The term “graffiti” is an Italian word meaning scratching or scribbling(乱涂). It entered the English language in the 1850s, specifically to describe the casual wall writing that experts found in Pompeii and the Roman tombs. Originally a term used only in ancient scribbling, the word has undergone considerable expansion of meaning in the past 75 years so that it now refers to any written message on a wall. Graffiti are characterized by their casualness; if they were more formal, they would be known as inscriptions(铭文).
The first piece of graffiti was found on one of the walls of the city Pompeii, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. It was one of 1,600 pieces of graffiti uncovered in Pompeii during a dig in the 19th century. Not surprisingly, there is much evidence of graffiti writing on the pyramid and temples of ancient Egypt. It is likely that ever since people have had walls and materials to scratch or paint with, they have been engaged in this simplest form of communication.
The writing of graffiti gives people a unique opportunity to achieve some kind of public audience. Thus short poems, declarations of love, pieces of political and revolutionary polemic(论战), and criticisms of institutions and people form a significant part of graffiti.
Apart from its usefulness in terms of self-expression, graffiti is also a valuable source for historians. There is always the possibility that historical events may be recorded by the presence of graffiti. Perhaps the most interesting example of this is the graffiti relating to the gladiatorial(角斗士) contests held in Pompeii. Graffiti can also give us a unique view into the daily life and customs of a people, for its casual expression encourages the recording of details that more formal writing would tend to ignore.
In the late 1970s, graffiti became popular. A thought written on a toilet wall in Wolverhampton can now be read in Chicago or Adelaide. In its own way, this is probably the most fascinating example of McLuhan’s concept of “the global village”. We now have a worldwide toilet wall.
1.According to the first paragraph, graffiti________.
A.is another name for “inscription”
B.got its name from the English language
C.was born in the 1850s
D.Mainly refers to casual writing or pictures on walls
2.What can be inferred from the second paragraph?
A.Graffiti has a long history.
B.Graffiti is an attractive form of art.
C.Graffiti made the ancient city Pompeii famous.
D.Graffiti was ancient Egyptian’s main way of communication.
3.What does the third and fourth paragraphs mainly tell us?
A.Graffiti’s great value.
B.Graffiti’s features.
C.Graffiti’s way of expression.
D.Graffiti’s connection with people’s daily life.
4.The graffiti relating to the gladiatorial contests is mentioned in the passage to prove that ______.
A.graffiti can show people’s customs
B.graffiti can provide valuable historical evidence
C.graffiti was mainly used to record important events
D.graffiti can provide more detailed information than formal writing
5.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph implies that______.
A.the presence of graffiti makes the world closely connected
B.the concept of “the global village” is famous worldwide
C.graffiti has become very popular all over the world
D.people like using toilet walls to share their graffiti
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
The term “graffiti” is an Italian word meaning scratching or scribbling(乱涂). It entered the English language in the 1850s, specifically to describe the casual wall writing that experts found in Pompeii and the Roman tombs. Originally a term used only in ancient scribbling, the word has undergone considerable expansion of meaning in the past 75 years so that it now refers to any written message on a wall. Graffiti are characterized by their casualness; if they were more formal, they would be known as inscriptions(铭文).
The first piece of graffiti was found on one of the walls of the city Pompeii, which was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. It was one of 1,600 pieces of graffiti uncovered in Pompeii during a dig in the 19th century. Not surprisingly, there is much evidence of graffiti writing on the pyramid and temples of ancient Egypt. It is likely that ever since people have had walls and materials to scratch or paint with, they have been engaged in this simplest form of communication.
The writing of graffiti gives people a unique opportunity to achieve some kind of public audience. Thus short poems, declarations of love, pieces of political and revolutionary polemic(论战), and criticisms of institutions and people form a significant part of graffiti.
Apart from its usefulness in terms of self-expression, graffiti is also a valuable source for historians. There is always the possibility that historical events may be recorded by the presence of graffiti. Perhaps the most interesting example of this is the graffiti relating to the gladiatorial(角斗士) contests held in Pompeii. Graffiti can also give us a unique view into the daily life and customs of a people, for its casual expression encourages the recording of details that more formal writing would tend to ignore.
In the late 1970s, graffiti became popular. A thought written on a toilet wall in Wolverhampton can now be read in Chicago or Adelaide. In its own way, this is probably the most fascinating example of McLuhan’s concept of “the global village”. We now have a worldwide toilet wall.
1.According to the first paragraph, graffiti________.
A.is another name for “inscription”
B.got its name from the English language
C.was born in the 1850s
D.Mainly refers to casual writing or pictures on walls
2.What can be inferred from the second paragraph?
A.Graffiti has a long history.
B.Graffiti is an attractive form of art.
C.Graffiti made the ancient city Pompeii famous.
D.Graffiti was ancient Egyptian’s main way of communication.
3.What does the third and fourth paragraphs mainly tell us?
A.Graffiti’s great value.
B.Graffiti’s features.
C.Graffiti’s way of expression.
D.Graffiti’s connection with people’s daily life.
4.The graffiti relating to the gladiatorial contests is mentioned in the passage to prove that ______.
A.graffiti can show people’s customs
B.graffiti can provide valuable historical evidence
C.graffiti was mainly used to record important events
D.graffiti can provide more detailed information than formal writing
5.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph implies that______.
A.the presence of graffiti makes the world closely connected
B.the concept of “the global village” is famous worldwide
C.graffiti has become very popular all over the world
D.people like using toilet walls to share their graffiti
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The term “to extend an olive(橄榄) branch” means to make an offer of peace or reconciliation(和好). This term has Biblical(圣经的) origins, coming from the section of the Old Testament that deals with the flood; the sign that the flood is over is an olive branch brought back to the ark(方舟) by a dove. Olive branches were also symbols of peace in Ancient Greece and Rome, and they continue to be used in various works of art that are meant to suggest peace.
Some people have suggested that the olive was a very deliberate and well-considered choice as a metaphor(比喻) for peace, because olive trees famously take years to mature. War is typically very hard on the trees because people cannot take the time to nurture them and plant new ones. Therefore, the offer of an olive branch would suggest that someone is tired of war, whether it is an actual war or a falling out between friends.
In Ancient Greek and Roman times, people would offer actual olive branches. In Rome, for example, defeated armies traditionally carried olive branches to indicate that they were giving in, and the Greeks used them into weddings and other ceremonies. In the modern era, the branch is usually metaphorical, rather than actual, not least because the plants can be a bit difficult to obtain.
Many people agree that peace negotiations at all levels of society are a good idea. Between nations, obviously, it is important to extend an olive branch to ensure mutual safety and to help the world run more smoothly. This act can also be important on a personal level, as resolving conflict and learning to get along with others is viewed as an important life skill in many cultures.
At some point in their lives, many people will be advised to extend an olive branch to settle a dispute or resolve an issue. Some people believe that it takes an immense amount of courage to take this action, as it often comes with an admission of wrongdoing and regret.
1.According to the Bible, ________.
A. an olive branch suggests flood is coming
B. the ark is made of olive tree wood
C. an olive branch means flood is over
D. a dove loves to settle on the olive branch
2.The olive is considered a good choice as a metaphor for peace for the following reasons EXCEPT _______.
A. olive trees famously take years to mature
B. olive branches make people tired of war
C. war is typically very hard on the trees
D. people cannot take the time to nurture them while at war
3.Why are actual olive branches seldom used in modern times?
A. Olive trees are being protected now. B. Olive trees are planted only in certain countries.
C. Olive trees can be far to seek. D. There is no need to use real olive branches.
4.It can be learned from the text that to extend an olive branch________.
A. is not important on a personal level B. is only important between nations
C. takes a lot of courage D. is an important life skill in many cultures
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
The term “to extend an olive branch” means to make an offer of peace or reconciliation(和好). This term has Biblical origins, coming from the section of the Old Testament that deals with the flood; the sign that the flood is over is an olive branch brought back to the ark(方舟) by a dove. Olive branches were also symbols of peace in Ancient Greece and Rome, and they continue to be used in various works of art that are meant to suggest peace.
Some people have suggested that the olive was a very deliberate and well-considered choice as a metaphor(比喻）for peace, because olive trees famously take years to mature. War is typically very, hard on the trees because people cannot take the time to nurture them and plant new ones. Therefore, the offer of an olive branch would suggest that someone is tired of war, whether it be an actual war or a falling out between friends.
In Ancient Greek and Roman times, people would offer actual olive branches. In Rome, for example, defeated armies traditionally carried olive branches to indicate that they were giving in, and the Greeks used them into weddings and other ceremonies. In the modem era, the branch is usually metaphorical, rather than actual, not least because the plants can be a bit difficult to obtain.
Many people agree that peace negotiations (谈判）at all levels of society are a good idea. Between nations, obviously, it is important to extend an olive branch to ensure mutual safety and to help the world run more smoothly. This act can also be important on a personal level, as resolving conflict and learning to get along with others is viewed as an important life skill in many cultures.
At some point m their lives, many people will be advised to extend an olive branch to settle a dispute or resolve an issue. Some people believe that it takes an immense amount of courage to take this action, as it often comes with an admission of wrongdoing and regret.
1.According to the Bible,___________
A. an olive branch suggests flood is coming.
B. the ark is made of olive tree wood.
C. an olive branch means flood is over
D. a dove loves to settle on the olive branch.
2.The olive is considered a good choice as a metaphor for peace for the following reasons EXCEPT .
A. olive trees famously take years to mature
B. olive branches make people tired of war
C. war is typically very hard on the trees
D. people cannot take the time to nurture them while at war
3.Why are actual olive branches seldom used in modem times ?
A. Olive trees are being protected now.
B. Olive tress are planted only in certain countries.
C. Olive tress can be far to seek.
D. There is no need to use real olive branches.
4.It can be learned from the text that to extend an olive branch________
A. is not important on a personal level
B. is only important between nations.
C. takes a lot of courage.
D. is an important life skill m many cultures.
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
How to Study for a Test or Final
The end of the term is drawing near, and that means final exams are on the way. 1.
The most important thing you can do is give yourself plenty of time to prepare. Then follow this plan:
Start early.
Gather all the material you’ve received during the term. Read through your class notes twice. Some things will sound familiar and some things will sound unfamiliar. That’s normal.
Establish a study group or find a partner.
Schedule at least one meeting with a study partner or study group. If you can't completely get together, then exchange email addresses.2.
Use old tests.
Collect your old exams from the year (or semester) and make a photocopy of each one. Write out the test answers and copy each one again.
3.
To get the best results, you should make several copies of each old exam and keep taking the tests until you score perfectly on each one.
Build up your class notes.
Organize your notes by date and make note of any missing dates/pages. Get together with a study partner or group to compare notes and fill in any missing material. 4.Everybody zones out once in a while. After you organize your new set of notes, underline any key words, formulas, themes, and concepts.
Make yourself a new practice test with term definitions and others. Print out several tests and practice several times. 5. Then exchange.
Make use of old assignments.
Gather some old assignments and redo the exercises. Review those exercises until you can answer every question easily.
A. Instant messages will work well, too.
B. Have a set of practice tests.
C. How can you give yourself a chance to improve your scores?
D. You might find one that makes something clear for the first time.
E. Ask the members of your study group to make practice tests as well.
F. Don’t be too surprised if you missed key information from the lectures.
G. Have your friend or study partner raise questions and compare them.
高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析
275. A telephone is an instrument by which we can speak to people far away. The underlined word means ____.
| A．a tool | B．an experiment | C．an expression | D．an instruction |
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Americans use the term “college students” to mean students either in colleges or universities. Not only that, Americans almost never say “going off to university” or “when I was in university.” That sounds British. 1.
College, university: what’s the difference? 2. Both offer undergraduate degrees in the arts and sciences, for example. And both can help prepare young people to earn a living.
But many colleges do not offer graduate studies. Another difference is that universities are generally bigger. 3.
Another place of higher education, especially in technical areas, is an institute, like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Yet even an institute of technology can offer a wide choice of programs and activities.
Modern universities developed from those of Europe in the Middle Ages. The word “university” came from the Latin universities, describing a group of people organized for a common purpose.4. In England, colleges were formed to provide students with places to live. Usually each group was studying the same thing. So college came to mean an area of study.
The first American universities divided their studies into a number of areas and called each one a college. This is still true. 5. For example, Harvard College is the undergraduate part of Harvard University.
Programs in higher learning can also be called schools, like a school of engineering or a medical school within a college or university. You know, learning all these terms is an education in itself.
A. A college can also be a part of a university.
B. There are more universities than colleges in the USA.
C. They offer more programs and do more research.
D. “College” came from collegium, a Latin word with a similar meaning.
E. Universities and colleges offer students different opportunities.
F. Instead, they say “going off to college” and “when I was in college.”
G. Colleges and universities have many things in common.
高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析
The average person learns most of the 30 000～40 000 words whose meanings he or she recognizes by hearing them or getting familiar with them in the context or simply absorbing them without conscious effort. The best way to build a good vocabulary, therefore, is to read a great deal and to participate in a lot of good talks. There are relatively few words that we learn permanently by purposefully referring to dictionaries or keeping word lists. However, even those extra few are of value, and no one will make a mistake by working on developing a larger vocabulary. Here are some suggestions of how to do it.
Read plenty of good books. When you come across a new word, or a new meaning of an old word, stop and see if you can understand it from its context. If you can't, and if you can manage without interrupting the thought of the book too much, look it up in a dictionary or ask somebody and then repeat its meaning to yourself a couple of times. If you are really conscientious(认真的), write the word and its meaning in a personal vocabulary list － preferably using it in a sentence, or you can keep a special vocabulary notebook. Go over the list from time to time. Further, try to use a new word in writing or conversation a few times over the next several days.
Listen to good talks and be alert to new words you hear or to new meanings of words you already know. Then treat them just as you treat the new words you read.
Learn and be alert to the parts of words: prefixes, suffixes and roots. Knowing them enables you to make intelligent guesses about the meanings of words.
If you are studying a foreign language, be alert to words in that language which relate to words in English. English has inherited(继承) or borrowed much of its vocabulary of 500 000～600 000 words from Latin, Greek, French, Spanish and German.
1.When you meet a new word in reading, what should you do?
| A．Guess its meaning. | B．Ask somebody. |
| C．Look it up in a dictionary. | D．All of the above. |
2.According to this passage, the best way to build a good vocabulary is ______.
| A．to remember a lot | B．to read a great deal |
| C．to take part in a lot of good talks | D．both B and C |
3. The phrase “be alert to” in the third paragraph may best be replaced by “______”.
| A．look at | B．pay attention to | C．write down | D．learn by heart |
4. In the fourth paragraph, the word “them” refers to ______
| A．the parts of words | B．prefixes | C．suffixes | D．Roots |
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Archaeology, like many academic words, comes from Greek and means, more or less, “the study of old things”. So, it is really a part of the study of history. However, most historians use paper evidence, such as letters, paintings and photographs, but archaeologists learn from the objects left behind by the humans of long ago. Normally, these are the hard materials that don't break down or disappear very quickly—things like human bones and objects made from stone and metal.
It is very unusual to find anything more than the hard evidence of history—normally, the bacteria in the air eat away at soft materials, like bodies, clothes and things made of wood. Occasionally, things are different.
In 1984, two men made an amazing discovery while working in a bog called Lindow Moss, in the north of England. A bog is a very wet area of earth, with a lot of plants growing in it. It can be like a very big and very thick vegetable soup—walk in the wrong place and you can sink and disappear forever. The men were working when one of them saw something sticking out—a human foot! Naturally, the men called the police, who then found the rest of the body. Was it a case of murder? Possibly—but it was a death nearly two thousand years old. The two men had found a body from the time of the Roman invasion of Britain. Despite being so old, this body had skin, muscles, hair and internal organs—the scientists who examined him were able to look inside the man's stomach and find the food that he had eaten for his last meal!
Why was this man so well preserved? It was because he was in a very watery environment, safe from the bacteria that need oxygen to live. Also, the water in the bog was very acidic. The acid preserved the man's skin in the way that animal skin is preserved for leather coats and shoes.
How did he die? Understandably, archaeologists and other scientists wanted to know more about the person that they called “Lindow Man”. His hands and fingernails suggested that he hadn't done heavy manual work in his life—he could have been a rich man. They found that he hadn't died by accident. The archaeologists believe that he was sacrificed to three different gods.
1.The underlined word “these” in the first paragraph refers to ________.
A．letters B．photographs
C．paintings D．objects
2.Which of the following helped to preserve “Lindow Man”？
A．Ice and low temperature
B．Acid and water
C．Soil and energy
D．Bacteria and oxygen
3.According to the passage, which of the following statements is right?
A．“Lindow Man” was named after the person who first found him.
B．Historians usually use paper evidence, while archaeologists use hard evidence.
C．“Lindow Man” was found by two archaeologists in the south of England.
D．“Lindow Man” was good at work by hand.
4.Which is the best title for the passage?
A．An Amazing Archaeological Discovery
B．Archaeology and History
C．What Is Archaeology?
D．The Death of “Lindow Man”
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The term modern art sounds like it means art that is popular at the moment, but in fact, modern art is a style that originated over 150 years ago, and includes artists that by now have attained classic status, such as Picasso, Matisse, and Gauguin. And what’s even more ironic (讽刺的) is that the movement they pioneered, considered revolutionary at the time, was inspired largely by an object of a traditional and ancient design.
As far back as the Renaissance, the primary European art movements emphasized conventional representation and adherence (遵循) to classical forms. But that began to change in the late 19th century as artists like Van Gogh and Cezanne expanded the boundaries of painting. Soon, a movement arose that sought to create an entirely new style of art, and one way of doing so was to look beyond Western civilization.
Henri Matisse showed his friend Picasso a mask he had acquired made by the Dan tribe of the Ivory Coast. The mask awoke Picasso’s curiosity, leading him to visit the Trocadero Ethnographic Museum in Paris in 1907. The visit was eye-opening for Picasso, who declared that African masks were what painting was all about. At this time, Picasso had been working on a painting of five naked women in a style that would later come to be known as Cubism. And while three of these ladies show facial features found in ancient Iberian art, a nod to Picasso’s Spanish heritage, the faces of the two on the right closely resemble African masks. Created in 1907 after hundreds of sketches and studies, “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” has been considered the first truly 20th century masterpiece, breaking with many previously held notions in art.
Inspiration from ancient cultures started one of the most revolutionary movements in art history, but were these artists playing the role of explorers or conquerors, stealing ideas and profiting from cultures they considered primitive? Questions like this deserve scrutiny (审查), as artists continue to redefine standards. Perhaps not too long from now, the bold innovations (单新) of modern art will be overturned by a new set of pioneers drawing inspiration from another unlikely source.
1.The style of European art didn’t experience any changes until__________
A.artists turned to nature for inspiration.
B.artists looked beyond western civilization.
C.artists began to emphasize self-expression.
D.artists expanded the boundaries of painting.
2.What can we learn about “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon”?
A.It combined different cultural elements.
B.Its distinctive style invited much criticism.
C.It broke away from all conventional styles.
D.It was inspired by a visit to the Ivory Coast.
3.What does the author try to convey in the last paragraph?
A.Artistic creation involves imitation and innovation.
B.The pioneering role of modern artists is questionable.
C.Drawing inspiration from different cultures is essential.
D.It’s vital that the standards of art should change constantly.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.A Glimpse into Modern European Art
B.The Pioneering Figures of Modern Art
C.Why We Should Redefine Modern Art
D.How Ancient Art Influenced Modern Art
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them．Our purpose is to fit them for life．
In some modern countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that by free education for all — one can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation．But we can already see that free education for all is not enough; we find in such countries a far larger number of people with university degree; they refuse to do what they think “low” work; and, in fact, work with hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries．But we have only to think a moment to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer is far more important than that of a professor; we can live without education, but we die if we have no food. If no one cleaned our streets and took the rubbish away from our houses, we should get terrible diseases in our towns…
In fact, when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life, it means that we must be educated in such a way that, firstly, each of us can do whatever work suited to his brains and ability and, secondly, that we can realize that all jobs are necessary to society, and that is very bad to be ashamed of one’s work．Only such a type of education can be considered valuable to society．
1.The writer of the passage thinks that _______．
A．education can settle most of the world’s problems
B．free education for all probably leads to a perfect world
C．free education won’t help to solve problems
D．all the social problems can’t be solved by education
2.The writer wants to prove that _______．
A．our society needs all kinds of jobs
B．our society needs free education for all
C．a farmer is more important than a professor
D．work with hands is the most important
3.The purpose of education is _______．
A．to choose officials for the country
B．to prepare children mainly for their future work
C．to let everyone receive education fit for him
D．to build a perfect world
4.The passage tells us about _______ of the education．
A．the means B．the system C．the value D．the type
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析