Walk down any British shopping street and you...

Walk down any British shopping street and you will find shops with strange names. Why is the barbers called "Shearlock Combs"? Why is the opticians (眼镜店)called "Eyediology"? And who decided to name the butchers "Meat you there" and the fish and chip shop "The Plaice to Come"? What's going on?

The British love puns (双关语)----as do many other nationalities. Puns are jokes based on words that sound the same. You've probably noticed that many words in English which are spelt in different ways and have different meanings are pronounced in the same way. Think about the name of the restaurant: "plaice" is a kind of fish, so our restaurant is "the place" to eat fish. Butchers sell meat ——so we'll "meet you there" ——and opticians look after our eyes in a scientific way --- so eyed-iology (ideology) is a name that fits. Hairdressers shear (cut) your locks (hair) and comb it —— say the three words together quickly and you have the name of a famous detective. In shop titles and adverts, puns are used to get our attention.

Puns are very old. The ancient Egyptians and Romans liked to pun. Shakespeare uses many puns in his plays ——King Richard the Third (the son of York) brings "glorious summer" ——just think about a word that has the same sound as son.

Many people enjoy a good pun (pun / fun for all the family! ) —— others hate them. Puns aren't really designed to make you laugh. Here are some puns that might leave you asking for no more puns. Have you heard about the bears who voted in the North Pole? Or the cheetah (猎豹) who couldn't be trusted at cards? Or how about the clever little Australian animal that had lots of koalaifications or the camel with no humps (驼峰) that was called Humphrey (and so was free of humps ... ).

Puns can be funny, but they sometimes make important points. Here' s a fashion tip: "skinny genes make skinny jeans": so don't worry if your jeans don't fit --- it's your family's fault!

1.Where can you probably enjoy fish and chips, judging from the name?

A.Shearlock Combs. B.Eyediology.

C.The Plaice to Come D.Meat you there.

2.Why are puns often used in shop titles and adverts?

A.It's a long-established tradition.

B.They help create a relaxed atmosphere.

C.They show the products are of high quality.

D.They are good for catching people's attention.

3.How does the author make his point in the text?

A.By giving examples. B.By making comparisons.

C.By following the order of time. D.By describing causes and effects.

4.What is the author' s main purpose in writing the text?

A.To compare the use of puns in different countries.

B.To introduce some popular puns in Britain.

C.To stress it is important to understand puns.

D.To explain why puns are common in Britain.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Walk down any British shopping street and you will find shops with strange names. Why is the opticians (眼镜店) called “Eyediology”? And who decided to name the butchers (肉铺) “Meat you there” ? What’s going on?

Puns are jokes based on words that sound the same. You’ve probably noticed that many words in English which are spelt in different ways and have different meanings are pronounced in the same way. Think about the name of the restaurant: “plaice” is a kind of fish so our restaurant is “the place” to eat fish. Butchers sell meat – so we’ll “meet you there” – and opticians look after our eyes in a scientific way – so eyed – iology (ideology) is a name that fits. Hairdressers shear (cut) your locks (hair) and comb it – say the three words together quickly and you have the name of a famous detective. In shop titles and adverts, puns are used to get our attention.

Puns are very old. The ancient Egyptians and Romans liked to pun. Shakespeare uses many puns in his plays – King Richard the Third (the son of York) brings “glorious summer” – just think about a word that has the same sound as son.

Many people enjoy a good pun (pun / fun for all the family!) – others hate them. Puns aren’t really designed to make you laugh. Here are some puns that might leave you asking for no more puns please. Have you heard about the bears who voted in the North Poll? Or the cheetah (印度豹) who couldn’t be trusted at cards? Or how about the clever little Australian animal that had lots of koalaifications or the camel (骆驼) with no humps (驼峰) that was called Humphrey (and so was free of humps...)

Puns can be funny but they sometimes make important points. Here’s a fashion tip: “skinny genes make skinny jeans”: so don’t worry if your jeans don’t fit . Look at your parents!

1.Where can you probably enjoy fish and chips, judging from the name?

A. Shearlock Combs.

B. Eyediology.

C. The Plaice to Come.

D. Meat you there.

2.Why King Richard the Third used “glorious summer” to describe himself?

A. Because he thought he is as hot as summer.

B. Because he thought he is the greastest son of the King York.

C. Because it sounds like the word “son”.

D. Because he was born in summer.

3.How does the author make his point in the article?

A. By giving examples.

B. By making comparisons.

C. By following the order of time.

D. By describing causes and effects.

4.In the last paragraph, the fashion tip want express that ______.

A. Buy a tight-fitting jeans can help you stay in shape.

B. Your genes decide what jeans you like

C. It’s your family’s fault to be too fat to put the jeans on.

D. Jeans consist of your different genes.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

In every British town, large and small, you will find shops that sell second-hand goods. Sometimes such shops deal mostly in furniture, sometimes in books, sometimes in ornaments and household goods, sometimes even in clothes.

The furniture may often be “antique”, and it may well have changed hands many times. It may also be very valuable, although the most valuable piece will usually go to the London salerooms, where one piece might well be sold for hundreds of thousands of pounds. As you look around these shops and see the polished wood of chests and tables, you cannot help thinking of those long-dead hands which polished that wood, of those now-closed eyes which once looked at these pieces with love.

The books, too, may be antique and  very precious; some may be rare first printings. Often when someone dies or has to move house, his books may all be sold, so that sometimes you may find whole libraries in one shop. On the border between England and Wales, there is a town which has become a huge bookshop as well.Even the cinema and castle have been taken over, and now books have replaced sheep as the town’s main trsde.

There are also much more humble shops, sometimes simply called “junk shops”, where you can buy small household pieces very cheaply. Sometimes the profits from these shops go to charity. Even these pieces, though, can make you feel sad; you think of those people who once treasured them, but who have moved on, to another country or to death.

Although the British do not worship their ancestors, they do treasure the past and the things of the past. This is true of houses as well. These days no one knocks them down; they are restored until they are often better than new. In Britain, people do not buy something just because it is new. Old things are treasured for their proven worth; new things have to prove themselves before they are accepted.

1.Books found in second-hand book shops may _____.

A．be copies of the earliest printing                 B．be on sale for the first time

C．never be worth very much                     D．never be rare

2.Second-hand goods sometimes fill you with sadness because_____.

A．they are too expensive for average buyers

B．they remind you of the original owner

C．they are now neglected

D．they are sold for charity

3.Which of the following word can best take the place of the word “antique” in the second paragraph?

A．invention               B．possession             C．material                 D．relic

4.According to the passage, the British people_____.

A．do not respect old things because they are not fashionable

B．like to build new houses simply because it is fashionable to do so

C．like to buy new things because they are fashionable

D．do not like to buy things simply because they are fashionable

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Look on almost any street comer in America and you will see a fast food shop, the McDonald’s. Did you ever wonder why the McDonald's is so successful everywhere you go?

It certainly doesn't lie in the price of the food or the customer service there. If you stop for lunch at an airport McDonald's，half the continent away, the meal will be almost the same as the lunch you could order at the McDonald's that's closest to your home. What's more, anytime you eat at a McDonald's, you may feel nostalgia (怀旧之情)because the tastes are so similar to your first Happy Meal when you were a child.

The success of the McDonald's, which truly set the stage for other franchise (特许经销权) businesses all over the world, is owed to Ray Kroc. Ray，in 1954, partnered with Dick and Maurice McDonald, the founding brothers behind the first McDonald’s restaurant，to make this small restaurant a nationwide sensation (轰动). Ray's pushing the McDonald's farther than the founders proves an important concept in leadership: the Law of the Lid (盖子法则). The higher the person's ability to lead, the higher the lid on his or her potential.

The McDonald brothers understood how to run a business. They were excellent managers, but when they tried marketing the McDonald's concept, they failed. Their thinking patterns in leadership limited the lid of their potential on the level of what they can do or become. In contrast, the lid of potential in Ray's life was sky high due to his leadership. Between 1955 and 1959, he succeeded in opening 100 McDonald's restaurants. Today the company has more than 35,000 locations in over 120 countries around the world!

If you can get a handle on this law, you will see the unbelievable effect of leadership on every aspect of your life or your company. Wherever you look, you can find smart people who are only able to go so far because of the limitations of their leadership. That's why in times of trouble, organizations naturally look for new leadership. To lift the lid on your potential, continue your study of leadership.

1.What is most probably the key to the McDonald's success?

A.Its fair price. B.Its consistency in food.

C.Its Happy Meal for children. D.Its warm and friendly service.

2.What can we know about Ray Kroc?

A.He opened the first McDonald's.

B.He made the most popular food in the McDonald's.

C.He set up various stages for guests in the McDonald's.

D.He expanded the McDonald's into a worldwide business.

3.Which of the following statements will the author agree with?

A.Ray Kroc lacked a strong sense of effectiveness and leadership.

B.A person's leadership determines the potential of his business.

C.The lid on the McDonald brothers' potential is fairly high.

D.An excellent manager is also good at marketing.

4.What's the best title of the text?

A.Leadership counts B.Ways to realize our potential

C.Popularity of the McDonald's D.Secrets of running a business

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

If you walk around any large city, you’ll find a coffee shop on every corner. Many shops offer comfortable sofas, large screen televisions and sometimes even live music. More and more teenagers are hanging out there. My pre-teen has already done so after school once a month, but she always orders fruit juice. I think she would drink coffee sooner or later, so I started doing some research online.

I found that coffee in moderation (适度) could be safe, but one thing that was constant online was the chance of becoming addicted to coffee. Coffee is one step up from soda but still not as dangerous as energy drinks or alcohol. Still, any addiction is hard to break, so I needed to come up with a plan that would protect my child.

Coffee shops offer a safe place for teenagers to hang out. As like anything else you let your children do, you need to set limits. Drinking coffee while socializing once or twice a week won’t cause a severe caffeine addiction. However, you should avoid allowing a cup of coffee every morning and ensure they get adequate sleep each night, which will make them less likely to feel the need to drink coffee.

As parents, we have responsibility to set a good example. If you’re addicted to caffeine, it’s time to start monitoring your intake. If you drink much water and keep healthier drink options in your fridge and at your dinner table, your teenager will follow you. I drink much water and so do both my children. My kids learn more from watching me do things than they will ever learn from my verbal teaching.

As a mother, I’m ready to allow my child to try coffee and we’ll talk about it and discuss the pros and cons of consuming this. I feel open communication is vital in helping them make good decisions. Although the decision to drink coffee doesn’t pose the same dangers as underage drinking, it still deserves a thoughtful conversation.

1.The author began to do research on coffee in order to _____

A. offer some good advice to coffee shops

B. guide her daughter to drink coffee properly

C. stop her daughter hanging out in coffee shops

D. let her daughter believe that fruit juice is healthy

2. According to the passage, if teenagers have enough sleep, they_____

A. won’t ache for coffee that much

B. won’t hang out in coffee shops

C. won’t drink coffee forever

D. will drink water instead of coffee

3. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 imply?

A. The author’s children don’t like to talk with her.

B. The author thinks a good example functions better.

C. The author is living in harmony with her children.

D. The author doesn’t want her children to learn from her.

4. Which of the following statements agrees with the author’s opinion according to the passage?

A. Teenagers should be stopped from entering coffee shops.

B. Coffee shops should not offer many options to teenagers.

C. Teenagers’ activities in coffee shops should be limited strictly.

D. Parents should not force their children to stop drinking coffee.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

If you walk around any large city, you’ll find a coffee shop on every corner. Many shops offer comfortable sofas, large screen televisions and sometimes even live music. More and more teenagers are hanging out there. My pre-teen has already done so after school once a month, but she always orders fruit juice. I think she would drink coffee sooner or later, so I started doing some research online.

I found that coffee in moderation (适度) could be safe, but one thing that was constant online was the chance of becoming addicted to coffee. Coffee is one step up from soda but still not as dangerous as energy drinks or alcohol. Still, any addiction is hard to break, so I needed to come up with a plan that would protect my child.

Coffee shops offer a safe place for teenagers to hang out. As like anything else you let your children do, you need to set limits. Drinking coffee while socializing once or twice a week won’t cause a severe caffeine addiction. However, you should avoid allowing a cup of coffee every morning and ensure they get adequate sleep each night, which will make them less likely to feel the need to drink coffee.

As parents, we have responsibility to set a good example. If you’re addicted to caffeine, it’s time to start monitoring your intake. If you drink much water and keep healthier drink options in your fridge and at your dinner table, your teenager will follow you. I drink much water and so do both my children. My kids learn more from watching me do things than they will ever learn from my verbal teaching.

As a mother, I’m ready to allow my child to try coffee and we’ll talk about it and discuss the pros and cons of consuming this. I feel open communication is vital in helping them make good decisions. Although the decision to drink coffee doesn’t pose the same dangers as underage drinking, it still deserves a thoughtful conversation.

1.The author began to do research on coffee in order to _____

A. offer some good advice to coffee shops

B. guide her daughter to drink coffee properly

C. stop her daughter hanging out in coffee shops

D. let her daughter believe that fruit juice is healthy

2.According to the passage, if teenagers have enough sleep, they_____

A. won’t ache for coffee that much

B. won’t hang out in coffee shops

C. won’t drink coffee forever

D. will drink water instead of coffee

3.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 imply?

A. The author’s children don’t like to talk with her.

B. The author thinks a good example functions better.

C. The author is living in harmony with her children.

D. The author doesn’t want her children to learn from her.

4.Which of the following statements agrees with the author’s opinion according to the passage?

A. Teenagers should be stopped from entering coffee shops.

B. Coffee shops should not offer many options to teenagers.

C. Teenagers’ activities in coffee shops should be limited strictly.

D. Parents should not force their children to stop drinking coffee.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Walking down any of Shanghai’s main shopping streets this week, newcomers might think the locals have been celebrating Christmas for centuries. Christmas may not be a customary holiday in China, but businessmen in Shanghai know it will bring something more valuable than tradition: people are willing to spend money. Most Chinese may feel little connection with the Christmas celebration, but with most shops offering discount (折扣), the message couldn’t be clearer-- it is the season to part with one’s hard-earned cash.

Much of that marketing drive is directed towards thousands of foreigners and foreign companies that call Shanghai home. But for Shanghai’s 13 million locals, regardless of personal interest, there seems no avoiding the season’s commercial greetings. Along some major roads, nearly every shop window displays some symbols to the holiday: a man-made fir tree(杉树) with lights, or a snowman.

With an increasing number of westerners arriving in the city for work, young Shanghainese, eager to keep pace with the latest western fashions, have begun to show their interest in Christmas. But some people still don’t think Christmas is an important festival in China. At least it is less important than the New Year and China’s Spring Festival.

1.. Why are people willing to spend money during Christmas?

A. They have earned a lot of money.

B. Goods are much cheaper during this period of time.

C. It is time for shops to sell goods.

D. Businessmen like Christmas.

2.Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Christmas is the season people will hold their hard-earned money tightly.

B. Most Chinese people think they have something to do with Christmas.

C. Christmas is the season for common people to earn money.

D. Few Chinese people feel they are connected with Christmas celebrations.

3.Why do some young Shanghainese show great interest in Christmas?

A. They think themselves connected with Christmas celebrations.

B. They think Christmas is more important than New Year’s Day.

C. They want to follow the up-to-date western fashions.

D. They want to part with their hard-earned cash during Christmas.

4.From the first paragraph we know that _______.

A. It is difficult for most people to earn money.

B. It is easy for most people to earn money.

C. Only foreigners in Shanghai celebrate Christmas.

D. Christmas will be as important as China’s Spring Festival.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Walking down any of Shanghai’s main shopping streets this week, newcomers might think the locals have been celebrating Christmas for centuries. Christmas may not be a customary holiday in China, but businessmen in Shanghai know it will bring something more valuable than tradition: people are willing to spend money. Most Chinese may feel little connection with the Christmas celebration, but with most shops offering discount (折扣), the message couldn’t be clearer-- it is the season to part with one’s hard-earned cash.

Much of that marketing drive is directed towards thousands of foreigners and foreign companies that call Shanghai home. But for Shanghai’s 13 million locals, regardless of personal interest, there seems no avoiding the season’s commercial greetings. Along some major roads, nearly every shop window displays some symbols to the holiday: a man-made fir tree(杉树) with lights, or a snowman.

With an increasing number of westerners arriving in the city for work, young Shanghainese, eager to keep pace with the latest western fashions, have begun to show their interest in Christmas. But some people still don’t think Christmas is an important festival in China. At least it is less important than the New Year and China’s Spring Festival.

1.Why are people willing to spend money during Christmas?

2.Which of the following statements is TRUE?

3.Why do some young Shanghainese show great interest in Christmas?

4.From the first paragraph we know that _______.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You are walking along a lane and never know what you will find. It might be a shop selling oil paintings, or a place where you can buy Dutch cheese. One thing is for sure, you will end up by a canal.

Welcome to Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands.

The year 2013 will be a good time to explore Amsterdam as the city has a lot to celebrate: the famous canal ring will turn 400 years old. Amsterdam will also celebrate the 160th birthday of Dutch painter of the Van Gogh museum, home to the biggest collection of the artist’s colorful works.

The famous canal ring is a trademark of the city. With more than 100 kilometers of canals, it is no wonder that Amsterdam is called the ‘Venice of the north’. But unlike the Italian town, where boats were originally used for transport, the canals in Amsterdam were mainly used for defense in the 17th century. Today ferries on canals offer a different way to explore the city.

But to truly experience Amsterdam, you can’t miss the city’s historic museums and monuments, among which Van Gogh museum is the most famous one. It holds 200 paintings, 700 letters and 500 drawings by the artist. Another famous museum is Anne Frank’s house. Anne Frank became famous around the world because of a diary she left explaining her and her family’s experience as a Jewish girl during World War II, hiding out in a house hoping that she would not be captured by German Nazis.

Amsterdam is small enough to walk or cycle almost anywhere, but it is rarely dull. Best of all it combines its glittering past with a rebellious edginess.

1.Which of the following is TRUE of the canals in Amsterdam?

A．They had to be rebuilt after years of use.

B．They protected the city in ancient times.

C．They were built to provide transport for the city.

D．They are the main theme of Van Gogh’s paintings.

2.In the passage, Amsterdam is described as a city _____.

A．that can be explored by foot

B．that is completely built on water

C．that has two historic museums in all

D．that is famous for its modernization

3.What can we infer from the passage?

A．People get lost easily in Amsterdam.

B．Van Gogh spent his life time in Amsterdam.

C．Many Jews in Amsterdam were caught by Nazis.

D．Taking a ferry ride is the most popular activity in Amsterdam.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The main street is lined with small stands and shops _____ sell almost anything you can imagine.

A. what　　　 B. where　　 C. who　　 D. which

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析