“Helicopter parent” may not sound pleasant, but given the chance, most parents would probably prefer a vehicle to zoom (快速移动)little ones between school, football practice and piano lessons. Getting children where they need to go is a huge task and expense, especially in homes where both parents work. Hailing rides (专车服务)through firms like Uber and Lyft has made life more convenient for adults. But drivers are not supposed to pick up kids who travels without an adult aside (although some are known to bend the rules).
Children represent a fresh-faced opportunity. Ride-hailing for kids could be a market worth at least $50bn in America, hopes Ritu Narayan, the founder of Zum, one of the startups in want of the prize. These services are similar to Uber's, except they allow parents to schedule rides for their children in advance. Children are given a code word to ensure they find the right driver, and parent sreceive warnings about the pick-up and ride, including the car’s speed. These services promise more careful background checks^ finger printing and training than typical ride-hailing companies.
Annette Yolas, who works in sales at AT&T, says that she spends around $200 a month on Hop Skip Drive, a service that operates in several markets in California, for her three kids to get to the school bus on time and to ballet practice. She says it has been a “life-saver” by allowing her to work longer hours. Meanwhile, kids avoid the embarrassment of a relative pulling up at school. But ride-hailing firms for kids may end up like the children in Neverland, and never fully grown. They face several challenges. One is finding enough drivers. All users need rides during the same limited set of hours: before and after school, which makes it hard to offer drivers enough work. It can also be challenging to persuade parents, who have drilled it into children never to get in a stranger's car.
And while ride-sharing companies can annoy adult passengers by cancelling or being late, such behavior can be a disaster when children are involved. Shuddle, an early entrant in the taxis-for-kids business, which shut down in 2016, had only two out of five stars on Yelp (点网站)for that reason, and lots of negative reviews from parents. It had made money on rides mainly by raising prices ever higher.
Shuddle’s failure has not discouraged Uber itself, which is expected soon to launch a pilot programme for teenagers under 18. Parents may be happier to use services they are familiar with. But Uber’s entrance is likely to add to the struggle of child-focused ride-hailing businesses as they compete for customers and new funds.
1.What does the underlined phrase “a fresh-faced opportunity” refer to?
A. A new market B. A new company.
C. A new service. D. A new challenge.
2.What is the purpose of the example of Annette Yolas?
A. To show the need of the working parents.
B. To show the benefits of the ride-hailing service.
C. To persuade more drivers into the business.
D. To persuade more parents to avoid the service.
3.What can be learned from the passage?
A. Drivers have towork all day long to meet parents’ needs.
B. Some parents are not willing to put their kids into strangers’ cars.
C. Small firms are not qualified enough to operate the service for kids.
D. Typical ride-hailing companies seldom check the background of their drives.
4.Whatmay be the future of those small ride-hailing firms?
A. They may make a fortune
B. They mayeasily get more funds.
C. They may struggle to survive.
D. They may get better reviews.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题
“Helicopter parent” may not sound pleasant, but given the chance, most parents would probably prefer a vehicle to zoom (快速移动)little ones between school, football practice and piano lessons. Getting children where they need to go is a huge task and expense, especially in homes where both parents work. Hailing rides (专车服务)through firms like Uber and Lyft has made life more convenient for adults. But drivers are not supposed to pick up kids who travels without an adult aside (although some are known to bend the rules).
Children represent a fresh-faced opportunity. Ride-hailing for kids could be a market worth at least $50bn in America, hopes Ritu Narayan, the founder of Zum, one of the startups in want of the prize. These services are similar to Uber's, except they allow parents to schedule rides for their children in advance. Children are given a code word to ensure they find the right driver, and parent sreceive warnings about the pick-up and ride, including the car’s speed. These services promise more careful background checks^ finger printing and training than typical ride-hailing companies.
Annette Yolas, who works in sales at AT&T, says that she spends around $200 a month on Hop Skip Drive, a service that operates in several markets in California, for her three kids to get to the school bus on time and to ballet practice. She says it has been a “life-saver” by allowing her to work longer hours. Meanwhile, kids avoid the embarrassment of a relative pulling up at school. But ride-hailing firms for kids may end up like the children in Neverland, and never fully grown. They face several challenges. One is finding enough drivers. All users need rides during the same limited set of hours: before and after school, which makes it hard to offer drivers enough work. It can also be challenging to persuade parents, who have drilled it into children never to get in a stranger's car.
And while ride-sharing companies can annoy adult passengers by cancelling or being late, such behavior can be a disaster when children are involved. Shuddle, an early entrant in the taxis-for-kids business, which shut down in 2016, had only two out of five stars on Yelp (点网站)for that reason, and lots of negative reviews from parents. It had made money on rides mainly by raising prices ever higher.
Shuddle’s failure has not discouraged Uber itself, which is expected soon to launch a pilot programme for teenagers under 18. Parents may be happier to use services they are familiar with. But Uber’s entrance is likely to add to the struggle of child-focused ride-hailing businesses as they compete for customers and new funds.
1.What does the underlined phrase “a fresh-faced opportunity” refer to?
A. A new market B. A new company.
C. A new service. D. A new challenge.
2.What is the purpose of the example of Annette Yolas?
A. To show the need of the working parents.
B. To show the benefits of the ride-hailing service.
C. To persuade more drivers into the business.
D. To persuade more parents to avoid the service.
3.What can be learned from the passage?
A. Drivers have towork all day long to meet parents’ needs.
B. Some parents are not willing to put their kids into strangers’ cars.
C. Small firms are not qualified enough to operate the service for kids.
D. Typical ride-hailing companies seldom check the background of their drives.
4.Whatmay be the future of those small ride-hailing firms?
A. They may make a fortune
B. They mayeasily get more funds.
C. They may struggle to survive.
D. They may get better reviews.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
There are so many expressions in American English that sound pleasant but are not. “Face the music” is a good example.
Imagine a friend asks you to take care of her beautiful red sports car. She gives you the key and says, “Thanks so much for watching my car while I’m away. But please, do not drive it. It is an extremely fast car.” But you do not listen. You want to show off and pretend the car is yours. So, you drive it around the town. As a result, you lose control of the car and drive it into a stop sign. The damage is serious. When your friend returns, you must tell her what you have done and “face the music.” That could mean losing her friendship or paying for repairs to her sports car or both. Whatever the music is, you must face it.
The expression is more than 150 years old. In 1851, the writer James Fenimore Cooper explained “face the music” as theatrical term. In a theater, the orchestra(管弦乐队) often sits in the front of the stage facing the musicians. Many actors are very nervous, a condition called stage fright. “Face the music” came to mean accepting stage fright and not giving in to it.
Word experts also say “face the music” may have come from the military. A soldier who did something terrible could be forced out of the army. When that happened, the army drummers would play slow, sad beat. The soldier would be led away seated backward on a horse and facing the music of the drums.
There are other American expressions that mean the same thing as “face the music.” If someone says, “You made your bed. Now lie in it,” they mean you created a bad situation and now you will experience the result.
1.What does the underlined part “the music” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. The unpleasant music. B. The beautiful red sports car.
C. The music played by the orchestra. D. The bad result of your actions.
2.Which of the following is closest to the underlined word “fright” in meaning?
A. fear. B. violence.
C. cruelty. D. competition.
3.According to word experts, the term “face the music” may have come from _________.
A. sports B. the army
C. legal business D. artistic design
4.What is most likely to be discussed following the last paragraph?
A. The origin of “You made your bed. Now lie in it.”
B. Some other expressions similar to “face the music.”
C. The true meaning of “You made your bed. Now lie in it.”
D. Other examples to explain the meaning of “face the music.”
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
There are so many expressions in American English that sound pleasant but are not.
“Face the music” is a good example. When someone says they have to face the music, it does not mean they are going to a musical performance or concert. To face the music means to accept the unpleasant results of an action.
Imagine a friend asks you to take care of her beautiful red sports car. She gives you the keys and says, “Thanks so much for watching my car while I’m away. But please do not drive it. It is an extremely fast car.” But you do not listen. You want to show off and pretend the car is yours. So, you drive it around town. As bad luck would have it, you lose control of the car and drive it into a stop sign. The damage is serious. When your friend returns, you must tell her what you have done and “face the music”. That could mean losing her friendship or paying for repairs to her sports car or both. Whatever the music is, you must face it.
There are other American expressions that mean the same as “face the music”.
To “take your medicine” means to accept the results from something bad you have done. And if someone says, “You made your bed. Now lie in it.” He means you created a bad situation and now you will experience the results, or as we say in American spoken English, you must deal with it!
“Pay the piper” also means the same as “face the music”. But, that expression has its own very interesting beginning. We will talk about that on another Words and Their Stories.
1.What does “face the music” mean?
A. Going to a musical performance. B. Apologizing to the person you have hurt.
C. Dealing with the situation you have caused. D. Accepting the unpleasant results of an action.
2.Which of the following expressions doesn’t have the same meaning with the others?
A. Face the music. B. Make your bed.
C. Take your medicine. D. Pay the piper.
3.Which action belongs to a “take your medicine”?
A. You caught a cold and took some medicine.
B. You worked hard but failed in the exam.
C. You broke the traffic rules and caused an accident.
D. You moved to a new city and lost touch with your old friends.
4.What may be talked about in the next programme?
A. Other words and their stories. B. The beginning of “pay the piper”.
C. The wider use of “face the music”. D. An example of “take your medicine”.
高一英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
There are so many expressions in American English that sound pleasant but are not.
“Face the music” is a good example. When someone says they have to face the music, it does not mean they are going to a musical performance or concert. To face the music means to accept the unpleasant results of an action.
Imagine a friend asks you to take care of her beautiful red sports car. She gives you the keys and says, “Thanks so much for watching my car while I’m away. But please do not drive it. It is an extremely fast car and you are not on the insurance (保险).”
But you do not listen. You want to show off to some friends and pretend the car is yours. So, you drive it around town one night. As bad luck would have it, you lose control of the car and drive it into a stop sign. The damage is severe. When your friend returns you must tell her what you have done and “face the music”.
The “music” here is the consequence or result of your actions. It could be losing her friendship or paying for repairs to her sports car or both. Whatever the music is, you must face it.
There are other American expressions that mean the same as “face the music”.
To “take your medicine” means to accept the results from something bad you have done. And if someone says, “You made your bed. Now lie in it.” He means you created a bad situation and now you will experience the results, or as we say in American spoken English, you must deal with it!
“Pay the piper” also means the same as “face the music”. But, that expression has its own very interesting beginning. We will talk about that on another Words and Their Stories.
1.Which of the following expressions doesn’t have the same meaning with the others?
A. Face the music. B. Take your medicine.
C. Make your bed. D. Pay the piper.
2.What may be talked about in the next programme?
A. Other words and their stories. B. The beginning of “pay the piper”.
C. The wider use of “face the music”. D. An example of “take your medicine”.
3.What does “face the music” mean?
A. Going to a musical performance.
B. Apologizing to the person you have hurt.
C. Dealing with the situation you have caused.
D. Accepting the unpleasant results of an action.
4.Which action belongs to a “take your medicine”?
A. You broke the traffic rules and caused an accident.
B. You worked hard but failed in the exam.
C. You caught a cold and took some medicine.
D. You moved to a new city and lost touch with your old friends.
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Los Angeles:Love for Mom is a given,but buying flowers on her big day may not be. A slump in flower sales since late last year was likely to continue through Mother's Day,another example of Americans cutting back on spending due to recession fears,which is a period of reduced trade and business activity,and increasing food and gasoline prices.
“If you look at what has happened on Valentine’s Day and Christmas, the market for flowers has cooled,” said Eric Bender, an analyst at Bream Murray. “Growth has slowed in the past two quarters. Mother's Day will probably be a slow quarter,too.’’ US floral sales for Mother’s Day, celebrated yesterday, will fall thirteen percent this year to $2 billion,with consumers spending an average of $17.65.according to the National Retail Federation estimates.
Mother’s Day,which accounts for a one—quarter of annual holiday purchases,according to the Society of American Florists,is traditionally the day when floral bouquets are delivered to the doorsteps of many mothers.But this year,the shop-owners are concerned.
Gabriel Soto,who owns a flower shop beneath an office high-rise in the Los Angeles financial district, is expecting lower sales--and has ordered 30 percent fewer flowers than normal this Mother’s Day.
Last month, Solo, who also operates website downtown-flowers, net, closed another store in a nearby building that was headquarters to a mortgage company. After workers lost their jobs due to the housing crisis, orders decreased.
1.The underlined word “slump” in Para. 2 probably means__________________________.
A. sharp increase in price B. great fear for losing jobs
C. global worry of floral stores D. sudden fall by a large amount
2.According to the author, Mother's Day should be an occasion of_____________.
A. a large family get-together
B. a big annual holiday purchase
C. a great love showed to mothers
D. a celebration among Americans
3.This passage implies that Americans have___________.
A. met financial problems recently
B. no longer bought flowers for mothers
C. delivered flowers to every house for mothers
D. cut back on spending because of having lost jobs
4.Which would be the best title for this passage?
A. Hard time coming nearer
B. Mother’s Day and crisis
C. Sorry mom, love you but no flowers
D. Holiday purchases have a hard time
高一英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Old age may not sound exciting. But recent findings offer good news for older people and for people worried about getting older. Researchers found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of fifty. In fact, they say by the age of eighty-five, people are happier with their life than they were when they were eighteen years old.
The findings came from a survey of more than three hundred forty thousand adults in the United States. The Gallup Organization questioned them by telephone in 2008. At that time, the people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five. The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness, sadness and worry. They also asked about mental or emotional stress.
Arthur Stone in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University in New York led the study. His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five. The findings showed that stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties.
The study also showed that men and women have similar feeling patterns as they grow older. However, women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men.
Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older. One theory is that, as people grow older, they grow older, they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their feelings. They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences.
Professor Stone says the emotional patterns could be linked to changes in how people see the world, or maybe even changes in brain chemistry.
The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children, being unemployed or being single. But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being related to age.
1.According to the survey of The Gallup Organization people are most likely to become happier ___________.
A. when they are between ages of 18 and 85
B. when they come to their old age
C. when they are in their twenties
D. when they are eighteen years old
2.According to Arthur Stone, old people ________.
A. have a positive attitude toward their life
B. can control their behaviors better
C. dream about good things every day
D. have earned a large amount of money
3.From the last paragraph we can know that ________.
A. you must be worried if you have young children
B. health has nothing to do with your age
C. you can be happy even if you are still single
D. happiness depends on your family and job
4.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A. Getting older means getting happier
B. The young are happier than the old
C. The younger, the happier
D. Women are easier to happy in life
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Old age may not sound exciting.But recent findings offer good news for older people and for people worried about getting older.Researchers found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of fifty.In fact,they say by the age of eightyfive,people are happier with their life than they were when they were eighteen years old.
The findings came from a survey of more than three hundred forty thousand adults in the United States.The Gallup Organization questioned them by telephone in 2008.At that time,the people were between the ages of eighteen and eightyfive.The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness,sadness and worry.They also asked about mental or emotional stress.
Arthur Stone in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Stony Brook University in New York led the study.His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of twentytwo and twentyfive.The findings showed that stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties.
The study also showed that men and women have similar feeling patterns as they grow older.However,women at all ages reported more sadness,stress and worry than men.
Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older.One theory is that,as people grow older,they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their feelings.They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences.
Professor Stone says the emotional patterns could be linked to changes in how people see the world,or maybe even changes in brain chemistry.
The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children,being unemployed or being single.But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and wellbeing related to age.
1.According to the survey of The Gallup Organization,people are most likely to become happier .
A. when they are between ages of 18 and 85
B. when they come to their old age
C. when they are in their twenties
D. when they are eighteen years old
2.According to Arthur Stone,old people .
A. have a positive attitude toward their life
B. can control their behaviors better
C. dream about good things every day
D. have earned a large amount of money
3.From the last paragraph we can know that .
A. you must be worried if you have young children
B. health has nothing to do with your age
C. you can be happy even if you are still single
D. happiness depends on your family and job
4.Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A. Getting Older Means Getting Happier
B. The Young Are Happier Than the Old
C. The Younger,the Happier
D. Women Are Easier to Happy in Life
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Mrs. Strickland did not talk much, but she had a pleasant gift for keeping the conversation general. And when there was a pause she threw in just the right remark to set it going once more.
“Why do nice women marry dull men?”
“Because intelligent men won’t marry nice women.”
Mrs. Strickland had the gift of sympathy.
There was another thing I liked in Mrs. Strickland. She managed her surroundings with elegance (优雅). Her flat was always neat and cheerful with flowers. The meals in the little dining room were pleasant; the table looked nice; the food was well cooked. It was impossible not to see that Mrs. Strickland was an excellent housekeeper. And you felt sure that she was an admirable mother. There were photographs in the drawing room of her son and daughter. The son—his name was Robert—was a boy of sixteen at Rugby. He had his mother’s fine eyes. He looked clean, healthy, and normal.
“I don’t know that he’s very clever,” she said one day, when I was looking at the photograph, “but I know he’s good. He has a charming character.”
The daughter was fourteen. Her hair, thick and dark like her mother’s, fell over her shoulders, and she had the same kindly expression and untroubled eyes.
“They both look like you,” I said.
“Yes, I think they are more like me than their father.”
“Why have you never let me meet him?” I asked.
“Would you like to?” she smiled and her smile was really very sweet.
“You know, he’s not at all literary,” she said. “He has no interest in literature.”
“He’s on the Stock Exchange (证券交易所), and he’s a typical broker (经纪人). I think he’d bore you to death.”
“Does he bore you?” I asked.
“You see, I happen to be his wife. I’m very fond of him.” She smiled to cover her shyness, and her eyes grew tender.
“He doesn’t pretend to be a talent. He doesn’t even make much money on the Stock Exchange. But he’s awfully good and kind.”
“I think I should like him very much.”
“I’ll ask you to dine with us quietly some time, but mind, you come at your own risk; don’t blame me if you have a very dull evening.”
1.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.Mrs. Strickland is a very good housekeeper.
B.Her daughter looks more like her than her husband.
C.Her son, clever or not, has a pleasant character.
D.Mrs. Strickland doesn’t love her husband because of his dullness.
2.What does the sentence “I think he’d bore you to death” in paragraph 13 imply?
A.Mrs. Strickland doesn’t think her husband is a dull man.
B.It must be boring for the guest to talk with Mr. Strickland because of different interests.
C.Mrs. Strickland fears that her husband will make the guest die.
D.The guest will finally find Mr. Strickland is a humorous host.
3.Which is the closest meaning to the underlined word “awfully”?
A.Personally. B.Gradually.
C.Extremely. D.Eventually.
4.What does the author think of Mrs. Strickland in this passage?
A.Elegant and attractive. B.Dull and unconfident.
C.Beautiful and unlucky. D.Bitter and foolish.
高一英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
When first entered, Vanak Restaurant does not look like much of a restaurant, but once the pleasant smells of kabob (烤肉串)hit the senses, you are incapable of calling it anything less.
Owned by a local couple, this Persian restaurant has an inviting, homelike atmosphere that many restaurants lack.
The space is small with only a few dining tables and nearly no decoration, but the environment is truly charming.
Lying in a hardly noticeable street corner, the restaurant still attracts all customer especially those experienced in the delights of Middle Easrern cooking.
A common sight is that of old Persian men sitting in the corner talking loudly about world topics, watching news events on TV, drinking a black tea known as Persian chai, an reading local Persian newspapers all the while trying to finish off their plates piled wit food.
The variety of food at the restaurant is limited, but the amount of each dish is fairly large. Most of the meals can serve two people and are under $10, so not only is it affordably but practical as well.
The food, especially appeals to health-conscious eaters because each dish is very healthy, made with limited fat and oil and served straight off the grill(烤肉架).
The main dish that the restaurant is popular for is its kabobs, which are different style of grilled meat.
One delicious and extremely healthy dish is the Jooieh Kabob, which is made of grille chicken picccs served with either rice or bread. Another great kabob is the Chelo Kabob, kabob consisting of grilled beef.
Although the restaurant is small, the atmosphere and the food is delicious. It is a plan that should not be overlooked.
1.When first entering the restaurant ,one can find that it.
A.is splendidly decorated. B.has pleasant smells of kabobs.
C.is crowded with dining table. D.looks like a common restaurant.
2.What activity is also mentioned apart from dining in the restaurant?
A.Watching news events on TV. B.Drinking a kind of black coffee.
C.Reading local English newspaper. D.Discussing world topics in loe voices.
3.The food of the restaurant.
A.is served in small amounts. B.is rather expensive.
C.is rich in verity. D.is very healthy
4.What is the dish Joojeh Kabob mainly made of?
A.Rice B.Chicken C.Bread D.Beef
5.It can be inferred from the passage that restaurant .
A.occupies
B.owns a favorable location
C.is popular for its special food
D.has a quiet environment inside
高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The term ''helicopter parents'' refers to ''a style of parents who are over focused on their children''.
Helicopter parents are always making a big effort to provide children with every opportunity to succeed, from baby steps at age I, homework at age 8, college application at age 18, employment issues at age 25 to family problems at age 30, 40 or even older. They constantly (不断地) shadow the child, always directing his behavior, allowing him zero alone time.
Helicopter parenting can develop for a number of reasons. Worries about the economy, the job market, and the world in general can push parents toward taking more control over their children’s life in an attempt to protect them. Adults who felt unloved or ignored as children can overcompensate (对……补偿过多) with their own children. When parents see other over-involved parents, it can cause a similar response. They feel that if they don t involve themselves in their children’s lives, they are bad parents.
The main problem with helicopter parenting is that it can backfire. To give an example, the house where Mary lived with roommates was broken into and things were stolen. Mary called the landlord to install (安装) an alarm system, but before she could finish the negotiations (协商), her mother rushed in and demanded action. ''I felt like my mother ruined my communication with our landlord. We could have gotten it done ourselves. She was well intended but only made me feel annoyed and defeated, '' says Mary.
Obviously, overparenting is motivated with the idea of doing good things but it does the exact opposite. In the long run parents are in fact damaging their child's basic skills to deal with matters independently. It makes the child feel lacking in confidence, less competent in dealing with the stresses of life on their own. They're winning the battle, but in fact losing the war.
1.What's the purpose of helicopter parents’ overparenting?
A.To make their children not ignored.
B.To help their children find a good job.
C.To do something good for their children.
D.To get rid of the pressure from other parents.
2.What does the underlined word ''backfire'' in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A.Make an unwanted effect. B.Get a lot of support.
C.Set fire in the backyard. D.Help to be independent.
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Children who have helicopter parents live a hard life.
B.Helicopter parenting only happens to very young children.
C.Helicopter parents do their children great harm in the long run.
D.Helicopter parents can protect their children against all problems.
4.What will possibly be discussed in the following paragraph?
A.The bad effects of helicopter parenting.
B.How we can avoid being helicopter parents.
C.Different opinions about helicopter parenting.
D.The reasons for the development of helicopter parents.
高一英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析