Andrew Ritchie, inventor of the Brompton fold...

Andrew Ritchie, inventor of the Brompton folding bicycle, once said that the perfect portable bike would be “like a magic carpet…You could fold it up and put it into your pocket or handbag”. Then he paused: “But you’ll always be limited by the size of the wheels. And so far no one has invented a folding wheel.”

It was a rare — indeed unique — occasion when I was able to put Ritchie right. A 19th-century inventor, William Henry James Grout, did in fact design a folding wheel. His bike, predictably named the Grout Portable, had a frame that split into two and a larger wheel that could be separated into four pieces. All the bits fitted into Grout’s Wonderful Bag, a leather case.

Grout’s aim: to solve the problems of carrying a bike on a train. Now doesn’t that sound familiar? Grout intended to find a way of making a bike small enough for train travel: his bike was a huge beast. And importantly, the design of early bicycles gave him an advantage: in Grout’s day, tyres were solid, which made the business of splitting a wheel into four separate parts relatively simple. You couldn’t do the same with a wheel fitted with a one-piece inflated （充气的） tyre.

So, in a 21st-century context, is the idea of the folding wheel dead? It is not. A British design engineer, Duncan Fitzsimons, has developed a wheel that can be squashed into something like a slender ellipse （椭圆）. Throughout, the tyre remains inflated.

Will the young Fitzsimons’s folding wheel make it into production? I haven’t the foggiest idea. But his inventiveness shows two things. First, people have been saying for more than a century that bike design has reached its limit, except for gradual advances. It’s as silly a concept now as it was 100 years ago: there’s plenty still to go for. Second, it is in the field of folding bikes that we are seeing the most interesting inventions. You can buy a folding bike for less than £1,000 that can be knocked down so small that it can be carried on a plane — minus wheels, of course — as hand baggage.

Folding wheels would make all manner of things possible. Have we yet got the magic carpet of Andrew Ritchie’s imagination? No. But it’s progress.

1.We can infer from Paragraph 1 that the Brompton folding bike ________.

2.We can learn from the text that the wheels of the Grout Portable ________.

3.We can learn from the text that Fitzsimons’s invention ________.

4.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

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Andrew Ritchie, inventor of the Brompton folding bicycle, once said that the perfect portable bike would be “like a magic carpet…You could fold it up and put it into your pocket or handbag”. Then he paused: “But you’ll always be limited by the size of the wheels. And so far no one has invented a folding wheel.”

It was a rare — indeed unique — occasion when I was able to put Ritchie right. A 19th-century inventor, William Henry James Grout, did in fact design a folding wheel. His bike, predictably named the Grout Portable, had a frame that split into two and a larger wheel that could be separated into four pieces. All the bits fitted into Grout’s Wonderful Bag, a leather case.

Grout’s aim: to solve the problems of carrying a bike on a train. Now doesn’t that sound familiar? Grout intended to find a way of making a bike small enough for train travel: his bike was a huge beast. And importantly, the design of early bicycles gave him an advantage: in Grout’s day, tyres were solid, which made the business of splitting a wheel into four separate parts relatively simple. You couldn’t do the same with a wheel fitted with a one-piece inflated （充气的） tyre.

So, in a 21st-century context, is the idea of the folding wheel dead? It is not. A British design engineer, Duncan Fitzsimons, has developed a wheel that can be squashed into something like a slender ellipse （椭圆）. Throughout, the tyre remains inflated.

Will the young Fitzsimons’s folding wheel make it into production? I haven’t the foggiest idea. But his inventiveness shows two things. First, people have been saying for more than a century that bike design has reached its limit, except for gradual advances. It’s as silly a concept now as it was 100 years ago: there’s plenty still to go for. Second, it is in the field of folding bikes that we are seeing the most interesting inventions. You can buy a folding bike for less than £1,000 that can be knocked down so small that it can be carried on a plane — minus wheels, of course — as hand baggage.

Folding wheels would make all manner of things possible. Have we yet got the magic carpet of Andrew Ritchie’s imagination? No. But it’s progress.

1.We can infer from Paragraph 1 that the Brompton folding bike ________.

A. was portable

B. had a folding wheel

C. could be put in a pocket

D. looked like a magic carpet

2.We can learn from the text that the wheels of the Grout Portable ________.

A. were difficult to separate

B. could be split into 6 pieces

C. were fitted with solid tyres

D. were hard to carry on a train

3.We can learn from the text that Fitzsimons’s invention ________.

A. kept the tyre as a whole piece

B. was made into production soon

C. left little room for improvement

D. changed our views on bag design

4.Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

A. Three folding bike inventors

B. The making of a folding bike

C. Progress in folding bike design

D. Ways of separating a bike wheel

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Dr. Andrew Morgan, _____headmaster of the school, told us, “_____fifth of students here go on to study at first-class universities.”

A.不填; A B.不填; The C.the; The D.a; A

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

阅读理解。

The Netherlands on Monday launched its first­ever “intelligent bicycle”， fitted with a set of electronic devices to help bring down the high accident rate among elderly cyclists in this country.

The intelligent bicycle runs on electricity. Its seat shakes when other cyclists approach from behind, while the handlebars do the same when obstacles appear ahead to inform cyclists to pay attention to the danger. It also has a cradle (置物架) in which a computer can be inserted, to wirelessly connect and “talk” to the bicycle through a particular application. The computer also flashes a bright signal if there is an approaching obstacle in the bicycle's path, like a tree, or if another cyclist comes up from behind intending to pass.

A commercial­available bicycle is expected to be on the market in the next two years and should sell for between 1,700 euros to 3,200 euros per bicycle. It weighs about 55 pounds but researchers are working on making the on­board systems smaller.

“Accidents often happen when cyclists look behind them or get a fright when they are passed at high speed，”said Maurice Kwakkernaat, one of the scientists involved in the project, “The on­board system technology has already been at work in the automotive industry.”

“More and more elderly people are using a bicycle, not only for short distances, but also for longer distances，”Dutch Environment Minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen said.“This type of bicycle is truly needed in the Netherlands because it will help us bring down the number of elderly people who are injured every year and allow them to continue enjoying cycling，” she said.

1.What does the text mainly talk about?

A．The newly­invented bicycle can warn of danger.

B．The intelligent computer runs on electricity.

C．More elderly people enjoy electronic devices.

D．The means of transportation in the Netherlands.

2.When a car appears ahead, the intelligent bicycle will________.

A．stop by itself　　　　 　 B．make a noise

C．warn its cyclist　　 　　　 D．change its color

3.What do you know about the intelligent bicycle?

A．It uses gas as the fuel.

B．It is widely used now.

C．It will be lighter in weight.

D．It will be free for everyone.

4.More and more elderly people in the Netherlands________.

A．try to invent intelligent bicycles

B．enjoy themselves by cycling

C．drive cars for longer distances

D．devote themselves to computers

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The young man lay on the sofa with his arms _____ and soon fell asleep.

A. folded      B. folding           C. being folded    D. to fold

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The young man lay on the sofa with his arms ________ and soon fell asleep．

A．folded               B．folding            C．being folded            D．to fold

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

FILM DESCRIPTIONS

Back to the Future

With the help of local inventor's time machine, Marty travels back to the 1950s. There his 80s hipness stands out, and he inadvertently interferes with the fledgling romance of his parents -to-be. Can Marty keep them together? He'd better, or his own future will fade away. Featuring： Christopher Lloyd, Michael J. Fox. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 55 min.

Beethoven's 2nd

In this sequel to the popular Beethoven, our canine hero falls for Missy, who soon has puppies. Missy's greedy owner, Regina, who sees only money in the little purebreds, separates mom and pups from Beethoven. His owners rescue the puppies, but Regina still has Missy. Featuring: Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 26 min.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Despite the popularity of his treats, candy maker Willy Wonks shuts himself inside his factory. But then Willy holds a contest, offering five lucky children the chance to see his company. Poor but pleasant Charlie Bucket finds a ticket, as do four less -deserving children. Featuring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore. A Warner Bros release, 1 hr. 56 min.

Cinderella Man

Based on actual events, this film follows the life of Jim Braddock, a boxer in New York City during the Great Depression. After a series of losses, Braddock is forced into retirement. But he never gives up his boxing dream, and neither does his manager. Featuring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger. A Universal Pictures release,2 hr. 14 min.

Liar Liar

Lawyer Fletcher Reede has never told the truth in his life. Then his son makes a birthday wish that his dad would stop lying for 24 hours. Suddenly, Fletcher's mouth spouts everything he thinks. His compulsion brings disaster to the courtroom, where he must defend a client whose case was built on lies. Featuring：Jim Carrey, Justin Cooper. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 25 min.

1.Which of the following is probably the name of a dog?

A.Marty. B.Missy. C.Fletcher. D.Charlie.

2.Who is Willy Wonks?

A.A boxer who suffers a series of losses. B.A lawyer who has never told the truth.

C.A man who runs a chocolate factory. D.A man who invents a time machine.

3.Which film is about the life of a real person?

A.Beethoven's 2nd. B.Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

C.Cinderella Man. D.Liar Liar.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

FILM DESCRIPTIONS

Back to the Future

With the help of a local inventor’s time machine, Marty travels back to the 1950s. There his 80s hipness stands out, and he inadvertently interferes with the fledgling romance of his parents-to-be. Can Marty keep them together? He’d better, or his own future will fade away. Featuring: Christopher Lloyd, Michael J.Fox. A universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 55 min.

Beethoven’s 2nd

In this sequel to the popular Beethoven, our canine hero falls for Missy, who soon has puppies. Missy’s greedy owner, Regina, who sees only money in the little purebreds, separates mom and pups from Beethoven. His owners rescue the puppies, but Regina still has Missy. Featuring: Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 26 min.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Despite the popularity of his treats, candy maker Willy Wonka shuts himself inside his factory. But then Willy holds a contest, offering five lucky children the chance to see his company. Poor but pleasant Charlie Bucket finds a ticket, as do four less-deserving children. Featuring:

Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore. A Warner Bros. Release, 1 hr. 56 min.

Cinderella Man

Based on actual events, this film follows the life of Jim Braddock, a boxer in New York City during the Great Depression. After a series of losses, Braddock is forced into retirement. But he never gives up his boxing dream, and neither does his manager. Featuring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger. A Universal Pictures release, 2 hr. 14 min.

Liar Liar

Lawyer Fletcher Reede has never told the truth in his life. Then his son makes a birthday wish that his dad would stop lying for 24 hours. Suddenly, Fletcher’s mouth spouts everything he thinks. His compulsion brings disaster to courtroom, where he must defend a client whose case was built on lies. Featuring: Jim Carrey, Justin Cooper. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 25 min.

1. Which of the following is probably the name of a dog?

2. Willy Wonka is _______.

3. Which film is about the life of a real person?

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

FILM DESCRIPTIONS

Back to the Future

With the help of a local inventor’s time machine, Marty travels back to the 1950s. There his 80s hipness stands out, and he inadvertently interferes with the fledgling romance of his parents-to-be. Can Marty keep them together? He’d better, or his own future will fade away. Featuring: Christopher Lloyd, Michael J.Fox. A universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 55 min.

Beethoven’s 2nd

In this sequel to the popular Beethoven, our canine hero falls for Missy, who soon has puppies. Missy’s greedy owner, Regina, who sees only money in the little purebreds, separates mom and pups from Beethoven. His owners rescue the puppies, but Regina still has Missy. Featuring: Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 26 min.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Despite the popularity of his treats, candy maker Willy Wonka shuts himself inside his factory. But then Willy holds a contest, offering five lucky children the chance to see his company. Poor but pleasant Charlie Bucket finds a ticket, as do four less-deserving children. Featuring:

Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore. A Warner Bros. Release, 1 hr. 56 min.

Cinderella Man

Based on actual events, this film follows the life of Jim Braddock, a boxer in New York City during the Great Depression. After a series of losses, Braddock is forced into retirement. But he never gives up his boxing dream, and neither does his manager. Featuring: Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger. A Universal Pictures release, 2 hr. 14 min.

Liar Liar

Lawyer Fletcher Reede has never told the truth in his life. Then his son makes a birthday wish that his dad would stop lying for 24 hours. Suddenly, Fletcher’s mouth spouts everything he thinks. His compulsion brings disaster to courtroom, where he must defend a client whose case was built on lies. Featuring: Jim Carrey, Justin Cooper. A Universal Pictures release, 1 hr. 25 min.

1.Which of the following is probably the name of a dog?

A. Marty.    B. Missy.    C. Fletcher.    D. Charlie

2.Willy Wonka is _______.

A. a boxer who suffers a series of losses

B. a lawyer who has never told the truth

C. a man who runs a chocolate factory

D. a man who invents a time machine

3.Which film is about the life of a real person?

A. Beethoven’s 2nd      B. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

C. Cinderella Man        D. Liar Liar

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

How fit are your teeth? Are you lazy about brushing them? Never fear: An inventor is on the case. An electric toothbrush senses how long and how well you brush, and it lets you track your performance on your phone.

The Kolibree toothbrush was exhibited at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. It senses how it is moved and can send the information to an Android phone or iPhone via a Bluetooth wireless connection.

The toothbrush will be able to teach you to brush right (don’t forget the insides of the teeth!) and make sure you’re brushing long enough. “It’s kind of like having a dentist actually watch your brushing on a day-to-day basis,” says Thomas Serval, the French inventor.

The toothbrush will also be able to talk to other applications on your phone, so developers could, for instance, create a game controlled by your toothbrush. You could score points for beating monsters among your teeth. “We try to make it smart but also fun,” Several says.

Serval says he was inspired by his experience as a father. He would come home from work and ask his kids if they had brushed their teeth. They said “yes,” but Serval would find their toothbrush heads dry. He decided he needed a brush that really told him how well his children brushed.

The company says the Kolibree will go on sale this summer, for $99 to $199, developing on features. The U.S. is the first target market.

Serval says that one day, it’ll be possible to replace the brush on the handle with a brushing unit that also has a camera. The camera can even examine holes in your teeth while you brush.

1.Which is one of the feature of the Kolibree toothbrush?

A. It can sense how users brush their teeth.

B. It can track users’ school performance.

C. It can detect users’ fear of seeing a dentist.

D. It can help users find their phones.

2.What can we learn from Serval’s words in Paragraph 3?

A. You will find it enjoyable to see a dentist.

B. You should see your dentist on a day-to –day basis.

C. You can brush with the Kolibree as if guided by a dentist.

D. You’d like a dentist to watch you brush your teeth every day.

3.Which of the following might make the Kolibree toothbrush fun?

A. It can be used to update mobile phones.

B. It can be used to play mobile phone games

C. It can send messages to other users

D. It can talk to its developers.

4.What is Paragraph 5 mainly about?

A. How Serval found out his kids lied to him.

B. Why Serval thought brushing teeth was necessary.

C. How Serval taught his kids to brush their teeth.

D. What inspired Serval to invent the toothbrush　

5.What can we infer about Serval’s children?

A. They were unwilling to brush their teeth

B. They often failed to clean their toothbrushes.

C. They preferred to use a toothbrush with a dry head.　　　　　　

D. They liked brushing their teeth after Serval came home.

6.What can we learn about the future development of the Kolibree?

A. The brush handle will be removed.

B. A mobile phone will be built into it.

C. It will be used to fill holes in teeth

D. It will be able to check users’ teeth

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析