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The science fiction type of entertainment is considered by mot to be fathered by Jules Verne (A Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea) and H. G. Wells (The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds). Sei-Fi, as it is commonly shortened, is a fictional story in which science and technology have a significant influence on the characters and plot. Many such works are guesswork about what the future holds and how scientific findings and technological advances will shape humankind.
Writing in the late 1800s, Jules Verne was remarkably successful in his 10 guesses about future technologies of air conditioning, automobiles, the Internet, television, and underwater, air, and space travel. Unbelievably, of all places from which to choose, Jules Verne guessed Tampa, Florida, USA as the launching site of the first project to the Moon, which was only 200 kilometers away from the actual 1969 location at Cape Canaveral, Florida.
One of the best-known science fiction books is Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell. Published in 1949, it was not meant as a prediction, but as a warning: Orwell was describing what he saw as the outcome of the ideas, trends, and emerging technologies of his time. Many invented terms from this novel have become common in everyday use, such as “big brother” and “doublethink”. Even the author’s name has been made into an adjective—Orwellian—and has become a warning descriptor for situations where privacy is lost and the individual has no power and is completely controlled by the government. Nineteen Eighty-Four was translated into sixty-five languages within five years of its publication, setting a record that still stands.
What helps bring science fiction into being is usually a new discovery or innovation. The author creates an analysis of the potential influence and consequences and then wraps it in a pleasant story. For example, the beginning of space exploration was followed a few years later by the Star Trek television program and movie series. The science fiction author’s self-determined role is search the world of future possibilities upon the road which we are traveling.
1.From the first paragraph, we know that science fiction might be ________.
A.a forecast of how a new discovery could influence mankind
B.a brief review of the present drawbacks of technology
C.a thoughtful look at the past and a prediction of the future
D.an analysis of how a new technology could be used to harm human.
2.Which of the following best describes Nineteen Eighty-Four?
A.A prediction of future technologies.
B.A warning of unfair and cruel ruling.
C.The motive of scientific development.
D.An imaginary perfect world of freedom.
3.From the passage we can learn that ________.
A.H.G. Wells predicted the Internet in the late 1800s
B.Nineteen Eighty-Four adopted some popular terms
C.Star Trek movie series were based on space exploration
D.Cape Canaveral was mentioned in Jules Verne’s fiction
4.According to the author, what is the role of science fiction in society?
A.A reference of technology.
B.A moral compass.
C.A record of science development.
D.A form of thinking about possibilities.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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French novelist Jules Verne (1828—1905) is often called the father of science fiction. Although he was not a great traveler himself, his characters travelled to the moon (in From the Earth to the Moon), under the sea (in Twenty thousand leagues under the sea), into a volcano (in A journey to the centre of the earth), around the world (in Around the World in Eighty Days) and to many other places.
Jules Verne was born in the French city of Nantes in 1828. When he was a boy he ran away from home to work on a ship. However, his father soon found him and brought him home. After that he decided that any future travel he did would be in books. In 1847 his father sent Jules to Paris to study to be a lawyer. Even though he was busy writing, Verne passed his exams in 1849 with high marks.
When Jules told his father he did not want to be a lawyer, his father was very angry. He stopped sending his son any money, so Jules had to earn a living by his writing. Over the next few years he wrote many stories and plays, which brought him only a little money. Then, in 1856, he met Honorine de Viane, a rich, young widow with two children. The couple married the next year.
After his marriage, Verne worked as a businessman in Paris. However, he was not very successful at his job and spent most of his time writing books and doing research for the next one. In 1863 he published his novel Five Weeks in a balloon and the following year he published A Journey to the centre of the earth which made him famous. His books became so popular and earned him so much money that he was able to leave his job and work full time on his writing.
In his Lifetime, Jules Verne wrote more than 50 books and he became a rich man. Many of this imaginative novels have been turned into films.
1.When Jules Verne was brought home by his father, he decided that ________.
A．he would devote himself to writing
B．he would go on more travels in the future
C．he would stop writing about future travels
D．he would do what his father required
2.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A．He was not good at his schoolwork.
B．He went to Paris because he wanted to be a lawyer.
C．His early stories and plays didn’t bring in much money.
D．He got married in 1856.
3.Jules Verne became rich mainly because of his ________.
A．family B．marriage C．business D．writing
4.Which book can be considered as a turning point in Jules Verne’s life?
A. From the Earth to the Moon.
B. Five Weeks in a Balloon.
C. A Journey to the Center of the Earth.
D. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.
5.Which can we infer from the passage?
A．Jules Verne’s stories and plays were liked by film makers.
B．Jules Verne was not clever enough to learn law.
C．Jules Verne’s wife helped him a lot in his writing career.
D．Jules Verne’s stories and plays made him famous in the 1850s.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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________ , J.K.Rowing is considered to be the fiction writer now.
A. Having sold millions of copies of her books
B Because millions of copies of her books are sold
C. Sold millions of copies of her books
D. Selling millions of copies of her books
高二英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
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I love science and science fiction. Like many science fiction fans, I am fascinated by the possibility of time travel. However, one must combine romance with reasoning and look into the chances of time travel critically.
First of all, we must remember the whole universe is in motion. If we want to go back to yesterday, our "time machine" has to move back in time and space. If someone claimed he was at home when he suddenly travelled 200 years back in time, he either had an illusion or made the story up. Two hundred years ago, Earth was in a different place in space, so how can you travel back 200 years without moving in space? Don't get me wrong. I am not knocking the genius of science fiction writers. H.G. Wells's "The Time Machine" is a great work of fiction, but that’s all. I have read many other time travelling science fiction stories since reading H.G. Wells, but none address this problem of displacement.
My own argument for the impossibility of time travel is that physical states of the past no longer exist and those of the future are not here yet. To be able to move back and forth in time requires everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen everywhere in the whole universe at every single moment in time－past, present, and future－to be stored as a "reality" somewhere－like the save game file of a computer game that contains every single byte of information of the game at the point it was saved, but you would need an almost extremely large file and almost extremely many of them－so it can be re-entered and communicated with, and not just light signals for viewing. To me, I don’t buy it.
1.Which of the following can be the best title?
A. How to make time travel possible?
B. Why am I fascinated by time travel?
C. Why do I think time travel is not possible?
D. How to explain the possibility of time travel?
2.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “illusion”?
A. success B. dream C. switch D. support
3. According to the author, which of the following is RIGHT?
A. We can go back to the past by time travel.
B. People can travel to the future by moving in space.
C. “The Time Machine” is nothing more than a science fiction.
D. Everything that happened, is happening and will happen can be stored somewhere.
4.In the author’s opinion, time travel might be possible if ________.
A. people could combine romance with reasoning
B. people could stop the movement of the whole universe
C. people could use time machine under the instruction of H.G. Wells
D. people could “save” everything in the past, present and future in a certain space
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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The type and quantity of illegal drugs a person is carrying when ________ by the police determine the punishment, ________ from a small fine to life imprisonment.
A. caught; ranging B. caught; ranged
C. catching; ranging D. catching; ranged
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
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Jake O' Brien，one of the central characters in Sterling R．Walker's science fiction novel The Orphan Ship，has just received some bad news. The medical school he has been going to is closing down because of financial(财务的)problems；and to make matters worse，the only other medical program in the world also happens to be on another planet. Thus，in order to become a doctor，Jake packs his suitcase and jumps on board the passenger ship Atlanta to go to Mars!
When Jake and his cousin Lorina Murphy journey to Mars Station in search of educational opportunities，they never guess they will turn into life savers. But because of the extreme poverty and child exploitation(剥削)happening on Mars，these two cousins are forced to accept their true destiny(命运)．However，they are not alone in their efforts to save the poor “street kids”．Early in the story these two heroes are joined by the crew(船员)of the Ishmael，which in the course of the story，becomes a rescue ship and a safe place for over one hundred homeless children.
In this novel，there are different themes. While fighting the cruel people who sell the “street kids” of Mars Station，the colorful characters of The Orphan Ship also manage to fall in love，find wealth，and form lasting friendships.
The real power of the story comes from the characters' expression of fellow feeling—a feeling of understanding others because you have shared similar experiences. The characters in The Orphan Ship have a sense of social duty and spiritual commitment. For example，at one point in the story，shocked by the way the homeless children have been treated，Lorina notices “a pair of black children sitting under a streetlight begging food from passersby”．Yet “no one gave the children a second look.” Fortunately，however，Lorina and her newfound friends—the crew of the Ishmael，which soon becomes the “Orphan Ship”—do indeed care for the children of Mars Station，as they join forces to provide them safe passage to earth and also a home. In this way the theme of compassion is the centerpiece of the entire novel.
1.Jake decides to go to Mars because ______.
A. studying medicine is cheaper on Mars than on earth
B. the medical school on Mars is better than that on earth
C. Mars is the only place where he can realize his dream
D. his cousin encourages him to become a doctor on Mars
2.What's Jake and his cousin's destiny?
A. To save other people's lives.
B. To become the crew of the Ishmael.
C. To fail to get an education on Mars.
D. To make friends with homeless children.
3.All the following are themes of the novel EXCEPT ______.
A．friendship B．spreading knowledge
C．finding wealth D．love
4.The underlined word “them” in the last paragraph refers to ______.
A．passersby B．Lorina's newfound friends
C．homeless children D．the black
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
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In 1941, science fiction writer Isaac Asimov stated the Three Laws of Robotics. These laws come from the world of science fiction, but the real world is catching up. A law firm gave Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University $10 million to explore artificial intelligence. Peter Kalis, chairman of the law firm, K&L Gates, said the development of technology had led to questions that were never taken seriously before. What will happen when you make robots that are smart, independent thinkers and then try to limit their freedom?
Researcher Kalis said, “One expert said we’ll be at a point when we give an instruction to our robot to go to work in the morning and it turns around and says, ‘I’d rather go to the beach.’” He said that one day we would want laws to keep our free-thinking robots from running wild.
With the law firm’s gift, the university will be able to explore problems now appearing within automated industries. “Take driverless cars for example,” Kalis said. “If there’s an accident concerned with a driverless car, what policies do we have in place? What kind of insurance policies do they have?” In fact, people can take a ride in a driverless car in Pittsburgh where an American online transportation network company uses the city as a testing ground for the company’s driverless cars.
The problems go beyond self-driving cars and robots. Think about the next generation of smartphones, those chips fixed in televisions, computers, fridges, etc., and the ever-expanding collection of personal data being stored in the “cloud”. So can Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics be used in reality? Is it necessary to have a moral guideline that everyone can understand? Whatever it is, doing no harm should be the very first one.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A.Robot should have more freedom.
B.Technology is running ahead of laws.
C.The Three Laws of Robotics are practical.
D.Peter wants to explore artificial intelligence.
2.What makes humans worry about robots?
A.Robots may be out of control.
B.Robots can do something illegal.
C.Robots can become angry easily.
D.Robots may have many requests.
3.What is the third paragraph intended to tell us?
A.It’s hard for robots to obey rules.
B.A law on robotics is really a must.
C.Driverless cars can cause accidents.
D.Driverless cars are being tested out now.
4.What should the basic law on robotics be according to the text?
A.Robots should be cautiously used in life.
B.Robots should obey Asimov’s Three Laws.
C.Robots should be easy for people to operate.
D.Robots should help with people’s life and work.
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
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In 1941, science fiction writer Isaac Asimov stated the Three Laws of Robotics. These laws come from the world of science fiction, but the real world is catching up. A law firm gave Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Mellon University $10 million to explore artificial intelligence. Peter Kalis, chairman of the law firm, K&L Gates, said the development of technology had led to questions that were never taken seriously before. What will happen when you make robots that are smart, independent thinkers and then try to limit their freedom?
Researcher Kalis said, “One expert said we’ll be at a point when we give an instruction to our robot to go to work in the morning and it turns around and says, ‘I’d rather go to the beach.’” He said that one day we would want laws to keep our free-thinking robots from running wild.
With the law firm’s gift, the university will be able to explore problems now appearing within automated industries. “Take driverless cars for example,” Kalis said. “If there’s an accident concerned with a driverless car, what policies do we have in place? What kind of insurance policies do they have?” In fact, people can take a ride in a driverless car in Pittsburgh where an American online transportation network company uses the city as a testing ground for the company’s driverless cars.
The problems go beyond self-driving cars and robots. Think about the next generation of smartphones, those chips fixed in televisions, computers, fridges, etc., and the ever-expanding collection of personal data being stored in the “cloud”. So can Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics be used in reality? Is it necessary to have a moral guideline that everyone can understand? Whatever it is, doing no harm should be the very first one.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph?
A. Robot should have more freedom.
B. Technology is running ahead of laws.
C. The Three Laws of Robotics are practical.
D. Peter wants to explore artificial intelligence.
2.What makes humans worry about robots?
A. Robots may be out of control.
B. Robots can do something illegal.
C. Robots can become angry easily.
D. Robots may have many requests.
3.What is the third paragraph intended to tell us?
A. It’s hard for robots to obey rules.
B. A law on robotics is really a must.
C. Driverless cars can cause accidents.
D. Driverless cars are being tested out now.
4.What should the basic law on robotics be according to the text?
A. Robots should be cautiously used in life.
B. Robots should obey Asimov’s Three Laws.
C. Robots should be easy for people to operate.
D. Robots should help with people’s life and work.
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
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I’ve read a variety of science fictions, but few of them _____ the one that you lent me yesterday.
A. suit B. match C. compare D. beat
高二英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
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阅读下面短文，在空白处填入 1个适当的单词或括号单词的正确形式。
The Wandering Earth is a Chinese science fiction movie, 1. is based on the novel of 2. same name by Liu Cixin, and was released on February 5, 2019, the Chinese New Year’s Day.
After learning the sun is dying out, people all around the world feel 3. (frighten),
so they build giant planet thrusters (星球推进器) 4. ( move ) the earth out of its orbit and sail 5. to a new star system. The 2500 years’ journey comes with unexpected dangers, but in order to save humanity, a group of young people come out bravely and fight hard for everyone’s 6. (survive).
We 7. (impress) to see the theme of this film. It doesn’t particularly show somebody’s ability to save our world 8. shows all the human beings are working together, 9. (spare) no effort to save this world.
The Wandering Earth is seen by people as the dawn(开端) of Chinese science fiction movies. It means that China’s sci-fi movies have 10. (official) set sail.
高二英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析