_________ is a growing world problem, and now...

_________ is a growing world problem, and nowadays the United Nations and its member countries _________hard to deal with it．

A. Desertification; are working        B. Desertified ; worked

C. Desert; work                    D. Desertification; have worked

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is true that world population is growing, but this is not the cause of our current and future global problems. Believing this will cause us to ignore the real problem and risk long-term damage to our planet.

Let me start by explaining why overpopulation is a myth. For one thing, the UN Population Division regularly predicts population growth but provides a low variant　 (变量), medium variant, and high variant to factor in various possibilities. In the 2010 revision, their high variant suggests that the world population will be almost 16 billion in 2100, but the low variant predicts it will peak at 8 billion and decrease to just over 6 billion by 2100. In most cases, it is the low variant that has come true in the past, suggesting the same will be true of their future population predictions. In addition to this, the size of families is actually decreasing.

For another, if the Earth is overpopulated, there needs to be insufficient (短缺) food, water, and space for humans to live. However, Indian economist Raj Krishna estimates that India alone is able to increase crop produce to the point of providing the entire world’s food supply. The World Food Programme confirms that there is sufficient food grown to feed the world and there is the same amount of fresh water on the planet now as there was 10,000 years ago. So how is it possible that the number of people in the world is affecting our planet?

Therefore, it is not an increase in population but an increase in consumption that is a severe threat. Materialism and overconsumption are facts of life for everybody in the western world, as possessions reflect a person’s status in society and people strive to obtain happiness through owning the latest fashionable goods. Not only that, but waste is a common occurrence which has a huge effect on our resources. It is a sad truth that 80% of the world’s resources are currently used by just 20% of the world’s population.

Our overconsumption must be addressed now to make our lives more sustainable (可持续的) and avoid continuing the terrible damage to the environment we are causing. The key is education. If we do not work towards this but instead focus on the wrong issue, we may find ourselves living on a planet that can no longer sustain human life.

1.According to the author, what causes our current and future global problems?

A. The increase in population.

B. Shortage of food and water.

C. The fast growth of material needs.

D. Failure to protect the environment.

2.The underlined word “myth” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _________.

A. fact　　 B. misunderstanding　 C. possibility　 D. uncertainty

3.The author stresses that _____.

A. people should save food and water

B. economists are making wrong predictions

C. wrong judgment leads to serious consequences

D. measures should be taken to reduce population

4.What is mainly discussed in the passage?

A. The real cause of global problems.

B. The severe effect of overpopulation.

C. Reasonable use of natural resources.

D. Methods to reduce overconsumption.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

It is true that world population is growing, but this is not the cause of our current and future global problems. Believing this will cause us to ignore the real problem and risk long-term damage to our planet.

Let me start by explaining why overpopulation is a myth. For one thing, the UN Population Division regularly predicts population growth but provides a low variant (变量), medium variant, and high variant to factor in various possibilities. In the 2010 revision, their high variant suggests that the world population will be almost 16 billion in 2100, but the low variant predicts it will peak（达到顶峰） at 8 billion and decrease to just over 6 billion by 2100. In most cases, it is the low variant that has come true in the past, suggesting the same will be true of their future population predictions. In addition to this, the size of families is actually decreasing.

For another, if the Earth is overpopulated, there needs to be insufficient (短缺) food, water, and space for humans to live. However, Indian economist Raj Krishna estimates that India alone is able to increase crop produce to the point of providing the entire world’s food supply. The World Food Programme confirms that there is sufficient food grown to feed the world and there is the same amount of fresh water on the planet now as there was 10,000 years ago. So how is it possible that the number of people in the world is affecting our planet?

Therefore, it is not an increase in population but an increase in consumption that is a severe threat. Materialism and overconsumption are facts of life for everybody in the western world, as possessions reflect a person’s status in society and people strive to obtain happiness through owning the latest fashionable goods. Not only that, but waste is a common occurrence which has a huge effect on our resources. It is a sad truth that 80% of the world’s resources are currently used by just 20% of the world’s population.

Our overconsumption must be addressed now to make our lives more sustainable and avoid continuing the terrible damage to the environment we are causing. The key is education. If we do not work towards this but instead focus on the wrong issue, we may find ourselves living on a planet that can no longer sustain human life.

1.According to the author, what causes our current and future global problems?

A. The increase in population.

B. Shortage of food and water.

C. The fast growth of material needs.

D. Failure to protect the environment.

2.The underlined word “myth” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to _________.

A. fact　　 B. uncertainty

C. possibility　　 D. misconception

3.The author stresses that _____.

A. people should save food and water

B. economists are making wrong predictions

C. wrong judgment leads to serious consequences

D. measures should be taken to reduce population

4.What is mainly discussed in the passage?

A. The real cause of global problems.

B. The severe effect of overpopulation.

C. Reasonable use of natural resources.

D. Methods to reduce overconsumption.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Rush hour traffic is a problem in many big cities around the world. Commuters(上下班者)rush to and from their jobs in cars, buses, subways, trains, and even on bicycles. Large cities in the United States have two rush hours—one in the morning and one in the evening. But in cities in other parts of the world, there are four rush hours. In Athens and Rome, for example, many workers go home for lunch and a nap. After this midday break, they rush back to their jobs and work for a few more hours.

In Tokyo, there's a big rush hour underground. Most of the people in Tokyo take the subways. The trains are very crowded. Subway employees called packers wear white gloves and help pack the commuters into the trains when the doors close. They make sure that all purses, briefcases, clothes, and hands are inside the trains.

In Seoul, many commuters prefer to take taxis to get to work.. To hail a cab，many people stand at crossroads and raise two fingers. This means they'll pay the cab driver double the usual fare. Some people even raise three fingers! They'll pay three times the normal rate。

Streets in Rome are very crowded with automobiles and mopeds(摩托自行车)during rush hours. The city can't make its streets wider, and it can't build new highways, because it doesn't want to disturb the many historic sites in the city, such as the Forum and the Coliseum. It took the city fifteen years to construct a new subway system. Construction had to stop every time workers found old artifacts and discovered places of interest to archaeologists(考古学家).

In many big cities, there are special lanes on highways for carpools. These are groups of three or more people who drive to and from work together. They share the costs of gas and parking and take turns driving into the city.

Getting to work and getting home can be difficult in many places around the world. Rush hour traffic seems to be a universal problem.

1.Big cities have traffic problems during rush hours because there are _______

2.Most of the commuters in Tokyo _______

3.To “hail a cab” means to _______

4.Commuters in carpools probably_______

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

The expert says that nowadays there are too many problems linked to poor diet and a ________of exercise.

A. limit           B. lack         C. need           D. demand

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

The expert says that nowadays there are too many problems linked to poor diet and a ________of exercise.

A. limit           B. lack         C. need           D. demand

高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Bicycles are very popular around the world nowadays. People ride their bicycles for exercise and enjoyment. In some places, people use bicycles to get to work. In other places, bicycle riding is a very popular exercise to people who live in cities. But who invented the first bicycle?

In 1791, a Frenchman named Comte de Sivrac invented and owned the first bicycle. Mrs. Sivrac rode the bicycle in Paris. The handles and the seat were wooden. This bicycle was very difficult to move. A rider even had to pick up the front wheel to change direction. What's worse, the bicycle had no brakes for stopping or pedals for the feet! Riding a bicycle took great risk.

In 1817, a German named Baron von Drais de Sauerbrun made the first bicycle better. The seat became more comfortable. The wheel could now change direction. His ride in the forest took only one hour instead of three hours on foot, which surprised people at that time.

Sauerbrun brought this kind of bicycle from Germany to France. Then Denis Johnson, an Englishman, made a bicycle for women. It had space for their dresses to hang down. But these bicycles still had no brakes or pedals, and riders often got hurt. These bicycles and the people who rode them were not very popular.

It took another forty-five years for the bicycle to become popular. More than 100 years later, bicycle riding is more popular than ever. In fact, in India and China, there are still many more bicycles than cars.

1.According to the passage, people ride bicycles in order to ______.

A.find good jobs B.take exercise

C.be liked by others D.live in cities

2.The first bicycle was ______.

A.difficult to move B.popular with women

C.comfortable to ride D.easy to change direction

3.What do you know about the bicycle Denis Johnson made?

A.It had brakes. B.It had pedals.

C.It was made for women. D.It was very popular.

4.The bicycle first became popular around ______.

A.1817 B.1836

C.1862 D.1962

5.What's the passage mainly about?

A.The reasons for riding a bike. B.The inventor of the bicycle.

C.A very popular exercise. D.The history of the bicycle.

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Nowadays, there are a lot of reminding days in the world. World Read Aloud Day is celebrated each year on the first Wednesday of March. It1.(start) by the LitWorld.org website in 2010 and has now reached 65 countries.2.aim is to encourage people worldwide who cannot read to enjoy the benefits of a book. The website asks everyone3.(celebrate) the day by taking a book, finding an audience and reading out aloud. It is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write4.(belong) to all people. The website asks visitors to join in the movement to reduce the number of illiterate(不识字的) people in the world. It is5.(absolute) necessary to help those6.cannot read. The website says, “It’s time to start by reading aloud to7.might like it. Share a book with a child who might need it, share a story with someone who would treasure it, listen patiently8.someone else’s story as they share with you.” The United Nations says, ”Literacy involves a9.(vary) of learning in10.(enable) individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and to participate fully in society.” In that way, World Read Aloud Day does help make a difference.

高二英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

As the world's resources become rarer because of continuing land development and the growing human population, the natural habitats of wild animals have continued to decrease. As a result, the survival of some species of wildlife is threatened. To help protect wildlife, a lot of practices should be carried out by environmentalist as well as the general public.

Create homes for species that are endangered because of losing their own natural habitats. Wildlife shelters should be developed, and habitats should be created in existing(现存的) national parks. Efforts(努力) should also be made to protect existing habits, such as providing food and water sources and limiting hunting. Breed(培育) endangered species in places such as zoos. Once the young animals grow up, they can be set free into the wild where they can continue to increase the population.

The general public may not realize that a species is endangered until it's too late. Educational programs making use of TV advertising and instructional meetings at national parks can be used to make the public know the situation.

The general public can help protect the wildlife by not hunting wild animals for sport or for a source of food. They should also stop supporting those who earn money from the illegal hunting of wild animals, such as hunters who kill animals for the only purpose of harvesting their body parts and selling them for money.

The public should avoid(避免) keeping wild animals as pets. This will limit the number of animals being tracked, trapped, sold and removed from their natural habitat.

1.Which of the following is not the measure of protecting animal habitats?

A.Developing wildlife shelters.

B.Creating new habitats.

C.Setting young animals free in the wild.

D.Protecting the existing habitats.

2.The underlined words "the situation" in Paragraph3 probably refer to the fact that ______.

A.the general public may not know species are endangered.

B.many endangered species are facing the danger of extinction.

C.people can do much to protect the endangered species.

D.human activities can affect the existence of species.

3.We can learn from the passage that _______.

A.some people hunt animals and sell them as pets

B.hunters get little money from hunting animals

C.general public do nothing about protecting the wildlife now

D.animal population becomes larger in the zoo

4.In which column(栏) of a newspaper can we read the passage?

A.Environment. B.Sports.

C.Technology. D.Education.

高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Nowadays, we live in a strict and judgmental world where people are quick to point out the faults of others yet seem to ignore their own ones. Some misguided souls believe they have a moral duty to help you be a better person telling you what a failure you really are.

If you're the one placing criticism upon others, please stop. Make a conscious decision, rather than focus on the negative aspect of a person's performance or attitudes, and you can offer helpful suggestions. If I'm painting a living room and making a mess in doing so, I'd have my husband say to me, “This is a tough job. Can I offer a suggestion that might make it easier for you?” rather than have him point out what a careless painter I am.

If you're on the receiving end of criticism, the “OK” response is a perfect solution. When someone comments negatively on a task you're doing, the natural response is to defend and attack.

However, this approach is rarely effective as it puts both parties on the defensive. It diffuses (扩散) a potentially explosive situation. It's important to keep calm and listen without feeling, to be an objective observer. There is much that one can learn from a negative review. You can ask yourself: Could I have done better, and been more thoughtful? Did I give 100% of myself to the task at hand? Is there any truth in what the other person says? If so, how can I improve?

In any event, one should remember the saying, “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.” One can learn to be “OK” with criticism and not allow it to negatively impact his or her relationship with the other party. Let it go and that will be “OK”.

1.According to the author, today's people　 　 .

A.ignore the mistakes of others

B.focus on how to handle mistakes

C.like to point out the mistakes of others

D.have a moral duty to point out others' faults

2.In Paragraph 2, the author uses the example to show 　 .

A.pointing out a fault needs a skill

B.It's hard to avoid making mistakes

C.we ought to accept others' criticism

D.praise is more important than criticism

3.What is the proper response to criticism in the author's opinion?

A.Paying no attention to it.

B.Learning something from it.

C.Making excuses for your mistakes.

D.Defending and attacking sometimes.

4.Why should you ask yourself some questions mentioned in Paragraph 3?

A.To comfort yourself.

B.To find out your potentials.

C.To make yourself become better.

D.To persuade yourself to admit your mistakes.

5.Which would be the best title for this passage?

A.Is criticism really necessary?

B.What can you learn from criticism?

C.What's the best way to voice criticism?

D.How to criticize and reply to criticism?

高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析