It may not come as a surprise but the world as a whole is getting richer. Some people have more disposable(可支配的) income to spend on luxuries such as holidays, cars, TVs and smartphones. Recent data has shown that the number of people living in extreme poverty(贫穷) has halved in recent decades. So should we celebrate the fact that more of us now have a better standard of living?
Maybe not. Whilst the gap between rich and poor in some countries is narrowing, there is still a lot of inequality in other places-some people have a lot of money and opportunities and others don't. A recent report by Oxfam and Credit Suisse revealed how divided many of us are when it comes to wealth. A lot of the money in the world is in the hands of very few people. In fact, 48% of global wealth is owned by the richest 1% of the population.
But some countries are attempting to reduce this inequality and make the poor, less poor. According to David Bryer from Oxfam, Brazil has been taking "some really sensible measures-measures around having more progressive(逐步发展的) tax, around investing in a higher minimum wage and investing in central public services." Having a higher minimum wage, can help people eat better and seek a better education. And more people with more money buy more things-and factories can produce more. In turn, a factory which produces more will need more workers. So, more jobs are created.
Other wealthy individuals are doing their bit to help reduce inequality. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, earned a lot of money from his company but when he retired, he and his wife Melinda, created a foundation to help the poor. He thinks that rich people should, of course, pay their taxes but he also advises that they should all "look at taking their wealth and being philanthropic, both in their own country and to help the global poorest."
Bill Gates feels that giving money to help poor people is "fulfilling". But if other super-rich people don't want to experience this fulfilment then, according to Oxfam, very soon the wealthiest 1% will soon own more money than the rest of the world's population.
1.According to a recent report by Oxfam and Credit Suisse, .
A. the gap between the rich and the poor is widening gradually
B. increased wealth helps people to reduce the inequality
C. people should be happy about the world’s getting richer
D. a small number of people possesses the major wealth
2.What the author’s attitude towards Brazil’s measures?
A. Cautious B. Approving
C. Doubtful D. Critical
3.What is the meaning of the underlines word “philanthropic”?
A. Merciful B. Responsible
C. Realistic D. Broadminded
4.The author develops the article mainly by .
A. comparing opinions from different fields
B. listing detailed numbers and analyzing them
C. presenting a trend and analyzing its cause and effect
D. presenting research findings and giving some examples
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
It may not come as a surprise but the world as a whole is getting richer. Some people have more disposable(可支配的) income to spend on luxuries such as holidays, cars, TVs and smartphones. Recent data has shown that the number of people living in extreme poverty(贫穷) has halved in recent decades. So should we celebrate the fact that more of us now have a better standard of living?
Maybe not. Whilst the gap between rich and poor in some countries is narrowing, there is still a lot of inequality in other places-some people have a lot of money and opportunities and others don't. A recent report by Oxfam and Credit Suisse revealed how divided many of us are when it comes to wealth. A lot of the money in the world is in the hands of very few people. In fact, 48% of global wealth is owned by the richest 1% of the population.
But some countries are attempting to reduce this inequality and make the poor, less poor. According to David Bryer from Oxfam, Brazil has been taking "some really sensible measures-measures around having more progressive(逐步发展的) tax, around investing in a higher minimum wage and investing in central public services." Having a higher minimum wage, can help people eat better and seek a better education. And more people with more money buy more things-and factories can produce more. In turn, a factory which produces more will need more workers. So, more jobs are created.
Other wealthy individuals are doing their bit to help reduce inequality. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, earned a lot of money from his company but when he retired, he and his wife Melinda, created a foundation to help the poor. He thinks that rich people should, of course, pay their taxes but he also advises that they should all "look at taking their wealth and being philanthropic, both in their own country and to help the global poorest."
Bill Gates feels that giving money to help poor people is "fulfilling". But if other super-rich people don't want to experience this fulfilment then, according to Oxfam, very soon the wealthiest 1% will soon own more money than the rest of the world's population.
1.According to a recent report by Oxfam and Credit Suisse, .
A. the gap between the rich and the poor is widening gradually
B. increased wealth helps people to reduce the inequality
C. people should be happy about the world’s getting richer
D. a small number of people possesses the major wealth
2.What the author’s attitude towards Brazil’s measures?
A. Cautious B. Approving
C. Doubtful D. Critical
3.What is the meaning of the underlines word “philanthropic”?
A. Merciful B. Responsible
C. Realistic D. Broadminded
4.The author develops the article mainly by .
A. comparing opinions from different fields
B. listing detailed numbers and analyzing them
C. presenting a trend and analyzing its cause and effect
D. presenting research findings and giving some examples
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It may not come as a surprise but the world as a whole is getting richer. Some people have more disposable income to spend on luxuries such as holidays, cars, TVs and smartphones. Recent data has shown that the number of people living in extreme poverty has halved in recent decades. So should we celebrate the fact that more of us now have a better standard of living?
Maybe not. While the gap between rich and poor in some countries is narrowing, there is still a lot of inequality in other places-some people have a lot of money and opportunities and others don’t. A recent report by Oxfam and Credit Suisse revealed how divided many of us are when it comes to wealth. A lot of the money in the world is in the hands of very few people. In fact, 48% of global wealth is owned by the richest 1% of the population.
But some countries are attempting to reduce this inequality and make the poor less poor. According to David Bryer from Oxfam, Brazil has been taking “some really sensible measures-measures around having more progressive tax, around investing in a higher minimum wage and investing in central public services.” Having a higher minimum wage(提高最低工资标准), can help people eat better and seek a better education. And more people with more money buy more things-and factories can produce more. In turn, a factory which produces more will need more workers. So, more jobs are created.
Other wealthy individuals are doing their bit to help reduce inequality. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, earned a lot of money from his company but when he retired, he and his wife Melinda, created a foundation to help the poor. He thinks that rich people should, of course, pay their taxes but he also advises that they should all “look at taking their wealth and being philanthropic, both in their own country and to help the global poorest.”
Bill Gates feels that giving money to help poor people is “fulfilling”. But if other super-rich people don’t want to experience this fulfilment then, according to Oxfam, very soon the wealthiest 1% will soon own more money than the rest of the world’s population. Do you think that is fair?
1.According to a recent report by Oxfam and Credit Suisse, .
A. the gap between the rich and poor is widening gradually
B. increased wealth helps people to reduce the inequality
C. people should be happy about the world’s getting richer
D. a small number of people possess the major world wealth
2.What’s the author’s attitude towards Brazil’s measures?
A. Cautious B. Approving
C. Doubtful D. Critical
3.What is the meaning of the underlined word “philanthropic” in Paragraph 4?
A. Broadminded B. Responsible
C. Realistic D. Merciful
4.The author develops the article mainly by .
A. comparing opinions from different fields
B. listing detailed numbers and analyzing them
C. presenting research findings and giving some examples
D. presenting a trend and analyzing its cause and effect
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It does not come as a surprise that Dubai has a growing problem with “tragic”. The local rulers have explored all the conventional ways to get traffic moving again，including higher prices for parking，fuel and insurance. But at a recent conference in Hamburg, Hussain Lootah said that the city may adopt a more strict approach: setting an income level for vehicle ownership.
Mr Lootah’s approach is unlikely to be copied widely, but mayors of other big cities around the world are starting to think about taking severe actions of their own, including complete car bans in inner cities．But the efforts may not be enough to reduce traffic and pollution. The problems will only get worse: the number of vehicles sold globally each year will grow from around 80 million today to more than 100 million by the end of the decade, according to IHS Automotive.
There are already a handful of car-free communities around the world．But these are typically small and often tourist destinations that seek to create a throwback(后退;返祖遗传) in time, such as Sark Island, in the English Channel. The largest car-free urban area is probably Venice, where it is impossible to build roads and bridges to link the more than 100 small islands the city sits on.
Yet pedestrian malls(步行街) and other car-free zones keep popping up in cities around the world. Some cities are considering ways to limit central city access to “green” machines, such as battery-electric vehicles. Hamburg is perhaps the furthest along.
Such extreme plans may fly in a city such as Hamburg. But in many other cities the political resistance even to less far-reaching measures is hard to overcome. Michael Bloomberg, New York’s former mayor, tried twice to introduce a jam charge for much of Manhattan, but his plans were rejected by state lawmakers.
1. From Paragraph 1, we know that ________.
A. Dubai government tries to improve its local incomes
B. Dubai government tries to solve traffic problems
C. Dubai government tries to reduce prices for parking
D. Dubai government tries to offer insurance to locals
2. It is still hard to reduce traffic problems, because ________.
A. Mr Lootah’s approach will be copied widely.
B. mayors take gentle measures toward them.
C. more vehicles will be sold globally each year.
D. complete car bans in inner cities are not made.
3.What causes Venice to be the largest car-free urban area?
A. Its natural geographical characteristics.
B. Its too many tourist destinations.
C. Its reduced number of cars.
D. Its government law on car free.
4.What can we learn from Paragraph 4?
A. People can only walk in central city.
B. All vehicles can be used in central city.
C. Hamburg may not adopt “green” machines.
D. “Green” machines can be accessible in central city.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
British English may have come first, but around the world, the American way of spelling is now far more popular.
A recent examination of the English language shows that publications now largely use the American version swapping words like “centre” for “center” after the 1880s. To get data, researchers used Google’s Ngram Viewer to analyze the words found in all English-language publications from 1800 to 2000. Entering a word into the viewer will show how frequently it occurs within the massive corpus(语料库)of books around the world.
According to the data, this shift was further strengthened around World War I. Since then, English-language publications have preferred “gray” and “flavor” instead of “grey” and “flavour”. The American spelling has continued to grow over the years, with “liter” passing “liter” around 1900, and “center” becoming the more common choice over “centre” in 1913. “1913 marked a turning point in British spelling, as the American alternative became more frequently used in literature,” the post explains, in regard to “center”. This was just a year before the beginning of World War I, which many views as a key period in America’s rise to superpower status.
Though this switched again between 1920s and the late 1930s, the American, spelling took over for good around 1940, during which time the spelling “airplane” shifted dramatically over “aeroplane”.
Ever since the middle of the 19th century, even the British Isles have slowly rejected the old spelling. The future is gray for British English.
1.Which of the following is true?
A. American spelling takes over all the time
B. British people refuse to use American spelling
C. All the media prefer American spelling
D. The change in spelling is more obvious around World War I
2.What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?
A. The popularity of American spelling
B. The examples of the change in spelling
C. The history of English spelling
D. The reason for the change in English spelling
3.The passage is developed _______.
A. by space B. by time
C. by process D. by logic
4.The passage is written to _____.
A. introduce the change of English spelling
B. encourage the change in English spelling
C. compare the difference between American spelling and British spelling
D. introduce different views on English spelling
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
We may look at the world around us, but somehow we manage not to see it until whatever we’ve become used to suddenly disappears. 36 , for example, the neatly-dressed woman I 37 to see—or look at—on my way to work each morning.
For three years, no matter 38 the weather was like, she was always waiting at the bus stop around 8:00 am. On 39 days, she wore heavy clothes and a pair of woolen gloves. Summertime 40 out neat, belted cotton dresses and a hat pulled low over her sunglasses. 41 , she was an ordinary working woman. Of course, I 42 all this only after she was seen no more. It was then that I realized how 43 I expected to see her each morning. You might say I 44 her.
“Did she have an accident? Something 45 ?” I thought to myself about her 46 . Now that she was gone, I felt I had 47 her. I began to realize that part of our 48 life probably includes such chance meetings with familiar 49 : the milkman you see at dawn, the woman who 50 walks her dog along the street every morning, the twin brothers you see at the library. Such people are 51 markers in our lives. They add weight to our 52 of place and belonging.
Think about it. 53 , while walking to work, we mark where we are by 54 a certain building, why should we not mark where we are when we pass a familiar, though 55 , person?
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20.A unnamed B. unforgettable C. unbelievable D. unreal
高二英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
You may not be aware, but digital currency (货币) is a big part of the Internet world. QQ Coins can buy you accessories (配饰) for your QQ images. More importantly, a new digital currency, Bitcoin, is bringing the world’s commerce online.
If you’re traveling, you can spend Bitcoins at restaurants and hotels listed at BitcoinTravel.com. In China, Bitcoins can be used to buy goods at about 134 online shops on Taobao. And at a café named 2nd Place in Beijing, you can even buy fresh coffee with Bitcoins.
So what makes Bitcoin so attractive to investors?
First of all, the Bitcoin system is not controlled by anyone. One central authority cannot make policies to change the value of Bitcoins. The fixed amount of Bitcoins also means they cannot lose value through inflation(通货膨胀), as all forms of paper money have done over time.
In addition, accounts in the Bitcoin system are anonymous and transparent. Users can set up an account easily and track every Bitcoin. All of these features seem to make Bitcoins immune(有免疫力的) from loss, but that is not entirely true.
“The value of Bitcoins can vary wildly as no central government makes the price of them steady. If the value drops suddenly, investors cannot get any compensation(赔偿),” Zhao Qingming, a senior researcher at China Construction Bank, told China Economic Weekly. And Bitcoins, unlike company shares, are not backed by any tangible funds, which also adds to their risk.
While China will not recognize the digital currency anytime soon, Xinhua said, lawmakers and officials at a hearing on Nov. 18 in the US made positive comments about Bitcoin.
Ben Bernanke, outgoing chairman of the Federal Reserve, told the Washington Post that “these types of creations, such as Bitcoin… may hold long-term promise, particularly if its system promote a faster, more secure and more efficient payment system.”
1.Bitcoin is ______.
A. actually exactly like QQ Coins
B. only used online
C. a new currency used both online and in real life
D a country’s new digital currency.
2.We can use Bitcoin to buy the following things except ______.
A. online goods
B. goods at 134 online shops on Taobao
C. books in physical shops
D. coffee at a café named 2nd Place
3.What is the disadvantage of Bitcoin?
A. the value of it can rise and fall wildly.
B. It cannot lose value through inflation.
C. Every bitcoin in your account can be followed.
D. It can even be used at some specific restaurants and hotels.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The streets of Stockholm may be cold and snowy during winter, but it is one of the world's hottest startup(创业) centers and a good choice for people with talent worldwide.
Once the snow melts(融化) in early spring, the city is among the greenest in the world. Two thirds of Stockholm is made up of either water or parks, and locals make it the first thing to enjoy these peaceful surroundings. Less than l% of Swedish employees work more than 50 hours per week.
The quality of life is important. New parents are given 480 days of leave to look after their babies, while childcare is heavily supported in various sides. Little wonder that Sweden was rated the best location in the world for family life. Adam Webb, 34, a British businessman and father-of-one, said, "Everything is set towards helping parents, from giving dads time off on almost full pay to free bus rides for anyone with a baby carriage."
Stockholm is also proud of what Vogue magazine recently ranked as Europe's coolest neighborhood. On the island of Sodermalm, just south of the city centre, independent record stores still make money, while plenty of cafes offer a taste for Scandinavia's love affairs with timeless style.
Many major international companies, including H&M and Ericsson, offer expats(外来者) accommodation for the first three months of their contracts(合同) in Stockholm. But other foreigners arriving in the city are left to battle with a unique property market and a shortage of apartments. More than a third of Swedes live in rented housing, half of which is owned by local governments or state rental companies. If you're lucky enough to get a firsthand contract for this kind of accommodation, it is yours for life. Expats are welcome to join the queue, but in Stockholm they will find around half a million locals in front of them and an average wait of nine years.
"Finding a place to live is the single biggest challenge when moving to Stockholm, but there is a lot going on to try and solve the problem," said Julika Lamberth from Stockholm Business Region, a state-funded company working to increase investment in the city.
1.Stockholm attracts international talent probably because of its .
A. beautiful weather B. free apartments
C. working policies for employees D. widespread greenness in the city
2.Sweden is on the top of the world for its .
A. tourism B. sports
C. family life D. record stores
3.What can be the best title of the passage?
A. Have More Babies? Go to Sweden!
B. The Best Neighborhood in Sweden
C. The Best City for Working Families
D. The Most Comfortable Apartments in Stockholm
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
It may surprise bookworms, but apparently masterpieces such as Jane Eyre are lacking in something — sound effects. An electronic-book firm is adding background noises and music to the works of Charlotte Bronte, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and William Shakespeare in the hope of attracting younger readers. In one example, a description of rain lashing against a window in a Sherlock Holmes story will be “enhanced” with matching noises.
The first multimedia e-books — with sounds to accompany novels — will be available this Friday in the UK. The Booktrack releases are available to iPad users, with other tablet computer versions to follow. The concept is already in use in the U.S., where the classics come with added sound effects. Readers for example can hear the china cups chinking in Mr. Darcy’s garden as they read Pride And Prejudice.
A story by Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie will be released later in the year with a specially crafted orchestral score. Rushdie’s story In The South will be released with a soundtrack provided by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
The Power Of Six by Pittacus Lore, a novel for young adults, is one of the first to be tested with a soundtrack which builds in suspense in keeping with the plot. It works by timing the speed of each reader and the software measures the “turning” of a page and moves the music or sounds along accordingly. It has been created by Booktrack which synchronizes (使同步) music to each novel. It is funded by Peter Thiel, a co-founder of PayPal.
Mr. Thiel said, “It’s always exciting to witness the creation of a new form of media. The technology promises to captivate readers in a different way.”
However, they have been greeted with horror by traditionalists, who say the technology takes away the pleasure of having one’s imagination stimulated by a story. They also raise the prospect (预期) of having to ask an overly eager reader to turn their book down. David Nicholls, whose bestseller One Day was recently turned into a film starring Anne Hathaway, said, “This sounds like the opposite of reading. It would be a distraction.”
1.What’s the purpose of the electronic-book firm adding sound effects to masterpieces?
A. To add some creative factors to the e-books.
B. To arouse interest of the readers.
C. To satisfy the readers’ great need.
D. To promote the technology progress.
2.Where was the idea that sounds are added to accompany novels first put forward?
A. Britain. B. Australia.
C. New Zealand. D. America.
3. The following should be done to make a soundtrack work, EXCEPT _________.
A. measuring how long each reader spends in reading
B. increasing the volume of the music or sounds
C. making out the reading speed
D. changing the music or sounds with pages turned
4. What’s Mr. Thiel’ attitude to the future of the new form of media?
A. Doubtful. B. Indifferent.
C. Hopeful. D. Pessimistic.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The world is not hungry, but it is thirsty. It seems strange that nearly 3/4 of the earth is covered with water while we say we are short of water. Why? Because about 97% of water on the earth is sea water which we can’t drink or use for watering plants directly. Man can only drink and use the 3% the water that comes from rivers and lakes. And we can’t even use all of that, because some of it has been polluted.
Now more water is needed. The problem is: can we avoid a serious water shortage later on? First, we should all learn how to save water. Secondly, we should find out the ways to reuse it. Scientists have always been making study in this field. Today, in most large cities water is used only once and then runs to the sea or rivers. But it can be used again. Even if every large city reused its water, still there would not be enough. What could people turn to next?
The sea seems to have the best answer. There is a lot of water in the sea. All that needs to be done is to get the salt out of the sea water. This is expensive, but it’s already in use in many parts of the world. Scientists are trying to find a cheaper way of doing it. So you see, if we can find a way out, we’ll be in no danger of drying up.
1.The world is thirsty because ___________.
| A．3/4 of the earth is covered with water |
| B．we have enough sea water |
| C．we haven’t used all the water in rivers and lakes |
| D．about 97% of water on the earth can’t be drunk or used for watering plants directly |
2.Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．3% of drinkable water on the earth is from rivers and lakes. |
| B．75% of water on the earth is in the sea. |
| C．97% of the earth is covered with water. |
| D．3% of water on the earth is sea water. |
3.From the passage we learn that __________.
| A．if every city reuses its water, we’ll be in no danger of drying up |
| B．man can only drink and use about 25% of water on the earth |
| C．today in most large cities water is used only once |
| D．water can be used only once |
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Life is short. It may feel as if it takes forever sometimes, but the reality is that you live, and a short time later, you die. It happens so quickly that many people don't even realize they had a life until it's already over.
1.
If you don't believe in yourself, nobody will. Success starts in your mind, and if all you're doing is putting yourself down and predicting failure, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy(预言).2.，instead of not believing yourself. Not only will you be happier and more successful, you'll also spread it to everyone around you.
2. Stop Being Lazy
Lazy people are annoying—it's like pulling teeth and getting them to do anything. If I can't do something as simple as going to the movies with you without wasting an hour convincing you to get your lazy butt (臀部) out of bed, I'd rather go alone. People have enough trouble motivating themselves.3..
3. Stop Wasting Time
I’ve said it before. And I'll say it again. 4., Don't waste your time on unproductive things. If you want to explore the World's dark corners, that's great. I still associate with people who have not-so-kosher(没有固定工作的) careers, but I don’t hang out with those people at the expense of my own short- and long-term goals.
4. Stop Being Wasteful
You don’t finish your meals, and throw away food instead. You leave the faucet running when you brush your teeth,
5.. You drive to places you could easily walk to, burning gasoline (a non-renewable resource). You are wasteful, and it needs to stop.
A. Think positively
B. wasting is a shame
C. Stop Being Selfish
D. Stop Doubting Yourself
E. pouring precious clean water down
F. Time is the most valuable resource we have
G. don't make your friends and family waste their energy motivating you as well
高二英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析