You may have heard of the American Dream, an ...

You may have heard of the American Dream, an ideal that has powered the hopes of Americans for generations.

It began as a belief that the US was a land of opportunity, and that anyone could achieve success through hard work. At times, the dream has referred to home ownership, a good job, retirement security or each generation doing better than the last.

Yet today, this concept seems to have greatly changed. As Time magazine pointed out, quite different from the older generation, many Millennials (the generation born after 1980) redefine(重新定义) the American Dream as “day-to-day control of your life”. They “prize job mobility, flexible schedules, any work that is more interesting than typing, and the ability to travel”, said the magazine.

Home ownership, once the cornerstone of the American Dream, is becoming a smaller priority for this generation. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of them choose travel as part of their dream. And entrepreneurship(创业) is a rising favorite, as nearly 26% of Millennials consider self-employment as part of their dream.

So what has led to this huge change?

Many point fingers at the poor economy. “Modern young Americans seem bound to face a world stamped by ever narrowing opportunity and social stagnation(停滞),”noted The Daily Beast.

“The rate of 16-to 24-year-olds out of school and out of work is unusually high at 15%. Many college graduates have taken jobs that don’t require a degree,” Time reported.

The magazine worries that these difficulties may lead to a lost generation who are “unable to ever truly find their feet on the corporation’s ladder”.

Dan Kadlec, a reporter of Time, sees Millennials as resetting their expectations.”This situation is different for young adults today,” he wrote. “A true American dream has to feel attainable, and many Millennias are feeling they can only attain a day-today lifestyle that suits them.”

1.The underlined word “cornerstone” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “　　　　 ”.

A. growth　　　　　 B. balance　　　　　 C. basis　　　　　　　 D. purpose

2. What has changed Millennials’ view of the American Dream according to the passage?

A. A lack of confidence in themselves

B. Fierce competition in the job market

C. Their dissatisfaction with the government

D. The discouraging economy and unemployment

3.Dan Kadlec thinks Millennials’ new definition of the American Dream is ______.

A. beautiful　　　　　　 B. understandable

C. worrying　　　　　　　 D. positive

4.What can be the best title for this passage?

A. Redefinition of American Dream

B. Meaning of American Dream

C. Value of Achieving American Dream

D. History of Changing American Dream

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

You may have heard of the American Dream, an ideal that has powered the hopes of Americans for generations.

It began as a belief that the US was a land of opportunity, and that anyone could achieve success through hard work. At times, the dream has referred to home ownership, a good job, retirement security or each generation doing better than the last.

Yet today, this concept seems to have greatly changed. As Time magazine pointed out, quite different from the older generation, many Millennials (the generation born after 1980) redefine(重新定义) the American Dream as “day-to-day control of your life”. They “prize job mobility, flexible schedules, any work that is more interesting than typing, and the ability to travel”, said the magazine.

Home ownership, once the cornerstone of the American Dream, is becoming a smaller priority for this generation. Meanwhile, nearly 40% of them choose travel as part of their dream. And entrepreneurship(创业) is a rising favorite, as nearly 26% of Millennials consider self-employment as part of their dream.

So what has led to this huge change?

Many point fingers at the poor economy. “Modern young Americans seem bound to face a world stamped by ever narrowing opportunity and social stagnation(停滞),”noted The Daily Beast.

“The rate of 16-to 24-year-olds out of school and out of work is unusually high at 15%. Many college graduates have taken jobs that don’t require a degree,” Time reported.

The magazine worries that these difficulties may lead to a lost generation who are “unable to ever truly find their feet on the corporation’s ladder”.

Dan Kadlec, a reporter of Time, sees Millennials as resetting their expectations.”This situation is different for young adults today,” he wrote. “A true American dream has to feel attainable, and many Millennias are feeling they can only attain a day-today lifestyle that suits them.”

1.The underlined word “cornerstone” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to “　　　　 ”.

A. growth　　　　　 B. balance　　　　　 C. basis　　　　　　　 D. purpose

2.What has changed Millennials’ view of the American Dream according to the passage?

A. A lack of confidence in themselves

B. Fierce competition in the job market

C. Their dissatisfaction with the government

D. The discouraging economy and unemployment

3.Dan Kadlec thinks Millennials’ new definition of the American Dream is ______.

A. beautiful　　　　　　 B. understandable

C. worrying　　　　　　　 D. positive

4.What can be the best title for this passage?

A. Redefinition of American Dream

B. Meaning of American Dream

C. Value of Achieving American Dream

D. History of Changing American Dream

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You may have heard the term “the American Dream”．In 1848, James W．Marshall found gold

in California and people began having golden dreams.That 19th century “American Dream" motivated(激发) the Gold Rush and gave California its nickname of the "Golden State".

The American Dream drove not only 1800s gold-rush prospectors（采矿者）but also waves of

immigrants throughout that century and the next．People from Europe, and a large number of

Chinese, arrived in the US in the 19th century hoping that in America they would find gold in the

streets．But most．instead, worked as railroad laborers．They created the oldest Chinatown, in San

Francisco, and gave the city a Chinese name "the old gold hill"．

In the 20th century, some critics said that it was no longer possible to become prosperous through determination and hard work． Unfair education for students from poor families and racial discrimination almost made the American Dream a nightmare(噩梦).

Then, in the 1990s, California saw a new wave of dreamers in Silicon Valley．People poured

their energy into the Internet． This new chapter of the American Dream attracted many business people and young talents from China and India to form start-ups and seek fortune in America.

Better pay, a nice house, and a rising standard of living will always be attractive．However, the

new American Dream .is no longer just about money．It encourages Americans to consume wisely to protect the environment, improve the quality of life, and promote social justice（正义，公正）.

The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has become the model of the new

American Dream．After years of hard work, he grew from a poor young man from Austria into a

super movie star and then a governor． Many people hope his story can save the American Dream

and give California a brighter future.

1.It can be inferred that_____________.

A．America' s golden dream could never be realized

B．America's golden dream had bought great fortune to Chinese immigrants

C．different times have different themes of the American dream

D．determination and hard work are the best way to realize the American dream

2.Why did most of the early immigrants work as railroad laborers?

A．Because they could earn more money as railroad laborers?

B．Because they had to make a living by working as railroad laborers．

C．Because they thought railroad was the first step to find gold.

D．Because railroad laborers were greatly honored at that time.

3.The underlined sentence “his story can save the American Dream” (in the last paragraph) indicates that_____________．

A．the dream of seeking fortunate in America is easy to realize

B．most of the immigrants to America don’t reach their previous goals

C．the success of Arnold Schwarzenegger is among the common examples of the immigrants

D．the immigrants have made great contributions to California

4.What’s the best title of the passage?

A．Wave of Immigrants to America

B．Make Fortunes Abroad

C．Hard Work Leads to Success

D．Changes of America’s Golden Dream

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You may have heard of the book Moby Dick(《白鲸记》), written by the American author Herman Melville. You may also know that Moby Dick is considered one of the greatest novels ever written. However, it might surprise you to find out Herman Melville was not always a highly regarded author.

Melville’s first two novels, Typee and Omoo, were widely read and financially successfully. They were both exciting tales of adventures at sea and experiences with people in foreign lands. Melville became quite famous. However, upon the publication of his third book, Mardi, Melville’s popularity began to weaken. He was no longer interested in telling tales of pure adventure, and his writing took on a style that alienated(使疏远) the general reading public of his time.

Melville published Moby Dick in October of 1851. It was an original novel, combining aspects of sociology and philosophy, which confused readers by its complex symbolism. The book sold poorly.

Melville’s next book, Pierre, was almost completely disregarded by the public. Debt frustration and ill health finally forced Melville to take a low-paying job as a customs inspector. Eventually, Melville abandoned prose(散文) and began to write poetry.

The Civil War is the main subject of Melville’s poetry. He and his brother made a trip to the front line, and he published a book of poems, Battle-Pieces and Aspects of War, based on this experience.

Melville died in 1891 at the age of 72. At this point, his work had been completely forgotten by the public. His talent was to go unrecognized for the next thirty years. Then, in 1920s, his reputation began to improve as critics and readers rediscovered his work. Today Moby Dick is one of the best-known novels ever penned by an American author.

1.What were Melville’s first two novels mainly about?

A. His travel experience.

B. His successful communication skills.

C. Adventurous experiences in the front line.

D. Adventurous voyages and foreign experiences.

2.We can learn from the text that Moby Dick ________.

A. sold a little better than Pierre

B. was Melville’s favorite novel

C. was copied from other books

D. made Melville popular again

3.The text may be taken from ________.

A. a writing guide

B. a literary journal

C. a science magazine

D. a critical book on literature

4.What is the text mainly about?

A. The main works of Melville.

B. The skills in Melville’s writing.

C. The ups and downs of Melville.

D. The reason for Melville’s failure.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You may have heard of the book Moby Dick(《白鲸记》), written by the American author Herman Melville. You may also know that Moby Dick is considered one of the greatest novels ever written. However, it might surprise you to find out Herman Melville was not always a highly regarded author.

Melville’s first two novels, Typee and Omoo, were widely read and financially successfully. They were both exciting tales of adventures at sea and experiences with people in foreign lands. Melville became quite famous. However, upon the publication of his third book, Mardi, Melville’s popularity began to weaken. He was no longer interested in telling tales of pure adventure, and his writing took on a style that alienated(使疏远) the general reading public of his time.

Melville published Moby Dick in October of 1851. it was an original novel, combining aspects of sociology and philosophy, which confused readers by its complex symbolism. The book sold poorly.

Melville’s next book, Pierre, was almost completely disregarded by the public. Debt frustration and ill health finally forced Melville to take a low-paying job as a customs inspector. Eventually, Melville abandoned prose(散文) and began to write poetry.

The Civil War is the main subject of Melville’s poetry. He and his brother made a trip to the front line, and he published a book of poems, Battle-Pieces and Aspects of War, based on this experience.

Melville died in 1891 at the age of 72. at this point, his work had been completely forgotten by the public. His talent was to go unrecognized for the next thirty years. Then, in 1920s, his reputation began to improve as critics and readers rediscovered his work. Today Moby Dick is one of the best-known novels ever penned by an American author.

1.What were Melville’s first two novels mainly about?

A. His travel experience.

B. His successful communication skills.

C. Adventurous experiences in the front line.

D. Adventurous voyages and foreign experiences.

2.We can learn from the text that Moby Dick________.

A. sold a little better than Pierre.

B. was Melville’s favorite novel.

C. was copied from other books.

D. made Melville popular again.

3.The text may be taken from___________.

A. a writing guide

B. a literary journal.

C. a science magazine.

D. a critical book on literature.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A. The main works of Melville.

B. The skills in Melville’s writing.

C. The ups and downs of Melville.

D. The reason for Melville’s failure.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You may have heard of the book Moby Dick(《白鲸记》), written by the American author Herman Melville. You may also know that Moby Dick is considered one of the greatest novels ever written. However, it might surprise you to find out Herman Melville was not always a highly regarded author.

Melville’s first two novels, Typee and Omoo, were widely read and financially successfully. They were both exciting tales of adventures at sea and experiences with people in foreign lands. Melville became quite famous. However, upon the publication of his third book, Mardi, Melville’s popularity began to weaken. He was no longer interested in telling tales of pure adventure, and his writing took on a style that alienated(使疏远) the general reading public of his time.

Melville published Moby Dick in October of 1851. It was an original novel, combining aspects of sociology and philosophy, which confused readers by its complex symbolism. The book sold poorly.

Melville’s next book, Pierre, was almost completely disregarded by the public. Debt frustration and ill health finally forced Melville to take a low-paying job as a customs inspector. Eventually, Melville abandoned prose(散文) and began to write poetry.

The Civil War is the main subject of Melville’s poetry. He and his brother made a trip to the front line, and he published a book of poems, Battle-Pieces and Aspects of War, based on this experience.

Melville died in 1891 at the age of 72. at this point, his work had been completely forgotten by the public. His talent was to go unrecognized for the next thirty years. Then, in 1920s, his reputation began to improve as critics and readers rediscovered his work. Today Moby Dick is one of the best-known novels ever penned by an American author.

1.What were Melville’s first two novels mainly about?

A. His travel experience.

B. His successful communication skills.

C. Adventurous experiences in the front line.

D. Adventurous voyages and foreign experiences.

2.We can learn from the text that Moby Dick ________.

A. sold a little better than Pierre

B. was Melville’s favorite novel

C. was copied from other books

D. made Melville popular again

3.The text may be taken from ________.

A. a writing guide

B. a literary journal

C. a science magazine

D. a critical book on literature

4.What is the text mainly about?

A. The main works of Melville.

B. The skills in Melville’s writing.

C. The ups and downs of Melville.

D. The reason for Melville’s failure.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You may have heard about the many benefits of yoga, but a recent New York Times story, has stirred up more than a little controversy in the yoga community.

"How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body," by science writer William J. Broad, quotes a long-time yoga teacher who "...has come to believe that 'the vast majority of people' should give up yoga altogether. It's simply too likely to cause harm." He goes on to describe a number of cases where people have been injured doing yoga, including himself.

The research in the article isn't groundbreaking: doing any form of exercise you could potentially hurt yourself. If you look at the injury rates of other physical activities, the number of injuries sustained from yoga would pale in comparison.

Practicing yoga is just like anything in life: You have to push yourself in order to grow. But you also have to know your limits and when you're breaking them. If you stick to your comfort zone, you'll never be able to increase your flexibility. If you push to the point where you're not only uncomfortable, but in real pain, you'll likely injure yourself.

The reasons that yoga causes "serious injury”, according to the Times story, range from students' physical weaknesses to inexperienced teachers pushing too hard to the growing number of inflexible "urbanites who sit in chairs all day" trying hard to twist themselves into difficult postures.

Yoga is called a "practice" for a reason. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to tackle every pose. It doesn't matter if you can touch the floor with your palms during your first forward bend or your thousandth, or if you never get there.

We go to the mat to learn to better listen to what our bodies are telling us, and to better hear that quiet inner voice drowned out by the noise of our busy lives. It's a shame to discourage the majority of people from practicing yoga and missing out on all of the mind-body benefits that going to the mat has to offer.

1.The underlined word is best replaced by __.

A. Injure    B. Benefit    C. Push   D. Shape

2.What does author mainly want to tell us in the 3rd paragraph?

A. All physical activities are equally harmful.

B. Yoga causes much less injuries than other physical activities.

C. Similar researches have been done before.

D. Yoga, like any other form of exercise, can hurt people.

3.Which is not mentioned among the reasons for yoga being likely to cause injury?

A. Teachers lack the knowledge of students’ limits.

B. Modern lifestyle decreases our flexibility.

C. The body doesn’t tell when you are in real pain.

D. Students themselves might not be in good physical condition.

4.What is the author’s attitude towards practicing yoga?

A. It’s a shame not to practice yoga.

B. One should push the limits in order to be perfect.

C. The majority should give up yoga for it may cause harm.

D. One should enjoy the physical and mental benefit that yoga brings.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Tensions have erupted over some barren rocks in the Pacific that you may never have heard of, but stay tuned—this is a boundary dispute(争端) that could get ugly and some day have far-reaching consequences for China, Japan, Taiwan and the United States.

The islands in dispute are called the Senkaku chain by Japan, the Diaoyu islands by China, and the Diaoyutai by Taiwan. All three claim the islands, which are really just five small islands and three barren rocks northeast of Taiwan, 200 miles off the Chinese coast.

The latest conflict occurred when a Chinese fishing boat collided(碰撞) with two Japanese naval ships trying to stop it near the islands. The Japanese prevented the Chinese captain from leaving the place for questioning and the two countries have been exchanging angry protests.

The reason to worry is that nationalists in both China and Taiwan see the islands as unquestionably theirs and think that their government has been weak in claiming this authority.

So far, wiser heads have generally won the argument on each side, but at some point a weakened Chinese leader might try to gain the legal right with the public by pushing the issue and recovering the islands. It would be a dangerous game and would have a disastrous impact on China-Japan relations, but if successful it would raise the popularity of the Chinese government.

In reality, of course, there is zero chance that the U.S. will honor its treaty(条约) with Japan over a few barren rocks. We're not going to risk a nuclear conflict with China over some islands that may well be China's. But if we don't help, our security relationship with Japan will be at the breaking point.

So which country has a better claim to the islands? My feeling is that it's China, although the answer isn't clear-cut. Chinese navigational records show the islands as Chinese for many centuries, and a 1783 Japanese map shows them as Chinese as well. Japan purported to “discover” the islands only in 1884 and took control of them by force only in 1895 when it also grabbed Taiwan.

The best approach would be for China and Japan to agree to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice, but realistically that won't happen. And since some believe that the area is rich with oil and gas reserves, the claims from each side have become more insistent.

As Chinese nationalism grows, as China's navy and ability to project power in the ocean gains, we could see some military conflicts over the islands.

Taken from NewYork Times

1.The underlined word “purported” (in Para.7) is closest in meaning to “_____”.

A. happened        B. claimed    C. pretended              D. intended

2.The latest conflict referred to in the passage occurred because _____.

A. the Japanese government has bought the Diaoyu Islands from the Liyuans

B. two Japanese naval ships sailed in the Chinese sea around the Diaoyu Islands

C. the Japanese kept the captain of a fishing boat from returning for questioning

D. a fishing boat collided with two Japanese naval ships by design in the Japanese sea

3.Which of the following is the author's personal idea?

A. It is the two Japanese naval ships that are to blame for the conflict.

B. It is the Chinese captain of a fishing boat that is to blame for the conflict.

C. It is the U.S. that will honor its treaty with Japan over a few barren rocks.

D. It is China that has a better claim to the islands because of its navigational records.

4.What can be inferred according to the passage?

A. The claim from both sides has become more insistent.

B. Japan has navy and ability to power the Diaoyu Islands.

C. China is developing so quickly that it will declare a war on Japan.

D. The dispute between China and Japan has put the U.S. in a dilemma.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Have you heard of the following people? Maybe yes, maybe no. But they may be an inspiration for you.

The Tree Lady

Kate Sessions was an American botanist and landscape architect closely associated with San Diego, California. After becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, she took a job as a teacher far south in the dry desert town of San Diego. Kate decided that San Diego needed trees more than anything else. Therefore, this young woman single-handedly started a movement transforming the town into the leafy, garden-filled place as it is today.

The Snowflake(雪花) Man

Wilson Bentley is one of the first known photographers of snowflakes. His enthusiasm for taking photos began from his boyhood and was often misunderstood in his time, but his determination revealed two important truths: no two snowflakes are alike; and each is surprisingly beautiful. In 1931, he worked with William J.Humphreys of the U.S. Weather Bureau to publish Snow Crystals, a book containing 2500 photographs.

The Father of His Country

By the late 1760s, George Washington had experienced firsthand the effects of rising taxes imposed (征收) on American colonists by the British, and came to believe that it was in the best interests of the colonists to declare independence from England. During the American War of Independence, he led the colonial forces to victory. In 1878, he was elected president of the Convention that wrote the U.S. Constitution. Two years later, Washington became American’s first president. His retirement from office after two terms established a tradition that lasted until 1940, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt won a third term. The 22nd Amendment (1951) now limits the president to two elected terms.

1.Who made a great contribution to beautifying an area?

A. George Washington.　　 B. Wilson Bentley

C. Kate Sessions　　 D. William J. Humphreys

2.What is Wilson Bentley famous for?

A. His creative ideas to publish books.

B. His persistence in photographing snowflakes

C. His courage to fight against prejudice

D. His devotion to teaching kids scientific truths.

3.What does the author say about George Washington?

A. He was a national hero.

B. He was born into a poor family.

C. He became America’s president in 1787.

D. He served three terms as the President of America.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

—Have you heard that Simon has got an offer from the big corporation in Shanghai?

—Yes. After some ups and downs, he has finally ________.

A.mended his ways B.sat on his hands C.landed on his feet D.pulled his leg

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析