Let’s look at some inventions that had their roots in the UK.
The bagless vacuum cleaner（吸尘器), James Dyson,1979
There are some things we don’t know we need until someone invents them. For example, the bagless vacuum cleaner. James Dyson came up with the idea after spending a lot of money on an expensive cleaner that simply pushed dirt around.
Most of us would have given it up, but Dyson went on to change the basic principle of a vacuum cleaner --- an idea that hadn’t been challenged for 100 years --- by designing a system that removed the necessity of the bag for good. His final version took five years of research.
However, when Dyson first approached manufacturers (制造商) with his idea, he couldn’t interest them. But he didn’t give up and set up a factory in Wiltshire in 1993 to produce them himself. Two years later, Dyson’s products were outselling the competition.
The Mini Alec Issigonis, 1959
While the Americans were driving supersize Cadillacs, Britain famously went in the opposite direction and came up with a small car.
Alec Issigonis was responsible for the design and made a name for himself in motoring history with its launch (投放市场) in 1959 for the British Motor Corporation(BMC).
The Mini’s success wasn’t overnight. Many thought it “strange”, but it developed into a love affair with the British that’s never decreased, helped by the fact that many stars loved it.
The London sewage system, Joseph Bazalgette, 1865
Like any major city, London has always produced large amounts of waste. Give thanks to Joseph Bazalgette, an engineer who developed a far-reaching underground sewage system. It changed the process of getting rid of waste by dumping it into the Thames River. Even more impressive was his idea to construct pipes that would function for nearly 150 years and still be large enough to meet the need of the increasing population. As he said, “We’re only going to do this once.”
1.Which of the following is true according to James Dyson’s experience?
A.He invented the first vacuum cleaner. B.He enjoyed immediate success.
C.His idea attracted many manufacturers. D.His product became a bestseller.
2.The Mini won its popularity _____.
A.soon after its launch in 1959
B.because it was advertised by stars
C.with the help of some famous people’s preference
D.because people lost interest in supersize cars
3.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph shows Bazalgette was _____.
A.cautious B.confident
C.far-sighted D.strong-minded
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题
Let’s look at some inventions that had their roots in the UK.
The bagless vacuum cleaner（吸尘器), James Dyson,1979
There are some things we don’t know we need until someone invents them. For example, the bagless vacuum cleaner. James Dyson came up with the idea after spending a lot of money on an expensive cleaner that simply pushed dirt around.
Most of us would have given it up, but Dyson went on to change the basic principle of a vacuum cleaner --- an idea that hadn’t been challenged for 100 years --- by designing a system that removed the necessity of the bag for good. His final version took five years of research.
However, when Dyson first approached manufacturers (制造商) with his idea, he couldn’t interest them. But he didn’t give up and set up a factory in Wiltshire in 1993 to produce them himself. Two years later, Dyson’s products were outselling the competition.
The Mini Alec Issigonis, 1959
While the Americans were driving supersize Cadillacs, Britain famously went in the opposite direction and came up with a small car.
Alec Issigonis was responsible for the design and made a name for himself in motoring history with its launch (投放市场) in 1959 for the British Motor Corporation(BMC).
The Mini’s success wasn’t overnight. Many thought it “strange”, but it developed into a love affair with the British that’s never decreased, helped by the fact that many stars loved it.
The London sewage system, Joseph Bazalgette, 1865
Like any major city, London has always produced large amounts of waste. Give thanks to Joseph Bazalgette, an engineer who developed a far-reaching underground sewage system. It changed the process of getting rid of waste by dumping it into the Thames River. Even more impressive was his idea to construct pipes that would function for nearly 150 years and still be large enough to meet the need of the increasing population. As he said, “We’re only going to do this once.”
1.Which of the following is true according to James Dyson’s experience?
A.He invented the first vacuum cleaner. B.He enjoyed immediate success.
C.His idea attracted many manufacturers. D.His product became a bestseller.
2.The Mini won its popularity _____.
A.soon after its launch in 1959
B.because it was advertised by stars
C.with the help of some famous people’s preference
D.because people lost interest in supersize cars
3.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph shows Bazalgette was _____.
A.cautious B.confident
C.far-sighted D.strong-minded
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor named Doctor Gibbs. He didn't look like any doctor I'd ever known. He never shouted at us for playing in his yard, but was always very kind.
When Doctor Gibbs wasn't saving lives, he was planting trees. He had some interesting theories about planting trees. He believed in the principle: "No pains, no gains". He hardly watered his new trees, which greatly went against conventional (守旧的) wisdom. Once I asked why and he told me that watering plants spoiled them because it made them grow weaker. He said you had to make things hard for the trees so that only the strongest could survive. He talked about how watering trees made them develop shallow roots and how trees, if they were not watered, would grow deep roots in search of water. So, instead of watering his trees every morning, he'd beat them with a rolled-up newspaper. I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree's attention.
Doctor Gibbs died a couple of years after I left home. Every now and then, I walked by his house and looked at the trees that I'd watched him plant some twenty five years ago. They were all tall and strong.
I planted a couple of trees myself a few years ago. Two years of attending these trees meant they grew up weak. Whenever a cold wind blew, their branches trembled. Adversity seemed to benefit Doctor Gibb's trees in ways comfort and ease never could.
Every night before I go to bed, I check on my two sons. I often hope that their lives will be easy. But lately I've been thinking that it's time to change my idea. I know my children are going to meet with hard times. There's always a cold wind blowing somewhere. What we need to do is to hope for deep roots, so when the rains fall and the winds blow, we won't be torn apart.
1.With the trees planted, Doctor Gibbs often __________.
A.kept watering them every day B.paid very little attention to them
C.beat them to make them grow tall D.talked to them to get their attention
2.What does the underlined word “Adversity” in the 4th paragraph probably mean?
A.A happy moment. B.An important position.
C.A difficult situation. D.A dirty environment.
3.What does the author wish for his sons?
A.Meet people like Dr Gibbs in the future.
B.Have an easy, happy and comfortable life.
C.Have good luck, meeting no hardship at all.
D.Be able to stand the rain and wind in their lives.
4.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A.Growing Roots B.Doctor Gibbs’ Trees
C.Watering Trees D.Helping My Sons
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
The new study shows that we spend more time using the mobile Internet to read newspapers and magazines or do some other things. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau（IAB），the average European spends 4.8 hours reading newspapers and magazines but 1.6 hours more using the mobile Internet per week.
The IAB questioned 15,000 people in 15 European countries, looking at how people were using the Internet and its influence on their everyday lives. It found that the mobile Internet is increasingly finding its way into the public awareness. Over 71 million Europeans now have Internet access on their mobile phones. In the UK, 10 million people now access the Internet through their mobile phones and spend 6.3 hours doing so per week averagely.
Unsurprisingly, young generations in the UK are leading the way, with nearly half of the country's 16-to 24-year-olds and a quarter of 25-to 34-year-olds using the Internet, spending 6.5 and 6.2 hours online each week.
Entertainment plays a main role in our mobile Internet lives，with one in five British people using their phones for online games，a third listening to the online radio and 39 percent watching films，TV or other videos at least once a week. One third of those using an Internet phone said they received videos，images or other multimedia on their mobile，and 61percent said they passed on the contents they had received.
From a communication point of view，80 percent of those questioned agreed that the Internet had made it easier for them to stay in touch with friends and family.
Alison Fennah，director of the IAB，said the use of the mobile Internet had come to the point that marketers should be looking to strategies（策略）that connect them with consumers more effectively. "Better tools as well as improved consumer motivation that start coming together in 2011 can make a great difference to extending the online experience，" Fennah said.
1.How long does a European spend on the mobile Internet per week according to the IAB？
A.6.4hours. B.6.2hours.
C.4.8hours. D.1.6 hours.
2.What do people mainly use the mobile Internet for？
A.Communication. B.Entertainment.
C.Study. D.Advertising.
3.It can be known from the passage that __________.
A.more than half of the people in the UK use the mobile Internet
B.the Internet is the most effective way to stay in touch with friends and family
C.the UK has the largest number of people who use the mobile Internet in Europe
D.better tools and improved consumer motivation help extend the online experience
4.The author wrote the passage to tell us __________.
A.how to use mobile phones to surf the Internet
B.newspapers and magazines will disappear soon
C.more and more people use the Internet in Europe
D.how the Internet influences our daily lives
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
Today in the UK teenagers are allowed to work from the age of 13, and many do take up part-time jobs. It's a taste of independence and sometimes a useful thing to put on their CV(简历). Teenagers agree that it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults and also about managing their money.
Some research has shown that not taking part-time job could be detrimental to a person later on. A 2015 study by the UK Commission on Employment and Skills found that not taking part-time work at school age had been blamed by employers' organizations for young adults being ill-prepared for full-time employment. However, recent studies have still shown that the number of schoolchildren in the UK with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.
So, does this mean that British teenagers are now more afraid of hard work? Probably not. Young people feel that going out to work will affect their performance at school, and they are under more pressure now to study hard and get good exam results — and a good job in the long term. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told BBC News that ''Properly regulated part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives.'' In reality, it's all about getting the right balance between doing part-time work and having enough time to study and rest.
1.Which is the advantage of having part-time jobs?
A.Learning useful lessons.
B.Spending money at will.
C.Living independently.
D.Making some money.
2.What does the underlined word ''detrimental'' probably mean?
A.Careful. B.Helpful.
C.Faithful. D.Harmful.
3.From the passage, in UK we know_______ .
A.hard work is not fit for teenagers
B.a girl aged 10 is not allowed to work
C.a fifth children have taken part-time jobs
D.working benefits teens' performance at school
4.What is Geoff Barton's opinion?
A.Learning some necessary working skills.
B.Keeping a balance between study and rest.
C.Having as many part-time jobs as possible.
D.Focusing on teenagers’ achievements at school.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
We once had a poster competition in our fifth-grade art class.
“You could win prizes,” our teacher told us as she wrote the poster information on the blackboard. She passed out sheets of construction paper while continuing, “The first prize is ten dollars. You just have to make sure that the words on the blackboard appear somewhere on your poster.”
We studied the board critically. Some of us looked with one eye and held up certain colors against the blackboard, rocking the sheets to the right or left while we conjured up our designs. Others twisted their hair around their fingers or chewed their erasers while deep in thought. We had plans for that ten-dollar grand prize, each and every one of us. I’m going to spend mine on candies, one hopeful would announce, while another practiced looking serious, wise and rich.
Everyone in the class made a poster. Some of us used parts of those fancy paper napkins, while others used nothing but colored construction paper. Some of us used big designs, and some of us preferred to gather our art tidily down in one corner of our poster and let the space draw the viewer’s attention to it. Some of us would wander past the good students’ desks and then return to our own projects with a growing sense of hopelessness. It was yet another grown-up trick of the sort they seemed especially fond of, making all of us believe we had a fair chance, and then always—always—rewarding the same old winners.
I believe I drew a sailboat, but I can’t say that with any certainty. I made it. I admired it. I determined it to be the very best of all of the posters I had seen, and then I turned it in.
Minutes passed.
No one came along to give me the grand prize, and then someone distracted me, and I probably never would have thought about that poster again.
I was still sitting at my desk, thinking, what poster? When the teacher gave me an envelope with a ten-dollar bill in it and everyone in the class applauded for me.
1.What was the teacher’s requirement for the poster?
A.It must appear in time. B.It must be done in class.
C.It must be done on a construction sheet. D.It must include the words on the blackboard.
2.The underlined phrase in Paragraph 3 most probably means ________.
A.formed an idea for B.made an outline for
C.made some space for D.chose some colors for
3.We can infer from the passage that the author ________.
A.enjoyed grown up tricks very much B.loved poster competitions very much
C.felt surprised to win the competition D.became wise and rich after the competition
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
When life tries to bring you down, just dance! That’s the message from Peng Xiaoying, 45, and her 49-year-old husband, Fan Deduo, in Zhejiang province. The couple-farmers who grow corn in Ruian, Wenzhou - recently went viral on the Internet with a shuffle dance(鬼步舞) they invented. They’ve cheered up millions of Chinese with smiling faces and easygoing attitude to life. The couple turned to dancing about four years ago. Fan was in low spirits after a serious traffic accident in Yunnan province 18 years ago. He became nervous, easily upset by small matters, and had trouble sleeping at night due to the accident. The couple then decided to end their shoe-selling business in Yunnan and returned to their hometown, Ruian.
To help overcome his sadness, Peng, who was a big fan of dancing in public squares, invited Fan to join her. As he danced, his suffering disappeared like magic. The couple then continued square dancing. That’s where they invented the shuffle, mixing some elements(元素) of rural life such as combing hair.
During the novel coronavirus epidemic(新冠病毒流行病), the couple uploaded their dance videos to Douyin, also known as TikTok, and began live-streaming on the sharing platform. Their big smiles and unique dance steps took cyberspace by storm, with more than 1.6 million netizens now subscribing to(订阅) their channel and following their dancing on the platform.
“Look at them! I think that’s really what dancing is about-not showing off but really bringing happiness and joy to the dancers themselves in a simple way. This is the most beautiful dancing I’ve ever seen,” one netizen said.
1.Why did the couple turn to dancing?
A.They wanted to invent a new type of dancing.
B.They were eager to show off their dancing.
C.They hoped to cheer up other people.
D.They decided to lead a more positive life.
2.What’s the similar meaning of the underlined word “viral”?
A.Cheerful. B.Popular. C.Familiar. D.Enjoyable.
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A.Their dance is closely related to their daily life.
B.They learned shuffle dance from videos online.
C.They felt sad because of their business failure.
D.Shuffle dance can make people forget trouble in life.
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Shuffle dance became popular online. B.Shuffle dance was the most beautiful dancing.
C.Shuffle dance changed the couple’s life. D.Shuffle dance came out of square dance.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
That warm day was the only day of the week without rain.I opened the door,took a seat and began to enjoy the wonderful sunshine.Suddenly,I noticed that the house near mine had been sold.An elderly lady was in front of the door,with some beautiful flowers beside her.I walked to her.She looked to be in her early eighties and had the prettiest white hair.
“Hi!My name is Karmen,” I said smiling brightly at the old lady.She smiled back and said,“Hello,Karmen.I’m Kitty.” Her voice was very strong for someone at her age.Later,I learned that she was alone and had no family or relatives to help her.From that day on,I often visited her and helped her with her housework and sometimes she gave me some delicious food.A year passed,and I considered her to be one of my best friends.
One day,I walked over for my morning visit and knocked on the door,but there was no answer.I knocked again,and she still didn’t turn up.So I let myself in,using the key she had given me.I checked her living room and then her kitchen.I finally went into her bedroom,and she was lying peacefully on her bed.Beside her there were two notes.One was her will(遗嘱),which said all that she had would be given to me.The other was a thank-you note.I went to her bedside and cried sadly.
Though several years has gone by,I still miss her deeply.Whenever I look at the beautiful flowers in front of her house,I remember the wonderful friendship we had.
1.Through visiting the old lady,the author learned that the old lady .
A.disliked all her relatives
B.had no one to look after her
C.didn’t want to live with her family
D.was looking for someone to look after her
2.What can we learn from the passage?
A.The old lady was not kind.
B.The author didn’t have any good friends.
C.The old lady didn’t know how to make food.
D.The author got along very well with the old lady.
3.What does “turn up” mean in Paragraph 3?
A.appear B.leave
C.try D.change
4.In order to thank the author,the old lady decided to .
A.give the author her favourite flowers
B.let the author know she was her best friend
C.give the author a key to her house
D.leave all that she had to the author
高一英语阅读选择简单题查看答案及解析
May 14 marks the beginning of National Smile Month in the UK. The campaign is organized by the Oral Health Foundation to promote(普及) dental(牙齿的) health. The Foundation hopes that a month of smiling across the nation will make people think about the importance of brushing their teeth regularly, cutting down on sugary foods, and making regular appointments with the dentist.
The British, in fact, have a reputation for bad teeth. The Internet's Urban Dictionary has an entry(条目)for “ British Smile”, defining it as “Any smile with bad teeth”. On the other side of the Atlantic, however, the “Hollywood Smile” gets its name because American movie stars are so proud to show off their sparkling beautiful teeth.
But what about smiling in the UK in general? Do the British smile a lot, or do they look sad all the time? It's said that the British practice the “stiff upper lip”, meaning that they don't often show their emotions; they neither smile nor cry. But this is false: A British person likes to smile as much as anyone else.
As far as smiling in Britain is concerned just like everywhere else, it all depends on the situation. For example, you wouldn't expect anyone to smile at a funeral(葬礼). But if you were at a party of any kind, you'd find everyone smiling from ear to ear. However, smiling is sometimes not allowed under some circumstances(情形). For instance, since 2005 Britain hasn’t allowed smiling in passport photographs. At other times, for example at work and school, you simply smile when it's natural to smile.
So the British are no more and no less likely to smile than anyone else. But smiling is good for you, no doubt about it, even if you do have a few bad teeth. And smiling is good for those around you too. This alone makes National Smile Month a great idea. As the essayist William Hazlitt wrote, “A gentle smile, a kind word, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles”.
1.Why is National Smile Month held in the UK?
A.To promote the health benefits of smiling.
B.To build a more friendly society through smiling.
C.To attract people's attention to dental health.
D.To teach people how to protect their teeth.
2.What does the underlined word “sparkling” refer to?
A.aging B.loose
C.smelly D.shining
3.What can we learn from the article about smiling in the UK?
A.People can’t smile when taking passport photos.
B.British people are less likely to smile than others.
C.People are encouraged to smile all the time at work.
D.British people often hide their true emotions with a smile.
4.What does the author think of National Smile Month?
A.It lasts too long. B.It is a wonderful event.
C.It fails to achieve its purpose. D.It should be promoted around the world.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
The clockwork radio is the only radio that doesn’t need electricity. It works by turning the handle (手柄)for a minute. Nowadays, thousands of these radios are made every day. They are bought by people in some places, where there isn’t any electricity. The clockwork radio was invented in 1991 by Trevor Bayliss, a British inventor. He had the idea within half an hour while he was listening to some news in the radio about Africa: some Africans were dying of AIDS and there was no easy way to send them information about the disease. The first one he made ran for 14 minutes before needing to turn the handle again, but one year later, it improved. However, people didn’t know it until it appeared on a television programme called Tomorrow’s World.
At the beginning, no one would help Trevor develop his idea for a new kind of radio. Finally, in 1994，his invention was shown on the TV programme, and afterwards, a South African businessman watched it and decided to help him. The first Freeplay radios were built in South Africa in 1995. Since then, the radios have been a great success. And then Trevor has become famous. He has been given many awards(奖品)，including one from Nelson Mandela.
Mr. Bayliss, whose latest project is a wind-up walking stick, created a website offering inventors suggestions on patenting (专利)and marketing. After that, he also invented electric shoes, which produce electricity as you walk. And the self-weighing suitcase is also his invention- you pick it up and the handle tells you how much it weighs. That’s very useful when you go to the airport.
1.When did the radio appear on Tomorrow’s World?
A.In 1991. B.In 1992. C.In 1994. D.In 1995.
2.Which of the following is the right order of the events for Mr. Bayliss?
a. He invented electric shoes. b. He met a South African businessman.
c. His clockwork radio was welcomed by people. d. He improved his radio.
A.acdb. B.bcda. C.cadb. D.dbca.
3.Why did Mr. Bayliss create his website?
A.To introduce his ideas about inventions. B.To help inventors with their patents.
C.To sell the clockwork radios. D.To show his awards on it
4.What is the text mainly talking about?
A.The invention of the clockwork radio. B.The good use of the clockwork radio.
C.Mr. Bayliss’ patent protection. D.Mr. Bayliss’ inventive ideas.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
If you ask people to name one person who had the greatest effect on the English language, you will get answers like “Shakespeare” “Samuel Johnson” and “Webster”， but none of these men had any effect at all compared to a man who didn’t even speak English - William the Conqueror.
Before 1066, in the land we now call Great Britain lived people belonging to two major language groups.In the westcentral region lived the Welsh, who spoke a Celtic language, and in the north lived the Scots, whose language, though not the same as Welsh, was also Celtic.In the rest of the country lived the Saxons, actually a mixture of Anglos, Saxons, and other Germanic and Nordic peoples, who spoke what we now call AngloSaxon (or Old English), a Germanic language.If this state of affairs had lasted, English today would have been close to German.
But this state of affairs did not last. In 1066 the Normans led by William defeated the Saxons and began their rule over England. For about a century, French became the official language of England while Old English became the language of peasants. As a result, English words of politics and the law come from French rather than German. In some cases, modern English even shows a distinction between upperclass French and lowerclass AngloSaxon in its words.We even have different words for some foods, meat in particular, depending on whether it is still out in the fields or at home ready to be cooked, which shows the fact that the Saxon peasants were doing farming, while the upperclass Normans were doing most of eating.
When Americans visit Europe for the first time, they usually find Germany more “foreign” than France because the German they see on signs and advertisements seems much more different from English than French does. Few realize that the English language is actually Germanic at its beginning and that the French influences are all the result of the man’s ambition (野心).
1.The two major languages spoken in what is now called Great Britain before 1066 were ____.
A.Welsh and Scottish B.Nordic and Germanic
C.Celtic and Old English D.AngloSaxon and Germanic
2.Which of the following groups of words is, by inference, rooted in French?
A.president, lawyer, beef B.president, bread, water
C.bread, field, sheep D.folk, field, cow
3.Why does French appear less foreign than German to Americans on their first visit to Europe?
A.Many French words are similar to English ones.
B.They know little of the history of the English language.
C.Most advertisements in France appear in English.
D.They know French better than German.
高一英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析