Christmas in the United States is traditional...

Christmas in the United States is traditionally a time of gift-giving and family gatherings. But small towns across the country have their own traditions.

Middleburg，a small town in the state of Virginia，is known for its horses. For more than 50 years, Middleburg has organized a yearly Christmas parade(游行). Men and women ride horses through the woods and fields．They follow hunting dogs as they search for a wild fox．But first，these hunters ride in the yearly parade, wearing their bright red hunting clothes and hats．

John Hale, a citizen of Middleburg says many city people visit his town. “We have a lot of people from an urban area that come to visit，but it involves a lot of the old traditions.” The nighttime hay ride is one such tradition．Small groups gather under the moonlight on an open wagon filled with hay. The passengers sing as farm horses pull the wagon slowly across the fields．

There are some newer traditions, too. Trey Matheu works at the nearby Salamander Resort. He says a visit to Middleburg is a chance to slow down for a day. He says Middleburg can be a calming, peaceful place without tension．

“Middleburg is an opportunity to take a step back, to take a deep breath, and understand that even though life is moving on at a very fast pace, there’s really an opportunity where you’re allowed to step off for a little bit.”

Parade organizers say more than 13,000 people attend even in below-freezing weather. But if you ask，you will hear many different reasons why people come to watch the parade：

“I come here because I’m from a small town. I like how everybody comes together.”“I live right down that street; right there. And that’s my dog.”

Middleburg looks its best at Christmastime. That may be why so many people return each year．

1.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A. Middleburg Christmas parade

B. A small town known for horses

C. Christmas traditions in Middleburg

D. Newer traditions at Christmastime

2.At Christmas, people in Middleburg usually ___________．

A. visit friends and families

B. feed farm horses with hay

C. hunt for dogs in the woods

D. ride in the yearly parade

3.According to Trey Matheu, why do people visit Middleburg?

A. To relax themselves．

B. To enjoy the fresh air．

C. To escape competition．

D. To challenge themselves．

4.What do we know about the small town Middleburg?

A. It makes a large profit from tourism．

B. It attracts many people each year．

C. It is a good place for family gatherings．

D. It doesn’t respect Christmas traditions．

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

In a time of low academic achievement by children in the United States, many Americans are turning to Japan, a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. However, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one investigation, 300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents (答问卷者) listed “to give children a good start academically” as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence(坚持不懈), concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The vast majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.

　In the recent comparison of Japanese and American preschool education, 91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. Sixty-two percent of the more individually oriented (强调个性发展的) Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An emphasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary school education.

　Like in America, there is diversity in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools. Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children’s chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing（知识化） in some Japanese kindergartens.

1.We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe ________.

A．Japanese parents are more involved in preschool education than American parents

　B．Japan’s economic success is a result of its scientific achievements

　C．Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction

　D．Japan’s higher education is superior to theirs

2.Most Americans surveyed believe that preschools should also attach importance to ________.

　A．problem solving

　B．group experience

　C．parental guidance

　D．individually-oriented development

3.Free play has been introduced in some Japanese kindergartens in order to ________.

A．broaden children’s horizons

B．encourage children’s creativity

C．lighten children’s study load

D．increase children’s knowledge

4.Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university – based kindergartens?

A．They can do better in their future studies.

B．They can accumulate more group experience there.

C．They can be individually – oriented when they grow up.

D．They can have better chances of getting a first – rate education.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The amount of time young children in the United States spend with mobile screens might raise some eyebrows, as a new report found it has tripled in just four years.

Children 8 and younger spent about 15 minutes a day staring at a mobile screen in 2013 and now they spend 48 minutes a day, according to the report by Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization focused on helping children, parents, and educators navigate the world of media and technology.

The report, released on Thursday, also found that 42% of children 8 and younger now have their own tablet devices, a sharp increase from 7% four years ago and less than 1% in 2011.

Children spending more time on mobile devices comes as no shock to Douglas Gentile, a psychology professor at Iowa State University who was not involved in the new report but has studied the effects of media use on children.

“On the one hand, it's not surprising because it's what we look around ourselves and can see.I can see it at the airport, for example, I can see it at restaurants and I can even see it in my own home where my younger daughter watches almost no television, but she'll watch lots of TV shows on her phone, "Gentile said.

“On the other hand, it's been getting harder for parents to really monitor a lot of what their kids are seeing and doing.At the same time, they're relying on the seeming benefit of being able to quiet the kid at a restaurant with a device,” he said. “We may be building a bit of a Frankenstein’s monster, because we re using that power for our benefit, not for the child’s benefit.”

These changing patterns in how children interact with media appear to be great, said James Steyer, chief executive officer and founder of Common Sense Media.in an email to CNN. “One of the most shocking findings is that mobile devices are now as popular in the home as TVs-98% of households with kids under 8 have a mobile device,” he said. “The ubiquity of mobile is changing childhood.”

1.The writer uses figures in the second paragraph to_________.

A.prove the reliability of the report.

B.praise the efforts made by Common Sense Media.

C.indicate the popular use of mobile devices nowadays.

D.illustrate the increase of time children spend on mobile devices.

2.According to Douglas Gentile, parents_________.

A.can totally control children's use of mobile devices .

B.always use mobile devices in favor of their children.

C.partly cause children's increasing use of mobile devices.

D.often discourage their children from using mobile devices.

3.The underlined word in the last paragraph most probably means “_________”.

A.rare use. B.important role.

C.obvious benefit D.common existence

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is reported that the United States consumes ______ energy as the whole of Africa.

A. as four times　　 B. four times much     C. four times much as     D. four times as much

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Karen,grown up in a very traditional family in the western United States,maintained high moral(道德的) standards throughout her youth.In 1984,at the age of 23,she married Bill.They were blessed with two children,a boy and a girl.

By 1991 their love had deepened,and they were happy.Later that year,Bill developed a white spot on his tongue.He visited a doctor.

One day shortly after that,Bill called Karen to sit beside him.He said with tears in his eyes that he loved her and wanted to live forever with her.The doctor suspected that he had been infected with HIV,the virus that leads to AIDS.

The family was tested,Bill and Karen’s results were positive.Bill had become infected before he met Karen;then he passed the virus on to Karen.The children’s results were negative.Within three years,Bill was dead.“I don’t know how to express what it is like to watch the once handsome man you love and intend to live with forever dying slowly.I cried many nights.He died three months short of ten years of our marriage,”says Karen.Though a doctor told Karen that she would soon follow her husband into death,she is still alive.The infection has progressed to the early stages of AIDS.

Karen is but one of about 30 million people now living with HIV/AIDS,a figure larger than the combined populations of Australia,Ireland and Paraguay.According to one UN report,Africa has 21 million of these victims.By the turn of the century that number could reach40 million and the disease will bring on the greatest disaster in human history.Of the world’s sexually active adults aged 15 to 49,1 in 100 has already been infected with HIV.Of these,only 1 in 10 realizes that he or she is infected.In some parts of Africa,25 percent of the adults are infected.

Since the beginning of the spread of AIDS in 1981,about 11.7 million people have died of it.It is roughly calculated that in 1997 alone,about 2.3 million people died of it.Nevertheless,there are fresh reasons for optimism in the battle against AIDS.During the past few years,there has been a drop in new AIDS cases in wealthy nations.In addition,promising drugs hold out hope of better health and longer life.

1.By telling the story of Karen,the author intends to ______.

A.warn people against high risk behaviors

B.stress the importance of medical tests

C.express sympathy for AIDS victims

D.show the consequences of AIDS

2.The underlined part in Paragraph 1 most probably means “_______”.

A.were lucky in having

B.were asked to adopt

C.regretted having

D.gave birth to

3.Bill was suspected of being infected with HIV after ______.

A.he got married to Karen

B.the family members were tested

C.Karen persuaded him to see the doctor

D.he found something wrong with his tongue

4.It can be concluded from the passage that ______.

A.promising drugs will soon stop AIDS

B.the spread of AIDS could be controlled

C.it is hopeless to win the battle against AIDS

D.the death rate of AIDS patients has been reduced

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The opera house in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is one of the most beautiful in the United States. It is small and open, with one roof over the stage where singers perform and another roof over part of the audience. This opera house in the mountain is one of the best in the country, which may seem surprising because performances are only given during seven weeks in summer, and because Santa Fe is a very small city.

One reason why the Santa Fe Opera is so good is that it attracts many excellent young singers .They all hope to sing in famous opera houses like Metropolitan in New York someday. And they work hard to become well-known during the summer. The musicians and directors are experts who come from the best orchestras(管弦乐队) and operas in the country during their vacations. They enjoy working there because they like to live in Santa Fe, which is near both the mountains and the desert. It is very beautiful there in summer.

The state government of New Mexico advertises the Santa Fe Opera in newspapers all over the country， and a great many tourists come to New Mexico because of the opera ,Still ,most of the audience does come from Santa Fe and other nearby cities. And all the seats in the theater are sold for every show.

There is only one thing that some people do not like about the Santa  Fe Opera, and that is the cold weather .Because the theater is open, performances cannot start before it gets dark at nine o’clock in the evening, and then the mountain air becomes very cool. Sometimes people complain about the cold air ,but because the opera is good , these people come back again wearing warm coats.

1.This passage mainly introduces__________

2.Young singers come to perform in Santa Fe Opera because_______.

3.It seems surprising that Santa Fe becomes famous because______

4.Audience complain because ___________.

A the opera is so good

B the temperature at night is very low

C there are so many people watching the performance.

D the text doesn’t tell us

5.From the passage ,we can learn that ________.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It’s a white Christmas in the United States today, with snow falling from Seattle to Maine.

• Northeast

Biting winds with snow swept the Northeast.

Earlier, up to 15 inches of snow fell during a snow storm in Maine, while up to one foot fell in New Hampshire. Winds reached 76 mph on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, while up to 61 mph winds tore through Long Island, New York. Falling snow collected on the runways at Boston’s Logan International Airport, causing temporary flight delays.

The wind was so severe in Pennsylvania and New Jersey that the annual (重演) of George Washington and his soldiers’crossing the Delaware River was canceled, the Washington Crossing Historic Park told ABC News.

• Midwest

Heavy lake effect snow fell in western Michigan.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind-chill warning and advisory (公告) from Montana to Michigan. Bitter cold air in the Midwest produced wind chills Monday morning as low as minus 48 degrees in North Dakota and minus 47 in northern Minnesota.

As this bitter cold made its way east overnight, it was expected to move over relatively mild Great Lakes, producing intense lake-effect snow bands capabie of producing 2 to 4 inches of snow in an hour.

• West Coast

That storm system moved overnight through the Rockies, bringing more snow and the threat of avalanches(雪崩). The National Weather Service has issued an avalanche warning for the Wasatch Range Mountains outside Salt Lake City.

1.Why was the annual reenactment of George Washington and his soldiers’crossing the Delaware River canceled?

A. Because the river was frozen.　　 B. Because the wind was too strong.

C. Because the snow was too thick.　　 D. Because the temperature was too low.

2.Which of the following is the bad weather that has set in according to the passage?

A. The avalanches.　　 B. A white Christmas.

C. A mess of people’s life.　　 D. Heavy snow, biting wind and chills.

3.What is the style of the passage?

A. Weather report.

B. News about the effect of bad weather.

C. News about bad weather.

D. A bad-weather warning and advisory.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

The United States Capitol Dome(圆顶) in Washington, DC, is recognized around the world as a symbol of the U.S. Government. Since last November, the dome has been surrounded by metal poles and heavy cloth as part of a repair project.

The last major repair work on the U.S. Capitol took place in 1960. Since then, the dome has become weathered and worn. The Architect of the Capitol group reports that the dome has more than 1,000 narrow breaks on its surface and other damage.

The dome was completed around 1863. U. S. Senate Historian Don Ritchie says the dome’s cast(石膏) iron frame is at special risk of weathering. “The capitol dome, being cast iron, has been hit by lightning countless times. And so the current construction is to repair the leaks, to fill the cracks, to take off extra layers of paint.”

Some recent visitors to the Capitol were unhappy about its current appearance. They had hoped to get a picture of the usually shining dome. Joyce said, “It was impressive, and very fantastic, and all white, but when I come here today, it is under construction so my family cannot see it clearly, it is kind of a disappointment.”

Others were more understanding of the repairs. Rick Jones, another visitor, said, “It’s a little inconvenient for us not to see the dome but you have to think about the future and the people will be coming to this place for centuries...and you know ,there just needs to be preventive maintenance(维护). I am not upset with that at all.”

The project is expected to take more than two years to complete. The dome should be ready for a new president in January 2017.

1.We can learn from the passage that the United States Capitol Dome is _______.

A. widely recognized as a symbol of the U.K. government.

B. surrounded by many repair projects

C. worn by being exposed to the weather

D. well maintained and in excellent condition

2. Which of the following is NOT included in the current construction?

A. To replace the cast iron frame.

B. To stop the leaks(渗漏).

C. To remove the old paint.

D. To fill up the narrow breaks.

3.What do we learn about the recent visitors to the Capitol ?

A. They could get a clear look at the dome.

B. They were all disappointed at the sight of the Capitol’s building.

C. They were impressed by the white dome’s fantastic beauty.

D. They held different views on the Capitol’s current appearance.

4.The text is most probably taken from ___________.

A. a book review　　　　　　　　　　　 B. a news report

C. a guide book　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. a science report

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The United States of America _____one of the most developed countries in the world.

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

The American dream is the faith held by many people in the United States of America that through hard work, courage, creativity and determination, they can achieve a better life for themselves. More specifically, they agree on how to get ahead in America: get a college education, find a reliable job, and buy their own house. But do Americans still believe in that path, and if they do, is it attainable?

The most recent National Journal poll asked participants about the American dream, what it takes to achieve their goal, and whether or not they felt the control over their ability to be successful. Obviously, the results show that today, the idea of the American dream and what it takes to achieve it looks quite different from it did in the late 20th century. Generally speaking, people felt that their actions and hard work not outside force deciding their lives. But the participants had definitely mixed feelings about what actions make for a better life in the current economy.

In the last seven years, Americans have grown more pessimistic(悲观的) about the power of education to lead to success. Even though they see going to college as a fairly achievable goal, a majority 52 percent think that young people do not need a 4-year college education in order to be successful.

Miguel Maeda, 42, who has a master’s degree and works in public health, was the first in his family to go to college, which has allowed him to achieve a sense of financial stability(稳定) his parents and grandparents never did. While some, like Maeda, emphasized the value of degree rather than the education itself, others still see college as a way to gain new viewpoints and life experiences. To Fendley, a sense of drive and purpose, as well as an effective high-school education, and basic life skills, like balancing a checkbook(支票簿), are the necessary elements for a successful life in America.

1.It used to be commonly acknowledged that to succeed in America, one had to have ____.

A. a sense of drive and purpose　　 B. an advanced academic degree

C. a firm belief in their dream　　 D. an ambition to get ahead

2.What is the finding of the latest National Journal poll concerning the American dream?

A. More and more Americans are finding it hard to realize.

B. It remains alive among the majority of American people.

C. An increasing number of young Americans are abandoning it.

D. Americans’ idea of it has changed over the past few decades.

3.What do Americans now think of the role of college education in achieving success?

A. It still remains open to debate.

B. It has proved to be beyond doubt.

C. It is much better understood now than ever.

D. It is no longer as important as it used to be.

4.How do some people view college education these days?

A. It helps broaden their minds.　　 B. It needs to be strengthened.

C. It widens cultural diversity.　　 D. It promotes gender equality.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析