For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets,and even bicycles. Dr. Christopher Wilk is a member of a small group of elevator experts who consider this a misunderstanding. Without the elevator, they point out, there could be no downtown skyscrapers or tall buildings, and city life as we know it would be impossible. In that sense, they argue,the elevator’s role in American history has been no less significant than that of cars. In fact, according to Wilk? the car and the elevator have been locked in a “secret war” for over a century, with cars making it possible for people to spread horizontally (水平地),and elevators pushing them toward life in close groups of towering vertical (垂直的)columns.
If we tend to ignore the significance of elevators, it might be because riding in them tends to be such a brief, boring, and even awkward experience^one that can involve unexpectedly meeting people with whom we have nothing in common, and an unpleasant awareness of the fact that we’re hanging from a cable in a long passage.
In a new book, Lifted, German journalist and cultural studies professor Andreas Bernard directed all his attention to this experience, studying the origins of elevator and its relationship to humankind and finding that riding in an elevator has never been a totally comfortable experience. “After 150 years, we are still not used to it”, Bernard said. “We still have not exactly learned to cope with the mixture of closeness and displeasure.” That mixture, according to Bernard, sets the elevator ride apart from just about every other situation we find ourselves in as we go about our lives.
Today,as the world’s urban population explodes,and cities become more crowded, taller, and more crowded, America’s total number of elevators—900,000 at last count, according to Elevator World magazine’s “2012 Vertical Transportation Industry”一are a force that’s becoming more important than ever. And for the people who really, really love them, it seems like high time that we looked seriously at just what kind of force they are.
1.What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 1 refer to?
A. The general view of elevators.
B. The particular interests of experts.
C. The desire for a remarkable machine.
D. The enthusiasm for transport vehicles.
2.The author’s purpose in mentioning cars is .
A. to contrast their functions with elevators,
B. to emphasize the importance of elevators
C. to reveal their secret war against elevators
D. to explain people’s preference for elevators
3.According to Prof. Bernard, what has made the elevator ride different from other life experiences?
A. Vertical direction.
B. Lack of excitement.
C.Little physical space.
D. Uncomfortable conditions.
4.The author urges readers to consider .
A. the exact number of elevator lovers
B. the serious future situation of elevators
C. the role of elevators in city development
D. the relationship between cars and elevators
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
For most city people, the elevator is an unremarkable machine that inspires none of the enthusiasm or interest that Americans afford trains, jets,and even bicycles. Dr. Christopher Wilk is a member of a small group of elevator experts who consider this a misunderstanding. Without the elevator, they point out, there could be no downtown skyscrapers or tall buildings, and city life as we know it would be impossible. In that sense, they argue,the elevator’s role in American history has been no less significant than that of cars. In fact, according to Wilk? the car and the elevator have been locked in a “secret war” for over a century, with cars making it possible for people to spread horizontally (水平地),and elevators pushing them toward life in close groups of towering vertical (垂直的)columns.
If we tend to ignore the significance of elevators, it might be because riding in them tends to be such a brief, boring, and even awkward experience^one that can involve unexpectedly meeting people with whom we have nothing in common, and an unpleasant awareness of the fact that we’re hanging from a cable in a long passage.
In a new book, Lifted, German journalist and cultural studies professor Andreas Bernard directed all his attention to this experience, studying the origins of elevator and its relationship to humankind and finding that riding in an elevator has never been a totally comfortable experience. “After 150 years, we are still not used to it”, Bernard said. “We still have not exactly learned to cope with the mixture of closeness and displeasure.” That mixture, according to Bernard, sets the elevator ride apart from just about every other situation we find ourselves in as we go about our lives.
Today,as the world’s urban population explodes,and cities become more crowded, taller, and more crowded, America’s total number of elevators—900,000 at last count, according to Elevator World magazine’s “2012 Vertical Transportation Industry”一are a force that’s becoming more important than ever. And for the people who really, really love them, it seems like high time that we looked seriously at just what kind of force they are.
1.What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 1 refer to?
A. The general view of elevators.
B. The particular interests of experts.
C. The desire for a remarkable machine.
D. The enthusiasm for transport vehicles.
2.The author’s purpose in mentioning cars is .
A. to contrast their functions with elevators,
B. to emphasize the importance of elevators
C. to reveal their secret war against elevators
D. to explain people’s preference for elevators
3.According to Prof. Bernard, what has made the elevator ride different from other life experiences?
A. Vertical direction.
B. Lack of excitement.
C.Little physical space.
D. Uncomfortable conditions.
4.The author urges readers to consider .
A. the exact number of elevator lovers
B. the serious future situation of elevators
C. the role of elevators in city development
D. the relationship between cars and elevators
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
For most people, graduation is an exciting day – the culmination (顶点) of years of hard work. My graduation day... was not.
I remember that weekend two years ago, Family and friends had traveled far to watch our class walk across the stage. But like everyone else in my graduating class, I had watched the economy go from bad to worse during my senior year. We graduates had degrees, but very limited prospects (前景). I hadn’t secured a job, and I knew that the next day, when my lease (租约) ended, I would no longer have a place to call home.
The weeks ahead weren’t easy. I gathered up everything I couldn’t carry and put it into storage. Then, because I had no opportunities in my small university town, I packed up my car and drove to California to find work. But what I thought would take a week dragged into two, then four, and 100 job applications later, I found myself still jobless. The due date to begin paying back my student loans was creeping even closer.
Have you ever felt utter dread? That feeling became a constant in my life. The most frustrating part was no matter how much I tried, I just couldn’t seem to make any progress.
So what did I do to maintain my sanity? I wrote. Something about putting my words on a page made everything clearer. Something about writing gave me hope.
I channeled my frustration into a children’s book. Beyond the river was the story of an unlikely hero, a little fish who refused to give up.
And then one day, with no writing degree or contacts in the writing world – just hard work and perseverance – I was offered a publishing contract for my first book. After that, things were in place, I was offered a second book deal. Then, a few months later, I got an interview with the Walt Disney Company and was hired shortly after.
The moral of this story is… don’t give up, even if things look bleak now. Two years ago I was drinking cold soup right out the can. Things change. All we need is the courage to push beyond the river.
1.When it was time to graduate, the author felt _____.
A.Bored B.Relieved C.depressed D.hopeful
2.After the author’s graduation, _____.
A.he went on a short trip with his family to California
B.things turned even worse than he had expected
C.he focused on writing instead of applying for jobs
D.he found his salary was hardly enough to pay back his student loans
3.When did the author’s career life begin to run smoothly according to the article?
A.After he got his first publishing contract.
B.After he began to write his book Beyond the river.
C.After he finished his book Beyond the river.
D.After he got hired by the Walt Disney Company.
4.What is the main message the story intends to convey?
A.Opportunity lies everywhere.
B.Perseverance is essential to success.
C.It’s important to adapt yourself to society.
D.We should devote ourselves to whatever we do.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Most people know that awkward feeling when you walk into an elevator with other people and try not to make eye contact(接触). But a new research suggests it may be down to a subconscious power struggle being played out as you make your way up and down.
A study found that people decide where they stand based on a micro social status,established within seconds of entering the lift.
Rebekah Rousi.a Ph. D.student in cognitive(认知)science,conducted an ethnographic(人种论)
Study of elevator behaviour in two of the tallest office buildings in Adelaide,Australia.As part of her research,she took a total of 30 lift rides in the two buildings,and discovered .There was an established order to where people tended to stand
In a blog she writes that more senior men seemed to direct themselves towards the back of the elevator She said:“In front of them were younger men,and in front of them were women of aII ages.”She also notice there
was a difference in where people directed their gaze(注视)half way through the ride.“Men watched the monitors,looked in the side mirrors(in one building)to see themseIves.And in the door mirrors(of the other building)to also watch others Women would watch the monitors and avoid eye contact with other users(unless in conversation)and the mirrors,”she writes.
She concluded it could be that people who are shyer stand toward the front,where they can’t see other passengers,whereas confident people stand in the back,where they have a view of everyone else.
1.The passage is mainly about
A. elevator riding manners
B communication in the elevator
C. elevator riders’ standing positions
D. micro social status in the elevator
2.The underlined word“it”in the first paragraph probably refers to“ ”
A. an elevator B.the new research C. eye contact D.social status
3.A person who stands in the back of the lift is probably
A confident B shy C honest
4.The conclusion of the research in the passage is
A. subjective B.objective C critical D doubtful
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Online shopping is coming into fashion in most cities,where people are able to make full use of the rapidly-developed internet technology.Nowadays,can we find a person1.has not experienced online shopping? Definitely not.
Online shopping2.(welcome) by most people due to various reasons.From the perspective of consumers, it can save some time for people who don’t have much spare time.Just click the mouse,they can get 3. they want while staying at home.For the retailers(零售商),it can cut some costs for those who don’t have much circulating funds(流动资金).4.(compare) with the traditional trade mode,it doesn’t need renting a house. 5.,there are still some disadvantages in online shopping.First,a face-to-face deal makes online shopping less 6. (rely) and trustworthy.Second,people will lose 7. fun of bargaining.
8. is undeniable that shopping on the internet has become an irresistible trend in modern society.It’s of great urgency that we need to make the relative laws in accordance9. the rapid growth of online shopping. Only in this way can we enjoy the pleasure and10. (convenient) of online shopping without the concern of being cheated.
高三英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Online shopping is coming into fashion in most cities, where people are able to make full use of the rapidlydeveloped Internet technology. Nowadays, can we find a person 1. hasn’t experienced online shopping? Definitely not.
Online shopping 2. (welcome) by most people due to various reasons. From the perspective (视角) of the consumer, it can save some time for people who don’t have much spare time. Just click the mouse, they can get 3. they want while staying at home. For the retailers (零售商), it can cut some costs for those who don’t have much circulating funds. 4. (compare) with the traditional trade mode (风格), it saves them the need to rent a house. 5., there are still some 6. (disadvantage) in online shopping. First, no facetoface deal makes online shopping less reliable and trustworthy. Second, people will lose the fun of bargaining.
7. is undeniable (不可否认的) that shopping on the Internet has become an irresistible (无法抗拒的) trend in modern 8. (social). It’s of great urgency that we need to make the relative laws with the rapid 9. (grow) of online shopping. Only in this way can we enjoy the pleasure and convenience of online shopping without the concern of 10. (cheat).
高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Online shopping is coming into fashion in most cities, where people are able to make full use of the rapidly-developed internet technology. Nowadays, can we find a person _1.___ hasn’t experienced online shopping? Definitely not.
Online shopping __2.__ (welcome) by most people due to various reasons. From the perspective of consumers, it can save some time for people who don’t have much spare time. Just click the mouse, they can get _3.__ they want while staying at home. For the retailers, it can cut some costs for those who don’t have enough circulating funds. __4.__ (compare) with the traditional trade mode, they don’t have to spend money in renting a house. _5._, there are still some disadvantages in online shopping. First, a face-to-face deal makes online shopping less reliable and trustworthy. Second, people will lose __6._ fun of bargain.
__7.__ is undeniable that shopping on the internet has become an irresistible trend in modern society. It’s _8.__ great urgency that we need to make the relative laws _9.__ the rapid growth of online shopping. Only in this way can we enjoy the pleasure and __10.__ (convenient) of online shopping without the concern of being cheated.
高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Brisbane is an exciting city, voted as one of the most liveable cities in Australia. Its fine food will make you hate to leave. Here are four famous restaurants.
Aria
For a fine dining experience in Brisbane, it is hard to go past Aria by award winning well-known chef Matt Moran. With a beautiful setting at the Eagle Street Pier overlooking the Brisbane River, Aria is all about beautifully presented food. This is what Alia differs from other restaurants. The menu here is seasonal with different lunch and dinner options, and prices are set depending on how many courses you choose.
Bavarian Bier Café
There are lots of fantastic restaurants that overlook the Brisbane River and the Story Bridge. A big favorite is the Bavarian Bier Café where you can enjoy amazing German food, with big cups of Bavarian beer to drink and cookies to go with it. Prices are quite reasonable and the views are some of the best you’ll get in Brisbane.
E’cco Bistro
Set in an old tea warehouse building, E’cco Bistro has been serving up amazing food in Brisbane for over 20 years. E’cco Bistro is run by chef Philip Johnson who focuses on using the best local produce to create dishes where the materials do the talking. The menu has a good variety of dishes at reasonable prices, with dishes such as lobsters with sweet and sour onions, carrot, mushroom.
The Plough Inn
Plough Inn is one of the best pubs to go to for food in Brisbane. No matter when you come in, it is sure to satisfy all of your appetite. Pub dining is huge in Brisbane and the dining experience has moved away from the basic pub bugs of old, now offering extensive menus with restaurant quality food. The pub atmosphere is still there however, and the food is generally still cheap, plentiful and not too fancy.
1.What makes the food served by Aria special?
A. Its taste. B. Its price.
C. Its appearance. D. Its variety.
2.Which restaurant would you like to go to if you are a lover of German food?
A. Aria B. Bavarian Bier Café
C. E’cco Bistro D. The Plough Inn
3.In which aspect is Philip Johnson expert?
A. Cooking food with local food materials.
B. Presenting his food in an attracting way.
C. Offering beer with delicious cookies.
D. Creating a traditional pub atmosphere.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
As nobody here knows what is wrong with the machine, we ________send for an engineer to handle the problem.
A.should B.must C.can D.would
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
As nobody here knows what is wrong with the machine, we must send for an engineer to _________ the problem.
A. handle B. raise C. face D. present
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Prague is an ancient European city, featuring one of the most magnificent Old Towns in Europe, along with delicious food, inexpensive shopping and friendly people. Prague is also famous as being home to one of the most famous 20th century writers, Franz Kafka. The famous Czech beer is also one of the reasons to visit Prague.
The narrow streets of the older parts of the town are appealing the visitors to take nice long walk and settle in some of the many restaurants, which offer top-quality foods at a low price. The buildings there are mostly tower-shaped,and so Prague is called “city of a hundred spires.”
Mauritius
Also known as the Paradise on Earth, Mauritius lies about 560 miles (900 km) east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. It is a place of magnificent natural beauty coupled with excellent customer service, which makes for an unforgettable romantic experience at the edge of the world’s warmest ocean.
There are lots to see and do in Mauritius: the coral reefs (珊瑚礁) surrounding the island offer stunning beauty and great underwater adventures to those who want to dive into the precious waters. The nature of Mauritius mostly resembles that of Paradise, allowing every couple visiting this island to feel like Adam and Eve. That is an experience nobody would want to miss!
Cyprus
The very name Cyprus, it has been said, glitters with an age-old myth. Today, history and hedonism (快乐论) are comfortably mixed on the island. Some five-star resorts within walking distance of well-preserved Greek and Roman ruins offer the convenience the modern traveler has come to expect.
Cyprus features a romantic history, as it was Anthony’s gift to his beloved Cleopatra during the glorious days of the Roman Empire. Maybe that is why you feel always a little special once you set foot on Cyprus.
For more information about many other most romantic places in the world, just log on at http://www.jurgita.com.
1.The underlined word “spires” in Paragraph 2 means ________.
A. narrow streets B. inexpensive restaurants
C. top-quality foods D. tower-shaped buildings
2.We learn from the text that Mauritius ________.
A. is part of Madagascar B. is an ideal destination for couples
C. is in central Indian Ocean D. is most famous for its good service
3.What makes Cyprus different from the other two places?
A. It is located on an island. B. It offers charming resorts.
C. It was given as a present. D. It has a very long history.
4.A common feature of Mauritius and Cyprus is that they are ________.
A. old B. romantic
C. rich D. mysterious
5.What is the main purpose of the author?
A. To attract more visitors. B. To tell traveling experiences.
C. To sell information on line. D. To introduce historical places.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析