In the Pacific Northwest there is a kind of o...

In the Pacific Northwest there is a kind of owl (猫头鹰) that serves as a unique piece to the Northwest habitat (栖息地) — the northern spotted owl.

Northern spotted owls are known to be curious. When seeing you, these owls will come down close and check you out.

The northern spotted owl has been a savior of old-growth forests. Old-growth forests are forests that have been around for a long time without significant disturbances. One way the spotted owl has become a protector of old-growth forests is simply by being there. The northern spotted owl has become endangered, and so to protect them from dying out, the government has to protect their habitat. So now any destruction of old-growth forests is illegal. Another way the owls help their habitat is by eating small animals. This helps create a balance in the forest.

So, if the northern spotted owl is in a habitat that is protected by laws, why are they still endangered?

Unfortunately, a cousin of the northern spotted owl has moved into its neighborhood. The bigger, more aggressive “barred owl” has grown in population and due to loss of the forests they lived in on the East Coast of the United States, they have begun to move to the west coast.

These owls are taking the food source and pushing northern spotted owls out of their own home. Although the barred owl is able to live in different habitats, the northern spotted owl can only live in old-growth forests.

Many government officials have been at a loss to find an answer to the difficult question, “What do we do with the non-native barred owls?” Some methods include shooting them. It is a difficult problem to deal with. Can you think of any possible solutions?

1.The northern spotted owl ________.

A. is particular about its food

B. has difficulty adapting to a new habitat

C. seems dangerous and aggressive

D. is a common bird in the USA

2.Old-growth forests seem to ________.

A. become less safe for the owls

B. benefit from northern spotted owls

C. be in danger of dying out

D. regrow at a fast speed

3.Northern spotted owls are in danger mainly because of ________.

A. illegal hunting

B. the destruction of the forests

C. another kind of owl

D. environmental pollution

4.The methods being used to help northern spotted owls are ________.

A. creative        B. far-sighted        C. unbearable        D. ineffective

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Amazing Facts About Elf Owls

Brief Introduction

The elf owl (a kind of owl) is mostly found in the southwestern parts of the United States and Mexico. During the spring and summer seasons, it moves to Arizona and New Mexico. It returns to Mexico for the winter. The elf owl doesn’t build its nest. It lives in tree holes.

Features

The elf owl is a yellow bird. Its wings are dark and about .48-61 centimeters long. Its eyes are bright yellow. Its feet are large. It is the smallest owl of the species. It is about 12.5-14.5 centimeters long. It is also the world’s lightest owl, weighing not more than 40 grams. In general, female elf owls weigh more than male ones.

The female usually lays three eggs at a time. After the young elf owls are born，their mother　 will feed them with worms(蠕虫) for up to 3-4 weeks. After 10 weeks, the young ones are fully grown and ready to take flight.

Living Habits

The elf owls are not aggressive birds. When danger comes, they will fly away in the other direction, rather than stay and fact the danger or the enemies. Besides flying，the elf owl can also walk and climb like a parrot. The elf owl is most active after dusk，during the night, and just before dawn. It can produce many different kinds of sounds. It can live for 3-6 years in the wild. If they are kept in cages, they can live for 10-14 years. The elf owls are now in danger because of the loss of habitat. Cutting down trees will result in lack of places for them to live in.

1.According to the first and second paragraphs, an elf owl may _________ .

A. build its nest in trees　　 B. have yellow wings

C. have big and dark eyes　　 D. live in Mexico in winter

2.What can we learn from the text?

A. The female elf owl takes care of her children for about four weeks.

B. The elf owl sleeps at night and looks for food during the daytime.

C. The female elf owl lays one egg at one time.

D. The elf owl can live no longer than six years.

3.What is the character of the elf owl?

A. Shy.　　 B. Peace-loving.

C. Hard-working.　　 D. Selfish.

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There is an island called Kitava, way out there in the Pacific Ocean, in the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the four main Trobriand Islands with a total population of 12,000 native residents.　 Rich with culture, surrounded on all sides by clear blue water and abundant rainforest, Kitava is as apealing as it is remote.　 But it has more to offer than good views.

As Byrdie reports, Kitava is also home to a people whose diet and nutritional habits remain healthy, untouched by Western influence.　 A lifetime of not knowing the sweet, sweet sensation of the salt from a potato chip hitting the roof of your mouth has done more than just spare Kitavans from illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular disease; it's also given them a lifetime of smooth, acne(痤疮) - free skin.

In a study of l',200 subjects - including 300 teens and young adults - conducted by a team led by medical doctor and professor Steffan Lindeberg over 843 days, not one breakout was reported. They also found that genetics played little to no role in the results.

In fact, the average Kitavan diet is fairly common. It' s simple, with no " miracle fruit" or " rare nut" to speak of, and Kitavans don' t even exercise much. That diet consists mainly of yams( 山荮) ,　 sweet potatoes,　 and taro (芋头) , local fruits (namely coconut) ,fish, and vegetables.

But if you're already pulling out your suitcases and drafting a resignation letter to your boss, you might want to slow your step.　 For one thing, the closest airport is over 700 miles away from the island, so good luck getting there. And consider this: do you really want to move somewhere where you'll be the only person with acne until the diet kicks in? I don't think so.

1.Which are the contributing factors of attracting visitors to the island?

a. Rich culture .　　 b. Clean white sand　　　 c. Thick rainforest

d. Clear blue water　 e. Romote tribes

A. abc　　 B. acd　　 C. bcd　　 D. ade

2.What accounts for the fact that the Kitavans own good skin?

A. They don't like eating salt. .　　 B. They enjoy varieties of rare fruits.

C. They are sick of exercising.　　 D. They follow simple but healthy diet.

3.What is unlikely to be included in the Kitavans' diet?　　 .

A. Taro　　 B. Fish

C. Potato chips　　 D. Coconut

4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A. Think twice before moving to Kitava.

B. Don’t hesitate to quit your job and move there.

C. One can reach Kitava by plane without difficulty.

D. Anyone will own acne - free skin on stepping on Kitava.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is the news　　 most parents of the hope that there is a safe and socially approved

road to a kind of life they themselves have not had, but their children can.

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

It is named a kind of wooden Eiffel Tower, because of the fact that there was a large wooden platform far out in the lake on which stood an improbably high diving board. It was, I’m sure, the county’s tallest wooden structure and no one had ever been known to jump from it.

So it was quite a shock when our teacher, Mr. David, announced that he would dive off the high board that very afternoon.

Word of his questionable plan was already spreading through town as Mr. David swam out to the platform. He was just a tiny, stick figure when he got there but even from such a distance the high board seemed almost to touch the clouds. Once at the top, he paced the enormously long board, then took some deep breaths and finally stood at edge. He was going to do it.

Several hundred people had gathered at the shore to watch. Mr. David stood for quite a long time, then he raised his arms, took one massive bounce and launched himself into a perfect dive. It was beautiful. He fell with perfect style for what seemed minutes. The crowd fell silent. The only sound to be heard was the faint whistle of his body tearing through the air toward the water far, far below.

But about three quarters of the way down he seemed to have second thoughts and began suddenly to panic, waving his arms and legs like someone having a bad dream. When he was perhaps thirty feet above the water, he gave up on waving and spread his arms and legs wide, apparently hoping that it would somehow slow his fall.

It didn’t.

He hit the water at over six hundred miles an hour. The impact was so loud that it made birds fly out of their trees three miles away. I don’t think he entered the water at all. He just bounced off it, about fifteen feet back into the air. After that, he lay still on the surface, spinning like an autumn leaf.

He was brought to shore by two passing fishermen in a rowboat and placed on an old blanket where he spent the rest of the afternoon. Occasionally he accepted small sips of water, but otherwise was too shocked to speak. From head to toe, he was covered with deep red bruises.

…

It was the best day of my life.

1.How did the writer find Mr. David’s plan to jump from the diving board?

A. Heroic.　　　　 　 　 B. Disappointing.

C. Crazy.　　　　　　　 D. Confused.

2.In Paragraph 3, Mr David is described as “a tiny, stick figure” because he was ________.

A. very far away　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. very small and thin

C. tired after swimming　　　　　　　　　　 D. sure to be broken

3.Why did Mr. David suddenly start swinging his arms and legs during the dive?

A. He thought it was the best way to slow his fall.

B. He wanted to show his courage.

C. He was signalling the crowd for help.

D. He lost his confidence and started to panic,

4.Which of the following sentences from the passage is an example of a fact?

A. He hit the water at over six hundred miles an hour.

B. He was brought to shore by two passing fishermen in a rowboat.

C. He just bounced off it, about fifteen feet back into the air.

D. The impact was so loud that it made birds fly out of trees up to three miles away.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is named a kind of wooden Eiffel Tower, because of the fact that there was a large wooden platform far out in the lake on which stood an improbably high diving board. It was, I’m sure, the county’s tallest wooden structure and no one had ever been known to jump from it.

So it was quite a shock when our teacher, Mr. David, announced that he would dive off the high board that very afternoon.

Word of his questionable plan was already spreading through town as Mr. David swam out to the platform. He was just a tiny, stick figure when he got there but even from such a distance the high board seemed almost to touch the clouds. Once at the top, he paced the enormously long board, then took some deep breaths and finally stood at edge. He was going to do it.

Several hundred people had gathered at the shore to watch. Mr. David stood for quite a long time, then he raised his arms, took one massive bounce and launched himself into a perfect dive. It was beautiful. He fell with perfect style for what seemed minutes. The crowd fell silent. The only sound to be heard was the faint whistle of his body tearing through the air toward the water far, far below.

But about three quarters of the way down he seemed to have second thoughts and began suddenly to panic, waving his arms and legs like someone having a bad dream. When he was perhaps thirty feet above the water, he gave up on waving and spread his arms and legs wide, apparently hoping that it would somehow slow his fall.

It didn’t.

He hit the water at over six hundred miles an hour. The impact was so loud that it made birds fly out of their trees three miles away. I don’t think he entered the water at all. He just bounced off it, about fifteen feet back into the air. After that, he lay still on the surface, spinning like an autumn leaf.

He was brought to shore by two passing fishermen in a rowboat and placed on an old blanket where he spent the rest of the afternoon. Occasionally he accepted small sips of water, but otherwise was too shocked to speak. From head to toe, he was covered with deep red bruises.

It was the best day of my life.

1.How did the writer find Mr. David’s plan to jump from the diving board?

A. Heroic.　　 B. Disappointing.　　　 C. Crazy.　　 D. Confused.

2.In Paragraph 3, Mr. David is described as “a tiny, stick figure” because he was ________.

A. very far away　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. very small and thin

C. tired after swimming　　　　　　　　　 D. sure to be broken

3.Why did Mr. David suddenly start swinging his arms and legs during the dive?

A. He thought it was the best way to slow his fall.

B. He wanted to show his courage.

C. He was signaling the crowd for help.

D. He lost his confidence and started to panic.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

There is much truth in the idea _　　　　　　 kindness is usually served by frankness.

A. why　　　　　　 B. which　　　　　　 C. that　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. whether

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

There is much truth in the idea _kindness is usually served by frankness.

A．why              B．which            C．that              D．whether

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Owls(猫头鹰) are some of the world’s greatest hunters. From head to feet, owls’ bodies are built to hunt. Scientists are studying all the things that make owls such great hunters.

Most owls hunt at night. The birds have excellent hearing, which helps them find their next meal in the dark.

Owls have one ear that is larger and set higher than the other. When an owl hears a sound, it listens closely. Is the sound lounder in its right ear or left ear? Does the upper or lower ear detect the sound first? The information helps the owl find the location of its prey without ever seeing it.

Owls don’t depend just on their hearing to hunt. After a sound draws an owl’s attention, it zeroes in with sight.

Many birds have eyes on either side of their heads. But an owl’s eyes face forward, like a person’s. Images from each eye combine to form a 3-D picture, similar to how we see. That helps owls better judge a prey’s size, distance, and speed.

An owl’s eyes are so large that they can gather lots of light. That helps the owl see better when hunting at night. An owl’s eyes are also fixed in their sockets(眼窝). It can’t roll them like we can. Instead, an owl keeps prey in its sight by turning its head.

Owls can move their beads nearly upside down and turn them 270 degrees around. Their necks have 14 vertebrae(椎骨). That’s twice as many neck bones as a person has.

The blood vessels(血管) thread through holes in an owl’s vertebrae. The researchers found that these holes are very large so that the extra space provides an air cushion that protects the vessels.

Detecting prey is only the first step for owls. Next they must catch their meals. An owl can fly inches over your head and you can’t hear anything. The secret to owls’ silent flight is their feathers. Fine “hairs” cover the surface of an owl’s wing feathers. And the feathers’ edges have soft barbs(羽支). Together, they make the sound of air rushing over the owl’s wings quieter and less clear.

1. While hunting at night, owls first get a prey’s information by 　　　　 .

A. seeing the shape　　 　 B. hearing the sound

C. detecting the smell　　 D. feeling the air move

2.According to text, an owl’s eyes 　　　　　　 .

A. are small but sharp

B. can function like a person’s

C. are on either side of its head

D. can tell how fast a prey is moving

3.The shortcoming of an owl’s fixed eyes can be made up by its 　　　　 .

A. large head　　 B. strong legs

C. body size　　 D. flexible neck

4.What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A. How owls find their prey.

B. Why owls can fly noiselessly.

C. The advantages of owls’ hearing

D. The secret of owls’ high-speed flight.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Morocco is located at the northwest of Africa and is bordered in the north by the strait of Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. The Atlantic Ocean keeps the west and the north of the country more temperate(温和的). The country also offers the broadest plains some of which run along the Atlantic Ocean and the highest mountains in North Africa including the Atlas Mountains.

Starting with the symbol of Morocco, Marrakech is a beautiful city that has remained unspoiled by the volume of tourists that flock there each year. One of the finest monuments in Morocco is greatly benefited by this amount of tourism. Actually their high volume contributes in a positive way to preserve one of the greatest monuments of Morocco.

Fes is the third largest city in Morocco and is the capital of the Fes-Boulemane Region. It is separated into three parts, Fes el Bali more commonly known as the old walled city, now classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Fes-Jdid and the Ville Nouvelle. Fes el Bali is believed to be the largest car-free urban area in the world. Fes is a splendid place to visit to heighten the senses with the colours, smells and sounds.

Casablanca is an enormous city which is near the capital of Morocco and a place where any European would feel at home. Casablanca was made famous by the movie and gives the impression of being a romantic place. Unfortunately like many other popular cities around the world, it is crowded, noisy, and polluted, a far cry from the romantic ideal of the film. Because it has the biggest port, Casablanca being the important city of Morocco, has everything that the tourists need.

Asilah is a city situated on the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the most stunning(出色的) old cities of Morocco. The city is set along the cliffs which make it beautifully presented and an ideal place to continue adding to its economy by the fishermen. The economy is also reliant on the trading of cattle, sheep and cereal. If you are having a holiday in Morocco during August then you will be fortunate enough to experience one of Asilah’s cultural festivals where you can enjoy the lively music and wonderful paintings.

1.How many cities in Morocco are introduced in the passage?

2.If you want to live conveniently while you are on vacation, which city in Morocco could you choose?

3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

4.The passage most probably appears________.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析