Phyllis Ramberg,85,lives alone in Hyattsville...

Phyllis Ramberg,85,lives alone in Hyattsville,Maryland,in the same house for many decades.“Children keep asking me,‘When are you going to move to one of those retirement villages?’I say,‘No,no.My friends are here, my church is close,’”Ramberg said."I've got everything I need,right in this neighborhood."A year ago,Ramberg was able to take care of her backyard.This year,she just can't do it herself."When illnesses happen,you just don't have the capability that you thought you had before,"she said.

That's where "Aging in Place",a non-profit organization,comes in.Founder Lisa Walker says she and her friends are among the seven percent of Hyattsville residents who are 65 or older."A number of my neighbors are also around my age,"Walker said."We started talking about some of the concerns we had.Several of us had had issues with parents that were getting older and they were far away from them and didn't know how to take care of them or get support."

Seniors can call Walker's organization with a request,for example,asking for someone to shop for groceries,do small chores around the house or drive them to the doctor.Then a volunteer is assigned to provide the help.Most of the calls are for rides to the doctor."They take me to all my medical appointments,"said Louise Battiste,who is almost 90.

Aging in Place volunteer Sally Middlebrooks says that a review of new volunteers' background,such as driving records and any criminal history is just as important as the training they receive.“We want the seniors,people we call neighbors,to be assured that they are with safe,reliable people who are also caring people,”Middlebrooks said.

The volunteers also gain some benefits."I've learned how to stay connected to people,your family and friends," Walker said."Do I stay close to them?Do I try to keep myself devoted to the community,relating to people younger than I am?"Middlebrooks said."I'm learning a lot about this whole process of aging,and I'm learning,to my alarm,that it's very difficult.But I'm also meeting people who amaze me with their flexibility and their sense of humor and their ability to stay very much alive despite aches and pains."

Not all volunteers are retired.Courtney Wattai,24,is a graduate student at American University in Washington who studies care giving and plans to have a career working with seniors."That's kind of what I want to do because I want to make sure I'm able to improve their lives,"Wattai said.“I want to be involved in their lives,not just sitting at a desk doing things.I thought this would be a good way to give tribute to my grandparents and what they had done for me and my brother."

It makes Walker happy to see the younger generation stepping up.She hopes that's how residents in her neighborhood will always care for each other.

1.Why do people who want to be volunteers need to be checked?

A. Because seniors in the neighborhood just don't have the capability that they had before.

B. Because Aging in Place makes volunteers get connected to people,their family and their friends.

C. Because Aging in Place plans for them to have a career working with seniors.

D. Because Aging in Place wants to make sure the volunteers are qualified for their work.

2.In paragraph 5,by quoting Walker and Middlebrooks,the writer wants to show　　　　 .

A. staying connected to people is volunteers' responsibility

B. the work of caring for the old also brings good to the volunteers

C. the process of aging is very difficult for the volunteers to understand

D. the old people's ability of surviving the hardships is amazing

3.Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word in paragraph 6?

A. Respect.　　 B. Care.

C. Award.　　 D. Aid.

4.It can be inferred from the passage that Walker is　　 about the future of Aging in Place.

A. concerned　　 B. optimistic

C. doubtful　　 D. pessimistic

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Where we live, on the eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips.

The Canada geese know this place, as do the white swans and the ducks. In autumn, they come home for the winter. Once or twice each year, snow and frozen rain move into the area. When this happens, if the river is at its narrowest, there is a freeze which hardens the water to ice.

One morning, a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window, which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Suddenly she leaned forward and cried out, “There is a goose out there.”

We saw the figure of a large Canada goose, very still, its wings folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen into the ice.

Then from the dark skies, she saw a line of swans. They floated from the top of the sky downward and at last landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet now, with one hand against her mouth, unbelieving. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose, she feared that life it still had might be pecked(啄) out by those great swan bills.

Instead, those bills began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and curved down, again and again. It went on for a long time. At last, the goose’s head was lifted. Its body was pulled. Then the goose was free and stood on the ice. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then, as if it had cried, “I cannot fly.” Four of the swans came down around it. Their powerful beaks chipped off the ice held in the feathers. Slowly, the goose spread its wings as far as they would go, and moved slowly into the sky.

This is a true story. I just think of it in the bad moment, and from it comes only one hopeful question: If so for birds, why not for man?

1.Which would be the best title for the passage?

A. Why Not for Man?　　　　 B. Graceful Swans

C. Swans’ Brave Act　　　 D. I Just Couldn’t Believe It!

2.What happened to the Canada goose?

A. It was deserted by other geese.

B. It was stuck in the ice.

C. It was wounded and couldn’t fly.

D. It was lost in the water.

3.At first the author’s friend was worried that________.

A. the swans would not help the Canada goose

B. she didn’t care about this matter any more

C. the swans wouldn’t identify with the Canada goose

D. the swans would peck the Canada goose to death

4.What did the swans do when they saw the Canada goose couldn’t fly?

A. They chipped off the ice held in its feathers.

B. They waited patiently for the ice held in its feathers to melt.

C. They came down and lifted it up to the sky together.

D. They stayed with it and protected it.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Where we live, on the eastern shore of Maryland, the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips.

The Canada geese know this place, as do the white swans and ducks. In the autumn, they come home for the winter. Once or twice each year, snow and frozen rain move into the area. When this happens, if the river is at its narrowest, there is a freeze which hardens the water to the ice.

One morning, a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window, which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Suddenly she leaned forward and cried out, “There is a goose out

there.”

We saw the figure of a large Canada goose, very iii, its wings folded tight to its sides, its feet frozen to the ice.

Then from the dark sky, she saw a line of swans. They floated from the top of the sky downward and at last landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet now, with one unbelieving hand against her mouth. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose, she feared what life it still had might be pecked（啄）out by those great swan beaks.

Instead, those beaks began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and curved down, again and again. It went on for a long time. At last, the goose’s head lifted. Its body pulled. Then the goose was free and standing on the ice. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then, as if it had cried, “I cannot fly,” four of the swans came down around it. Their powerful beaks chipped off the ice and held in the feathers. Slowly, the goose spread its wings as far as they could go, and moved slowly into the sky.

This is a true story. I just think of it in the bad moments, and from it comes only one hopeful question:“ If so for birds, why not for man?”

1.What happened to the Canada goose?

A. It was deserted by other geese.        B. It was stuck in the ice.

C. It was wounded and couldn’t fly.       D. It was lost in the water.

2. At first the author’s friend was worried that ________.

A. the swans would not help the Canada goose

B. the swans would have the same fate with the Canada goose

C. the Canada goose wouldn’t identify with the swans

D. the swans would peck the Canada goose to death

3.What did the swans do when they saw the Canada goose couldn’t fly?

A. They chipped off the ice held in its feathers.

B. They waited patiently for the ice held in its feathers to melt.

C. They came down and lifted it up to the sky together.

D. They stayed with it and protected it.

4.What would probably happen to the author’s friend in the end?

A. She stood there, watching attentively, still feeling a bit worried.

B. She was on her feet, laughing at the swans and the Canada goose.

C. She was embarrassed and went on with her breakfast silently.

D. She stood there quietly, not realizing tears had come down her cheeks.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

A higher proportion of Americans are living alone and spending time alone than in past decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau，a third of U.S. adults over 45 reports being lonely. Less than half of U.S. adults participate in an organized religious group and less than a quarter participate in a social club or a local sports league. And the problem has been getting worse.

It sounds bad, but, after all, some people like being alone, and we all have to do it sometimes, so what’s the problem? According to a widely reported 2019 analysis of studies, being socially isolated, feeling lonely and living alone corresponded with an increased risk of mortality (死亡) by 29 percent, 26 percent, and 32 percent respectively. Lacking social connection carries a risk that is comparable, and in many cases, exceeds that of other well-accepted risk factors, including smoking up to 15 cigarettes per day, obesity, physical inactivity. and air pollution.

“Loneliness is the subjective feeling of being alone,” Dr. Holt-Lunstad, the lead author of that study tells The Healthy. “It’s defined as the discrepancy between one’s actual level of social connection and one’s desired level of social connection.” “Social isolation means having few relationships and infrequent social contacts,” Dr. Holt-Lunstad adds, “someone who is isolated is at greater risk of becoming lonely, but you can be lonely and not isolated and isolated and not lonely.”

The epidemic of loneliness is compounded today by the coronavirus pandemic which makes the government ask people to stay by themselves. What can we do to mitigate the negative heathy effects? Dr. Holt-Lunstad recommends. “You could view your situation as being tapped or forced to stay home, or you could change your concept to thinking about this as ‘this is something I am doing to protect the ones I love’. And helping care for someone, an animal or even a plant can help reduce the feeling of loneliness and improve survival rate. Another step you can take is to connect with people in your life who you haven’t reached out to in a while.” Dr. Holt-Lunstad also says, “The greatest gift we can give people is our full attention. That means not just sharing but listening and listening deeply.”

1.What can be inferred from the first two paragraphs?

A.Americans gradually dislike participating in social activities.

B.Feeling lonely accounts for about one third of deaths in America.

C.Living alone can result in smoking more and physical inactivity.

D.The problem of loneliness in America is very serious.

2.What do we know about loneliness according to the passage?

A.Someone who is alone must be lonely.

B.Someone who is isolated must be lonely.

C.Someone who is isolated may not be lonely.

D.Someone who has frequent social contact can’t be lonely.

3.Which measure can be used to deal with loneliness?

A.Shifting our concept. B.Self-supporting.

C.Reaching out to strangers. D.Light listening.

4.What can be the best title for the text?

A.Are you feeling isolated? B.Loneliness is worsening in America.

C.The risks of being lonely. D.How can we deal with loneliness?

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

In 2013 alone at least 20,000 African elephants were killed for their teeth. In South Africa over the last two years more than 2,200 rhinos were killed for their horns. These numbers are alarming, because current rates of illegal hunting are faster than birth rates, which could lead to extinction for these ecologically important creatures in their environment. Indeed, some elephant and rhino populations are on track to be locally extinct within the next decade.

If you are reading this, you may already be aware of these facts. But you might not know that wildlife trafficking (走私) not only threatens the existence of elephants and rhinos but is also leading to extinction of other species, such as tigers, tortoises, sea turtles—and the world’s most trafficked mammal—pangolins (穿山甲).

Pangolins are the only mammals that are entirely covered in tough scales (鳞)，which makes them look very strong. But actually they are endangered mammals. There are eight different species of pangolins, four in Asia and four in Africa, and all are threatened with extinction. Although pangolins are protected throughout most of the countries where they live, high demand in East Asia, where the delicious pangolin meat is considered a delicacy and where their scales are used in traditional medicines, is driving an illegal trade in both live animals and pangolin parts. The number of pangolin trafficking is shocking. Experts believe that over the last 10 years more than 1 million pangolins were taken from the wild. It is estimated that between 40,000 and 81,250 pangolins were killed for the illegal trade in 2013 alone.

In February, the United States released a plan to deal with wildlife trafficking, which lays out the steps we will take to fight the illegal trade in wildlife, including pangolins. We are strengthening the carrying out of the plan; building international cooperation and contribution to protect wildlife; raising awareness to drive down the demand that is fueling the illegal trade.

Get involved and remember World Wildlife Day (March 3) by spreading the plan. Use social media and tell everyone that now is the time to get serious about wildlife crime and end the demand that threatens species, big and small, from the huge elephant to the shy pangolin.

1.How many endangered creatures are mentioned in the passage?

A. 4.　　 B. 5.

C. 6.　　 D. 7.

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to Paragraph 3?

A. Eight species of pangolins live on the same continent.

B. Pangolins are not protected in most of their natural habitats.

C. The scales of pangolins can be used as an ingredient for cooking.

D. High demand contributes to the illegal trade of pangolins in East Asia.

3.What can we know about the plan released by the US?

A. Social media will be used to spread World Wildlife Day.

B. Whether the plan will be worked out remains to be seen.

C. The demand leading to the illegal trade in East Asia is to be brought down.

D. The US will work together with other countries to protect wildlife.

4.What is the author’s intention of writing the passage?

A. To inform us something about World Wildlife Day.

B. To raise awareness of protecting endangered wildlife.

C. To explain why pangolins are illegally traded in East Asia.

D. To show how the United States is to fight the illegal trade in wildlife.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

In Britain, in a population of 60 million, there are 13 million grandparents, many of whom live alone a long way from their grandchildren.The loneliness of these older people has become an issue that schools are trying to teach children about .

On a popular teacher’s website, there is a classroom activity to help make children aware of the implications of the different generations of the same family living far from each other. It’s a story about Mrs. Eiderdown, an elderly lady whose grandchildren have moved to Australia with their parents. She lives alone and rarely sees her family .

First of all, the children speculate about Mrs. Eiderdown’s life.  What does she have for breakfast ? what does she do all day ?how does she feel about her life ?

One day, Mrs. Eiderdown decides that she wants a pet to keep her company and puts an advertisement in a local shop window. Then she waits at home to see if anyone will answer her advertisement .

A tall thin man rings her doorbell. he is holding a cardboard box. Mrs. Eiderdown chats with the man for ten minutes before she realizes that she hasn’t looked in-side the box to see what the pet is. She can hear a his-sing sound. The children guess what is in the box(a snake). Mrs. Eiderdown thanks the man but says she doesn’t think the snake is a good idea .

The next time the doorbell rings, there’s a lady on the doorstep, also carrying a cardboard box.In the bottom of the box, Mrs. Eiderdown sees something black and hairy with eight legs. Again ,the children say what they  think it is (a spider). Mrs. Eiderdown thanks the lady for her kindness but says that a spider is not the sort of pet she has in mind.

At last, the little girl next door brings her a dog .Mrs. Eiderdown’s life improves a lot because of the dog. more importantly, of course, the little girl, whose own granny lives a long way away, starts to visit Mrs.Eiderdown more often. This interactive classroom idea has led to a greater awareness among children about the possible loneliness of older people who live quite near them .

1.what’s the main idea of the passage?

A. children get to know about the trouble of the elderly

B. neighbors help select pets for Mrs. Eiderdown

C. society helps the lonely people in the UK

D. school send pets to the lonely elderly

2.what does the underlined sentence in the third paragraph mean ?

A. they talk about how she feels about being old

B. they try to experience her loneliness

C. they try to imagine how she lives

D. they write about her life story

3.what can we infer from the passage ?

A. the little girl often visits her own granny

B. the people who offer pets are lady’s neighbors

C. the farther the elderly live ,the lonelier they feel

D. the little girl begins to care more about Mrs. Eiderdown

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

I was living alone in an apartment and knew no one else living there. It was winter and we had a heavy ice storm—2 to 3 1. (inch) of solid ice covered everything. I was on my way 2. (work), when I slipped, bending my left ankle from my toes 3. the back of my calf (小腿). Of course, it 4. (break), but the funny part of this 5. (be) that my dress flew up over my head!

So there I was, sitting on the ice, my ankle broken, my dress up over my face, my body slowly freezing to 6. (dead), and in horrible pain. Just then two young men I didn’t know 7. (come) along, saw me there crying, and rushed right over to me. They were strong and tall and picked up this plus-sized lady like I was 8. feather and brought me back into my apartment.

I was going into shock by then, and they called 911 and waited with me, one holding my hand and speaking 9. (gentle) to me that they would stay 10. help came. I never even got those guys’ names, and I never saw them again, but I will never forget how kind and how strong, yet gentle-they were.

高三英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Not many years ago, a wealthy and rather strange old man named Johnson lived alone in a village in the south of England. He had made a lot of money in trading with foreign countries. When he was seventy-five, he gave 12,000 to the village school to buy land and equipment for a children’s playground.

As a result of his kindness many people came to visit him. Among them was a newspaperman. During their talk，Johnson said that he was seventy-five and expected to live to be a hundred. The newspaperman asked him how he managed to be healthy at seventy—five. Johnson had a sense of humor. He liked whisky and drank some each day. “I have an injection(注射)in my neck each evening.” he told the newspaperman, thinking of his evening glass of whisky. The newspaperman did not understand what Johnson meant. In his newspaper he reported that Johnson was seventy-five and had a daily injection in his neck. Within a week Johnson received thousands of letters from all over Britain asking him for the secret of his daily injection.

1.Johnson became a rich man through _________.

A.  doing business.     B.  making whisky.

C.  cheating.           D.  buying and selling land.

2.The gift of money to the school suggests that Johnson __________.

A. had no children.             B. was a strange man.

C. was very fond of children.   D. wanted people to know how rich he was.

3.Many people wrote to Johnson to find out  __________.

A. what kind of whisky he had.     B. how to live longer.

C. how to become wealthy.        D. in which part of the neck to have an injection.

4.The newspaperman ____________.

A. should have reported what Johnson had told him.

B. shouldn‘t have asked Johnson what injection he had.

C. was eager to live a long life.

D. should have found out what Johnson really meant.

5.When Johnson said he had an injection in his neck each evening he really meant that ______.

A. he liked drinking a glass of whisky in the evening

B. he needed an injection in the neck.

C. a daily injection in the evening would make him sleep well.

D. there was something wrong with his neck

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Living alone in the central desert in Australia has its problems,________obtaining water is not the least.

A. of which       B. for what           C. as                 D. whose

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

When I was living alone in Santa Rosa, California, and running a business division for Intuit, my two cats Wiley and Wilbur were my family. We took care of one another, entertained one another,_________annoyed one another, and_________one another after all. Then, at only ten years old, Wilbur_________cancer.

Letting go of Wilbur was painful, and I was when the time came to say_________.Wiley, my other cat, was_________too. He and Wilbur were best friends. He had always been happy and well-adjusted,_________he seemed lost after Wilbur’s passing. Wiley and I grieved and healed together.

When people adopt a homeless pet, it’s clear that they are saving the animal from homelessness,_________animal companionship to their lives. They’re obviously_________a far better life for the animal. Time after time, people who adopt homeless pets find their own lives being_________too.

Thai’s just one of the__________of adopting a shelter dog. And that’s__________I created Mutual Rescue, an animal-welfare initiative aimed at highlighting this special bond__________more homeless animals’ lives can be　　 __________. I also wrote a book about the__________animals have on our lives: Adopting a Homeless Animal Can Save You, Too. This book includes some of the beautiful, life-changing stories I’ve ________.

1.A.always B.occasionally C.permanently D.usually

2.A.hated B.complained C.adored D.disgusted

3.A.suffered from B.escaped from C.recovered from D.got from

4.A.hello B.regret C.sorry D.goodbye

5.A.warmhearted B.thrilled C.scared D.heartbroken

6.A.so B.or C.hut D.thus

7.A.adding B.applying C.adapting D.adjusting

8.A.equipping B.providing C.contributing D.donating

9.A.disturbed B.disordered C.saved D.challenged

10.A.troubles B.benefits C.faults D.missions

11.A.when B.how C.why D.where

12.A.so that B.in case C.in that D.for fear that

13.A.exchanged B.transformed C.interrupted D.transferred

14.A.disadvantage B.mercy C.inspiration D.impact

15.A.encountered B.designed C.invented D.facilitated

高三英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析