Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visi...

Bedford Castle: The Home Of Bedfordshire Royalty

Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visits from the early stages of the 10th Century onwards and the importance that the county placed on this is evident in the monuments, country houses, churches and a number of other structures that are still present there to this day. Bedford Castle is one of those structures and, although it is nowhere near its former glory today, it is an essential attraction to visit if you really want to grasp what its heritage means to the county!

Bedford Castle was built initially to help protect Bedfordshire on the south of the River Ouse. It was built in 919 on the orders of King Edward the Elder, but was destroyed by a Danish invasion years later.

There is a long history behind the Bedford Castle that involves several kings. It repeatedly offered the kings of England shelter against various attacks from abroad and various domestic threats against them, and this is where much of its fame lies, even though the castle itself is no longer there. There are various tours of the ruins that you can take when you visit though and all of the guides are extremely knowledgeable. They will happily tell you tales of the mound(土堆) and the castle that preceded it.

The mound is open to the public all year round and is a proud part of the area’s heritage. It is recommended by the majority of people that visit Bedfordshire because it tells you much about why the county is currently how it is. You can view the river from the mound and the surrounding settlements as well as the remains of the castle, and every moment spent there is worth it. So enjoy the history and the very nature of the county itself!

1.What can we infer from the first paragraph?

A. Many foreigners prefer to visit Bedford Castle.

B. Bedfordshire had it fair share of royal visits.

C. Most of the ancient buildings are still in use today.

D. Bedford Castle is no longer as glorious as before.

2.The underlined word “initially” in Paragraph 2 probably means _______ .

A. first of all

B. at the beginning

C. for one particular purpose

D. for a short time

3.The kings of England came to Bedford Castle ______ .

A. to seek temporary protection

B. to visit the Duke of Bedford

C. to enjoy the beauty of nature

D. to escape from the bad weather

4.Why are visitors recommended to visit Bedfordshire？

A．It is the major heritage in that region

B. It reflects the history of Bedfordshire

C. The ancient castle is well worth visiting

D. The castle is still in good condition

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Bedfordshire had its fair share of royal visits from the early stages of the 10th Century onwards and the importance that the county placed on this is evident in the monuments, country houses, churches and any number of other structures that are still present there to this day. Bedford Castle is one of those structures and, although it is nowhere near its former glory today, it is an essential attraction to visit if you really want to grasp what its heritage means to the county!

Bedford Castle was built initially as a fortress to help protect Bedfordshire on the south of the River Ouse after the people in the local towns and villages had already been subdued. It was erected in 919 on the orders of King Edward the Elder, although it was destroyed by a Danish invasion years later. This was when it was rebuilt as the castle, of which the ruins exist today!

There is a long history behind the castle that involves several kings as a result of the Duke of Bedford being an ardent royalist. Bedford Castle repeatedly offered the kings of England refuge against various storms in the form of onslaughts from abroad and various domestic threats against them, and this is where much of its fame lies, even though the castle itself is no longer there. There are various tours of the ruins that you can take when you visit though and all of the guides are extremely knowledgeable. They will happily tell you tales of the mound and the castle that preceded it.

The mound is open to the public all year round and is a proud part of the area’s heritage. It is recommended by the majority of people that visit Bedfordshire because it tells you much about why the county is currently how it is. You can view the river from the mound and the surrounding settlements as well as the remains of the castle, and every moment spent there is worth it so enjoy the history and the very nature of the county itself!

1.What do we know from the first paragraph?

2. The underlined word “initially” in Paragraph 2 probably means _______ .

3.The kings of England came to Bedford Castle ______.

4.Why are visitors recommended to visit Bedfordshire？

5.The purpose of writing the text is _______.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

If you grew up in a household that had its fair share of book shelves, it might say something positive about your personally now that you're all grown up.

This new study found that people who grew up in book filled homes have higher reading, math, and technological skills. The researchers analyzed data featuring 160,000 adults (ages 25 to 65) across 31 nations. All participants were asked how many books there were in their home when they were 16 years old. They chose from a series of alternatives ranging from “10 or less” to “more than 500.”

If a household held at least 80 books, then participants went on to display the average rate of literacy and numeracy(认字和计算). The rate of literacy continued to increase in parallel to the number of books a household contained until the rate didn't increase from 350 books onwards. Furthermore, young teenagers who grew up around books were shown to have the same levels of literacy and numeracy as university graduates who had only grown up around a few books.

Literacy was clarified as “the ability to read effectively to participate in society and achieve personal goals.” Participants took tests that “captured ' a range of basic through advanced comprehension skills, from reading brief texts for a single piece of information to synthesizing information from complex texts.” Numeracy tests measured the “ability to use mathematical concepts in everyday life,” while IT-related tests “assessed the ability to, use digital. technology to communicate with others, as well as to gather, analyze, and synthesize information.”

The results suggest those books made a long-term difference. “Growing up with home libraries improves adult skills in these areas beyond the benefits from parental education or one’s own educational attainment, “the researchers report. Not surprisingly, the biggest effect was on reading ability. “The total effects of home library size on literacy are large everywhere,” the researchers report.

1.What can we learn from the new study?

A.Homes filled with books do much benefit to one’s growth.

B.One’s literacy and numeracy are finally shaped at the age of 16.

C.All participants need to have ten to more than 500 books at home.

D.Those reading a lot are more competent than university graduates.

2.What is paragraph 4 mainly about?

A.The benefit of literacy, numeracy and IT ability.

B.The measurement of literacy, numeracy and IT ability.

C.The relation between literacy, numeracy and IT ability.

D.The difference between literacy, numeracy and IT ability.

3.According to the text, books influence one's_________ most.

A.parental education. B.occupational attainment.

C.calculating ability. D.reading ability.

4.What is the writer's purpose in writing the text?

A.To describe the importance of receiving good education.

B.To clarify the effect of home library size on one's adult skills.

C.To explain the necessity of acquiring literacy and numeracy.

D.To introduce methods of improving one's literacy and numeracy.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The 2016 Nobel Prize in Physics is shared by three scientists, the Royal Academy of Sciences announced in Stockholm on Tuesday. The Nobel Prize in Physics 2016 was divided, with one half awarded to David J. Thouless, the other half to F. Duncan M. Haldane and J. Michael Kosterlitz “for theoretical discoveries of topological phase transitions and topological phases of matter(物质拓扑相变和拓扑相).”

Haldane said he was “very surprised” at the news, adding that he was glad that their discoveries found something previously unnoticed by many, and that they revealed “more possibilities for looking for new materials.” He particularly pointed out that a lot of work was still ongoing.

The year’s prize amount is 8 million Swedish krona(0.93 million US dollars), and will be split properly between the three winners.

The winners are given a sum of money when they receive their prizes, in the form of a document confirming the amount awarded. The amount of prize money depends upon how much money the Nobel Foundation can award each year. The purse has increased since the 1980s, when the prize money was 880,000 SEK per prize. In 2009, the monetary award was 10 million SEK (US$1.4 million; €950,000). In June 2012, it was lowered to 8 million SEK.

If there are two winners of a particular prize, the award money is divided equally between the winners. If there are three, the awarding committee can choose to divide the money equally, or award one-half to one winner and one-quarter to each of the others. It is common for winners to donate prize money to benefit scientific, cultural, or charities.

1.How much price money does Thouless get?

A. 8 million Swedish krona.

B. 6 million Swedish krona.

C. 4 million Swedish krona.

D. 2 million Swedish krona.

2.According to the passage, Haldane thought that his work_________

A. was far from ending

B. was based on many previous studies

C. had perfectly been completed

D. had surprised the whole world

3.The amount of prize money _________.　　 .

A. has been ever increasing since the 1980s

B. has been ever decreasing since the 1980s

C. remains 880,000 SEK each year after 2012

D. differs according to the Nobel Foundation’s affordability

4.What does the last paragraph talk about?

A. The purpose of the award money.

B. How the award money is dealt with.

C. How the laureates are selected.

D. The number of laureates per prize.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife Meghan announced that they had broken away from the royal family, _______ hit the headlines around the world immediately.

A.it B.that C.which D.where

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Bamboo chopsticks are some of the world's most popular utensils, but create their fair share of waste. A company in Vancouver, Canada, is giving them a new life.

Felix Bock, ChopValue founder says, "Sometimes a good idea starts with frustration"---when you understand how resource inefficient we are in our cities. I want to make sure to set an example of using chopsticks and create a viable business out of it."

ChopValue collects used chopsticks from local restaurants. The sticks are cleaned, infused （灌输，注入）with resin （树脂）and pressed into tiles （片板）."Our limitation was the size of the chopstick at the beginning — so I wanted to keep it very, very modular （组件的）and very micro, and that's how we developed the first hydraulic hot press （液压热压缩机）that presses 8 by 8 inch （20 by 20 centimetre） tile. It's very highly densified" he says. The tiles are used to make new products, including home decor （装饰）,kitchenware and table tops.

The company has recycled more than 25 million chopsticks to date. They hope to expand by taking their business model abroad. “Think of mass manufacturing today like Ikea would do it We're kind of the anti-Ikea and anti-Amazon. We don't want to ship products. We don't want to mass-produce in one location. We want to produce locally wherever you are — but to scale （按比例）,with a global design and a global brand of support in the back."

Some of the chopsticks have even been found a new life as decor in the restaurants where they were sourced from.

1.Why does Felix Bock start the company according to the text?

A.He wants to set an example of making chopsticks.

B.He wants to make a fortune out of used chopsticks.

C.He intends to compete against Ikea and Amazon.

D.He finds city resources fail to be used efficiently.

2.What is paragraph 3 mainly about?

A.Why the first hydraulic hot press was invented.

B.What the chopstick-tiles are probably used for.

C.How used chopsticks are processed and recycled.

D.When densified tiles are made from used chopsticks.

3.Which of the following is probably true about Amazon?

A.It sometimes deliver products from afar.

B.It expects to have global support.

C.It will shrink their business overseas.

D.It hardly mass-produces in a single place.

4.What can we learn about the chopsticks?

A.They can decorate whatever you want.

B.They can be recycled in restaurants.

C.They can take on a brand new life.

D.They are responsible for too much waste.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

完型填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）

I had a friend who visited me from out of town and I wanted to show him the CN Tower. It was one of the tallest structures on the earth. So I thought it would offer a(n)36sight.

We were standing in line for 45minutes to enjoy the 37 up to the watch point. When we got there, we went around the 38 of the tower and saw the hard wire fence 39 to the structure serving as a barrier. We went back inside to look for the glass floor that provided a direct view 40 . As soon as both of us41 , we stopped before walking onto it. We found that our legs began to42. I stopped for a minute considering the step, taking several seconds to 43 the edge before moving.

And then I had a thought in my mind：“It is far 44 compared to any other floor in this building. There is no real danger to me — it’s 45 an illusion. Look at all the people standing on it, and think about those who have stood on it before.”I began to46 that step onto the glass floor. I didn’t look down —47 not for a few minutes.

I walked on the 48 and looked around and thought about how49 the experience was. I even found myself jumping up and down. There was no50, and it was certainly an illusion.

I considered how many things in our lives we51 and exactly how many of them are actually illusions. I thought about all the things we 52 ourselves from doing because we have53 ourselves into thinking there’s risk. I thought about all the things that I still have yet to do that appeared54   . I was glad to discover that although fear isn’t a stranger to me, my desire to live a life without 55 has a much stronger pull.

1.                A．expressive      B．impressive      C．frightening    D．beneficial

2.                A．bus            B．ladder          C．car  D．elevator

3.                A．outside         B．top            C．center   D．surface

4.                A．connected      B．surrounded      C．referred  D．combined

5.                A．around         B．up             C．down D．out

6.                A．understood     B．approached     C．talked    D．returned

7.                A．wave          B．move          C．tremble  D．wander

8.                A．look over       B．think over       C．look up   D．think up

9.                A．tighter         B．taller           C．weaker   D．stronger

10.               A．happily         B．simply          C．greatly    D．relatively

11.               A．take           B．choose         C．decide    D．pick

12.               A．at most         B．at least         C．at last     D．at best

13.               A．fence          B．floor           C．edge D．tower

14.               A．grateful        B．useful          C．wonderful D．helpful

15.               A．death          B．warn           C．trouble    D．danger

16.               A．handle         B．ignore         C．fear  D．hide

17.               A．block          B．protect         C．help  D．separate

18.               A．forced         B．advised         C．entered   D．led

19.               A．amazing        B．worrying        C．exciting   D．interesting

20.               A．cost           B．doubt          C．regret D．waste

高三英语完型填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

It had been a long，hard，wonderful day.The two of us had walked from the sea’s edge through the length of a beautiful valley，climbed a superb mountain，travelled its narrow，rocky ridge(山脊)，and now stood on its final peak，tired，happy and looking for the perfect campsite.

The experienced backpacker has a natural feeling for such things，and our eyes were drawn to a small blue circle on the map，like an eye winking at us.We could not see it from where we were，but we followed our judgement and went down steeply until it came into view.

We were right.It was a calm pool，with flat grass beside it.Gently taking our packs off，we made the first of many cups of tea before pulling up our tent.Later that evening，over another cup of tea and after a good meal，we sat outside the tent watching the sunset over a sea dotted with islands，towards one of which a ferry was slowly moving.It is not always so perfect，of course.On another trip，with a different companion，a thoroughly wet day had ended at a lonely farm.Depressed at the thought of camping，we had knocked and asked if we could use a barn(谷仓) as a shelter.

Backpacking could be defined as the art of comfortable，self­sufficient(自给自足的) travel on foot.Everything you need is in the pack on your back，and you become emotionally_as_well_as_physically_attached_to_it.I once left my pack hidden in some rocks while I made a long trip to a peak I particularly wanted to climb.I was away for nearly three hours and ended up running the last stretch in fear that my precious pack would not be there.It was，of course.

The speed at which the backpacker travels makes this the perfect way to see any country.You experience the landscape as a slow unfolding scene，almost in the way it was made；and you find time to stop and talk to people you meet.I’ve learned much local history from simply chatting to people I met while walking through an area.At the end of a trip，whether three days or three weeks，there’s a feeling of achievement，of having got somewhere under your own power.

After years of going out walking just for the day，many people start backpacking simply through wanting to stay out rather than cut short a trip.

1.The writer and his companion knew there was a pool because ________.

A．they had been told about it

B．they could see it on the map

C．they had seen it earlier in the day

D．they could see it from the top of the mountain

2.What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．The map.　     B．The pool.

C．The mountain.　     D．The campsite.

3.How did the writer and his companion feel at the end of the day?

A．They were too tired to put up their tent.

B．They wished they could have found a farm.

C．They were anxious about the coming weather.

D．They were delighted with the spot they’d found.

4.What does the writer mean by being “emotionally as well as physically attached to it ” in Paragraph 4?

A．It is more than just a practical aid.

B．He walks better when he is wearing it.

C．It is not a good idea to leave it anywhere.

D．He might die on the mountains without it.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It was the small hours of the morning when we reached London Airport. I had cabled London from Amsterdam, and there was a hired car to meet, but there was one more unfortunate happening before I reached my flat. In all my travels I have never, but for that once, been required by the British customs to open a single bag or to do more than state that I carried no goods liable to duty. It was, of course, my fault; the extreme tiredness and nervous tension of the journey had destroyed my diplomacy (外交). I was, for whichever reason, so tired that I could hardly stand, and to the question, “have you read this?” I replied with extreme foolishness, “yes, hundreds of times.”

“And you have nothing to declare?” “Nothing.”

“How long have you been out of this country?” “About three months.”

“And during that time you have acquired nothing?” “Nothing but what is on the list I have given you.”

He seemed momentarily at a loss, but then he attacked. The attack, when it came, was utterly unexpected. “Where did you get that watch?’

I could have kicked myself. Two days before, when playing water games with a friend in the bath, I had forgotten to take off my ROLEX, and it had, not unnaturally, stopped. I had gone into the market and bought, for twelve shillings and six pence, an ugly time piece that made a strange noise. It had stopped twice, without any reason, during the journey.

I explained, but I had already lost face. I produced my own watch from a pocket, and added that I should be grateful if he would confiscate (没收) the replacement.

“It is not a question of confiscation,” he said, “there is a fine for failing to declare dutiable goods. And now may I please examine that Rolex?”

It took another quarter of an hour to persuade him that the Rolex was not contraband (走私货). Just when I let out a sigh of relief, he began to search my luggage!

1.When did the writer arrive at London Airport?

A.In the early morning. B.Late at night.

C.At noon. D.Late in the morning.

2.What can we conclude from the questions asked by the customs officer?

A.He was just doing his duty by asking the passenger some usual questions.

B.He must have noticed the writer's ugly watch.

C.He wanted to embarrass the writer.

D.He must have noticed the writer's tiredness.

3.What did the writer think of the watch he bought in the market?

A.He was fond of the watch because it was a Rolex.

B.He found the watch useful though it was very cheap.

C.He didn't like the watch at all.

D.He was interested in the watch.

4.After reading the story we can infer that the writer ______.

A.knew little about the customs regulations

B.spent a long time at the customs but was not fined

C.was punished because of carrying many contraband goods

D.must have failed in catching the hired car

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

He noticed that the straight part of the dance was different in the afternoon from ________ it had been in the morning.

A．that　         B．where　         C．what　         D．which

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析