From our smartphones to our latest weaponry, the technology that underpins（支撑） modern life would be impossible without rare earth metals． The importance of rare earths has only grown as emerging markets increase their demand for technologies made with it, as does the renewable energy industry．
The 17 metallic elements are common in the earth-s crust, but the technique used to extract and refine them is labor-intensive, environmentally hazardous and increasingly costly． Thomas Gradael, a professor of geology and geophysics at the Yale School of Forestry Environmental Studies, explains that the钰criticality" of rare earths was only recently understood after China, which dominates the world-s supply of the minerals, cut exports by 40% in 2010, citing concerns over how polluting the rare earth industry was．
Along with colleagues at Yale, Gradael decided to investigate the metals used in modern technologies to determine if there were viable（可行的） substitutes．“Twenty or thirty years ago electronics were being made with 11 different elements," explains Gradael． “Today's computers and smartphones use something like 63 different elements．" Their findings showed that there were no "readily apparent" substitutes for a metal that would not compromise on quality or performance．
However increased mining for these scarce resources can have some nasty side effects for the environment． China, which has intensively mined for rare earths with little regulation, allowing it to dominate the global industry since 1990, has acknowledged the incredible environmental harm caused by the process． “Excessive rare earth mining has resulted in landslides, clogged rivers, environmental pollution emergencies and even major accidents and disasters, causing great damage to people's safety and health and the ecological environment," read a white paper issued by the Chinese cabinet in June last year．
Recycling metal has been advocated by some as a possible way of managing these precious resources-the European Parliament adopted a law curbing dumping of electric waste in 2012． But Gradael says that for rare earths, recycling will have little impact．
1.Rare earths are growingly important in that
A． they exist in small numbers
B． they are essential in modern technologies
C． life would be impossible without them
D． new technology markets are emerging
2.Which one of the following can be used in the blank?
A． It is in China that rare earths are fully understood．
B． Despite the name, rare earth metals are not in fact rare．
C． There is a growing concern over the rare earth industry．
D． Rare earth metals are difficult to collect though important．
3.Gradael investigated the use of rare earths in modern technologies to ．
A． prove the important role rare earths play
B． learn the number of different elements used
C． determine whether there are substitutes for rare earths
D． research further the quality or performance of rare earths
4. Why does the author take China as an example in Para．4?
A． To tell the wide use of rare earth in China．
B． To prove the side effects of rare earth mining．
C． To warn people of the possible damage．
D． To teach other countries a lesson to follow．
5.The text may probably be followed by the paragraphs about
A． the reasons why recycling works little
B． the ways to manage rare earths
C． the effects brought about by rare earths
D． the attitudes people hold to the law
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
From our smartphones to our latest weaponry, the technology that underpins（支撑） modern life would be impossible without rare earth metals． The importance of rare earths has only grown as emerging markets increase their demand for technologies made with it, as does the renewable energy industry．
The 17 metallic elements are common in the earth-s crust, but the technique used to extract and refine them is labor-intensive, environmentally hazardous and increasingly costly． Thomas Gradael, a professor of geology and geophysics at the Yale School of Forestry Environmental Studies, explains that the钰criticality" of rare earths was only recently understood after China, which dominates the world-s supply of the minerals, cut exports by 40% in 2010, citing concerns over how polluting the rare earth industry was．
Along with colleagues at Yale, Gradael decided to investigate the metals used in modern technologies to determine if there were viable（可行的） substitutes．“Twenty or thirty years ago electronics were being made with 11 different elements," explains Gradael． “Today's computers and smartphones use something like 63 different elements．" Their findings showed that there were no "readily apparent" substitutes for a metal that would not compromise on quality or performance．
However increased mining for these scarce resources can have some nasty side effects for the environment． China, which has intensively mined for rare earths with little regulation, allowing it to dominate the global industry since 1990, has acknowledged the incredible environmental harm caused by the process． “Excessive rare earth mining has resulted in landslides, clogged rivers, environmental pollution emergencies and even major accidents and disasters, causing great damage to people's safety and health and the ecological environment," read a white paper issued by the Chinese cabinet in June last year．
Recycling metal has been advocated by some as a possible way of managing these precious resources-the European Parliament adopted a law curbing dumping of electric waste in 2012． But Gradael says that for rare earths, recycling will have little impact．
1.Rare earths are growingly important in that
A． they exist in small numbers
B． they are essential in modern technologies
C． life would be impossible without them
D． new technology markets are emerging
2.Which one of the following can be used in the blank?
A． It is in China that rare earths are fully understood．
B． Despite the name, rare earth metals are not in fact rare．
C． There is a growing concern over the rare earth industry．
D． Rare earth metals are difficult to collect though important．
3.Gradael investigated the use of rare earths in modern technologies to ．
A． prove the important role rare earths play
B． learn the number of different elements used
C． determine whether there are substitutes for rare earths
D． research further the quality or performance of rare earths
4. Why does the author take China as an example in Para．4?
A． To tell the wide use of rare earth in China．
B． To prove the side effects of rare earth mining．
C． To warn people of the possible damage．
D． To teach other countries a lesson to follow．
5.The text may probably be followed by the paragraphs about
A． the reasons why recycling works little
B． the ways to manage rare earths
C． the effects brought about by rare earths
D． the attitudes people hold to the law
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When it comes to the majority of the latest technologies in the next 20 years, ________ has greater potential than the technology being developed in these young people’s company, ________ in my eyes will lead to a revolution.
A. nothing; which B. none; where
C. nothing; where D. none; which
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
阅读填空
The“selfie”is used to describe the self-taken photo，often from a smartphone．Someone takes about 10 selfies each time he does，and he only ends up1.（post）one or two of those．He picks the one that he feels make him look the2.（good）．In that picture，he gains confidence．For that moment，everything bad or terrible that has happened to him3.（remove），because that smile is what gives him the4.（determine）to love himself．
I read5._poem recently and the young man said，“If I ask you6._you love，the answers will most likely roll off your tongue．You love to read． You love to write．You love your mom，you daughter，or your best friend． How long do you think you can go on and on before you say ‘I love7.（I）’？”
That statement hit me like a ton of bricks．I’ve struggled with confidence all my life．I still do．And in8.way am I saying that taking a selfie is a gateway9.confidence．10.，the selfie does deserve some credit for allowing individuals to express themselves．
高三英语填空题中等难度题查看答案及解析
A new phone app uses shaking from smartphones to warn people about earthquakes. The new app is called MyShake, which is the work of four researchers at the University of California. Berkeley.
Smartphones are equipped with accelerometers(加速器). MyShake uses phone accelerometers to measure seismic (地震的) activity. It has been programmed to know the difference between normal activity and earthquake movement. The software developers say their app is right 93 percent of the time. A smartphone sends seismic information to the app developers. If the developers receive several warnings from one area, it recognizes that an earthquake may be taking place or will take place soon. Using information sent from the app, the network then judges the location and strength of the quake in real time. MyShake can record 5.0 earthquake at distances of 10 kilometers or less.
MyShake uses very little power, according to its developers. Only when seismic activity is sensed by the app does it become active and sends data to the network. The app works best when your phone is resting on a flat surface, like a table.
The developers hope that MyShake can add to information collected by the U.S Geological Survey. That U.S agency has created the Earthquake Early Warning System, also known as the EEW. The EEW has used sensors for measuring quakes in many areas. In places where no such equipment exists, MyShake may be the only method of early quake detection (发现). The app also shows ways to stay safer during an earthquake. The developers say it will become more effective as more people use it.
The developers say they hope to add a feature that will warn people about possible tsunami after an earthquake.
1.The new app
A. is a kind of accelerometer.
B. feels earthquakes through smartphones.
C. is developed by the U.S Geological Survey.
D. predicts possible tsunami after an earthquake.
2.What is the second paragraph mainly talking about?
A. How MyShake works.
B. What seismic activity is.
C. Why MyShake is developed.
D. When accelerometers record earthquake.
3.We can infer that MyShake
A. docs not work when the spartphone is in the pocket
B. sleeps while there is no shaking of the earth’s surface.
C. guides people how to survive when many people use it at the same time.
D. recognizes an earthquake when it receive the information from other sensors.
4.The new app developers hope to
A. use the information by the U.S Geological Survey to better MyShake.
B. unite the U.S Geological Survey to combine the EEW and MyShake.
C. help the EEW detect earthquakes somewhere.
D. improve the EEW.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The latest IPCC report does not mince words(直言不讳地) about the state of our planet: we must act now to achieve global change at a scale that has “no documented historical precedent(先例)” in order to avoid the climate disaster that would result from a 2 degree C rise in average global temperature. Climate change already affects the world's most helpless people including poor rural communities that depend on the land for their livings and coastal communities. Indeed, we have already seen the clear asymmetry(不对称) of suffering resulting from extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires and more.
So far, advocates and politicians have tended to focus on reducing fossil fuel(矿物燃料) consumption through technology and/or policy, such as a sharp carbon tax, as climate solutions. These proposals are, of course, essential to reducing manmade carbon emissions(排放)-71 percent of which are produced by just 100 fossil fuel companies.
Yet the international focus on fossil fuels has overshadowed(使......显得不重要) the most powerful and cost-efficient carbon-capture technology the world has yet seen: forests. Recent scientific research confirms that forests and other “natural climate solutions” are absolutely essential in reducing climate change. In fact, natural climate solutions can help us achieve 37 percent of our climate target, even though they currently receive only 2.5 percent of public climate financing.
Forests' power to store carbon dioxide through the simple process of tree growth is staggering:_one tree can even store an average of about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide in one year. Recent research show undamaged forests are capable of storing the same amount of the carbon dioxide emissions of entire countries such as Peru and Colombia.
For this reason, policy makers and business leaders must create and strengthen ambitious policies to prevent deforestation, and support the sustainable management of standing forests in the fight against climate change. Protecting the world's forests ensures they can continue to provide essential functions aside from climate stability, including producing oxygen, filtering water and supporting biodiversity. Not only do all the world's people depend on forests to provide clean air, clean water，oxygen, and medicines, but 1.6 billion people rely on them directly for their livelihoods.
1.According to the passage, climate change ________.
A. will surely achieve at a scale that is more serious than ever before
B. will only affect people living in the poorest rural regions
C. is likely to lead to more frequent extreme weather events
D. is entirely determined by fossil fuel consumption
2.What's the finding of the new research?
A. Reducing fossil fuels is the most powerful and cost-efficient technology.
B. Forests are vital to reducing climate change due to their storage power.
C. Most of our climate targets can be accomplished with the help of natural climate solutions.
D. Natural climate solutions have proved less efficient than conventional solutions.
3.The underlined word “staggering” in Paragraph 4 means ________.
A. astonishing B. speeding C. embarrassing D. shrinking
4.What's the author's purpose of writing this article?
A. To compare two different approaches to dealing with climate change.
B. To argue against the view that focus on fossil fuels reduction counts.
C. To urge scientists to do more research into natural climate solutions.
D. To point out forests are the most powerful weapon for fighting climate change.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Our school has recently obtained the latest multimedia equipment, __________ students to learn efficiently under special circumstances.
A.allowing B.being allowed C.having allowed D.allowed
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
"How to Let Co of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can't Change" is the latest movie from film-maker and climate activist Josh Fox.The movie is the third film in a three-part series about climate change.
In 2010,Fox's documentary "Gasland" was appointed for the highest award-an Oscar. "Gasland" explored the hotly debated process of removing natural gas from the ground.He examined the subject again in "Gasland Ⅱ".
Fox was in Washington,D.C.recently to present his third film.He was arrested during a protest against a new fuel pipeline.In the film,Fox says pollution from fossil fuels must be reduced.Without limits,there will be more extreme weather,like severe storms and dry weather,rising sea levels,causing shortages of food and water, "When you really encounter that head on,it causes an in-credible crisis."
In the new film,Fox travels through a sunless forest in the Amazon with local activists to measure oil spills.He goes to a village in Ecuador to learn how people there stopped a pipeline from being built.He joins young people in Australia to stop boats from entering the port of Newcastle.
"You should probably know the downside of what we're about to do.This is the short list: drowning,being arrested: being run over by boats,drifting away in currents out into the Pacific Ocean,cultural disrespect,big waves."
Also in the film,Fox talks to Ella Zhou,an energy expert.She explained the importance of what she calls "moral imagination"."I think that it forces us to get out of our box of thinking about,for instance,what is being successful.It allows us to have a moral value about what you want as a person.What do you want to do for the world and for yourself?"
1.Why was Fox's "Gasland" appointed for an Oscar?
A. Because Fox is the most famous film-maker in America.
B. Because Fox had experienced incredible crisis in the globe.
C. Because the movie is mainly about global climate change.
D. Because Fox was arrested for opposing a new fuel pipeline.
2.What does the underlined word "that" refer to?
A. The pollution from fossil fuels. B. The economic crisis.
C. The increasing population. D. The extreme weather.
3.What's the purpose of "moral imagination" mentioned in the last paragraph?
A. To warn people of the importance of creating new fuels.
B. To make people learn to be creative in thinking things.
C. To motivate people to achieve their dreams in their life.
D. To stimulate people to find the values of individuals.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
According to the latest BBC news, a five-year-old boy from England ______ the youngest computer specialist in the worl（ ）
A．became B．becomes
C．had become D．has become
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
According to the latest BBC news, a five-year-old boy from England _______ the youngest computer specialist in the world．
A．became B．becomes
C．had become D．has become
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Communication technologies are far from equal when it comes to conveying the truth. The first study to compare honesty across a range of communications media has found that people are twice as likely to tell lies in phone conversations as they are in emails. The fact that emails are automatically recorded—and can come back to haunt(困扰) you—appears to be the key to the finding.
Jeff Hancock of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, asked 30 students to keep a communications diary for a week. In it they noted the number of conversations or email exchanges they had lasting more than 10 minutes, and confessed to how many lies they told. Hancock then worked out the number of lies per conversation for each medium. He found that lies made up 14 percent of emails, 21 percent of instant messages, 27 percent of face-to-face interactions and an astonishing 37 percent of phone calls.
His results, to be presented at the conference on human-computer interaction in Vienna, Austria, in April, have surprised psychologists. Some expected emailers to be the biggest liars, reasoning that because deception makes people uncomfortable, the detachment(非直接接触) of emailing would make it easier to lie. Others expected people to lie more in face-to-face exchanges because we are most practiced at that form of communication.
But Hancock says it is also crucial whether a conversation is being recorded and could be reread, and whether it occurs in real time. People appear to be afraid to lie when they know the communication could later be used to hold them to account, he says. This is why fewer lies appear in email than on the phone.
People are also more likely to lie in real time—in an instant message or phone call, say—than if they have time to think of a response, says Hancock. He found many lies are spontaneous(脱口而出的) responses to an unexpected demand, such as: “Do you like my dress?”
Hancock hopes his research will help companies work out the best ways for their employees to communicate. For instance, the phone might be the best medium for sales where employees are encouraged to stretch the truth. But given his result, work assessment, where honesty is a priority, might be best done using email.
66. Hancock’s study focuses on ________.
A. the consequences of lying in various communications media
B. the success of communications technologies in conveying ideas
C. people’s preference in selecting communications technologies
D. people’s honesty levels across a range of communications media
67. Hancock’s research finding surprised those who believed that ________.
A. people are less likely to lie in instant messages
B. people are unlikely to lie in face-to-face interactions
C. people are most likely to lie in email communication
D. people are twice as likely to lie in phone conversations
68. According to the passage, why are people more likely to tell the truth through certain media of communication?
A. They are afraid of leaving behind traces of their lies
B. They believe that honesty is the best policy
C. They tend to be relaxed when using those media
D. They are most practiced at those forms of communication
69. According to Hancock, the telephone is a preferable medium for promoting sales because ________.
A. salesmen can talk directly to their customers
B. salesmen may feel less restrained to exaggerate
C. salesmen can impress customers as being trustworthy
D. salesmen may pass on instant messages effectively
70. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A. honesty should be encouraged in interpersonal communications
B. more employers will use emails to communicate with their employees
C. email is now the dominant medium of communication within a company
D. suitable media should be chosen for different communication purposes
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析