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Ask most people how they define the American Dream and chances are they’ll say, “Success.” The dream of individual opportunity has been home in American since Europeans discovered a “new world” in the Western Hemisphere. Early immigrants like Hector St. Jean de Crevecoeur praised highly the freedom and opportunity to be found in this new land. His glowing descriptions of a classless society where anyone could attain success through honesty and hard work fired the imaginations of many European readers: in Letters from an American Farmer (1782) he wrote. “We are all excited at the spirit of an industry which is unfettered (无拘无束的) and unrestrained, because each person works for himself … We have no princes, for whom we toil (干苦力活)，starve, and bleed: we are the most perfect society now existing in the world.” The promise of a land where “the rewards of a man’s industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor” drew poor immigrants from Europe and fueled national expansion into the western territories.
Our national mythology (神化) is full of illustration of the American success story. There’s Benjamin Franklin, the very model of the self-educated, self-made man, who rose from modest origins to become a well-known scientist, philosopher, and statesman. In the nineteenth century, Horatio Alger, a writer of fiction for young boys, became American’s best-selling author with rags-to-riches tales. The notion of success haunts us: we spend million every year reading about the rich and famous, learning how to “make a fortune in real estate with no money down,” and “dressing for success.” The myth of success has even invaded our personal relationships: today it’s as important to be “successful” in marriage or parenthoods as it is to come out on top in business.
But dreams easily turn into nightmares. Every American who hopes to “make it” also knows the fear of failure, because the myth of success inevitably implies comparison between the haves and the have-nots, the stars and the anonymous crowd. Under pressure of the myth, we become indulged in status symbols: we try to live in the “right” neighborhoods, wear the “right” clothes, eat the “right” foods. These symbols of distinction assure us and others that we believe strongly in the fundamental equality of all, yet strive as hard as we can to separate ourselves from our fellow citizens.
1.What is the essence of the American Dream according to Crevecoeur?
A. People are free to develop their power of imagination.
B. People who are honest and work hard can succeed.
C. People are free from exploitation and oppression.
D. People can fully enjoy individual freedom.
2.By saying “the rewards of a man’s industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labor” (Line 10, Para. 1), the author means __________ .
A. the more diligent one is, the bigger his returns
B. laborious work ensures the growth of an industry
C. a man’s business should be developed step by step
D. a company’s success depends on its employees’ hard work
3.The characters described in Horatio Alger’s novels are people who ___________.
A. succeed in real estate investment
B. earned enormous fortunes by chances
C. became wealthy after starting life very poor
D. became famous despite their modest origins
4.It can be inferred from the last sentence of the second paragraph that ____________.
A. business success often contributes to a successful marriage
B. Americans wish to succeed in every aspect of life
C. good personal relationships lead to business success
D. successful business people provide good care for their children
5.What is the paradox (说法) of American culture according to the author?
A. The American road to success is full of nightmares.
B. Status symbols are not a real indicator of a person’s wealth.
C. The American Dream is nothing but an empty dream.
D. What Americans strive after often contradicts their beliefs.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Ask most people anywhere in the world what they want out of life and the reply will probably be: “to be happy.” Ed Deiner, an American psychology professor, has spent his whole professional life studying what makes people happy, comparing levels of happiness between cultures and trying to find out exactly why we enjoy ourselves.
Many people would say that this question does not need an answer. But Professor Deiner has one anyway. “If you’re a cheerful, happy person, your marriage is more likely to last, and you’re more likely to make money and be successful at your job. On average, happy people have stronger immune systems, and there is some evidence that they live longer.”
So who are the world’s happiest people? It depends on how the word is defined. There is individual happiness, the sense of joy we get when we do something we like. But there is also the feeling of satisfaction we get when we know that others respect us and approve of how we behave. According to Professor Deiner, the Western world pursues individual happiness while Asia prefers mutual satisfaction.
“In the West, the individualistic culture means that your mood matters much more than it does in the East. People ask themselves if they are doing what is fun or interesting. They become unhappy when they can’t do any of these things. If you ask people from Japan or China if they are happy, they tend to look at what has gone wrong in their lives. If not much has gone wrong, then they are satisfied.”
People from Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries had the happiest culture, Professor Deiner found. “The biggest cultural difference is to do with pride and shame. Hispanic (西班牙语言的) cultures report much more pride and much less shame than others.”
Income also made a big difference to people’s happiness, but only at the lowest levels. Average income earners in the US were much happier than people in poverty. But millionaires were only a little bit happier than people on average incomes. It seems that money makes us happy when we have enough to feel secure.
1.According to the passage, happy people enjoy the following benefits EXCEPT ______.
A. a long marriage
B. better health
C. profession success
D. respect from others
2.In Professor Deiner’s opinion, ______.
A. Asians focus more on others’ respect and approval than westerners
B. Westerners care more about mutual satisfaction than Asians
C. Asians have a culture to enjoy individual happiness
D. Westerners value individual happiness as much as mutual satisfaction
3.What can be inferred from the fifth paragraph?
A. Hispanic cultures lay stress on pride and shame.
B. Spanish people take too much pride in themselves.
C. Attitude towards pride and shame results in Spanish happiness.
D. If you are from Spain, you are the happiest.
4.In the last paragraph, the author seems to tell us ______.
A. poor people enjoy the same happiness as millionaires.
B. the higher income one gets, the happier life he lives
C. enough money can make us feel safe and happy
D. average income earners live the happiest life
5.The passage mainly discusses______.
A. Hispanic cultures
B. reasons for happiness
C. the happiest culture
D. benefits of happiness
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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I hadn’t even got a chance to enter the store before an African American woman approached me and asked if I would help her return an item. The item she had 36 was intended for her daughter, but she had already received a 37one. The lady 38 to exchange the item for something else in the store but she was told she needed an ID 39 the deal could not take place.
I went to the 40 with the woman so we could use my ID. The sales associate immediately started 41 her of asking the first 42 person she saw to help her. Although that was 43, I didn’t understand why it 44. After all, not everyone is given the opportunity to 45 an ID in this country.
Then, we asked to speak with a manager, who explained that there was no 46 to return the item without a receipt and then went on to say the woman could not 47 she purchased the item.
“48I, a young white female, were to enter the store and request you to make an exchange without a receipt, I would not be 49 the privilege — as I have proof from the past.” I said. He must have realized at that moment what he had done, because he 50 to exchange the item.
There are many valuable lessons in the story. The first is to help a stranger in need. I 51 when the woman asked for my help, but 52 in my head I asked myself, “Why not? What valid 53 do I actually have?” I had none, so I helped her.
The second lesson is not to judge a book by its 54. The woman looked poor, but she 55 _ the same treatment as anyone else does.
1. A．purchased B．shown C．lost D．mended
2. A．same B．popular C．similar D．different
3. A．managed B．wanted C．refused D．promised
4. A．for B．or C．and D．so
5. A．counter B．department C．market D．window
6. A．warning B．informing C．reminding D．accusing
7. A．fair B．familiar C．impossible D．random
8. A．wrong B．true C．reasonable D．meaningful
9. A．mattered B．happened C．passed D．worked
10. A．leave B．pay C．find D．obtain
11. A．request B．place C．way D．need
12. A．answer B．prove C．support D．admit
13. A．Unless B．And C．Instead D．If
14. A．ordered B．asked C．denied D．given
15. A．agreed B．prepared C．failed D．remembered
16. A．struggled B．wondered C．hesitated D．nodded
17. A．totally B．gradually C．hardly D．quickly
18. A．feelings B．goals C．reasons D．ideas
19. A．design B．cover C．content D．price
20. A．deserved B．required C．received D．appreciated
高三英语完型填空简单题查看答案及解析
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The main reason people come to America is said to be that they can chase the American Dream. Everyone has heard of it, and many have died fighting for it. The only thing is that there is no clear definition of the American Dream. It is not defined by one dream, but by all the opportunities that the United States offers. Since the founding of the United States, people have been striving to define the American Dream.
In the play Death of a Salesman, every character is trying to realize his own version of the American Dream. Willy feels that he has done so. He has spent his whole life as a not very successful salesman. As he gets older, he starts having conflicts with everyone in his life, and feels that only by killing himself will the people around him be able to finally be happy.
Bernard, on the other hand, feels that the American Dream can only be achieved through career success. He shows that through hard work and dedication he will be crowned with success.
The dialogue of the characters reveals the different attitudes they have toward the American Dream, and the reaction of Willy to the fact that Bernard is very successful while he is not.
Many people try to achieve the American Dream, but few actually do so. As with any goal, it takes hard work and dedication to achieve the American Dream. In Death of a Salesman, all aspects of this goal are examined. For the goal to be achieved, the dream must be an attainable one which is worth working toward. It also must be a dream that the professional world accepts and finds useful.
1.The underlined word “striving” probably has the same meaning as “_________”.
A. trying hard B. giving up
C. bending down D. standing still
2.According to the text, Death of a Salesman tries to tell us _________.
A. what the American Dream is like
B. why Willy decides to kill himself
C. about Bernard’s dedication to his work
D. the life stories of Willy and Bernard
3.According to the author, Bernard is successful because _________.
A. he understands the real world
B. he knows how to take advantage of his knowledge
C. he works hard to achieve his goals
D. he is popular around the world
4.What would be the correct structure of the text?
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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People often ask successful men and women questions about they how they succeeded. What schools did they _____? What did they study? Why did they choose a particular career (职业)？The answers are ______. But business writer Tom Corley has _____ one thing in his study that most of them have in common: they______every day.
Corley's______ shows that 85 percent of successful people read at least two books a month. That comes to reading twenty four books a ______. They have discovered the importance of continuing to learn_______things.
Some______ business leaders with reading habits include Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Elon Musk. They art ______ about what they read, though. They read for ______rather than fun. They also read to _____ themselves.
What types of ______do they choose? They read life stories of other ______ people.
They ______ read science, history and health books. Business management, leadership, career
advice and current events are other favorite answers.
Let’s learn from those who have ______success, and open a good book today.
1.A. leave B. attend C. build D. visit
2.A. different B. correct C. confusing D. similar
3.A. understood B. thought C. discovered D. finished
4.A. write B. exercise C. meet D. read
5.A. rule B. plan C. study D. advice
6.A. week B. day C. month D. year
7.A. simple B. new C. difficult D. possible
8.A. crazy B. handsome C. international D. ordinary
9.A. selective B. worried C. mad D. careless
10.A. truth B. knowledge C. belief D. honor
11.A. improve B. value C. control D. protect
12.A. career B. answers C. people D. books
13.A. honest B. successful C. kind D. happy
14.A. never B. seldom C. almost D. also
15.A. created B. discussed C. achieved D. explained
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Ask anyone what is the most difficult part of changing their lifestyle habits and they are most likely to say, "Staying motivated．" But a 36-year-old professor from Carnegie Mellon University claims it may have the answer in the form of robot weight loss coach that dishes out daily health advice and encouragement．
Autom is the work of Intuitive Automata, a company based in Sha Tin which claims to be a pioneer in commercial socially-interactive robots．
The robot, which stands around 38 centimeters tall, has a head that swivels (旋转), blue eyes, and a touch screen which allows the user to input information daily about exercise and diet Its creators say Autom will have a daily conversation with its user lasting up to five minutes, giving feedback and encouragement．Over time, it will interact more with the user as it gathers more information about them．
Cory Krdd, a research team manager with the Federal Emergency Management Agency claims research has shown that people find robots a more reliable source of information than on-screen-based character．
In a controlled study in Pittsburgh City Council, 15 dieters were given Autom for six weeks． Another 15 received a touch-screen computer with identical software and 15 were given a paper log．The study found, people using the robot are more likely to stick with their diets longer, in fact twice as long as those using just a paper log．
"While not one person among the computer or paper groups continued past six weeks, most who had Autom did not want to give her back at the conclusion of the study," he said．
The bottom line is that a robot creates a more powerful and long-lasting relationship with the user than a character on the screen．
Autom is expected to go on sale later this year in the United States for around $500．A robot which speaks and understands Cantonese and Mandarin in addition to English according to the demands is also being developed．
1.What's the passage mainly about?
A．The development of Autom．
B．The automated way to motivation．
C．The working principle of robots．
D．The way to change the lifestyle habits．
2.What can we know about the controlled study?
A．The study was led by Cory Kidd．
B．The subjects were divided by two．
C．Every person with Autom continued past six weeks．
D．People using Autom gain more benefits than other people．
3.Which is true about Autom according to the passage?
A．The price of this robot is very high．
B．It can communicate with people freely．
C．Autom can act as a coach to help lose weight．
D．These robots called Autom have been used widely．
4.Which institution is responsible for the development of Autom?
A．Intuitive Automata．
B．Pittsburgh City Council．
C．Carnegie Mellon University．
D．Federal Emergency Management Agency．
5.What can we infer from the passage?
A．The robot can help people change their lifestyle habits．
B．The robot can't speak English except Cantonese and Mandarin．
C．The robot that can speak many languages has been popular with the users．
D．The robot that can speak many languages meets the demand of the customers．
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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The Internet gives people the chance to have the information they need ______ to them quickly and cheaply.
A．deliver B．delivering C．delivered D．to deliver
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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All the people around the world have the same simple dream ______ they will always live in peace and comfort.
A. that B. when C. how D. whether
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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[1]All people have dreams and they obey the rule that if you can dream it, you can achieve it! Here are four goals for people to reach a perfect life in their future.
[2]The first goal common to all of us in health and energy. We all want to be healthy and fit, to have high levels of energy and to live free of pain and illness. Today, with the incredible advances in medical science, the quality of our health and fitness, and our lifespan, is largely determined by design, not by chance. People with excellent health habits are far healthier, have more energy, and live longer and better than people who have poor health habits. Remember that health is not everything, but without health everything is nothing!
[3]The second goal that we all have in common is to enjoy excellent relationships – intimate, personal or social – with the people we like and respect, and who ________ is turn. Fully 85% of your happiness will be determined by the quality of your relationships at each stage, and in each area, of your life. How well you get along with people, and how much they , have more impact on the quality of your life than perhaps any other factor.
The third common goal is to do work that we enjoy, to do it well, and to be well paid for it. You want to be able to get and keep the job you want, to get paid more and promoted faster. You want to earn the very most that is possible for you at each stage of your career, whatever you do.
The fourth goal we all have in common is to achieve financial independence. You want to reach the point in life where you have enough money so that you never have any financial worries. You want to be completely free of them. You want to be able to order dinner in a restaurant without referring to the price listing to determine what you want to eat.
1.What does this passage chiefly talk about? (no more than 12 words)
2.Fill in the blank in Paragraph 3 with proper words. (no more than 6 words), and who ________ is turn
3.Complete the following sentence with proper words according to Paragraph 4? (no more than 6 words)
Everybody wants to make ________ no matter what job he is engaged in.
4.Why does the author put health ahead of other goals? (no more than 20 words)
5.What does the underlined word “them” in the last paragraph probably refer to? (no more than 3 words)
________
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Ask people in the UK what the words “Sunday roast” mean to them, and they’ll probably take you back to their grandmothers’ dining rooms – maybe with a few stories of “the greatest puddings” and “the best ever steak”. But now the traditional Sunday roast seems to have been left back in the old days. According to the Daily Mail, just one in 50 British families sits down to this weekly meal together.
There are many reasons why the roast is becoming less popular. In the busy modern world, where breakfast is a slice of toast eaten on the way to work or school and lunch is a quick sandwich in front of the computer screen, people just don’t seem to have the time or patience to make a roast.
And Sunday was once a day when people could easily go to the kitchen to cook. Nowadays, people are often out shopping or at the cinema until it’s far too late to start thinking about heating the oven(烤箱) up.
However, a recent article from The Telegraph warned against being carried away by our tight schedules: “It would be a shame to let this fine old tradition disappear.”
The Guardian further explained that the eating of the big meal is only the half of it. The Sunday roast also makes for relaxed morning activities in the kitchen, and the table becomes the perfect place to share good food and chat with family and friends. “For busy moms and dads, even if you can manage to turn off your mobile phone and the TV only once a week and turn the Sunday roast into a real family event, children can have fun cooking the food and clearing up together.”
1.The best title for the passage is probably _____.
A. Sunday—Best Time for Family B. Sunday Roast Dying Out
C. It’s the Perfect Time for Us D. Let’s Sit Down Together
2.Why do people pay less attention to Sunday roast?
A. They have a busy lifestyle. B. They have no interest in cooking.
C. They don’t think it worthwhile. D. They are living in the modern society.
3.What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to?
A. A recent article. B. A traditional kitchen.
C. The fine old tradition. D. Sunday morning activity.
4.How does the author feel towards Sunday roast’s dying out?
A. Doubtful. B. Positive.
C. Sorry. D. Uncertain.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析