British English may have come first, but arou...

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

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

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?

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

A lot of students around the world have to wear uniforms every day, but dress codes are not the same in every country.1.

Not all children like to wear uniforms in their everyday life. When I was a school girl, I had to wear a uniform. It was a dark brown dress with a black apron. I couldn’t wear anything else. All the girls in my country had to wear this uniform.2.

I remember how I hated to put on my uniform every morning. I couldn’t even use colorful hairpins because colorful things were prohibited. All the pupils looked the same, and nobody liked that uniform.

My friends and I talked about it very often. 3. All we wanted was to feel comfortable and to be different from other children.

Nowadays, the dress code in my country has changed. There are no more uniforms. 4. For example, my younger brother, who is a high school student, now likes to wear jeans because they are comfortable, and he doesn’t want to change back to a uniform.

However, the government now wants to make a new dress for schools and require uniforms again. Fortunately, the new uniform is supposed to be less formal than the old one.

5. If children prefer to wear colorful clothes, adults should permit them to do so. Kids have to enjoy going to school. That is why everything has to be done to make pupils feel comfortable at school.

A. For boys, it was a dark blue suit.

B. Wearing a uniform has a special meaning for students.

C. They depend on the culture and traditions of each country.

D. Caring too much about how they dress shouldn’t be a big concern for students.

E. We imagined how we would dress if there were no uniforms.

F. Children can dress whatever they like.

G. In my opinion, it is good idea to have a freestyle dress code.

高二英语七选五困难题查看答案及解析

In January, British actor Eddie Redmayne made headlines around the world as he became the latest member of smartphone refuser. “It was a reaction against being glued permanently to my iPhone during waking hours,” he explained, turning instead to an old-fashioned “dumb phone” handset that could only make and take calls.

He is not alone. There is a small but busy market for phones that are simple and cheap at a time when smartphones are becoming ever more complex and expensive. Basic phones — handsets with some basic functions such as playing music and accessing the Internet — are gradually being replaced by low cost smartphones, according to Francisco Jeronimo, research director for European mobile devices at IDC, the research group. But there is still a significant demand for older-style phones.

Strategy Analytics, a research group, estimates that 44,000,000 basic phones were sold in 2015, accounting for 2 percent of the global market. Some phonemakers, such as Sony and LG, have already turned their back on the market. But others like Microsoft and Samsung are still producing devices every year aimed at the basic phone market.

Many smartphone users beef about having to buy devices that are easily broken, require daily recharging and which will be replaced by a new, better version within a year. Even basic smartphones offer more functions that not many people need.

Some users buy phones with limited or no Internet connections in a conscious attempt to keep away from the modern digital world. Analysts say that there is a growing number of “second phoneys” who use an expensive smartphone during the day, but turn to cheaper, pocket-sized devices when they go out in the evening.

Light Phone founder Joe Hollier falls into this camp. He has developed a credit card-sized phone without a data connection and no extra functions other than to make calls. He describes a feeling of huge relief when the ability to check emails or status updates is removed. Light Phone functions as a companion device to a smartphone but Mr Hollier hopes it will also encourage people to unplug from the modern Internet world.

1.What is the function of paragraph 1?

A. To lead to the topic.　　 B. To summarize the whole passage.

C. To analyze the situation of phone usage.　　 D. To deepen the theme.

2.The expression “beef about” may be replaced by “________” in the passage.

A. care about　　 B. approve of

C. complain of　　 D. think over

3.Joe Hollier developed the new card-sized phone to ________.

A. save money　　 B. relax the mind

C. save time　　 D. keep healthy

4.What is the main idea of this passage?

A. Some people prefer basic phones to smart phones.

B. What are the functions of basic phones.

C. The old-fashioned phones have many advantages.

D. The future of smartphones is gloomy.

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Fans of the British royal family around the world are making plans for April 29th, 2011. That’s the date that Prince William and Catherine Middleton are to tie the knot at Westminster Abbey in London.

A royal wedding is a rare and unique event in Britain so for many it’s something worth celebrating, particularly if you are in the business of making memorabilia (收藏品).

Producers of these souvenirs are wasting no time in manufacturing key rings, mugs, teapots and tea towels, mostly with the faces of the happy couple emblazoned on the front. These are the must buy items that royal followers want to get their hands on.

Some people may argue the royal wedding is a huge public cost but production and sale of memorabilia is good for business. Former politician, Lord Archer, has commented that, “In this age when we are trying to balance the books, the royal family are a great benefit to Great Britain Limited.”

A porcelain-making company, called Royal Crown Derby, is already manufacturing souvenir pottery. Louise Adams from the company says “we started designing, truly, about two years ago.” It is big business for China too, where much of the merchandise that marks the big event is made.

But why are people so keen to get their hands on a commemorative mug, so much so that one British supermarket has already seen them flying off the shelves?

Obviously, we like to remember an event like this and maybe it makes us feel as though we are part of the occasion. However their monetary value is likely to be low. Eric Knowles from the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow claims, “The vast majority of it will be worthless.”

Modern day souvenirs tend to be mass-produced making them cheap and easy to find. However limited edition or high-end items tend to keep their value and could be a better investment for the future.

But there is one thing we can guarantee that won’t be mass-produced and cheap. That’s the wedding dress for Princess Catherine, as Catherine Middleton will be known.

(   ) 1.. From the first three paragraphs we can learn that ________.

A. many fans of the British royal family will be invited to London on April 29th, 2011

B. Prince William and Catherine Middleton are getting married at Westminster Abbey on April 29th,

2011

C. many fans of the royal family will tie the knot on the same day in London

D. fans of the royal family will join in making souvenirs

(   ) 2..  The obvious feature of the souvenirs mentioned in the passage is that ________.

A. they are all tiny and easy to carry

B. some of them are linked with tea

C. all of them are marked with dates and pictures

D. most of them display the pictures of the couple

(   ) 3.. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

A. the production of souvenirs has begun long before the big event

B. the sale of souvenirs has not begun yet

C. people buy souvenirs mainly for their monetary value

D. production of souvenirs has little profit

(   ) 4..  Which of the following is a better investment according to the passage?

A. Souvenirs that fly off the shelves.      B. Best-selling souvenirs

C. Mass-produced souvenirs.             D. Souvenirs released limitedly.

(   ) 5..  What’s the writer’s attitude towards producing and selling souvenirs?

A. Supportive.          B. Negative.        C. Uninterested.            D. Indifferent.

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词过括号内单词的正确形式。

British and American English are different 1. many ways. The first and most obvious way is in the vocabulary. There are 2. (hundred) of different words which are not used on the other side of the Atlantic. For example, Americans use automobiles, freeways, gas, cabs and subways 3. the British use cars, motorways, petrol, taxis and undergrounds. Besides, sometimes 4. same word used by Americans and the British has a slightly different meaning, which can be 5.(confuse)．

There are a few 6.(differ) in grammar, too. In addition, the two varieties differ in spelling and pronunciation. American spelling seems 7.(simple): center, color and program instead of centre, colour and programme. Many factors 8. (influence) American pronunciation since the first settlers arrived four hundred years ago. But a Londoner doesn’t have much difficulty 9. (understand) a New Yorker.

The two varieties are moving closer. For more than a century, communications across the Atlantic have developed steadily, which has led to lots of American words and structures passing into British English. So, don’t worry. Users of English will all be able to understand each 10. — wherever they are.

高二英语语法填空简单题查看答案及解析

Cities in Europe and around the world may be growing “bike trees” in the near future. Invented by Japan’s JFE Engineering Corp, the invention proved useful in the busiest parts of this nation’s crowded cities.

Local governments of Japan have struggled for ways to encourage people to park their bikes considerably, particularly close to big stations, but that may block some roads and entrances to homes and businesses. “Our cities do not have a lot of space for any kind of parking, including bicycles.” said Mitsuharu Oshima, a spokesman for JFE Engineering. The bike tree comes in two types: one in a tower that is above ground and on the contrary, the other in an underground structure.

A cyclist registers with the operator of the equipment, pays a monthly fee and pushes the wheels of his bicycle into restraints(管理处) at the base of the bike tree. Each bicycle is fitted with an electronic card with the owner’s details. A mechanical arm then pulls the bike into the base of the tower and moves it to a free location inside. To collect the bike later, the cyclist puts his card through a reader and his bike is automatically returned to him in seconds. “The science of the equipment has been difficult —— even though they may look quite simple —— because bikes come in many different shapes and sizes.” said Oshima.

As well as clearing away the road, bicycles cannot be stolen from a bike tree. There are presently versions at seven sites in Japan and two others are under construction, while work is under way on an even larger version —— with room for 9400 bicycles —— in Thailand. And Oshima believes that the idea could catch on in Europe, particularly in countries such as France, Holland and Denmark , where cycling is so popular.

1. Cities build this kind of “bike trees” so that they can _______.

A. ask more people to ride bikes      B. provide more jobs for people

C. make more money than before     D. save more room for people

2.Which is the right order of the following things when you use the bike tree?

① the wheels of the bicycle are put into restraints at the base .

② the card is read and the bike is automatically returned .

③ an electronic card with the owner’s details is given

④ the bike is pulled and moved to a free location inside .

A. ③②①④     B. ③①④②       C. ②①④③        D. ②④③①

3. What made it difficult to design “bike trees”?

A. The location of “bike trees”.         B. The method of finding enough bikes.

C. The differences of the bikes.         D. The importance of traffic safety

4. From the passage, we can know that _______.

A. countries with many cyclists in Europe will like the idea of “bike trees”

B. there are seven “bike trees” used for holding bikes in Japan

C. local government of Japan encourage people to ride bikes

D. cyclists can use “bike trees” for free in Japan.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

One day, “supercharged plants” may help feed people around the world. Supercharged plants are ones that grow faster than normal plant life. Scientists can speed up the growth by modifying, or changing, the structure of plants’ genes. The modifications make them react quickly to changes in light. This all has to do with photosynthesis（光合作用）, the process in which plants turn sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into food.

Plants grow fastest in the sun. That is when they make the most food for themselves. But their rate of growth can slow when things like clouds or trees block sunlight. But when the sun returns, it can take many minutes for growth to speed up again. This can be a problem because it means some of our most important crop plants are not as productive as they could be.

Steve Long, a plant biologist with the University of Illinois, wanted to find a way to help plants get back up to speed quickly after a period of darkness. So he and his team added genes that shortened the recovery time. It also increased the speed at which the plants grew. His modified plants grew up to 20 percent more than untreated ones.

"This finding, where we've just made one modification that has boosted crop yield, is really a boost to the whole area, because everyone else working on photosynthesis can now see that if we can improve photosynthetic efficiency in crops, we will get more yield.” Long wrote in a magazine article.

In Long's study, his group used a form of genetic engineering called transgenics. It means taking genes from one plant, then putting them into another. There is a scientific debate about whether transgenics is a good idea or not.

Matthew Reynolds from the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center spoke to VOA on Skype. “The increased rates of production noted by Long's team are impressive.” He has some hope about the process. But he also has questions. "What is the downside? Why have the plants not done that before? And we always ask those questions when we see something that looks a bit too good to be true..."

Long's group worked with tobacco plants because they are easy to study. Now they are experimenting with rice, soybeans, cowpeas, and cassava – four important food crops. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation provided money for the study. The organization says any new technology approved from this research will be made freely available to farmers in Africa and South Asia.

1.What’s the purpose of Steve Long’s experiment with tobacco?

A.To make plants healthier and more productive than before.

B.To help plants grow quickly after the sun returns.

C.To shorten the time that plants adapt themselves to light.

D.To increase crop yield through modifying plants’ genes.

2.Which of the following is not included in the process of Long’s experiment?

A.genes are added to some tobacco plants.

B.Experiments are being conducted with rice and soybeans.

C.Some crop plants are not as productive as they could be.

D.Improved photosynthetic efficiency means more yield.

3.What can we learn about Long’s group and his study from the passage?

A.The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has financed Longs group.

B.VOA interviewed Steve Long on Skype about his group and his study.

C.The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center approved of his study.

D.Matthew Reynolds didn’t believe the production rates noted by Long’s group.

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A.Transgenics May Cause a Scientific Debate

B.Photosynthesis May Improve Crop Production

C.Supercharged Plants May Mean More Crop Yield

D.Genetic Modifications May Help Plants Grow Better

高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析