Girl with a Pearl Earring
Johannes Vermeer is a Dutch painter of the 17th century. Vermeer’s paintings are realistic pictures of scenes from everyday life. Not many of Vermeer’s paintings still exist. When one was put on sale in London in 2004, someone paid ￡16,000,000 for it, so you can see Vermeer is an artist who is valued very highly.
One of Vermeer’s most beautiful and well-known paintings is the Girl with a Pearl Earring. It shows a pretty young woman with blue cloth around her head and a large, shining pearl earring. We do not know much about Vermeer’s life, and the English writer Tracy Chevalier decided to think of a story to explain who the girl is in this painting. She gave the book the same name as the painting. Chevalier imagines that the girl in the painting works for the Vermeer family. Her name is Griet.
She comes from a poor family and does the cleaning and housework. Some of Vermeer’s family are nice to her, but others are not. The Vermeer family needs him to sell paintings to live. Vermeer works all day in his studio. He does not like anyone else to go into it, but Griet can go in to clean it. A rich man who often buys Vermeer’s paintings thinks Griet is beautiful and suggests Vermeer paint her. This makes trouble for the girl because Vermeer’s wife is unhappy that Vermeer allows Griet in his studio and paints her, and not his wife. She wants to send Griet away but the wife’s mother stops her, as she wants Vermeer to work and earn money.
Griet becomes interested in Vermeer’s work and more friendly with the artist. He asks her to make special colours for him and she spends more time in the studio.
Vermeer is not happy with the painting. Something is wrong-he cannot finish it. Then he remembers his wife’s lovely pearl earring. He asks his mother-in-law（岳母）for it and she gives it to him as she wants the painting finished and sold. When the wife is out, Griet wears the pearl earring and Vermeer paints it. When the painting is nearly finished, the wife sees it and is very angry that this girl she hates has had her earring. Griet loses her job and is sent away, but the butcher’s son loves her and takes care of her. In the end, they marry and lead a happy life.
This is Chevalier’s explanation of the famous painting and the expression on the girl’s face. The book has been made into a film with the same name. Do you think the story matches the picture？
1.Vermeer’s paintings are expensive because ______.
A.there are not many in the world B.they are very large
C.they show everyday life D.they are based on true stories
2.Griet is allowed into Vermeer’s studio because ______.
A.she needs to clean B.she needs to paint
C.Vermeer likes her D.she works as a student painter
3.According to the passage, we know that Vermeer’s mother-in-law ______.
A.wants the painting for herself B.wants Vermeer to make money
C.likes Griet very much D.hates her daughter
4.The ending of the story is ______.
A.happy B.sad C.uncertain D.negative
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Johannes Vermeer is a Dutch painter of the 17th century. Vermeer’s paintings are realistic pictures of scenes from everyday life. Not many of Vermeer’s paintings still exist. When one was put on sale in London in 2004, someone paid ￡16,000,000 for it, so you can see Vermeer is an artist who is valued very highly.
One of Vermeer’s most beautiful and well-known paintings is the Girl with a Pearl Earring. It shows a pretty young woman with blue cloth around her head and a large, shining pearl earring. We do not know much about Vermeer’s life, and the English writer Tracy Chevalier decided to think of a story to explain who the girl is in this painting. She gave the book the same name as the painting. Chevalier imagines that the girl in the painting works for the Vermeer family. Her name is Griet.
She comes from a poor family and does the cleaning and housework. Some of Vermeer’s family are nice to her, but others are not. The Vermeer family needs him to sell paintings to live. Vermeer works all day in his studio. He does not like anyone else to go into it, but Griet can go in to clean it. A rich man who often buys Vermeer’s paintings thinks Griet is beautiful and suggests Vermeer paint her. This makes trouble for the girl because Vermeer’s wife is unhappy that Vermeer allows Griet in his studio and paints her, and not his wife. She wants to send Griet away but the wife’s mother stops her, as she wants Vermeer to work and earn money.
Griet becomes interested in Vermeer’s work and more friendly with the artist. He asks her to make special colours for him and she spends more time in the studio.
Vermeer is not happy with the painting. Something is wrong-he cannot finish it. Then he remembers his wife’s lovely pearl earring. He asks his mother-in-law（岳母）for it and she gives it to him as she wants the painting finished and sold. When the wife is out, Griet wears the pearl earring and Vermeer paints it. When the painting is nearly finished, the wife sees it and is very angry that this girl she hates has had her earring. Griet loses her job and is sent away, but the butcher’s son loves her and takes care of her. In the end, they marry and lead a happy life.
This is Chevalier’s explanation of the famous painting and the expression on the girl’s face. The book has been made into a film with the same name. Do you think the story matches the picture？
1.Vermeer’s paintings are expensive because ______.
A.there are not many in the world B.they are very large
C.they show everyday life D.they are based on true stories
2.Griet is allowed into Vermeer’s studio because ______.
A.she needs to clean B.she needs to paint
C.Vermeer likes her D.she works as a student painter
3.According to the passage, we know that Vermeer’s mother-in-law ______.
A.wants the painting for herself B.wants Vermeer to make money
C.likes Griet very much D.hates her daughter
4.The ending of the story is ______.
A.happy B.sad C.uncertain D.negative
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
The mother of the 13-year-old Dutch girl Laura Dekker, whose plans to make a solo sailing trip around the world have recently made world headlines, has spoken out against the trip. “It breaks my heart to think that because of this I could lose contact with my daughter,” she said in an interview. “I have never before made such a difficult decision. But I must accept the consequences. I would rather have a live daughter who I will never see again than a dead daughter.”
It is the first time that Laura’s mother, Babs Müller, has spoken out against the trip. Laura’s parents are divorced and the girl has lived with her father since she was six. Her father Dick Dekker supports Laura’s plans. However, the Dutch Child Protection Board has decided to place the girl under supervision (监督) for two months to ascertain whether she is mentally and physically capable of undertaking the journey.
Ms Müller says she is confident that Laura is technically capable of making the journey. “She can sail like the devil. That’s not the problem.” However, she is afraid of the problems a 13-year-old girl can encounter in the harbors of Third-World countries and of the psychological (心理上的) pressure of being alone for such a long period on the ocean. “The most important thing, in my eyes, is that she is not yet an adult.”
Ms Müller says she told Laura once before that she was opposed to the idea. Her daughter replied, “If you forbid me, you will have ruined my entire life. Then I’ll never want to see you again.” However, Laura’s mother says that reports that a camera team is planning to follow her around the world could change her opinion about the trip.
1.Laura Dekker’s plans to sail solo around the world .
A. made her parents divorce
B. have attracted wide attention
C. made her father unhappy
D. were a difficult decision to make
2.It can be inferred that Laura Dekker and her mother .
A. are angry with Dick Dekker
B. had a quarrel
C. lost touch with each other
D. are all good sailors
3. We can learn that the Dutch Child Protection Board .
A. will train Laura for two months
B. will help Laura realize her dream
C. cares about Laura’s safety
D. doesn’t believe in Laura at all
4.What does the underlined part “opposed to” mean?
A. Against. B. Shocked by.
C. Beyond. D. Satisfied with.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It’s fun to dream about vacationing in Europe, but international flights are not always particularly affordable. If you’re looking to experience a taste of European culture, however, there are many places in the US with a European heritage(传统).
St. Augustine Florida
Founded by Spanish settlers in 1565, St. Augustine is full of Spanish-inspired architecture, historical sites and other attractions. The Colonial Quarter is a popular tourist area, and there are many places to grab traditional Spanish food.
Holland, Michigan
Holland was settled in 1847 by Dutch Calvinist separatists, under the leadership of Dr Albertus van Raalte. Terrible economic conditions in the Netherlands forced them to emigrate(移居国外), while their desires for religious freedom led them to unite and settle together as a group. Much of the original architecture was destroyed in an 1871 fire, but the city still has many windmills, eateries, art and even an annual tulip festival and holiday market.
New Glarus, Wisconsin
More than 160 years after it was founded, New Glarus has maintained much of its Swiss heritage and old world traditions. New Glarus’ Swiss immigrant roots are proudly on display with its Alpine architecture, Swiss Historical Village Museum and Yodel Club. The Wisconsin village also puts on cultural events like the Heidi Folk Festival and Swiss Volksfest.
Solvang, California
Located near Santa Barbara, Solang is a charming California city with Danish roots. A group of immigrates from Denmark founded Solvang just over 100 years ago to create a Danish home away from home. As such, the city is full of Danish architecture, restaurants, shops and even a copy of Copenhagen’s famous Little Mermaid statue.
1.Which US city might have the longest European origin ?
A.St. Augustine B.Holland C.New Glarus D.Solvang
2.Why did Dutch Calvinist separates decide to emigrate?
A.To reveal the dark side of their native place.
B.To pursue religious freedom and economic opportunities.
C.To found a Dutch community with united power.
D.To seek for a US state with better social welfare.
3.Which of the following originates from Denmark?
A.Yodel Club. B.The Heidi Folk Festival.
C.The Colonial Quarter. D.The Little Mermaid statue.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
Lucy is a very optimistic girl. ______ she is faced with difficulties, she always sees the bright side.
A. Every time B. Now that C. As soon as D. On condition that
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Lucy is a very optimistic girl. ______ she is faced with a difficulty, she always sees the bright side.
A．Every time B．Now that C．As soon as D．On condition that
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Lucy is a very optimistic girl．________ she is faced with a difficulty, she always sees the bright side．
A．Now that B．Every time C．As soon as D．On condition that
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Zuriel Oduwole is a girl filmmaker who has made several films with her newest one called Follow the Ball for Education. All her _______ focused on Africa and girls’ education and rights.
Zuriel got her _______ in filmmaking after entering the National History Day Contest. The requirements of the contest were to do research on a _______ topic. Zuriel _______ to do a documentary. She traveled to _______ former head of Ghana, as her documentary focused on the Ghana Revolution. The film was released in 2012.
For Zuriel, the most _______ thing she learned from the experience was a(n) _______ to create more films. This has taken her all around the world and given her _______ to exciting stories and people, and Zuriel is very busy. Balancing schoolwork with these events can sometimes be a(n) _______.
Although her films were at the beginning about 10 minutes long and her last two documentaries were about 55 minutes long, the time it took to ________ the documentaries was much longer than that. Take Follow the Ball for Education for example. Zuriel had spent the last three years ________ on it. But obviously, all her hard work has ________. Zuriel is ________ the world’s youngest filmmaker. But for Zuiel, one of the biggest ________ is knowing that she is making a difference.
She also launched the Twitter hashtag—Follow the Ball for Education, which focused on Zuriel taking a soccer ball across three continents to gain more attention to girls’ ________. To girls who are facing hardships in their countries, Zuriel ________ them “to fight, speak, and dig in”. Besides making films, Zuriel has ________ students how to make films in five different countries.
Zuriel was the youngest honoree in a list including many women ________ their communities. Zuriel has done a great job representing girls with ________. To fellow kids, Zuriel advises that they chase their dreams ________.
1.A.films B.books C.changes D.savings
2.A.reply B.start C.permission D.title
3.A.popular B.similar C.historical D.local
4.A.chose B.stopped C.refused D.agreed
5.A.amuse B.meet C.persuade D.follow
6.A.basic B.difficult C.complex D.important
7.A.atmosphere B.inspiration C.condition D.example
8.A.attitude B.approach C.access D.talent
9.A.challenge B.opportunity C.attempt D.motivation
10.A.present B.produce C.polish D.promote
11.A.working B.carrying C.commenting D.depending
12.A.went on B.ended up C.stood out D.paid off
13.A.treated B.supported C.considered D.reminded
14.A.wishes B.tasks C.problems D.rewards
15.A.honor B.emotion C.health D.education
16.A.orders B.promises C.encourages D.allows
17.A.taught B.contributed C.arranged D.delivered
18.A.reporting B.serving C.advocating D.governing
19.A.puzzles B.hardships C.stories D.achievements
20.A.properly B.personally C.bravely D.eventually
高二英语完形填空困难题查看答案及解析
It’s a Friday night. Your girl friends are out at a bar and your boyfriend is playing soccer with his mates. Two text messages later, you’re eating pizza and watching action movies with three guy friends. Perfect.
“Guy friends” have the potential to enrich your life in ways that female friends and boyfriends just can’t. For starters, they provide an insider’s perspective on how men think, feel and behave. When dealing with male relatives, coworkers and even boyfriends, another man’s point of view can be incredibly useful. Three hours spent analyzing a situation in a café with your girlfriends can’t compete with a quick chat to a guy friend.
Many women find that time spent with male friends can be a liberating and somewhat refreshing break from spending time with the girls. Without the judgmental gaze of other females, there is less pressure to dress up and compete for attention.
Traditionally, girl-guy friendships are seen as hard to maintain. Most relationships between males and females that we come across in our day-to-day lives, whether in movies or books, are romantic by nature. These cultural images make girl-guy friendships seem impossible.
Yet in reality, as gender roles loosen and equality becomes a norm in the workplace, it has become much more common for platonic friendships to blossom.
“The belief that men and women can’t be friends comes from another era in which women were at home and men were in the workplace, and the only way they could get together was for romance,” explains psychologist Linda Sapadin to Psychology Today magazine. “Now they work together and share sports interests and socialize together.”
“My boyfriend has met all of my guy friends so he’s quite accepting of me hanging out with them,” says Nellie. “Because we’ve been dating so long, there’s a level of trust where he knows I will make the right decision when choosing who to be friends with.
“He understands that the kind of time that I spend differs between guys and girls. When I’m out with the girls, we’re gossiping or talking about clothes but when I’m spending time with the guys, it’s different. I think their carefree and ‘whatever goes’ attitude can sometimes be exactly what I need.”
1. What is the best title of the passage?
A．Platonic friendship can be fun and liberating.
B．Platonic friendship can take the place of boy-or-girl friendship.
C．Man friendship is far more exciting than woman friendship.
D．Both man friendship and woman friendship are necessary forgirls.
2. In writer’s opinion, girl-guy friendships_________
A．are hard to maintain in modern society.
B．are impossible for most boys and girls.
C．are quite reasonable and thought highly of by most people.
D．are quite interesting and accepted by more and more and moregirls.
3. Why did people think men and women can’t be friends in the past?
A．Becausemen were at home and women were in the workplace.
B．Becauseboth men and women are too shy to make friends.
C．Because they were hard to keep in touch and only bymarrying cantheystay in touch with each other.
D．Becausewomen were at home and men were in the workplace, and the only way they could get together was for friendship.
4. According to what Nellie said, _______
A．Her boyfriend enjoys she and her guy friend stay together.
B．When I’m out with the boys, we’re not gossiping or talking about clothes.
C．Sometimes whatmy guy friends giveisjustwhatI need.
D．My boyfriend trusts me so heaccepts my decision.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The pretty girl is always busy helping her mother with the housework _________ I go to visit her family.
| A．every time | B．every time when | C．at every time | D．however time |
高二英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
Lucy is a shy girl, but can you imagine ______ with the boss in Japanese?
A. her quarrel B. her to quarrel C. her quarreling D. she to quarrel
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析