Retail therapy（购物疗法）has long been considered as a good way to let off stress. Now, US scientists have discovered not only does retail therapy exist，but that it could be caused by an individual's fear of sudden death.
Researchers found materialistic people thought terrorism and war more stressful than others.
Psychologists believe the rise of materialism around the world and its treatment effect on extreme stress might be a response to fear of death caused by acts of terrorism, disease and natural disasters.
The scientists from Michigan State University said people with possession obsessions（妄想）often have lower self-esteem than others so are more likely to shop as the result of severe psychological suffering.
Ayalla Ruvio，a business professor studying people's shopping habits while rockets fell in Israel, said, "When the going gets tough, the materialistic people go shopping. This stress spending is likely to produce even greater stress and lower well-being. Essentially, materialism appears to make bad events even worse.
Dr Ruvio led a two-part study of Israeli citizens living in a town that came under extreme rocket attacks for about six months in 2007. She compared 139 residents of the southern town with 170 from another town that was not under attack to see how their symptoms of post-traumatic stress and shopping habits varied. Dr Ruvio found that, when faced with a deadly threat, those who are highly materialistic suffered much higher levels of stress，while their tendency to shop was increased.
Dr Ruvio said, "The relationship between materialism and stress may be more harmful than commonly thought.”
The second stage of their research surveyed 855 Americans about their materialistic nature and fear of death. They found shopping was used to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety about death but this was in response to fear of a variety of life-threatening events like car accidents, criminal attacks and natural disasters.
1.Which of the following opinion is NOT right according to the text?
A. Terrorism is believed to easily cause the rise of materialism.
B. The materialistic find terrorism and war more stressful than others.
C. The scientists think possession obsessions help people get self-respect.
D. The scientists think people with possession obsessions suffer a lot mentally.
2.Why did Dr Ruvio choose to study the two groups of Israeli citizens mentioned in the passage?
A. They enjoy the special shopping culture.
B. The stresses they face are usually deadly.
C. They are in different situation in terms of war.
D. They are usually active participants for researchers.
3.What's the result about Dr Ruvio's research?
A. Impulsive spending does good to people's health.
B. Shopping can't lower one's stress as it is expected.
C. Faced with great stress, people feel hopeless for life.
D. Faced with threat，people's wish to shop will decrease.
4.Which of the following events threaten people's life?
①Greater stress; ②Car accidents; ③Criminal attacks；. ④Natural disasters;
A.①②③ B.②③④ C.①②④ D.①③④
5.What's the main idea of the passage?
A. Greater stress can lead to shopping.
B. Greater stress can cause a lot of diseases
C. Shopping is very important in people's life.
D. Can shopping reduce the stress and relieve the fear of death?
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Retail therapy（购物疗法）has long been considered as a good way to let off stress. Now, US scientists have discovered not only does retail therapy exist，but that it could be caused by an individual's fear of sudden death.
Researchers found materialistic people thought terrorism and war more stressful than others.
Psychologists believe the rise of materialism around the world and its treatment effect on extreme stress might be a response to fear of death caused by acts of terrorism, disease and natural disasters.
The scientists from Michigan State University said people with possession obsessions（妄想）often have lower self-esteem than others so are more likely to shop as the result of severe psychological suffering.
Ayalla Ruvio，a business professor studying people's shopping habits while rockets fell in Israel, said, "When the going gets tough, the materialistic people go shopping. This stress spending is likely to produce even greater stress and lower well-being. Essentially, materialism appears to make bad events even worse.
Dr Ruvio led a two-part study of Israeli citizens living in a town that came under extreme rocket attacks for about six months in 2007. She compared 139 residents of the southern town with 170 from another town that was not under attack to see how their symptoms of post-traumatic stress and shopping habits varied. Dr Ruvio found that, when faced with a deadly threat, those who are highly materialistic suffered much higher levels of stress，while their tendency to shop was increased.
Dr Ruvio said, "The relationship between materialism and stress may be more harmful than commonly thought.”
The second stage of their research surveyed 855 Americans about their materialistic nature and fear of death. They found shopping was used to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety about death but this was in response to fear of a variety of life-threatening events like car accidents, criminal attacks and natural disasters.
1.Which of the following opinion is NOT right according to the text?
A. Terrorism is believed to easily cause the rise of materialism.
B. The materialistic find terrorism and war more stressful than others.
C. The scientists think possession obsessions help people get self-respect.
D. The scientists think people with possession obsessions suffer a lot mentally.
2.Why did Dr Ruvio choose to study the two groups of Israeli citizens mentioned in the passage?
A. They enjoy the special shopping culture.
B. The stresses they face are usually deadly.
C. They are in different situation in terms of war.
D. They are usually active participants for researchers.
3.What's the result about Dr Ruvio's research?
A. Impulsive spending does good to people's health.
B. Shopping can't lower one's stress as it is expected.
C. Faced with great stress, people feel hopeless for life.
D. Faced with threat，people's wish to shop will decrease.
4.Which of the following events threaten people's life?
①Greater stress; ②Car accidents; ③Criminal attacks；. ④Natural disasters;
A.①②③ B.②③④ C.①②④ D.①③④
5.What's the main idea of the passage?
A. Greater stress can lead to shopping.
B. Greater stress can cause a lot of diseases
C. Shopping is very important in people's life.
D. Can shopping reduce the stress and relieve the fear of death?
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Chicken soup has long been a comfort food for people with cold symptoms. Whether the remedy(疗法) comes from the warmth and comfort of the soup or from actual cold-fighting ingredients(成分) in the meal, it is still up for debate.
Chicken Soup: Just the Evidence
Science has begun to support what mothers have understood for centuries. The heat, salt, and hydration provided by chicken soup may actually fight the cold virus. Laboratory studies have shown that ingredients of chicken soup with vegetables could kill viral cells and prevent the growth of new ones. The soup may also provide an anti-inflammatory(消炎的) effect that helps reduce cold symptoms. Unfortunately, the benefits of chicken soup appear to be limited by how quickly the soup leaves the body. There is no indication that chicken soup would help in the prevention of colds, but its use as a remedy for symptoms is common. It is largely a safe remedy with no ill side effects, and scientific evidence points more in favor of its cold-fighting properties(特性) than against it.
The Downside of Chicken Soup
Evidence in support of chicken soup’s antiviral properties is not yet solid enough to prove true, reliable medicinal effects. Although the evidence based on personal experiences and existing research seem to support a good effect of chicken soup, a clinical trial would be very difficult to perform. In addition, some people with food allergies(过敏性反应) or sensitivities to salt may experience ill side effects from chicken soup. Unbroken bones may also lead to a chocking risk, particularly for children. However, the potential benefits of chicken soup seem to far outweigh the possible risks.
1. What does the underlined sentence suggest?
A. Mothers have long been helped by scientists to find remedies for colds.
B. Scientists have agreed for centuries with what mothers have understood.
C. People have tried chicken soup to help reduce cold symptoms since long ago.
D. Mothers know better how to deal with cold symptoms than scientists.
2. Which of the following is true about chicken soup?
A. It is particularly good for children.
B. It can prevent people from colds.
C. It is an amazing comfort food for people with colds.
D. It surely has medicinal effects on colds.
3.What’s the author’s opinion on chicken soup?
A. It is good for people with colds to have chicken soup.
B. Scientists have found solid evidence about the benefits of chicken soup.
C. Chicken soup can take the place of other medicines for colds.
D. People still argue whether chicken soup has effects on cold symptoms.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Wind farms have been considered as the way to fight global warming, but a new study suggests they could actually heat the planet up.
The study found that the US would get warmer if the number of turbines(涡轮机）were increased markedly. Researchers say they'll require much more land than previously thought, needing five to 20 times more space than earlier studies have suggested. And winds created by vast fields of turbines could mix warm and cool air, which makes the surface quite warm .
Despite the potential drawbacks, however, the researchers argue wind energy still makes more sense for the environment than fossil fuels. Study coauthor and Harvard University scientist Professor David Keith argued that, when it comes to energy production, there is no free lunch. "Wind beats coal by any environmental measure, but that doesn't mean that its effects can be ignored. We must use fewer fossil fuels to stop carbon production. In doing so, we must make choices between various low-carbon technologies , all of which have some environmental effects , " he said.
More than ten previous studies have now observed local warming caused by US wind farms. Researchers suggested that solar power offers a less damaging energy source in the fight against climate change. In terms of temperature difference per unit of energy generation, solar power has about 10 times less effect than wind, and the solar power energy is mature in a wide range of fields. But there are other considerations. For example, solar farms are dense(密集的）, while the land between wind turbines can be co-used for agriculture.
Tidal power is an environmentally-friendly energy source. In addition to being a renewable energy, it does not give off any climate gases and does not take up a lot of space . However , there are currently very few examples from real tidal power plants and their effects on the environment. Also, it is important to realize that the methods for generating electricity from tidal energy are relatively new technologies. It is projected that tidal power will be commercially profitable within2030 with better technology and larger scales.
1.What is the purpose of the text?
A.To introduce a study finding.
B.To discuss the global warming problem.
C.To prove the benefits of wind farms.
D.To call attention to environmental protection.
2.What is paragraph 2 mainly about ?
A.The effects of global warming.
B.The reason for using wind energy.
C.The disadvantages of wind farms.
D.The working principle of wind farms.
3.What do Professor David Keith's words suggest?
A.Producing energy is easier than before.
B.Consuming energy damages the environment.
C.Burning coal should be totally stopped.
D.Developing low-carbon technologies is hard.
4.Which is recommended considering the environment and practical use?
A.Wind energy. B.Fossil fuel.
C.Tidal power. D.Solar energy.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Military training has long been considered a ritual(仪式) that freshmen must go through in order to officially start their college lives. While some question the necessity of such training. Many students see military training as a campus tradition that should be maintained.
Early in February, the Ministry of Education issued a new regulation that colleges and universities should carry out a minimum of 14 days compulsory military training for freshmen.
In a report by Beijing Evening News, Hou Zhengfang, a Beijing-based education PhD, questioned the benefits of military training. “The training routine does little to improve students’ physical fitness over only two weeks’ time. Maybe some disaster prevention training, such as earthquake survival or escaping from fires would be of greater benefit.”
Meng Yang, a 19-year-old freshman at Guangxi University, fainted during training. She said that many students, especially girls, are willing to train under direct sunshine. “For me, military training is physically challenging and even damages my health.”
According to Li Jian from the student affairs office of Guangzhou University, feeling dizzy happens frequently during military training and the school has received a lot of complaints from both students and parents: “But I still think military training is a good thing. Students are easier to manage after the military training. They became more positive about their new environment after the training.”
Although autumn is fast approaching Beijing, the noon heat burns 3300 freshmen on Tsinghua University’s campus. Chu Jinjing, a freshman majoring in medicine, did feel some discomfort while training in sweaty clothes in the glaring heat, the 18-year-old still enjoyed being part of group going through strict exercises. “By going through this tough training, students bond faster and a sense of belonging to the school can be formed. I’ve made a lot of friends already.”
According to the Ministry of Education, the purpose of military training is to teach students discipline, the spirit of teamwork and endurance. But in reality, according to Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of the 21stCentury Education Research Institute, the effect is not satisfying. “Such goals require long-term development. It is unrealistic to expect military training to make a difference in only 14 days.” He thus suggests that it should be up to schools to conduct military training in a way that best suits their students.
However, Wang Wenhui, an 18-year-old freshman from Xi’an Jiaotong University, sees military training as a tradition that reaches beyond character building. “From junior and senior high school to college, we join military training to start a new journey. I would feel a bit incomplete without it.”
1.How many people expressing their opinions are mentioned in this passage?
A. 4 B. 5 C. 6 D. 7
2.According to Hou Zhengfang, it seems much more beneficial to give freshmen_____________.
A. survival skills
B. military training
C. the spirit of teamwork and endurance
D. strict exercises
3.What is the author’s attitude towards military training?
A. Supportive B. Subjective
C. Objective D. Rejective
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A. A Policy Made by the Ministry of Education
B. Military Training under Fire
C. A New Journey
D. A Best Way to Teach Students Discipline
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Trust has been considered as the basis of any relationship, including friendship. No relationship can last long with a lack of trust. Not many of your friends will have real faith in you as you would like to believe.1. Sometimes, it takes years, even a complete lifetime, to trust someone. However, how do we know if our friends have faith in us?
2.With whom will you share things that you don’t want everyone to know? It would be with a close friend, whom you trust as much as you trust yourself. While a few of your friends may be fiercely protective of their privacy and may not tell their secrets to anyone, those who do, surely find you trustworthy and reliable.
Whom do you look up to for advice when you need it the most? It has to be either your parents or your friends. 3.This is a shining example of trust. You only seek advice from people you hold in high regard and find dependable. The friends who trust you will never forget to include you in the important decisions of their life.
Arguments and heated discussions are a part of every relationship, and this is also true for friendship. 4.While some people find it difficult to forgive and forget, your friends will never have problems moving on. It is because they trust you and believe that you will never cause any pain to them on purpose.
There are times in life when you find yourself a lonely soldier. 5.Your friends will never let you down and will strongly stand for you when you need encouragement. You can determine that they trust you and believe in your beliefs, if they side with you when you need them the most.
A. People can be extraordinarily jealous sometimes
B. You know they will never pass on a wrong suggestion
C. In fact, winning trust is, by far, the most challenging aspect of relationships
D. Two people cannot have identical reactions to a situation and different opinions do exist.
E. No matter how close you are to your friends, you cannot take that comfort level for granted.
F. If your friends share their secrets, there’s a good possibility that they have much faith in you.
G. However, people who are fortunate to have been blessed with true friends are never alone in any battle.
高三英语信息匹配中等难度题查看答案及解析
The kite has been considered as the1.(invent)of the famous 5th一century BC
Chinese architect Lu Ban. By at least 549 AD paper kites were being flown，as it2. (record)in that year a paper kite was used as a message for a rescue mission. From then 3.，kites were slowly introduced to Cambodia，Thailand，India，Japan，Korea and the western world from China.
After its introduction into India，the kite further evolved into the fighter kite4.(know)as the patang in India where thousands are flown every year on festivals such as Makar Sankranti. Kites were known throughout Polynesia，as far as New Zealand.5.(story)of kites were first brought to Europe by Marco Polo towards the end of the 13th century.6. they were initially regarded as mere curiosities，by7.18th and 19th centuries，kites were being used as vehicles for8.(science)research.
In 1750，Benjamin Franklin published a proposal for an experiment9.(prove)that lightning is electricity by flying a kite in a storm. Kites were also instrumental in the research of the Wright brothers when they built the first airplane10.(active)in the late 1800 s. Over the next 70 years，many new kite designs were developed，and often patented.
高三英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
I’ve been researching my family tree since 1998 ，and I’ve long been curious about DNA as a way to learn more about my roots. The technology has come a long way in the last decade, and it’s become more affordable too. Finally, I went ahead and ordered a Y-DNA test.
The results came in my email inbox from the DNA lab! When I logged in to see the results, there are 29 living people today with whom I share a common direct male ancestor in about the last 1,000 years. They live in Ireland, England, Scotland, South Africa, the United States and probably elsewhere.
I had two close matches, and the rest were more distant. They both live in Ireland! What makes the connection to these two men so interesting is that most Irish genealogical (族谱的)records were burned in fires in Dublin and don’t exist today. Without them, it ‘s hard to trace Irish roots any further back than the 1800s. I’ve written emails to both of them and hope to hear back !
I did some more research on my Y-DNA and found my direct male ancestors were Celtics. They seem to have lived in Western Europe at the time of Ancient Rome. Migration patterns show that my DNA group likely originated in Western Asia, living there 20, 000 and 30, 000 years ago. There are relatives with similar DNA going thousands of years back in what is now Iran, India, Syria, Israel and Turkey.
I was so excited by these results that I decided to trace my motherly line too. My DNA is already at the lab, so now I just have to wait another month or so, and I’m sure to find more interesting things.
1.What is the author’s purpose of doing a Y-DNA test?
A. To satisfy his curiosity about DNA.
B. To know more about his ancestors.
C. To find his families separated long ago.
D. To rewrite genealogical records in Ireland.
2.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “matches” in paragraph 3?
A. friends
B. relatives
C. ancestors
D. competitions
3.Where did the author’s family root in?
A. Ireland.
B. Western Asia.
C. Ancient Rome.
D. Western Europe.
4.How did the author feel about the results of the DNA test?
A. Inspired.
B. Relieved.
C. Confused.
D. Discouraged.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Reducing class size has traditionally been seen as an important way to improve a student's educational experience.
Many public opinion studies have shown that both teachers and parents favor small class size. Teachers who go on strike are often seeking lower classroom numbers among other better working conditions. Many often believe that smaller classes would permit teachers to give more personal attention to their student. This can theoretically lead to improved academic results for student.
But one recent study suggests there is not much research-based evidence to support this idea. The researchers say the idea of smaller class sizes has been studied and debated for many years. However, they noted a lack of clear research to support class size reductions.
The study notes that one of the main problems with reducing class sizes is that it can have very high costs. Increasing class size is one of the most common ways school systems control education spending. Financial limitations make it very difficult for many schools to reduce the number of students in the classroom.
The teachers' goal was to examine the major research studies already completed on the subject. They especially centered on studies that tried to measure whether the smaller class size resulted in greater success for students.
'The researchers conclude that there is some evidence to suggest that reducing class size may lead to some improvement in a student's rending achievement. But they said "the effect is very small." They found just a 53-percent chance that a randomly selected test score from a student from a small class would be higher than the selected score of a student from a lager class. For mathematics achievement, the result was 49 percent. This led the researchers to conclude that there would be little benefit to math students in a smaller class size.
1.Why do some teachers prefer reducing class size?
A.They believe it may help improve students' academic performance.
B.It'll greatly better their working conditions.
C.They think it will bring much attention to their efforts.
D.It will offer them more time to relax.
2.What is the reason for increasing class size in many schools?
A.Making more profits.
B.Attracting more students to study.
C.Cutting down education expenses.
D.Handling the problem of a lack of teachers.
3.According to the text, reducing class size .
A.has nothing to do with students' scores
B.has a minor effect in some fields
C.has already led to greater academic success
D.isn't practical because parents object to it
4.Which of the following could be the best title for the text?
A.The Future of the Class Size Development
B.People's Preference for Class Size
C.The Cost of Reducing Class Size
D.The Little Influence of Reducing Class Size
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
While there has been public debate about whether running is good for your health for a long time, experts agree that running has more benefits than the costs. Some people are concerned that the pressure on your knees and ankles can be detrimental. While this can be true, there are many things that you can do to reduce your risk of injury.
You should always go to a doctor for advice before you begin any type of exercise program. Then, a good pair of running shoes can be helpful as your feet hit the ground. They will help protect your ankles by providing stability to your feet. So it is good idea to visit a specialty(专业) running shoe store. The staff there can suggest shoes which are ideal for your running style.
In order to learn the proper form, you may get some advice from a friend who has been running for some time, or even join a running club. They can provide good tips as well as some support and encouragement for you.
Lastly, it is important to start out slowly. When it comes to getting in shape and losing weight , short bursts of speed followed by periods of slower movement would be proper. Aim for around 30 minutes of exercise a few days a week. As you get better, you can increase your speed. Always allow your body to rest in between heavy exercise as your muscles need time to bring energy back.
Follow these instructions and your running experience will be a great one!
1.In the expert’s opinion,______________________.
A. running is good for your health as well as your mind.
B. you should buy running shoes in an expensive store.
C. running has more advantages than disadvantages for you.
D. you should go to the doctor if you have a running injury
2.The underlines word “ detrimental” in Paragraph 1 probably means___
A. harmful B. useful C. expensive D. rare
3.If you take up running, you should___________________
A. worry about the pressure on your knees and ankles
B. ask the shopkeeper for a pair of running shoes
C. take advice from friends whom you will start running with
D. join a running club so that you can get encouragement
4.What can we infer from the passage?
A. More and more people have become interested in running.
B. Good running methods can reduce the risk of injury.
C. It’s better to run as far as possible to lose weight.
D. The instructions in the passage are given by a famous doctor.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Sichuan has long been known as the "Province of Abundance". 1.(history) speaking, Sichuan was the home of the ancient 2.(state) of Ba and Shu. Their conquest by Qin 3.(strength) it and paved the way for the First Emperor's unification(统一) of China under the Qin Dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms era, Liu Bei's Shu 4.(base) in Sichuan. The area became one of China's 5.(productive) areas by the 19th century. The people of Sichuan speak6. unique form of Mandarin, which took shape during the area's repopulation 7. the rule of the Ming Dynasty. The family of dialects is now spoken by about 120 million people, which would make 8. the 10th most spoken language in the world if counted separately. The area's warm damp climate long caused local people 9. (advocate) spicy dishes. The native Sichuan pepper was supplemented by Mexican chilis during the Columbian Exchange to form modern Sichuan cuisine, 10.dishes—including Kung Pao Chicken and Mapo Tofu—have become famous around the world.
高三英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析