American teenager Thomas Cheatham had planned to study Latin during his sophomore year at Hebron High School in Texas. But when he learned that the school district was going to offer a Mandarin class, he quickly changed his mind. “I thought it (Mandarin) would be more beneficial than Latin,” said Cheatham, who is now in his second year of studying the language.
He speaks Mandarin to order food at Chinese restaurants and can read Face book posts from his Chinese-speaking friends.
While it’a difficult language to master, the high school junior, who plans to study computer engineering, thinks it will be a valuable thing in his career.
“Chinese is a good language to know, especially with China becoming a growing power,” he said.
Many experts agree that proficiency in a language spoken by a billion people worldwide will give American students an edge in the global economy.
“People are looking at China as our next economic competitor, and interest in Mandarin is growing,'' said Marty Abbott, executive director of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. ''We're seeing it in all parts of the country.”
The number of students studying Mandarin in public schools nationwide in grades 7 through 12 grew from 20,000 in 2004-2005 to 60,000 three years later, according to the council’s most recent survey.
Abbott estimates that as many as 100,000 students are now studying Mandarin, in public and private schools, throughout the nation.
She said the US government has considered Mandarin to be an “important needs” language and provides professional development programs for teachers.
“Our government wants to increase our language ability for national security and economic competitiveness,” Abbott said.
At the same time, the Chinese government is spreading knowledge of the Chinese language and culture through Confucius Institutes established in many states.
The Confucius Institute at the University of Texas in Dallas, founded in 2007, opens Confucius Classrooms at 11 local public and private schools where more than 700 students are learning Mandarin.
1.Why does the writer mention Thomas in the passage?
A. To tell us how changeable he is.
B. To introduce the topic of the passage.
C. To introduce his college life.
D. To tell us Latin is less popular now.
2.Many experts in America agree that _______.
A. Mandarin is becoming more beneficial than Latin
B. Mandarin is very difficult to learn for most American students
C. Mandarin will be of some help to American students in the global economy
D. China is a competitor of America in culture
3.Why does Mandarin become so popular in America?
A. Because Mandarin is more interesting than Latin.
B. Because there are many good teachers in the Confucius Institutes.
C. Because Mandarin is very helpful in the global economy.
D. Because the Chinese government has tried his best.
4.From the passage we know that the Confucius Institutes _______.
A. have trained 100,000 students to learn Mandarin in America
B. provide professional development programs for teachers
C. have been established in many states in America
D. were founded in 2007
5.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. An increasing number of students in America are learning Mandarin.
B. Confucius Institutes have been established in many states in America.
C. Latin is less popular in America now.
D. China now is becoming a growing power.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
American teenager Thomas Cheatham had planned to study Latin during his sophomore year at Hebron High School in Texas. But when he learned that the school district was going to offer a Mandarin class, he quickly changed his mind. “I thought it (Mandarin) would be more beneficial than Latin,” said Cheatham, who is now in his second year of studying the language.
He speaks Mandarin to order food at Chinese restaurants and can read Face book posts from his Chinese-speaking friends.
While it’a difficult language to master, the high school junior, who plans to study computer engineering, thinks it will be a valuable thing in his career.
“Chinese is a good language to know, especially with China becoming a growing power,” he said.
Many experts agree that proficiency in a language spoken by a billion people worldwide will give American students an edge in the global economy.
“People are looking at China as our next economic competitor, and interest in Mandarin is growing,'' said Marty Abbott, executive director of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. ''We're seeing it in all parts of the country.”
The number of students studying Mandarin in public schools nationwide in grades 7 through 12 grew from 20,000 in 2004-2005 to 60,000 three years later, according to the council’s most recent survey.
Abbott estimates that as many as 100,000 students are now studying Mandarin, in public and private schools, throughout the nation.
She said the US government has considered Mandarin to be an “important needs” language and provides professional development programs for teachers.
“Our government wants to increase our language ability for national security and economic competitiveness,” Abbott said.
At the same time, the Chinese government is spreading knowledge of the Chinese language and culture through Confucius Institutes established in many states.
The Confucius Institute at the University of Texas in Dallas, founded in 2007, opens Confucius Classrooms at 11 local public and private schools where more than 700 students are learning Mandarin.
1.Why does the writer mention Thomas in the passage?
A. To tell us how changeable he is.
B. To introduce the topic of the passage.
C. To introduce his college life.
D. To tell us Latin is less popular now.
2.Many experts in America agree that _______.
A. Mandarin is becoming more beneficial than Latin
B. Mandarin is very difficult to learn for most American students
C. Mandarin will be of some help to American students in the global economy
D. China is a competitor of America in culture
3.Why does Mandarin become so popular in America?
A. Because Mandarin is more interesting than Latin.
B. Because there are many good teachers in the Confucius Institutes.
C. Because Mandarin is very helpful in the global economy.
D. Because the Chinese government has tried his best.
4.From the passage we know that the Confucius Institutes _______.
A. have trained 100,000 students to learn Mandarin in America
B. provide professional development programs for teachers
C. have been established in many states in America
D. were founded in 2007
5.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. An increasing number of students in America are learning Mandarin.
B. Confucius Institutes have been established in many states in America.
C. Latin is less popular in America now.
D. China now is becoming a growing power.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Thomas Cheatham had planned to study Latin during his time at Hebron High School in Texas. But when he learned that the school district was going to offer a Mandarin(普通话) class, he quickly changed his mind.
“I thought Mandarin would be more beneficial than Latin,” said Cheatham, who is now in his second year of studying the language.
He speaks Mandarin to order food at Chinese restaurants and can read social media posts from his Chinese-speaking friends. While it’s a difficult language to master, the high school junior, who plans to study computer engineering, thinks it will be important for his career. “Chinese is a good language to know, especially with China becoming a growing power,” he said.
Many experts agree that proficiency(熟练) in a language spoken by a billion people worldwide will give American students an edge in the global economy.
“People are looking at China as our next economic competitor, and interest in Mandarin is growing fast,” said Marty Abbott, director of the American Council(议会) on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. “We’re seeing it in all parts of the country.”
Abbott predicts that as many as 100,000 students are now studying Mandarin in public and private schools throughout the US. She said the US government has designated (指定) Mandarin as an “important needs” language and provides professional development programs for teachers. “Our government wants to increase our language ability for national security and economic competitiveness,” Abbott added.
At the same time, the Chinese government is spreading knowledge of the Chinese language and culture through Confucius Institutes set up in many US states. For example, the Confucius Institute at the University of Texas in Dallas has been the home of a Confucius Institute for 10 years. It sponsors Confucius Classrooms at 21 local public and private schools, where tens of thousands of students are learning Mandarin.
1.Why did Thomas Cheatham decide to study Mandarin instead of Latin?
A. Mandarin was easier to learn than Latin.
B. Mandarin could be helpful to his future career.
C. Mandarin might help him learn more about China.
D. Mandarin could enable him to study computer engineering.
2.The underlined word “edge” in Paragraph 4 probably means “________”.
A. a slight advantage B. the outside limit
C. a sharp tone of voice D. an exciting quality
3.Which of the following statements might Marty Abbott agree with?
A. Mandarin should be taught in classrooms throughout the US.
B. Those skilled at Chinese will be the most competitive in the future.
C. The US government’s policy has helped popularize Mandarin in the US.
D. Americans learn Mandarin because they worry about their national security.
4.What does the author mainly talk about in this passage?
A. The rising popularity of Mandarin among American students.
B. The great benefits of learning Mandarin for American students.
C. The influence of China’s growing power on American education.
D. The effect of Confucius Institutes in promoting Mandarin in the US.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
By the time I reached junior high, I was sure I wanted to be a nurse. If you didn’t study Latin, you couldn’t be a nurse, so I enrolled. Many Latin words were familiar to me. The hard part turned out to be the usage and creating sentences with the words that seemed so easy to pronounce. Several weeks into the course my teacher came to me, saying, “I think you should withdraw from this course. It seems to be too hard for you.”
That was the day I learned I wasn’t smart enough to become a nurse. With shame, I handed in my Latin textbook.
After high school, the years raced by. I married and had children. Then one day my husband John came home. “Carol, Max died this afternoon.” I looked at my husband with disbelief.
John was touched by this tragedy. Finally one evening he said, “Carol, Jackie has never worked and now she’s alone with four children. I've been thinking - if anything happens to me. I want you to be able to take care of yourself and the children. Why don’t you think about what you’d like to do and get the training you’ll need to do it?”
I signed up for the entrance exam for nursing programs. One day I received a letter from the schoo1. I wanted so badly to open it, but with my lack of confidence, I laid it on the kitchen counter saying, “I'm not in the mood for a rejection letter today.”
Finally I forced myself to open it. “Dear Carol,”I read. “We are pleased to inform you that you successfully passed the entrance exam.”
An insensitive teacher once stole my dream. If you have a dream, exhaust every effort to reach it. I’ve worked thirty years now as a nurse and I’ve never been more certain that this is what I was meant to be.
1.Why did John advise Carol to find a job?
A.To support the family B.To provide more money for her kids
C.To live a more colorful life D.To be able to live independently
2.From the text, we know what the teacher said____________.
A.destroyed Carol’s dream to be a nurse.
B.helped Carol find her true interest
C.saved Carol from wasting her time
D.encouraged Carol to be careful in learning
3.After receiving the letter from the schoo1, Caro1____________.
A.was uncertain about the result B.had no mood to read it then
C.didn’t take it seriously at all D.couldn’t wait to open it
4.What may be the best title for the text？
A.A dream too high to achieve. B.Too stupid to be a nurse?
C.Never too late to 1earn. D.A chance too important to miss
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
More than half of American teenagers and young adults volunteered last year, and the best way to join in this group turns out to be peer pressure: Three quarters of people ages 13 to 22 whose friends volunteer regularly also do so, which is nearly twice the number of those who participate in voluntary activities based on their concern about particular social
problems. Those were the key findings of new research results published by DoSomething. org, a group working to get young people involved in social change. "
The study, based on data from 4, 363 young people, found that the most common form of support by volunteers was assistance with fundraising. 38 percent of those in the survey said they helped with solicitations (募捐)，leading the study's authors to conclude: "Young people are a secret weapon. A persuasive donation speech from an enthusiastic teen is a way more influential than a cold call or that newsletter you were thinking about sending."
The study also found a gender (性另ij) divide in volunteer activities. Boys were more likely to undertake physical activities such as environmental cleanup or working with younger children in sports, while girls were more likely to help the homeless and other needy people or to work with arts groups.
The researchers say the responses to the survey pointed out many ways that nonprofits can do a better job of getting young people to volunteer. Among their suggestions:
Offer ways to socialize. The very first thing that many young people think of in choosing volunteer activities is having a chance to interact with friends, especially those of the opposite sex.
"Think of volunteering like a high-school party," the researchers write. "Volunteering, like everything else, is about joining in, making friends, and having a good time."
1.The passage above mainly talks about ______ .
A. what a research about voluntary activities finds out
B. why young people take part in volunteer work
C. how young people can be persuaded to volunteer
D. where most young volunteers would like to work
2.Most young people are likely to take part in voluntary activities because _____.
A. they are concerned about particular social problems
B. their friends of the same age volunteer
C. they want to influence more people to volunteer
D. their assistance can help those in need
3.At the end of the passage, the writer would probably continue to list _____.
A. more ways for young people to socialize
B. more reasons to get young people to volunteer
C. more tips on getting young people involved in volunteering
D. more differences between different genders in volunteering
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
阅读下面的短文，并根据短文后的要求答题（请注意问题后的字数要求）。
Most American teenagers used to spend their summer vacations holding multiple jobs. However, with the increase in gas prices, teenagers chose to stay at home instead of going out of the town. “I wish the prices would________.The expense of driving to places is affecting our daily life.”said Alicia, still a senior at Enochs High School in Modesto, California.
Alicia, who spent her summer at her dad’s house, said that there would be no point in getting a job. “The drive to my workplace is so long that I would hardly be making any profit because all my money would be going toward gas,”she said.
Teenagers are now forced to give up the pleasure of driving around the town without purpose.“Instead of driving around looking for something to do, I now find myself planning the way in advance so I don’t waste necessary gas,” said Stephen Macko, a student at Davis High School in Modesto.
What kinds of things are teenagers doing in order to conserve gas? Alicia saves gas by doing all of her things at one time so she doesn’t have to go home and leave again.
“I try to do it all in one trip so I don’t have to always be running around and wasting gas,”she said.“I know that when I go to lunch with my friends, we make sure to go somewhere near all of our houses so we save gas.” “But it’s hard, considering I drive a big truck. I also try to get a lift from my friends when they are going to places that I am going to.”said Stephen. Some try not to accelerate too much. Teenagers will have to continue changing their lifestyles unless the price of gas decreases. However, that might not be a bad thing.
1.What is the best title of this passage? ( Please answer within 10 words.)
2.Fill in the blank in the second paragraph with proper words or phrases to complete the sentence. ( Please answer within 7 words.)
________
3.Translate the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3 into Chinese.
________
4. Find a sentence in the passage to replace the following one.
There is such a long distance between my home and the workplace that I would make little money if I drive to work since the gas will cost all the money I earn.
________
5.List one example of what some teenagers do to save gas.
高三英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析
".Thomas didn't come to school for the meeting, did he?
…No. He . The meeting had been cancelled.
A. shouldn't have come B. should not come
C. didn't need to come D. wouldn' t have come
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
A planned visit to Trinidad and Tobago sometime ago by a former American president, suddenly took an amazing turn form the initial plan. The presidential aircraft could not land in Trinidad and Tobago. It was reported that the runway of the airport was too short. Therefore, the aircraft had to land in a nearby country and they came into the country by road.
Everyone has a runway by which events enter into his life. The events here could be favors, miracle, connections, job opportunities, etc. The size of your runway determines the level of results that will be attracted into your life.
I have a story of two good friends. They finished high school together. One wanted to further his studies while the other decided to look for a job. As time went on, the one that wanted to work was always there to support the other one especially in the area of fees in school for a long time. As destiny would have it, they both lost contact and after a very long time, they met again but on a very different level. The one that added values to himself by going back to school had stepped up greatly to become the general manager of a big company and the other was just a little lifted. So, it was time to pay back. The one of general manager could only support him financially and make him the chief driving officer in the company. Even though he would have loved to give him a higher post he was not qualified especially in terms of skills, orientation , experience and so on. In other words, his runway was too short for such an opportunity.
Everyone must increase in knowledge and training . You must step up in your education level, human, business and communication skills. Your relationship with people must improve by being a good person. Your runway is enlarged anytime you add values to your life.
There are some jobs, opportunities, favor that cannot protect base in your life. They will have to be coming from other people into your life because you have failed to work on your own runway by improving on your abilities. It is not too late or too early to start in life because every stage in life is a good place to begin.
1. In the first paragraph, the president had to change his plan because _________________.
A. the weather condition was bad for their journey
B. they couldn’t go into that country by their plane
C. they wanted to visit the neighboring country temporarily
D. the president had to deal with something back in his country
2. The two friends had different final results because __________________________
A. they had different life goals
B. one always wanted to beat the other
C. they had different education levels
D.they wanted to show their different success
3.What is stressed in the last paragraph?
A. The key to success.
B. The need of others’ help
C. The trouble from failure
D. The real meaning of life
4.What would be the best title for this text?
A. Kindness Makes a Big Different
B. Depend on Youself
C. Competition Exists Everywhere
D. Always Improve on Yourself
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
American Girl
It’s packed with the things that matter most to girls: party plans, games, crafts and girl-to-girl advice.
American Girl is an appealing, age-appropriate teen magazine that allows young girls to be themselves.
The magazine features fun contests, puzzles, giggles, and more! Stories, creative games, cool contests and great sports tips for girls aged 7-11 are available in each issue of American Girl magazine.
Issues per year: 6 Cover price: $ 27.95 Sale price: $22.95
Ladybug
Beautiful, colorful, and delightful to read, each issue is filled with charming read-aloud stories, games for memory and skill building, songs, poems, and activities for beginning readers. Parents can visit our online Parents Companion that recommends additional activities, crafts, and books.
Issues per year:9 Cover price: $44.50 Sale price: $33.95
Cicada
A monthly magazine for teenagers and young adults aged 14 and up. It offers high-quality fiction and poetry dealing with the issue of growing up, leaving the joys and pains of childhood behind, and becoming an adult. Cicada magazine also encourages its teen readers to submit their own writing for publication. It’s so inspiring and humorous that you will not be able to put it down.
Issues per year: 6 Cover price: $51.00 Sale price: $33.95
Sorts Illustrated for Kids
It covers sports kids like. Featuring interviews with sports heroes, entertaining comics, breathtaking action photos, tips from the pros (职业运动员), news items of recent notes, games, puzzles, cartoons, fiction, advice from athletes, etc. Sports Illustrated for Kids is a magazine for children aged 8 and up.
Issues per year:12 Cover price:$47.88 Sale price: $ 24.95
1.64. Which of the four magazines is the most suitable for a 4-year-old child?
| A．American Girl | B．Ladybug | C．Cicada | D．Sports Illustrated for Kids |
2.65. American Girl is a magazine different from the others because_______.
| A．it features fun stories and great sports tips |
| B．it’s written specially for girls |
| C．it offers high-quality fiction and poetry |
| D．it comes out six times per year |
3.66. If you order a magazine with interviews with sports heroes for one year, how much can you save?
| A．$5.00 | B．$10.55 | C．$17.05 | D．$22.93 |
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Two hundred years ago, American students went to American schools. Like you, they studied math, spelling and geography. Unlike you, they also studied Greek (希腊语) and Latin (拉丁语). In fact, students spent more than half their time studying Greek and Latin.
The same was true for most students in Europe. Until the seventh century, all educated Europeans knew Latin. It did not matter if they lived in England, Italy, France or Spain. If they were educated, they knew Latin.
During the seventh century, educated Europeans began to study Greek as well as Latin. Greek and Latin had been the leading languages of the ancient Greeks and Romans. All educated Europeans were expected to know these languages.
To educated Europeans, the languages of the Greeks and the Romans were important. The ideas of the Greeks and Romans were also important. People knew that many of their own ideas had come from the Greeks and the Romans. To understand their own culture, they must understand its origin (起源). They knew that those beginnings lay in the classical (古典文学的) world.
Today we have so many things to study that few people have time to learn Greek and Latin. Few of you will study either language in school. Yet the ideas of the Greeks and the Romans are still important to us. These ideas still help to shape western culture today. To understand our own culture, we must understand the culture of the classical world.
1.Two hundred years ago, in American schools _____.
A.there were many educated Greeks B.Greek and Latin were very popular
C.students paid little attention to math D.students knew little about geography
2.According to the text, Europeans thought _____.
A.the origin of their culture was unknown
B.the ideas of the Greeks were unacceptable
C.Greek was much more important than Latin
D.the Romans had a great influence on their culture
3.Where does the author of the text probably come from?
A.Japan. B.Greece. C.America. D.China.
4.In the last paragraph, the author suggests that _____.
A.it’s of great value to learn Greek and Latin
B.it’s quite difficult to learn Greek and Latin
C.the culture of the classical world is useless nowadays
D.Western culture is quite different from Greek and Roman cultures
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
This language training programme ____ teenagers who want to go abroad to study.
A. accounts for B. cares for C. makes up for D. caters for
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析