The value of the U.S. penny has been dropping for years. Many countries have stopped using pennies. Is it time for the U.S. to do the same?
Those who think we should keep the U.S. penny offer the following arguments to support their positions:
Prices will increase. If we get rid of the penny, everything will have to be rounded to the nickel (五分硬币), costing us more for everything we buy.
Charities need pennies. There are thousands of small charities that depend on pennies to bring in donations. People think nothing of pouring out their old penny jars to support charity, but they won’t part with nickels so easily.
Nickels cost even more to make. If we get rid of the penny, we will need more nickels in circulation. Nickels cost 7.7 cents to make, 2.7 cents over face value, as opposed to 0.26 cents over face value to make a penny. Since the penny costs 0.26 more than face value to make, the Mint (铸币厂) can make 5 pennies and still lose less money than making 1 nickel.
People who want to retire the penny also have some persuasive arguments, including these:
Pennies waste time. The average American wastes 2.4 hours a year handling pennies, or waiting for people who handle them. This statistics is the result of collecting a number of penny-handling related events, including the 30-second period we sometimes spend waiting for someone who just has to dig through their pockets or purse to find that last cent so they can pay for something with exact change (probably so they don’t get stuck with any more pennies).
Making pennies wastes taxpayers’ money. It costs the U.S. Mint 1.26 cents to make each 1 cent coin, meaning that taxpayers are losing 0.26 of a cent for each one of the 7.4 billion pennies the Mint produces each year.
History will repeat itself. In 1857, the Mint stopped making the half-cent coin, partly because the cost of making it was considered to be no longer needed. Yet, commerce continued without any catastrophic effects. History has shown us that updating the monetary supply in countries where the currency (货币) is very stable has had little, if any, negative effect on the economy, or on people’s acceptance of the coinage.
1.According to people who want to keep the penny, getting rid of the penny .
A. is good for ordinary consumers
B. is especially bad for rich people
C. will be convenient for them
D. may lead to fewer donations to small charities
2.Why do pennies waste time?
A. Because consumers don’t always have enough change.
B. Because it takes time for people to get them from their pockets or purse.
C. Because pennies are not easy to take.
D. Because pennies are difficult to collect.
3.The underlined word “catastrophic” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “ ”.
A. direct B. positive
C. important D. disastrous
4.The text is mainly developed by .
A. giving examples
B. setting down general rules
C. comparing different opinions
D. following the natural time order
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
The value of the U.S. penny has been dropping for years. Many countries have stopped using pennies. Is it time for the U.S. to do the same?
Those who think we should keep the U.S. penny offer the following arguments to support their positions:
Prices will increase. If we get rid of the penny, everything will have to be rounded to the nickel (五分硬币), costing us more for everything we buy.
Charities need pennies. There are thousands of small charities that depend on pennies to bring in donations. People think nothing of pouring out their old penny jars to support charity, but they won’t part with nickels so easily.
Nickels cost even more to make. If we get rid of the penny, we will need more nickels in circulation. Nickels cost 7.7 cents to make, 2.7 cents over face value, as opposed to 0.26 cents over face value to make a penny. Since the penny costs 0.26 more than face value to make, the Mint (铸币厂) can make 5 pennies and still lose less money than making 1 nickel.
People who want to retire the penny also have some persuasive arguments, including these:
Pennies waste time. The average American wastes 2.4 hours a year handling pennies, or waiting for people who handle them. This statistics is the result of collecting a number of penny-handling related events, including the 30-second period we sometimes spend waiting for someone who just has to dig through their pockets or purse to find that last cent so they can pay for something with exact change (probably so they don’t get stuck with any more pennies).
Making pennies wastes taxpayers’ money. It costs the U.S. Mint 1.26 cents to make each 1 cent coin, meaning that taxpayers are losing 0.26 of a cent for each one of the 7.4 billion pennies the Mint produces each year.
History will repeat itself. In 1857, the Mint stopped making the half-cent coin, partly because the cost of making it was considered to be no longer needed. Yet, commerce continued without any catastrophic effects. History has shown us that updating the monetary supply in countries where the currency (货币) is very stable has had little, if any, negative effect on the economy, or on people’s acceptance of the coinage.
1.According to people who want to keep the penny, getting rid of the penny .
A. is good for ordinary consumers
B. is especially bad for rich people
C. will be convenient for them
D. may lead to fewer donations to small charities
2.Why do pennies waste time?
A. Because consumers don’t always have enough change.
B. Because it takes time for people to get them from their pockets or purse.
C. Because pennies are not easy to take.
D. Because pennies are difficult to collect.
3.The underlined word “catastrophic” in the last paragraph can be replaced by “ ”.
A. direct B. positive
C. important D. disastrous
4.The text is mainly developed by .
A. giving examples
B. setting down general rules
C. comparing different opinions
D. following the natural time order
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
An Australian man who has been donating his extremely rare kind of blood for 56 years has saved the lives of more than two million babies.
James Harrison has an antibody in his plasma（血浆）that stops babies dying from Rhesus disease, a form of severe anaemia. He has enabled countless mothers to give birth to healthy babies, including his own daughter, Tracey, who had a healthy son thanks to her father's blood.
Mr. Harrison has been giving blood every few weeks since he was 18 years old and has now racked up a total of 984 donations. When he started donating, his blood was deemed so special that his life was insured for one million Australian dollars.
He was also nicknamed the “man with the golden arm” or the “man in two million”. He said, “I've never thought about stopping. Never!” He made a pledge to be a donor aged 14 after undergoing major chest surgery in which he needed 13 liters of blood. “I was in hospital for three months,” he said. “The blood I received saved my life so I made a pledge to give blood when I was 18.”
Just after he started donating he was found to have the rare and life-saving antibody in his blood. At the time, thousands of babies in Australia were dying each year of Rhesus disease. Other newborns suffered permanent brain damage because of the condition. The disease creates an incompatibility between the mother's blood and her unborn baby's blood. It stems from one having Rh-positive blood and the other Rh-negative.
His blood has since led to the development of a vaccine called Anti-D. After his blood type was discovered, Mr. Harrison volunteered to undergo a series of tests to help develop the Anti-D vaccine. “They insured me for a million dollars so I knew my wife Barbara would be taken care of,” he said. “I wasn't scared. I was glad to help. I had to sign every form going and basically sign my life away.”
Mr. Harrison is Rh-negative and was given injections of Rh-positive blood. It was found his plasma could treat the condition and since then it has been given to hundreds of thousands of women. It has also been given to babies after they are born to stop them developing the disease.
It is estimated he has helped save 2.2 million babies so far. Mr. Harrison is still donating every few weeks now.
1.What does the underlined phrase “two million” refer to?
A．mothers B．babies C．dollars D．blood
2.Why did James decide to donate his blood? Because _____.
A．his daughter asked him to help her son
B．he has a golden arm worth a million dollars
C．a vaccine called Anti-D is to be developed
D．someone else’s blood saved his life
3.The sentence “The disease creates an incompatibility between the mother's blood and her unborn baby's blood” (underlined in Paragraph 5) suggests that _____.
A．the mother and the baby have different types of blood
B．babies suffer permanent brain damage before born
C．Rhesus disease contributes to permanent brain damage
D．all the patients have a rare antibody in their blood
4.What can we infer from the sixth paragraph?
A．His wife Barbara needed to be taken care of badly then.
B．Mr. Harrison was not glad to help develop a new vaccine.
C．Some of the tests to develop the vaccine are dangerous.
D．His blood type was accidentally discovered after tests
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
An Australian man who has been donating his extremely rare kind of blood for 56 years has saved the lives of more than two million babies.
James Harrison has an antibody in his plasma that stops babies dying from Rhesus disease, a form of severe anaemia. He has enabled countless mothers to give birth to healthy babies, including his own daughter, Tracey, who had a healthy son thanks to her father's blood.
Mr. Harrison has been giving blood every few weeks since he was 18 years old and has now racked up a total of 984 donations. When he started donating, his blood was deemed so special that his life was insured for one million Australian dollars.
He was also nicknamed the “man with the golden arm” or the “man in two million”. He said: “I've never thought about stopping. Never.” He made a pledge to be a donor aged 14 after undergoing major chest surgery in which he needed 13 litres of blood. “I was in hospital for three months,” he said. “The blood I received saved my life so I made a pledge to give blood when I was 18.”
Just after he started donating he was found to have the rare and life-saving antibody in his blood. At the time, thousands of babies in Australia were dying each year of Rhesus disease. Other newborns suffered permanent brain damage because of the condition. The disease creates an incompatibility between the mother's blood and her unborn baby's blood. It stems from one having Rh-positive blood and the other Rh-negative.
His blood has since led to the development of a vaccine called Anti-D. After his blood type was discovered, Mr. Harrison volunteered to undergo a series of tests to help develop the Anti-D vaccine. “They insured me for a million dollars so I knew my wife Barbara would be taken care of,” he said. “I wasn't scared. I was glad to help. I had to sign every form going and basically sign my life away.”
Mr. Harrison is Rh-negative and was given injections of Rh-positive blood. It was found his plasma could treat the condition and since then it has been given to hundreds of thousands of women. It has also been given to babies after they are born to stop them developing the disease.
It is estimated he has helped save 2.2 million babies so far. Mr. Harrison is still donating every few weeks now.
1.How old is James Harrison？
A．56 B．70 C．74 D．78
2.What does the underlined phrase “two million” refer to?
A．dollars B．babies C．mothers D．all of the above
3.Why did James decide to donate his blood? Because _____.
A．someone else’s blood saved his life
B．he has a golden arm worth a million dollars
C．a vaccine called Anti-D is to be developed
D．his daughter asked him to help her son
4.The sentence “The disease creates an incompatibility between the mother's blood and her unborn baby's blood” (underlined in Paragraph 5) suggests that _____.
A．all the patients have a rare antibody in their blood
B．babies suffer permanent brain damage before born
C．Rhesus disease contributes to permanent brain damage
D．. the mother and the baby have different types of blood
5.What can we infer from the sixth paragraph?
A．His wife Barbara needed to be taken care of badly then.
B．Some of the tests to develop the vaccine are dangerous.
C．Mr. Harrison was glad to help develop a new vaccine.
D．His blood type was accidentally discovered after tests.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
An Australian man who has been donating his extremely rare kind of blood for 56 years has saved the lives of more than two million babies.
James Harrison has an antibody in his plasma that stops babies dying from Rhesus disease, a form of severe anaemia. He has enabled countless mothers to give birth to healthy babies, including his own daughter, Tracey, who had a healthy son thanks to her father's blood.
Mr. Harrison has been giving blood every few weeks since he was 18 years old and has now racked up a total of 984 donations. When he started donating, his blood was deemed so special that his life was insured for one million Australian dollars.
He was also nicknamed the “man with the golden arm” or the “man in two million”. He said: “I've never thought about stopping. Never.” He made a pledge to be a donor aged 14 after undergoing major chest surgery in which he needed 13 litres of blood. “I was in hospital for three months,” he said. “The blood I received saved my life so I made a pledge to give blood when I was 18.”
Just after he started donating he was found to have the rare and life-saving antibody in his blood. At the time, thousands of babies in Australia were dying each year of Rhesus disease. Other newborns suffered permanent brain damage because of the condition. The disease creates an incompatibility between the mother's blood and her unborn baby's blood. It stems from one having Rh-positive blood and the other Rh-negative.
His blood has since led to the development of a vaccine called Anti-D. After his blood type was discovered, Mr. Harrison volunteered to undergo a series of tests to help develop the Anti-D vaccine. “They insured me for a million dollars so I knew my wife Barbara would be taken care of,” he said. “I wasn't scared. I was glad to help. I had to sign every form going and basically sign my life away.”
Mr. Harrison is Rh-negative and was given injections of Rh-positive blood. It was found his plasma could treat the condition and since then it has been given to hundreds of thousands of women. It has also been given to babies after they are born to stop them developing the disease.
It is estimated he has helped save 2.2 million babies so far. Mr. Harrison is still donating every few weeks now.
1.How old is James Harrison？
| A．56 | B．70 | C．74 | D．78 |
2.What does the underlined phrase “two million” refer to?
| A．babies | B．mothers | C．dollars | D．all of the above |
3. Why did James decide to donate his blood? Because _____.
| A．his daughter asked him to help her son |
| B．he has a golden arm worth a million dollars |
| C．a vaccine called Anti-D is to be developed |
| D．someone else’s blood saved his life |
4.The sentence “The disease creates an incompatibility between the mother's blood and her unborn baby's blood” (underlined in Paragraph 5) suggests that _____.
| A．babies suffer permanent brain damage before born |
| B．the mother and the baby have different types of blood |
| C．Rhesus disease contributes to permanent brain damage |
| D．all the patients have a rare antibody in their blood |
5. What can we infer from the sixth paragraph?
| A．Some of the tests to develop the vaccine are dangerous. |
| B．His wife Barbara needed to be taken care of badly then. |
| C．Mr. Harrison was glad to help develop a new vaccine. |
| D．His blood type was accidentally discovered after tests. |
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
For years, the U.S. has experienced a shortage of registered nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that while the number of nurses will increase by 19 percent by 2022, demand will grow faster than supply, and that there will be over one million unfilled nursing jobs by then.
So what's the solution? Robots,
Japan is ahead of the curve when it comes to this trend. Toyohashi University of Technology has developed Terapio, a robotic medical cart that can make hospital rounds, deliver medications and oilier items, and retrieve（检索）records. It follows a specific individual, such as a doctor or nurse, who can use it to record and access patient data. This type of robot will likely be one of the first to be put into use in hospitals because it has fairly minimal patient contact.
Robots capable of social engagement help with loneliness as well as cognitive（认知的） functioning, but the robot itself doesn't have to engage directly——it can serve as an intermediary for human communication. Telepresence robots such as MantaroBot, Vgo, and Giraff can be controlled through a computer, smartphone, or tablet, allowing family members or doctors to remotely monitor patients or Skype them, often via a screen where the robot's "face" would be. If you can't get to the nursing home to visit grandma, you can use a telepresence robot to hang out with her. A 2016 study found that users had a ''consistently positive attitude" about the Giraff robot's ability to enhance communication and decrease feelings of loneliness.
A robot’s appearance affects its ability to successfully interact with humans, which is why the RIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research decided to develop a robotic nurse that looks a huge teddy bear. RIBA （Robot for Interactive Body Assistance）, also known as "Robear" can help patients into and out of wheelchairs and beds with its strong arms. On the less cute and more scary side there is Actroid F, which is so human-like that some patients may not know the difference. This conversational robot companion has cameras in its eyes, which allow it to track patients and use appropriate facial expressions and body language in its interactions. During a month-long hospital trial, researchers asked 70 patients how they felt being around the robot and "only three or four said they didn't like having it around."
Il's important to note that robotic nurses don't decide courses of treatment or make diagnoses （ though robot doctors and surgeons may not be far off）. Instead, they perform routine and laborious tusks, freeing nurses up to attend to patients with immediate needs. This is one industry where it seems the interaction of robots will lend to collaboration, not replacement
1.What does the author say about Japan?
A.It delivers the best medication for the elderly.
B.It takes the lead in providing robotic care.
C.It provides retraining for registered nurses.
D.It sets the trend in future robotics technology,
2.What arc telepresence robots designed to do?
A.Directly interact with patients to prevent them from feeling lonely.
B.Cater to the needs of patients for recovering their cognitive capacity.
C.Closely monitor the patients' movements and conditions around the clock.
D.Facilitate communication between patients and doctors or family members.
3.What is one special feature of the robot Actroid F?
A.It interacts with patients just like a human companion.
B.It operates quietly without patients realizing its presence.
C.It likes to engage in everyday conversations with patients.
D.It uses body language even more effectively than words.
4.What is the attitude of the 70 patients towards the robotic nurses?
A.They don't like having it around.
B.They are indifferent to it.
C.They feel bored around them.
D.Almost all of them are in favor of it.
5.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.Doctors and surgeons will soon be laid off.
B.The robotics industry will soon take off.
C.Robots will not make nurses unnecessary.
D.Cooperation will not replace completion.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
For years, the U.S. has experienced a shortage of registered nurses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that while the number of nurses will increase by 19 percent by 2022, demand will grow faster than supply, and that there will be over one million unfilled nursing jobs by then.
So what's the solution? Robots.
Japan is ahead of the curve when it comes to this trend. Toyohashi University of Technology has developed Terapio, a robotic medical cart that can make hospital rounds, deliver medications and other items. It follows a specific individual, such as a doctor or nurse, who can use it to record and access patient data. This type of robot will likely be one of the first to be implemented in hospitals because it has fairly minimal patient contact.
A robot's appearance affects its ability to successfully interact with humans, which is why the RIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for Human-Interactive Robot Research decided to develop a robotic nurse called Actroid F. It is so human-like that some patients may not know the difference. This conversational robot companion has cameras in its eyes, which allow it to track patients and use appropriate facial expressions and body language in its interactions. During a month-long hospital trial, researchers asked 70 patients how they felt being around the robot and "only three or four said they didn't like having it around."
It's important to note that robotic nurses don't decide courses of treatment or make diagnoses, though robot doctors and surgeons may not be far off. Instead, they perform routine and laborious tasks, freeing nurses up to attend to patients with immediate needs. This is one industry where it seems the interaction of robots will lead to collaboration, not replacement.
1.What does the author say about Japan?
A.It ranks top in future robotics technology.
B.It takes the lead in offering robotic nursing.
C.It is in desperate need of registered nurses.
D.It provides the best medication for the elderly.
2.Which of the following best explains “implemented'' underlined in Paragraph 3?
A.Cancelled. B.Constructed. C.Improved. D.Applied.
3.What do we know about the robot Actroid F?
A.It has no difference from a human nurse.
B.It gets favorable remarks from all the patients.
C.It interacts with patients like a human companion.
D.It uses body language even more effectively than words.
4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.Cooperation will not be replaced.
B.Nurses will still play their roles.
C.The robotics industry will be promising.
D.Robots can meet patients' immediate needs.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Cyclist Alain Such has been dropped from the Ingotel cycling team for two years after a positive drug test at the Institute of drug Free Sport. “ I was flabbergasted.” Said Didier Garcia, from Team Ingotel. “Alain joined our team last month and we had no idea that he was being examined.”
It’s a story that has become more and more familiar in recent years. Dr. Mohammad Farnood, a leading sports scientist from Cairo, Egypt, said, “ It is thought that some athletes will look for other ways to improve performance in addition to using drugs.”
However, it has not always been against the law. In the Olympics in 1904, Thomas Hicks won the marathon after using drugs in the middle of the race. In fact, the first one didn’t make him feel better for long, so he was given another and, as a result, he fell down soon after finishing and knew nothing. Another one may well have killed him.
Things are very different today. Some scientists are considering the possibilities of using genetic engineering to further develop athletes’ abilities. “If it works with no risk of discovering,” said Dr Farnood, “ then it’s likely to become common practice for athletes.”
Researchers are looking at the possibility of identifying “athletic” genes and correcting weak ones. Put into practice, this would make a person healthier and stronger. Once scientists understand what genes of top athletes look like , it might even become possible to identify “athletic” genes in young people, and then money could be spent on children who have the most promising genes.
“People are beginning to recognize that genetics can in many ways do good to our society, for example in saving lives and in creating better quality food for people.” Dr Farnood says. “ So, is it fair to use genetic engineering in sport? You could ask if it’s fair for some runners to use the latest scientifically developed footwear. The key question is whether it’s available to everyone.”
1.What does the underlined word “ flabbergasted” in Paragraph 1 mean ?
A. Shy . B. Proud.
C. Excited. D. Surprised.
2.What happened to Thomas Hicks in 1904 ?
A. He was badly hurt in training.
B. He broke the law when running in a race.
C. He took drugs and almost got killed.
D. He lost the match in the Olympic Games.
3.Who may show the greatest concern about using genetic engineering in sport ?
A. Didier Garcia .
B. Thomas Hicks.
C. Cyclist Alain Such .
D. Dr Mohammad Farnood.
4.What can we learn from Paragraph 5 and 6 ?
A. The possibility of identifying “athletic” genes has become available .
B. It’s not clear whether it is fair to use genetic engineering in sport.
C. The practice of using drugs in sport has a long history.
D. It’s dangerous to use drugs in sport.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How long has the man been in the hospital?
A. For 2 years. B. For 6 years. C. For 7 years.
2.What will the man serve as in Nigeria?
A. An organizer. B. A nurse. C. A doctor.
3.What can we learn from the conversation?
A. The man got his new job this morning.
B. The woman is against the man's decision.
C. The man wants to marry Rosie.
高三英语长对话中等难度题查看答案及解析
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How long has the man been in China?
A.For one year. B.For two years. C.For four years.
2.Where are the speakers?
A.In an office. B.In a restaurant. C.In a park.
3.What is the main subject of the conversation?
A.Entertainment. B.History. C.Culture.
高三英语长对话中等难度题查看答案及解析
Man has been on the earth about one million years. He_1. (manage) to live on every part of the planet, even though some climates have made life difficult. It is thought 2. (different) in skin color are the result of climatic__3. .(adapt). For example, people with skin colors of yellow, red, and olive, generally come from areas 4._ they have had to adapt to other climates. Man's size also seems to 5. (various) according to climate. People living in colder regions are generally larger than6._ living in hotter ones. This difference might be explained_7. the fact that big people have less skin compared to weight than do small people. The less skin a person has relative to his weight, the easier 8. is for him to keep warm. As part of the natural environment, climate greatly affects human activities. Climate has a significant 9. 0n agriculture. Climatic factors restrict the kinds of crops that can be grown. Man changes his living habits in order to adjust to climate, but climate 10. (change) as well, though more slowly. By learning more about his climate, man will find a way to adapt to or control it and live a more comfortable life.
高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析