I’m a storyteller. And I would like to tell y...

I’m a storyteller. And I would like to tell you a few personal stories.

I grew up reading British and American children’s books. When I began to write, I wrote exactly the kinds of stories I was reading: All my characters were white and blue-eyed, they ate apples and talked a lot about the weather, despite the fact that I lived in Nigeria. We ate mangoes, and we never talked about the weather. Because all I had read were books in which characters were foreign, I had become convinced that books by their very nature had to have foreigners in them. Things changed when I discovered African books. Because of writers like Chinua Achebe and Camara Laye, I went through a mental shift in my idea of literature. I realized that people like me, girls with skin the color of chocolate, could also exist in literature. I started to write about things I recognized. So what the discovery of African writers did for me was this: It saved me from having a single story of what books are. The year I turned eight, we got a new house boy Fide from a nearby rural village. The only thing my mother told us about him was that his family was very poor. And when I didn’t finish my dinner, my mother would say, “Finish your food! Don’t you know? People like Fide’s family have nothing.” So I felt enormous pity for Fide’s family. Then one Saturday, we went to his village to visit, and his mother showed us a beautifully patterned basket that his brother had made. I was astonished. It had not occurred to me that anybody in his family could actually make something. Their poverty was my single story of them.

Years later, when I left Nigeria to go to university in the United States, my American roommate asked where I had learned to speak English so well, and was confused when I said that Nigeria happened to have English as its official language. What struck me was this: She had felt sorry for me even before she saw me. My roommate had a single story of Africa: a single story of catastrophe.

Of course, Africa is a continent full of catastrophes. But there are other stories that are not about catastrophe, and it is very important, it is just as important, to talk about them. The consequence of the single story is this: It robs people of dignity. It makes our recognition of our equal humanity difficult. It emphasizes how we are different rather than how we are similar.

So what if my mother had told us that Fide’s family was poor and hardworking? What if we had an African television network that broadcast diverse African stories all over the world? What if my roommate knew about my Nigerian publisher, Muhtar Bakare, a remarkable man who left his job in a bank to follow his dream and start a publishing house? What if my roommate knew about my friend Funmi Iyanda, a fearless woman who hosts a TV show, and is determined to tell the stories that we prefer to forget?

My Nigerian publisher and I have just started a non-profit called Farafina Trust, and we have big dreams of building libraries and providing books for state schools, and also of organizing lots of workshops in reading and writing, for all the people who are eager to tell our many stories.

Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity. When we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise.

1.What is probably people’s first impression of the writer when it comes to her nationality?

A.She mainly eats apples and mangoes.

B.She may not speak fluent English.

C.She comes from a place free of catastrophes.

D.She prefers stories based on foreign characters.

2.The underlined phrase “a mental shift” in Paragraph 2 refers to the writer’s ________.

A.discovery of African books with characters of her skin color

B.acquaintance with local African writers like Chinua Achebe

C.realization that not only foreign characters exist in literature

D.change that she started to write about things she recognized

3.How many personal stories has the writer mentioned in the passage?

A.Two. B.Three.

C.Four. D.Five.

4.The writer uses several single stories in the passage to illustrate that the single story ________.

A.matters in keeping listeners well informed

B.tends to convey a prejudiced idea to listeners

C.gets increasingly popular among story tellers

D.fails to produce a lasting effect on listeners

5.The writer lists many “what ifs” in Paragraph 6 to ________.

A.emphasize our differences rather than similarities

B.indicate the way that stories are used to break dignity

C.show the hardship of recognizing our equal humanity

D.stress the importance of telling diverse, balanced stories

6.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A.The danger of the single story B.The importance of telling stories

C.The single stories that matter D.Stories that can repair broken dignity

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

I’m a storyteller. And I would like to tell you a few personal stories.

I grew up reading British and American children’s books. When I began to write, I wrote exactly the kinds of stories I was reading: All my characters were white and blue-eyed, they ate apples and talked a lot about the weather, despite the fact that I lived in Nigeria. We ate mangoes, and we never talked about the weather. Because all I had read were books in which characters were foreign, I had become convinced that books by their very nature had to have foreigners in them. Things changed when I discovered African books. Because of writers like Chinua Achebe and Camara Laye, I went through a mental shift in my idea of literature. I realized that people like me, girls with skin the color of chocolate, could also exist in literature. I started to write about things I recognized. So what the discovery of African writers did for me was this: It saved me from having a single story of what books are. The year I turned eight, we got a new house boy Fide from a nearby rural village. The only thing my mother told us about him was that his family was very poor. And when I didn’t finish my dinner, my mother would say，“Finish your food! Don’t you know? People like Fide’s family have nothing.” So I felt enormous pity for Fide’s family. Then one Saturday, we went to his village to visit, and his mother showed us a beautifully patterned basket that his brother had made. I was astonished. It had not occurred to me that anybody in his family could actually make something. Their poverty was my single story of them.

Years later, when I left Nigeria to go to university in the United States, my American roommate asked where I had learned to speak English so well, and was confused when I said that Nigeria happened to have English as its official language. What struck me was this: She had felt sorry for me even before she saw me. My roommate had a single story of Africa: a single story of catastrophe.

Of course, Africa is a continent full of catastrophes. But there are other stories that are not about catastrophe, and it is very important, it is just as important, to talk about them. The consequence of the single story is this: It robs people of dignity. It makes our recognition of our equal humanity difficult. It emphasizes how we are different rather than how we are similar.

So what if my mother had told us that Fide’s family was poor and hardworking? What if we had an African television network that broadcast diverse African stories all over the world? What if my roommate knew about my Nigerian publisher, Muhtar Bakare, a remarkable man who left his job in a bank to follow his dream and start a publishing house? What if my roommate knew about my friend Funmi Iyanda, a fearless woman who hosts a TV show, and is determined to tell the stories that we prefer to forget?

My Nigerian publisher and I have just started a non-profit called Farafina Trust, and we have big dreams of building libraries and providing books for state schools, and also of organizing lots of workshops in reading and writing, for all the people who are eager to tell our many stories.

Stories matter. Many stories matter. Stories can break the dignity of a people, but stories can also repair that broken dignity. When we realize that there is never a single story about any place, we regain a kind of paradise.

1.What is probably people’s first impression of the writer when it comes to her nationality?

A. She mainly eats apples and mangoes.

B. She may not speak fluent English.

C. She comes from a place free of catastrophes.

D. She prefers stories based on foreign characters.

2.The underlined phrase “a mental shift” in Paragraph 2 refers to the writer’s____.

A. discovery of African books with characters of her skin color

B. acquaintance with local African writers like Chinua Achebe

C. realization that not only foreign characters exist in literature

D. change that she started to write about things she recognized

3.How many personal stories has the writer mentioned in the passage?

A. Two.　　 B. Three.　　 C. Four.　　 D. Five.

4.The writer uses several single stories in the passage to illustrate that the single story____.

A. matters in keeping listeners well informed

B. tends to convey a prejudiced idea to listeners

C. gets increasingly popular among story tellers

D. fails to produce a lasting effect on listeners

5.The writer lists many “what ifs” in Paragraph 6 to____.

A. emphasize our differences rather than similarities

B. indicate the way that stories are used to break dignity

C. show the hardship of recognizing our equal humanity

D. stress the importance of telling diverse, balanced stories

6.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A. The danger of the single story　　 B. The importance of telling stories

C. The single stories that matter　　 D. Stories that can repair broken dignity

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Listen carefully; we would like to tell you something that could save your precious time and money! Best of all, it is free! It’s “no”. What do you ask? We’ll say it again. “No”. Sweet and simple “no”.

Say “no” at your office and see how quickly that pile of work on your desk disappears. “Saying “no” to others means you are saying “yes” to yourself,” said Leslie Charles, a professional speaker from East Lansing, Michigan.

Susie Watson, a famous writer, said people who always say “yes” need to say “no” without guilt （内疚） or fear of punishment.  “I would rather have someone give me a loving ‘no’ than an obligated （强制的）‘yes’”, she said.

Susie Watson says she feels “no” obligation to give an explanation when she says “no” either socially or professionally. Does she feel guilty about it? “Not at all,” said Watson, who is director of advertising and public relations at Timex Corp in Middle-bury. “Most people are afraid of saying “no”. My advice is to say “yes” only if you don’t mean ‘no’.”

Watson said “no” is the most effective weapon against wasting time. “Every year there are more demands on your time. Other people are happy to use up your time,” Watson said. Time saving appears to be “no’s” greatest friend. “No” can be your new friend, a powerful tool to take back your life. “No” may even take you further in the business world than “yes”. “No” is power and strength. “No” now seems completely correct. “Saying ‘no’ isn’t easy. But finally it’s greatly liberating,” Charles said. But, he added, a “no” project needs to be worked on every day because it is hard to change long-term habit.

But, he also warns: “Don’t go to extremes.  Don’t find yourself saying “no” to everything. In return you should learn to hear “no”.”

1. The underlined part “saying ‘yes’ to yourself” in the second paragragh means ________.

A. you can have more time to play with others

B. you needn’t care about other’s feeling if you are happy

C. you are selfish and treat others rudely

D. you can deal with your business as you have planned

2. When you say “no” to others you should say it in a ________.

A. secret way     B. polite way         C. proud way        D. guilty way

3 In Watson’s opinion, people can save much time on condition that ________.

A. they say “no” at a suitable time        B. they say “no” as much as possible

C. they are afraid of saying “no”         D. they make others angry at them

4. If a person says “no” to everything, the result he or she receives may be that he or she ________.

A. enjoys a wonderful life              B. makes a lot of money

C. faces difficulty in life                D. forgets to say “yes” in the end

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Listen carefully; we would like to tell you something that could save your precious time and money! Best of all, it is free! It’s “no”. What do you ask? We’ll say it again. “No”. Sweet and simple “no”.

Say “no” at your office and see how quickly that pile of work on your desk disappears. “Saying “no” to others means you are saying “yes” to yourself,” said Leslie Charles, a professional speaker from East Lansing, Michigan.

Susie Watson, a famous writer, said people who always say “yes” need to say “no” without guilt （内疚） or fear of punishment.  “I would rather have someone give me a loving ‘no’ than an obligated （强制的）‘yes’”, she said.

Susie Watson says she feels “no” obligation to give an explanation when she says “no” either socially or professionally. Does she feel guilty about it? “Not at all,” said Watson, who is director of advertising and public relations at Timex Corp in Middle-bury. “Most people are afraid of saying “no”. My advice is to say “yes” only if you don’t mean ‘no’.”

Watson said “no” is the most effective weapon against wasting time. “Every year there are more demands on your time. Other people are happy to use up your time,” Watson said. Time saving appears to be “no’s” greatest friend. “No” can be your new friend, a powerful tool to take back your life. “No” may even take you further in the business world than “yes”. “No” is power and strength. “No” now seems completely correct. “Saying ‘no’ isn’t easy. But finally it’s greatly liberating,” Charles said. But, he added, a “no” project needs to be worked on every day because it is hard to change long-term habit.

But, he also warns: “Don’t go to extremes.  Don’t find yourself saying “no” to everything. In return you should learn to hear “no”.”

53. The underlined part “saying ‘yes’ to yourself” in the second paragraph means ______.

A. you can have more time to play with others

B. you needn’t care about other’s feeling if you are happy

C. you are selfish and treat others rudely

D. you can deal with your business as you have planned

54. When you say “no” to others you should say it in a ______.

A. secret way     B. polite way         C. proud way        D. guilty way

55 In Watson’s opinion, people can save much time on condition that ______.

A. they say “no” at a suitable time        B. they say “no” as much as possible

C. they are afraid of saying “no”         D. they make others angry at them

56. If a person says “no” to everything, the result he or she receives may be that he or she _____.

A. enjoys a wonderful life              B. makes a lot of money

C. faces difficulty in life                D. forgets to say “yes” in the end

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Most people, when they travel to space, would like to stay in orbit for a few days of more. And this stands to reason, if you’re paying $20,000 for your trip to orbit! Strain order for tourism to reach its full potential there’s going to be a need for orbital accommodation---or space hotels. What would a space hotel actually be like to visit? Hotels in orbit will offer the services you expect from a hotel------private rooms, meals, bars. But they’ll also offer two unique experiences: impressive views----of Earth and space---and the endless entertainment of living in zero gravity---including sports and other activities that make use of this.

The hotels themselves will vary greatly----from being quite simple in the early days to huge luxury structure at a later date. It’s actually surprising that as later as 1997, very few designs for space hotels were published. This is mainly because those who might be expected to design them haven’t expected launch costs to come down far enough to make them possible.

Lots of people who’ve been to space have described vividly what it’s like to live in zero gravity. There are obviously all sort of possibilities for dancing, gymnastics, and zero-G sports. Luckily, you don’t need to sleep much living in zero gravity, so you’ll have plenty of time for relaxing by hanging out in a bar with a window looking down at the turning Earth below.

Of course all good things have come to an end. Unfortunately, And so after a few days you’ll find yourself heading back enough you’ll be much more expert at exercising in zero gravity than you were when you arrived. You’ll be thinking how soon you can save up enough to get back up again---or maybe you should change jobs to get to work in an orbiting hotel.

1.When traveling in space, most people would like to stay in orbit for a few days because _______.

2.Which of the following is a unique experience that space hotels will offer?

3.Which of the following is not discussed in the passage?

4.This passage is mainly about ________.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

I don’t know for sure how many of you would like to settle here ---- it is a(n) ______ of   personal preference.

A．affair             B．event             C．matter            D．taste

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

. — I’m going to attend a job interview. Would you like to tell me something about your experience?

— ______. Let me tell after class.

A. That’s all right                           B. Of course                         C. Go ahead                         D. It just depends

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Common sense would tell us that physically active children may be more likely to become active and healthy adults.

In the United States, elementary and middle schools are advised to give students two and a half hours of physical activity a week. That is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Heart Association recommend. They say high schools should provide about four hours of physical activity each week.

Yet many schools across the country have reduced their physical education programs. Just this week, a study reported that lifeexpectancy has fallen or is no longer increasing in some parts of the United States. The situation is worst among poor people in the southern states, and especially women. Public health researchers say it is largely the result of increases in fatness, smoking and high blood pressure. They also blame differences in health services around the country.

In 2006, a study found that only four percent of primary schools provided daily physical education all year for all grades. This was true of eight percent of middle schools and two percent of high schools. The study also found that twenty-two percent of all schools did not require students to take any P.E.

Charlene Burgeson , a health expert says one problem for P.E. teachers is that schools are under pressure to put more time into academic subjects. Also, parents may agree that children need exercise in school. Yet many parents today still have bad memories of being chosen last for teams because teachers favored the good athletes in class.

But experts say P.E. classes have changed. They say the goal has moved away from competition and toward personal performance, as a way to build a lifetime of activity. These days, teachers often lead activities like weight training and yoga.

Some parents like the idea of avoiding competitive sports in P.E. class. Yet others surely dislike that idea. In the end, schools may find themselves in a no-win situation.

1.The underlined word “expectancy” in Paragraph 3 probably means “”

A．quality            B．length            C．exception         D．depth

2.According to the passage which of the following may not lead to poor health?

A．Fatness.           B．Smoking           C．High blood pressure. D．Health service

3.What can be inferred after you read this passage?

A．Physical activities are becoming more and more popular in American schools.

B．All the schools provided daily physical education all year for all students.

C．Parents think children need physical education for their bad memories.

D．Students spent less time on physical education for academic pressure.

4.What is the main idea about this passage?

A．P.E. is the most important subject for all students.

B．P.E has changed its goal for some reasons in America.

C．It introduces us the present situation of P.E in American schools and its cause.

D．P.E can help students improve their academic subjects.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Listen carefully, working people, we would like to tell you something that could save your precious time and money! Best of all, it is free!

It’s “no”.

What do you ask? We’ll say it again: “No”.

Sweet and simple “no”.

Say “no” at your office and see how quickly that pile of work on your desk disappears.

“Saying ‘no’ to others means you are saying ‘yes’ to yourself, ” said Leslie Charles, a professional speaker from East Lansing, Michigan.

“Time is precious. People are spending money buying time. And yet we are willing to give up our time because we can’t say ‘no’.”

Susie Watson, a famous writer, said people who always say “yes” need to say “no” without guilt(内疚)or fear of punishment. “I would rather have someone give me a loving ‘no’ than an obligated(强制的) ‘yes’, ” she said.

Susie Watson says she feels “no” obligation to give an explanation when she says “no” either socially or professionally. Does she feel guilty about it? “Not at all, ” said Watson, who is director of advertising and public relations at Timex Corp in Middlebury, Connecticut. “Most people are afraid of saying ‘no’advice is to say ‘yes’ only if you don’t mean ‘no’.” Watson said “no” is the most effective weapon against wasting time. “Every year there are more demands on your time… Other people are happy to use up your time, ” Watson said. Time saving appears to be “no’s” greatest friend.

“No” can be your new friend, a powerful tool to take back your life. “No” may even take you further in the business world than “yes”.

“No” is power and strength. “No” now seems completely correct. “Saying ‘no’ isn’t easy. But finally it’s greatly liberating,” Charles said. But, he added, a “no” project needs to be worked on every day because it is hard to change long-term habit.

But, he also warns: “Don’t go to extremes. Don’t find yourself saying ‘no’ to everything. In return you should learn to hear ‘no’.”

1..

The sentence “Saying ‘yes’ to yourself” means _______.

2..

When you say “no” to others you should say it in a _______.

3..

. In Watson’s opinion, people can save much time on condition that _______.

4..

. If a person says “no” to everything, the result he or she receive may be that he or she _______.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Dear Students,

I am delighted to be your guest.

I would like to tell you about myself. I have been a news reporter for the past fifteen years. I chose this job so I could travel the world, but the job has taught me many unforgettable lessons. The work is sometimes difficult. I have seen famines, wars, earthquakes, poverty and death. But I have also seen courage, hope and happiness.

In India, I visited a city where there were many homeless children. Some were as young as four years old. They lived in the streets and survived by begging or stealing. But then a wonderful lady called Rosa opened a home for them. Within one year, she was looking after two hundred children. She clothed them, fed them, and taught them. She gave them hope.

Another time, I was in Turkey after a terrible earthquake, in one place. I found an old lady whose house was in ruins, her son was missing and rescue workers said there was no chance that he was still alive. But the old lady did not give up hope. For four days, she moved heavy stones one at a time by herself. She did not stop until she found her son. He was alive.

Here in China, I met a young boy with a serious condition. He had undergone twenty operations and spent nearly his whole life in hospital. I thought he would be sad, but when I met him, his smile was so warm and welcoming.

In life, we need role models that we can admire and learn from. When my life is difficult, I try to remember the courage and goodness of these three people.

1.The speaker is giving a speech to students in ________.

A．India             B．Canada           C．Turkey            D．China

2.The underlined word “ famine ” in Paragraph 2 means ________.

A．extreme lack of food B．joy               C．luck              D．pleasure

3.What can we learn about Rosa?

A．She’s a rich lady and she likes to help the homeless children.

B．She’s a great mother and she looks after the homeless children.

C．She’s a kind-hearted woman and she provides houses for the homeless children.

D．She’s a good teacher and she teaches the homeless children.

4.For what does the speaker admire the Turkish woman and the Chinese boy?

A．Their bravery.      B．Their luck.         C．Their age.         D．Their strong mind.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析