There is nothing better than having a good sc...

There is nothing better than having a good scratch when an itch (痒) strikes. But how does scratching stop an itch?

According to a study published in the journal Nature by the scientists from the University of Minnesota, US, the relief you feel does not come from your skin, but from inside our spinal cord (脊柱).

The scientists injected a kind of chemical called histamine(组胺)into a monkey’s legs to produce an itch. The activity in part of the monkey’s spinal cord started to become very strong in response. The scientists then scratched the itchy legs and found that the activity in the spinal cord quickly weakened.

The sudden change in the activity happened because scratching blocked that part of the monkey’s spinal cord. As a result, it could no longer send signals to the brain telling it about the itchy feeling. This is why scratching makes mosquito bites feel better at least temporarily.

“It’s a very important study for itching is a major problem for millions of patients,” said Gil Yosipovitch, PhD, founder of the International Forum for the Study of Itch.

Around 50 different diseases can cause serious itching, including AIDS and kidney diseases.

Scratching might make things more comfortable for small, ordinary itches, but for people with more serious diseases, it can make matters worse. Sometimes an itch can be s0 strong that it keeps the sufferers awake at night, throwing them into a terrible emotional disturbance. Scratching hard can lead to serious skin damage or infection.

The next step for scientists is to discover exactly how itches are reduced when spinal cord signals are stopped. This could help them develop medicines that act in the same way to reduce itching. Patients suffering from serious itching will finally be freed from their misery without tearing up their skin, according to Glenn Giesler, leader of the research.

1.What is the key to determining the feeling of an itch?

A. The skin.

B. The brain.

C. The spinal cord.

D. The bitten tissue.

2.Which is the correct order to show how the experiment was done?

a. The monkey began to have a feeling of itches.

b. The monkey became sensitive to the chemicals.

c. The scientists scratched the itchy legs of the monkey.

d. Scratching made the brain unable to get signals from the spinal cord.

e. To make itches, an injection of histamine was given to the monkey’s legs.

A. e-c-b-d-a

B. e-b-a-c-d

C. d-c-b-e-a

D. b-a-e-d-c

3.What can be inferred from the passage?

A. The cause of itches has not been found yet.

B. All the itches can be got rid of by scratching.

C. Some patients stay awake because of severe itches.

D. Serious itching and scratching can affect people physically and mentally.

4.What may scientists do next according to the passage?

A. They will wipe out itches forever

B. They will announce the findings to the world.

C. They will treat the itch sufferers in a traditional way.

D. They will develop a kind of medicine to relieve itches.

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

I love sleeping. It’s something I’m good at. There’s nothing better than nodding off on the sofa in front of the TV and when my head hits the pillow at night, I have no problem falling into a deep sleep within minutes. There is one place where I never nap (打盹) and that’s at work--but new research suggests I should!

The idea of you and your colleagues heading off for a lie down in the afternoon may seem strange, but some companies such as Google and Facebook actually encourage it. Because it’s thought that a power-nap makes them more refreshed and more focused, and this in turn makes them more productive.

An Australian health writer called Victoria is a founder of a campaign called Nap Now which is trying to make sleeping at work more acceptable. She calls herself a “naptivist”! She says: “I think that our culture is a bit crazy not to accept it… It’s time to end the common work principle which is all about working longer and harder.”

So should we all be taking a sleeping bag and pillow to work with us? A few years ago, research by the East of England Development Agency found 30% of people have their best ideas in bed compared to just 11% who have them at their desk. That suggests people are more creative when they are relaxed--and the agency has called for companies to put beds in the workplace.

A nap in the afternoon is nothing new. In certain hot countries, such as Spain, a short rest or sleep in the afternoon-called a siesta-is perfectly normal. So maybe we should break from the traditional nine-to-five work culture and take up the siesta. The UK’s Sleep Council claims the nine-to-five working day does not fit into the natural sleeping pattern of the human race and says that bosses need to introduce a more sleep-friendly working day.

1.Why are the employees of Google allowed to nap in the workplace?

A. They are expected to work better.

B. They can’t focus their attention on the work.

C. They are running the Nap Now campaign.

D. They have difficulty in falling sleep at night.

2.The underlined word “naptivist” in Paragraph 3 probably refers to someone who ______.

A. takes no nap at work

B. enjoys napping at work

C. studies sleeping at work

D. fights against working long hours

3.According to the passage, what can we learn about siesta?

A. It is a newly practiced pattern.

B. It has been taken up in Finland.

C. It is sort of traditional work culture.

D. It fits into the natural sleeping pattern.

4.What is the author’s main purpose of writing the passage?

A. To explain how to nap at work.

B. To show how the new study was carried out.

C. To tell us the importance of sleeping at work.

D. To call for the more sleep-friendly work culture.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

请以老师当众表扬你为话题，用下面所给的句子开头，续写一篇英语短文。

注意：

1. 将所有句子写在答题卡上；

2. 续写词数不少于120个；

3. 不能使用真实姓名和学校名称。

高三英语书面表达中等难度题查看答案及解析

Two heads are better than one. After all, when trying to make decisions, it's good to have a second opinion. But what about a third, fourth — even twelfth? What group size is best for making decisions quickly? For ants, four to six heads surpass one ― and also outperform 12 or 24. That's what Sylvia Zamescu now reports.

The 18-year-old senior at Catalina Foothills High School in Tucson, Arizona isn't generally into ants. She's interested in decision-making, especially by people. Last summer, Sylvia read that social insects such as ants and bees can be used to model decision-making. Ants, for example, forage for food. When an ant finds it, it takes a bite and heads back to the nest. On the way; the ant leaves a scented trail for other ants to pick up. Back at the nest, the ant vomits up its meal into the mouth of other ants. Those nest-mates then decide with the first ant whether the food is good enough to deserve a trip back for more. If it is, they follow the first ant's scented trail to lunch.

When there are too few ants, it could take a long time for one ant to spread the word If there are too many, it's hard to “tell" each about the find. What's the right number for foraging success? Sylvia decided to find out. She contacted professors at the University of Arizona in Tucson to look for someone who would let her study decision-making by ants in their lab. Professor Wulfila Gronenberg answered her email.

Working with one of Wulfila's graduate students, Sylvia set up an experiment She tested the behavior of one, two, four, six, twelve and twenty-four ants. Each group was placed in a large box al taped "starting line". At the other end of the box were two bricks of sweetened gelatin （动物胶） one contained only 3 per cent sugar, and the other 30 per cent. Sylvia timed how long it took each group of ants to find the food. She also measured how much time they spent around each sweet treat.

When there were just one or two ants, the discovery was slow. The same was true when she set twelve or twenty-four ants loose. But four to six ants? Perfect! These medium-size groups found the food forest. They also figured out quickly that the sweeter food was better.

Similar work has been done on bighorn sheep, fish and fruit flies. "It may not be four to six animals, but it's the same principle," Sylvia says. A medium-size group "is optimal". So when faced with a new decision, two heads are better than one. But too many heads are too much. Like the ants, a good decision may just require a happy medium.

1.What gave Sylvia the idea for her research?

A.Her interest in social insects.

B.An article about social animals.

C.A university professor's invitation.

D.Her doubt about a science report.

2.What do we know about Sylvia's experiment?

A.She set it up with Professor Wulfila Gronenberg.

B.There were two large boxes at the "starting line".

C.There were several kinds of foods for the ants.

D.She divided the ants into six different groups.

3.What did Sylvia find out about ants?

A.They make decisions faster in medium-sized groups.

B.They are better at finding food in smaller groups.

C.They perform much more smartly in larger groups.

D.They make better decisions when working together.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Below is an advertisement in a travel brochure.

1.What is the purpose of the ad?

A. To inform the timetable of a trip.

B. To list the steps to see the Northern Lights.

C. To introduce a special traveling package.

D. To introduce the wonders of the Icelandic winter.

2.Where will you spend most of the time during the trip?

A. Reykjavik.       B. Akureyri.       C. Lake Myvatn.      D. Icelandic farms.

3.Which activity is not included in the travel package?

A. Sighteeing tour of Akureyri.

B. Sightseeing tour of Reykjavik.

C. Sightseeing tour in the Lake Myvatn area.

D. Seeing the most powerful waterfall in Europe.

4.If you want to view the Northern Lights, you will join in _________.

A. Horse riding                      B. Cross-country skiing

C. Super-jeep                        D. Sightseeing tours

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

As a youngster, there was nothing I liked better than Sunday afternoons at my grandfather’s farm in western Pennsylvania. Surrounded by miles of winding stone walls, the house and field provided endless hours of fun for a city kid like me.

Since my first visit to the farm, I had wanted more than anything to be allowed to climb the stone walls surrounding the houses. My parents would never approve because the walls were so old that some stones were loose and falling. Still, my idea to climb across those walls grew so strong that finally I had all my courage to enter the living room, where the adults had gathered after Sunday dinner.

“I want to climb the stone walls,” I said. “Heavens, no! You’ll hurt yourself!” the response was just as I’d expected. But before I left the room, I was stopped by my grandfather’s loud voice. “Now hold on just a minute,” I heard him say. “Let the boy climb the stone walls. He has to learn to do things for himself. ”

“Go,” he said to me, “and come and see me when you get back.” For the next two and a half hours I climbed those old walls—and had the time of my life. Later I met with my grandfather to tell him about my adventures. I’ll never forget what he said. “Fred,” he said, smiling, “You made this day a special day just by being yourself. Always remember, there’s only one person in this whole world like you, and I like you exactly as you are.”

Many years have passed since then, and today I host the television program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, seen by millions of children throughout America. There have been changes over the years, but one thing remains the same: my message to children at the end of almost every visit. “There’s only one person in this whole world like you.” the kids can count on hearing me say, “and people can like you exactly as you are.”

1.The writer enjoyed his visits to the farm because ________.

A.there were old stone walls B.it was an exciting place for him

C.he liked his grandfather D.he was allowed to climb the stone walls

2.Hearing the writer’s idea to climb the stone walls, ________.

A.all the adults were shocked B.his parents agreed

C.none of the adults responded D.his grandfather backed him up

3.We can describe the writer as ________.

A.adventurous B.reliable C.smart D.considerate

4.What is probably the best title for the text?

A.An Unforgettable Experience B.Do Whatever You Like

C.Just Be Yourself D.Remain Adventurous

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The only way to succeed at the highest level is to have total belief ________ you are better than anyone else on the sports field.    　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　 (2013·浙江，16)

A．how　                         B．that

C．which　                         D．whether

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

If you need a repairman there’s ____ better than Mr. Chen.

A. none 　　       B. nobody 　　      C. nothing 　　    D. no

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

There is one thing that everyone wants more than anything else._ 1.. They think that when they have enough money to buy such things as houses，farms，and cars，they will have the thing that everyone wants.

Other people believe that if they know enough they will find this thing． 2.__. Still others think that if they have power，they will find this thing．Some people keep telling themselves：“When I'm a boss，I will no longer have to search for this thing．”

What is it that everyone wants more than anything else? What is it that all of us keep working and striving(奋斗)for each day? 　 3. Happiness is a strange thing．　 4.　 .What will make one man happy may not make another man happy．Some men say that happiness comes from helping others；other men say that happiness comes from making life more pleasant for everyone．What do you mean when you say “ That makes me happy. ” ?　 　 5. . Perhaps you will learn something that will bring you peace of mind，comfort，money or it may be what you search for--- happiness．

A．It is happiness．

B.　 It does not mean the same to all men．

C．They study all their life in search of it．

D．Happiness means the same to everyone．

E.　 Some people try to get it by making money．

F．When one man feels happy，another man will feel sad．

G．Read what different people have said about happiness．

高三英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析

阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

As a child, there was nothing I liked better than Sunday afternoons on my grandfather’s farm in western Pennsylvania. The house and barn provided endless hours of 1for a city kid like me.

I still 2one afternoon when I was eight years old. Since my first 3to the farm, I’d wanted more than anything to be 4to climb the stone walls surrounding the property. My parents never 5. The walls were old. Some stones were 6,and others were loose and crumbling. Still, my desire to climb those walls 7so strong that finally, one spring afternoon, I gathered all my

8and entered the living room, where the adults had 9after Sunday dinner.

“I, uh, I want to climb the stone walls,” I said hesitantly. 10looked up. “Can I ?”

11a chorus went up from the women in the room. “Heavens, no!” they cried in dismay. “You’ll hurt yourself!”

I wasn’t too 12. It was the response I’d expected. Yet, 13I could leave the room, I was stopped by my grandfather’s booming 14. “Now hold on just a minute, ” he cried. “15the boy climb them. He has to learn to do things 16himself.”

“Run quickly,” he said to me. “And come see me 17you get back.”

For the next two and a half hours I climbed those old walls—and had the time of my life. Later I went to my grandfather to tell him about my 18. I’ll never forget what he said.

“Fred,” he smiled, “you made this day a(n) 19one just by being yourself. Always remember, there’s only one person in this whole world like you, and I like you exactly 20you are.” Many years have passed since then, but I still cherish his words in my heart.

1.A. trouble        B. challenge            C. interest         D. fun

2.A. imagine        B. remember         C. regret           D. cherish

3.A. sight          B. visit                C. access           D. entrance

4.A. expected       B. suggested            C. allowed          D. refused

5.A. approved       B. admitted         C. chose                D. decided

6.A. broken         B. lost             C. empty            D. missing

7.A. grew           B. spread           C. turned           D. appeared

8.A. strength       B. courage          C. belief               D. hope

9.A. arranged       B. gathered         C. discussed            D. organized

10.A. Someone       B. Nobody           C. Everyone         D. Anybody

11.A. Carefully     B. Immediately      C. Usually          D. Fortunately

12.A. disappointed  B. angry                C. delighted            D. worried

13.A. after         B. once             C. unless           D. before

14.A. sound         B. noise                C. voice                D. praise

15.A. Permit            B. Consider         C. Let              D. Stop

16.A. by            B. to               C. on               D. for

17.A. until         B. when             C. since                D. while

18.A. dream         B. burden           C. adventure            D. attempt

19.A. ordinary      B. special          C. curious          D. typical

20.A. why           B. what             C. how              D. as

高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析