge of the younger children because .
A.she knew that his girlfriend was a good baby-sitter
B.she believed he could take good care of the younger ones with the help of his girlfriend
C.the older children have always loved the younger ones
D.she could not find a baby-sitter on that winter night
2.Shortly after the author left home one evening, she discovered that .
A.her son had brought his girlfriend home
B.her son had left home with his girlfriend
C.she shouldn’t have completely trusted her son
D.she should have taken the children along with her
3.“It was only part of the truth.” implies that the children not only enjoyed ice-cream but also .
A.had their pictures taken B.received some gifts
C.had a birthday party D.showed off their best clothes
4.Which is the best title of this passage?
A.An Evening Out B.Modern Teenagers
C.Mother and Children D.A Precious Birthday Gift
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
John is the only one of the students in our class that never ______ a mistake even when it is pointed out to him.
A. admit making B. admits making C. admit to make D. admits to make
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
John is the only one of the students in the class that never _______ a mistake even when it is pointed to him.
A. admit making B. admits making
C. admit to make D. admits to make
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
John is the only one of the students in our class that never ________a mistake even when it is pointed out to him.
A.admit making | B.admits making | C.admit to make | D.admits to make |
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Paracutin was born in Mexico in February, 1943. At the end of one week Paracutin was 500 feet high, and it is now over 9, 000 feet high. Today Paracutin is asleep.
What is Paracutin? It was the first volcano(火山) in the world which was seen from its birth right up to the present day. On February 20, 1943, a peasant and his wife set out to work in their corn fields from the Mexican village of Paracutin. They were surprised to find the earth warm under their feet. Suddenly they heard noises deep in the earth and a small hole appeared in their field. In the afternoon there was a sudden loud noise and stones were thrown high in the air. The peasants ran from the field and turned to watch. They saw the birth of a volcano.
Large quantities of stone and lava(岩浆) broke out and a little hill began to form. By evening this hill was 100 feet high and hot ashes(灰烬) were falling on the village. At night the strong light of the hot lava lit up the countryside. The trees near the village were killed and the villagers had to leave their houses. When the village was destroyed, its name was given to the volcano. The news quickly reached Mexico City, far to the east. Many people came to watch the scene. The volcano grew and grew for ten years and hundreds of square miles of forest were destroyed. Then Paracutin went to sleep.
1.Paracutin was once the name of ________.
A.a peasant | B.a village | C.an old mountain | D.a Mexican |
2.What was destroyed in the growing up of the volcano?
A.The little hill of stone. | B.The villagers living close by. |
C.The forests and fields round Paracutin. | D.The Mexican peasant and his wife. |
3.In this passage the writer is trying to ________.
A.tell us an interesting happening | B.explain a scientific theory |
C.make us believe something | D.make up an interesting story |
4.What can we learn about volcanoes from this passage?
A.New volcanoes may appear in places where people do not expect them to be. |
B.Volcanoes are always growing. |
C.Volcanoes are active from time to time. |
D.New volcanoes are active for only ten years. |
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
One night in February 1962, John H. Glenn. Jr., flew over Australia. The man in the Mercury(水星) capsule(宇宙飞行容器)was alone, but friendly voices reached him by radio. On the dark land 100 miles below, he saw a sprinkling of light. They marked the city of Perth, where people had turned on their lights as a greeting to him.
In Friendship7, Glenn radioed, “ The lights show up very well. Thank for everybody for turning them on.” His capsule raced on to the east.
During his three orbits(绕……轨道而行) of the earth, Glenn could always reach one of eighteen tracking stations. Some of them were on ship at sea. Others were in the United States.
Many of the stations had been built with the help of other countries. These countries allowed Americans to bring in radio equipment and set it up. Without the help of such lands as Nigeria(尼日利亚), Zanzibar(尚巴西,坦桑尼亚领土的一部分), and Mexico, there would have been breaks in the worldwide radio network.
John H. Glenn. Jr., was the first America to orbit the earth. For his flight, the tracking network(跟踪网络) covered 60,000 route miles. Five hundred men worked in the stations along the route. Since his flight, the network has grown. Today, it covers more than 100,000 route miles and has about one hundred stations. One-third of these stations are outside of the United States.
1.This passage is mainly about .
A. talking to ships at sea around the world
B. breaks in the worldwide network
C. the first American to orbit the earth
D. a satellite which fell into the ocean
2.From the passage we can see that .
A. Friendship7 stopped in Perth, Australia
B. all tracking stations are inside the United States
C.radio equipment is important in space flight
D. many people could see Glenn in his capsule when he made the flight
3.During his flight Glenn could always .
A. see lights turned on on the ground
B. reach ships at sea
C.reach one of the tracking stations
D. arrive at Mercury in his Friendship7
4.Why did people in Perth turn on the lights?
A. They wanted guide him to land.
B.It was too dark for them to see in the room.
C. They wanted to see the Friendship7.
D. They wanted to greet Glenn.
5.Which of the following is not true?
A. Countries must work together to track satellites.
B. There are now about 70 tracking stations in the United States.
C. The tracking network covers many more route miles now than before.
D. Nobody has orbited the earth besides Glenn.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析