The American dream is the faith held by many ...

The American dream is the faith held by many people in the United States of America that through hard work, courage, creativity and determination, they can achieve a better life for themselves. More specifically, they agree on how to get ahead in America: get a college education, find a reliable job, and buy their own house. But do Americans still believe in that path, and if they do, is it attainable?

The most recent National Journal poll asked participants about the American dream, what it takes to achieve their goal, and whether or not they felt the control over their ability to be successful. Obviously, the results show that today, the idea of the American dream and what it takes to achieve it looks quite different from it did in the late 20th century. Generally speaking, people felt that their actions and hard work not outside force deciding their lives. But the participants had definitely mixed feelings about what actions make for a better life in the current economy.

In the last seven years, Americans have grown more pessimistic(悲观的) about the power of education to lead to success. Even though they see going to college as a fairly achievable goal, a majority 52 percent think that young people do not need a 4-year college education in order to be successful.

Miguel Maeda, 42, who has a master’s degree and works in public health, was the first in his family to go to college, which has allowed him to achieve a sense of financial stability(稳定) his parents and grandparents never did. While some, like Maeda, emphasized the value of degree rather than the education itself, others still see college as a way to gain new viewpoints and life experiences. To Fendley, a sense of drive and purpose, as well as an effective high-school education, and basic life skills, like balancing a checkbook(支票簿), are the necessary elements for a successful life in America.

1.It used to be commonly acknowledged that to succeed in America, one had to have ____.

A. a sense of drive and purpose　　 B. an advanced academic degree

C. a firm belief in their dream　　 D. an ambition to get ahead

2.What is the finding of the latest National Journal poll concerning the American dream?

A. More and more Americans are finding it hard to realize.

B. It remains alive among the majority of American people.

C. An increasing number of young Americans are abandoning it.

D. Americans’ idea of it has changed over the past few decades.

3.What do Americans now think of the role of college education in achieving success?

A. It still remains open to debate.

B. It has proved to be beyond doubt.

C. It is much better understood now than ever.

D. It is no longer as important as it used to be.

4.How do some people view college education these days?

A. It helps broaden their minds.　　 B. It needs to be strengthened.

C. It widens cultural diversity.　　 D. It promotes gender equality.

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The Golden Gate Bridge, the first sight for many people arriving in the United States by ship, is a well-recognized landmark, which spans(横跨) the Golden Gate Strait.

The idea for a bridge across the strait had been around for many years, but it was not easy to get the project started. The construction of the bridge finally began in 1933. The construction work set new standards for safety----workers were among the first required to wear hard hats, and an innovative（革新的） safety net saved the lives of nineteen men while the bridge was built. The Golden Gate Bridge was completed in 1937, which was finished ahead of schedule.

Joseph Strauss was the chief engineer in charge of the bridge project. However, he had little experience with the construction of suspension（悬浮）bridges. For this reason, other engineers, architects, and designers made great contributions to the design and construction of the bridge. For example, the bridge owes its art style and unique orange color to the architects Irving and Gertrude Morrow. Charles Alton Ellis was the main engineer on the project and did much of the technical work necessary to build the bridge.

Today, the Golden Gate Bridge has a main span of 4,200 feet and a total length of 8,981 feet, making it one of the longest bridges in the world. The bridge is 90 feet wide, and its span is 220 feet above the water. The towers supporting the huge cables (巨缆) rise 746 feet above the waters of the Golden Gate Strait, making them 191 feet taller than the Washington Monument. About 40 million cars cross the bridge every year. There are foghorns（雾角）to let passing ships know where the bridge is, and aircraft beacons（信号灯）on the tops of the towers to stop planes from crashing into them.

1.The purpose of the passage is to _______.

A. describe the construction work of the Golden Gate Bridge

B. introduce the Golden Gate Bridge

C. tell us the history of the Golden Gate Bridge

D. introduce the engineers in charge of the Golden Gate Bridge

2.Safety innovations during the construction of the bridge included ________.

A. hardhats and a safety net　　　B. aircraft beacons

C. foghorns          　　　　 D. all of the above

3. It can be inferred from the passage that _______.

A. Joseph Strauss was skilled in the construction of suspension bridges

B. it took the construction workers three years to build the Golden Gate Bridge

C. about 100 thousand cars cross the Golden Gate Bridge every day

D. the Golden Gate Bridge is the longest bridge in the world

4.The underlined word “them” in Paragraph 4 refers to ________.

A. towers           B. cables           C. waters          D. bridges

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The main reason people come to America is said to be that they can chase the American Dream. Everyone has heard of it, and many have died fighting for it. The only thing is that there is no clear definition of the American Dream. It is not defined by one dream, but by all the opportunities that the United States offers. Since the founding of the United States, people have been striving to define the American Dream.

In the play Death of a Salesman, every character is trying to realize his own version of the American Dream. Willy feels that he has done so. He has spent his whole life as a not very successful salesman. As he gets older, he starts having conflicts with everyone in his life, and feels that only by killing himself will the people around him be able to finally be happy.

Bernard, on the other hand, feels that the American Dream can only be achieved through career success. He shows that through hard work and dedication he will be crowned with success.

The dialogue of the characters reveals the different attitudes they have toward the American Dream, and the reaction of Willy to the fact that Bernard is very successful while he is not.

Many people try to achieve the American Dream, but few actually do so. As with any goal, it takes hard work and dedication to achieve the American Dream. In Death of a Salesman, all aspects of this goal are examined. For the goal to be achieved, the dream must be an attainable one which is worth working toward. It also must be a dream that the professional world accepts and finds useful.

1.The underlined word “striving” probably has the same meaning as “_________”.

A. trying hard                B. giving up

C. bending down                D. standing still

2.According to the text, Death of a Salesman tries to tell us _________.

A. what the American Dream is like

B. why Willy decides to kill himself

C. about Bernard’s dedication to his work

D. the life stories of Willy and Bernard

3.According to the author, Bernard is successful because _________.

A. he understands the real world

B. he knows how to take advantage of his knowledge

C. he works hard to achieve his goals

D. he is popular around the world

4.What would be the correct structure of the text?

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The Tenth Art Festival held in Jinan _______ to many people from the world.

A. appeal                             B. attract                     C. fascinate                         D. attach

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

On December 22, 2016 I landed in the land of the “American Dream.” 1. Here is one of the things I’ve struggled with during my almost one year in the States.

2. My uncle and aunt joked that I brought rain from Saigon to America. Saigon, where I come from, is the old name of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Vietnam is a tropical country where it rains most of the year. Before going to the U.S., actually, I had no idea what to expect about its weather, but the big rain on my arrival gave me the first expectation of what the weather here might be like.

California is known for having a great climate — more sunshine, cooler in summer and warmer in winter. 3. However, having been here for a pretty long while now, I have experienced various forms of climate in California.

4. Most of the time I was living in Silicon Valley, where the weather is a bit colder than where I study in Orange County. But I was really surprised to find chill-to-the-bone weather in San Francisco — a big shift from Silicon Valley in only about an hour’s drive. How strange!

5. The worst is that I get n runny nose whenever I wake up in the morning. Because I am allergic to the cold and windy weathers, I keep sneezing badly, and even more badly if I get caught in the cold. I think that my body needs more time to get used to this climate, but as many people said, I am luckier to be in California where I don’t have to fight with extreme weathers as in other stales.

A. I am sensitive to weather change.

B. Such strange weather has affected my health.

C. So the amount of rain this year is considered unusual.

D. LAX airport in California welcomed me with a big rain.

E. So I quickly get used lo the unchangeable climate in California.

F. The weather varies widely depending on where you are in the state.

G. Since then, I have discovered tons of dilemmas about life in America.

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

In December,2010,many American newspapers publish a list of the best books of the year. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen is one of the most repeatedly praised books on this year’s list of favorites. It tells about the ups and downs of the Berglund family over many years. Mr.Franzen fills the book with sharp observations about American politics, culture and society.

Jennifer Egan’s book A Visit from the Goon Squad takes place in 13 chapters over 40 years. The story moves back and forth in time,from different viewpoints. One main character is former rock musician Bennie Salazar who works for a record company. The other main character is a troubled young woman named Sasha who works for Bennie. The reader learns about their pasts and those of their friends.

The main character in The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman is a failing English Language newspaper published in Rome,Italy. Each chapter of the book tells about a reporter or editor working for this paper. Their stories are filled with intelligence and great personality.

Two of the most popular non­fiction books of 2010 were about rock and roll stars. Just Kids is by rock singer Patti Smith. It tells about her friendship with the artist Robert Mapplethorpe in the 1960s and 1970s before they became famous. Life is the autobiography of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards. It is an honest and exciting look at the development of rock and roll and the wild times this famous band has experienced.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand tells about a man named Louis Zamperini. She tells about his extraordinary survival story after his plane crashed into the Pacific Ocean during Would War Two.

Stacy Schiff has received great praise for her book Cleopatra: A Life. It tells about one of the most misrepresented and famous women in his story, Cleopatra. She ruled ancient Egypt about 2,000 years ago. One critic said Ms. Schiff has brought Cleopatra to life again by unearthing her story from centuries of lies.

1.The following books are related to music EXCEPT________.

A. The Imperfectionists          B. A Visit from the Goon Squad

C. Just Kids                   D. Life

2.If your major is the history of ancient Africa, you may pay attention to ________.

A. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen

B. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

C. The Imperfections by Tom Rachman

D. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

3.Which book will give you a practical understanding of the USA?

A．Life                                       B．Cleopatra: A Life

C．Freedom                                 D．A Visit from the Goon Squad

4.The last sentence of the passage implies that ________.

A．Stacy Schiff is an archaeologist

B．the critic finds the character in the book very real

C．the critic speaks highly of Cleopatra in history

D．Stacy Schiff tells a story about an imaginary Egyptian queen

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

With the world economy growing weaker, for many young people, the dream of landing a good job is becoming harder and harder ________.

A． realized          B．realizing           C．to realize          D．to be realized

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

For many the idea of your dream home is not buying a bigger home，but a home that you have built by yourself. A house that is unique and fit for your tastes and your lifestyle. It sounds great but where do you begin to design your dream home? Here is a quick guide that can help you make your dreams come true.

The first step is to get an idea of what type of home you want. You can get inspiration from others. Drive around to neighbourhoods that have the styles of homes you like and take pictures. You can also cut out pictures from magazines, newspapers, or print out pictures you find on the Internet.

The next step will be to make two lists of items for yourself. The first list will be those items or features that you feel your new home must have，such as granite counter tops or a hot water heater. The second list will be those items or features that are on your wish list like a fireplace or slate floors.

At this point you will probably have a good idea of what your dream home will look like, so you will need to seek some professional help. You will need to hire an architect to put your ideas down on paper.You may need to interview a few different architects to find one that you are comfortable with. Make sure whomever you choose for final drawings has a full understanding of local building codes and zoning by­laws. In any ease your final plan will need to be approved by the city and a building permit must be obtained before any construction can begin.

It is time to look for a contractor(承包人). Whichever way you can do it in, be sure you are comfortable with your contractor and you have got references from his past clients. Remember the more homework you do in the beginning, the more enjoyable the process will be.

高三英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析

HARVARD, the top university in the United States, is a dream place for many students. Imagine being able to see how unique Harvard students are. Asking them what they learn. And how their classes are conducted.

This month, 300 students from different parts of China had an opportunity to spend a week with Harvard students. They gathered in the High School Attached to Fudan University in Shanghai where the Harvard College Association for US-China Relations Summit for Young Leaders in China (HSYLC 2007) took place. Over 40 Harvard undergraduates took part in it!

Around 2,000 Chinese students applied online for the program, which included various activities. Wang Wenjing, 17, from Shanghai Jingye High School was one of the 300 participants to be selected.

Seminars (研讨会)

Every day, the schedule was very busy filled with seminars, lectures, workshops (研习班), games and parties. Wang liked the seminars most.

Seminars are small classes with no more than 10 students. Wang could choose six from 40 different seminars to attend. A Harvard student led each one.

"They explored international issues such as US immigration (移民). We were allowed lively discussion and sometimes the only thing we did in a class was debate," Wang said. "To prepare for the next seminar, we often stayed up late doing research. No one could keep silent and it was fun to share ideas with others."

Celebrities’(名人) lectures

Each day, two or three lectures were given. Wang was excited that the lecturers were famous figures that before she had only seen on TV.

"I finally know why people are crazy about Yi Zhongtian. He is intelligent and eloquent (有口才的). Pu Bajia taught me how to overcome difficulties and plan for the future. All the lectures were inspiring," she said.

At the closing ceremony, Wang and her partner from Nanjing presented their workshop project. It was a survey of how Chinese view Americans, as an article about how Americans view Chinese is popular on the Internet.

"The program taught me what I could not otherwise learn in the classroom. Harvard students also let me know how important to be creative," she said.

高三英语填空题中等难度题查看答案及解析

Ask most people how they define the American Dream and chances are they’ll say, “Success.” The dream of individual opportunity has been home in American since Europeans discovered a “new world” in the Western Hemisphere. Early immigrants like Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur praised highly the freedom and opportunity to be found in this new land. His glowing descriptions of a classless society where anyone could attain success through honesty and hard work fired the imaginations of many European readers: in Letters from an American Farmer (1782) he wrote. “We are all excited at the spirit of an industry which is unfettered (无拘无束的) and unrestrained, because each person works for himself … We have no princes, for whom we toil (干苦力活)，starve, and bleed: we are the most perfect society now existing in the world.” The promise of a land where “the rewards of a man’s industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor” drew poor immigrants from Europe and fueled national expansion into the western territories.

Our national mythology (神化) is full of illustration of the American success story. There’s Benjamin Franklin, the very model of the self-educated, self-made man, who rose from modest origins to become a well-known scientist, philosopher, and statesman. In the nineteenth century, Horatio Alger, a writer of fiction for young boys, became American’s best-selling author with rags-to-riches tales. The notion of success haunts us: we spend million every year reading about the rich and famous, learning how to “make a fortune in real estate with no money down,” and “dressing for success.” The myth of success has even invaded our personal relationships: today it’s as important to be “successful” in marriage or parenthoods as it is to come out on top in business.

But dreams easily turn into nightmares. Every American who hopes to “make it” also knows the fear of failure, because the myth of success inevitably implies comparison between the haves and the have-nots, the stars and the anonymous crowd. Under pressure of the myth, we become indulged in status symbols: we try to live in the “right” neighborhoods, wear the “right” clothes, eat the “right” foods. These symbols of distinction assure us and others that we believe strongly in the fundamental equality of all, yet strive as hard as we can to separate ourselves from our fellow citizens.

1.What is the essence of the American Dream according to Crevecoeur?

A. People are free to develop their power of imagination.

B. People who are honest and work hard can succeed.

C. People are free from exploitation and oppression.

D. People can fully enjoy individual freedom.

2.By saying “the rewards of a man’s industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor” (Line 10, Para. 1), the author means __________ .

A. the more diligent one is, the bigger his returns

B. laborious work ensures the growth of an industry

C. a man’s business should be developed step by step

D. a company’s success depends on its employees’ hard work

3.The characters described in Horatio Alger’s novels are people who ___________.

A. succeed in real estate investment

B. earned enormous fortunes by chances

C. became wealthy after starting life very poor

D. became famous despite their modest origins

4.It can be inferred from the last sentence of the second paragraph that ____________.

A. business success often contributes to a successful marriage

B. Americans wish to succeed in every aspect of life

C. good personal relationships lead to business success

D. successful business people provide good care for their children

5.What is the paradox (说法) of American culture according to the author?

A. The American road to success is full of nightmares.

B. Status symbols are not a real indicator of a person’s wealth.

C. The American Dream is nothing but an empty dream.

D. What Americans strive after often contradicts their beliefs.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析