In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, two plants were brought to England, for the first time, by Sir Walter Raleigh, both of which are now very much used—the tobacco-plant and the potato. Sir Walter had sailed across the seas to America, in search of new lands; and he brought back both these plants with him.
When he was in America, he had seen the Indians smoke, and before long he acquired the habit himself. He became extremely fond of smoking, and frequently indulged in the practice.
When he returned to England, he was sitting by the fire one day, and began to smoke. In the middle of his smoking, the door opened, and in came his man-servant. Now this man had never in his life seen any one smoke, and did not know that where was such a plant as tobacco. So, when he saw the smoke coming from his master’s mouth, he thought that he was on fire!
But very soon the old servant got used to seeing people with smoke coming out of their mouths; and all the young nobles of the court began to smoke because Sir Walter did so.
At first, people did not like the potato at all: nobody would eat it. Yet Sir Walter told them how useful it would be. The potato, he said, could be made to grow in England. He told them that, when the corn-harvest failed—which it often used to do—people need not starve if they had plenty of potatoes.
Queen Elizabeth, who was a very clever woman, listened to what Sir Walter said, and had potatoes served up at her own table. There the grand people who dined with her majesty were obliged to eat them. But they spread a report that the potato was poisonous, because it belongs to the same order as the deadly nightshade(龙葵属植物) and many other poisonous plants. So, in spite of all that the Queen could do, no one would eat potatoes, and they were left for the pigs.
The people did not find out their mistake till many years afterwards when the French king Louis XVI asked his people to eat them. And people began to find out how good and wholesome they were. The potato was more and more liked; and now there is hardly any vegetable that is more highly esteemed.
1.What do we know about Sir Walter?
A.He introduced the tobacco-plant and the potato to England.
B.He went to America in order to do research on plants and animals.
C.He was forced to smoke by the Indians in America during his stay there.
D.He taught Queen Elizabeth how to smoke in court with the young nobles.
2.People were afraid of the potatoes at first because ___________.
A.the Queen refused to eat them herself
B.they were used as poison by the Indians
C.they were long used as food for the pigs
D.they belong to the poisonous nightshade
3.What can we learn from the text?
A.Both the tobacco plant and the potato were native to France.
B.Young nobles in England refused to smoke for the terrible smell.
C.It was not easy to grow corn back in the age of Queen Elizabeth.
D.The English people were the first to accept potatoes as tasty food.
4.What conclusion can we draw from the two stories?
A.Only those who are willing to take risks can succeed in the end.
B.They are lots of new plants on the earth that can be used as food.
C.All people are afraid to try things that are new and strange to them.
D.The upper class had huge influence on the way people lived in the past.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
In the reign of Queen Elizabeth, two plants were brought to England, for the first time, by Sir Walter Raleigh, both of which are now very much used—the tobacco-plant and the potato. Sir Walter had sailed across the seas to America, in search of new lands; and he brought back both these plants with him.
When he was in America, he had seen the Indians smoke, and before long he acquired the habit himself. He became extremely fond of smoking, and frequently indulged in the practice.
When he returned to England, he was sitting by the fire one day, and began to smoke. In the middle of his smoking, the door opened, and in came his man-servant. Now this man had never in his life seen any one smoke, and did not know that where was such a plant as tobacco. So, when he saw the smoke coming from his master’s mouth, he thought that he was on fire!
But very soon the old servant got used to seeing people with smoke coming out of their mouths; and all the young nobles of the court began to smoke because Sir Walter did so.
At first, people did not like the potato at all: nobody would eat it. Yet Sir Walter told them how useful it would be. The potato, he said, could be made to grow in England. He told them that, when the corn-harvest failed—which it often used to do—people need not starve if they had plenty of potatoes.
Queen Elizabeth, who was a very clever woman, listened to what Sir Walter said, and had potatoes served up at her own table. There the grand people who dined with her majesty were obliged to eat them. But they spread a report that the potato was poisonous, because it belongs to the same order as the deadly nightshade(龙葵属植物) and many other poisonous plants. So, in spite of all that the Queen could do, no one would eat potatoes, and they were left for the pigs.
The people did not find out their mistake till many years afterwards when the French king Louis XVI asked his people to eat them. And people began to find out how good and wholesome they were. The potato was more and more liked; and now there is hardly any vegetable that is more highly esteemed.
1.What do we know about Sir Walter?
A.He introduced the tobacco-plant and the potato to England.
B.He went to America in order to do research on plants and animals.
C.He was forced to smoke by the Indians in America during his stay there.
D.He taught Queen Elizabeth how to smoke in court with the young nobles.
2.People were afraid of the potatoes at first because ___________.
A.the Queen refused to eat them herself
B.they were used as poison by the Indians
C.they were long used as food for the pigs
D.they belong to the poisonous nightshade
3.What can we learn from the text?
A.Both the tobacco plant and the potato were native to France.
B.Young nobles in England refused to smoke for the terrible smell.
C.It was not easy to grow corn back in the age of Queen Elizabeth.
D.The English people were the first to accept potatoes as tasty food.
4.What conclusion can we draw from the two stories?
A.Only those who are willing to take risks can succeed in the end.
B.They are lots of new plants on the earth that can be used as food.
C.All people are afraid to try things that are new and strange to them.
D.The upper class had huge influence on the way people lived in the past.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Buckingham Palace
It is the official residence of Queen Elizabeth II in London. The architectural core of Buckingham Palace is the former Buckingham House，built in 1703. You can visit the state rooms from August to October when the Queen is on holiday. It is one of the world’s most familiar buildings. It has 775 rooms. During the summer the famous Changing of the Guards takes place at the front of the palace at 11:30 and is a popular event for visitors to the capital.
Big Ben and Westminster Palace
It is one of London’s best-known landmarks. Big lien is the name of the clock inside the Clock Tower. It lies at the north-eastern end of the Houses of Parliament. Westminster Palace is one of the largest parliaments in the world. It was built between 1840 and 1880.
The Tower of London
The Tower of London is a historical monument in Central London on the north bank of the river Thames. It was founded by William the Conqueror. It was a palace and a prison (for Queen Elizabeth I for example).There you can see strange guards called “the Beefeaters”. Since the beginning of the 14th century, the Tower of London has been the home of the world famous British Crown Jewels-they are a must of your visit!
Trafalgar Square
It was named in 1835 to give honour to the memory of the British victory over the French at Trafalgar in 1805. There is a huge statue of Admiral Nelson (the British hero killed during the battle) in the middle of the square. It is a popular tourist attraction with the four lion statues.
1.Which has the second longest history?
A.Trafalgar Square. B.The Tower of London.
C.Westminster Palace. D.Buckingham House.
2.What is The Tower of London noted for in the world?
A.Its strange guards. B.Its British Crown Jewels.
C.Its founder. D.Its geographical site.
3.Why was Trafalgar Square built?
A.A battle happened here. B.It could be good for tourism.
C.Admiral Nelson was horn here. D.Four lion statues had been built.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Queen ElizabethⅡis often to be richest woman in the world. , her personal wealth seems rather small.
A. Besides B. Otherwise C. However D. Altogether
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ is often thought to be the richest woman in the world.________，her personal wealth seems rather small. (2012·安徽，34)
A．Besides B．Otherwise
C．However D．Altogether
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
400-year-old plants from the Little Ice Age were brought back to life, which could help us understand how the Earth will deal with climate change.
Moss(藓类植物) found buried beneath the Teardrop glacier(冰川) on Ellesmere Island in Canada has been brought back to life. Findings suggest that these plants could help repopulate regions exposed by melting ice caps. Plants that were buried beneath thick ice in Canada more than 400 years ago and were thought to have frozen to death have been brought back to life by Canadian scientists.
Samples of the moss plant, covered by the glacier during the Little Ice Age of 1550 to 1850 AD, were replanted in a lab at the University of Alberta and grew new stems(茎). Researchers now think these findings can give indication as to how regions can recover as the ice covering them melts.
Biologist Dr. Catherine La Farge and her team at the University of Alberta were exploring the region around the Teardrop glacier on Ellesmere Island. Ice on Ellesmere Island region has been melting at around four meters each year for the past nine years. This means that many areas of land that were previously covered by ice have since been exposed. Many ecosystems that were thought to have been destroyed during the Little Ice Age between 1550 and 1850 AD can now be studied, including many species that have never been studied before.
While examining an exposed area of land, La Farge and her team discovered a small area of moss called Aulacomnium turgidum. It is a type of bryophyte(苔藓类植物) plant that mainly grows across Canada, the US and the Highlands of Scotland.
Dr La Farge noticed that the moss had small patches of green stems, suggesting it is either growing again or can be encouraged to repopulate. Dr La Farge told the BBC, “When we looked at the samples in detail and brought them to the lab, I could see some of the stems actually had new growth of green branches, suggesting that these plants are growing again, and that blew my mind. When we think of thick areas of ice covering the landscape, we’ve always thought that plants have to come from refugia(濒绝生物保护区), never considering that land plants come from underneath a glacier. It’s a whole world of what’s coming out from underneath the glacier that really needs to be studied. The ice is disappearing pretty fast. We really have not examined all the biological systems that exist in the world; we don’t know it all.”
Dr La Farge took samples of the moss and, using carbon-dating techniques, discovered that the plants date back to the Little Ice Age. Dr La Farge’s team took the samples, planted them in dishes full of nutrient-rich potting soil and fed them with water.
The samples were from four separate species including Aulacomnium turgidum, Distichium capillaceum, Encalypta procera and Syntrichia ruralis. The moss plants found by Dr La Farge are types of bryophytes. Bryophytes can survive long winters and regrow when the weather gets warmer.
However, Dr La Farge was surprised that the plants buried under ice have survived into the twenty-first century. Her findings appear in proceedings（论文集）of the National Academy of Sciences.
1.Dr La Farge’s research is of great importance to ________.
A. knowing what the plants during the Little Ice Age were like
B. understanding how ecosystems recover from glaciers.
C. regrowing many species that have been destroyed before.
D. figuring out the effects of melting ice caps on moss.
2.The underlined part “blew my mind” in Paragraph 6 can best be replaced by “________”.
A. surprised me B. greatly frightened me
C. put my doubt out of my mind D. was exactly what I had in my mind
3.According to the passage, Aulacomnium turgidum ________.
A. lives better in small groups
B. is very active in hot weather
C. is strong enough to survive coldness
D. is chosen from Canadian refugia
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Bryophyte ecology is greatly affected by climate change.
B. 400-year-old moss’s survival is a mystery to solve.
C. Moss in ancient times was discovered in Canada.
D. 400-year-old plants were brought back to life.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Can you imagine how great the United Kingdom is? The queen of Britain, Queen Elizabeth II, is also the queen of other 16 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Jamaica. Her face is seen on stamps and coins all around the world.
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in London on April 21st 1926. Her parents were George, the Duke of York, and Elizabeth, the daughter of the Earl and Count-ness of Strathmore. As a child, Princess Elizabeth lived with her parents and younger sister in London and Windsor. Every summer, she traveled to Scotland to visit her mother’s parents. She was interested in all sorts of sports, but her favorites were horse riding and swimming. She was also fond of acting, art and music.
As princess Elizabeth grew older, she started to play a part in British public life. When she was 14, she broadcast a radio message to all the children of Britain and the Common-wealth(共和国). Two years later, she carried out her first public engagement, and started to go on official tours shortly after that. After a tour to South Africa in 1946, she married Philip Mountbatten. The couple had four children: Prince Charles, born in 1948, Princess Anne, born in 1950, Prince Andrew, born in 1960 and Prince Edward, born in 1964.
After her father died, Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II in a ceremony held in London in 1953. As a queen, she has many duties, and leads a very busy life. She travels throughout the world, meeting the leaders of other countries, and attends a large number of official functions. She also holds a meeting every week with the British Prime Minister. Every year, on Christmas Day, she broadcast a message to the people of British and the Commonwealth, talking about her hopes for the future.
Queen Elizabeth has been on the throne for more than 40 years and has become one of the most famous women in the world. Lots of people in British believe that she tries hard to understand her people and be a good queen. More than her title, this quality has earned her much love and respect.
1.Queen Elizabeth II ________
A. is only queen of the United Kingdom. B. is queen of Australia and the USA
C. is queen of 16 different countries D. is queen of 17 different countries
2.As she grew older, Princess Elizabeth _______.
A. started to take part in British public life. B. broadcast several radio messages
C. went on many tours to South Africa D. stopped playing a part in British public life.
3.Queen Elizabeth’s four children are called ________.
A. Prince Charles, Prince Philip, Prince Edward and Princess Elizabeth
B. Prince Andrew, Prince Philip, Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
C. Princess Elizabeth, Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Prince Edward
D. Prince Edward, Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, Prince Charles
4.Today, Queen Elizabeth__________
A. holds a meeting every fortnight with the British Prime Minister
B. is always busy carrying out her royal duties.
C. does not lead a very busy life.
D. rarely leaves the UK.
5.Which of the following statement is true?
A. She talks about her hopes for the future every day.
B. Princess Elizabeth became Queen Elizabeth II in 1960.
C. She has been on the throne for more than forty years.
D. Lots of people in Britain depreciate her.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
What is Queen Elizabeth II like in person?
Answer from @ Jackie Pearcey:
I once had lunch with the Queen (OK, along with about 100 other people in a large room). There’s a rule that people should stop eating when the Queen stops. She eats carefully, making sure everyone has a proper opportunity to eat. After lunch, she made a point to meet up with and thank all of the waiting staff and those who had cooked the lunch.
Answer from @ Janie Keddie:
I live not far from Balmoral Castle, which is the Queen’s private mansion in the Scottish Highlands. What we find is that the Queen is a polite woman who is a good neighbor and treats people kindly. She uses local suppliers; she always supports the Braemar Highland Gathering and attends the local “Kirk” (Church of Scotland). That makes her part of the local community, which is quite protective of her and respects her privacy. However, my favourite tale is this. The Royals sometimes travel about the local area with minimal fuss (最小的麻烦). She stopped her car for a picnic on a track some distance from the road. There isn’t a lot of passing traffic, but on this occasion a family of walkers came upon but didn’t recognize her. On a “day off”, she looks much the same as the other local elderly ladies in her jacket. “Goodness!” said the mother, “You look just like that lady on the stamps.” “So I’ve been told;” said the Queen with a kindly smile as she continued to sip (小口抿) tea.
Answer from @ Gill Bullen:
Some years ago, when Prince William was a very little boy, he had apparently been playing in Buckingham Palace, had fallen down and hurt himself, and was crying inconsolably (无法安慰地). He was immediately surrounded by concerned maids and other household staff trying to comfort him, but he didn’t want any of them, only Gary. Nobody was sure who Gary was—possibly one of the housemen?
But then a voice was heard, saying, “Let me through, please. I’m Gary.” And they made way for the Queen, because “Granny” can be quite hard for a little boy to say!
1.What do we know from Jackie Pearcey’s words?
A.The Queen usually eats with the cook.
B.No one else is allowed to eat while the Queen is eating.
C.The Queen constantly has lunch with about 100 people.
D.The Queen seems mindful of others and appreciative of those who work for her.
2.According to Janie Keddie, Queen Elizabeth II ________.
A.lives in harmony with neighbors
B.is always recognized when she goes out
C.buys all her daily supplies by special suppliers
D.seldom takes part in the local community’ activities
3.It can be inferred that the Queen ________.
A.once had a secret nickname Gary
B.looked after Prince William daily
C.often played a role of the houseman
D.had a good relationship with her little grandson
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Over two thirds of the population were believed to have no ______ to the health care in the west rural area in China.
A. aid B. basis C. belief D. access
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves. At the age of six months she was acquired, along with her sister, by John Ashley, a wealthy Massachusetts slaveholders. She became known as “Mumbet” or “Mum Bett.”
For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family. One day, Ashley’s wife tried to strike Mumbet’s sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back. When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued(起诉) for her freedom.
While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her. Eventually, Mumbet won her freedom---- the first slave in Massachusetts to do so under the new constitution.
Strangely enough, after the trial, the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee. She declined and instead went to work for Segdewick. Mumbet died in 1829, but her legacy lived on in her many descendants(后裔). One of her great-grandchildren was W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the founder of the NAACP, and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.
Mumbet’s tombstone still stands in the Massachusetts cemetery where she was buried. It reads, in part: “She was born a slave and remained a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years. She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal.”
1.What do we know about Mumbet according to Paragraph 1?
A. She was born a slave
B. She was a slaveholder
C. She had a famous sister
D. She was born into a rich family
2.Why did Mumbet run away from the Ashleys?
A. She found an employer
B. She wanted to be a lawyer
C. She was hit and got angry
D. She had to take care of her sister
3.What did Mumbet learn from discussions about the new consititution?
A. She should always obey her owners’ orders
B. She should be as free and equal as whites
C. How to be a good servant
D. How to apply for a job
4.What did Mumbet do after the trial?
A. She chose to work for a lawyer
B. She found the NAACP
C. She continued to serve the Ashleys
D. She went to live with her grandchildren
5.What is the test mainly about?
A. A story of a famous writer and spokesperson
B. The friendship between a lawyer and a slave
C. The life of a brave African American woman
D. A trial that shocked the whole world
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Elizabeth Freeman was born about 1742 to African American parents who were slaves. At the age of six months she was acquired, along with her sister, by John Ashley, a wealthy Massachusetts slaveholders. She became known as “Mumbet” or “Mum Bett.”
For nearly 30 years Mumbet served the Ashley family. One day, Ashley’s wife tried to strike Mumbet’s sister with a spade. Mumbet protected her sister and took the blow instead. Furious, she left the house and refused to come back. When the Ashleys tried to make her return, Mumbet consulted a lawyer, Theodore Sedgewick. With his help, Mumbet sued(起诉) for her freedom.
While serving the Ashleys, Mumbet had listened to many discussions of the new Massachusetts constitution. If the constitution said that all people were free and equal, then she thought it should apply to her. Eventually, Mumbet won her freedom---- the first slave in Massachusetts to do so under the new constitution.
Strangely enough, after the trial, the Ashleys asked Mumbet to come back and work for them as a paid employee. She declined and instead went to work for Segdewick. Mumbet died in 1829, but her legacy lived on in her many descendants(后裔). One of her great-grandchildren was W.E.B. Du Bois, one of the founderｓ of the NAACP, and an important writer and spokesperson for African American civil rights.
Mumbet’s tombstone still stands in the Massachusetts cemetery where she was buried. It reads, in part: “She was born a slave and remained a slave and remained a slave for nearly thirty years. She could neither read nor write, yet in her own sphere she had no superior or equal.”
1.What do we know about Mumbet according to Paragraph 1?
A. She was born a slave
B. She was a slaveholder
C. She had a famous sister
D. She was born into a rich family
2. Why did Mumbet run away from the Ashleys?
A. She found an employer
B. She wanted to be a lawyer
C. She was hit and got angry
D. She had to take care of her sister
3. What did Mumbet learn from discussions about the new constitution?
A. She should always obey her owners’ orders
B. She should be as free and equal as whites
C. How to be a good servant
D. How to apply for a job
4.What did Mumbet do after the trial?
A. She chose to work for a lawyer
B. She foundｅｄ the NAACP
C. She continued to serve the Ashleys
D. She went to live with her grandchildren
5.What is the test mainly about?
A. A story of a famous writer and spokesperson
B. The friendship between a lawyer and a slave
C. The life of a brave African American woman
D. A trial that shocked the whole world
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析