The name “cowboy” conjures up many different images from movies, songs and TV. These imagined cowboys range from white-hat-wearing heroes to gun-shooting hooligans(流氓).But, cowboys are actually real people from US history.
When the US Civil War ended, many soldiers had no place to call home. So, they began to drift to the country’s rural West. Ranchers(农场主) hired these men to take care of the cattle and work around the ranch. When the ranch owner wanted to sell the cattle, the cowboys would round up the herd from the open prairie(牧场) and drive the cattle miles to the market.
With the invention of barbed wire(铁丝网),the cowboy era(1865-1890) began to come to an end. But people in the East had always been curious about their lifestyle. Many country/western songs during this time tried to capture the true cowboy spirit. Newspapers published cowboy tales in serial form and adventure novels followed. The bigger the fiction, the better the sales. These novels often portrayed cowboys as cruel and violent men. Cowboys carried the bad reputation for many years afterwards.
When movies began to be popular in the 1920s, the cowboy image changed again. Now, a cowboy became the great white knight(骑士) that loved his horse more than the beautiful ladies he rescued. As the cowboy of the “Old West” spent more time with his horse than the ladies, this era's image was not entirely false.
Then, in the 50s,Hollywood began producing so-called “spaghetti westerns(意大利西部片)”.They earned the nickname because Italian companies financed the films and TV shows. This started the decade’s “Cowboy Craze”. While this didn’t last long, it made modern country / western music, fashion and dance extremely popular.
In recent years, with the help of musicians, radio stations and bars, cowboy nostalgia(怀旧情绪) has returned. Even though his image is still changing — somewhere between ballad singing country boy and bar room fighter — there’s one thing for sure, you can’t keep the cowboy down.
1.The purpose of this story is to ______.
A.introduce cowboy movies and novels
B.introduce various productions associated with cowboys
C.show the cowboy's everlasting charm
D.inform us about the cowboy’s spirit
2.Before they became cowboys, they ______.
A.served in the army B.worked as bar-room fighters
C.owned ranches D.were adventurous explorers
3.During “the cowboy era” mentioned in the story, ______________.
A.the cowboy often came to the rescue of ladies in newspaper tales
B.the distant Wild West appealed to people in the East
C.cowboys were shown as cruel and violent men on the silver screen
D.country music started the cowboy craze which swept the whole country
4.By saying “you can’t keep the cowboy down”, the writer means that ______.
A.cowboys are real people in history B.cowboys still fascinate people
C.you can't make cowboys unhappy D.you can’t grasp the cowboy spirit
5.Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A.The cowboy has been presented in different lights in different eras.
B.Cowboys are gun-shooting hooligans, without doubt.
C.Cowboys have always been a passing phenomenon.
D.Cowboys enjoy Italian foods, for example, spaghetti.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
The name “cowboy” conjures up many different images from movies, songs and TV. These imagined cowboys range from white-hat-wearing heroes to gun-shooting hooligans(流氓).But, cowboys are actually real people from US history.
When the US Civil War ended, many soldiers had no place to call home. So, they began to drift to the country’s rural West. Ranchers(农场主) hired these men to take care of the cattle and work around the ranch. When the ranch owner wanted to sell the cattle, the cowboys would round up the herd from the open prairie(牧场) and drive the cattle miles to the market.
With the invention of barbed wire(铁丝网),the cowboy era(1865-1890) began to come to an end. But people in the East had always been curious about their lifestyle. Many country/western songs during this time tried to capture the true cowboy spirit. Newspapers published cowboy tales in serial form and adventure novels followed. The bigger the fiction, the better the sales. These novels often portrayed cowboys as cruel and violent men. Cowboys carried the bad reputation for many years afterwards.
When movies began to be popular in the 1920s, the cowboy image changed again. Now, a cowboy became the great white knight(骑士) that loved his horse more than the beautiful ladies he rescued. As the cowboy of the “Old West” spent more time with his horse than the ladies, this era's image was not entirely false.
Then, in the 50s,Hollywood began producing so-called “spaghetti westerns(意大利西部片)”.They earned the nickname because Italian companies financed the films and TV shows. This started the decade’s “Cowboy Craze”. While this didn’t last long, it made modern country / western music, fashion and dance extremely popular.
In recent years, with the help of musicians, radio stations and bars, cowboy nostalgia(怀旧情绪) has returned. Even though his image is still changing — somewhere between ballad singing country boy and bar room fighter — there’s one thing for sure, you can’t keep the cowboy down.
1.The purpose of this story is to ______.
A.introduce cowboy movies and novels
B.introduce various productions associated with cowboys
C.show the cowboy's everlasting charm
D.inform us about the cowboy’s spirit
2.Before they became cowboys, they ______.
A.served in the army B.worked as bar-room fighters
C.owned ranches D.were adventurous explorers
3.During “the cowboy era” mentioned in the story, ______________.
A.the cowboy often came to the rescue of ladies in newspaper tales
B.the distant Wild West appealed to people in the East
C.cowboys were shown as cruel and violent men on the silver screen
D.country music started the cowboy craze which swept the whole country
4.By saying “you can’t keep the cowboy down”, the writer means that ______.
A.cowboys are real people in history B.cowboys still fascinate people
C.you can't make cowboys unhappy D.you can’t grasp the cowboy spirit
5.Which of the following statements would the writer agree to?
A.The cowboy has been presented in different lights in different eras.
B.Cowboys are gun-shooting hooligans, without doubt.
C.Cowboys have always been a passing phenomenon.
D.Cowboys enjoy Italian foods, for example, spaghetti.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You are entering a world far different from the one my generation entered.My generation grew up with no MTV, no college loan,no $175 sneakers,no underwear worn in public and very little jewelry worn on the tongue.Yet somehow we broke through and,achieved all these things,and more.I believe that your generation is far more elegant and caring than my own.You ask questions: "What is the meaning of life?" "How can I make a fortune with almost no money down?" "Why do we have to sit round in the hot sun listening to an opening speech? "
I do not recall who it was that spoke at my own graduation.Whoever it was,I know I looked to him for wisdom and guidance,just as you now look to me.I suppose if there is one single suggestion I'd like to leave with you,it is like this: concentrate on what you are doing.If you have decided to do it well,you will be successful,no matter how hard your situation is.
Act bravely.Do not fear making mistakes; if you make one,look out.
Make a contribution to our society.Even though 70 percent of you will be lawyers,still I say to you: Try to do something useful with your life,if only in your spare time.
In a very real sense,your graduation here today is not an ending but a commencement.If I may say so,this is,in fact,the first day of the rest of your lives.I realize it is a bit shocking to look at graduation this way,but I believe we must.Thank you,and lots of luck.You'll need it.
1.The underlined word "commencement"in the last paragraph might mean .
A. beginning B. ending
C. contribution D. graduation
2.Where and how are the students listening to the speaker?
A. They are standing in the open air.
B. They are sitting in the open air.
C. They are sitting in a classroom.
D. They are sitting in an auditorium.
3.The speech is given to .
A. praise the graduates for what they have done
B. tell the graduates how to make a fortune
C. offer the graduates some useful advice
D. guide the graduates how to become good lawyers
4.The speaker encourages the graduates to do the following EXCEPT .
A. concentrate on what they are doing
B. face and avoid their possible mistakes
C. do something useful for the society
D. try their best to seek a good fortune
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The English, as a race, are very different in many ways from all other nationalities, including their closest neighbors, the French, the Belgians and the Dutch. It is claimed that living on an island separated from the rest of Europe has much to do with it. Whatever the reasons are, it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed many attitudes and habits which distinguish him from other nationalities.
Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, reserved person who is fully relaxed only among people he knows well. In the presence of strangers or foreigners he often seems restrained, even embarrassed. You have only to witness a city train any morning or evening to see the truth of this. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or having a light sleep in a corner, and no one speaks. In fact, to do so would seem most unusual. An Englishman, pretending to be giving advice to overseas visitors, once suggested, “On entering a railway carriage, shake hands with all the passengers.” Needless to say, he was not being serious. There is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior which, if broken, makes the person immediately suspected.
In many parts of the world it is quite normal to show openly extremes of enthusiasm, emotion, excitement, etc, often accompanied by appropriate gesture. The Englishman is somewhat different. Of course, an Englishman feels no less deeply than anyone of a different nationality, but he tends to display his feelings far less. This is reflected in his use of language. Imagine a man commenting on the great beauty of a young girl. A more emotional man might describe her state “Oh, she is a goddess”, whereas an Englishman might just say “Oh, she’s all right.” An Englishman who has seen a highly successful and enjoyable film recommends it to a friend by commenting, “It’s not bad you know”, or on seeing some very unusual scenery he might convey (表达) his pleasure by saying, “Nice, yes, very nice.” The overseas visitor must not be disappointed by this apparent lack of interest and involvement. Instead, he must realize that “all right,” “not bad,” and “nice,” very often have the sense of “first-class,” “excellent,” “beautiful”. This unique style of language use is particularly common in England, and is known as restrained statement.
1.According to the passage, the English are different from other nationalities in _______.
A.habits | B.attitudes | C.character | D.all of the above |
2.The underlined word “restrained” in the second paragraph probably means “________”.
A.calm and controlled | B.polite and friendly |
C.nervous and quiet | D.silent and kind |
3.In Britain, if you don’t want other people to think you are strange, you’d better _________.
A.talk with others as much as possible |
B.behave just like the English do |
C.say nothing about yourself |
D.shake hands with everyone you meet |
4.If an Englishman says “all right”, it may mean “________”.
A.not bad | B.correct | C.quite right | D.wonderful |
5.From the passage, we can infer that an Englishman _________.
A.doesn’t like to show his feelings so much |
B.has less emotion than people of other nationalities |
C.finds it easy to express his emotion |
D.likes to have a joke with strangers |
高三英语阅读理解极难题查看答案及解析
In many ways , the education system in the US is not very different from ____in the UK.
A. that B. this C. one D. it
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
In many ways, the education system in the US is not very different from _________in the UK.
A. that B. this
C. one D. it
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
One of the characteristics that make me different from many people is my adaptability—I'm _______ and comfortable in new or unusual situations.
A. acceptable B. respectable C. reliable D. flexible
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
One of the characteristics that make me different from many people is my adaptability-I'm_______ and comfortable in new or unusual situations.
A. acceptable B. respectable C. reliable D. flexible
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, will give up the name “royal” ____ they withdraw from official duties and embrace new lives, the couple confirmed on Friday.
A.unless B.while C.as D.although
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The problem of robocalls has gotten so bad that many people now refuse to pick up calls from numbers they don’t know. By next year, half of the calls we receive will be scams(欺诈). We are finally waking up to the severity of the problem by supporting and developing a group of tools, apps and approaches intended to prevent scammers from getting through. Unfortunately, it’s too little, too late. By the time these “solutions”(解决方案) become widely available, scammers will have moved onto cleverer means. In the near future, it’s not just going to be the number you see on your screen that will be in doubt. Soon you will also question whether the voice you’re hearing is actually real.
That’s because there are a number of powerful voice manipulation(处理) and automation technologies that are about to become widely available for anyone to use. At this year’s I/O Conference, a company showed a new voice technology able to produce such a convincing human-sounding voice that it was able to speak to a receptionist and book a reservation without detection.
These developments are likely to make our current problems with robocalls much worse. The reason that robocalls are a headache has less to do with amount than precision. A decade of data breaches(数据侵入) of personal information has led to a situation where scammers can easily learn your mother’s name, and far more. Armed with this knowledge, they’re able to carry out individually targeted campaigns to cheat people. This means, for example, that a scammer could call you from what looks to be a familiar number and talk to you using a voice that sounds exactly like your bank teller’s, tricking you into “confirming” your address, mother’s name, and card number. Scammers follow money, so companies will be the worst hit. A lot of business is still done over the phone, and much of it is based on trust and existing relationships. Voice manipulation technologies may weaken that gradually.
We need to deal with the insecure nature of our telecom networks. Phone carriers and consumers need to work together to find ways of determining and communicating what is real. That might mean either developing a uniform way to mark videos and images, showing when and who they were made by, or abandoning phone calls altogether and moving towards data-based communications—using apps like FaceTime or WhatsApp, which can be tied to your identity.
Credibility is hard to earn but easy to lose, and the problem is only going to get harder from here on out.
1.How does the author feel about the solutions to problem of robocalls?
A.Panicked. B.Confused. C.Embarrassed. D.Disappointed.
2.Taking advantage of the new technologies, scammer can ________.
A.aim at victims precisely B.damage databases easily
C.start campaigns rapidly D.spread information widely
3.What does the passage imply?
A.Honesty is the best policy.
B.Technologies can be double-edged.
C.There are more solutions than problems.
D.Credibility holds the key to development.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.Where the Problem of Robocalls Is Rooted
B.Who Is to Blame for the Problem of Robocalls
C.Why Robocalls Are About to Get More Dangerous
D.How Robocalls Are Affecting the World of Technology
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
After spending the first five years of his life in San Diego, Adam Driver's family packet up and moved to a small town in Indiana, where Adam enjoyed a relatively routine adolescence. Then the horrific events of September 11th made Adam's life become anything but routine.
Just a few months following the events, Driver decided to join the United States Marine Corps. He considered 9/11 as being one of the reasons for joining the army, with his desire to leave Indiana providing the rest. He once said,"I'm grateful for having grown up in Indiana, but I needed to go out and the Marine Corps was a nice, stable option." After serving for two and a half years, and just two months before he was sent to Iraq, Driver injured his sternum in a biking accident. After he was healed, he injured it again during military training, which resulted in an honorable medical discharge.
After leaving the military, Driver decided to try his hand at acting. At first he studied close to home at the University of Indianapolis, but after just a year, he transferred to Julliard in New York City. He lived in a tiny apartment in Hoboken, New Jersey apartment while studying drama at a prestigious performing arts conservatory(音乐学院). Following his graduation in 2009, Driver immediately began appearing in plays, including 2010's Mrs. Warren's Profession.
Adam's first major television experience was a guest spot on Law & Order, and was soon followed by a small role in the award-winning film You Don't Know Jack, which was Driver's first experience working with Home Box Office. Then after landing his star-making role on Girls, Driver was cast in a handful of feature films, including 2011's J. Edgar and 2012's Gayby, Not Waving but Drowning and Frances Ha.
He'll appear next year in the Coen brother's Inside Llewyn Davis and Steven Spielberg's Lincoln.
1.According to the passage one important reason why Adam Driver joined the army was that .
A. his father was an army officer
B. he wanted to become rich
C. he thought Indiana was a good place to live in
D. he didn't want to live in Indiana
2.Adam Driver had to leave the army because .
A. he found the life there boring
B. his officer disliked him
C. his performance in the army was terrible
D. his chest was injured
3.When did Adam Driver begin to study drama?
A. After leaving the army. B. After moving to Indiana.
C. When he was in the army. D. After his graduation.
4.What does the underlined word "discharge" probably mean in the passage?
A. Discomfort B. Dismissal
C. Retirement D. Discouragement
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析