It was December 25, 1914, only 5 months into World War I. German, British, and French soldiers, already sick and tired of the senseless killing, disobeyed their superiors and started socializing with “the enemy” along two-thirds of the Western Front.
German troops held up Christmas trees with signs, “Merry Christmas”. Thousands of troops ran across the battlefields covered with dead bodies. They sang Christmas songs, exchanged photographs of loved ones back home, shared food and even played football. Soldiers hugged men they had been trying to kill a few short hours before. They agreed to warn each other if their officers forced them to fire their weapons, and to aim high.
Fear ran through the military leaders on both sides. They felt that their power was being challenged: soldiers declaring their brotherhood with each other and refusing to fight. Generals declared this unexpected peacemaking illegal and said that participating soldiers would face a military court. Those found guilty would be imprisoned or even shot. By March 1915 the socializing movement had been destroyed and the killing machine was back in full operation. Over the next three years more than fifteen million people died in the war.
Not many people have heard the story of the Christmas Truce (休战). On Christmas Day, 1988, a local radio host in Boston played “Christmas in the Trenches”, a song about the Christmas Truce, several times and was stunned by his listeners’ response. Thousands of people called in, praising the song, with many moved to tears by the amazing events it described.
You can probably guess why the callers were in tears. The Christmas Truce story goes against most of what we have been taught about people. It lets us see the world as it can be and says, “This really happened once.” It shows us the potential we have as humans, and contradicts all of those TV and newspaper stories that tell us how mean and heartless people are. It is like hearing that our deepest wishes really are true: the world really can be different.
1.The soldiers began socializing with the enemy because ________.
A. they couldn't bear the meaningless killing
B. it was the best way to avoid being killed
C. they feared that they would be caught
D. their enemies were from similar backgrounds
2.How did the generals finally put an end to the soldiers’ socializing?
A. They sent the soldiers’ loved ones to prison.
B. They moved the two groups of soldiers further apart.
C. They increased the number of officers to control the soldiers.
D. They warned the soldiers that they would face severe punishment.
3.The underlined word “stunned” in Paragraph 4 most probably means ________.
A. satisfied B. shocked C. amused D. confused
4.The author uses the story of the soldiers to imply that human beings ________.
A. are not trustworthy under stress
B. are naturally aggressive and war-like
C. are basically caring and kindhearted
D. will always do what is in their own self-interest
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
It was December 25, 1914, only 5 months into World War I. German, British, and French soldiers, already sick and tired of the senseless killing, disobeyed their superiors and started socializing with “the enemy” along two-thirds of the Western Front.
German troops held up Christmas trees with signs, “Merry Christmas”. Thousands of troops ran across the battlefields covered with dead bodies. They sang Christmas songs, exchanged photographs of loved ones back home, shared food and even played football. Soldiers hugged men they had been trying to kill a few short hours before. They agreed to warn each other if their officers forced them to fire their weapons, and to aim high.
Fear ran through the military leaders on both sides. They felt that their power was being challenged: soldiers declaring their brotherhood with each other and refusing to fight. Generals declared this unexpected peacemaking illegal and said that participating soldiers would face a military court. Those found guilty would be imprisoned or even shot. By March 1915 the socializing movement had been destroyed and the killing machine was back in full operation. Over the next three years more than fifteen million people died in the war.
Not many people have heard the story of the Christmas Truce (休战). On Christmas Day, 1988, a local radio host in Boston played “Christmas in the Trenches”, a song about the Christmas Truce, several times and was stunned by his listeners’ response. Thousands of people called in, praising the song, with many moved to tears by the amazing events it described.
You can probably guess why the callers were in tears. The Christmas Truce story goes against most of what we have been taught about people. It lets us see the world as it can be and says, “This really happened once.” It shows us the potential we have as humans, and contradicts all of those TV and newspaper stories that tell us how mean and heartless people are. It is like hearing that our deepest wishes really are true: the world really can be different.
1.The soldiers began socializing with the enemy because ________.
A. they couldn't bear the meaningless killing
B. it was the best way to avoid being killed
C. they feared that they would be caught
D. their enemies were from similar backgrounds
2.How did the generals finally put an end to the soldiers’ socializing?
A. They sent the soldiers’ loved ones to prison.
B. They moved the two groups of soldiers further apart.
C. They increased the number of officers to control the soldiers.
D. They warned the soldiers that they would face severe punishment.
3.The underlined word “stunned” in Paragraph 4 most probably means ________.
A. satisfied B. shocked C. amused D. confused
4.The author uses the story of the soldiers to imply that human beings ________.
A. are not trustworthy under stress
B. are naturally aggressive and war-like
C. are basically caring and kindhearted
D. will always do what is in their own self-interest
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
in 1914 the First World War broke out?
A.Was that, that | B.Was that, when | C.Was it. that | D.Was it, when |
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
It was only after World War II had drawn to a close ______ in the United States.
A.did the baby boom begin | B.that the baby boom began |
C.when the baby boom began | D.then the baby boom began |
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
38.____________in 1914____________the First World War broke out?
39.
A.Was that, that | B.Was that, when | C.Was it. that | D.Was it, when |
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
After World War II, Germany was ______ into two ______ countries.But now they become one again.
A.separated; separate B.separated; divided
C.divided; separated D.divided; separate
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
We firmly believe that war never settles anything.It only violence.
A.runs into B.results in
C.results from D.runs out
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
We firmly believe that war never settles anything.It only _______ violence.
A.runs into B.comes from
C.leads to D.begins with
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
We firmly believe that war never settles anything.It only________violence.
A.runs into | B.results in | C.results from | D.runs out |
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
War started in our house in late July with a month to go before my first day of college. It was a battle of wills over what college I was to attend. Mom wanted me to attend a famous school, and I wanted to go to a small writing college. Every night for two weeks, we argued, shouted and gave treatments until both sides went to bed with regrets.
It was mostly my . Since my junior year of high school, I had at being a nurse. I took all the science courses, and even worked as a in my town’s local hospital. My was to help the sick and be superwoman to the world.
Yet, graduation and college neared, it all changed.Treating the sick was , but not what I was meant to do for the of my life. I could picture myself in hospitals, making rounds, and taking , but I couldn’t picture myself happy. It wasn’t the I wanted.
Then, I realized I had been creating and writing stories for as long as I could . I loved it, and writing was what I had been doing as a . It was going to be my career. And it had to be.
On August 1st, Mom and I sat down at the dinner table and I told her that she had every to choose where to spend her money, just like I had every right to decide where I wanted to go to school. If it was her choice not to any of my college education, then I would take a year off to work and earn money so I could go to the college I wanted.
Standing by my decision to be a writer had my firm belief to my mom. Finally we were at , and she decided to support me, which the world to me.
Before that time, I had never stood up my parents on any major decision. Choosing which college to attend me to become a separate and complete adult. I am now finished with my first semester as a Professional Writing major and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
1.A. cooking B. gardening C. nursing D. writing
2.A. medical B. warm C. mental D. silent
3.A. fault B. success C. duty D. turn
4.A. wondered B. aimed C. pointed D. looked
5.A. student B. volunteer C. graduate D. doctor
6.A. goal B. job C. task D. post
7.A. before B. after C. until D. as
8.A. rough B. noble C. mild D. easy
9.A. part B. whole C. rest D. half
10.A. notices B. examinations C. temperatures D. drugs
11.A. future B. effect C. drill D. idea
12.A. see B. wait C. find D. remember
13.A. process B. hobby C. rule D. business
14.A. chance B. time C. right D. ability
15.A. expect B. raise C. offer D. finance
16.A. doubted B. followed C. shaken D. proven
17.A. peace B. war C. ease D. play
18.A. attached B. applied C. devoted D. meant
19.A. for B. against C. over D. by
20.A. forced B. promised C.allowed D.reminded
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
War started in our house in late July with a month to go before my first day of college. It was a battle of wills over what college I was to attend. Mom wanted me to attend a famous
school, and I wanted to go to a small writing college. Every night for two weeks, we argued, shouted and gave treatments until both sides went to bed with regrets.
It was mostly my . Since my junior year of high school, I had at being a nurse. I took all the science courses, and even worked as a in my town’s local hospital. My was to help the sick and be superwoman to the world.
Yet, graduation and college neared, it all changed. Treating the sick was
, but not what I was meant to do for the of my life. I could picture myself in hospitals, making rounds, and taking , but I couldn’t picture myself happy. It wasn’t the
I wanted.
Then, I realized I had been creating and writing stories for as long as I could . I loved it, and writing was what I had been doing as a . It was going to be my career. And it had to be.
On August 1st, Mom and I sat down at the dinner table and I told her that she had every
to choose where to spend her money, just like I had every right to decide where I wanted to go to school. If it was her choice not to any of my college education, then I would take a year off to work and earn money so I could go to the college I wanted.
Standing by my decision to be a writer had my firm belief to my mom. Finally we were at , and she decided to support me, which the world to me.
Before that time, I had never stood up my parents on any major decision. Choosing which college to attend me to become a separate and complete adult. I am now finished with my first semester as a Professional Writing major and I cannot wait to see what comes next.
1.A. cooking B. gardening C. nursing D. writing
2.A. medical B. warm C. mental D. silent
3.A. success B. duty C. fault D. turn
4.A. wondered B. aimed C. pointed D. looked
5.A. student B. volunteer C. graduate D. doctor
6.A. goal B. job C. task D. post
7.A. before B. after C. until D. as
8.A. rough B. noble C. mild D. tough
9.A. rest B. part C. whole D. half
10.A. notices B. examinations C. temperatures D. drugs
11.A. future B. effect C. drill D. idea
12.A. see B. wait C. find D. remember
13.A. process B. hobby C. rule D. business
14.A. chance B. time C. right D. ability
15.A. finance B. expect C. raise D. offer
16.A. doubted B. followed C. shaken D. proven
17.A. peace B. war C. ease D. play
18.A. attached B. applied C. devoted D. meant
19.A. for B. against C. over D. by
20.A. forced B. promised C. allowed D. reminded
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析