How could we have thought so wrongly of as ba...

How could we have thought so wrongly of as banana peel that it always hits the garbage? Utility of anything seems to be in the eyes of the beholder. The banana peel hasn't been an exception.

What most of us looked at as waste was converted to a thing of utility by Prithwis Mukhopadlyay, a 14-year-old prodigy. This Bengali boy, nourished in the US, Lake Junior High in Woodbury, Minnesota, has come up with an idea to convert banana peels to biogas.(生物气).

It's well known that almost any organic waste can be converted to biogas. But why biogas from banana peel has hit the news is because it produced five times as much biogas as manure(粪), a commonly used source for producing biogas, in the experiments Prithwis conducted.

He filled two airtight containers, one with manure and the other with banana peels. Then he mixed each content with water and connected them to empty jars via pipes to collect the gas produced. He placed a heater next to each jar and measured the gas collected for 60 days. His studies proved that banana peels produced five times more biogas than manure.

This project titled 'Comparison analysis: Eco-friendly source of energy for the future,' earned him a spot in Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge. This weekend, the young whiz is to showcase his research work along with 40 other finalists at Washington. "Initially, I thought of doing a project that would reduce global warming. Things changed after I visited a biogas plant in a village in India during my summer vacations. It was an amazing experience," Prithwis says.

1.Why could Prithwis's finding receive the attention of the media?

A．Because he is a prodigy.

B．Because he is of Bengali descent.

C．Because he used an extremely rare organic waste to produce biogas.

D．Because his research proved that banana peels can produce more biogas.

2.Where did Prithwis derive his inspiration  from?

A.Lake Junior High.   B Discovery Channel.

C.  India.            D.His laboratory at home.

3.This article probably appeared in a _________ magazine.

A．gourmet          B．science           C．computer         D．fashion

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Those days life was so hard that I finally wished that I could just be “left alone”.

The thought of going somewhere by myself would give me so much 1 . but then I’d remember when I was alone. Not that 2 _ left me. I was alone by myself in crowded places. It was the 3  that I built around me that would not 4  the outside in or the inside out.

When I was a child, I would play this silly 5 . It was always 6 _ because a place in a corner or under a table would do. My favorite place was simply to pull a blanket over my head. I would lie there and 7 , “Right now no one in the world knows where I am!” That thought was so 8 .

If you knew me well enough this wouldn’t 9  you…I still do it at 60. It drives my dogs crazy, because they find me and start digging at the blanket until they find a way in. All three of them 10  me. That thought is so satisfying, too.

I want you to know that at times we all wish that we could be left _11  . The fact that you can be alone with yourself and enjoy it shows clearly who you are. Imagine for a 12  being locked in a room with someone you 13 . It would be torture. So, if you find peace with being with yourself, that is good. However, if you are trying to build a wall so no one can ever 14 , it can’t happen.

The light of love can find a 15  through the tiniest cracks. You can pull the covers over your head and love will find you.

1.A. trouble                B. experience   C. pleasure     D. worry

2. A. anybody           B. everyone     C. nobody       D. someone

3.A. idea               B. place            C. house        D. wall

4.A. permit             B. stop         C. find         D. turn

5.A. match              B. program      C. competition  D. game

6. A. interesting           B. disappointing    C. easy         D. different

7. A. shout             B. think            C. cry          D. dream

8.A. satisfying         B. shocking     C. important        D. strange

9. A. fear              B. meet         C. surprise     D. excite

10. A. bite             B. join         C. watch        D. excite

11.A. quiet             B. calm         C. alone            D. silent

12. A. change           B. moment       C. rest         D. chance

13. A. respect          B. admire       C. notice       D. dislike

14. A. go out               B. come to      C. get in           D. leave for

15. A. way              B. help         C. love         D. hope

高二英语完型填空简单题查看答案及解析

Many of us mistakenly believe that it’s wrong to think we have many good qualities. We may spend a lot of time blaming ourselves for our negative qualities, thinking that self-criticism is the key to improving our performance. However, a constant focus on our supposed shortcomings can stop our efforts to make friends with other people. How can we believe that others could like us if we believe our inner being is flawed(有缺点的)?

If someone seems to dislike you, the reason for that dislike might have little or nothing to do with you. The person who doesn’t like you might be fearful, shallow, busy or shy. Perhaps you and that person are simply a mismatch for each other at this particular time.

Don’t take yourself out of the game by deciding that your flaws are bigger than your good qualities. In fact, some of the very qualities you consider to be flaws may be irresistible to someone else. For all the factors that might cause one person to reject you, there are at least as many factors that will work in your favor with someone else.

You might be thirty pounds over your ideal weight, but you may have a wonderful laugh and a real enthusiasm for life. There are many people who don’t mind your extra pounds. You may drive a shabby car, but you might be a great dancer and a loyal friend. There are people looking for loyalty, fun, sweetness, or wisdom, and the package it comes in is not important. If you are worried that you are not beautiful enough to attract friends, keep in mind that not everyone is looking for physical beauty in their friends. You can decide to feel inferior because you don’t have much money or you don’t drive a nice car. You can believe that this is the reason that you don’t have many friends in your life. On the other hand, if you are very wealthy you may be suspicious that everyone is after your money and that nobody really likes you as a person.

The point is that you can focus on anything and believe it’s the reason you do not have friends and cannot make any.

1.According to the author, plays an important role in making friends.

A.admitting your shortcomings B.self-criticism

C.modesty 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D.confidence

2.If you are not liked by a person,　　　 .

A.you should find the reason in yourself

B.you’d better talk with the person face to face

C.you may not be the one to be blamed

D.you and that person misunderstand each other

3.We can learn from the third paragraph that 　　　 .

A.your good qualities may turn out to be your flaws

B.your weaknesses may also be your strengths in some way

C.your negative qualities cause a person to reject you

D.you’ll have few friends if your flaws are more than your good qualities

4.Which of the following is true according to the author?

A.It is important to lose weight.

B.It is easier for a wealthy person to make friends.

C.Inner qualities are more important than physical appearance.

D.If you are not beautiful enough, try to improve your physical beauty.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Some inventions are so useful, but seem so simple, that we wonder why no one thought of them long ago. Post-it Notes, the pieces of paper that you can stick almost anywhere and then remove without leaving any sign that they are there, are an example of such an invention.

Post-it Notes were invented about twenty years ago by Art Fry, a scientist at 3M Corporation. The idea for the product came from an upsetting experience he often had while singing in his church choir. Fry used pieces of paper as bookmarks to mark the places in his book of songs, but these bookmarks were always falling out. He knew he needed a bookmark that would stay where he put it, but that he could remove without damaging the pages.

Around that time, Fry heard about a new adhesive(粘合剂) that a colleague, Dr. Spence Silver had created. This adhesive was special because it was sticky, but not too sticky. It was strong enough to hold papers together, but weak enough not to tear the paper when it was removed. Fry saw that the new adhesive could help solve his bookmark problem. One morning, Fry put some of the adhesive on the edge of a piece of paper. Just as he hoped, it made a perfect bookmark.

A short time later, Fry realized that his new invention had even more uses than being a great bookmark. He came to this realization when he wrote a note on one of his new “bookmarks” and attached it to a report he was going to give to a colleague. Soon, co-workers were asking Fry for more sample of his invention so that they could use the new type of notes themselves.

Fry and some other people at 3M believed so much in the new product that they persuaded the company to give away thousands of the sticky pieces of paper for trial use. When some salespeople at 3M went to offices and showed workers just how helpful the new type of notes could be, they immediately received many orders. As more and more people discovered how useful Post-it Notes could be, the product took off.

1.The invention of Post-it Notes showed that Art Fry _____.

A. had a lot of knowledge.　　 B. was very hard-working.

C. was good at creative thinking　　 D. loved his job in the church

2.In what way did Dr. Spence help Art Fry?

A. They worked together and often discussed science.

B. His invention of a special adhesive made Art’s invention possible.

C. He persuaded 3M Corporation to give away lots of Post-it Notes for trial use.

D. He cooperated with Art by providing the new adhesive for Art.

3.Which of the following is a possible use of Post-it Notes?

A. A note on a friend’s door.　　 B. An e-mail to a friend.

C. a postcard from abroad.　　 D. An ad in a newspaper.

4.The biggest advantage of Post-it Notes is _____.

A. it can stay anywhere and leave no sign when removed.

B. it is very cheap to use.

C. it is good to write notes on

D. it is very thin and beautiful

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

As we stood on the top of the hill, we could see the beautiful scene that _______ before us.

A. had spread      B. has spread      C. spread    D. spreads

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

---How could you be so rude as to walk in here in the middle of my class?

---_____________

A. Nothing much      B. Nothing serious         C. Never again          D. Never mind

高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

As we grow old, we realize that we have so little time to read and there are so many great books that we’ve yet to get around to. Yet re-readers are everywhere around us. For certain fans, re-reading The Lord of the Rings is a conventional practice annually. One friend told me that Jane Austen’s Emma can still surprise him, despite his having read it over 50 times.

New sudden clear understandings can be gained from the process of re-reading. Journalist Rebacca Mead, a long-time Englishwoman in New York, first came across George Eliot’s Middlemarch at 17. Since then, she has read it again every five years. With each re-reading, it has opened up further; in each chapter of her life, it has resonated (引起共鸣) differently. Mead evidenced the large number of ways in which really good books not only stand the test of repeat reads, but also offer fresh gifts each time we crack their spines. These kinds of books grow with us.

Scientists have also recognized the mental health benefits of re-reading. Research conducted with readers in the US found that on our first reading, we are concerned with the “what” and the “why”. Second time round, we’re able to better appreciate the emotions that the plot continues to express. As researcher Cristel Russell of the American University explained, returning to a book “brings new or renewed appreciation of both the great book and its readers.”

It’s true that we often find former selves on the pages of old books (if we’re fond of making notes on the pages). These texts can carry us back to a time and place, and remind us of the kind of person that we were then. We’re changed not only by lived experience but also by read experience – by the books that we’ve discovered since last reading the one in our hand.

More so than the movie director or the musician, the writer calls upon our imaginations, using words to lead us to picture this declaration of love or that unfaithfulness in life. A book is a joint project between writers and readers, and we must pour so much of ourselves into reading that our own life story can become connected with the story in the book.

Perhaps what’s really strange is that we don’t re-read more often. After all, we watch our favorite films again and we wouldn’t think of listening to an album only once. We treasure messy old paintings as objects, yet of all art forms, literature alone is a largely one-time delight. A book, of course, takes up more time, but as Mead confirms, the rewards make it adequately worthwhile.

1.The two books are mentioned in Paragraph 1 mainly to __________.

A. attract the attention of readers

B. introduce the topic of the passage

C. provide some background information

D. show the similarity between re-readers

2. The underlined expression “crack their spines” in Paragraph 2 refers to ________.

A. recite them　　　　 　 B. re-read them

C. recall them　　　　　　 D. retell them

3. The purpose of the passage is to __________.

A. call on different understandings of old books

B. focus on the mental health benefits of reading

C. bring awareness to the significance of re-reading

D. introduce the effective ways of re-reading old books

4.It can be learned from the passage that __________.

A. reading benefits people both mentally and physically

B. readers mainly focus on feelings on their first reading

C. we know ourselves better through re-reading experience

D. writers inspire the same imaginations as film directors do

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

As we have known from the map of the world, this is ______.

A. twice as larger as that island         B. as twice as that one

C. twice as large an island as that one    D. twice as a large island as that one

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Can you be too beautiful? It is hardly a problem that most of us have to bother — as much as we might like to dream that it were the case.

Yet the blessings and curses of beauty have been a long-standing interest in psychology. Do those blessed with shiny faces and an attractive body live in a cloud of appreciation — or does it sometimes pay to be ordinary?

Combing through decades of findings, social psychologists Lisa Slattery Walker and Tonya Frevert at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte have reviewed all the evidence to date and their conclusions are not what you might expect.

At the most basic level, beauty might be thought to carry a kind of halo(光环) around it; we see that someone has one good quality, and by association, our deep mind may assume that they have other good ones too.

Even in the courts, a pleasing appearance can work its magic. Attractive criminals are likely to get less strict sentences, or to escape punishment entirely; attractive plaintiffs(原告), meanwhile, are more likely to win their case and get bigger financial settlements. “It’s an effect seen everywhere,” says Walker.

But if beauty pays in most circumstances, there are still situations where it can have opposite results. While attractive men may be considered better leaders, for instance, hidden sexist prejudices can work against attractive women, making them less likely to be hired for high-level jobs that require power. And as you might expect, good-looking people of both sexes run into envy — one study found that if you are interviewed by someone of the same sex, they may be less likely to employ you if they judge that you are more attractive than they are.

More worryingly, being beautiful or handsome could harm your medical care. We tend to link good looks to health, meaning that illnesses are often taken less seriously when they affect the good-looking. When treating people for pain, for instance, doctors tend to take less care over the more attractive people.

And the bubble of beauty can be a somewhat lonely place. One study in 1975, for instance, found that people tend to move further away from a beautiful woman on the pathway — perhaps as a mark of respect, but still making interaction more distant. “Attractiveness can convey more power over visible space — but that in turn can make others feel they can’t approach that person,” says Frevert. Interestingly, the online dating website OKCupid recently reported that people with the most beautiful pictures are less likely to find dates than those with less perfect pictures.

Ultimately, Frevert points out that focusing too much on your appearance can itself be harmful if it creates stress and anxiety — even for those already blessed with good looks. “If you are crazy about attractiveness, it may affect your experience and interactions,” she says. It’s an outdated saying, but no amount of beauty can make up for a bad personality. As the writer Dorothy Parker put it so elegantly: “Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone.”

1.From paragraph one, we can learn that _______.

A. we might always dream about being bothered by others[

B. most people are not afraid of being too beautiful

C. some may be bothered by their unattractive appearance

D. being too beautiful can be a problem bothering everyone

2.Which is the benefit for beautiful people?

A. An attractive plaintiff has more chances to get away with punishment.

B. Beautiful criminals are more likely to persuade the judge and win the case.

C. Good-looking people are often regarded as having many good qualities.

D. Women with pleasing appearance will always be considered as better leaders.

3.What can be inferred from OKCupid’s finding?

A. Don’t use perfect pictures when trying to find dates online.

B. Less attractive women are lonely because of their appearances.

C. We may feel more excited to approach those with attractive appearances.

D. People with perfect pictures will find dates sooner or later.

4.What might be the best title for the passage?

A. Sexist Prejudice　　 　　　 B. Negative Sides of Beauty

C. Blessed with Beauty　　　　 D. Beauty vs Ugliness

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

We didn’t have a tree. My dad had as much pride as anybody, I suppose, so he wouldn’t just say that we couldn’t afford one. When I mentioned it, my mother said that we weren’t going to have one this year, that we couldn’t afford one, and even if we could, it was stupid to mess up your house with a dead tree.

About three days before Christmas, I was out collecting for my paper route. It was fairly late, snowing and very cold. I went to the apartment building to try to catch a customer who hadn’t paid me for nearly two months. she owed me seven dollars. Much to my surprise, she was home. She invited me in and not only did she pay me, she also gave me a dollar tip.

On the way home, I walked past a Christmas tree shop and the idea hit me. The selection wasn’t very good because it was so close to the holiday, but there was this one real nice tree. It had been a very expensive tree and no one had bought it; now it was so close to Christmas that the man was afraid no one would.

He wanted ten dollars for it, but when I told him what I had, he said he might sell it for that. I really didn’t want to spend the whole money on the tree, but it was so pretty that I finally agreed. I dragged it all the way home and I tried hard not to damage it. I arrived at home at last. My heart was bursting as I announced that I had a surprise.

“Where did you get that tree?” my mother exclaimed. But it wasn’t the kind of exclamation that indicates pleasure. After she knew the truth, she said that I was going to end up in the poorhouse(救济院) because I believe in stupid things like Christmas trees. My mother had never talked to me like that before and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

1.Why did the writer’s mother refuse a tree?

A. Because she couldn’t afford a dead Christmas tree.

B. Because she thought it was unreasonable to have a tree.

C. Because she was much so proud that she felt better.

D. Because she thought she wasn’t very proud of herself.

2.How did the writer feel when he got home?

A. Upset and calm.　　 B. Anxious and happy.

C. Proud and excited.　　 D. Sorry and confused.

3.What made the shop owner sell the tree?

A. His pity on the writer’s situation　　 B. His desire of offering help

C. His worry of keeping the tree.　　 D. His kindness of helping others

4.What the writer’s mother said in the last paragraph means ______.

A. she was pleased　　 B. she was angry

C. she was doubtful　　 D. she was embarrassed

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析