A simple flower made headlines in the British press last week. How could that be?
British Prime Minister David Cameron and his ministers were attending a reception hosted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. They insisted on wearing poppies(罂粟花) in their buttonholes.
What’s wrong with that?
According to the Global Times, Chinese officials apparently had asked the UK delegation not to wear poppies. The British said that poppies meant a great deal to them on that day and they would wear them all the same.
So what’s the significance of the poppy? It’s a flower which has different cultural and symbolic meanings for British and Chinese people.
From the Chinese point of view, the poppy is a symbol of China’s humiliation at the hands of European powers in the Opium Wars of the 19th century. Britain forced China to open the borders to trade —including in the opium —which was made from poppies grown in India.
Yet from the British viewpoint the poppy is a reminder of the killing during Word War I. Red poppies grew on the battlefields of Flanders in Belgium where many thousands of British soldiers died or were buried. Since then, Poppy Day (November 11) has become a time in the UK to wear poppies and remember the sacrifices of British soldiers and civilians in times of war.
So you can see that the poppy sets off strong feelings in the hearts of Chinese and British people for different reasons. And it makes sense for us to try to understand each other’s standpoint.
Of course cultural differences can also be interesting and funny. And what one nation thinks is an acceptable gift may be viewed differently by their guest from overseas. US President Barack Obama gave a gift of an iPod to Britain’s Queen —a dull person with no interest in music. Obama also presented Gordon Brown with a fine selection of American movies. But they were in US format and impossible to play on British DVD players.
Many countries have diplomats stationed overseas. Diplomats provide information and advice to their governments back home. However, sometimes it would seem that even diplomats can overlook the cultural significance of a small flower.
( ) 1.. British Prime Minister David Cameron probably attended a reception in Beijing on ________.
A. October 1 B. November 11 C. December 31 D. January 1
( ) 2.. The poppy reminds the Chinese of ________.
A. the shame caused by European countries in the 19th century
B. the British soldiers who were killed and buried during World War I
C. the Chinese soldiers killed during World War II
D. the suffering caused by Britain during World War I
( ) 3.. The diplomatic problem in Beijing is mainly caused by ________.
A. the translation mistake B. the language difference
C. the cultural difference D. the different lifestyle
( ) 4.. We can infer that ________.
A. Britain’s Queen is not interested in art
B. Gordon Brown was fond of American movies US President Barack Obama sent him
C. US President Barack Obama received a gift for music
D. Britain’s Queen may not like the iPod US President Barack Obama presented her
( ) 5.. What is the main idea of the 9th paragraph?
A. Cultural difference can also be interesting and funny.
B. Cultural differences can cause a big problem.
C. US President Barack Obama likes to present gifts to other leaders.
D. US leaders and British leaders get along well with each other.
高二英语阅读理解简单题
A simple flower made headlines in the British press last week. How could that be?
British Prime Minister David Cameron and his ministers were attending a reception hosted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. They insisted on wearing poppies(罂粟花) in their buttonholes.
What’s wrong with that?
According to the Global Times, Chinese officials apparently had asked the UK delegation not to wear poppies. The British said that poppies meant a great deal to them on that day and they would wear them all the same.
So what’s the significance of the poppy? It’s a flower which has different cultural and symbolic meanings for British and Chinese people.
From the Chinese point of view, the poppy is a symbol of China’s humiliation at the hands of European powers in the Opium Wars of the 19th century. Britain forced China to open the borders to trade —including in the opium —which was made from poppies grown in India.
Yet from the British viewpoint the poppy is a reminder of the killing during Word War I. Red poppies grew on the battlefields of Flanders in Belgium where many thousands of British soldiers died or were buried. Since then, Poppy Day (November 11) has become a time in the UK to wear poppies and remember the sacrifices of British soldiers and civilians in times of war.
So you can see that the poppy sets off strong feelings in the hearts of Chinese and British people for different reasons. And it makes sense for us to try to understand each other’s standpoint.
Of course cultural differences can also be interesting and funny. And what one nation thinks is an acceptable gift may be viewed differently by their guest from overseas. US President Barack Obama gave a gift of an iPod to Britain’s Queen —a dull person with no interest in music. Obama also presented Gordon Brown with a fine selection of American movies. But they were in US format and impossible to play on British DVD players.
Many countries have diplomats stationed overseas. Diplomats provide information and advice to their governments back home. However, sometimes it would seem that even diplomats can overlook the cultural significance of a small flower.
( ) 1.. British Prime Minister David Cameron probably attended a reception in Beijing on ________.
A. October 1 B. November 11 C. December 31 D. January 1
( ) 2.. The poppy reminds the Chinese of ________.
A. the shame caused by European countries in the 19th century
B. the British soldiers who were killed and buried during World War I
C. the Chinese soldiers killed during World War II
D. the suffering caused by Britain during World War I
( ) 3.. The diplomatic problem in Beijing is mainly caused by ________.
A. the translation mistake B. the language difference
C. the cultural difference D. the different lifestyle
( ) 4.. We can infer that ________.
A. Britain’s Queen is not interested in art
B. Gordon Brown was fond of American movies US President Barack Obama sent him
C. US President Barack Obama received a gift for music
D. Britain’s Queen may not like the iPod US President Barack Obama presented her
( ) 5.. What is the main idea of the 9th paragraph?
A. Cultural difference can also be interesting and funny.
B. Cultural differences can cause a big problem.
C. US President Barack Obama likes to present gifts to other leaders.
D. US leaders and British leaders get along well with each other.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
In January, British actor Eddie Redmayne made headlines around the world as he became the latest member of smartphone refuser. “It was a reaction against being glued permanently to my iPhone during waking hours,” he explained, turning instead to an old-fashioned “dumb phone” handset that could only make and take calls.
He is not alone. There is a small but busy market for phones that are simple and cheap at a time when smartphones are becoming ever more complex and expensive. Basic phones — handsets with some basic functions such as playing music and accessing the Internet — are gradually being replaced by low cost smartphones, according to Francisco Jeronimo, research director for European mobile devices at IDC, the research group. But there is still a significant demand for older-style phones.
Strategy Analytics, a research group, estimates that 44,000,000 basic phones were sold in 2015, accounting for 2 percent of the global market. Some phonemakers, such as Sony and LG, have already turned their back on the market. But others like Microsoft and Samsung are still producing devices every year aimed at the basic phone market.
Many smartphone users beef about having to buy devices that are easily broken, require daily recharging and which will be replaced by a new, better version within a year. Even basic smartphones offer more functions that not many people need.
Some users buy phones with limited or no Internet connections in a conscious attempt to keep away from the modern digital world. Analysts say that there is a growing number of “second phoneys” who use an expensive smartphone during the day, but turn to cheaper, pocket-sized devices when they go out in the evening.
Light Phone founder Joe Hollier falls into this camp. He has developed a credit card-sized phone without a data connection and no extra functions other than to make calls. He describes a feeling of huge relief when the ability to check emails or status updates is removed. Light Phone functions as a companion device to a smartphone but Mr Hollier hopes it will also encourage people to unplug from the modern Internet world.
1.What is the function of paragraph 1?
A. To lead to the topic. B. To summarize the whole passage.
C. To analyze the situation of phone usage. D. To deepen the theme.
2.The expression “beef about” may be replaced by “________” in the passage.
A. care about B. approve of
C. complain of D. think over
3.Joe Hollier developed the new card-sized phone to ________.
A. save money B. relax the mind
C. save time D. keep healthy
4.What is the main idea of this passage?
A. Some people prefer basic phones to smart phones.
B. What are the functions of basic phones.
C. The old-fashioned phones have many advantages.
D. The future of smartphones is gloomy.
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Over the last 15 years, digital communication has ushered(引入)in more changes than the printing press did in 1570. And the stand-out early adopters in this world are teenagers, whose brains appear to have an extraordinary _____ to adapt to the world around them, according to Dr Jay Giedd, an adolescent brain expert.
We are now proving that as a species, our brains are still flexible and _____during adolescence. Having a more flexible brain means that some _____ of it, such as impulse control and the ability to make long-term decisions, haven’t developed yet, which may also explain why we spend a/an _____ period living under the protection of our parents rather than leaving home at the age of 12 or 13. This also means that the adolescent brain can adapt to new technology, allowing teenagers to _____ the accelerating pace of digital technology and giving them a multitasking advantage.
In the US, teenagers are spending 8.5 hours using computers, mobiles and other devices to learn, interact and play. This jumps to 11.5 if you take into account all of the _____ that goes on, such as talking on the phone while you’re watching TV. Australian teenagers were found to be spending an average of 7 hours and 38 minutes using these devices in 2009.
There are _____as to how social media is affecting the way in which the brain learns to _____ , as one of the most important skills that we learn as children is how to make friends and interact with people around you. Geidd says that from a biology standpoint, a lot of what goes on inside our brains is social.“A lot of the brain changes are sort of set up to develop these social skills. ” These interactions are now being _____ by technology—you could have hundreds of friends, all of whom are real people that you interact with—and scientists aren’t sure whether we’ll be able to develop the same _____using Facebook.
There is possible _____ of the growing digital trend: Youtube indicates that teenagers all over the world are watching the same clips and laughing at the same jokes, indicating that they are more _____ than their predecessors. Sharing the same jokes could possibly go a long way to breaking down some of the prejudices out there. They may be _____ to texting their friends and posting updates on Facebook, but teenagers today are probably going to have access to technology and _____ social and educational opportunities that anyone with a less flexible brain might have trouble imagining. _____, there is a cut off and by the age of 30, our brains become more set in their ways, making it harder for us to adapt and cope with new technologies.
1.A.activity B.capacity C.responsibility D.opportunity
2.A.operating B.promoting C.adjusting D.establishing
3.A.functions B.options C.restrictions D.positions
4.A.opposed B.imposed C.limited D.extended
5.A.keep up with B.come up with C.put up with D.end up with
6.A.entertaining B.multitasking C.interacting D.gossiping
7.A.curiosities B.criticisms C.concerns D.shortcomings
8.A.memorize B.internalize C.realize D.socialize
9.A.changed B.controlled C.troubled D.interrupted
10.A.attitudes B.prospects C.trends D.skills
11.A.advantage B.distraction C.indication D.tuition
12.A.narrow-minded B.global-minded C.absent-minded D.quick-minded
13.A.keen B.addicted C.obsessed D.enthusiastic
14.A.however B.hence C.moreover D.instead
15.A.Consequently B.Additionally C.Nevertheless D.Thus
高二英语完形填空困难题查看答案及解析
British Summer Time runs from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. In the depths of winter the nights in the UK are anything from 15-19 hours long. Longer nights mean frost and fog are more likely to form.
Twice a year the clocks change, forward in the spring and then back again in the autumn. But why? It happens twice a year. We all change our clocks and watches by one hour. In the spring, we add an hour, and go onto what is called British Summer Time, while in the autumn, we do the reverse, and return to Greenwich Mean Time.
Why bother?
It’s all to do with saving the hours of daylight, and was started by a guy called William Willett, a London builder, who lived in Petts Wood in Kent. Basically, he figured that you could improve the population’s health and happiness by putting forward the clocks by twenty minutes every Sunday in April and do the opposite in September.
Economics
His idea was not taken up, even though a “Daylight Saving Bill” was introduced some five years before the outbreak of World War One. But once the war started, it was considered wise to economics, to promote greater efficiency in using daylight hours, and in the use of artificial lighting. And so in 1916, “Daylight Saving Time” was introduced. Even though most countries abandoned this after that war, some eventually decided that it was a good idea, and most of these nations began to keep it throughout the year.
Experiment
Since 1972, Britain has decided to go with Greenwich Mean Time in winter, and British Summer Time in Summer.
But back in 1968, Britain tried a four-year experiment by advancing time one hour ahead of GMT throughout the year.
But those living further north, particularly in Scotland, found it most unsatisfactory, with dark mornings for much of the year, and the experiment was dropped.
But the arguments go on …and on.
1.Why some countries decide to change the clocks after World War One?
A.To improve the people’s health and happiness.
B.To do a certain experiment
C.To save energy to develop economies.
D.All of the above.
2.What can you infer from the passage?
A.The idea of changing the clocks suffered disagreement.
B.The people in Scotland don’t change the clocks.
C.The idea was first thought of by an educator.
D.It’s unnecessary to change the clocks.
3.What is the real meaning of the last sentence of the passage?
A.Nobody in the UK likes the idea.
B.All things need arguments.
C.The British are fond of arguments.
D.Different views of the idea still exist.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In the last years of the 1920s, hundreds of record flights were made. A few were made by women. But no woman had flown across the Atlantic Ocean. A wealthy American woman, Amy Guest,________1.________(buy) a plane to do this. However, her family were against the idea.________2. she looked for another woman to take________3.________place. Friends suggested Amelia Earhart, who became interested in flying while________4.________(live) in Toronto. American publisher George Putnam had helped organize the Atlantic Ocean flight________5.________made Amelia famous. Afterwards,________6. continued to support her flying activities. In 1931, George and Amelia were married. He helped provide her7.________financial support.
8.________May 20th, 1932, Amelia took off from Newfoundland. She headed east in________9. small red and gold plane. Amelia had problems with ice on the wings, and fog from the ocean. At one point, her plane dropped________10.________(sudden) 900 meters. She regained control. And after 15 hours she landed in Ireland. She had become the first woman to fly across the Atlantic Ocean alone.
高二英语填空题中等难度题查看答案及解析
China _______ rapid progress in space technology in the last 10 years.
A.made B.has made
C.had made D.were making
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
On Oct4,2011 , I phone 4s made its international appearance at the press conference claimed by the Iphone cooperation . Ever since then , Iphone4s has become a hot cake and even made a fashion around the globe. Meanwhile , many new expressions come about in relationship with this type of high-tech products. “Jailbreak” is one of them.
“ Jailbreak” means to unlock the operating system of a mobile phone or other device so that it can run software which it is not normally authorized to use because of restrictions imposed(实施) by the device's manufacturer.
If someone jailbreaks a smartphone, tablet computer or other device(设备), they use a special piece of software in order to remove the restrictions imposed by the manufacturer on the kind of applications that can be downloaded and run on the device. The concept of jailbreaking is most often associated with products from Apple Inc, such as the iPhone, iPod and iPad, which routinely restrict the user to applications licensed exclusively(独家地) by Apple and purchased via its App Store. As well as wanting to lift the restriction(解除限制) on what kinds of applications they can purchase, those who jailbreak often do so as a reaction against what they consider as a form of censorship(监控) imposed by Apple Inc in only allowing the use of their 'approved' apps.
The concept of jailbreaking dates back to July 2007, when it was applied to the iPhone within a month of the device's first release. This first occurrence related to the adding of custom ringtones(个性铃音), but the idea quickly developed as a means to lift the restriction and equip the phone with games and other applications not licensed by Apple Inc.
1.“jailbreak” means that________________.
A. Criminals escape out of the jail
B. People make a great breakthrough in their life
C. It is a way to lift the restriction specially imposed by the Iphone manufacturer.
D. It’s a breakthrough beyond one’s dream.
2.Which is probably the correct Chinese meaning of a hot cake?
A.热蛋糕 B. 抢手货 C. 热门话题 D. 最高礼遇
3.Which one is the correct statement from this passage?
A. The original mobile phones also require jailbreaking
B. People jailbreak not only in order to lift the restrictions of applications licensed by the Iphone Cooperation.
C. The concept of jailbreak is seldom associated with products from Apple Inc
D. The concept of jailbreak dates back to the twentieth century
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
(题文)In the last few years, China ___ great achievements in environmental protection.
A. has made B. had made
C. was making D. is making
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The girl a scream of pain when the doctor pressed her stomach.
A.took out | B.made out | C.carried out | D.let out |
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
----What did he do last week as a press man?
---- He __________ the Ethiopian famine for CCTV news.
A. assisted B. approved C. assessed D. covered
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析