Consider yourself warned. Sunday is April Fools' Day, a day when you are encouraged to play tricks on loved ones and even the people you meet at the bus stop. It's a strange tradition, but how did it get started?
Nobody is completely sure about the origin of this, the silliest of holidays. However, the urban legend experts at Snopes. com say that most experts owe it to Pope Gregory XⅢ, who, in the 1500s, gave the world the Gregorian calendar.
In 1562, the Gregorian calendar moved the first day of the year from April l to January l. Word did eventually get around, but some people were a bit slow to hear the news. These folks continued celebrating the new year on April l , unaware that they were now three months behind the times. These "April fools" were tricked by those who knew it. The tradition eventually made its way to the US.
And it's still going strong. Over the past week, Web searches on " April Fools' Day jokes" and " April Fools' Day tricks" have more than doubled, and related lookups for "easy April Fools' Day tricks" and "April Fools' Day jokes for work" have also increased greatly. Bottom line: Keep your guard up, especially if somebody offers you a word search puzzle. Lookups for "impossible April Fools' Day word searches" are up by 200%.
But really, there is no way to be certain you'll escape trickery because even companies are out to trick you on April l. In 1957, the BBC reported Swiss farmers were harvesting spaghetti(意大利面) from trees. And in 1996, Taco Bell took out ads in major newspapers announcing that the company had purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the Taco Liberty Bell.
1.What is the author's purpose of writing the text?
A. To teach us how to avoid being tricked.
B. To point out the best way to trick others.
C. To introduce the history of April Fools' Day.
D. To stress the importance of April Fools' Day.
2.What can we know from Paragraph 3?
A. April lst was once the first day of the year.
B. April Fools' Day was set by Pope Gregory XⅢ.
C. April Fools' Day has been celebrated for thousands of years.
D. Started in the US, April Fools' Day is popular around the world.
3.From the 4th paragraph, we can learn that .
A. people enjoy being April Fools
B. April Fools' Day is still very popular
C. those tricks used on April 1 are much the same
D. people like to celebrate April Fools' Day online
4.The examples listed in the last paragraph are used to show .
A. a modern farming technology
B. what newspapers without ads are like
C. how the Taco Liberty Bell got its name
D. how some companies trick the public
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Consider yourself warned. Sunday is April Fools' Day, a day when you are encouraged to play tricks on loved ones and even the people you meet at the bus stop. It's a strange tradition, but how did it get started?
Nobody is completely sure about the origin of this, the silliest of holidays. However, the urban legend experts at Snopes. com say that most experts owe it to Pope Gregory XⅢ, who, in the 1500s, gave the world the Gregorian calendar.
In 1562, the Gregorian calendar moved the first day of the year from April l to January l. Word did eventually get around, but some people were a bit slow to hear the news. These folks continued celebrating the new year on April l , unaware that they were now three months behind the times. These "April fools" were tricked by those who knew it. The tradition eventually made its way to the US.
And it's still going strong. Over the past week, Web searches on " April Fools' Day jokes" and " April Fools' Day tricks" have more than doubled, and related lookups for "easy April Fools' Day tricks" and "April Fools' Day jokes for work" have also increased greatly. Bottom line: Keep your guard up, especially if somebody offers you a word search puzzle. Lookups for "impossible April Fools' Day word searches" are up by 200%.
But really, there is no way to be certain you'll escape trickery because even companies are out to trick you on April l. In 1957, the BBC reported Swiss farmers were harvesting spaghetti(意大利面) from trees. And in 1996, Taco Bell took out ads in major newspapers announcing that the company had purchased the Liberty Bell and renamed it the Taco Liberty Bell.
1.What is the author's purpose of writing the text?
A. To teach us how to avoid being tricked.
B. To point out the best way to trick others.
C. To introduce the history of April Fools' Day.
D. To stress the importance of April Fools' Day.
2.What can we know from Paragraph 3?
A. April lst was once the first day of the year.
B. April Fools' Day was set by Pope Gregory XⅢ.
C. April Fools' Day has been celebrated for thousands of years.
D. Started in the US, April Fools' Day is popular around the world.
3.From the 4th paragraph, we can learn that .
A. people enjoy being April Fools
B. April Fools' Day is still very popular
C. those tricks used on April 1 are much the same
D. people like to celebrate April Fools' Day online
4.The examples listed in the last paragraph are used to show .
A. a modern farming technology
B. what newspapers without ads are like
C. how the Taco Liberty Bell got its name
D. how some companies trick the public
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Happy Shakespeare Day!
The 23rd April is World Book Day, but did you know that it is also Shakespeare Day? Everybody has heard of Shakespeare, but do you know many plays he wrote? Have you heard of many of his poetry?
Shakespeare’s plays fit into three categories: tragedies, comedies and histories. Perhaps his most famous play is the tragedy story of Romeo and Juliet, which deals with two young lovers who are forbidden to marry by their parents. Other tragedies include Hamlet, a play about a vengeful ghost Othello, about an army general who is manipulated(操纵) into killing his wife, and Macbeth(麦克白). If you’ve seen Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban written which is sung in the Great Hall after the Sorting Ceremony. These words come from the Witches in Macbeth!
Shakespeare’s comedies include Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night is a play about confusing identities. Two twins are shipwrecked and the sister, Viola, dresses up as her brother, Sebastian, who she thinks is dead. It’s hilarious, because the brother reappears without Viola realizing and there’s a big love triangle going on: Viola is in love with the Duke Osino, who is in love with Olivia, who falls in love with Sebastian, except she doesn’t realize that Sebastian is actually Viola dressed up! Everybody falls in love with the wrong person, but it is all made right in the end.
The history plays, such as Antony and Cleopatra, Richard III and Henry V are based on the lives of real historical people. Antony and Cleopatra is a story about a doomed romance in ancient Egypt. Cleopatra becomes Antony’s mistress and Antony becomes so obsessed with her that he loses his military might. Cleopatra kills self by letting a snake bite her after Egypt’s army has been defeated by Octavius and Antony kills himself too.
Shakespeare’s plays can be very heavy going sometimes. Some of the themes they deal with are heavy and complex, so they almost always contain a lighter subplot with characters who aren’t closely linked to the characters in the main plot. They are often used in tragedies to lighten the mood of the play and to keep the audience interested in the main plot.
1.What can we learn about Shakespeare’s tragedies?
A. Romeo and Juliet is perhaps the most famous play of all time.
B. Hamlet tells us a story of two young lovers dead in the end.
C. The army general Othello kills his wife in person purposely.
D. Macbeth gives J.K. Rowling some inspiration in her writing.
2.What is not a probable ending in Twelfth Night?
A. Viola and Sebastian reunited. B. Osino and Viola got marred.
C. Osino and Olivia got married. D. Sebastian and Olivia got married.
3.Characters in the lighter subplot of Shakespeare’s plays are often used to_____.
A. deal with the heavy and complex themes
B. distinguish the characters in the main plot
C. make the mood of the play softer than before
D. interest the audience in the subplot to the great extent
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Food is a hot issue in China. Eating, 1.(consider) to be an important part of each day, is far beyond simply meeting a need;2.now, people sometimes hardly have time to enjoy their food, because they are living in a fast-paced society. They need fast food. That’s 3.China’s fast-food market expands.
The first foreign fast-food restaurant to arrive in China was called KFC, quickly followed by Pizza Hut, McDonald’ s and so on. With the 4.(develop) of China, foreign fast-food chains are realizing high-speed growth in China. However, being unable 5.(provide) balanced nutrition, these “junk foods” 6.(criticize) by health experts for a long time The experts also show that some foreign fast food consists 7.certain cancer-causing chemicals.
8.(actual), the Chinese diet contains many of its own 9.(tradition) fast-food dishes. Among them, dumplings, soybean milk and noodles are the most popular. Compared with foreign fast food, those are healthier. But many Chinese still enjoy the special taste and the good environment in the foreign fast-food chains. It’s high time that they 10.(wake) up to the fact of the potential risks with foreign fast-food.
高二英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The celebration of Earth Day on April 22nd began in the United States in 1970. Earth Day is a perfect time to reflect about what you are doing to help protect the environment. There are many ways that you can celebrate alone or with others.
Reduce, reuse and recycle all day long.
Buy as little as possible and avoid items that come in lots of packaging. Support local growers and producers of food and products - these don’t have to travel as far and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 1. Recycle all the things you do use for the day.
Rid litter.
Many groups use the weekend of Earth Day to clear roadways, highways and neighborhood streets. 2. Villages organize bag pick-ups. Once the group has collected the trash and placed the recycled bags along the road, get the village public works department to pick the bags up.
3.
There are many Earth Day song lyrics available on the Internet. Many follow well-known tunes. These make a fantastic classroom activity and help younger children to become interested in environmental topics.
Engage others in conversations about your environment concerns.
Don’t be bossy or pushy. 4.. Encourage them to respond and if they have no opinions or they seem not to know much, help them learn some more by imparting your environmental knowledge in a friendly and helpful manner.
Remember: Every day is Earth Day.
Anything to help our environment is a perfect thing to do on Earth Day and every day. 5. Learn about how you can make a difference to environmental protection all the time. And put it into practice - every day!
A.Tell people some facts and then explain your feelings about them.
B.Many companies donate gloves and bags for clean-up groups.
C.Don’t restrict yourself to just one day a year.
D.Take your drink container with you.
E.Sing or listen to “Earth” songs.
F.Try to save money and water.
G.Join in group work.
高二英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析
World Book Day falls on April 23rd every year,but do you know that it is also Shakespeare Day? Everybody may have heard of Shakespeare,but do you know how many plays he wrote?
Shakespeare’s plays have three kinds:tragedies,comedies and histories. His most famous play is the tragic story of Romeo and Juliet,which deals with two young lovers who are not allowed to marry by their parents. Other tragedies include Hamlet,Othello,and Macbeth.
Shakespeare’s comedies include Much Ado About Nothing ,A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night is a play about unclear identities. Two twins are shipwrecked (遭海难)and the sister,Viola,dresses up as her brother,Sebastian,who she thinks is dead. It’s funny,because the brother reappears and there’s a big love problem going on:Viola is in love with the Duke,who is in love with Olivia,who falls in love with Sebastian except that she doesn’t realize that Sebastian is actually Viola dressed up!Everybody falls in love with the wrong person,but it is all made right in the end.
Some of his history plays,such as Antony and Cleopatra,Richard III and Henry V, are based on the lives of real historical people. In Antony and Cleopatra,Cleopatra becomes Antony’s girlfriend and Antony becomes so crazy about her that he loses control of the army. Cleopatra kills herself in the end and Antony kills himself too.
Shakespeare’s plays can he very difficult sometimes. Some of the themes they deal with are heavy,so they almost always include a lighter subplot with characters that are not so important. They are often used in tragedies to lighten the mood of the play and to keep the audience interested in the main plot.
1.Which of the following plays is best-known to people?
A.Twelfth Night. B.Antony and Cleopatra.
C.Romeo and Juliet. D.Much Ado About Nothing.
2.Which is a comedy character according to the text?
A.Othello. B.Sebastian.
C.Antony. D.Hamlet.
3.What can we know about Shakespeare’s history plays?
A.Some of them are developed from real historical people.
B.There are only three famous history plays.
C.They are more difficult than tragedies and comedies.
D.Real historical events can he found in every history play.
4.What is the purpose of the subplot in Shakespeare’s plays?
A.To lead the development of the main plot.
B.To help the audience understand the plays.
C.To make the difficult plot of the plays simple.
D.To relax the audience and make them follow the main theme.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
April Fool's Day
April Fool's Day is a western festival. No one _______ exactly when and how April Fool's Day began. However, there are some stories about _______ it came into being. One story _______ like this: in the sixteenthcentury France, the start of the new year was on April first. It was celebrated _______ much the same way _______ it is today with parties and dancing into the late hours of the night.
Then in 1562, Pope (教皇) Gregory introduced a new calendar for the Christian world, and the new year fell on January first. There were some people, _______, who hadn't heard or didn't believe the _______ in the date, so they _______ to celebrate New Year's Day on April first. _______ played tricks on them and called them “April fools”. They tried to make them believe that something false was ________. In France today, April first is called “April Fish”. French children fool their friends by taping a paper fish to their friends'________. When the “young fool” ________ this trick, the prankster (恶作剧者) shouts “April Fish!”
Today Americans play small tricks on friends and strangers alike on the first of April. One ________ trick on April Fool's Day is ________ down to a friend's shoe and saying, “Your shoelace is untied.” School children might tell a classmate that school has been canceled (取消). ________ the trick is, if you fail for the joke the prankster shouts “April Fool!”
In Britain today, on the first of April, even ________ newspapers, radio and TV programs tell big lies. You ________ read a science ________ showing that doctors have found a way to cure (治愈) AIDS, ________ you would probably listen to a piece of news about a UFO ________ on an island.
1.A. understands B. knows C. believes D. remembers
2.A. when B. why C. how D. where
3.A. goes B. tells C. happens D. writes
4.A. as B. like C. with D. in
5.A. like B. as C. so D. for
6.A. however B. but C. therefore D. instead
7.A. fact B. news C. change D. information
8.A. remained B. continued C. considered D. went
9.A. Others B. Somebody C. Many D. Some
10.A. real B. true C. right D. correct
11.A. hands B. faces C. backs D. heads
12.A. discovers B. sees C. finds D. notices
13.A. usual B. common C. funny D. silly
14.A. putting B. pointing C. getting D. turning
15.A. Whenever B. Whoever C. Whatever D. Wherever
16.A. serious B. famous C. interesting D. important
17.A. might B. should C. could D. must
18.A. letter B. speech C. writing D. report
19.A. so B. and C. or D. but
20.A. lying B. walking C. flying D. landing
高二英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析
World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948.Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world.
The theme for 2013 is high blood pressure.
High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes(中风).If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also cause blindness, irregularities of the heartbeat and heart failure.The risk of developing these complications is higher in the presence of other risk factors such as diabetes(糖尿病).One in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure and this increases with age, from 1 in 10 people in their 20s and 30s to 5 in 10 people in their 50s.High blood pressure is most common in some low-income countries in Africa, with over 40% of adults in many African countries thought to be affected.
However, high blood pressure is both preventable and treatable.In some developed countries, prevention and treatment of it has brought about a reduction in deaths from heart disease.The risk of developing high blood pressure can be reduced by: reducing salt intake; eating a balanced diet; avoiding harmful use of alcohol; taking regular physical activity; keeping a healthy body weight; and avoiding tobacco use.
The final and most important goal of World Health Day 2013 is to reduce heart attacks and strokes, which includes as follows:
1.to raise awareness of the causes and consequences of high blood pressure;
2.to provide information on how to prevent high blood pressure
3.to encourage adults to check their blood pressure and to follow the advice of health-care professionals.
1.High blood pressure can cause medical problems like_____.
A.heart diseases, strokes and blindness.
B.strokes, heart failure and diabetes.
C.heart attacks, blindness and diabetes.
D.heart troubles, strokes and cancers.
2.Who are most likely to be affected by high blood pressure?
A.Those who are in their 20s.
B.Those who are in their 30s.
C.Those who are in their 40s.
D.Those who are in their 50s.
3.Which of the following can NOT reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure?
A.Less salt intake. B.Putting on weight.
C.Regular exercise. D.No smoking.
4.The text is mainly about______.
A.the theme for World Health Day 2013.
B.the causes of high blood pressure.
C.the treatment of heart attacks and strokes.
D.how to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948. Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world.
The theme for 2013 is high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes(中风). If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also cause blindness, irregularities of the heartbeat and heart failure. The risk of developing these complications is higher in the presence of other risk factors such as diabetes(糖尿病). One in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure and this increases with age, from 1 in 10 people in their 20s and 30s to 5 in 10 people in their 50s. High blood pressure is most common in some low-income countries in Africa, with over 40% of adults in many African countries thought to be affected.
However, high blood pressure is both preventable and treatable. In some developed countries, prevention and treatment of it has brought about a reduction in deaths from heart disease. The risk of developing high blood pressure can be reduced by: reducing salt intake; eating a balanced diet; avoiding harmful use of alcohol; taking regular physical activity; keeping a healthy body weight; and avoiding tobacco use.
The final and most important goal of World Health Day 2013 is to reduce heart attacks and strokes, which includes as follows:
1.to raise awareness of the causes and consequences of high blood pressure;
2.to provide information on how to prevent high blood pressure
3.to encourage adults to check their blood pressure and to follow the advice of health-care professionals.
1.High blood pressure can cause medical problems like_____.
A.heart diseases, strokes and blindness B.strokes, heart failure and diabetes
C.heart attacks, blindness and diabetes D.heart troubles,strokes and cancers
2.Who are most likely to be affected by high blood pressure?
A.Those who are in their 20s B.Those who are in their 30s
C.Those who are in their 40s D.Those who are in their 50s
3.Which of the following can NOT reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure?
A.Less salt intake B.Putting on weight C.Regular exercise D.No smoking
4.The text is mainly about______.
A.the theme for World Health Day 2013 B.the causes of high blood pressure
C.the treatment of heart attacks and strokes D.how to reduce the risk of high blood pressure
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
April 27 is Take Our Daughters to Work Day in Britain. Started at first in the United States and brought to Britain in 1994, Take Our Daughters to Work Day has become a special day for girls between 11 and 15. On that day thousands of girls take a day off school and go together with one of their parents to their work places. The purpose of this day is to broaden girls' horizons(视野)and raise their self-confidence.
For many years people have thought that boys can do better than girls in society. But actually, “girls can be whatever they want to be just like boys, whether it is a pilot, a nurse or a chief executive(主管).”says the chairman of the Our Sons and Daughters Charitable Trust, an organization which supported the activity of the Day. “Now the girls have a close look at what their parents are doing and this may help them to be more self-confident when they are faced with a choice of work."
Schools and many companies support the activity too. Palmers Green High School for girls in north of London, has made the day a necessary part of careers education.
Zarina Bart, 15, from Palmers Green, went with her mother Gwen to her Lawyer's office this year's Take Our Daughters to Work Day. "I learned how to fill in a legal aid form and I read details of a case. Then I went to see the actual trial." she said.
Zarina found it interesting to see her mother at work. “It's really strange seeing Mum at work--running around, getting serious and telling people what to do.” She has always liked this idea of going into law and thinks it likely that she will follow in her mother’s footsteps. Having a chance to see how her mother works has given her more self-confidence.
Experts believe that girls with higher self-confidence aim higher and are more likely to be successful in life. Parents have important effect on the confidence of teenage girls. If parents believe in their daughters and show examples both at work as well as at home for them, this will give a lot of help to girls. Take Our Daughters to Work Day is surely a step in the right direction.
1.The writer’s purpose in writing this text is to ______.
A.tell how the special day for girls came into be.
B.show us the girls can do as well as boys.
C.introduce a special day for girls to us.
D.broaden girls’ view and raise their confidence.
2.According to the chairman of the Our Sons and Daughters Charitable Trust, ______.
A.girls can do as well as boys in any field.
B.girls need more opportunities in society compared to boys.
C.girls will follow their parents’ jobs after watching them work.
D.girls will be more confident than boys due to the special day.
3.A particular mention of Zarina’s story ______.
A.tells what a woman lawyer’s daily work is like
B.serves as an example of how the Day works.
C.shows a successful mother’s effect on the daughter.
D.explains why a girl should go to see mum's office rather than dad.
4.In the text the writer especially suggests the importance of ______.
A.parents’ job.
B.support from society.
C.understanding of the parents.
D.girls’ self-confidence.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
April 27 is Take Our Daughters to Work Day in Britain. Started at first in the United States and brought to Britain in 1994, Take Our Daughters to Work Day has become a special day for girls between 11 and 15. On that day thousands of girls take a day off school and go together with one of their parents to their work places. The purpose of this day is to broaden girls’ horizons and raise their self-confidence .
For many years people have thought that boys can do better than girls in society. But actually, “girls can be whatever they want to be just like boys, whether it is a pilot, a nurse or a chief executive (主管).” says the chairman of the Our Sons and Daughters Charitable Trust, an organization which supported the activity of the Day. “Now the girls have a close look at what their parents are doing and this may help them to be more self-confident when they are faced with a choice of work.”
Schools and many companies support the activity too. Palmers Green High School for girls in north of London, has made the day a necessary part of careers education.
Zarina Bart, 15, from Palmers Green, went with her mother Gwen to her Lawyer’s office this year’s Take Our Daughters to Work Day. “I learned how to fill in a legal aid form and I read details of a case. Then I went to see the actual trial.” she said.
Zarina found it interesting to see her mother at work “It’s really strange seeing Mum at work--running around, getting serious and telling people what to do.” She has always liked this idea of going into law and thinks it likely that she will follow in her mother’s footsteps. Having a chance to see how her mother works has given her more self-confidence.
Experts believe that girls with higher self-confidence aim higher and are more likely to be successful in life. Parents have important effect on the confidence of teenage girls. If parents believe in their daughters and show examples both at work as well as at home for them, this will give a lot of help to girls. Take Our Daughters to Work Day is surely a step in the right direction.
1. The writer’s purpose in writing this text is to ______.
A. broaden girls’ view and raise their confidence
B. introduce to us a special day for girls
C.tell how the special day for girls came into being
D.show us the girls can do as well as boys
2.A particular mention of Zarina’s story ______.
A. shows a successful parents’ effect on the daughter
B. serves as an example of how the Day works
C.tells what a woman lawyer’s daily work is like
D. explains why a girl should go to see mum’s office rather than dad’
3.After seeing her mum at work, Zarina Bart ______.
A. started to work with her mum
B. felt more certain about her future
C.learned how to work as a lawyer
D.decided to become a lawyer
4.In the text the writer especially suggests the importance of ______.
A. support from society
B. understanding of the parents
C. parents ’job
D. girls’ self-confidence
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析