You may have heard of the book Moby Dick(《白鲸记》),written by the American author Herman Melville.You may also know that Moby Dick is considered one of the greatest novels ever written.However,it might surprise you to find out Herman Melville was not always a highly regarded author.
Melville’s first two novels,Typee and Omoo,were widely read and financially successfully.They were both exciting tales of adventures at sea and experiences with people in foreign lands.Melville became quite famous.However,upon the publication of his third book,Mardi,Melville’s popularity began to weaken.He was no longer interested in telling tales of pure adventure,and his writing took on a style that alienated(使疏远)the general reading public of his time.
Melville published Moby Dick in October of 1851 it was an original novel,combining aspects of sociology and philosophy,which confused readers by its complex symbolism.The book sold poorly.
Melville’s next book,Pierre,was almost completely disregarded by the public.Debt frustration and ill health finally forced Melville to take a low-paying job as a customs inspector.Eventually,Melville abandoned prose(散文)and began to write poetry.
The Civil War is the main subject of Melville’s poetry.He and his brother made a trip to the front line,and he published a book of poems,Battle-Pieces and Aspects of War,based on this experience.
Melville died in 1891 at the age of 72 at this point,his work had been completely forgotten by the public.His talent was to go unrecognized for the next thirty years.Then,in 1920s, his reputation began to improve as critics and readers rediscovered his work.Today Moby Dick is one of the best-known novels ever penned by an American author.
1.What were Melville’s first two novels mainly about?
A. His travel experience.
B. His successful communication skills.
C. Adventurous experiences in the front line.
D. Adventurous voyages and foreign experiences.
2.We can learn from the text that Moby Dick .
A. sold a little better than Pierre. B. was Melville’s favorite novel.
C. was copied from other books. D. made Melville popular again.
3.The text may be taken from .
A. a writing guide B. a literary(文学的)journal.
C. a science magazine. D. a critical book on literature.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A. The main works of Melville. B. The skills in Melville’s writing.
C. The ups and downs of Melville. D. The reason for Melville’s failure.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
You may have heard of the book Moby Dick(《白鲸记》),written by the American author Herman Melville.You may also know that Moby Dick is considered one of the greatest novels ever written.However,it might surprise you to find out Herman Melville was not always a highly regarded author.
Melville’s first two novels,Typee and Omoo,were widely read and financially successfully.They were both exciting tales of adventures at sea and experiences with people in foreign lands.Melville became quite famous.However,upon the publication of his third book,Mardi,Melville’s popularity began to weaken.He was no longer interested in telling tales of pure adventure,and his writing took on a style that alienated(使疏远)the general reading public of his time.
Melville published Moby Dick in October of 1851 it was an original novel,combining aspects of sociology and philosophy,which confused readers by its complex symbolism.The book sold poorly.
Melville’s next book,Pierre,was almost completely disregarded by the public.Debt frustration and ill health finally forced Melville to take a low-paying job as a customs inspector.Eventually,Melville abandoned prose(散文)and began to write poetry.
The Civil War is the main subject of Melville’s poetry.He and his brother made a trip to the front line,and he published a book of poems,Battle-Pieces and Aspects of War,based on this experience.
Melville died in 1891 at the age of 72 at this point,his work had been completely forgotten by the public.His talent was to go unrecognized for the next thirty years.Then,in 1920s, his reputation began to improve as critics and readers rediscovered his work.Today Moby Dick is one of the best-known novels ever penned by an American author.
1.What were Melville’s first two novels mainly about?
A. His travel experience.
B. His successful communication skills.
C. Adventurous experiences in the front line.
D. Adventurous voyages and foreign experiences.
2.We can learn from the text that Moby Dick .
A. sold a little better than Pierre. B. was Melville’s favorite novel.
C. was copied from other books. D. made Melville popular again.
3.The text may be taken from .
A. a writing guide B. a literary(文学的)journal.
C. a science magazine. D. a critical book on literature.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A. The main works of Melville. B. The skills in Melville’s writing.
C. The ups and downs of Melville. D. The reason for Melville’s failure.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Have you ever heard the old saying, “Never judge a book by its cover.”? This is a good rule to follow when trying to judge the intelligence of others. Some people have minds that shine only in certain situations. A young man with an unusual gift in writing may find himself speechless before a pretty girl when he speaks. He may not be able to find the right words. But don’t make the mistake of thinking him stupid. With a pen and paper, he can express himself better than anybody else.
Other people may fool you into overestimating(过高估计) their intelligence by putting up a good front. A student who listens attentively and takes notes in class is bound to (一定会) make a favourable impression on his teachers. But when it comes to exams, he may score near the bottom of the class.
In a word, you can’t judge someone by appearance. The only way to determine a person’s intelligence is to get to know him. Then you can see how he reacts to different situations. The more situations you see, the better your judgment is likely to be. So take your time. Don’t judge a book by its cover.
1. The passage suggests that ______.
A. a good writer may not be a good speaker
B. a good writer is always a good speaker
C. a speechless person always writes well
D. a good writer will find himself speechless
2. According to this passage, a student who listens attentively and takes notes
in class ______.
A. is an intelligent student
B. may not be an intelligent student
C. will score better in exams
D. will not be a good student
3. The passage suggests that we should judge a per-son’s intelligence through
______.
A. his teachers
B. his deeds in the classroom
C. his appearance
D. his reactions to different situations
4. The writer of this passage wants to tell us not to______.
A. judge a book by its cover
B. make the mistake of thinking a young man stupid
C. overestimate a student’s intelligence
D. judge a person’s intelligence by his appearance
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
“Have you ever heard the old saying, “Never judge(判断)a book by its cover”? This is a good rule to follow when you try to judge the cleverness of others by their looks and performance. Some people have minds that shine only in certain situations. A young man with an unusual gift(天赋)in novel writing may find himself speechless before a pretty girl. But don’t make the mistake of thinking he might not be that clever. With a pen and paper, he can tell what he thought very well.
Other people may fool you into mistakenly thinking they are clever by putting up a good front.
A student who listens carefully and takes notes in class is sure to make a good impression(印象)on his teachers. But when it comes to exams, he may get scores much lower than his classmates.
We may conclude that:you can’t judge someone by appearances. The only way to tell whether a person is clever or not is to get to know him by observing(观察) how he reacts to(反映)different situations. The more situations you observe, the more accurate(准确的)your judgement is likely to be. So take your time. Don’t judge the book by its cover.
1.The best title for this passage is___________________________
A. Judging cleverness
B. Choosing a book
C. A speechless young man
D. Putting up a good front
2.The main idea of the passage is ___________________
A. don’t judge a book by its cover
B. don’t judge a person’s cleverness by appearance
C. people may fool you by putting up a good front
D. make sure you know someone well before observing him
3.The young man mentioned in the passage________________.
A. is stupid
B. is a good student
C. is a good writer
D. is successful with girls
4.According to the passage, true knowledge of a person’s cleverness comes from_____________.
A. the grades he gets in school
B. his manners at parties
C. his outward appearanc
D. how he behaves in different situations
5.The passage suggests that in judging a person’s intelligence we should_____________.
A. make quick judgements
B. be creative
C. have patience and be careful
D. give him a test
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You probably know who Marie Curie was,but you may not have Heard of Rachel Carson.Of the outstanding ladies listed below,who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams(1860 -1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank.Addams helped the poor and worked for peace.She encouraged a sense of community(社区)by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need.In 1931,Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (1907 -1964)
If it weren't for Rachel Carson,the environmental movement might not exist today.Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor(1930 - present)
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School,in 1952,she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman.She became an Arizona state senator (参议员)and,in 1981,the first woman to join the U.S.Supreme Court.O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court. Rosa Parks (1913 -2005)
On December 1,1955,in Montgomery,Alabama,Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger.Her simple act landed Parks in prison.But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott.It lasted for more than a year,and kicked off the civil- rights movement." The only tired I was,was tired of giving in," said Parks.
1.What is Jane Addams noted for in history?
A. Her social work.
B. Her teaching skills.
C. Her efforts to win a prize.
D. Her community background.
2.What was the reason for O’Connor’s being rejected by the law firm?
A. Her lack of proper training in law.
B. Her little work experience in court.
C. The discrimination against women.
D. The poor financial conditions.
3.Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the U.S.?
A. Jane Addams.
B. Rachel Carson.
C. Sandra Day O’Connor.
D. Rosa Parks.
4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?
A. They are highly educated.
B. They are truly creative.
C. They are pioneers.
D. They are peace-lovers.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?
Jane Addams (l 860-1935)
Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Rachel Carson (l 907-1964)
If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.
Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-present)
When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator (参议员) and, in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.
Rosa Parks (1913-2005)
On December 1,1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.
1.What is Jane Addams noted for in history?
A. Her social work.
B. Her teaching skills.
C. Her efforts to win a prize.
D. Her community background.
2.What was the reason for O’Connor’s being rejected by the law firm?
A. Her lack of proper training in law.
B. Her little work experience in court.
C. The discrimination against women.
D. The poor financial conditions.
3.Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the U.S.?
A. Jane Addams. B. Rachel Carson.
C. Sandra Day O’Connor. D. Rosa Park.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You may have heard the expression “buying into the dip”. We usually think of this in terms of nesting (投资) --- for example, recessions (经济萧条) offer an opportunity to take advantage of buying cheap stocks that were once expensive.
But to me, “buying into the dip” is a term which covers a lot more than that. There are a few reasons that I was able to “buying into the dip” and start a business during the Great Recession: ChopDawg.com had zero upstart costs, with no need for any credit to get started. No loans, just $10 for the domain name. I picked a service that only required my own time and labor and that’s basically it, Not needing credit was a big deal for me, and I didn’t even think about this at the time.
I was also selling a service that was priced at just the right rock-bottom level to fill a need local small business badly needed more sales, since so many had cut their spending due to the recession. A website could give these businesses a new way to reach their customers, new and old.
From an economic standpoint, the Great Recession was an opportunity to start if you were selling the right thing at the right cost. During recessions, the pool gets way less crowded. Potential competitors become much more unwilling to risk, but for those who have an in-demand service, and the means to provide it, you are in business.
Back in 2009, website design had not yet become a commercial service, Offering web design as a service for small businesses was a novel idea, and many mom-and-pop shops didn’t know they needed it yet, which brings me to this: if you can solve a fresh-out-of-the-recession pain point at the right price, you have a chance of buying into the dip and helping a lot of people at the same.
1.What is “buying into the dip” to the author?
A.Selling things at low costs.
B.Buying cheap stocks in time.
C.Offering help to small businesses.
D.Starting a business with the least investment.
2.What does the underlined word “novel” in Paragraph 5 mean?
A.Familiar. B.Simple.
C.Clear. D.New.
3.What can be a suitable title for the passage?
A.Start small--very small.
B.Keep an eye on what you may need.
C.Serve right--quite right.
D.Adapt to changes in the Internet service.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You may have heard of the American Dream, an ideal that has powered the hopes of Americans for generations.
It began as a belief that the US was a land of opportunity, and that anyone could achieve success through hard work. At times, the dream has referred to home ownership, a good job, retirement security or each generation doing better than the last.
Yet today, this concept seems to have greatly changed. As Time magazine pointed out, quite different from the older generation, many Millennials (the generation born after 1980) redefine(重新定义) the American Dream as “day-to-day control of your life”. They “prize job mobility, flexible schedules, any work that is more interesting than typing, and the ability to travel”, said the magazine.
Home ownership, once the cornerstone of the American Dream, is becoming a smaller priority for this generation. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of them choose travel as part of their dream. And entrepreneurship(创业) is a rising favorite, as nearly 26% of Millennials consider self-employment as part of their dream.
So what has led to this huge change?
Many point fingers at the poor economy. “Modern young Americans seem bound to face a world stamped by ever narrowing opportunity and social stagnation(停滞),”noted The Daily Beast.
“The rate of 16-to 24-year-olds out of school and out of work is unusually high at 15%. Many college graduates have taken jobs that don’t require a degree,” Time reported.
The magazine worries that these difficulties may lead to a lost generation who are “unable to ever truly find their feet on the corporation’s ladder”.
Dan Kadlec, a reporter of Time, sees Millennials as resetting their expectations. “This situation is different for young adults today,” he wrote. “A true American dream has to feel attainable, and many Millennias are feeling they can only attain a day-today lifestyle that suits them.”
1.What’s the passage mainly about?
A. Meaning of American Dream
B. Redefinition of American Dream
C. Value of Achieving American Dream
D. History of Changing American Dream
2.The underlined word “cornerstone” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “ ”.
A. growth B. balance
C. purpose D. basis
3.According to the passage, what has changed Millennials’ view of the American Dream?
A. A lack of confidence in themselves
B. Fierce competition in the job market
C. The discouraging economy and unemployment
D. Their dissatisfaction with the government
4.Dan Kadlec thinks Millennials’ new definition of the American Dream is ______.
A. understandable B. beautiful
C. worrying D. Positive
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You may have heard of the American Dream, an ideal that has powered the hopes of Americans for generations.
It began as a belief that the US was a land of opportunity, and that anyone could achieve success through hard work. The dream has referred to home ownership, a good job, retirement security or each generation doing better than the last for a long time.
Yet today, this concept seems to have greatly changed. As Tune magazine pointed out, quite different from the older generation, many Millennials (the generation born after 1980) redefine the American Dream as “day-to-day control of your life”. They “prize job mobility, flexible schedules, any work that is more interesting than typing, and the ability to travel”, said the magazine.
Home ownership, once the cornerstone of the American Dream, is becoming a smaller priority for this generation. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of them choose travel as part of their dream. And running their own business is a rising favorite, as nearly 26% of Millennials consider self-employment as part of their dream.
So what has led to this huge change?
Many point fingers at the poor economy. “Modern young Americans seem bound to face a world stamped by ever narrowing opportunity,” noted The Daily Beast.
“The rate of 16-to-24-year-olds out of school and out of work is unusually high at 15%. Many college graduates have taken jobs that don’t require a degree,” Time reported.
The magazine worries that these difficulties may lead to a lost generation who are “unable to ever truly find their feet on the corporation’s ladder”.
Dan Kadlec, a reporter of Time, sees Millennials as resetting their expectations. “This situation is different for young adults today,” he wrote. “A true American dream has to feel attainable, and many Millennials are feeling they can only attain a day-to-day lifestyle that suits them.”
1.Which has similar meaning to the underlined word “cornerstone”?
A. value B. average
C. reason D. basis
2.What has changed Millennials’ views of the American Dream?
A. The discouraging economy and unemployment.
B. The fierce competition in getting a degree.
C. Their dissatisfaction with the government.
D. Their lack of confidence in themselves.
3.What does Dan Kadlec’s think of Millennials’ definition of the American Dream?
A. considerate B. understandable
C. curious D. negative
4.What can be the best title for this passage?
A. Meaning of American Dream B. Redefinition of American Dream
C. Value of Achieving American Dream D. The Reasons of American Dream
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You may have heard of the American Dream, an ideal that has powered the hopes of Americans for generations.
It began as a belief that the US was a land of opportunity, and that anyone could achieve success through hard work. At times, the dream has referred to home ownership, a good job, retirement security or each generation doing better than the last.
Yet today, this concept seems to have greatly changed. As Time magazine pointed out, quite different from the older generation, many Millennials (the generation born after 1980) redefine(重新定义) the American Dream as “day-to-day control of your life”. They “prize job mobility, flexible schedules, any work that is more interesting than typing, and the ability to travel”, said the magazine.
Home ownership, once the cornerstone of the American Dream, is becoming a smaller priority for this generation. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of them choose travel as part of their dream. And entrepreneurship(创业) is a rising favorite, as nearly 26% of Millennials consider self-employment as part of their dream.
So what has led to this huge change?
Many point fingers at the poor economy. “Modern young Americans seem bound to face a world stamped by ever narrowing opportunity and social stagnation(停滞),”noted The Daily Beast.
“The rate of 16-to 24-year-olds out of school and out of work is unusually high at 15%. Many college graduates have taken jobs that don’t require a degree,” Time reported.
The magazine worries that these difficulties may lead to a lost generation who are “unable to ever truly find their feet on the corporation’s ladder”.
Dan Kadlec, a reporter of Time, sees Millennials as resetting their expectations. “This situation is different for young adults today,” he wrote. “A true American dream has to feel attainable, and many Millennias are feeling they can only attain a day-today lifestyle that suits them.”
1.What’s the passage mainly about?
A. Meaning of American Dream
B. Redefinition of American Dream
C. Value of Achieving American Dream
D. History of Changing American Dream
2.The underlined word “cornerstone” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “ ”.
A. growth B. balance C. purpose D. basis
3.According to the passage, what has changed Millennials’ view of the American Dream?
A. A lack of confidence in themselves
B. Fierce competition in the job market
C. The discouraging economy and unemployment
D. Their dissatisfaction with the government
4.Dan Kadlec thinks Millennials’ new definition of the American Dream is ______.
A. understandable B. beautiful
C. worrying D. Positive
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
You may be familiar with the following famous people, but have you heard of their graduation speeches, in which they either share their unforgotten experiences or give you some great inspiration(启迪).
●Michael Dell, University of Texas at Austin
And now you've accomplished something great and important here, and it's time for you to move on to what's next. And you must not let anything prevent you from taking those first steps. ... You must also commit to the adventure. Just have faith in the skills and the knowledge you've been blessed (赐予)with and go.
●J.K. Rowling, Harvard University
Half my lifetime ago ,I was striking an uneasy balance between my ambition and the expectation from my parents who were not rich...But what I feared most for myself at your age was not poverty(贫穷), but failure. The fact that you are graduating from Harvard suggests that you know little about failure, you might be driven by a fear of failure quite as much as a desire for success.
●Steve Jobs, Stanford University
Sometimes life's going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith...Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking, and don't settle.
●Bill Gates, Harvard University
We need as many people as possible to have access to the advanced technology to lead to a revolution in what human beings can do for one another. They are making it possible not just for national governments, but for universities ,smaller organizations, and even individuals to see problems, see approaches and deal with the world's inequities(不公平)like hunger, poverty, and so on.
1.What Michael Dell said is to urge us to________________________________________.
A. listen to our heart B. pursue our dreams
C. follow others' example D. learn from our mistakes
2.What did J.K. Rowling fear most when she was studying in university?
A. Poverty. B. Hunger.
C. Failure. D. Appearance.
3.Who wants to express "Keep looking for what you believe in"?
A. Michael Dell. B. J.K. Rowling.
C. Bill Gates. D. Steve Jobs.
4.What does Bill Gates suggest people do?
A. Make contributions to the environment.
B. Take responsibility for their own behavior.
C. Make joint efforts to rid some global problems.
D. Master as much advanced technology as possible.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析