Nelda Billie has been waiting to turn on lights in her home for 15 years. ''We've been living off those oil lanterns,'' she says. ''Now we don't have to have flashlights everywhere. All the kids have a flashlight. When they get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, they have a flashlight to go to the outhouse. ''
Billie, her husband and their five kids live in a tiny, one-room cottage built with wood and mud, which is a traditional Navajo home. Their three sheep are on the green grass that carpets the rolling hills of Dilkon, Ariz., on the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the US. They watch two men in a cherry picker hook the last power line to their home.
Billie says they've gone through too many electrical machines to count. ''My two boys, they have really bad allergies and they have asthma(哮喘), so sometimes they need the sprayer. '' Billie says. ''So we usually go to their grandma's house, travel in the middle of the night over there back and forth. ''
The Billies are not alone. About 10% of Navajos on the reservation live without electricity. And as much as 40% of them have to haul their water far away and use outhouses. A poll(民意调查) of Native Americans conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health found that more than a quarter of Native Americans have experienced problems with electricity, the Internet and with the safety of their drinking water.
Outside the Billies' home, the couple waits patiently for the workers to finish the job. Finally, after waiting for so long, the Billies watch the foreman turn on the meter behind their house and close the cover. Nelda then runs inside to open the switch. ''It's so exciting to finally have electricity here after so many years without it, '' Billie says. ''My kids are going to be so happy. They keep asking every day… They go, 'Mum, we're going to have light! We're going to finally have light! '''
Now the family will wait and pray for running water and the Internet.
1.Why did Billie's children have flashlights in the past?
A.They used them as toys.
B.They wanted to save electricity.
C.They needed them to light up late at night
D.They prepared these for going to grandma's house.
2.What can we learn from paragraph 2?
A.The Billies lead a green but poor life.
B.Electricity can bring about great changes.
C.The situation of Native Americans is serious.
D.There is an urgent need for electricity in Billie's house.
3.How does Billie often find electricity to treat her children's illness?
A.By walking a long way to a friend.
B.By producing electricity herself.
C.By inviting workers to her house.
D.By going to her mum's house.
4.What does the underlined sentence ''The Billies are not alone. ''imply in paragraph 4?
A.The Billies live far from cities but never feel lonely.
B.More Navajos suffer greatly from no electricity.
C.Only 10%of Navajos live without safe drinking water.
D.A quarter of Navajos have experienced problems with electricity.
5.What is the best title for the text?
A.The Disappearing Oil Lanterns B.Poor People's Bright Future
C.Electricity Bringing Hope D.Power Lines Construction
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题
Nelda Billie has been waiting to turn on lights in her home for 15 years. ''We've been living off those oil lanterns,'' she says. ''Now we don't have to have flashlights everywhere. All the kids have a flashlight. When they get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, they have a flashlight to go to the outhouse. ''
Billie, her husband and their five kids live in a tiny, one-room cottage built with wood and mud, which is a traditional Navajo home. Their three sheep are on the green grass that carpets the rolling hills of Dilkon, Ariz., on the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the US. They watch two men in a cherry picker hook the last power line to their home.
Billie says they've gone through too many electrical machines to count. ''My two boys, they have really bad allergies and they have asthma(哮喘), so sometimes they need the sprayer. '' Billie says. ''So we usually go to their grandma's house, travel in the middle of the night over there back and forth. ''
The Billies are not alone. About 10% of Navajos on the reservation live without electricity. And as much as 40% of them have to haul their water far away and use outhouses. A poll(民意调查) of Native Americans conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health found that more than a quarter of Native Americans have experienced problems with electricity, the Internet and with the safety of their drinking water.
Outside the Billies' home, the couple waits patiently for the workers to finish the job. Finally, after waiting for so long, the Billies watch the foreman turn on the meter behind their house and close the cover. Nelda then runs inside to open the switch. ''It's so exciting to finally have electricity here after so many years without it, '' Billie says. ''My kids are going to be so happy. They keep asking every day… They go, 'Mum, we're going to have light! We're going to finally have light! '''
Now the family will wait and pray for running water and the Internet.
1.Why did Billie's children have flashlights in the past?
A.They used them as toys.
B.They wanted to save electricity.
C.They needed them to light up late at night
D.They prepared these for going to grandma's house.
2.What can we learn from paragraph 2?
A.The Billies lead a green but poor life.
B.Electricity can bring about great changes.
C.The situation of Native Americans is serious.
D.There is an urgent need for electricity in Billie's house.
3.How does Billie often find electricity to treat her children's illness?
A.By walking a long way to a friend.
B.By producing electricity herself.
C.By inviting workers to her house.
D.By going to her mum's house.
4.What does the underlined sentence ''The Billies are not alone. ''imply in paragraph 4?
A.The Billies live far from cities but never feel lonely.
B.More Navajos suffer greatly from no electricity.
C.Only 10%of Navajos live without safe drinking water.
D.A quarter of Navajos have experienced problems with electricity.
5.What is the best title for the text?
A.The Disappearing Oil Lanterns B.Poor People's Bright Future
C.Electricity Bringing Hope D.Power Lines Construction
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
Tony put on soft music and turned down the lights in order to give a more relaxed ____ at home.
A.view B.attitude C.style D.atmosphere
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
After winning five Grammy trophies(格莱美奖) at this year’ awards ceremony, Finneas O'Connell became a name at the tip of everybody’s tongue - mostly in relation to his younger sister, pop superstar Billie Eilish, but increasingly in his own right too.
The 22-year-old Los Angeles native is most famously known to have produced and co-written his sister Eilish’s album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?.
Along the way, O'Connell has marched to his own beat and presented a sound that is unlike anything else that can be found currently on official music charts or on the airwaves. Weird-pop, Gothic-pop, Avant-pop(先锋派流行音乐), Art-pop. Even by using these definitive terms(称号), critics still can't pin down(解释清楚) O'Connell. And even if they try, be simply rejects the terms.
O'Connell and Eilish were home -schooled by their actor- musician parents. O'Connell entered show business as a child actor. From Bad Teacher and his mother’s Life Inside Out to comedy favorite Modern Family and musical TV series Glee, he knew not to let his personality get in the way of his acting roles.
Talent definitely runs in the family. O'Connell’s fondness for music was instilled(逐渐灌输) in him from a young age. “We have never stressed getting a job and making a living,” his father said, “If we modeled anything, it was being broke and artsy(附庸风雅的).”
Not forgetting his acting roots, O'Connell uses film as a metaphor(隐喻) to describe the current climate of music and has expressed this with singles-only releases. “Music singles are like [blockbuster] movies made by film studios to carry the independent films. There’s Avengers music. Even though I think Avengers is great, my favorite movie is The Social Network, I’d rather make music that feels kind of like that.”
O’Connell is working in music full-time now, preparing Eilish s next album and his own full-length album while experimenting and learning more production ideas and sounds. But Finneas the actor will not turn down acting gigs(临时工作) if an ideal role is offered.
1.What can we say about Finneas O'Connell?
A.He has his own musical style. B.He prefers acting to writing music.
C.He is a hardworking and considerate man. D.He will only focus on music in the future.
2.Which of the following is right?
A.Billie Eilish’s father loves her more.
B.Billie Bilish is an actor and singer now.
C.Finncas O'connell’s parents educated him at home.
D.Finneas O'connell’s mother wanted him to live on music.
3.What can we infer from the article?
A.A good medicine tastes bitter. B.The role of gene is powerful.
C.Music is the mother of all arts. D.School education often ruins a talent.
4.The author writes this article to__________.
A.express his admiration for a famous star B.report entertaining information to readers
C.emphasize the importance of family love D.discuss the secret to success with readers
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
When Joy Warren’s husband of 50 years passed away, her confidence took a knock. Meeting new people and joining in again socially was a frightening thought. Fortunately, just doors away were friendly neighbours Janet and Michael Porter, who knocked on her door and invited her to join them at a local friendship group event.
And it all started from there, explained Joy, 75, “I’ve never been the type to sit still, so despite the fact that I was still sad for Graham, I knew I had to get out and socialise again, but it was difficult to know where to start. That knock on the door was the encouragement I needed.”
From that first neighbourly invitation, Janet and Michael have been there for Joy, inviting her along to take part in regular Oddfellows social events.
She continued, “They made sure I was never alone for too long, and if I didn’t fancy coming with them, there was never any pressure, just a gentle reminder that they were always there. I joined them at all sorts of group meetings and events, from visiting the local dogs’ home to having a catch up at the monthly coffee morning. I signed up to the Oddfellows as a result of the wonderful new friends I made there.”
Joy also found that after losing her husband, she was alone in making decisions about her home and finances, often struggling with what needed to be done.
She added, “Graham used to take care of all that, so it’s been tough for me to figure out what the right thing to do is sometimes. The Oddfellows was a huge help with this as they have a Citizen’s Advice Line for members, which has got me through some complicated times.”
1.How did Joy Warren feel when Graham left her?
A.She was too sad to see anyone.
B.She couldn’t wait to meet new friends.
C.She had no idea how to mix with others.
D.She felt it easy to handle daily affairs by herself.
2.What did Joy Warren do after the first invitation of Janet and Michael Porter?
A.Paying visits to the local nursing home.
B.Making decisions about what needed to be done.
C.Having a get-together at the weekly coffee morning.
D.Participating in Oddfellows activities on a regular basis.
3.How did Joy Warren deal with some complex problems?
A.She worked them out on her own.
B.She relied on her children for advice.
C.She ignored them and escaped from reality.
D.She sought help from Oddfellows’ Citizen’s Advice Line.
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A.Oddfellows, Colorful Social Events
B.Hanging Out With Friendly Neighbors
C.A Neighborly Knock To Cure Loneliness
D.A Friendly Invitation From Lovely Neighbors
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
The annual marathon in my town occurred as scheduled. My job was to follow behind the runners in an ambulance in case any of them needed medical attention. As the athletes began to pace themselves, the front runners started to disappear. It was then that my eyes were drawn to the woman in blue running shorts and a baggy white T-shirt.
I knew we were already watching our “last runner”. Her feet were turned in, yet her left knee was turned out. Her legs were so crippled and bent that it seemed impossible for her to walk, let alone run a marathon.
The driver and I watched in silence as she slowly moved forward. We would move forward a little bit, then stop and wait for her to gain some distance. Then we’d slowly move forward a little bit more. As I watched her struggle to put one foot in front of the other, I found myself breathing for her and urging her forward. I wanted her to stop, and at the same time, I prayed that she wouldn’t.
Finally, she was the only runner left in sight. I sat on the edge of my seat and watched with respect and amazement as she pushed forward with sheer determination through the last miles. When the finish line came into sight, the cheering crowds had long gone home. Yet, standing straight and proud waited a man. He was holding one end of a ribbon tied to a post. She slowly crossed through, leaving both ends of the ribbon fluttering (飘动) behind her.
I don’t know this woman’s name, but that day she became a part of my life — a part I often depend on. For her, it wasn’t about beating the other runners or winning a prize. It was about finishing what she had set out to do. When I think things are too difficult or I get those “I-just-can’t-do-it,” I think of the last runner. Then I realize how easy the task before me really is.
1.What words can best describe the woman?
A.Proud and determined. B.Strong-willed and honorable.
C.Modest and courageous. D.Diligent and considerate.
2.What does the underlined word “crippled” in paragraph 2 mean?
A.Disabled. B.Healthy. C.Perfect. D.Strong.
3.What has the author learnt from the woman?
A.Don’t depend on others when facing hardships.
B.Nothing is too tough to accomplish if one is brave enough.
C.The disabled can also run a marathon despite their walking difficulty.
D.It’s not winning but finishing the thing we start that really matters.
4.What could be the best title for the text?
A.A Humorous Stranger. B.An Unforgettable Job.
C.The Last Runner. D.The Annual Marathon.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
Every Christmas,the firm I worked for raised money for disadvantaged kids in the area,and every Christmas I'd drive out with colleagues to deliver gifts.Some years ago, we were returning to work and stopped at an intersection as the lights turned red.
We were in the middle lane and I became aware of an SUV(越野车）coming up behind us at speed;at the last moment,it switched to the righthand lane and carried straight on past the red light into traffic moving west to east.It crashed into another vehicle,causing it to veer off(转向），then they both skidded to a stop.
There was a loud"Bang"and flames leapt from the SUV 's front.I had been a volunteer firefighter for many years and had attended automobile accidents before.As the flames grew fiercer,I knew the car's battery had exploded and that there was no time to lose.I dashed round to the passenger side.The door was locked,but by pulling on the window frame,I managed to tear it open.I leaned in,unbuckled the driver's belt and pulled him across to the passenger side.
Other than some cuts,he was fine.I left him with my workmates and went to check on the driver of the other car,who was also unhurt.Then I headed back to the intersection, where I directed traffic around the burning vehicle until the emergency services arrived.
On the way back to work,I said to my colleagues:"What you saw,keep it under your hats,OK?"But an hour later I had a call from a friend on a local TV station."Brad,"he said,"I have a picture here that someone's sent in of you helping out at a traffic accident."
I hoped that would be the end f it,but the story was to have an unexpected ending. A couple of weeks after the accident,I agreed to a televised reunion with Michael Walker, the guy I'd pulled from the car.He thanked me,and then he introduced me to his daughter, Amber.It turned out she had been separated from her mum and dad,but returned home after the accident.Knowing this family had been reunited was greatly comforting to me-a real Christmas gift.
1.The car crash was caused by
A.the SUV driver's running the red light
B.the traffic chaos at the intersection
C.the heavy traffic during Christmas
D.the author's car blocking the way
2.Who saved the trapped driver from the burning car?
A.The emergency services. B.The author.
C.The author's workmates. D.A pedestrian.
3.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 5 mean?
A.Cover up the hair. B.Hide the face.
C.Keep it secret. D.Bear it in mind.
4.What was a real Christmas gift to the author?
A.The reunion with the saved driver.
B.Acquaintance with Michael' s daughter.
C.Raising money for disadvantaged kids.
D.Michael' s family reunion after the accident.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
The amount of rubbish that piles on our shore lines is hugely worrying and a growing problem for the planet. It seems like no matter how remote you hike and how high you climb, there’s always a dropped plastic container there waiting for you.
Mariah Reading, an American artist, spends the majority of her time outdoors looking for inspiration for her art, based in nature and our natural surroundings. On noticing the amount of waste filling her natural areas, she decided she had to reflect it in her works.
For her latest project, Mariah is looking at both the problem of wasteful littering and the way that art itself can be wasteful in materials, taking the dropped items that fill her natural spaces and painting them to reflect the place in which they were left.
Applying paint to create her masterpieces, Mariah has collected trash (垃圾) from different mountains and parks. “I’ve been considering my relationship with art and the large amount of waste it can produce,” says Mariah. “I wanted to find ways I can confirm art and its important purpose by working with recycled materials found in landscape environments.”
“Since the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, I’ve especially appreciated and been inspired by the natural beauty the parks offer, and found how easily we can take these precious places for granted. I seek to gather as much trash as possible, sculpt it into a canvas (画布), and paint the scene where the trash originated onto the trash itself,” says Mariah.
As well as through this project, Mariah has explored nature in her art in various different ways and through exhibitions. Mariah’s work might not solve the litter problem, but it’s just another way that we can get people talking about the problem and the ways we can prevent it from growing any larger.
1.What gave Mariah the idea of the latest project?
A.The beauty of nearby scenery.
B.The rubbish-covered surroundings.
C.The potential security risks of beaches.
D.The high energy consumption of her artworks.
2.What’s the important purpose of Mariah’s art?
A.To keep people from wasting natural resources.
B.To remind people of the litter problem.
C.To encourage people to explore parks.
D.To make full use of rubbish.
3.What is special about Mariah’s new artworks?
A.They are made of oceanic rubbish.
B.They appear in the form of sculpture.
C.They reflect the trash places on trash itself.
D.They’re designed to inspire people’s love for painting.
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A.The Growing Problem of Rubbish
B.Mariah Reading: a Sociable Artist
C.An Artist Turns Waste into Amazing Works
D.Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的故事。
He was driving home one evening on a two-lane country road, work, in this small community, was almost as terrible as his beat-up truck. Ever since the Levis factory closed, he’d been unemployed, and with winter approaching, the chill had finally hit home.
Suddenly, he saw an old lady, whose car broke down on the side of the road. Even in the dim light of the night, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her car and got off.
Despite the smile on his face, the old lady was worried. Was he going to hurt her? He looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened,” I’ m here to help you, ma’am. Why don’t you wait in the car where it’s warm? By the way, my name is Joe Anderson.”
Well, all she had was only a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough, Joe crawled under the car. Half an hour later, he finished changing the tire. But he got dirty and his hands hurt. She could not thank him enough and asked him how much money she owed him. He told her that if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give the person the assistance he needed. He waited until she started her car and drove off. Then he left.
A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat and take the chill off. The waitress noticed the lady’s wet hair and brought a clean towel to wipe it. She had a sweet smile,one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn’t erase. The lady noticed the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant. She was curious and asked,＂It’s too late and freezing cold. As a mother-to-be, why don’t you go home early?”“My husband is out of job, so I want to share the burden of supporting the family with him. Besides,I also want to help the people in need at night.” The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger.
注意：
1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
Then, she remembered Joe and determined to spread the chain of love.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
Deeply moved, the waitress was eager to tell her husband Joe what had happened.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
高二英语读后续写中等难度题查看答案及解析
Zhou Zhaoyan is just 6 years of age, but she has touched the hearts of Internet users worldwide, many of whom are still living amid COVID-19 restrictions.
Since her parents started to post her performances on video—sharing platform YouTube in early March, her account Miumiu Guitargirl has attracted more than 157,000 fans.
The video of her singing Fly Me to the Moon, written by Bart Howard, while playing guitar received over 5 million hits on the platform. In her version of the classic song, Hotel California, by the Eagles, she is seen singing, playing guitar, electric guitar, bass, drums and maracas. With over 1.8 million hits, it’s been described by viewers as the “cutest version” of the song. Followers send best wishes online to the “talented angel”.
Some singers, bands and celebrities from home and abroad also reposted her videos on their social media. The American instrumental guitarist Nei ZaZa reposted the girl’s cover of his guitar music I’m Alright on the Facebook, and commented: “6 years old! They get younger and younger!”
The girl has covered both Chinese and English songs. The most difficult is I Wish You Love, which was sung by bossa nova singer Lisa Ono. It took about three weeks to master the guitar—playing and singing, her father says, adding that as many people like the girl’s music, she’s more confident about herself and wants to learn more.
“I’m glad that many people like my music. I know some of them will watch it over and over. I feel very warm-hearted,” says Zhaoyan from Nanjing, Jiansu Province, who learned guitar from the age of 3 from her father, a guitar teacher.
In late February, her parents started to post short videos of her playing guitar on the Chinese video—sharing platform Bilibili. At that particular time, Zhaoyan was practicing guitar about five hours a day, as the family were confined to their home due to the pandemic.
1.What has made Zhaoyan popular worldwide?
A.Her covers of the classic songs. B.Her musical talent shows online.
C.Her skills in playing the guitar. D.Her efforts to help COVID-19 patients.
2.What did Nei ZaZa thinks of the girl’s cover of his music?
A.It was great for so young a girl. B.She still had a long way to go.
C.She did better than he himself. D.She has potential to be a super star.
3.How does Zhou feel about her own popularity?
A.Unexpected. B.Indifferent.
C.Encouraged. D.Overjoyed.
高二英语阅读选择中等难度题查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
It was time to go home.“Remember to work on your class speeches for homework,”Miss Walker called, as everyone started talking and packing their school bags. Jenny felt sick. She hated having to read aloud in class. She was sure everyone got really bored listening to her. Once, when Jenny was reading out her holiday diary, Lee was even looking at his watch, a silver and blue one which seemed just magical.
Jenny watched Lee walk ahead of her as they left school. He seemed so clever, and he had a certain sort of shining confidence. He was just one of those people who were good at everything. Jenny sighed. As she turned the corner, she saw Lee’s watch lying right in the middle of the path.
Jenny knew she should just pick it up and return it to him, but she didn’t want to run after him. Jenny bent down quickly, picked up the watch and ran home. On arriving home, Jenny put it on almost without thinking. She was surprised it fitted so well. She walked to the mirror and started practicing her speech. Words just flooded out of her.“I’m going to talk about swimming. I have been lucky. I’ve won lots of competitions. But when I’m in a race, I’m not really thinking about winning. I’m just loving the feeling of being in the water…”Jenny laughed with excitement. She walked across the room. She suddenly seemed to have a certain sort of confidence. Turning back to the mirror, Jenny saw a flash of light from the watch in the glass. The flashes of silver seemed almost magical. So maybe Lee’s watch really DID have something magic about it.
The next day, as the lesson began, Miss Walker asked who was going to be brave and go first. Nobody moved. Jenny slowly raised her arm. Before Miss Walker could say anything, there was a shout from behind.“She’s stolen my watch!”Lee said angrily,“It went missing at school yesterday.”
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
Everybody was fixing their eyes on Jenny, waiting for an explanation. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
At that time, Miss Walker smiled and asked the class to listen to Jenny’s speech first. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
高二英语读后续写困难题查看答案及解析