As a professor at a large American university, there is a phrase that I hear often from students: “I’m only a 1050. ”The unlucky students are speaking of the score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which is used to determine whether they will be admitted to the college or university of their choice, or even have a chance to get a higher education at all. The SAT score, whether it is 800, 1 100 or 1550, has becomes the focus at this time of their life.
It is obvious that if students value highly their test scores, then a great amount of their self-respect is put in the number. Students who perform poorly on the exam are left feeling that it is all over. The low test score, they think, will make it impossible for them to get into a good college. And without a degree from a prestigious university, they fear that many of life’s doors will remain forever closed.
According to a study done in the 1990s, the SAT is only a reliable indicator(指示物) of a student’s future performance in most cases. Interestingly, it becomes much more accurate when it is set together with other indicators——like a student’s high school grades. Even if standardized tests like the SAT could show a student’s academic proficiency(学业水平),they will never be able to test things like confidence, efforts and willpower, and are unable to give us the full picture of a student’s potentialities(潜力). This is not to suggest that we should stop using SAT scores in our college admission process. The SAT is an excellent test in many ways, and the score is still a useful means of testing students. However, it should be only one of many methods used.
1.The purpose of the SAT is to test students’________.
A.strong will B.academic ability
C.full potentialities D.confidence in school work
2.Students’ self-respect is influenced by their________.
A.scores in the SAT B.achievements in mathematic
C.job opportunities D.money spent on education
3.“A prestigious university” is most probably________.
A.a famous university B.a technical university
C.a traditional university D.an expensive university
4.This passage is mainly about________.
A.how to prepare for the SAT B.stress caused by the SAT
C.American higher education D.the SAT and its effects
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
As a professor at a large American university, there is a phrase that I hear often from students: “I’m only a 1050. ”The unlucky students are speaking of the score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), which is used to determine whether they will be admitted to the college or university of their choice, or even have a chance to get a higher education at all. The SAT score, whether it is 800, 1 100 or 1550, has becomes the focus at this time of their life.
It is obvious that if students value highly their test scores, then a great amount of their self-respect is put in the number. Students who perform poorly on the exam are left feeling that it is all over. The low test score, they think, will make it impossible for them to get into a good college. And without a degree from a prestigious university, they fear that many of life’s doors will remain forever closed.
According to a study done in the 1990s, the SAT is only a reliable indicator(指示物) of a student’s future performance in most cases. Interestingly, it becomes much more accurate when it is set together with other indicators——like a student’s high school grades. Even if standardized tests like the SAT could show a student’s academic proficiency(学业水平),they will never be able to test things like confidence, efforts and willpower, and are unable to give us the full picture of a student’s potentialities(潜力). This is not to suggest that we should stop using SAT scores in our college admission process. The SAT is an excellent test in many ways, and the score is still a useful means of testing students. However, it should be only one of many methods used.
1.The purpose of the SAT is to test students’________.
A.strong will B.academic ability
C.full potentialities D.confidence in school work
2.Students’ self-respect is influenced by their________.
A.scores in the SAT B.achievements in mathematic
C.job opportunities D.money spent on education
3.“A prestigious university” is most probably________.
A.a famous university B.a technical university
C.a traditional university D.an expensive university
4.This passage is mainly about________.
A.how to prepare for the SAT B.stress caused by the SAT
C.American higher education D.the SAT and its effects
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
If you are interested in studying at an American university, you have to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language. The test is widely known as the TOEFL. It is the most widely used language exam for American universities.
There are two major kinds of the TOEFL test. The first is the IBT, or Internet-based Test. It is offered in most of the world and accepted by nearly every university and scholarship program in the United States.The other kind of the test is called the Paper-based Test or PBT. The PBT is less costly to take and does not require use of the Internet.
But how to get started with TOEFL? Here are some tips.
1. Plan ahead ---It takes a long time to improve your TOEFL score. Do not expect a big lift in your test results after two weeks. You will have to spend a lot of time and energy.
2. Master the basics first ---You should have to be good at basic English before you take the test. If you score below 500 on the PBT or 70 on the IBT, study for a few months and come back to the TOEFL later.
3. Get a study guide --- It is easy to find study guides for the IBT. Pearson, Barron's, ETS, and Kaplan all produce quality materials. Take a practice test once or twice a month. The best study guides will have explanations in the answer key.
4. Use outside resources --- Remember, you are learning a language, not a test. You can improve your TOEFL score by making English part of your daily life. Some simple ways are listening to English speakers, watching movies and reading newspapers. Some others are reading English textbooks, sending and reading text messages in English, and writing online in English.
The best way to do well on the TOEFL is to know English well.The real goal of the test is to measure how well a student can communicate in English-speaking classroom.
If you want to know more, please click here.
1.If you want to study in an America university, you have to_________.
A. be very rich and work hard
B. be well prepared to take the TOEFL test
C. ask an English teacher to help you
D. prepare for a month before taking the TOEFL test
2.From the passage we can learn that___________.
A. the IBT is more expensive to take and requires use of the Internet.
B. Pearson is a person who teaches quality materials.
C. If you score 500 on the PBT,you can pass the TOEFL test.
D. If you are good at reading ,you can pass the TOEFL test.
3.The real purpose of the TOEFL is to , according to the passage.
A. get more foreign students to study in American universities
B. let foreign students know more about American universities
C. measure one’s communicating ability in English.
D. improve foreign students’ skills of taking tests
4.Where does the passage most probably come from?
A. A website B. A lesson
C. A science book D. A novel
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Just what is a tiger mother?Amy Chua is a law professor at America's Yale University and her recent book on the subject is making waves. She's been called “dangerous”,“outrageous”,even a “monster” for her descriptions of how she brought up her two daughters.
Her book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother describes fighting with a daughter for hours at the piano to ensure the child gets a piece of music right. She rejected birthday cards made for her by her girls because she didn't think they had made enough effort. She compared one child negatively with the other,threatening to burn their toys. Her rules include:schoolwork always comes first; an A minus is a bad grade; children must be two years ahead of their classmates in math,and playing the violin or the piano is a must.
Ms. Chua considers the Chinese hard work ethic(道德) as a way of creating happy,successful children—at least in her case. Although she's had a large amount of flak for her theories,one thing can't be ignored—the success of Chinese children in the education system.
In Britain,shocking research shows that Chinese girls,for example,are outperforming all other foreign groups at GCSE—79 percent getting 5 A C Grades,compared with 58 percent of white British girls. So what is it about Chinese parenting that's leading to high achievers?And how do Amy Chua's theories play into that success?
She told me that if her daughter came back from school with 96/100 in a test,Chua would ask her what happened to the other 4 points. It's about always knowing “you can do better”,she told me.
Interestingly,in China,the birthplace of the tiger mother,people are moving away from traditional Chinese parenting. They are following more western parenting styles.
1.After reading Amy Chua's recent book,the public ______.
A.feel very sorry for their own children
B.consider her a very successful mother
C.realize their methods of bringing up children are wrong
D.don't think highly of her methods of bringing up her children
2.The underlined word in the third paragraph probably means_____.
A.Attention B.Criticism
C.Curiosity D.Contribution
3.It can be inferred from the text that ______.
A.Amy Chua will change her methods
B.Amy Chua considers her methods useful
C.Amy Chua's children don't love their mother
D.Amy Chua's children prefer western parenting styles
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
For an increasing number of students at American universities, Old is suddenly in. The reason is obvious: the graying of America means jobs, coupled with the aging of the baby-boom generation, a longer life span means that the nation’s elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995.The change poses profound questions for government and society, of course. But it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions and in law and business as well. “In addition to the doctors, we’re going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers,” says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California’s (USC) School of Gerontology(老年学).
Lawyers can specialize in “elder law”, which covers everything from trusts and estates to nursing-home abuse and age discrimination. Businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers, 74 million strong, are likely to be the wealthiest group of retirees in human history. “Any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with, say, an MBA or law degree will have a license to print money,” one professor says.
Margarite Santos is a 21-year-old senior at USC. She began college as a biology major but found she was “really bored with bacteria.” So she took a class in gerontology and discovered that she liked it. She says, “I did volunteer work in retirement homes and it was very satisfying.”
1.With the aging of America, lawyers can benefit ________.
A. from the adoption of the “elder law”
B. from presenting their professional services to the elderly
C. by enriching their professional knowledge
D. by winning the trust of the elderly to promote their own interests.
2.Who can make big money in the new century according to the passage?
A. Retirees who are business-minded.
B. The volunteer workers in retirement homes.
C. college graduates with an MBA or law degree.
D. Professionals with a good knowledge of gerontology.
3.Why can businessmen gain profit in the emerging elder market?
A. Retirees are more generous in spending money.
B. They can employ more gerontologists.
C. The elderly possess an enormous purchasing power.
D. There are more elderly people working than before.
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
For an increasing number of students at American universities, Old is suddenly in. The reason is obvious: the graying of America means jobs. Coupled with the aging of the baby-boom (生育高峰) generation, a longer life span(寿命) means that the nation’s elderly population is bound to expand significantly over the next 50 years. By 2050, 25 percent of all Americans will be older than 65, up from 14 percent in 1995. The change brings many problems for government and society, of course. But it also creates career opportunities in medicine and health professions, and in law and business as well. “In addition to the doctors, we’re going to need more sociologists, biologists, urban planners and specialized lawyers,” says Professor Edward Schneider of the University of Southern California’s (USC) School of Gerontology (老年学).
Lawyers can specialize in “elder law” which covers everything from trusts(信托) and estates to nursing-home abuse and age discrimination. Businessmen see huge opportunities in the elder market because the baby boomers, 74 million strong, are likely to be the wealthiest group of retirees(退休者) in human history. “Any student who combines an expert knowledge in gerontology with, say, an MBA or law degree will have a license to print money,” one professor says.
Margarite Santos is a 21-year-old senior at USC. She began college as a biology major but found she was “really bored with bacteria.” So she took a class in gerontology and discovered that she liked it. She says, “I did volunteer work in retirement homes and it was very satisfying.”
1..“…Old is suddenly in” (Line 1, Para. 1) most probably means “_____”.
A. America has suddenly become a nation of old people
B. more elderly professors are found on American campuses
C. gerontology has suddenly become popular
D. American colleges have realized the need of getting older students
2.Why can businessmen make money in the emerging elder market?
A. The elderly possess an enormous purchasing power
B. They can employ more gerontologists
C. Retirees are more generous in spending money
D. There are more elderly people working than before
3.Who can make big money in the new century according to the passage?
A. Retirees who are business-minded
B. The volunteer workers in retirement homes
C. Professionals with a good knowledge of gerontology
D. College graduates with an MBA or law degree
4..It can be seen from the passage that the expansion of America’s elderly population ______.
A. will provide good job opportunities in many areas
B. will cause a heavy burden on society
C. may lead to nursing home abuse and age discrimination
D. will create new fields of study in universities
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
I cannot hear the professor clearly as there is too much noise _____ I am sitting.
A. that B. where C. who D. what
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Brian Greene, a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University, has created an online science education platform. He tries to “build a bridge” with things you know about, and then “bring you across that bridge to the strange place of modern physics.”
Recently I had a chance to ask Greene about wormholes (a hole which some scientists think might exist, connecting parts of space and time that are not usually connected ), time travel and other mysteries of the universe. I asked him a million-dollar question: What if I went through a wormhole and prevented my parents from meeting? “Most of us believe that the universe makes sense,” Greene said. Although there are several interesting theories about time travel, he
added, the laws of physics would probably prevent something so illogical from taking place. The good news is that the time paradox(悖论) is open for future physicists to solve.
When asked how physics could become more exciting for kids, Greene said that books by Stephen Weinberg, Leonard Susskind, and other physicists, “make it a great time for people who want to learn about big ideas but aren’t yet ready, perhaps, to learn math.”
When I pointed out that some students still might find physics boring, Greene said that the key is to teach them about things that are strange. “The basic stuff is important, ”Greene said. “But I think it’s really important to also describe the more modern ideas, things like black holes and the Big Bang. If kids have those ideas in mind, then at least some of them will be excited to learn all the details.”
Greene has followed Albert Einstein’s lead in trying to solve the mysteries of the universe. Now he wants kids to do the same. As Greene said, physics is “not just a matter of solving problems in an exam.” It’s about experimenting, showing an interest in strange phenomena(现象)-- and having fun!
1.A million-dollar question is probably very .
A. direct B. difficult
C. personal D. long
2.The books by Weinberg and Susskind .
A. are boring to read B. are mainly about math
C. are popular science books D. are only popular among kids
3.According to Paragraph 4, which of the following does Greene agree with?
A. Modern physics is a boring subject.
B. Interest plays an important role in studying.
C. It is not necessary to learn all about physics.
D. It is easy to describe black holes and the Big Bang.
4.In the last paragraph, Greene hopes that .
A. kids can love science and physics B. kids can do well in physics exams
C. kids can have fun with experiments D. kids can find more strange things in life
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Claude Sammut,a professor of computer science and engineering at the University of New South Wales in Australia,said it would soon be possible for robots to defeat the stars of the future.
For many years,Mr Sammut has been a member of a project called RoboCup,where robots have been programmed to learn how to play football and compete against others in a football match.
As he explains,the robots are having difficulty in learning how to control the ball and move the ball on their own,but he is still full of confidence that one day in the future they will show the same skills as Wayne Rooney,who is one of the best football players in the world.
Mr.Sammut also said,"In 1968,John McCarthy and Donald Michie made a bet with David Levy,who was then the chess champion in Scotland,that within 10 years a computer program would be able to beat him.It took a little bit longer than 10 years (nearly 30 years) but eventually such programs came into being."
"In the same spirit of a grand challenge,RoboCup aims to develop a team of robots that can defeat the world soccer champion team by the year 2050.To achieve this,or come even closer to the ambition,the robots will have to be able to sense and act in completely unstructured environments.This will require major advances in perception(感知),decision making,learning,and cooperative behaviors.Considering robots are integrated hardware and software systems,great advances will also be needed in sensors(传感器),energy storage,and materials."
1.The idea of designing a computer program that could defeat a chess champion came forth .
A. in 1968 B. in 1978
C. in the 1990s D. 30 years ago
2.We can conclude from Mr.Sammut's words that .
A. robots would be smarter than human beings in the near future
B. robots have more ambitions than human beings
C. robots would take control of the world
D. many parts of robots still need improving
3.What's the best title for this passage?
A. Scientists' Wisdom in Designing Robot Football Players.
B. Robot Football Players to Beat World's Best by 2050.
C. Robot Football Players' Bright Future.
D. Mr Sammut—the Father of Robot Football Players
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Rae Armantrout, who has been a poetry professor at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) for two decades, has won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in the poetry category for her most recent book, "Versed".
"I'm delighted and amazed at how much media recognition that the Pulitzer brings, as compared to even the National Book Critics Award, which I was also surprised and delighted to win," said Armantrout.
"For a long time, my writing has been just below the media radar, and to have this kind of attention, suddenly, with my 10th book, is really surprising."
Armantrout, a native Californian, received her bachelor's degree at UC Berkeley, where she studied with noted poet Denise Levertov, and her master's in creative writing from San Francisco State University. She is a founding member of Language Poets, a group in American poetry that analyzes the way language is used and raises questions to make the reader think.
In March, she won the National Book Critics Circle Award for "Versed."
"This book has gotten more attention," Armantrout said, "but I don't feel as if it's better."
The first half of "Versed" focuses on the dark forces taking hold of the United States as it fought the war against Iraq. The second half looks at the dark forces casting a shadow over her own life after Armantrout was diagnosed with cancer in 2006.
Armantrout was shocked to learn she had won the Pulitzer but many of her colleagues were not. "Rae Armantrout is a unique voice in American poetry," said Seth Lerer, head of Arts and Humanities at UCSD.
"Versed", published by the Wesleyan University Press, did appear in a larger printing than her earlier works, which is about 2,700 copies. The new edition is scheduled to appear in May.
1.According to Rae Armantrout, __________
A.her 10th book is much better
B.her winning the Pulitzer is unexpected
C.the media is surprised at her works
D.she likes being recognized by her readers
2.Which of the following is true of Rae Armantrout?
A.She published a poetry textbook.
B.She used to teach Denise Levertov.
C.She started a poets' group with others.
D.She taught creative writing at UC Berkeley.
3.What can we learn about "Versed"?
A.It partly concerns the poet's own life.
B.It is mainly about the American army.
C.It is a book published two decades ago.
D.It consists of three parts.
4.Rae Armantrout's colleagues think that she __________.
A.should write more B.has a sweet voice
C.deserves the prize D.is a strange professor
5.What can we learn from the text?
A. "Versed" has been awarded twice. B. Cancer made Armantrout stop writing.
C. Armantrout got her degrees at UCSD. D. About 2,700 copies of "Versed" will be printed.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Rae Armantrout, who has been a poetry professor at the University of California San Diego(UCSD)for two decades, has won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in the poetry category for her most recent book, Versed.
“I’m delighted and amazed at how much media recognition that the Pulitzer brings, as compared to even the National Book Critics Award, which I was also surprised and delighted to win, ”said Armantrout.“For a long time, my writing has been just below the media radar, and to have this kind of attention, suddenly, with my 10th book, is really surprising.”
Armantrout, a native Californian, received her bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley, where she studied with noted poet Denise Levertov, and her master’s in creative writing from San Francisco State University.She is a founding member of Language Poets, a group in American poetry that analyzes the way language is used and raises questions to make the reader think.
In March, she won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Versed.
“This book has gotten more attention, ” Armantrout said, “but I don’t feel as if it’s better.”The first half of Versed focuses on the dark forces taking hold of the United States as it fought the war against Iraq. The second half looks at the dark forces casting a shadow over her own life after Armantrout was diagnosed with cancer in 2006.
Armantrout was shocked to learn she had won the Pulitzer but many of her colleagues were not.“Rae Armantrout is a unique voice in American poetry, ” said Seth Lerer,head of Arts and Humanities at UCSD.
Versed, published by the Wesleyan University Press, did appear in a larger printing than her earlier works, which is about 2, 700 copies. The new edition is scheduled to appear in May.
1.According to Rae Armantrout, ____.
A.her 10th book is much better
B.her winning the Pulitzer is unexpected
C.the media is surprised at her works
D.she likes being recognized by her readers
2.Which of the following is TRUE about Rae Armantrout?
A.She published a poetry textbook.
B.She used to teach Denise Levertov.
C.She started a poets’ group with others.
D.She taught creative writing at UC Berkeley.
3. What can we learn about Versed?
A.It consists of three parts.
B.It is mainly about the American army.
C.It is a book published two decades ago.
D.It partly concerns the poet’s own life.
4.Rae Armantrout’s colleagues think that she ____.
A.should write more
B.has a sweet voice
C.deserves the prize
D.is a strange professor
5. What can we learn from the passage?
A. About 2, 700 copies of Versed will be printed.
B. Cancer made Armantrout stop writing.
C. Armantrout got her degrees at UCSD.
D. Versed has been awarded twice.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析