The campaign is over. The celebrations have ended. And the work for US president-elect Barack Obama has begun.
The 47-year-old politician rose to the highest post because of his stand against the war in Iraq and his plans to fix a weak economy. But what will the first 47-year-old African-American president do for race relations?
Obama’s victory appears to have given blacks and other minorities a true national role model. For years, many looked to athletes and musicians for inspiration. As Darius Turner, an African-American high school student in Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times, “Kobe doesn’t have to be everybody’s role model anymore.”
Recent polls(民意测验)also suggest that Obama’s victory has given Americans new optimism about race relations. For example, a USA Today poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe relations between blacks and whites “will finally be worked out”. This is the most hopeful response since the question was first asked during the civil rights revolution in 1963.
However, it’s still too early to tell whether Obama’s presidency will begin to solve many of the social problems facing low-income black communities.
Although blacks make up only 13 percent of the US population, 55 percent of all prisoners are African-American. Such numbers can be blamed on any number of factors on America’s racist past, a failure of government policy and the collapse(瓦解)of the family unit in black communities.
It is unlikely that Obama will be able to reverse (扭转) such trends overnight. However, Bill Bank, an expert of African-American Studies, says that eventually young blacks need to find role models in their own communities. “That’s not Martin Luther King, and not Barack Obama,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s actually the people closest to them. Barack only has so much influence.”
In the opinion of black British politician Trevor Phillips, Obama’s rise will contribute more to multiculturalism than to race relations in the US.
“When the G8 meets, the four most important people in the room will be the president of China, the prime minister of India, the prime minister of Japan and Barak Obama,” he told London’s The Times newspaper. “It will be the first time we’ve seen that on our television screens. That will be a huge psychological shift (心理转变) for both the white people and the colored ones in the world.”
1.For years, before Obama was elected president of the US, __________.
A.Kobe was the only role model for all the blacks |
B.blacks could only find role models on the basketball court |
C.minorities in America couldn’t find role models in their real life |
D.American blacks had no role model who was successful in political area |
2.According to Bill Bank, ____________.
A.it’s better for young blacks to find role models in those who are close to them |
B.young blacks should not be so much influenced by Obama |
C.blacks should find other role models because Obama is far from their reality |
D.Obama is not the proper role model for African-Americans |
3.What would be the best title for this passage?
A.The First African-American President | B.America’s New Role Model |
C.Obama-- A Successful Black . | D.Choosing a Right Role Model |
4.What will be the huge psychological shift Trevor mentioned at the end of the passage?
A.The other three leaders all support Obama. |
B.Obama is an African-American president. |
C.None of the four leaders is white. |
D.The other three leaders except Obama are from Asian countries. |
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
The campaign is over. The celebrations have ended. And the work for US president-elect Barack Obama has begun.
The 47-year-old politician rose to the highest post because of his stand against the war in Iraq and his plans to fix a weak economy. But what will the first 47-year-old African-American president do for race relations?
Obama’s victory appears to have given blacks and other minorities a true national role model. For years, many looked to athletes and musicians for inspiration. As Darius Turner, an African-American high school student in Los Angeles, told the Los Angeles Times, “Kobe doesn’t have to be everybody’s role model anymore.”
Recent polls(民意测验)also suggest that Obama’s victory has given Americans new optimism about race relations. For example, a USA Today poll found that two-thirds of Americans believe relations between blacks and whites “will finally be worked out”. This is the most hopeful response since the question was first asked during the civil rights revolution in 1963.
However, it’s still too early to tell whether Obama’s presidency will begin to solve many of the social problems facing low-income black communities.
Although blacks make up only 13 percent of the US population, 55 percent of all prisoners are African-American. Such numbers can be blamed on any number of factors on America’s racist past, a failure of government policy and the collapse(瓦解)of the family unit in black communities.
It is unlikely that Obama will be able to reverse (扭转) such trends overnight. However, Bill Bank, an expert of African-American Studies, says that eventually young blacks need to find role models in their own communities. “That’s not Martin Luther King, and not Barack Obama,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “It’s actually the people closest to them. Barack only has so much influence.”
In the opinion of black British politician Trevor Phillips, Obama’s rise will contribute more to multiculturalism than to race relations in the US.
“When the G8 meets, the four most important people in the room will be the president of China, the prime minister of India, the prime minister of Japan and Barak Obama,” he told London’s The Times newspaper. “It will be the first time we’ve seen that on our television screens. That will be a huge psychological shift (心理转变) for both the white people and the colored ones in the world.”
1.For years, before Obama was elected president of the US, __________.
A.Kobe was the only role model for all the blacks |
B.blacks could only find role models on the basketball court |
C.minorities in America couldn’t find role models in their real life |
D.American blacks had no role model who was successful in political area |
2.According to Bill Bank, ____________.
A.it’s better for young blacks to find role models in those who are close to them |
B.young blacks should not be so much influenced by Obama |
C.blacks should find other role models because Obama is far from their reality |
D.Obama is not the proper role model for African-Americans |
3.What would be the best title for this passage?
A.The First African-American President | B.America’s New Role Model |
C.Obama-- A Successful Black . | D.Choosing a Right Role Model |
4.What will be the huge psychological shift Trevor mentioned at the end of the passage?
A.The other three leaders all support Obama. |
B.Obama is an African-American president. |
C.None of the four leaders is white. |
D.The other three leaders except Obama are from Asian countries. |
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
At the end of the term, you should reflect yourself over what you have ____ and what is left undone, and make up your new year plan.
A.accumulated B.accommodated C.attained D.abandoned
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Spring is a wonderful season to celebrate rebirth and new life. The long, cold winter is over. The weather is warmer and sunnier. The trees again have leaves and the flowers are blooming. The season represents hope, joy and beauty. At this time, many people think of this classical music piece — Spring, which shows happiness. Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi wrote it in the seventeen hundred.
However, not all songs about spring are happy. This song written and sung by K.D. Lang is about dreaming of spring in cold dark places. She recorded I Dream of Spring in 2008.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote It Might as Well Be Spring for the movie State Fair in 1945. Frank Sinatra sings it. It is a feeling of restlessness or excitement brought on by the coming of spring. Richard Rodgers also wrote Spring Is Here, this time with Lorenz Hart. Ella Fitzgerald sings this song about feeling lonely during this season.
Frank Loesser wrote the sad song, Spring Will be a Little Late This Year. Why has the season been delayed? Because the singer’s lover has left her. Sarah Vaughn released(发行) her version of the song in 1953.
By now you may be thinking, “Enough with the sad songs, already!” Ok, then how about a cowboy song? Gene Autry was one of America’s most famous singing cowboys. He recorded When It’s Springtime in the Rockies in 1937.
And finally, we’ll leave you with a sunny song called Up Jumped Spring. Freddie Hubbard wrote this jazz song in 1977 and Billy Taylor Trio performs it.
1. If you are in a bad mood, you’d better listen to _____.
A.Up Jumped Spring | B.I Dream of Spring |
C.Spring Is Here | D.Spring Will be a Little Late This Year |
2. It Might as Well Be Spring is a song that ______.
A.is also called State Fair | B.is sung by Ella Fitzgerald |
C.has a lonely feeling | D.was written by two people |
3. According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A. Most songs about spring are written by Italian composers.
B. K.D. Lang was good at writing happy songs.
C. Sarah Vaughn sang the song Up Jumped Spring first.
D. Gene Autry was a famous cowboy singer before K.D. Lang.
4. Which of the following songs was first written or recorded?
A.Spring. |
B.I Dream of Spring. |
C.When It’s Springtime in the Rockies. |
D.Spring Will be a Little Late This Year. |
5. What’s the purpose of the author to write the passage?
A.Introduce some songs about spring. |
B.Introduce some wonderful music. |
C.Introduce some famous singers. |
D.Express his/ her love to spring. |
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Spring is a wonderful season to celebrate rebirth and new life. The long,cold winter is over. The weather is warmer and sunnier. The trees again have leaves and the flowers are blooming. The season represents hope,joy and beauty. At this time,many people think of this classical music piece—Spring,which shows happiness. Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi wrote it in the seventeen hundreds.
However,not all songs about spring are happy. This song written and sung by K.D. Lang is about dreaming of spring in cold dark places. She recorded I Dream of Spring in 2008.
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote It Might as Well Be Spring for the movie State Fair in 1945.Frank Sinatra sings it. It is a feeling of restlessness or excitement brought on by the coming of spring. Richard Rodgers also wrote Spring Is Here,this time with Lorenz Hart. Ella Fitzgerald sings this song about feeling lonely during this season.
Frank Loesser wrote the sad song,Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year. Why has the season been delayed? Because the singer's lover has left her. Sarah Vaughn released(发行) her version of the song in 1953.
By now you may be thinking,“Enough with the sad songs,already!”OK,then how about a cowboy song? Gene Autry was one of the America's most famous singing cowboys. He recorded When It's Springtime in the Rockies in 1937.
And finally,we'll leave you with a sunny song called Up Jumped Spring. Freddie Hubbard wrote this jazz song in 1977 and Billy Taylor Trio performs it.
1.If you are in a bad mood,you'd better listen to________.
A. Up Jumped Spring
B. I Dream of Spring
C. Spring Is Here
D. Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year
2.It Might as Well Be Spring is a song that________.
A. is also called State Fair
B. is sung by Ella Fitzgerald
C. has a lonely feeling
D. was written by two people
3.According to the passage,which of the following is TRUE?
A. Most songs about spring are written by Italian composers.
B. K. D. Lang was good at writing happy songs.
C. Sarah Vaughn sang the song Up Jumped Spring first.
D. Gene Autry was a famous cowboy singer before K.D. Lang.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.
In western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on January 1st. People may go to parties, dress in formal clothes—like tuxedos(小礼服)and evening gowns, and drink champagne at midnight. During the first minutes of the New Year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the New Year with the first light of the sunrise.
It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year’s promise, called a resolution. New Year’s resolutions usually include promises to try something new or change a bad habit in the new year.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh (again). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day of the new year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck is to eat grapes on New Year’s Day. The more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black– eyed peas(豇豆)for good luck——but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!
1.Which culture celebrates New Year in the morning?
A. The United States. B. Spain.
C. France. D. The passage doesn’t say.
2.According to the third paragraph, what is a resolution?
A. Something you burn. B. Something you eat.
C. Something you say. D. Something you wear.
3.What is the topic of the fourth paragraph?
A. Bringing good luck. B. Keeping away bad luck.
C. Planning for the next year. D. Remembering the past.
4.Which is probably true about eating black – eyed peas on New Year?
A. Black-eyed peas taste bad. B. The peas are very difficult to cook.
C. One pea brings one day of luck. D. It is bad luck to eat a lot of black-eyed peas.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.
In Western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on January 1st. People may go to parties, dress in formal clothes -- like tuxedos (小礼服) and evening gowns, and drink champagne at midnight. During the first minutes of the New Year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the New Year with the first light of the sunrise.
It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year’s promise, called a resolution. New Year’s resolutions usually include promises to try something new or change a bad habit in the new year.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh (again). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on the first day of the new year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck is to eat grapes on New Year’s Day. The more grapes a person eats , the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black-eyed peas (豇豆) for good luck -- but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!
1.Which culture celebrates New Year in the morning?
A.The passage doesn’t say. B.Spain.
C.France. D.The United States.
2.What is a resolution?
A.Something you say. B.Something you eat.
C.Something you burn. D.Something you wear.
3.What is the topic of the fourth paragraph?
A.Bringing good luck.
B.Remembering the past.
C.Planning for the next year.
D.Keeping away from bad luck.
4.Which is probably true about eating black-eyed peas on New Year?
A.Black-eyed peas taste bad.
B.The peas are very difficult to cook.
C.One pea brings one day of luck.
D.It is bad luck to eat a lot of black-eyed peas.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
To celebrate the end of our exams, my friends and I went to a fast food restaurant. We ____ hamburgers and Coca Colar at the counter. When our ____ came, I started walking towards an empty table. By bad luck, my purse strap (带子) got ______ on a chair and the tray (托盘) that I was holding slipped ______ my hands and went flying in the air. The tray, and its contents,
_____ on a man who was just about to ______ a bite of his sandwich. I stared, greatly _____, as the drinks soaked (浸湿) his white shirt.
Then I ______ my eyes and prepared myself for his burst of ______. Instead, he said “It’s
OK” to _____ me before he disappeared into washroom. Still shaky and unsure____ to do next,
my friends and I went to a table and sat there, trying our best to look ______. A moment later, the man came out of the washroom and _____ our table. My heart almost stopped _____. I thought he was going to ask for my father’s ______ and call him.
To my surprise, he merely smiled at us, handed us some cash and said, “______ yourself new
hamburgers.” He then walked ______ without even finishing his food.
He could have made what was already an uncomfortable situation worse, ______he chose a different way and gave us a reason to believe that there is still ______ in this world. I’ll never ______ his action.
1.A. ordered B. made C. arranged D. demanded
2.A. food B. turn C. bill D. menu
3.A. fixed B. caught C. cut D. tied
4.A. by B. in C. from D. out
5.A. knocked B. fell C. stood D. hung
6.A. take B. taste C. swallow D. chew
7.A. discouraged B. disappointed C. shocked D. annoyed
8.A. rolled B. rubbed C. narrowed D. closed
9.A. bitterness B. anxiety C. anger D. sorrow
10.A. satisfy B. comfort C. encourage D. praise
11.A. how B. who C. what D.where
12.A. mild B. honest C. calm D. modest
13.A. pushed B. approached C. drew D. laid
14.A. beating B. breaking C. sinking D. trembling
15.A. help B. position C. number D. job
16.A. Prepare B. Buy C. Find D. Cook
17.A. on B. around C. up D. away
18.A. so B. since C. although D. but
19.A. kindness B. happiness C. politeness D. brightness
20.A. forget B. refuse C. oppose D. ignore
高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
School is over and it’s time for the family to get your children moving and have fun. Choose a suitable one from the following family activities.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics helps to improve flexibility, strength, and teaches self-discipline. Although Olympic-level gymnastics take years of practice to master, more simple moves are easy to learn in a day and can be practiced at home.
Suitable for: 4+
Cost: £6 an hour
Contact: British Gymnastics; 084 512 97129; www.british-gymnastics.org
Surfing
What is required to learn the art of surfing is to combine balance, coordination and patience, which means that it’s not easy to learning that, but the excitement of jumping to your feet on the board for the first time and riding a wave into the shore is an excellent experience.
Suitable for: 8+
Cost: £30 an hour
Contact: www.nationalsurfingcentre.com, 016 378 50737
Sailing
Sailing is beneficial for developing confidence and provides a pure mental and physical challenge from the beginning. It can be done alone, and picking up the basics is not difficult.
Suitable for: 8+
Cost: Free
Contact: Royal Yachting Association; 084 534 50400; www.rya.org.uk
Diving
This is a great way to make swimming even more fun. High board diving needs muscle control. Lessons begin at the poolside, where you will learn some basic skills before moving on to the boards, Try a saltwater pool, on warmer days, and enjoy the fresh air, high boards and water games.
Suitable for: 13+
Cost: The first lesson, which lasts one hour, is usually free if you decide to carry on. £10/£20 an hour.
Contact: Find your local swimming pool at www. britishswimming.org; 015 096 18700
1.If you have a child of seven, you would like to choose ______ for him/her.
A.Diving B.Sailing C.Surfing D.Gymnastics
2.Taking a 10-hour course in diving needs at least ________.
A.£200 B.£100 C.£90 D.£30
3.In order to build up your children’s confidence, you can call ________.
A.015 096 18700
B.084 534 50400
C.016 378 50737
D.084 512 97129
4.According to the passage, we know that ________.
A.it is very difficult to learn basic sailing skills.
B.it is impossible to practice gymnastics at home
C.self-discipline is needed to do high board diving
D.surfing needs qualities of patience and balance
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is said that most people have not more than 30 friends at any given time, and 400 over the whole of their lives. However, on social networking sites, most users have about 150 friends. If these numbers are correct, then friendship means different things in different situations.
Also, there are no rules about friendship. There are no instructions about how to make friends, how to keep friendships going, and how to finish friendships if we want to move on. People have very different opinions about this: some people would die for their friends and they value them more than family. Others say that friends are temporary, only there to help each other until they are no longer needed. If people with such different views become friends, this can lead to problems.
Because of these different definitions of friendship, it is easy to be unhappy about our friendships. We may want them to be deeper or closer, or we may want to have more friends in our lives. Sometimes we simply do not have the time to develop our friendships, or we fear we have left it too late in life to start. If we move to another country or city, we have to find ways to make new friends again.
This dissatisfaction shows us how important friendships are for most of us. We should not think that it could be too late to build friendships. We also need to understand that the need to be around other people is one that is shared by many. Therefore, we should not be too frightened about starting to talk to people who in the future may become our friends: it is likely that they too would like to get closer to us. Remember what people say: strangers are friends we have not met yet.
1.According to the text, how many friends do the majority of people probably have?
A. Over 400 friends in their whole lives
B. 30 friends or fewer at a certain stage
C. 400 internet friends in their whole lives
D. 150 internet friends at a certain stage.
2.What is the main idea of paragraph 2?
A. There is a rule about making friends
B. People with different views can become friends
C. Friendships mean different things to different people
D. Some people would die for their friends if they need to
3.We can learn from the text that most of us_________.
A. need to be with others
B. build friendships late in life
C. are dissatisfied with our friends
D. are frightened to talk to people
4.What is the author’s attitude towards talking to a stranger?
A. Uninterested B. Cautious C. Doubtful D. Positive
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is said that most people have not more than 30 friends at any given time, and 400 over the whole of their lives. However, on social networking sites, most users have about 150 friends. If these numbers are correct, then friendship means different things in different situations.
Also, there are no rules about friendship. There are no instructions about how to make friends, how to keep friendships going, and how to finish friendships if we want to move on. People have very different opinions about this: some people would die for their friends and they value them more than family. Others say that friends are temporary, only there to help each other until they are no longer needed. If people with such different views become friends, this can lead to problems.
Because of these different definitions of friendship, it is easy to be unhappy about our friendships. We may want them to be deeper or closer, or we may want to have more friends in our lives. Sometimes we simply do not have the time to develop our friendships, or we fear we have left it too late in life to start. If we move to another country or city, we have to find ways to make new friends again.
This dissatisfaction shows us how important friendships are for most of us. We should not think that it could be too late to build friendships. We also need to understand that the need to be around other people is one that is shared by many. Therefore, we should not be too frightened about starting to talk to people who in the future may become our friends: it is likely that they too would like to get closer to us. Remember what people say: strangers are friends we have not met yet.
1.According to the text, how many friends do the majority of people probably have?
A. Over 400 friends in their whole lives
B. 30 friends or fewer at a certain stage
C. 400 internet friends in their whole lives
D. 150 internet friends at a certain stage.
2.What is the main idea of paragraph 2?
A. There is a rule about making friends
B. People with different views can become friends
C. Friendships mean different things to different people
D. Some people would die for their friends if they need to
3.We can learn from the text that most of us_________.
A. need to be with others
B. build friendships late in life
C. are dissatisfied with our friends
D. are frightened to talk to people
4.What is the author’s attitude towards talking to a stranger?
A. Uninterested B. Cautious C. Doubtful D. Positive
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析