The extraordinary Eastgate Building in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, is said to be the only one in the world to use the same cooling and heating principles as the termite mound (白蚁堆).
Architect Mick Pearce used precisely the same strategy when designing the Eastgate Building, which has no air conditioning and almost no heating. The building is the country’s largest commercial and shopping complex but uses less than 10% of the energy of a conventional building of its size. The Eastgate’s owners saved 3.5 million on a 36 million building because air conditioning didn’t have to be equipped.
The complex is actually two buildings linked by bridges across a shady, glassroofed atrium (天井) open to the air. Fans suck fresh air in from the atrium, blow it upstairs through hollow spaces under the floors and from there into each office through vents (通风口). As it rises and warms, it is drawn out via ceiling vents and finally exists through fortyeight brick chimneys.
During summer’s cool nights, big fans blow air through the building seven times an hour to cool the empty floors. By day, smaller fans blow two changes of air an hour through the building to circulate the air which has been in contact with the cool floors. For winter days, there are small heaters in the vents.
This is all possible only because Harare is 1,600 feet above sea level, and has cloudless skies, little dampness and rapid temperature swings-days as warm as 31 °C commonly drop to 14°C at night. “You couldn’t do this in New York, with its fantastically hot summers and fantastically cold winters,” Pearce said.
The engineering firm of Ove Arup & Partners monitors daily temperatures. It is found that the temperature of the building has generally stayed between 23 °C and 25 °C, with the exception of the annual hot period just before the summer rains in October and three days in November, when a doorkeeper accidentally switched off the fans at night. And the air is far fresher than in airconditioned buildings, where up to 30% of the air is recycled.
1.Why was Eastgate cheaper to be built than a conventional building?
A. It was designed in a smaller size.
B. No air conditioners were fixed in.
C. Its heating system was less advanced.
D. It used rather different building materials.
2.What does the underlined word “it” refer to in Paragraph 3?
A. Fresh air from outside.
B. Heat in the building.
C. A hollow space.
D. A baseboard vent.
3.Why would a building like Eastgate not work efficiently in New York?
A. New York has less clear skies as Harare.
B. Its dampness affects the circulation of air.
C. New York covers a larger area than Harare.
D. Its temperature changes seasonally rather than daily.
4.The data in the last paragraph suggests Eastgate’s temperature control system .
A. allows a wide range of temperatures
B. functions well for most of the year
C. can recycle up to 30% of the air
D. works better in hot seasons
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
The extraordinary Eastgate Building in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, is said to be the only one in the world to use the same cooling and heating principles as the termite mound (白蚁堆).
Architect Mick Pearce used precisely the same strategy when designing the Eastgate Building, which has no air conditioning and almost no heating. The building is the country’s largest commercial and shopping complex but uses less than 10% of the energy of a conventional building of its size. The Eastgate’s owners saved 3.5 million on a 36 million building because air conditioning didn’t have to be equipped.
The complex is actually two buildings linked by bridges across a shady, glassroofed atrium (天井) open to the air. Fans suck fresh air in from the atrium, blow it upstairs through hollow spaces under the floors and from there into each office through vents (通风口). As it rises and warms, it is drawn out via ceiling vents and finally exists through fortyeight brick chimneys.
During summer’s cool nights, big fans blow air through the building seven times an hour to cool the empty floors. By day, smaller fans blow two changes of air an hour through the building to circulate the air which has been in contact with the cool floors. For winter days, there are small heaters in the vents.
This is all possible only because Harare is 1,600 feet above sea level, and has cloudless skies, little dampness and rapid temperature swings-days as warm as 31 °C commonly drop to 14°C at night. “You couldn’t do this in New York, with its fantastically hot summers and fantastically cold winters,” Pearce said.
The engineering firm of Ove Arup & Partners monitors daily temperatures. It is found that the temperature of the building has generally stayed between 23 °C and 25 °C, with the exception of the annual hot period just before the summer rains in October and three days in November, when a doorkeeper accidentally switched off the fans at night. And the air is far fresher than in airconditioned buildings, where up to 30% of the air is recycled.
1.Why was Eastgate cheaper to be built than a conventional building?
A. It was designed in a smaller size.
B. No air conditioners were fixed in.
C. Its heating system was less advanced.
D. It used rather different building materials.
2.What does the underlined word “it” refer to in Paragraph 3?
A. Fresh air from outside.
B. Heat in the building.
C. A hollow space.
D. A baseboard vent.
3.Why would a building like Eastgate not work efficiently in New York?
A. New York has less clear skies as Harare.
B. Its dampness affects the circulation of air.
C. New York covers a larger area than Harare.
D. Its temperature changes seasonally rather than daily.
4.The data in the last paragraph suggests Eastgate’s temperature control system .
A. allows a wide range of temperatures
B. functions well for most of the year
C. can recycle up to 30% of the air
D. works better in hot seasons
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The extraordinary Eastgate Building in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital city, is said to be the only one in the world to use the same cooling and heating principles as the termite mound(白蚁堆).
Architect Mick Pearce used precisely the same strategy when designing the Eastgate Building, which has no air-conditioning and almost no heating. The building—the country’s largest commercial and shopping complex—uses less than 10% of the energy of a conventional building of its size. The Eastgate’s owners saved $3.5 million on a $36 million building because an air-conditioning equipment didn’t have to be imported.
The complex is actually two buildings linked by bridges across a shady, glass-roofed atrium(天井) open to the air. Fans suck fresh air in from the atrium, blow it upstairs through hollow spaces under the floors and from there into each office through baseboard vents(通风口). As it rises and warms, it is drawn out via ceiling vents and finally exists through forty-eight brick chimneys.
During summer’s cool nights, big fans blow air through the building seven times an hour to cool the empty floors. By day, smaller fans blow two changes of air an hour through the building, to circulate the air which has been in contact with the cool floors. For winter days, there are small heaters in the vents.
This is all possible only because Harare is 1600 feet above sea level, has cloudless skies, little dampness and rapid temperature changes—days as warm as 31℃ commonly drop to 14℃ at night. “You couldn’t do this in New York, with its hot summers and cold winters,” Pearce said.
The engineering firm of Ove Arup&Partners monitors daily temperatures. It is found that the temperature of the building has generally stayed between 23℃ and 25℃, with the exception of the annual hot period just before the summer rains in October and three days in November, when a doorkeeper accidentally switched off the fans at night. And the air is fresh—far more so than in air-conditioned buildings, where up to 30% of the air is recycled.
1.Why was Eastgate cheaper to be built than a conventional building?
A. It was designed in a smaller size.
B. No air conditioners were fixed in.
C. Its heating system was less advanced.
D. It used rather different building materials.
2.What does “it” refer to in Paragraph 3?
A. Fresh air from outside. B. Heat in the building.
C. Hollow space. D. Baseboard vent.
3.Why would a building like Eastgate Not work efficiently in New York?
A. New York has less clear skies as Harare.
B. Its dampness affects the circulation of air.
C. New York covers a larger area than Harare.
D. Its temperature changes seasonally rather than daily.
4.The data in the last paragraph suggests Eastgate’s temperature control system_____.
A. allows a wide range of temperatures
B. functions well for most of the year
C. can recycle up to 30% of the air
D. works better in hot seasons
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
At least 200 elephants have died in Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe in the past two months due to a serious drought (干旱) in the country. National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesman Tinashe Farawo told The Associated Press. Other animals, including giraffes, zebras , hippos and buffaloes are also dying due to the drought."The situation cannot improve until it rains, "Farawo said.
"Almost every animal is being affected," Farawo said. "Of course, elephants are easily noticed, but some bird species are seriously affected because they can only breed (繁殖) in certain tree heights and those trees are being knocked down by elephants."
"In a desperate attempt to locate food and water, animals have come in the park and nearby communities, threatening human populations as well. Thirty-three people have died because of these animals this year," the park said.
"Six hundred elephants and two lion prides will be moved to less crowded parks. A pack of wild dogs, 50 buffaloes, 40 giraffes and 2,000 impalas will also be relocated, " Farawo said.
"The animals have exceeded their ecological carrying capacity (生态承载力)," he added."If the populations go unchecked, the animals will threaten the very ecosystem they depend on for survival."
Typically, park leaders follow a policy of not intervening (干预) to help the animals , but the hard conditions have persuaded them otherwise. Fearing more deaths before the rainy season, they have started bringing in food to help the animals, which usually rely on natural vegetation.
"We used to say nature should take its course,"said wildlife officer Munyaradzi Dzoro."We are now forced to intervene. We are not sure when and how we will receive the rain. To avoid losing animals, we have to intervene to maintain population sizes.
In addition to a lack of food and water, muddy ponds have turned into death traps for the animals. Many have gotten stuck in the clay (泥土) while attempting to reach Long Pool, the park's largest watering hole, which has shrunk to 5% of its normal size, the Associated Press reports.
The drought has affected an estimated 11 million people, according to the World Food Program, which is planning large-scale food distribution.
1.Why are some bird species being affected?
A.They can't find enough food and water.
B.They lose many proper breeding places.
C.They are often killed by big land animals.
D.They become ill easily because of other animals' death.
2.What measure will be taken to improve the serious situation?
A.Building fences between the park and nearby communities.
B.Killing the animals which went into human communities.
C.Providing enough water for the animals in the park.
D.Moving some animals to less crowded places.
3.What did Farawo think is the basis for the survival of animals?
A.A healthy ecosystem. B.A policy of not intervening.
C.Large populations of animals. D.Limited ecological carrying capacity.
4.Muddy ponds have become deadly to the animals because_________.
A.their clay is very attractive B.much of their water is gone
C.they have become much deeper D.there is much food in their water
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Every day my husband parked his car in the same open-air car park in Zimbabwe. On this particular day, he had been running to his car with a pile of office papers under his arm. As he opened the car door, he suddenly lost control of his body. He felt a stabbing pain in his arm, and became totally breathless and lost consciousness. As he fell down, half in, half out of the car, his last thought was “what a way to die”.
A young woman getting into her own car in the deserted car park noticed what was going on and at once ran to my husband’s aid, trying to bring his life back. Realizing time was important, she tried to move my husband to her car, calling the guard at the gate.
Fearing an ambulance would take too long to arrive, she felt it better to get to the hospital as quickly as she could. She raced through traffic lights sounding her car’s horn and rushed into the hospital, calling out, “I have an unknown man here who I think is having a heart attack.
Having realized he was in capable hands, the woman returned to the car park, found his keys on the ground, collected his papers and piled them in the car. Having seen my husband come out of a certain building each day, the security guard thought he knew where he worked. The young woman managed to locate his colleagues and they in turn contacted my niece, who waited for me to return home so she could break the news to me.
After careful tests it turned out that my husband’s disease had nothing to do with heart. We were naturally eager to find the kind stranger who had come to his aid. After some weeks we discovered where the young woman worked. She was overjoyed when my husband walked into her office with a huge bouquet of flowers. She said she required no thanks, and preferred to remain anonymous (匿名的).
We now live in a different country, but each Christmas my husband remembers her act of kindness and sends a gift. We regard every day of his life as a bonus, all thanks to this kind stranger.
1.From the passage, we can infer that _______.
A. a heart attack hit the writer’s husband suddenly
B. there were few people in the park that day
C. the young woman was at a loss at first
D. the woman was fined for breaking the traffic lights
2.Who told the writer the news of her husband’s illness?
A. The young woman.
B. The security guard.
C. The colleague of her husband.
D. The writer’s niece.
3.What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
A. The Gift of Life
B. An Act of Gratitude
C. The Attack of a Disease
D. The Story of a Young Woman
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Every day my husband parked his car in the same open-air car park in Zimbabwe. On this particular day, he had been running to his car with a pile of office papers under his arm. As he opened the car door, he suddenly lost control of his body. He felt a stabbing pain in his arm, and became totally breathless and lost consciousness. As he fell down, half in, half out of the car, his last thought was “what a way to die”.
A young woman getting into her own car in the deserted car park noticed what was going on and at once ran to my husband’s aid, trying to bring his life back. Realizing time was important, she tried to move my husband to her car, calling the guard at the gate.
Fearing an ambulance would take too long to arrive, she felt it better to get to the hospital as quickly as she could. She raced through traffic lights sounding her car’s horn and rushed into the hospital, calling out, “I have an unknown man here who I think is having a heart attack.”
Having realized he was in capable hands, the woman returned to the car park, found his keys on the ground, collected his papers and piled them in the car. Having seen my husband come out of a certain building each day, the security guard thought he knew where he worked. The young woman managed to locate his colleagues and they in turn contacted my niece, who waited for me to return home so she could break the news to me.
After careful tests it turned out that my husband’s disease had nothing to do with heart. We were naturally eager to find the kind stranger who had come to his aid. After some weeks we discovered where the young woman worked. She was overjoyed when my husband walked into her office with a huge bouquet (束) of flowers. She said she required no thanks, and preferred to remain anonymous (匿名的).
We now live in a different country, but each Christmas my husband remembers her act of kindness and sends a gift. We regard every day of his life as a bonus, all thanks to this kind stranger.
1.From the passage, we can infer that _______.
A. a heart attack hit the writer’s husband suddenly
B. there were few people in the park that day
C. the young woman was at a loss at first
D. the woman was fined for breaking the traffic lights
2.Who told the writer the news of her husband’s illness?
A. The young woman.
B. The security guard.
C. The colleague of her husband.
D. The writer’s niece.
3.What might be the most suitable title for the passage?
A. The Gift of Life
B. An Act of Gratitude
C. The Attack of a Disease
D. The Story of a Young Woman
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Like many families in Sanyati, a small countryside town in western Zimbabwe（津巴布韦）, Johnson’s family does not have a television. One day after school, Johnson arrived home and ______ something unusual in the house. At first, he ______ his father had bought a television, but when his mother said it was a computer, he was ______.
It’s not that Johnson didn’t like the ______; he just didn’t know how to use it. Johnson and his father didn’t even know how to turn it on. "Nobody in our neighborhood knew how to ______ a computer," Johnson said.
But things _____ when Nikon, a young family friend, came from a big city to visit. Nikon knew all about computers.
“At first, I was always ______ the wrong button,” Johnson recalled. “But I kept on going ______I was eager to learn.” After three weeks, Johnson had mastered some computer _______, such as opening and closing files.
Johnson kept on practicing after Nikon ______. His speed slowly improved. Soon, Johnson felt ______ with the computer. Meanwhile, Johnson’s friends _____ what had happened to him. He no longer played soccer after school like he used to. Johnson’s friends ______. Were Johnson’s parents _____him from playing with them? Did he have new friends?
One day, three of Johnson’s friends surprised him at home. They couldn’t ______ what they saw — a computer, and Johnson was operating it. After that, Johnson began to teach them how to use the computer.
It wasn’t long before the neighborhood kids wanted to learn, too! The computer began to experience _____ because the kids were pressing too many buttons. So he ______a plan. He began charging for lessons. But this did not stop more kids from coming. Those whose parents did not have money _______with chickens or goats.
Johnson has taught computer skills to 30 students from his local school. With the money earned from ______, Johnson has bought a television and a radio for his _______. And he plans to buy a new computer and keep on teaching.
1.A. realized B. noticed C. received D. achieved
2.A. felt B. found C. thought D. decided
3.A. disappointed B. interested C. satisfied D. excited
4.A. television B. radio C. telephone D. computer
5.A. operate B. repair C. manage D. control
6.A. finished B. ended C. changed D. corrected
7.A. editing B. pressing C. pulling D. putting
8.A. but B. and C. because D. so
9.A. systems B. files C. languages D. basics
10.A. left B. returned C. arrived D. disappeared
11.A. confused B. comfortable C. valuable D. considerable
12.A. remembered B. discussed C. suspected D. wondered
13.A. screamed B. hoped C. worried D. laughed
14.A. preventing B. escaping C. protecting D. separating
15.A. understand B. admit C. prove D. believe
16.A. challenges B. problems C. tasks D. chances
17.A. kept up with B. put up with C. came up with D. caught up with
18.A. paid B. greeted C. filled D. played
19.A. working B. begging C. teaching D. competing
20.A. friend B. neighbor C. student D. family
高二英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.When was the building built?
A.In 1718. B.In 1782. C.In 1930.
2.What was the building used as at the time of the fire?
A.A hotel. B.An old people’s home. C.A history museum.
3.Who is Andrew Bond?
A.A newspaper reporter.
B.The owner of the building.
C.The head of the fire department.
高二英语短文困难题查看答案及解析
Years ago, I lived in a building in a large city. The next building was only a few feet away from mine. There was a woman who lived there, whom I had never met, yet I could see her seated by her window each afternoon, sewing or reading.
After several months had gone by, I began to notice that her window was dirty. Everything was unclear through the dirty window. I would say to myself, “I wonder why that woman doesn’t wash her window. It really looks terrible.”
One bright morning I decided to clean my flat, including washing the window on the inside.Late in the afternoon when I finished the cleaning, I sat down by the window with a cup of coffee for a rest. What a surprise! Across the way, the woman sitting by her window was clearly visible. Her window was clean!
Then it dawned on me. I had been criticizing her dirty window, but all the time I was watching hers through my own dirty window.That was quite an important lesson for me. How often had I looked at and criticized others through the dirty window of my heart, through my own shortcomings?
Since then, whenever I wanted to judge someone, I asked myself first, “Am I looking at him through my own dirty window?” I try to clean the window of my own world so that I may see the world about me more clearly.
1.“It dawned on me” in paragraph 4 probably means “________”.
A. I knew it grew light B. it cheered me up
C. I began to understand it D. it began to get dark
2.It’s clear that ___________.
A. the writer had never met the woman before B. the writer often washed the window
C. they both worked as cleaners D. they lived in a small town
3.From the passage, we can learn___________.
A. one shouldn’t criticize others very often
B. one should often make his windows clean
C. one must judge himself before he judges others
D. one must look at others through his dirty windows
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Years ago, I lived in a building in a large city. The building next door was only a few feet away from mine. There was a woman who lived there, whom I had never met, yet I could see her seated by her window each afternoon, sewing or reading.
After several months had gone by, I began to notice that her window was dirty. Everything was unclear through the dirty window. I would say to myself, “I wonder why that woman doesn't wash her window. It really looks terrible.”
One bright morning I decided to clean my flat, including washing the window on the inside. Late in the afternoon when I finished the cleaning, I sat down by the window with a cup of coffee for a rest. What a surprise! Across the way, the woman sitting by her window was clearly visible. Her window was clean!
Then it dawned on me. I had been criticizing her dirty window, but all the time I was watching hers through my own dirty window.
That was quite an important lesson for me. How often had I looked at and criticized others through the dirty window of my heart, through my own shortcomings?
Since then, whenever I wanted to judge someone, I asked myself first, “Am I looking at him through my own dirty window?”
Then I try to clean the window of my own world so that I may see the world about me more clearly.
1.The writer couldn't see everything clearly through the window because .
A．the woman's window was dirty B．the writer's window was dirty
C．the woman lived nearby D．the writer was near-sighted
2.Finishing the cleaning, the writer was surprised that .
A．the woman was sitting by her window B．the woman's window was clean
C．the woman did cleaning in the afternoon D．the woman's window was still terrible
3.“…it dawned on me” probably means “ ”.
A．I began to understand it B．it cheered me up
C．I knew it grew light D．it began to get dark
4.It’s clear that .
A．the writer had never met the woman before B．the writer often washed the window
C．they both worked as cleaners D．they lived in a small town
5.From the passage, we can learn .
A．one shouldn't criticize others very often
B．one should often make his windows clean
C．one must judge himself before he judges others
D．one must look at others through his dirty windows
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Years ago, I lived in a building in a large city. The next building was only a few feet away from mine. There was a woman living there, and I had never met her, yet I could see she sat by her window each afternoon, sewing or reading.
After several months had gone by, I began to notice that her window was dirty. Everything was unclear through the dirty window. I would say to myself. “I wonder why that woman doesn’t wash her window. It really looks terrible.”
One bright morning I decided to clean my flat, including washing the window on the inside.
Late in the afternoon when I finished the cleaning, I sat down by the window with a cup of coffee for a rest. What a surprise! Across the way, the woman sitting by her window was clearly visible (看见). Her window was clean!
Then it dawned on me. I had been criticizing (批评) her dirty window, but all the time I was watching hers through my own dirty window.
That was quite an important lesson for me. How often had I looked at and criticized others through the dirty window of my heart, through my own shortcomings?
Since then, whenever I wanted to judge (评判) someone, I asked myself first, “Am I looking at him through my own dirty window?” I try to clean the window of my own world so that I may see the world about me more clearly.
1.The writer couldn’t see everything clearly through the window because _______.
A. the woman’s window was dirty
B. the writer’s window was dirty
C. the woman lived nearby
D. the writer was near-sighted
2.“It dawned on me” probably means “_______”.
A. I began to understand it B. it cheered me up
C. I knew it grew light D. it began to get dark
3.It’s clear that ________.
A. the writer had never met the woman before
B. the writer often washed the window
C. they both worked as cleaners
D. they lived in a small town
4.From the passage, we can learn _______.
A. one shouldn’t criticize others very often
B. one should often make his windows clean
C. one must judge himself before he judges others
D. one must look at others through his dirty windows[
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析