The wheel was one of man’s first inventions and yet it has also proved one of the most useful. So wide and varied are the uses of the wheels, in machines and vehicles of all kinds, that it is difficult to imagine what the world would be like without them. It is surprising to hear it said, therefore, that the wheel’s importance will perhaps be greatly reduced by the end of the century by an invention so new as to be still unnamed.
The invention is a machine the floats above any surface on a cushion of air. The cushion is formed when air is blown into this saucer, the machine rises to a height that may vary from a few inches to a few feet.
Industry is already using one form of the inversion to deal with heavy loads. It can lift them. with ease and since there are no wheels, and therefore no friction , they can be put into motion with the touch of a finger.
The new invention, however , is having a great effect on transport, Not only does it make expensive road systems unnecessary, but it enables vehicles to travel well over land or water. This unique to reach most destinations has given rise to the prediction that wheeled vehicles may be uncommon at the end the century as aeroplanes were at the beginning.
1. The first paragraph tells us that______.
A. the wheel was man’s earliest invention.
B. the wheel’s usefulness has yet to be proved.
C. wide wheels have a variety of important uses.
D. a new invention may make wheels less important.
2. The phrase “with the touch of a finger” in the third paragraph means______.
A. without difficulty B. by electricity .
C. without friction D. by hand.
3. The passage tells us that the new invention __________.
A. is more important for industry than for transport.
B. will one day be used instead of aeroplanes.
C. makes it possible to travel without using roads.
D. will replace wheeled vehicles using roads.
4. According to the passage, the new invention _______.
A. will soon get a name B. can go almost anywhere
C. is lighter than air D. was uncommon a century ago
高二英语阅读理解简单题
The wheel was one of man’s first inventions and yet it has also proved one of the most useful. So wide and varied are the uses of the wheels, in machines and vehicles of all kinds, that it is difficult to imagine what the world would be like without them. It is surprising to hear it said, therefore, that the wheel’s importance will perhaps be greatly reduced by the end of the century by an invention so new as to be still unnamed.
The invention is a machine the floats above any surface on a cushion of air. The cushion is formed when air is blown into this saucer, the machine rises to a height that may vary from a few inches to a few feet.
Industry is already using one form of the inversion to deal with heavy loads. It can lift them. with ease and since there are no wheels, and therefore no friction , they can be put into motion with the touch of a finger.
The new invention, however , is having a great effect on transport, Not only does it make expensive road systems unnecessary, but it enables vehicles to travel well over land or water. This unique to reach most destinations has given rise to the prediction that wheeled vehicles may be uncommon at the end the century as aeroplanes were at the beginning.
1. The first paragraph tells us that______.
A. the wheel was man’s earliest invention.
B. the wheel’s usefulness has yet to be proved.
C. wide wheels have a variety of important uses.
D. a new invention may make wheels less important.
2. The phrase “with the touch of a finger” in the third paragraph means______.
A. without difficulty B. by electricity .
C. without friction D. by hand.
3. The passage tells us that the new invention __________.
A. is more important for industry than for transport.
B. will one day be used instead of aeroplanes.
C. makes it possible to travel without using roads.
D. will replace wheeled vehicles using roads.
4. According to the passage, the new invention _______.
A. will soon get a name B. can go almost anywhere
C. is lighter than air D. was uncommon a century ago
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Wheels are everywhere around you and me, yet no one knows exactly when the first wheel was invented or what it was used for. We do know, however, that they existed over 5,500 years ago in ancient Asia.
The oldest known transport wheel was discovered in 2002 in Slovenia. It is over 5,100 years old. Evidence suggests that wheels for transport didn’t become popular for a while, though. This could be because animals did a perfectly good job of carrying farming tools and humans around.
But it could also be because of a difficult situation. While wheels need to roll on smooth surfaces, roads with smooth surfaces weren't going to be constructed until there was plenty of demand for them. Eventually, road surfaces did become smoother, but this difficult situation appeared again a few centuries later. There had been no important changes in wheel and vehicle design before the arrival of modern road design.
In the mid-1700s,a Frenchman came up with a new design of road--a base layer (层)of large stones covered with a thin layer of smaller stones. A Scotsman improved on this design in the 1820s and a strong, lasting road surface became a reality. At around the same time, metal hubs(the central part of a wheel)came into being, followed by the pneumatic tire (充气轮胎) in 1846. Alloy wheels were invented in 1967, sixty years after the appearance of tarmacked roads(柏油路). As wheel design took off, vehicles go faster and faster.
1.What might be the reason why transport wheels wasn’t that popular for some time?
A. Few knew how to use transport wheels.
B. Humans carried farming tools just as well.
C. Such animals as horses and bulls were still a good means of transport.
D. The existence of transport wheels was not known.
2.How is the last paragraph mainly developed?
A. By giving examples.
B. By following time order
C. By making comparisons.
D. By making classifications.
3.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The beginning of road design.
B. The history of public transport.
C. The developmentt of transport wheels.
D. The invention of fast-moving vehicles.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In many people's opinion, man's first real invention,1.is also one of the most important inventions in history, 2. (be) the wheel. All transportation and every machine in the world depend3.it. The wheel is the4.(simple) yet perhaps the most remarkable of all5.(invention) because there are no wheels in nature. How, then, did man come to invent the wheel? Perhaps some early hunters6. (find) that the body of a heavy animal could be rolled through the forest on logs (圆木) more7. (easy) than they could carry it. However, the logs 8. (them) weighed a lot. It must have taken 9. great prehistoric thinker to imagine two thin slices of log connected at their centers by a strong stick. This would roll along just as the logs did, yet be much lighter and easier10. (handle). Thus the wheel and axle(车轴) came into being and with them the first carts.
高二英语语法填空困难题查看答案及解析
It is probably the strangest sport anyone has ever invented. And at first sight, it looks like the easiest. Competitors have to do two things. The first is to stand still. The second is to place their hands anywhere on the body of a car, and keep it there.
This is where things start getting difficult. Lots of people are doing the same thing. And the winner of the “handathon” contest is the person who can carry on doing it for the longest time. That person gets to own the car.
It still seems to be an easy thing to do. At the beginning it is. Anyone can stand still. But when the contest has been going for four or five days, standing still seems like the most difficult job in the world. And keeping the hand in place over this time becomes an act of serious attention. After a few days, the hand seems to belong to someone else—someone who wants to go home and get some sleep.
Competitors are allowed to take a five-minute break every hour to eat, drink or do whatever else is necessary. No one is allowed to lean on the car for support. Winners need to be able to show great powers of attention. They also need to be able to develop special skills.
Maybe the popularity of the handathon is due to the fact that it is not necessary to be a trained athlete to enter. Entrants in the Longview handathon certainly don't seem to do much preparation. Most say they will prepare by “getting lots of sleep”. Others say they will “eat healthy food” or “pray for success”. The whole event gives ordinary people the chance to do something interesting and win something in the end.
Handathons are competitions, but there is little rivalry(敌对)between competitors. They help each other out and keep each other's spirits up. People who drop out early return with food, drink and encouragement.
1.The reason why the sport is called “handathon” is that competitors ________.
A. cover a long distance B. keep hands in place for long
C. wave hands as long as possible D. do the same thing as in a marathon
2.What ability is likely to be needed most in a handathon?
A. Standing without any support. B. Not leaning on the car.
C. Eating and drinking in five minutes. D. Having strong powers of attention.
3.What is the writer’s opinion about handathon?
A. It is not as easy as it looks at first.
B. It is the easiest of all sports.
C. It can purify people’s spirits.
D. It is not good competing in a handathon.
4.Which of the following about handathon is not right?
A. The person who takes part in it should stand still.
B. The person who takes part in it has to place his hands anywhere on the body of a car, and keep it there.
C. The person who takes part in it can have a break during the course of the competition.
D. Handathons are competitions where competitors seldom encourage each other.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Why hasn’t the man begun Christmas shopping yet?
A. He has no money.
B. It’s still the early of November.
C. He has no time.
高二英语短对话简单题查看答案及解析
The Segway Human Transporter was invented by Dean Kamen.It is a two-wheeled vehicle designed for a single rider standing upright over its single axle(轴) and navigate using a set of handlebars resembling those on a bicycle.Electrically powered, it could travel over 15 miles on a single charge and reach speeds up to twelve miles per hour.Its speed and direction can be controlled by riders' changing their weights.
A college dropout and self-taught engineer, Kamen already held over 100 patents for his inventions when he developed the one he hoped would revolutionize short-distance travel.While still in college, Kamen started developing the medical devices (设备) that made his name.Later, he changed focus to the challenges faced by wheelchair users.His robotic wheelchair known as IBOT could climb stairs.This robot ended up paving the way for the Segway.
Before showing his most recent invention, Kamen had kept it a top secret for months.When it turned out to be little more than a motor scooter, many publicly expressed their disappointment.On closer examination, however, even his critics(批评家) had to admit that the vehicle was an engineering achievement.It answered the prayers of anyone who is worn out when walking downtown.Not everyone welcomed the Segway's arrival, though.Some complained it was too expensive, while others said it would further weaken the average American ' s fitness.A Japanese inventor even accused Kamen of stealing the idea for the Segway from him.
Despite the controversy, the U.S.postal service began using Kamen's invention a month after its appearance, and a factory was built with plans to produce about 40,000 Segways every month.The argument is still on whether the Segway will be remembered as the greatest invention since the light bulb, or just another forgettable electronic device.Anyway, trips to the local supermarket will never be the same again.
1.Which statement best describes the critics' reaction to the Segway?
A.Nothing but an electrical device.
B.A disappointing engineering mistake.
C.An expensive and disappointing invention.
D.Disappointing, but still a successful device.
2.Which is not a feature of the Segway?
A.One person at a time can ride on it.
B.It has two wheels with a single axle.
C.It is powered by electricity and can go up to 12mph.
D.Riders increase the speed by moving the handlebars
3.Some people expressed dissatisfaction with the Segway because of its______.
A.high cost B.danger to traffic
C.being difficult to use D.contribution to laziness
4.Shortly after the Segway appeared, there were _________.
A.hopes for a larger model of it
B.no plans to do anything more with it
C.some discussions on the unforgettable device
D.plans to make tens of thousands of them a month
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is amazing to note that the Internet is still such a new device,and yet it is one of the fastest and most powerful media tools. But think about it for a moment. On the Internet, a big online company can be run by only two guys in their garage. So it is only reasonable then, that people shopping online would be a little leery of the security levels.
Internet giants such as Microsoft knew consumer confidence was the key to getting virtual shopping off the ground, and they work hard to make people feel safe to shop online.
Credit card companies, too, quickly saw the potential for online shopping, and have installed things like online shopping insurance for people. If you ever have a problem with your online credit purchases, many credit card companies will happily refund your money and then set their claws on the company that wronged you. Now that’s buying power!
There are other bonuses for online shoppers, of course. No line-ups, for one. No annoying mall shopping carts with broken wheels and kids crying because their parents won’t get them what they want.
When shopping online, consumers can sit down, have a coffee, and wear their slippers, not having to worry about their hair or parking, and just clicking through sale after sale. Comparison shopping couldn’t be any easier. And thanks to courier companies(快递公司)getting in on the act, you never need to wait longer than a day or two to get those all important purchases delivered right to your door.
No wonder so many companies are shaking their heads at traditional advertising and instead looking to the “virtual” world to attract online shoppers.
1.The underlined word leery means _________.
A. distrustful B. confident
C. hopeful D. disappointed
2.Consumer confidence in online shopping mainly relies on _________.
A. shopping freedom B. shopping convenience
C. Internet access D. Shopping security
3.Which groups of words would the writer use to describe current online shopping?
A. Adventurous, enjoyable, fast, unreal
B. Unsafe, cheap, slow, convenient
C. Safe, convenient, fast, comfortable
D. Reliable, popular, convenient, slow
4.The following companies are thought to have made contributions to the popularity of online shopping EXCEPT ________.
A. Internet companies
B. advertising companies
C. courier companies
D. credit card companies
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A cellphone is one of the few things that we hold close to our faces all the time, and yet it could possibly explode - this is what made the recent Samsung’s Galaxy Note 7 smart-phone accidents so shocking.
According to technology news website The Verge, flawed(有瑕疵的)phone batteries might be to blame.
Even if you are not a science student, you probably know that it is common sense that the anode (the negative(负的)end of the battery) and the cathode (the positive end) should never touch. If they do, the battery will short-circuit(短路), causing a powerful electrical reaction that can destroy the battery and cause a fire.
This is why all lithium-ion(锂离子)batteries - the kind that can be found in many of our devices like tablets and cameras - have a separator layer inside to stop the two ends from touching one another.
But somehow, the separators in some of the Samsung phones broke, causing explosions.
Overcharging is another problem that can make batteries heat up quickly. Fortunately, most batteries are designed to be able to automatically stop charging once they are fully charged. But again, this somehow failed to happen in some of the Samsung phones.
The two “somehows” may sound random(随机的)and hard to explain. But they actually both come from the fact that phone producers have been pushing the limits of batteries to meet customers’ demand for a longer battery life.
According to Lynden Archer, a materials scientist at Cornell University, US, we have already achieved 90 percent of the battery life possible from a lithium-ion battery. Customers’ demand that their devices get thinner has also given producers little choice but to try to put more power into thinner batteries.
“The more energy you put into a box, the more dangerous it’s going to be,” Billy Wu, a lecturer at Imperial College London, told The Guardian.
A thinner battery also means producers have to use thinner material for separators, and thinner material has more chance of breaking.
1.A separator layer is put in lithium-ion batteries in order to ___________.
A. ensure a longer battery life
B. prevent a battery from short circuiting
C. connect the anode and the cathode
D. reduce a certain electrical reaction
2.What are the direct reasons for the Samsung phone explosions?
A. Short circuiting and overheating
B. Pushing the limits of batteries
C. Overcharging and thinner batteries
D. Automatic charging and broken separators
3.Lynden Archer’s comments indicate that ___________.
A. demands for thinner cellphones are unreasonable
B. lithium-ion batteries can’t hold much more power than that they do now
C. producers can use 10 percent of a lithium-ion battery
D. new material for batteries is needed to meet consumers’ demands
4.What is the writer’s main purpose of writing the article?
A. To describe problems facing cellphone producers
B. To explain the reasons for the Samsung phone explosions
C. To teach us common sense when it comes to batteries
D. To warn us about the dangers of lithium-ion batteries
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
One of the greatest contributions to the first Oxford English Dictionary was also one of its most unusual. In 1879, Oxford University in England asked Prof. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language. It would include every English word possible and would give not only the definition but also the history of the word and quotations (引文) showing how it was used.
This was a huge task. So Murray had to find volunteers from Britain, the United States, and the British colonies to search every newspaper, magazine, and book ever written in English. Hundreds of volunteers responded, including William Chester Minor. Dr. Minor was an American Surgeon who had served in the Civil War and was now living in England. He gave his address as "Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berkshire," 50 miles from Oxford.
Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray. Over the next years, he became one of the staff's most valued contributors.
But he was also a mystery. In spite of many invitations, he would always decline(拒绝) to visit Oxford. So in 1897, Murray finally decided to travel to Crowthorne himself. When he arrived, he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell(地窖) at the Broadmoor Asylum (精神病院) for the Criminally insane.
Murray and Minor became friends, sharing their love of words. Minor continued contributing to the dictionary, sending in more than 10,000 submissions in 20 years. Murray continued to visit Minor regularly, sometimes taking walks with him around the asylum grounds.
In 1910, Minor left Broadmoor for an asylum in his native America. Murray was at the port to wave goodbye to his remarkable friend.
Minor died in 1920, seven years before the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed. The 12 volumes defined(下定义) 414,825 words, and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient.
1.According to the text, the first Oxford English Dictionary ________.
A.came out before Minor died |
B.was edited by an American volunteer |
C.included the English words invented by Murray |
D.was intended to be the most ambitious English dictionary |
2.How did Dr. Minor contribute to the dictionary?
A.He helped Murray to find hundreds of volunteers. |
B.He sent newspapers, magazines and books to Murray. |
C.He provided a great number of words and quotations. |
D.He went to England to work with Murray. |
3. Prof. Murray and Dr. Minor became friends mainly because ________.
A.they both served in the Civil War | B.they had a common interest in words |
C.Minor recovered with the help of Murray | D.Murray went to America regularly to visit Minor |
4.What does the text mainly talk about?
A.The history of the English language. | B.The friendship between Murray and Minor |
C.Minor and the first Oxford English Dictionary | D.Broadmoor Asylum and his patients |
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
One of the greatest contributions to the first Oxford English Dictionary was also one of its most unusual. In 1879, Oxford University in England asked Prof. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language. It would include every English word possible and would give not only the definition but also the history of the word and quotations (引文) showing how it was used.
This was a huge task, so Murray had to find volunteers from Britain, the United States, and the British colonies to search every newspaper, magazine, and book ever written in English. Hundreds of volunteers responded, including William Chester Minor. Dr. Minor was an American surgeon who had served in the Civil War and was now living in England. He gave his address as “Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berkshire,” 50 miles from Oxford.
Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray. Over the next 17 years, he became one of the staff’s most valued contributors.
But he was also a mystery. In spite of many invitations, he would always decline to visit Oxford. So in 1897, Murray finally decided to travel to Crowthorne himself. When he arrived, he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell at the Broadmoor Asylum (精神病院) for the Criminally Insane.
Murray and Minor became friends, sharing their love of words. Minor continued contributing to the dictionary, sending in more than 10,000 submissions in 20 years. Murray continued to visit Minor regularly, sometimes taking walks with him around the asylum grounds.
In 1910, Minor left Broadmoor for an asylum in his native America. Murray was at the port to wave
goodbye to his remarkable friend.
Minor died in 1920, seven years before the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed. The 12 volumes defined 414,825 words, and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient.
1.According to the text, the first Oxford English Dictionary _________.
A. came out before minor died
B. was edited by an American volunteer
C. was intended to be the most ambitious English dictionary Murray
D. included the English words invented by Murray
2.How did Dr. Minor contributed to the dictionary?
A. He helped Murray to find hundreds of volunteers.
B. He sent newspapers, magazines and books to Murray.
C. He went to England to work with Murray.
D. He provided a great number of words and quotations
3.Why did Dr. Minor refuse to visit Oxford?
A. He lived far from Oxford
B. He was shut in an asylum
C. He was busy writing a book
D. He disliked traveling
4.Prof. Murray and Dr. Minor became friends mainly because __________.
A. They had a common interest in words
B. They both served in the Civil War
C. Minor recovered with the help of Murray
D. Murray went to America regularly to visit Minor
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析