The best-known example of external( 外部的)influence causing language change is the "Americanization"of world culture, which has caused English words to appear in city streets all over the world. The effect is most noticeable in pop music. Foreign groups often record in English, and the words are picked up and repeated in the same language everywhere, even by children who otherwise have little or no command of the language. I once met a Brazilian child of about ten who could count ‘one, two, three’, but only by adding the words ‘o’clock, four o’clock rock ’at the end.
Some people are often strongly critical of the influence of English on their language --- especially when an English word replaces a traditional word. In 1977, France passed a law banning the use of English words in official situations if an equivalent( 意义相同的)French expression existed --- but the law seemed to be honored more in the breaking than in the observing. Some other countries have considered introducing a similar law despite the evidence that such laws have very little effect, and that the arrival of loan words( 外来词) can greatly enrich a language (as indeed in the case of English itself, which has a long history of welcoming foreign words).
However, not everyone is critical. In particular, commercial firms and advertisers are well aware of the potential selling power that the use of English vocabulary can bring. In Japan, English is even used in television commercials, despite the fact that the majority of viewers would not understand exactly what was being said: the excellence implied by the mere use of English is apparently enough to command the strategy to the advertisers.
Most of the influence of English is upon the vocabulary of foreign languages, but surveys are slowly bringing to light several cases where word order or word structure has been affected. Sentences of the type “The book sells well”, using an active construction for a passive meaning, have begun to appear in Danish (Bogen soelger godt). Several languages keep the English plural ending when they make use of a loan word, and do not translate it into the native form, e.g. drinks. There are many other such cases.
1.Why could the Brazilian child speak ‘one, two, three’ in English?
A. Because he had seen these words everywhere in the street.
B. Because he had learnt how to tell the time in English.
C. Because he had made himself master of English.
D. Because he had heard these words in songs a lot.
2.What can we infer about the law passed in France in1977?
A. It was strict. B. It was unfair.
C. It was often ignored. D. It was strongly opposed.
3.Some Japanese commercials use English in the hope of .
A. following the American trend B. becoming world-famous
C. enriching Japanese D. increasing sales
4.The last paragraph is mainly developed by .
A. providing examples B. making comparisons
C. explaining grammar rules D. analyzing language change
5.What is the authors attitude towards language change?
A. Critical. B. Objective.
C. Concerned. D. Supportive.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
The best-known example of external( 外部的)influence causing language change is the "Americanization"of world culture, which has caused English words to appear in city streets all over the world. The effect is most noticeable in pop music. Foreign groups often record in English, and the words are picked up and repeated in the same language everywhere, even by children who otherwise have little or no command of the language. I once met a Brazilian child of about ten who could count ‘one, two, three’, but only by adding the words ‘o’clock, four o’clock rock ’at the end.
Some people are often strongly critical of the influence of English on their language --- especially when an English word replaces a traditional word. In 1977, France passed a law banning the use of English words in official situations if an equivalent( 意义相同的)French expression existed --- but the law seemed to be honored more in the breaking than in the observing. Some other countries have considered introducing a similar law despite the evidence that such laws have very little effect, and that the arrival of loan words( 外来词) can greatly enrich a language (as indeed in the case of English itself, which has a long history of welcoming foreign words).
However, not everyone is critical. In particular, commercial firms and advertisers are well aware of the potential selling power that the use of English vocabulary can bring. In Japan, English is even used in television commercials, despite the fact that the majority of viewers would not understand exactly what was being said: the excellence implied by the mere use of English is apparently enough to command the strategy to the advertisers.
Most of the influence of English is upon the vocabulary of foreign languages, but surveys are slowly bringing to light several cases where word order or word structure has been affected. Sentences of the type “The book sells well”, using an active construction for a passive meaning, have begun to appear in Danish (Bogen soelger godt). Several languages keep the English plural ending when they make use of a loan word, and do not translate it into the native form, e.g. drinks. There are many other such cases.
1.Why could the Brazilian child speak ‘one, two, three’ in English?
A. Because he had seen these words everywhere in the street.
B. Because he had learnt how to tell the time in English.
C. Because he had made himself master of English.
D. Because he had heard these words in songs a lot.
2.What can we infer about the law passed in France in1977?
A. It was strict. B. It was unfair.
C. It was often ignored. D. It was strongly opposed.
3.Some Japanese commercials use English in the hope of .
A. following the American trend B. becoming world-famous
C. enriching Japanese D. increasing sales
4.The last paragraph is mainly developed by .
A. providing examples B. making comparisons
C. explaining grammar rules D. analyzing language change
5.What is the authors attitude towards language change?
A. Critical. B. Objective.
C. Concerned. D. Supportive.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Culture helps human societies survive in changing natural environment.For example, the end of the last Ice Age, beginning about 15,000 years ago, brought a big challenge to which humans had to adapt.Before this time, large parts of the northern hemisphere were covered in great sheets of ice that contained much of the earth' s water.In North America, large animals that wandered the vast tundra (冰原) provided people with food and materials for clothing and simple shelters.When the earth became warm, large Ice Age animals disappeared, and many land areas were covered by rising sea levels from melting ice.But people survived, they developed new technologies and learned how to survive on new plant and animal species. Finally some people settled into permanent villages, durable houses and farms.
Cultural adaptation has made humans one of the most successful species on the planet. Through history, major developments in technology, medicine, and nutrition have allowed people to reproduce and survive in ever-increasing numbers.The global population has risen from 8 million during the Ice Age to about 6 billion today.
However, the successes of culture adaptation can also create problems in the long run.Over the last 200 years, people have begun to use large quantities of natural resources and energy and to produce a great amount of material and chemical wastes.The global population now consumes some important natural resources—such as petroleum, wood, and minerals—faster than nature can produce them.Many scientists believe that in the process of burning fuels and producing wastes, people may be changing the global climate in unpredictable and possibly harmful ways.Thus, the adaptive success of the present-day global culture of production and trade may be temporary.
1.What is the first paragraph mainly talking about?
A.How the human beings survived in the Ice Age. |
B.What the situation was like during the Ice Age. |
C.What caused the Ice Age to come to an end. |
D.Why the Ice Age was very important. |
2.To deal with the problems, human beings should ______according to the passage.
A.stop developing any longer |
B.reduce the overuse of natural resources |
C.stop the global warming and using natural resources |
D.save more animals in case they all die out |
3.Which of the following is the problem caused by cultural adaptation according to the passage?
A.A very developed culture came into being. |
B.New technologies have been developed. |
C.Natural resources have been used up. |
D.Human activities have done damage to the balance of nature. |
4.Which of the following can be the best tide of the passage?
A.Natural Environment Should Be Protected. |
B.The Success of Cultural Adaptation Is Not Permanent. |
C.The Global Population Is Increasing Since Ice Age. |
D.Human Beings Are Capable of Surviving on Earth. |
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The reform of the Family Plan and the outcome_____ will cause will have a great influence on young couples.
A.they B.it C.which D.what
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Psychologists take opposing views of how external (外部的) rewards, from warm praise to cold cash, affect motivation and creativity. Behaviorists, who study the relation between actions and their consequences, argue that rewards can improve performance at work and school. Some other researchers who study various aspects of mental life, state that rewards often destroy creativity by encouraging dependence on approval and gifts from others.
The latter view has gained many supporters, especially among educators. But the careful use of small monetary rewards inspires creativity in grade-school children, according to a study in the June Journal Personality and Social Psychology.
“If they know they're working for a reward and can focus on a relatively challenging task, they show the most creativity,” says Robert Esenberger of the University of Delaware in Newark. “But it's easy to kill creativity by giving rewards for poor performance or creating too much expectation for rewards.”
Esenberger holds the view that a teacher who continually draws attention to rewards or who hands out high grades for ordinary achievement ends up with uninspired students. As an example of the latter point, he notes growing efforts to tighten grading standards and restore falling grades at major universities.
In earlier grades, the use of so-called token economics, in which students handle challenging problems and receive performance-based points towards valued rewards, shows promise in raising effort and creativity, the Delaware psychologist claims. (235 words)
1.Psychologists are divided about their attitudes toward ________.
A. the choice between moral encouragement and monetary rewards
B. the appropriate amount of external rewards
C. the study of relationship between actions and consequences
D. the effects of external rewards on students' performance
2.Which of the following can best raise students' creativity according to Robert Esenberger?
A. Assigning them tasks they have not dealt with before.
B. Assigning them tasks which require inventiveness.
C. Giving them rewards they really deserve.
D. Giving them rewards they expect.
3.The phrase “token economics” in Para 5 probably refers to ________.
A. ways to develop economics B. systems of rewarding students
C. approaches to solving complex problems D. methods of improving performance
4.What is the author’s attitude towards the topic?
A. Opposed. B. Supportive. C. Objective. D. Doubtful.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Held in Valencia, La Tomatina is a tomato-throwing activity that causes the number of people to increase to more than 40,000 in a town of just 9,000 persons.
The festival takes place on the town’s main square. At 11 o’clock, the third Wednesday in August every year, a large pole(杆) with a ham tied to the end of it is raised into the air, and there is a mad climb as people struggle against each other to pull it down. Once this is achieved, a rocket goes skywards and more than 100 tons of ripe tomatoes are tipped from trucks to the waiting crowd. For precisely one hour, until a second rocket is fired, everyone joins in a cheerful tomato battle.
La Tomatina began in 1945, but it is not known why. Locals have many theories, including the popular tale of angry townsfolk attacking city councilmen(议员) during a town celebration. However, it could also have started because of anything from an anti-France protest or simply a fun food fight between friends. Whichever way it started, the townsfolk of Valencia enjoyed it so much that it was repeated year after year, finally becoming an officially recognized celebration in 1952. Despite being cancelled briefly during the 1970s for having no religious significance, it has returned every year since then.
Most people come for the day, arriving on the morning train from Valencia and heading back in the afternoon. But if you want the full La Tomatina experience, stay for the week-long celebration which involves music, dancing, parades and fireworks. The night before the fight, a cooking competition is held where women traditionally dress in white, and men without shirts altogether.
Protection for the fight is recommended—wear old clothes and shoes and a pair of glasses to protect your eyes. What you don’t bring to La Tomatina is also important. The crazy tomato-throwers attack each other with all their strength: cameras are seen as positive invitations to throw at the owner.
1.Before La Tomatina starts, people .
A. have to eat hams to be powerful.
B. bring down a ham on a pole.
C. store their own tomatoes first.
D. sing and dance together.
2.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph may mean .
A. cameras may be thrown away in the fight sometimes.
B. you aren’t allowed to take pictures of the fight freely.
C. visitors with cameras can avoid being hit by tomatoes.
D. more tomatoes will throw at you if you bring a camera.
3.Why did the author write the passage?
A. To introduce La Tomatina.
B. To advise readers to join in La Tomatina.
C. To explain the origin of La Tomatina.
D. To give advice on how to enjoy yourself most in La Tomatina.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
At first glance,price-comparison websites are an example of capitalism at its best.But it has caused fierce competition on price and eviscerated profits.Towers Watson,a consultancy,said that "unnecessary" price competition following the rise of comparison sites in Britain had cost insurers £1 billion a year.
Consumers should celebrate that;the firms' losses are their gains.But there is a catch.Comparison sites introduce a new layer of costs,including their own advertising campaigns.In theory,competition in the market for comparison sites ought to keep those costs down.But David Ronayne of Warwick University argues that consumers often lose out from comparison sites.They earn a commission for each shopper who uses them for consumption such as buying insurance.That referral(委托)cost is included in the price the consumer ends up paying.If the increased costs outweigh the saving the comparison enables,consumers end up worse off.
These worries are not just theoretical.In 2014,Britain's competition regulator found that many comparison sites were using their contracts with retailers(零售商)to ban them from offering lower prices elsewhere.That weakened rivals' incentive(对手的动机)to cut fees,because prices on their site could not fall.By keeping prices similar,the contracts also reduced the incentive for consumers to search on multiple sites,thus helping sites retain their users.
Weaker incentives to lower commissions mean weaker incentives to lower costs,too.That might explain why comparison websites advertise so heavily,and sometimes offer free gifts to those who use them.In a recent paper,Ben Edelman of Harvard Business School and Julian Wright of the National University of Singapore argue that when a site knows that the prices merchants provide through it will always be the lowest available,it increases investment in attracting customers,safe in the knowledge that the merchants and at last consumers will bear the cost.
Is there any way to ensure the market for price comparison is competitive?Asking consumers to check multiple websites defeats the point of using them.One solution is to have only one site,but regulate it as a public utility(功用). Alternatively,the governments could run the site itself.But creating good search and comparison sites may be too hard for them.It is much better to acknowledge that consumers will always have to do some comparison themselves to "keep the system honest".
Websites that compare the comparison sites can help,although it is easy to see how they could fall prey to the same problems.Any firm with captive users(被动用户),be it a comparison site a search engine,or a social-media platform,can charge a high price for access to the eyes of its customers.For all their innovation,Internet middlemen are not unlike supermarkets.Shoppers would never imagine that a single store had the lowest price for all the items they need.
1.According to the first two paragraphs,price-comparison websites______.
A.will offer smart consumers the best deals
B.will bring insurance firms increased profits
C.can help keep the costs of insurance firms down
D.may raise the price that consumers pay for their purchases
2.Current comparison sites tend to put most of their efforts in______.
A.lowering commissions B.contracting with retailers
C.attracting consumers D.cutting operating costs
3.According to the last two paragraphs,the author probably agrees that______.
A.it's desirable to have only one comparison site and have it run by the government
B.it's advisable that comparison sites with captive users charge a high price for its service
C.consumers should check multiple comparison sites before making a purchasing decision
D.websites that compare the comparison websites can help to build a competitive market
4.The passage mainly conveys the idea that comparison sites______.
A.create an effective channel for smart consumers
B.are competition's friends and enemies at the same time
C.offer win-win deals between consumers and retailers
D.have caused a new form of competition among retailers
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
The economist claimed that the crisis and the suffering ______caused had a great influence on the whole world.
A. it B. which C. what D. they
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
I. M. Pei, one of the best-known architects of the 20th century, has died. He was 102. Born in China, Ieoh Ming Pei moved to the United States in 1935 to study architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.
Pei’s works around the world include museums, government buildings, hotels, schools and other structures built with stone, steel and glass. One of his best-known and most disputed works was built 30 years ago. Pei created a new entrance for the world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris. Pei first spent four months studying the museum and French history. He then drew plans for a 21-meter-tall steel and glass id, with three smaller pyramids nearby. It was a very futuristic style of work for the 12th-century building.
A French newspaper criticized Pei’s pyramids as “an annex to Disneyland”. An environmental group said they belonged in a desert. Others accused Pei of ruining one of the world’s greatest landmarks.
Pei said the Louvre was the most difficult job of his career. He argued that he had wanted to create a modern space that would not take away from the traditional part of the museum. He said the glass pyramids were based on the works of French landscape architect Le Notre. They honored French history.
The pyramids opened in the spring of 1989. Over the years that followed, the structure came to be loved by most, if not all, of its critics.
Other well-known Pei buildings include the John F. Kennedy Library in Dorchester, Massachusetts, the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, the East Wing of the National Gallery of Art in Washington and the Dallas City Hall in Texas. Pei officially retired in 1990. However, he continued to work on projects—including museums in Luxembourg, Qatar and his ancestral home of Suzhou.
1.What is true about the entrance created by Pei for the Louvre Museum?
A.Pei spent four mouths drawing plans for it. B.There are four pyramids in total.
C.It’s in a style of the 12th century. D.It took 30 years to complete the work.
2.What can we infer from Pei’s words in Paragraph 4?
A.The glass pyramids were originally designed by Le Notre.
B.The glass pyramids were based on the French landscape.
C.The glass pyramids were in harmony with the Louvre.
D.The glass pyramids reflected both French and Chinese style.
3.What were most people’s attitudes towards Pei’s pyramids years after its opening?
A.Indifferent. B.Puzzled.
C.Critical. D.Favorable.
4.What do we know about Pei according to the passage?
A.He was hardworking, optimistic and easygoing.
B.He spread Chinese traditional architecture to the world.
C.He created many great works both in China and other countries.
D.He was the most outstanding architect of the 20th century.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Some of the best-known names in the entertainment industry have taken part in an unprecedented telethon to help victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States.
The benefit(义演), called “America: a Tribute to Heroes,” was sponsored by all four major U.S television networks, ABC,CBS, FOIX and NBC. It was broadcast by three-dozen television, cable and radio networks across the country and aired live to more than a hundred countries around the world.
Hollywood stars joined music entertainers in asking listeners and viewers to pledge cash donations to charities helping the victims of the September 11th attacks.
Actors, including Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, tom Cruise and Clint Eastwood, told stories of heroic acts by people who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon. Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali made a rare public appearance in show of support. The appeals alternated with performances by such popular entertainers a Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Steve Wonder, Paul Simon and the rock band U—2. They appeared on stages in New York, Los Angeles and London, decorated with hundreds of burning candles.
Singer Billy Joel sang “ New York State of Mind” with a New York City firefighter’s hat on his piano. Sting dedicated his song “ Gragile” to a friend who died in the World Trade Center. Stevie Wonder condemned hatred in the name of religion before singing his song “ Love’s in Need of Love today”. Pledge phones were manned by dozens of other celebrities, including Jack Nicholson, Meg Ryan, Whoopic Goldberg, Cindy Crawford, Al Pacino and Sylvester Stallone.
Organizers say the two-hour telethon raised millions of dollars. All participants, from stars to stagehands, worked without pay.
1.Those who appeared on stages were ______.
A. some best-known names in the USA
B. some famous singer, film stars and other music entertainers
C. People who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon.
D. Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and Hollywood stars
2.The underlined word “ telethon” most probably means ______.
A. a performance to raise money
B. a concert held by some television networks
C. a television program which lasts a long time
D. a television program for entertainment
3.Which of the following statements is true?
A. Four major U.S. television networks broadcast the benefit
B. The former heavy weight champion Muhammad Ali sang a song to show his support
C. Billy Joel, wearing a firefighter’s hat, played the piano for the listeners and viewers
D. The organizers, stars and people who worked for the benefit didn’t get any money for themselves.
4.The best title for the news report is ______.
A.U.S Telethon Raises Money for Attack Victims
B. Best-known names Pledge Donations
C. Seeking More Support
D. More People Join
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
If Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) is today one of the best-known and most popular figures of 20th-century Mexican art, it is undoubtedly because of her personality and the originality of a body of works. Her work is, above all, the expression of a life — a tragic and stormy life, one that challenged all traditions.
The mere mention of her name excites enthusiasm and admiration, but her work is rarely exhibited, and has not been shown in France for fifteen years. The selection to go on show at the Musée de l’Orangerie includes major works by the artist, with masterpieces from the Museo Dolores Olmedo.
The life and work of Frida Kahlo cannot be separated from those of her companion Diego Rivera (1886-1957). Together they became figures of legend(传奇), and both have a place in the pantheon of 20th-century Mexican artists. Famous for his large wall paintings, Rivera’s easel paintings, drawings and prints, which form a large part of his artistic production, are less well-known to the public in Europe. The exhibition aims to trace his artistic career from the early Cubist images, revealing his links with the Paris artists whose works are a key element in the Orangerie collections, to the paintings that established him as the founder of the 20th-century school of Mexican art. His travels throughout Europe influenced his vision and his skills without ever distancing him from his roots, thus confirming his place in history as the founder of the nationalist school.
The exhibition devoted to the legendary couple Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo presents their works together, as if to confirm the impossibility of their divorce that was in fact finalised but reconsidered after just one year apart. It also gives us a better view of their respective artistic worlds, so different and yet so complementary(互补的), through the deep-rooted attachment they shared to their country.
1.Which of the following best describes Frida Kahlo’s work?
A. World-famous but unusual. B. Practical and popular.
C. Creative and realistic. D. Authentic but ordinary.
2.What does the underlined word "pantheon" in the third paragraph refer to?
A. Character. B. Community. C. School. D. Society.
3.What can we infer about Rivera from the passage?
A. Rivera broke up with Kahlo finally. B. Rivera’s works are popular in Europe.
C. Rivera’s works are the focus of the exhibition. D. Rivera had his works rooted in his motherland.
4.Why does the author write the passage?
A. To praise the celebrities. B. To introduce two famous artists.
C. To make an announcement. D. To encourage people to learn art.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析