Governments all over the world make public reports about the condition of their economies. Most countries, including the United States, have used a measure called the gross national product (国民生产总值)or GNP. It includes all goods and services produced by citizens of the country anywhere in the world.
Recently the American Commerce Department has started using a new method to measure production. It is known as the gross domestic product(国内生产总值)or GDP. It counts only goods and services that have been produced within the nation’s borders. Money earned by foreign companies operating in the United States is included in the GDP, but money earned by American companies operating in other countries is not.
Economic experts generally approve of the change. They say that the gross domestic product provides a truer measure of the economy. They also note that most other industrial countries use this method. Therefore it will be easier to study the economies of different countries. Some officials also hope the new system will help them make better economic policy decisions. It will provide them with a clearer understanding of economic activity in the U.S. . The new measure is less likely to be affected by sudden changes in foreign oil prices or in the value of the American dollar in other countries.
Economic experts believe that the change from GNP to GDP will immediately reduce the value of American production by at least 40,000 million dollars a year. But that is really a very small change in the American economy – less than 1% . The Commerce Department reports the unofficial gross domestic product once every three months. The government also continues to report GNP as it has four times a year since 1941.
1.To report the American GNP, the government should not consider goods and services produced _______.
A. by American companies at home
B. by American companies in China
C. by American companies in Singapore
D. by Japanese companies in the United States
2.To report the American GDP, the Commerce Department should count money earned ________.
A. by both American and foreign companies in America
B. by American companies within its own borders
C. by foreign companies in the United States
D. by American companies in its foreign markets
3.GDP is considered better than GNP by some economists because ________.
A. it is something new
B. it is used by most countries
C. it is easier to calculate
D. it is less likely to be affected by the foreign market
4.What will happen to the value of American economy if GDP is used to replace GNP?
A. It will be seriously affected. B. It will not be affected.
C. It will come down a little. D. It will slightly go up.
5.How often are the reports of GDP issued by the American Commerce Department?
A. once every four months B. once every three months
C. once every six months D. once a year
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Governments all over the world make public reports about the condition of their economies. Most countries, including the United States, have used a measure called the gross national product (国民生产总值)or GNP. It includes all goods and services produced by citizens of the country anywhere in the world.
Recently the American Commerce Department has started using a new method to measure production. It is known as the gross domestic product(国内生产总值)or GDP. It counts only goods and services that have been produced within the nation’s borders. Money earned by foreign companies operating in the United States is included in the GDP, but money earned by American companies operating in other countries is not.
Economic experts generally approve of the change. They say that the gross domestic product provides a truer measure of the economy. They also note that most other industrial countries use this method. Therefore it will be easier to study the economies of different countries. Some officials also hope the new system will help them make better economic policy decisions. It will provide them with a clearer understanding of economic activity in the U.S. . The new measure is less likely to be affected by sudden changes in foreign oil prices or in the value of the American dollar in other countries.
Economic experts believe that the change from GNP to GDP will immediately reduce the value of American production by at least 40,000 million dollars a year. But that is really a very small change in the American economy – less than 1% . The Commerce Department reports the unofficial gross domestic product once every three months. The government also continues to report GNP as it has four times a year since 1941.
1.To report the American GNP, the government should not consider goods and services produced _______.
A. by American companies at home
B. by American companies in China
C. by American companies in Singapore
D. by Japanese companies in the United States
2.To report the American GDP, the Commerce Department should count money earned ________.
A. by both American and foreign companies in America
B. by American companies within its own borders
C. by foreign companies in the United States
D. by American companies in its foreign markets
3.GDP is considered better than GNP by some economists because ________.
A. it is something new
B. it is used by most countries
C. it is easier to calculate
D. it is less likely to be affected by the foreign market
4.What will happen to the value of American economy if GDP is used to replace GNP?
A. It will be seriously affected. B. It will not be affected.
C. It will come down a little. D. It will slightly go up.
5.How often are the reports of GDP issued by the American Commerce Department?
A. once every four months B. once every three months
C. once every six months D. once a year
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
More cycling, better public transport and car bans...Places all over the world are taking a range of measures to lower traffic pollution.
Paris
Paris bans cars in many historic central districts on weekends, places odd-even (单双日的) bans on vehicles,makes public transport free during major pollution events and encourages car-sharing programs. A long section of the right bank of the river Seine is now car-free and a monthly ban on cars has come into force along the Champs-Elysees.
The Netherlands
Politicians want to ban the sale of all petrol cars from 2025, allowing only electric or hydrogen vehicles. The new law will allow anyone who already owns a petrol car to continue using it. Most cities encourage bicycle use.
Freiburg
Freiburg in Germany has 500km of bike routes and a cheap and efficient public transport system. One town, Vauban, forbids people to park near homes and makes car-owners pay $18,000 for a space on the edge of town in return for living without a car. People are offered cheaper housing, free public transport, and plentiful bicycle spaces.
Curitiba
The southern Brazilian city of two million people has one of the biggest and lowest-cost bus systems in the world. Nearly 70% of its people go to work by public transport and the result is pollution-free air and traffic-free streets.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen prioritizes (优先考虑) bikes over cars and now has more cycles than people. The city calculates that one mile on a bike is worth $0.42 to society, while one mile in a car is a $0.2 loss. Large parts of the Danish capital have been closed to vehicles for decades.
1.What will happen in Paris during major pollution events?
A.Historic central districts won’t allow cars in.
B.Car-sharing programs will raise money publicly.
C.People must obey the odd-even traffic restrictions on weekends.
D.People can take public transport free of charge.
2.From 2025, the Netherlands will ________.
A.put 500km of bike routes into full use
B.only allow the sale of electric or hydrogen vehicles
C.completely forbid the use of petrol cars
D.own the biggest and lowest-cost bus system in the world
3.Which of the following cities attach great importance to cycling?
A.Freiburg and Copenhagen B.Park and Curitiba
C.Paris and Freiburg D.Curitiba and Copenhagen
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
More cycling, better public transport and car bans… Places all over the world are taking a range of measures to lower traffic pollution.
Paris
Paris bans cars in many historic central districts on weekends, places odd-even(单双日制的) bans on vehicles, makes public transport free during major pollution events and encourages car-sharing programs. A long section of the right bank of the river. Seine is now car-free and a monthly ban on cars has come into force along the Champs-Elysees.
The Netherlands
Politicians want to ban the sale of all petrol cars from 2025, allowing only electric of hydrogen vehicles. The new law will allow anyone who already owns a petrol car to continue using it. Most cities encourage bicycle use.
Freiburg
Freiburg in Germany has 500km of bike routes and a cheap and efficient public transport system. One town, Vauban, forbids people to park near homes and makes car-owners pay 18,000 for a space on the edge of town. In return for living without a car, people are offered cheaper housing, free public transport, and plentiful bicycle spaces.
Curitiba
The southern Brazilian city of two million people has one of the biggest and lowest-cost bus systems in the world. Nearly 70% of its people go to work by public transport and the result is pollution-free air and traffic-free streets.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen prioritizes(优先考虑) bikes over cars and now has more cycles than people. The city calculates that one mile on a bike is worth $0.42 to society, while one mile in a car is a $0.2 loss. Large parts of the Danish capital have been closed to vehicles for decades.
1.What will happen in Paris during major pollution events?
A. Historic central districts won’t allow cars in.
B. People can take public transport free of charge.
C. Car-sharing programs will raise money publicly.
D. People must obey the old-even traffic restrictions.
2.From 2025, the Netherlands will ________.
A. put 500km of bike routes into full use
B. completely forbid the use of petrol cars
C. only allow the sale of electric or hydrogen vehicles
D. own the biggest and lowest-cost bus system in the world
3.What does Vauban forbid its people to do?
A. Park their cars around their homes. B. Sell or buy parking spaces.
C. Occupy bicycle spaces. D. Go to work by car.
4.Which of the following cities attach great importance to cycling?
A. Park and Curitiba. B. Paris and Freiburg.
C. Curitiba and Copenhagen. D. Freiburg and Copenhagen.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A new report says African governments are ill prepared to handle the growing number of people over age 65. The population in Africa as in other parts of the world, is getting older. Currently, there are 36 million people on the continent 65 years and above. which is 3.6 percent of the population. up from 3.3 percent 10 years ago. That could rise to 4.5 percent by 2030 and 10 percent by 2050. The African development Bank is raising concerns over the shortage of health insurance and pensions (养老金).
The African Development Bank says. "Aging is highly linked with long-term physical and mental disability and a number of long-term chronic (慢性的) conditions."
"Africa is not well prepared to care for its aging population right now. And it needs to prepare for this fact." said Professor Mthuli Ncube. the African Development Bank's chief economist. African nations spend far less on healthcare than developed nations do___ about $26per person per year. Not so many countries have well developed medical aid plans for the elderly, whether they are privately provided plans or indeed government plans. If you look at the pension plans, you will find the pension industries are not well developed in some of the countries.
Professor Mthuli Ncube said African governments failed to take action on health insurance
and pensions because they were busy with economic reforms.
Another challenge for Africa is the worsening of informal systems of social protection. That is cash and support from both the extended family and community sources.
. The African Development Bank recommends governments help carry out health insurance and pension plans. Ncube said African governments didn't have to handle the health insurance burden alone. "It is not only a must but also an opportunity for private companies to add their bit in this regard", he said. The report also recommends that African governments consider providing ways of free health services. medications and long-term health care facilities for the elderly.
1. From the first paragraph we know the facts except that ____
A. the speed of people aging is becoming quicker
B . Africa has the largest aging population
C. African governments are not well prepared to deal with the aging population
D. the shortage of health insurance and pensions adds to African governments' difficulty in dealing With the aging population
2.Which is not highly linked with the aging according to the passage?
A. Long-term physical disability. B. Long-term mental disability.
C. Long-term chronic illnesses. D. Long-term shortage of care and love.
3. What got in the way of developing health insurance and pensions in Africa?
A. The economic reforms. B. Too many old people.
C. The shortage of land. D. The development of the economy.
4.How can the aging problem be solved in Africa according to Ncube?
A. African governments should spend as much money on healthcare as developed countries
B. African people should save enough money to insure their health.
C. African governments should combine with private companies to finish health insurance and pension pains.
D. Private sources should take the main responsibility to help the elderly.
5.The article is most likely to be seen____
A. in a story book B. in a newspaper C. on a TV program D. in a textbook
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
B
People all over the world today are beginning to hear and learn more and more about the problem of pollution. Pollution is caused either by man's release of completely new and often artificial substances into the environment, or by releasing greatly increased amounts of a natural substance , such as oil tankers into the sea.
The whole industrial process which makes many of the goods and machines we need and use in our daily lives, is bound to create a number of waste products which upset the environmental balance, or the ecological balance as it is also known. Many of these waste products can be prevented or disposed of sensibly, but clearly while more and more new and complex goods are produce there will be new, dangerous wastes to be disposed of, for example, the waste products from nuclear power stations. Many people, therefore, see pollution as only part of a larger and more complex problem, that is, the whole process of industrial production and consumption of goods. Others again see the problem mainly in connection with agriculture, where new methods are helping farmers grow more and more on their land to feed our ever-increasing populations. However, the land itself is gradually becoming worn out as it is being used in some cases, too heavily, and artificial fertilizer cannot restore the balance.
Whatever its underlying reasons, there is no doubt that much of the pollution caused could be controlled if only companies, individuals and governments would make more efforts. In the home there is an obvious need to control litter and waste. Food comes wrapped up three or four times in packages that all have to be disposed of; drinks are increasingly sold in bottles or tins which cannot be reused. This not only causes a litter problem, but also is a great waste of resources, in term of glass, metals and paper. Advertising has helped this process by persuading many of us not only to buy things we neither want nor need, but also to throw away much of what we do buy. Pollution and waste combine to be a problem everyone can help to solve by cutting out unnecessary buying ,excess consumption and careless disposal of the products we use in our daily lives.
45.The underlined phrase “disposed of ”in the second paragraph means_______.
A. dealt with B. exposed
C. disapproved of D. collected
46. In the writer’s view ,the more new goods, _______.
A. the less pollution
B. the harder pollution can be prevented
C. the more pollution there will be
D. the more easily pollution can be controlled
47.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. We can do much to reduce pollution.
B. The government is trying hard to stop pollution.
C. Individuals know how to get rid of the habit of littering everywhere.
D. We can’t stop buying unnecessary things.
48. People can help solve the problem of pollution by _______.
A. urging their governments to control litter and waste
B. making anti-pollution advertisements
C. cutting down the use of oil and other oil products
D. reducing unnecessary buying, over-consumption and careless disposal of wastes
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Though there are about 400 languages from all over the world that are in danger of disappearing completely, Zoque-Ayapaneco, a native Mexican language is considered the most likely to become extinct, because the only two people in the world that speak it fluently do not talk to each other!
And, it's not because they live in different countries, states or even villages. In fact, Manuel Segovia and Isidro Velazquez, both in their 70s, live within 500 yards of each other, in the village of Ayapa in the Southern Mexican State of Tabasco. They, however, refuse to communicate because they simply don't have much in common. Segovia is apparently a little flank in nature while Velazquez is described as shy.
Segovia was at least able to talk in Zoque-Ayapanece with his brother until he passed away about 12 years ago, and still manages to practice it with his family, especially his son Manuel, who for the last five years has been trying to learn it and hopes to become fluent enough to teach it to the next generation. Velazquez on the other hand, has not been heard speaking in the language with anybody.
The two men say the language used to be widely spoken in the village, but the younger generation shunned it for fear of being laughed at, and it therefore began to die a slow death, as the elders passed away.
Unless the two men get their acts together, the only way to hear the language will be to either listen to Manuel's not-so-fluent statement or see them talk in a documentary entitled “Lengua Muerta” (Dead Language) that is being filmed to capture Zoque Ayapaneco and 364 other native Mexican languages that are in a similar state.
We sure hope Segovia and Velazquez soon find something common to talk about. Maybe the fact is that the language is dying and that they should start encouraging and teaching the next generation together.
1.The reason why Segovia and Velazquez don't talk to each other is that ________.
A. they both are too shy
B. they live in different villages
C. they are too familiar to talk
D. they have no similarity in their character
2.What do we know about Zoque-Ayapaneco?
A. It was widely used twelve years ago.
B. It will be dying out if no effective measures are taken.
C. It will be popular in Mexico in the near future.
D. It is a Southern American language.
3.The underlined word “shunned” in Paragraph 4 probably means “________”.
A. favored B. identified
C. were unwilling to learn D. protected
4.From the passage, we can conclude that ________.
A. altogether 365 languages are becoming extinct in the world
B. Segovia and Velazquez will communicate with each other soon
C. the government cares a lot about the protection of Zoque-Ayapaneco
D. we can hear the language from Manuel or documentary “Lengua Muerta”
5.What's the main idea of the passage?
A. World's endangered languages are being filmed.
B. Villagers are trying to protect their old language.
C. An endangered language is spoken by only two people.
D. There are a lot of languages in Mexico.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Though there are about 400 languages from all over the world that are in danger of disappearing completely,Zoque-Ayapaneco,a native Mexican language is considered the most likely to become extinct,because the only two people in the world that speak it fluently do not talk to each other!
And,it's not because they live in different countries,states or even villages. In fact,Manuel Segovia and Isidro Velazquez,both in their 70s,live within 500 yards of each other,in the village of Ayapa in the Southern Mexican State of Tabasco. They,however,refuse to communicate because they simply don't have much in common. Segovia is apparently a little frank in nature while Velazquez is described as shy.
Segovia was at least able to talk in Zoque-Ayapanece with his brother until he passed away about 12 years ago,and still manages to practice it with his family,especially his son Manuel,who for the last five years has been trying to learn it and hopes to become fluent enough to teach it to the next generation. Velazquez on the other hand,has not been heard speaking in the language with anybody.
The two men say the language used to be widely spoken in the village,but the younger generation refused to learn it for fear of being laughed at,and it therefore began to die a slow death,as the elders passed away.
Unless the two men get their acts together,the only way to hear the language will be to either listen to Manuel's not-so-fluent statement or see them talk in a documentary entitled “Lengua Muerta” (Dead Language) that is being filmed to capture Zoque Ayapaneco and 364 other native Mexican languages that are in a similar state.
We sure hope Segovia and Velazquez soon find something common to talk about. Maybe the fact is that the language is dying and that they should start encouraging and teaching the next generation together.
1.What do we know about Zoque-Ayapaneco?
A.It was widely used twelve years ago.
B.It is a Southern American language.
C.It will be popular in Mexico in the near future.
D.It will be dying out if no effective measures are taken.
2.The reason why Segovia and Velazquez don't talk to each other is that ________.
A.they both are too shy
B.they have no similarity in their character
C.they are too familiar to talk
D.they live in different villages
3.From the passage,we can conclude that ________.
A.altogether 365 languages are becoming extinct in the world
B.Segovia and Velazquez will communicate with each other soon
C.the government cares a lot about the protection of Zoque-Ayapaneco
D.we can hear the language from Manuel or documentary “Lengua Muerta”
4.What's the main idea of the passage?
A.World's endangered languages are being filmed.
B.Villagers are trying to protect their old language.
C.An endangered language is spoken by only two people.
D.There are a lot of languages in Mexico.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Homelessness is a huge problem all over the world. It’s said that each day there are about 1 million people living on the streets in the US. It is a serious problem which should be dealt with effectively.
There are two main reasons for people leaving their homes: poverty and less affordable houses due to bad economic conditions. Other reasons include: domestic violence, divorce, and mental illness. Living without a home makes people main targets of violence activities and besides, these homeless people have to face the following difficulties on a daily basis.
They have to move about, carrying their belongings, which makes it difficult for the charity and the government to help them. They have limited access to bathrooms and restrooms and are forced to live in dirty conditions, making them easy to be attacked by diseases. They have limited access to health-care facilities in case of emergency, and almost no access to education as they have no money. They are often ill-treated by society, which makes them unfriendly, often ending up being involved in activities connected with crime like selling drugs or guns.
Homelessness is not something that happened overnight --- it has been in the country for decades. The society usually believes those living on the street to be mentally unstable. This belief is partially true. Most of them are normal people just like you and me.
The federal government is doing all it can to help but it is not enough, so the ordinary citizens have to stand up and try to help whenever it’s possible. There are various organizations, such as charity organizations that are working constantly to make sure that homeless people find a shelter to live in. the united efforts have helped millions of people return to their normal lifestyle. However, there is still a long way to go before a better situation is created for all the homeless.
1.Homeless people suffer from all the following except __________.
A.violent activities B.disease attack C.moving a lot D.heavy work
2.The homeless are usually treated as __________.
A.having mental problems B.a danger to society
C.physically disabled people D.being too lazy to do anything
3.Which of the following are mentioned to help solve the problem of the homeless?
① the government ② homeless people ③ charity organizations ④ the ordinary citizens
A.①②③ B.①③④ C.①②④ D.②③④
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Most homeless people died of hunger and cold.
B.The homeless should work hard to change their own situation.
C.The homeless problem is a serious problem that need solving effectively.
D.The homeless people have nothing to take when they move about.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Homelessness is a huge problem all over the world. It’s said that each day there are about 1 million people living on the streets in the US. It is a serious problem which should be dealt with effectively.
There are two main reasons for people leaving their homes: poverty and less affordable houses due to bad economic conditions. Other reasons include: domestic violence, divorce, and mental illness. Living without a home makes people main targets of violence activities and besides, these homeless people have to face the following difficulties on a daily basis.
They have to move about, carrying their belongings, which makes it difficult for the charity and the government to help them. They have limited access to bathrooms and restrooms and are forced to live in dirty conditions, making them easy to be attacked by diseases. They have limited access to health-care facilities in case of emergency, and almost no access to education as they have no money. They are often ill-treated by society, which makes them unfriendly, often ending up being involved in activities connected with crime like selling drugs or guns.
Homelessness is not something that happened overnight --- it has been in the country for decades. The society usually believes those living on the street to be mentally unstable. This belief is partially true. Most of them are normal people just like you and me.
The federal government is doing all it can to help but it is not enough, so the ordinary citizens have to stand up and try to help whenever it’s possible. There are various organizations, such as charity organizations that are working constantly to make sure that homeless people find a shelter to live in. the united efforts have helped millions of people return to their normal lifestyle. However, there is still a long way to go before a better situation is created for all the homeless.
1.How many reasons are mentioned for people having no home to live in?
A. Five B. Four C. Three D. Two
2.The homeless are usually treated as __________.
A. a danger to society
B. having mental problems
C. physically disabled people
D. being too lazy to do anything
3.Which of the following are mentioned to help solve the problem of the homeless?
① the government ② homeless people ③ charity organizations ④ the ordinary citizens
A. ①②③ B. ①②④ C. ①③④ D. ②③④
4.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Most homeless people died of hunger and cold.
B. The homeless should work hard to change their own situation.
C. The homeless people have nothing to take when they move about.
D. The homeless problem is a serious problem that need solving effectively.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
About us
Fables and Fairytales.com is a non-profit site for visitors from all over the world to share and read fables and fairy tales.
Our main objective is to promote the importance of such stories in developing culture, imagination and creativity. We believe that reading the fables and fairy tales from different cultures allow us to build a greater understanding and appreciation of the diversity around the world.
We organise storytelling sessions around the world. Watch out for our monthly “Fable and Fairy Tale” writing competition for different age groups. We also run the permanent “Fable and Fairy Tales” museum in Hanau, Germany, at the home of the Brothers Grimm.
Contact us at museum@fablesandfairytales.com to arrange your visit!
The museum is open to all individuals and school groups with a booking. A multilingual guide is available on request. No charges for guides and admissions but donations are much appreciated.
Ongoing Event: Find a Storyteller
Listen to a story come to life with some of best storytellers in the world. Choose from enthusiastic performers who will sing and act out a famous story for you, or an elderly grandmother who will charm the audience with her voice alone. We have more than 150 amateur and professional storytellers in our list.
Join us as a storyteller!
If you are passionate about being a storyteller, send us a video of a reading to storyteller@fablesandfairytales.com.
Most of our storytellers are amateurs who do it for the love of the stories. Some are professionals who do charge for their services. Do contact to find out the cost, if any, for their services. |
Put up a great performance and we will include you in our list!
1.What is the main goal of Fables and Fairytales.com?
A.It provides visitors with teaching resources.
B.It promotes the reading of fables and fairy tales.
C.It promotes various writing competitions around the world.
D.It conducts tours and lessons at the Fables and Fairy Tales Museum.
2.How does the Fables and Fairy Tales Museum support itself?
A.It charges for admissions and guides.
B.It makes profits from advertisements.
C.It receives money from the Brothers Grimm.
D.It relies on the donations given by visitors to the Museum.
3.What can we learn about the storytellers?
A.They get paid from the website by the hour.
B.They are expected to be above sixty years old.
C.They will receive professional training in acting.
D.They are chosen by the videos they have provided.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析