To many Americans,Labor Day marks the end of the summer,a day off from work and school,and one last chance to relax.But Labor Day is much more than just a day off . It represents a very important victory for laborers everywhere.The holiday is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers.
More than a century ago,workers were forced to deal with harsh conditions.They were paid very little, and they often worked 10-to l2-hour days.Men, women and even small children were forced to work even when they were sick.Tired of long hours and dangerous conditions,workers began organizing themselves into labor unions.On top of fighting for higher pay and shorter workdays,they also fought for the rights of children.The workers wanted employers to place limits on the age of their workers so that small children were not overworked or hurt in factories.
A New York City carpenter named Peter McGuire is credited for coming up with the idea for Labor Day.In 1872,after working many hours under poor conditions, McGuire rallied 100,000 workers to go on strike.The workers marched through the streets of New York City,demanding a better work environment.McGuire spent a decade fighting for workers’ rights.In 1882,he proposed the idea to create a special holiday for workers.On Tuesday,September 5,1882.more than 10,000 workers hit the streets of New York City for the first ever Labor Day parade.Two years later the celebration was moved to the first Monday in September.And in 1894,Congress passed a law making Labor Day a national holiday.
Americans celebrated the first Labor Day holiday with a parade,picnics and fireworks.Today,many people hit the road to enjoy the last of their summer vacation.Others enjoy the long weekend with picnics,backyard barbecues or just rest and relaxation.However you spend Labor Day,remember that the holiday is a time to pay tribute (致敬)to the workers who have made America what it is today.
1.What do we know from Paragraph 1 ?
A.Americans have more than a day off on Labor Day.
B.Many countries in the world celebrate Labor Day.
C.Labor Day has a deep meaning for American laborers.
D.Labor Day shows the social and economic power of America.
2.What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A.American workers’ fighting against their employers.
B.The bad life that American workers 1ed.
C.How American employers treated their workers.
D.The life that American workers ever expected.
3.The underlined word “rallied” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by“___________”.
A.persuaded B.supported C.rewarded D.gathered
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.There were about 100,000 workers in New York City in 1872.
B.Labor Day became a national holiday in 1884.
C.In 1872 Labor Day was first put forward by McGuire.
D.The first ever Labor Day parade was held in 1882.
5.According to the author,while spending Labor Day,Americans should feel _________ .
A.surprised B.thankful
C.dissatisfied D.superior
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
To many Americans,Labor Day marks the end of the summer,a day off from work and school,and one last chance to relax.But Labor Day is much more than just a day off . It represents a very important victory for laborers everywhere.The holiday is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers.
More than a century ago,workers were forced to deal with harsh conditions.They were paid very little, and they often worked 10-to l2-hour days.Men, women and even small children were forced to work even when they were sick.Tired of long hours and dangerous conditions,workers began organizing themselves into labor unions.On top of fighting for higher pay and shorter workdays,they also fought for the rights of children.The workers wanted employers to place limits on the age of their workers so that small children were not overworked or hurt in factories.
A New York City carpenter named Peter McGuire is credited for coming up with the idea for Labor Day.In 1872,after working many hours under poor conditions, McGuire rallied 100,000 workers to go on strike.The workers marched through the streets of New York City,demanding a better work environment.McGuire spent a decade fighting for workers’ rights.In 1882,he proposed the idea to create a special holiday for workers.On Tuesday,September 5,1882.more than 10,000 workers hit the streets of New York City for the first ever Labor Day parade.Two years later the celebration was moved to the first Monday in September.And in 1894,Congress passed a law making Labor Day a national holiday.
Americans celebrated the first Labor Day holiday with a parade,picnics and fireworks.Today,many people hit the road to enjoy the last of their summer vacation.Others enjoy the long weekend with picnics,backyard barbecues or just rest and relaxation.However you spend Labor Day,remember that the holiday is a time to pay tribute (致敬)to the workers who have made America what it is today.
1.What do we know from Paragraph 1 ?
A.Americans have more than a day off on Labor Day.
B.Many countries in the world celebrate Labor Day.
C.Labor Day has a deep meaning for American laborers.
D.Labor Day shows the social and economic power of America.
2.What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A.American workers’ fighting against their employers.
B.The bad life that American workers 1ed.
C.How American employers treated their workers.
D.The life that American workers ever expected.
3.The underlined word “rallied” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by“___________”.
A.persuaded B.supported C.rewarded D.gathered
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.There were about 100,000 workers in New York City in 1872.
B.Labor Day became a national holiday in 1884.
C.In 1872 Labor Day was first put forward by McGuire.
D.The first ever Labor Day parade was held in 1882.
5.According to the author,while spending Labor Day,Americans should feel _________ .
A.surprised B.thankful
C.dissatisfied D.superior
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
To many Americans,Labor Day(劳动节) marks the end of the summer,a day off from work and school,and one last chance to relax.But Labor Day is much more than just a day off . It represents a very important victory for laborers everywhere.The holiday is a celebration of the social and economic achievements of American workers.
More than a century ago workers were forced to deal with harsh conditions.They were paid very little and they often worked 10-to l2-hour days.Men, women and even small children were forced to work even when they were sick.Tired of long hours and dangerous conditions,workers began organizing themselves into labor unions.On top of fighting for higher pay and shorter workdays,they also fought for the rights of children.The workers wanted employers to place limits on the age of their workers so that small children were not overworked or hurt in factories.
A New York City carpenter named Peter McGuire is credited(获得赞誉) for coming up with the idea for Labor Day.In 1872,after working many hours under poor conditions, McGuire rallied 100,000 workers to go on strike.The workers marched through the streets of New York City,demanding a better work environment.McGuire spent a decade fighting for workers’ rights.In 1882,he proposed(提议)the idea to create a special holiday for workers.On Tuesday,September 5,1882, more than 10,000 workers hit the streets of New York City for the first ever Labor Day parade.Two years later the celebration was moved to the first Monday in September.And in 1894,Congress passed a law making Labor Day a national holiday.Americans celebrated the first Labor Day holiday with a parade,picnics and fireworks.
Today,many people hit the road to enjoy the last of their summer vacation.Others enjoy the long weekend with picnics,backyard barbecues or just rest and relaxation.However you spend Labor Day,remember that the holiday is a time to pay tribute (致敬)to the workers who have made America what it is today.
1.What do we know from Paragraph 1?
A.Americans have more than a day off on Labor Day.
B.Many countries in the world celebrate Labor Day.
C.Labor Day has a deep meaning for American laborers.
D.Labor Day shows the social and economic power of America.
2.The underlined word “rallied” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by“___________”.
A.persuaded B.supported C.warned D.gathered
3.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.There were about 100,000 workers in New York City in 1872.
B.Labor Day became a national holiday in 1884.
C.The idea for Labor Day was first put forward by McGuire in 1872.
D.The first ever Labor Day parade was held in 1882.
4.According to the author,while spending Labor Day,Americans should feel ___ .
A.surprised B.thankful C.dissatisfied D.terrified
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948.Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world.
The theme for 2013 is high blood pressure.
High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes(中风).If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also cause blindness, irregularities of the heartbeat and heart failure.The risk of developing these complications is higher in the presence of other risk factors such as diabetes(糖尿病).One in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure and this increases with age, from 1 in 10 people in their 20s and 30s to 5 in 10 people in their 50s.High blood pressure is most common in some low-income countries in Africa, with over 40% of adults in many African countries thought to be affected.
However, high blood pressure is both preventable and treatable.In some developed countries, prevention and treatment of it has brought about a reduction in deaths from heart disease.The risk of developing high blood pressure can be reduced by: reducing salt intake; eating a balanced diet; avoiding harmful use of alcohol; taking regular physical activity; keeping a healthy body weight; and avoiding tobacco use.
The final and most important goal of World Health Day 2013 is to reduce heart attacks and strokes, which includes as follows:
1.to raise awareness of the causes and consequences of high blood pressure;
2.to provide information on how to prevent high blood pressure
3.to encourage adults to check their blood pressure and to follow the advice of health-care professionals.
1.High blood pressure can cause medical problems like_____.
A.heart diseases, strokes and blindness.
B.strokes, heart failure and diabetes.
C.heart attacks, blindness and diabetes.
D.heart troubles, strokes and cancers.
2.Who are most likely to be affected by high blood pressure?
A.Those who are in their 20s.
B.Those who are in their 30s.
C.Those who are in their 40s.
D.Those who are in their 50s.
3.Which of the following can NOT reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure?
A.Less salt intake. B.Putting on weight.
C.Regular exercise. D.No smoking.
4.The text is mainly about______.
A.the theme for World Health Day 2013.
B.the causes of high blood pressure.
C.the treatment of heart attacks and strokes.
D.how to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
World Health Day is celebrated on 7 April to mark the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1948. Each year a theme is selected for World Health Day that highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world.
The theme for 2013 is high blood pressure. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes(中风). If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also cause blindness, irregularities of the heartbeat and heart failure. The risk of developing these complications is higher in the presence of other risk factors such as diabetes(糖尿病). One in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure and this increases with age, from 1 in 10 people in their 20s and 30s to 5 in 10 people in their 50s. High blood pressure is most common in some low-income countries in Africa, with over 40% of adults in many African countries thought to be affected.
However, high blood pressure is both preventable and treatable. In some developed countries, prevention and treatment of it has brought about a reduction in deaths from heart disease. The risk of developing high blood pressure can be reduced by: reducing salt intake; eating a balanced diet; avoiding harmful use of alcohol; taking regular physical activity; keeping a healthy body weight; and avoiding tobacco use.
The final and most important goal of World Health Day 2013 is to reduce heart attacks and strokes, which includes as follows:
1.to raise awareness of the causes and consequences of high blood pressure;
2.to provide information on how to prevent high blood pressure
3.to encourage adults to check their blood pressure and to follow the advice of health-care professionals.
1.High blood pressure can cause medical problems like_____.
A.heart diseases, strokes and blindness B.strokes, heart failure and diabetes
C.heart attacks, blindness and diabetes D.heart troubles,strokes and cancers
2.Who are most likely to be affected by high blood pressure?
A.Those who are in their 20s B.Those who are in their 30s
C.Those who are in their 40s D.Those who are in their 50s
3.Which of the following can NOT reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure?
A.Less salt intake B.Putting on weight C.Regular exercise D.No smoking
4.The text is mainly about______.
A.the theme for World Health Day 2013 B.the causes of high blood pressure
C.the treatment of heart attacks and strokes D.how to reduce the risk of high blood pressure
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Americans have contributed to many art forms, but jazz, a type of music, is one of the art forms that was started in the United States. Black Americans, who sang and played the music of their homeland, created jazz.
Jazz is a mixture of the music of Africa, the work songs the slaves sang, and religious(宗教)music. Improvisation is an important part of jazz. This means that the musicians make the music up as they go along, or create the music on the spot. This is why a jazz song might sound a little different each time it is played.
Jazz bands formed in the late 1800s.They played in bars and clubs in many towns and cities of the South, especially New Orleans. New Orleans is an international seaport, and people from all over the world come to New Orleans to hear jazz.
Jazz became more and more popular. By the 1920s,jazz was popular all over the United States. By the 1940s,you could hear jazz not only in clubs and bars, but in concert halls as well. Today, people from all over the world play jazz. Jazz musicians from the United States, Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe meet and share their music at festivals on every continent. In this way jazz continues to grow and change.
1.What can be the best title of the passage?
A. American Art Forms B. The Development of Jazz
C. The Music of Black Americans D. The Birthplace of Jazz
2.From the text it can be inferred that_________.
A. New Orleans is the place where jazz was first produced
B. the American people are all jazz lovers
C. jazz is merely sung by the black when working
D. jazz may become more popular as time goes on
3.It took about _________ years to make jazz popular in the United States.
A.200 B.120 C.80 D.40
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Millions of Americans sit behind a computer screen, chained to their desk all day because the vast majority of stable, high-paying professions are “office jobs”. However, having a successful career does not require you to sit behind a desk and plug away at a computer all day.
In fact, there are a large number of non-desk jobs in a variety of industries that are growing and offering workers a direct path to the middle class, according to a new analysis of labor market information from CareerBuilder. While most of the highest-paying non-desk jobs are medical professions that require a doctoral or professional degree, there are 170 non-desk professions that pay $15 per hour or more, do not require a bachelors degree for a typical entry-level position, and have seen at least 6 percent job growth over the last four years.
The US workforce has gradually changed to office-based work because of the rise of the professional service economy and productivity gains associated with information technology,” Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources Officer at CareerBuilder, said in a statement.
But some of the healthiest areas of job growth year after year are in middle-skill professions that don’t require workers to sit in front of computer monitors and phones for 40 hours a week.”
Here are the top-paying jobs that don’t require you to work at a desk in various kinds — none of which require a four-year college degree — and their hourly salary and growth rate since 2010: professional assistants : $26.57, 14 percent; elevator repairers: $37.81, 6 percent; mechanical engineering technicians: $25.19, 10 percent; and electromechanical technicians: $24.68, 8 percent.
While they tend to pay less than traditional office jobs, non-desk professions provide a variety of benefits. Haefner points to a 2014 CareerBuilder survey that discovered workers who don’t work at a desk all day are less likely to complain about their work environment and less likely to report being overweight.
1.What does the underlined phrase “plug away” in the first paragraph probably mean?
A.Turn off a switch. B.Look for a job.
C.Keep on working. D.Give up working.
2.What conclusion can we draw from the second paragraph?
A.A non-desk job may provide you with a middle-class life.
B.The last four years has seen an increase in desk jobs.
C.The college degree is the ticket to a position.
D.A non-desk job cannot offer you a secure life.
3.What is the key reason for the US workforce to change to office-based work?
A.High salary. B.Medicine.
C.Information technology. D.Work environment.
4.The writer attempts to tell us that _________.
A.“office jobs” are appealing to the middle class
B.non-desk jobs are a good choice for us
C.office jobs” are secure and high-paying
D.non-desk professions are better than office jobs
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Ninety percent of Americans drive to work every day although working from home is on the rise. If you’re lacking for topics of conversation at a party, chatting about your commute(通勤) is a pretty safe bet.
According to a recent study, driving for more than two hours each day can steadily decrease the IQ of middle aged drivers. The Sunday Times of London detailed the study, which looked into the lifestyle choices of over 500,000 Britons between the ages of 37 and 73.
When looking at the data of the 93,000 participants who drove more than two to three hours per day, the study found a noticeable drop off in brainpower, measured by intelligence and memory tests. The study found similar results with participants who took part in several hours similarly sedentary (久坐的) activities, like television watching.
As it turns out, stimulating activity stimulates your brain, while non-stimulating activity, well, doesn’t stimulate your brain.
“Cognitive (认知的) decline is measurable over five years because it can happen fast in middle-aged and older people. This is associated with lifestyle factors such as smoking and bad diet — and now with time spent driving,” Kishran Bakrania, a medical epidemiologist(流行病学家) at the University of Leicester(莱斯特大学) told the Times.
Fortunately for most Americans, the average commute time was recorded at approximately 26.5 minutes according to the 2015 United States Census.
And if you think that the way to pump up your IQ is through brain games, think again. Just try and avoid those long hours on the road if possible, and if you happen to have free time on your commute, be sure to use it wisely.
1.According to the passage, which of the following may be of help to our brainpower?
A. Watching TV. B. Having sports.
C. Driving long time. D. Sleeping.
2.Why does the writer mention “results with people participating in similarly sedentary activities” in paragragh3?
A. To make a contrast. B. To give an example.
C. To make a description. D. To give more evidence.
3.We can infer from the passage that ________.
A. people should participate in more stimulating activities
B. long time drive may decrease the driver’s IQ
C. smoking and bad diet can cause cognitive decline
D. an increasing number of Americans drive to work every day
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
This day marks the rising of a new food startup, the first company to be financed entirely by the crowd, and of it every business thus relies on thousands of customers to grow. Lisa, 25, its main founder and CEO, believes it will be a path that will become increasingly popular, and ultimately will produce more thriving(繁荣的)businesses from the scratch.
“In the food industry, no venture capital (VC, 风险投资) will even look at you until you’ve hit a million in sales. As a fresh hand in business, unless you’re independently wealthy, you will likely need to raise some money before then,” Lisa complained. So few businesses approached VC firms at the beginning. It was no exception with her. Thus, she turned to a new financing tool at hand, crowdfunding, to raise money from the crowd who’d like to take a bet on her company.
But for a company, it didn’t make sense to seek investments when all they had was an idea and a few months of consumer testing data. The food market is extremely competitive. No investor would put money behind a totally unproven new super food product founded by a bunch of twenty-somethings. “But we had a story. And crowds love stories.” Lisa said delightedly. So she put together an online crowdfunding campaign, explaining how she began working with this amazingly nutritious plant in the Peace Corps and then started selling it in the U.S. to support the poor in the West Africa.
On the online platform where they were to raise the money, a friend convinced them to change their goal from $20,000 to $50,000. Lisa stayed up all night worrying they wouldn’t hit it. But they reached $24,000 in 24 hours and ended their funding with $53,000. Seeing the number, Lisa said, “Thank you! To my crowd and for your belief!”
1.Why couldn’t Lisa get investments in a traditional way?
A. She lacked confidence in business.
B. Her food company was in poor condition.
C. VC demanded too much in choosing partners.
D. Consumers were not satisfied with her new products.
2.According to the passage, crowdfunding ________.
A. ensures the investors a good return
B. aims to help badly managed companies
C. attracts more people to become investors
D. helps startups deal with money shortages
3.The underlined word “twenty-somethings” refers to ________.
A. twenty impractical ideas B. young people over twenty
C. twenty inexperienced partners D. a company with twenty branches
4.Which of the following best explains Lisa’s success?
A. Great minds think alike. B. Honesty is the best policy.
C. Many hands make light work. D. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Americans have contributed to many art forms, but jazz, a type music, is one of the art form that was started in the United States. Black Americans, who sang and played the music of their homeland, created jazz.
Jazz is a mixture of the music of Africa, the work songs the slaves sang, and religious(宗教) music. Improvisation is an important part of jazz. This means that the musicians make the music up as they go along, or create the music on the spot. This is why a jazz song might sound a little different each time it is played.
Jazz bands formed in the late 1800s. They played in bars and clubs in many towns and cities of the South, especially New Orleans. New Orleans is an international seaport, and people from all over the world come to New Orleans to hear jazz.
Jazz became more and more popular. By the 1920s, jazz was popular all over the United States. By the 1940s, you could hear jazz not only in clubs and bars, but in concert halls as well. Today, people from all over the world play jazz. Jazz musicians from the United States, Asia, Africa, South America, and Europe meet and share their music at festivals on every continent. In this way jazz continues to grow and change.
1.What can be the best title of the passage?
A.American art forms. B.The development of jazz.
C.The music of black Americans. D.The birthplace of jazz.
2.Which of the following is true?
A.Jazz is now popular all over the world.
B.Jazz is now a kind of religious music.
C.Jazz is now played only in bars and clubs.
D.Jazz is now played a little differently sometimes.
3.From the text it can be inferred that_________ .
A.New Orleans is the place where jazz was first produced
B.the American people are all jazz lovers
C.jazz is merely sung by the black when working
D.jazz may become more popular as time goes on
4.It took about ________ years to make jazz popular in the United States.
A.200 B.120 C.80 D.140
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The dream of many people is to leave their mark on the world however they can. This could be in countless different _______ , from coming up with a new invention to _______ starting a family. No matter what it is, _______ the world in some way is the purpose of many lives.
That’s _______ makes the Renaissance – an art period which centered in Italy between the 14th and 17th centuries — the era of _______.
When we hear the word “art”, it’s very likely that we’ll imagine a work from the Renaissance period. This w as a time when many believe art made a revival(复兴)— “renaissance”, _______, means to bring new life to something.
Take the works of Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci for example. His painting Mona Lisa became one of the best-known _______ on Earth. While many artists left their marks by bringing _______ to the world, Da Vinci did much more than that. The artist was fascinated with the study of human anatomy(解剖学)and even _______ time dissecting human bodies to help with his studies. Da Vinci also proved his __________ in many other areas, and he created sketches of ideas for many inventions, from bridges and machinery to even a helicopter and a robot.
The Renaissance also played host to many other great names in the world of art. Italian painter Raphael, for example, was another leader of this era. But his most famous work isn’t __________ on a w all today. __________, his masterpiece — the Raphael Rooms of Italy’s Palace of the Vatican — IS the w all. The walls and ceilings of the palace are filled with beautifully __________paintings of Bib le scenes, which he started as a young artist in 1508.
Religious works such as Raphael’s w ere the __________ style of the Renaissance period. We only have to look at the most iconic (标志性的)sculpture of that period — and perhaps __________— to realize that.
Italian artist Michelangelo’s sculpture David, __________ a Biblical character, was firstly shown in the 1500s. The sculpture has __________ years of exposure to the rain, having rocks throw n at it by protesters(抗议者), and even someone __________ it with a hammer in the 1990s. __________ all these, David is still standing strong and __________ today — a true symbol of the Renaissance.
1.A.ways B.places C.countries D.centuries
2.A.continuously B.simply C.occasionally D.finally
3.A.changing B.creating C.helping D.protecting
4.A.that B.this C.what D.it
5.A.world-makers B.world-users C.world-creators D.world-markers
6.A.in all B.at all C.after all D.of all
7.A.novels B.poems C.artworks D.dramas
8.A.honor B.beauty C.peace D.entertainment
9.A.devoted B.used C.enjoyed D.spent
10.A.greatness B.talents C.skills D.morals
11.A.showing B.hanging C.appearing D.shining
12.A.For example B.As a result C.Instead D.Moreover
13.A.detailed B.painted C.decorated D.described
14.A.famous B.common C.ordinary D.special
15.A.in no time B.at any time C.of all time D.at times
16.A.coming out B.adapted from C.based on D.named after
17.A.survived B.continued C.lived for D.experienced
18.A.making B.pushing C.correcting D.attacking
19.A.In addition to B.Generally speaking C.Due to D.In spite of
20.A.handsome B.gentle C.cautious D.proud
高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析