In Washington D.C., 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue ...

In Washington D.C., 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is a very special address. It is the address of the White House, the home of the president of the United States.

Originally the White House was gray and was called the presidential Palace. It was built from 1792 to 1800. At this time, the city of Washington itself was being built. It was to be the nation’s new capital city. George Washington, the first president, and Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a French engineer, chose the place for the new city. L'Enfant then planned the city. The president's home was an important part of the plan.

A contest was held to pick a design for the president's home. An architect named James Hoban won. He designed a large three-story house of gray stone.

President Washington never lived in the Presidential Palace. The first president to live there was John Adams, the second president of the United States, and his wife Mrs.Adams did not really like her new house. In her letters, she often complained about the cold. Fifty fireplaces were not enough to keep the house warm.

In 1812 the United States and Britain went to war. In 1814 the British invaded Washington. They burned many buildings, including the Presidential Palace.

After the war James Hoban, the original architect, partially rebuilt the president’s home. To cover the marks of the fire, the building was painted white. Before long it became known as the White House.

The White House is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the United States. Every year more than 1.5 million visitors go through the five rooms that are open to the public.

1.The White House was built in Washington_____.

A. because a French engineer was invited to design it

B. because President George Washington liked to live in it

C. because the British invaders lived in it in1812-1814

D. because it was to be the nation’s capital city

2.The president’s home and the city of Washington were______.

A. built by the American army              B. built by the British troops

C. planed by George Washington           D. planned by the French

3.The original home of the president needed to be rebuilt______.

A. because John Adams’ wife did not like it

B. because it was cold in winter even with 50 fireplace

C. because it had been burned down during the war

D. because George Washington was not willing to live in it

4.The new presidential home was painted white to ______.

A. cover the marks of fire                  B. attract tourist from France

D. to please Mrs. John Adams             D. keep it warm in winter

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Big trees are very important in ecology. For a start, they provide food for countless other species and shelter for many animals. With their tall branches in the sun, they take in vast amounts of energy. This allows them to produce massive crops of fruit and flowers that much of the animal life in the forest feed on.

Only a small number of tree species have the genetic(基因的) ability to grow really big. The biggest are native to North America, but big trees grow all over the globe, from the tropics(热带地区) to the forests of the high latitudes(纬度). To achieve giant size, a tree needs three things: the right place to establish(建立) its seedling, good growing conditions and lots of time with low adult death rate. Lose any of these, and you will lose your biggest trees.

In some parts of the world, populations of big trees are dwindling because their seedlings cannot survive. In southern India, for instance, an aggressive non-native bush, Lantana camara, is invading the floor of many forests. Lantana grows so thickly that young trees often fail to take root. With no young trees to replace them, it is only a matter of time before most of the big trees disappear.

Without the right growing conditions, trees cannot get really big and there is some evidence to suggest tree growth could slow in a warmer world, particularly in environments that are already warm. Having worked for decades at La Selva Biological Station in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, David and Deborah Clark and colleagues have shown that tree growth there slows obviously in warmer years. “During the day, their growth shuts down when it gets too warm, and at night they consume more energy because their metabolic(新陈代谢的) rate increases,” explains David Clark. With less energy produced in warmer years and more being consumed just to survive, there is even less energy available for growth.

The Clarks’ theory, if correct, means tropical forests would be smaller over time. The largest, oldest trees would gradually die off and tend not to be replaced. According to the Clarks, this might cause a destabilization of the climate; as older trees die, forests would release some of their stored carbon into the atmosphere, causing a cycle of further warming, forest shrinkage and carbon emissions.

Besides, big trees face threats from elsewhere.

1.According to the passage, big trees make great contributions to the ecosystem because ________.

A. they can take in large amounts of energy

B. they determine the change of global climate

C. they provide the essentials for many creatures

D. they can improve a new cycle of further warming

2.All the following factors are a must for making big trees EXCEPT ______.

A. no deadly damage

B. the suitable place for new plants’ growing

C. good environment for growth

D. the highest location

3.The word “dwindling” (paragraph3) is closest in meaning to “______”.

A. exploding　　　　 B. growing

C. changing　　　　 D. dropping

4.What is the best title of the passage?

A. Big trees in trouble.

B. Advantages of big trees.

C. Results of big trees’ disappearing.

D. Importance of big trees to humans.

5.What will the author most probably discuss after the last paragraph?

A. More threats to the existence of big trees.

B. The effect of human activities on big trees.

C. Benefits of big trees to the whole atmosphere.

D. Comparison between common trees and big ones.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

School violence is in the headlines again after recent shootings at schools in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Colorado. After hearing the news, it’s natural for students — no matter how old they are or where they go to school — to worry about whether this type of incident may someday happen to them.

So how safe are schools? It’s actually safer to be in a school than in a car. Twice as many 15-to-19-year-olds die in car accidents than in shootings (and that’s all shootings, not just the ones that happen in schools). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 1% of all homicides (杀人罪) among school-age children happen on school grounds or on the way to and from school. So the vast majority of students will never experience violence at school.

However, some schools have re-evaluated their safety needs in response to the concerns of families and communities. Some now require that guests check in at the office or have more guards on duty. Some schools have fixed metal detectors. Another thing that helps make schools safer is greater awareness of problems like bullying and discrimination. Many schools have practiced programs to fight these problems and to help teachers and administrators know more about protecting students from this type of violence.

The cause of school violence isn’t easy to understand. There is no single reason why students become violent. Some are just copying behavior they’ve seen at home, in the streets, or in video games, movies, or television. There’s one thing experts do agree on, though: Having access to guns or other weapons makes it easier for some people to lash out against the things or people they don’t like.

1.Which of the following statements can prove that schools are safe?

2. After schools have re-evaluated their safety needs, ________.

3.From the last paragraph we can conclude that ______.

4.We could probably see this passage in ______.

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

WASHINGTON—Laura Straub is a very worried woman. Her job is to find families for foreign teenagers who expect to live with American families in the summer.

It is not easy, even desperate.

“We have many children left to place—40 out of 75,” said Straub, who works for a foreign exchange programme called LEC.

When foreign exchange programmes started 50 years ago, more families were accommodating. For one thing, more mothers stayed at home. But now, increasing numbers of women work outside the home. Exchange-student programmes have struggled in recent years to sign up host families for the 30, 000 teenagers who come from abroad every year to spend an academic year in the United States, as well as the thousands more who take part in summer programmes.

School systems in many parts of the U.S., unhappy about accepting non-taxpaying students, have also strictly limited the number of exchange students they accept. At the same time, the idea of hosting foreign students is becoming less exotic(有异国情调的).

In search for host families, who usually receive no pay, exchange programmes are increasingly broadening their requests to include everyone from young couples to the retired.

“We are open to many different types of families,” said Vickie Weiner, eastern regional director for ASSE, a 25-year-old programme that sends about 30,000 teenagers on academic-year exchange programmes worldwide.

For elderly people, exchange students “keep us young—they really do”, said Jen Foster, who is hosting 16-year-old Nina Post from Denmark.

1.According to the text, why was it easier for Laura Straub to find American families for foreign students?

A. American school systems were better than now.

B. The government was happy because it could gain tax.

C. Foreign students paid hosting families a lot of money.

D. More mothers didn’t work outside and could look after children.

2.To deal with the problem in recent years, exchange programmes have to ______.

A. extend the range of host families

B. limit the number of the exchange students

C. borrow much money to pay for the costs

D. make hosting foreign students more exotic

3.Which of the following is the best title of this passage?

A Exchange Students Keep Old People Young.

B. Idea of Hosting Students is Different.

C. Foreign-exchange Program Is Going on.

D U.S. Struggle to Find host Families.

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

WASHINGTON—There are more than 222million TVs in American homes. And it would make Frank Vespe very happy this week if every last one was turned off.

Vespe is the head of the TV-Turnoff Network. the Washington organization behind TV Turnoff Week. For TV Turnoff week, American children are encouraged to go one week without watching TV. This year, it runs from April 23~29.“Our real message here is to see what life is like without TV and then make watching TV a conscious（自觉的) decision,”said Vespe.

Vespe said that most of the children who go without television for a week go back to watching, but not so much.“They watch more selectively. They do more things as a family. It helps them put TV in its place.”One girl who is turning off her TV is Sarah Foote, 9.of Virginia. Sarah admits that it won’t be too hard to give up TV. She’s allowed to watch only educational television, and he favorite show from last year isn’t on any more.

Of course, there are plenty of things about TV: programs can be entertaining, even educational.

Even so, some experts aren’t sure TV Turnoff Week is the answer.

Susan Neuman, a university educator who studies children and reading ,says the real problem is that parents do not keep track of what their children are watching. They don’t set limits on TV watching. Also, in some families, TV might be the only thing to do.

What message does Sarah have for other children?

“It’s a very good idea. I spent a whole week without TV. It also teaches you to enjoy time doing different things and not being sucked into something on TV, because you don’t want TV taking up all of your time.”Sarah said.

1.From the first two paragraphs we know that　　　　　 .

A. American TV companies will be turned off

B. American families have more TV sets than they need

C. Vespe has persuaded most people to turn off their TV sets

D. Vespe is an active person in the TV-Turnoff organization

2.As Vespe said in this passage, turning off TV a week can help children　　　　　 .

A. forget to watch TV programmes　　 B. improve their habits of watching TV

C. place TV sets out of their bedrooms　　 D. have part-time jobs after school

3.In some experts’ opinion　　　　　 .

A. parents should turn off TV for their children

B. parents should teach their children how to use TV

C. children should enjoy exciting programmes on TV

D. children should learn their lessons on TV

4.What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A. To advise us to turn off TV sets.　　 B. To warn parents of the danger of TV.

C. To report to us a piece of news about TV.　　 D. To praise Vespe and his organization.

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

The emperor penguin is the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species and lives in Antarctica. The male and female are similar in size, reaching 122 cm in height and weighing anywhere from 22 to 45 kg. The back and head are black, contrasting sharply with the pale-yellow breast and bright-yellow ears. Like all penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body and their wings stiffen and flatten into flippers(鳍状肢) for a marine habitat.

Its diet consists primarily of fish, but can also include animals with hard shells. In hunting, the species can remain underwater up to 18 minutes, diving to a depth of 535 m. Its unusually structured hemoglobin(血红蛋白)allows it to function at low oxygen levels.

The emperor penguin is perhaps best known for the journeys adults make each year in order to mate and to feed their babies. The only penguin species that breeds(繁殖) during the Antarctic winter, it goes on a long journey of 50-120 km over the ice to breeding areas which may include thousands of individuals. The female lays a single egg, which is incubated(孵化)by the male while the female returns to the sea to feed; parents take turns searching for food at sea and caring for their chick. They both care for the chick until it is able to enter the water to find food on its own. During the process of incubation, the male can lose up to 1/3 to 1/2 of his body weight. One of the coolest things about the male is that if the chick comes out its egg before the female returns, the male can actually produce a special liquid to feed the chick. He can only do this for a short time. If the female doesn’t return, he must leave the chick to go on with his own life. The emperor penguin can typically live for 20 years in the wild, although observations suggest that some individual may live to 50 years of age.

1.We can learn from paragraph 1 that ____.

A. the emperor penguin is the world’s largest kind of penguin

B. the emperor penguin has pale-yellow ears

C. the male and female emperor penguins are of different sizes

D. the emperor penguin lives in the most northern area on the Earth

2.The emperor penguin can stay underwater for a long time mainly because of its ____.

A. strong wings     B. streamlined body     C. structured hemoglobin     D. special diet

3.The emperor penguin differs from other penguin species in that ____.

A. it gives birth in the Antarctic winter        B. it feeds mainly on fish

C. the male won’t search for food on his own   D. it can only live for a short time

4.According to the passage, ____.

A. the egg of the emperor penguin is mainly incubated by the female

B. many emperor penguins will stay together to breed

C. the male emperor penguin will give up his own life to feed the chick

D. the female emperor penguin will leave the chick forever once it lays an egg

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is often easy to feel overwhelmed (受打击的)in the face of species loss and habitat destruction. The problem is large and complex, and it's natural for individuals to feel powerless. Yet, everything you do is vitally important. It may not seem to amount to much in the grand scheme of things, but your seemingly small actions, added together, can make a big difference. Here are some things you can do:

Protect Wildlife Habitat. Perhaps the greatest threat to many species is the widespread destruction of habitats. Farming, development, and cutting down of forests all result in loss of wildlife habitats. In areas where rare species live, habitat destruction can quickly force a species to extinction. By protecting habitat, entire communities of animals can also be protected together. Parks, reserves, and other protected lands are too often the only places left untouched by habitat destruction.

Reduce the threat of invasive (入侵的) species. The spread of non-native species has greatly reduced native populations around the world. Invasive species compete with native species for resources and habitats. They can even prey on native species directly, greatly reducing their population. one way to reduce the threat of invasive species is to grow native plants in your garden and to welcome native animals into your yard.

Place bird-shaped paper on your windows. It is estimated that as many as one billion birds in the United States die each year due to collisions with windows. You can help reduce the number of collisions simply by placing bird-shaped paper on your windows. Other simple steps you can take are to draw the shades and curtains during brightest parts of the day, and put screens on the outside of the windows.

Slow down when driving. Many native animals live in developed areas, in other words, close to humans. Roads are a particularly big danger to them: animals are at risk every time they try to cross. So when you’re out and about, slow down, and keep an eye out for wildlife.

1.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A. How Do Animals Become Extinct?

B. The Importance of Protecting Wildlife.

C. What Can We Do to Protect Wild life?

D. New Ways of Saving Endangered Animals.

2.The main idea of the second paragraph is ______.

A. more parks and reserves should be built

B. we should keep wildlife habitats from destruction

C. conditions of parks and reserves have been improved

D. parks and reserves are best ways of protecting

3.People are advised to put bird-shaped paper on their windows to ______.

A. beautify their houses

B. protect the windows from birds

C. attract more birds to live nearby

D. stop birds from hitting windows by mistake

4.The underlined phrase “prey on” in paragraph 3 probably means “_____”

A. drive away　　 B. live with

C. hunt down　　 D. fight with

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is rather 　　　　 that we still do not know how many species there are in the world today.

A.misleading 　　 B.embarrassing

C.boring 　　 D.demanding

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

The biggest problem with Bob is that he never has got a/ an ___ goal in his life.

高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

It is rather ______ that we still do not know how many species there are in the world today.

A．misleading         B．embarrassing       C．boring            D．demanding

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析