Imagine a house that keeps itself warm in the wintertime. Think of the savings in terms of fuel bills and unfriendly emissions. Such houses in fact exist, called “passive houses”. The concept of these highly energy-efficient buildings took root in the 1990s, before slowly consolidating as a niche construction (生态位构建) concept in the 2000s. Are passive houses now actively moving into the mainstream as sustainable buildings?
For Brian McGarry, an economics lecturer who built a family house based on passive housing criteria in the Pyrenees this year, the arguments look convincing. As his first full winter in the low energy house draws in, we asked him to keep us informed. Do passive houses work?
I had never heard of a passive house in February 2012, when I purchased a plot of land. Nor did I expect that I would be persuaded to build a pre-constructed, custom-designed house based on energy-efficient passive house criteria. It promised to be easier and quicker to build, cheaper to run, and more comfortable to live in. The objective was to incorporate the fundamental concepts of passive energy management into my project: an airtight and highly insulated building envelope; large southfacing double or triple-glazed windows (if possible, filled with argon gas) that passively capture the energy of the sun; a heat recovery ventilation system to provide fresh air; and a simple, low-cost heating system consisting of a modern wood-burning stove, a bathroom heater and a portable radiator backup for when the sun doesn’t shine and temperatures decline. No significant limitations were placed on the design, and it had excellent environmental credentials. Moreover, the cost was no more than a conventional build.
After six months in use, the house is proving to be both cheap to run and remarkably comfortable–staying cool in the hot summer was effortless, as long as the windows were shuttered or shaded from the sun. Nowstaying warm in the cold, high-altitude December climate also seems easy, so far.
Winter arrived in force in the Pyrenees in November, with abundant snowfalls and temperatures as low as minus 8° Celsius. Though early days, the house has responded well: the stove is lit during cold evenings but the portable radiator has not yet been needed. This type of construction seems not only to make economic and environmental sense, but to enhance our quality of life, too.
1.We can learn from Paragraph one that passive houses __________.
A. consume extra energy to keep warm in winter and cool in summer
B. had been introduced for a decade before the birth of the theory
C. appeal to both the self-builders and those constructors
D. refer to a certain house comfortable, costly and also pleasing
2. Regarding the passive energy management, the houses have characteristics EXCEPT _______
A. using south-facing windows to take in solar energy
B. Providing energy for taking a shower when it’s rainy
C. supplying fresh air with a special heat recovery system
D. placing more demands and restrictions on the design
3. How did Brian McGarry find his self-built passive house?
A. very unaffordable B. Energy-consuming
C. comfortable to live in D. Awkward to use
4. What is the writer’s attitude towards the passive housing?
A. supportive B. critical
C. oppositive D. doubtful
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Imagine a house that keeps itself warm in the wintertime. Think of the savings in terms of fuel bills and unfriendly emissions. Such houses in fact exist, called “passive houses”. The concept of these highly energy-efficient buildings took root in the 1990s, before slowly consolidating as a niche construction (生态位构建) concept in the 2000s. Are passive houses now actively moving into the mainstream as sustainable buildings?
For Brian Mc Garry, an economics lecturer who built a family house based on passive housing criteria in the Pyrenees this year, the arguments look convincing. As his first full winter in the low energy house draws in, we asked him to keep us informed. Do passive houses work?
I had never heard of a passive house in February 2012, when I purchased a plot of land. Nor did I expect that I would be persuaded to build a pre-constructed, custom-designed house based on energy-efficient passive house criteria. It promised to be easier and quicker to build, cheaper to run, and more comfortable to live in. The objective was to incorporate the fundamental concepts of passive energy management into my project: an airtight and highly insulated building envelope; large south facing double or triple-glazed windows (if possible, filled with argon gas) that passively capture the energy of the sun; a heat recovery ventilation system to provide fresh air; and a simple, low-cost heating system consisting of a modern wood-burning stove, a bathroom heater and a portable radiator backup for when the sun doesn’t shine and temperatures decline. No significant limitations were placed on the design, and it had excellent environmental credentials. Moreover, the cost was no more than a conventional build.
After six months in use, the house is proving to be both cheap to run and remarkably comfortable–staying cool in the hot summer was effortless, as long as the windows were shuttered or shaded from the sun. Nowstaying warm in the cold, high-altitude December climate also seems easy, so far.
Winter arrived in force in the Pyrenees in November, with abundant snowfalls and temperatures as low as minus 8° Celsius. Though early days, the house has responded well: the stove is lit during cold evenings but the portable radiator has not yet been needed. This type of construction seems not only to make economic and environmental sense, but to enhance our quality of life, too.
1.We can learn from Paragraph one that passive houses __________.
A. consume extra energy to keep warm in winter and cool in summer
B. had been introduced for a decade before the birth of the theory
C. appeal to both the self-builders and those constructors
D. refer to a certain house comfortable, costly and also pleasing
2.Regarding the passive energy management, the houses have characteristics EXCEPT _______
A. using south-facing windows to take in solar energy
B. Providing energy for taking a shower when it’s rainy
C. supplying fresh air with a special heat recovery system
D. placing more demands and restrictions on the design
3.How did Brian McGarry find his self-built passive house?
A. very unaffordable
B. Energy-consuming
C. comfortable to live in
D. Awkward to use
4.What is the writer’s attitude towards the passive housing?
A. supportive B. critical
C. oppositive D. doubtful
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Imagine a house that keeps itself warm in the wintertime. Think of the savings in terms of fuel bills and unfriendly emissions. Such houses in fact exist, called “passive houses”. The concept of these highly energy-efficient buildings took root in the 1990s, before slowly consolidating as a niche construction (生态位构建) concept in the 2000s. Are passive houses now actively moving into the mainstream as sustainable buildings?
For Brian McGarry, an economics lecturer who built a family house based on passive housing criteria in the Pyrenees this year, the arguments look convincing. As his first full winter in the low energy house draws in, we asked him to keep us informed. Do passive houses work?
I had never heard of a passive house in February 2012, when I purchased a plot of land. Nor did I expect that I would be persuaded to build a pre-constructed, custom-designed house based on energy-efficient passive house criteria. It promised to be easier and quicker to build, cheaper to run, and more comfortable to live in. The objective was to incorporate the fundamental concepts of passive energy management into my project: an airtight and highly insulated building envelope; large southfacing double or triple-glazed windows (if possible, filled with argon gas) that passively capture the energy of the sun; a heat recovery ventilation system to provide fresh air; and a simple, low-cost heating system consisting of a modern wood-burning stove, a bathroom heater and a portable radiator backup for when the sun doesn’t shine and temperatures decline. No significant limitations were placed on the design, and it had excellent environmental credentials. Moreover, the cost was no more than a conventional build.
After six months in use, the house is proving to be both cheap to run and remarkably comfortable–staying cool in the hot summer was effortless, as long as the windows were shuttered or shaded from the sun. Nowstaying warm in the cold, high-altitude December climate also seems easy, so far.
Winter arrived in force in the Pyrenees in November, with abundant snowfalls and temperatures as low as minus 8° Celsius. Though early days, the house has responded well: the stove is lit during cold evenings but the portable radiator has not yet been needed. This type of construction seems not only to make economic and environmental sense, but to enhance our quality of life, too.
1.We can learn from Paragraph one that passive houses __________.
A. consume extra energy to keep warm in winter and cool in summer
B. had been introduced for a decade before the birth of the theory
C. appeal to both the self-builders and those constructors
D. refer to a certain house comfortable, costly and also pleasing
2. Regarding the passive energy management, the houses have characteristics EXCEPT _______
A. using south-facing windows to take in solar energy
B. Providing energy for taking a shower when it’s rainy
C. supplying fresh air with a special heat recovery system
D. placing more demands and restrictions on the design
3. How did Brian McGarry find his self-built passive house?
A. very unaffordable B. Energy-consuming
C. comfortable to live in D. Awkward to use
4. What is the writer’s attitude towards the passive housing?
A. supportive B. critical
C. oppositive D. doubtful
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
E
Imagine a house that keeps itself warm in the wintertime. Think of the savings in terms of fuel bills and unfriendly emissions. Such houses in fact exist, called “passive houses”. The concept of these highly energy-efficient buildings took root in the 1990s, before slowly consolidating as a niche construction (生态位构建) concept in the 2000s. Are passive houses now actively moving into the mainstream as sustainable buildings?
For Brian McGarry, an economics lecturer who built a family house based on passive housing criteria in the Pyrenees this year, the arguments look convincing. As his first full winter in the low energy house draws in, we asked him to keep us informed. Do passive houses work?
I had never heard of a passive house in February 2012, when I purchased a plot of land. Nor did I expect that I would be persuaded to build a pre-constructed, custom-designed house based on energy-efficient passive house criteria. It promised to be easier and quicker to build, cheaper to run, and more comfortable to live in. The objective was to incorporate the fundamental concepts of passive energy management into my project: an airtight and highly insulated building envelope; large southfacing double or triple-glazed windows (if possible, filled with argon gas) that passively capture the energy of the sun; a heat recovery ventilation system to provide fresh air; and a simple, low-cost heating system consisting of a modern wood-burning stove, a bathroom heater and a portable radiator backup for when the sun doesn’t shine and temperatures decline. No significant
limitations were placed on the design, and it had excellent environmental credentials. Moreover, the cost was no more than a conventional build.
After six months in use, the house is proving to be both cheap to run and remarkably comfortable–staying cool in the hot summer was effortless, as long as the windows were shuttered or shaded from the sun. Nowstaying warm in the cold, high-altitude December climate also seems easy, so far.
Winter arrived in force in the Pyrenees in November, with abundant snowfalls and temperatures as low as minus 8° Celsius. Though early days, the house has responded well: the stove is lit during cold evenings but the portable radiator has not yet been needed. This type of construction seems not only to make economic andenvironmental sense, but to enhance our quality of life, too.
1.We can learn from Paragraph one that passive houses __________.
A. consume extra energy to keep warm in winter and cool in summer
B. had been introduced for a decade before the birth of the theory
C. appeal to both the self-builders and those constructors
D. refer to a certain house comfortable, costly and also pleasing
2.Regarding the passive energy management, the houses have characteristics EXCEPT _______
A. using south-facing windows to take in solar energy
B. Providing energy for taking a shower when it’s rainy
C. supplying fresh air with a special heat recovery system
D. placing more demands and restrictions on the design
3.How did Brian McGarry find his self-built passive house?
A. very unaffordable
B. Energy-consuming
C. comfortable to live in
D. Awkward to use
4.What is the writer’s attitude towards the passive housing?
A. supportive B. critical
C. oppositive D. doubtful
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
This is a true story that happened in Japan. In order to renovate the house, a Japanese tore open the walls. Japanese houses normally have a empty space between the wooden walls. When tearing down the walls, he found that there was a lizard(蜥蜴) stuck there because a nail from outside was hammered into one of its feet. He saw this, feeling pity and curious. When he checked the nail, he found it was nailed 10 years ago when the house was first built.
What happened? The lizard had survived in such a position for 10 years! It has been in a dark wall partition (夹层) for 10 years without moving! Then he wondered how this lizard survived for 10 years without moving a single step—since its foot was nailed! So he stopped his work and observed the lizard: What has it been doing? What and how has it been eating? Later, he didn't know from where another lizard appeared, with food in its mouth. Ah! He was astonished and touched deeply. The free lizard had been feeding the stuck one for the past 10 years.
Such love, a beautiful love! Such love happened with this tiny creature… What can love do? It can do wonders! Just think about it: one lizard had been feeding the other one untiringly for 10 long years, without giving up hope on its partner. If a small creature like a lizard can love like this, just imagine how we can love if we try.
1.The underlined word “renovate” in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to _________.
A. tear open B. repair C. tear down D. paint
2. How did the Japanese feel when seeing the stuck lizard?
A. Frightened B. Enjoyable C. Confused D. Usual
3.What can we learn from the free lizard?
A. It teaches us never to abandon our loved ones.
B. It teaches us to give more help to our loved ones.
C. It tells us to take pity on the stuck lizard.
D. It encourages us to live even longer.
4.Why did the Japanese stop his work?
A. To watch how long the lizard can still live here.
B. To take out the nail and set the lizard free.
C. To have a rest by watching the lizard.
D. To find out why the lizard had survived here for 10 years.
5.What would be the best title for the passage?
A. A Wonder B. Two Lizards
C. Such a Story D. Lizard Love
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
—Do you think that housing price will keep_______in the years to come?
—Sorry,I have no idea.
A.lifting up B.going up C.bringing up D.growing up
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
—Do you think that housing price will keep_______in the years to come?
—Sorry,I have no idea.
| A．lifting up | B．going up | C．bringing up | D．growing up |
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
It was in the small house _____ he was born _____ he ended his life．
A．that; where B．which; that C．that; which D．where; that
高三英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
It was Monday.Mrs.Smith’s dog was hungry,but there was not any meat in the house.
Considering that there was no better way,Mrs.Smith took a piece of paper,and wrote the following words on it “Give my dog half a pound of meat.” Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently,“Take this to the butcher,and he’s going to give you your lunch today.”
Holding the piece of paper in its mouth,the dog ran to the butcher’s.It gave the paper to the butcher.The butcher read it carefully,recognized that it was really the lady’s handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to.The dog was very happy,and ate the meat up at once.
At noon,the dog came to the shop again.It gave the butcher a piece of paper again.After reading it,he gave it half a pound of meat once more.
The next day,the dog came again exactly at noon.And as usual,it brought a piece of paper in the mouth.This time,the butcher did not take a look at paper,and gave the dog its meat,for he had regarded the dog as one of his customers (顾客).
But,the dog came again at four o’clock.And the same thing happened once again.To the butcher’s more surprise,it came for the third time at six o’clock,and brought with it a third piece of paper.The butcher felt a bit puzzled.He said to himself,“This is a small dog.Why does Mrs.Smith give it so much meat to eat today?”
Looking at the piece of paper,he found that there were not any words on it!
1.The little dog went to the butcher’s altogether during the two days.
A.three times B.four times C.five times D.six times
2.The butcher did not give any meat to the dog .
A.before he felt sure that the words were really written by Mrs.Smith on Monday
B.when he found that the words on the paper were not clear
C.because he had sold out all the meat in his shop
D.until he was paid enough by Mrs.Smith
3.From the story,we can know that the dog was very .
A.kind B.clever C.honest D.foolish
4.At the end of the story,you’ll find that .
A.the dog was clever enough to write on the paper
B.the dog dared not go to the butcher’s any more
C.the butcher was told not to give any meat to the dog
D.the butcher found himself cheated(欺骗) by the dog
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Christmas was near a season that we took seriously in our house. But a week or so before the 25th, my father would give each of his children $ 20. This was the 1970s, and $ 20 was quite a bit of money.
But I saw it ___. My father trusted me to have the ________ to spend money wisely. Even better, he gave me the ____ to get it. On a very basic level ,my father was giving me a shopping spree（狂欢）every year. But he was also giving me charge over my own fun, trusting my ability to ____ money and making me feel like a/an _______. He didn't buy me Sherlock Holmes, but he gave me the means to walk into the bookstore and choose it for myself, so it felt like a gift from him.
My mother had a/an____for giving me what I needed, usually____at the moment I needed it most. This was when I was 25, I _____at being an adult on my very first try. I had quitted my ___job but had no new one. But when my mother____me a visit, I____a good show, telling her I had started my own company.
My mother knew that I was trying hard and failing at that time. It wasn't until____she left that I noticed at the foot of my bed an envelope thick with _________. She knew how _______ I needed it. She knew that had she just shown up with groceries, or____to pay my rent, she would have made me feel much __________ . The cold, hard cash meant she was helping me. And, funnily enough, the____with which she gave the gift felt like she was giving me space to ___my life and preserve my dignity. My mother and father both did the same thing. One was giving me the means to take my own ____ ,and the other was giving me a second ____ when those decisions had cost me dearly.
1.A.positively B.differently C.naturally D.originally
2.A.intelligence B.passion C.power D.potential
3.A.courage B.suggestions C.discipline D.means
4.A.spend B.carry C.manage D.use
5.A.grown-up B.teenager C.adventurer D.pioneer
6.A.habit B.gift C.approach D.tradition
7.A.approximately B.about C.right D.slightly
8.A.failed B.fooled C.dropped D.fell
9.A.important B.creative C.challenging D.previous
10.A.brought B.suggested C.paid D.gave
11.A.put on B.put away C.put off D.put forward
12.A.before B.after C.when D.as
13.A.credit B.loans C.receipts D.cash
14.A.desperately B.hardly C.eventually D.accurately
15.A.attempted B.offered C.promised D.refused
16.A.better B.more C.less D.worse
17.A.decoration B.love C.distance D.method
18.A.defend B.equip C.fix D.develop
19.A.actions B.opportunities C.risks D.decisions
20.A.solution B.chance C.visit D.assistance
高三英语完形填空困难题查看答案及解析
Christmas was near a season that we took seriously in our house. And a week or so before the 25th, my father would give each of his children $20. This was the 1970s, and $20 was quite a bit of money.
But I saw it _________ . My father trusted me to have the _________ to spend money well. Even
better, he gave me the _________ to get it. On a very basic level, my father was giving me a shopping spree (狂欢) every year. But he was also giving me charge over my own fun, trusting my ability to _________ money and making me feel like a/an _________ . He didn’t buy me Sherlock Holmes, but he gave me the means to walk into the bookstore and choose it for myself, so it felt like a gift from him.
My mother had a/an _________ for giving me what I needed, usually _________ at the moment I needed it most. This was when I was 25, I _________ at being an adult on my very first try. I had quitted my _________ job but had no new one. But when my mother __________ me a visit, I __________ a good show, telling her I had started my own company.
My mother knew that I was trying hard and failing at that time. It wasn’t until __________ she left that I noticed at the foot of my bed an envelope thick with __________ . She knew how __________ I needed it. She knew that had she just shown up with groceries, or __________ to pay my rent, she would have made me feel much __________ . The cold, hard cash meant she was helping me. And, funnily enough, the __________ with which she gave the gift made me feel she was giving me space to __________ my life and preserve my dignity. My mother and father both did the same thing. One was giving me the means to take my own __________ , and the other was giving me a second __________ when those decisions had cost me dearly.
1.A.positively B.differently C.naturally D.originally
2.A.wisdom B.passion C.power D.talent
3.A.courage B.suggestions C.discipline D.means
4.A.spend B.carry C.manage D.use
5.A.grown-up B.teenager C.adventurer D.pioneer
6.A.habit B.gift C.approach D.tradition
7.A.approximately B.direct C.right D.slightly
8.A.failed B.fooled C.dropped D.fell
9.A.important B.creative C.challenging D.previous
10.A.brought B.suggested C.paid D.gave
11.A.put on B.put away C.put off D.put forward
12.A.before B.after C.when D.as
13.A.credit B.loans C.receipts D.cash
14.A.desperately B.hardly C.eventually D.accurately
15.A.attempted B.offered C.promised D.refused
16.A.better B.more C.less D.worse
17.A.decoration B.love C.distance D.means
18.A.defend B.equip C.fix D.develop
19.A.actions B.choices C.risks D.decisions
20.A.solution B.opportunity C.visit D.assistance
高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析