Mars on Earth
Devon Island has always been a cold and uninhabited(无人居住的) place in the Canadian Arctic. Day after day there are high winds and the temperature is below freezing. But for the first time, despite the terrible weather conditions, Devon Island is the new home for a group of explorers from NASA. They are living here for a few months in order to train and learn how to live and work on Mars. The group’s members come from various backgrounds and nationalities, but they all have the same purpose: to find out how people can live on Mars in the future.
They have chosen Devon Island because the environment and landscape is similar in many ways to Mars. The surface is freezing cold and the ground is rough. However, there are some differences on Mars, where the atmosphere is poisonous to breathe. Devon Island is easier to travel to and it has its own dangers that you won’t find on Mars. For example, you might meet a hungry polar bear on Devon Island!
One thing the team wants to develop is suitable clothing for Mars. This includes a space suit. The suit they are testing at the moment is strong enough but it’s too difficult to put on and take off. It’s very big and bulky, which means that just walking around is very difficult and tiring. In addition, people will need to do experiments on Mars while wearing the suit so they have to be able to move around easily. One team member, Andy Overbeeke, specializes in space suit engineering. He explains, “You have to think about what they’re really going to operate in.”
Another part of daily life on Mars will be meals and food. Creating a new home on Mars requires a lot of food. So the big question is: can you grow plants in order to survive? Scientists believe that growing plants on Mars might be possible. Mars and Earth have many similarities. They both have about the same amount of dry land and a 24-hour day. However, the atmosphere on Mars is totally different, so Canadian scientist Alain Berinstain is attempting to grow plants in a special greenhouse that you could also build on Mars. The greenhouse needs to run 365 days a year, so it uses a combination of solar energy and wind power.
People living on Mars will also want their own transportation. For this, the team on Devon Island have built the “Martian Rover”. It’s a huge heavy vehicle that can travel over rocks and rough terrain. This kind of testing takes many days but so far the work has been valuable and effective. As a result, the whole team now believes their work is crucial and that it’s possible for humans to land on the planet Mars and create a home there. Addy Overbeeke adds: “We know that it’s man’s destiny to go out and do space exploration. It’s always time to think about what you want to do in the future.”
1.The explorers are living on Devon Island to ________.
A.receive a training in astronomy
B.set up an advanced research lab
C.learn how to live and work on Mars
D.make a living in an uninhabited land
2.To keep food supply on Mars, people should ________.
A.create a new home
B.improve the atmosphere
C.build special greenhouses
D.reduce the area of dry land
3.According to the passage, we know that ________.
A.man may live on Mars in the future
B.Martian Rover has failed to stand the test
C.Mars and Devon Island have the same soil condition
D.scientists have mastered the method to grow plants on Mars
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Mars on Earth
Devon Island has always been a cold and uninhabited(无人居住的) place in the Canadian Arctic. Day after day there are high winds and the temperature is below freezing. But for the first time, despite the terrible weather conditions, Devon Island is the new home for a group of explorers from NASA. They are living here for a few months in order to train and learn how to live and work on Mars. The group’s members come from various backgrounds and nationalities, but they all have the same purpose: to find out how people can live on Mars in the future.
They have chosen Devon Island because the environment and landscape is similar in many ways to Mars. The surface is freezing cold and the ground is rough. However, there are some differences on Mars, where the atmosphere is poisonous to breathe. Devon Island is easier to travel to and it has its own dangers that you won’t find on Mars. For example, you might meet a hungry polar bear on Devon Island!
One thing the team wants to develop is suitable clothing for Mars. This includes a space suit. The suit they are testing at the moment is strong enough but it’s too difficult to put on and take off. It’s very big and bulky, which means that just walking around is very difficult and tiring. In addition, people will need to do experiments on Mars while wearing the suit so they have to be able to move around easily. One team member, Andy Overbeeke, specializes in space suit engineering. He explains, “You have to think about what they’re really going to operate in.”
Another part of daily life on Mars will be meals and food. Creating a new home on Mars requires a lot of food. So the big question is: can you grow plants in order to survive? Scientists believe that growing plants on Mars might be possible. Mars and Earth have many similarities. They both have about the same amount of dry land and a 24-hour day. However, the atmosphere on Mars is totally different, so Canadian scientist Alain Berinstain is attempting to grow plants in a special greenhouse that you could also build on Mars. The greenhouse needs to run 365 days a year, so it uses a combination of solar energy and wind power.
People living on Mars will also want their own transportation. For this, the team on Devon Island have built the “Martian Rover”. It’s a huge heavy vehicle that can travel over rocks and rough terrain. This kind of testing takes many days but so far the work has been valuable and effective. As a result, the whole team now believes their work is crucial and that it’s possible for humans to land on the planet Mars and create a home there. Addy Overbeeke adds: “We know that it’s man’s destiny to go out and do space exploration. It’s always time to think about what you want to do in the future.”
1.The explorers are living on Devon Island to ________.
A.receive a training in astronomy
B.set up an advanced research lab
C.learn how to live and work on Mars
D.make a living in an uninhabited land
2.To keep food supply on Mars, people should ________.
A.create a new home
B.improve the atmosphere
C.build special greenhouses
D.reduce the area of dry land
3.According to the passage, we know that ________.
A.man may live on Mars in the future
B.Martian Rover has failed to stand the test
C.Mars and Devon Island have the same soil condition
D.scientists have mastered the method to grow plants on Mars
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The famous car Rolls-Royce has been largely hand-made and always one of the most expensive cars on the market.
In fact, Rolls-Royce is made up of two men’s names, Charles S. Rolls and Henry Royce. They came from very different backgrounds, received very different educations and when they met; their careers were going in very different directions.
In 1903, Royce bought a second-hand France Decauville car. He found the car unreliable, difficult to start and overheated. Royce decided he could do better himself and set about building two-cylinder (双杠发动机) car of his own design. The first of these, built almost completely by Royce himself, was a success in almost every way: it started easily, ran smoothly and was very reliable. It never failed to impress everyone who saw it rode in the car, including Rolls.
While he was a university student at Cambridge, Rolls acquired a French Peugeot. It was the first automobile seen at Cambridge and by the time Rolls finished his studies, he was probably the most skilled driver in Britain. In 1902, Rolls went into the business of selling cars and became a leading automobile distributor. He was looking for a British car to market when he was told that Henry Royce had designed and built a two-cylinder automobile.
In 1904, Royce and Rolls joined together to build and sell motor car. They combined their talents—Royce the engineer and Rolls the salesman and businessman.
And, just two years later, the partnership produced the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, a milestone car acclaimed (盛赞) by many by the time as the “ best in the world”. Over the years the automaker built a legendary reputation.
1.The Rolls-Royce is expensive for its ______ .
A.procedure | B.engine |
C.function | D.impression |
2.The underlined word “distributor” in Paragraph 4 probably means ______ .
A.boss | B.producer |
C.buyer | D.seller |
3.According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A.The Rolls-Royce car is the most expensive car in the world. |
B.The two cylinder car built by Royce failed to impress people. |
C.When Rolls graduated from Cambridge University, he didn’t do well in driving. |
D.In 1906 the Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was popular with many people. |
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
The island Fiji has always been around me in my life. My parents met in Fiji when my father was a teacher as a Peace Corps volunteer and my mother a student. They taught me about its people, culture, foods and religious beliefs.
At the age of two, I made my first trip across the Pacific Ocean to Fiji. My mother and I made that trip unexpectedly because my grandma was ill and longed to see her American granddaughter. Although I have few memories of that first trip, I do remember grandma braiding (编辫子)my hair every day. The brush gliding through my hair is a feeling I will treasure forever because she passed away soon. I returned to America when I was five years old. This time I had a brother, Martin, who was two.
I resisted my third trip to Fiji when I was 15, being a teenager who did not want to spend the summer away from friends. It was this trip, however, that made me realize that Fiji is not just a place to visit but a part of who I am. The smells and sounds and sights came back to me, but the best part was getting to know my relatives.
Vishal was one cousin I quickly bonded with. Born two days before me, I had only known him through pictures before. Though raised oceans apart in different cultures, we talked and laughed about everything from American sports to Fijian dancing. I was able to form close ties with all my cousins, and when I talk about them now, it’s as if I have known them my whole life. Spending time with them helped me understand the traditions and values my mother grew up with. Hospitality and care and respect for family members are central values in Fijian culture.
I truly enjoyed learning about my roots during this trip. Fiji is just like a second home, and I will never forget the time I have spent there.
1.From the passage, we can learn that _______.
A.the author’s parents had been classmates before
B.the author had lived in Fiji for about five years
C.the author had no memories of her grandma
D.people value family in Fijian culture
2.The author resisted her third trip to Fiji because _____.
A.she didn’t want to separate from her brother
B.she didn’t know her cousins there very well
C.she didn’t want to separate from her American friends
D.her grandma had passed away
3.Which of the following is TRUE about Vishal?
A.He is younger than the author.
B.The author had met him on her first trip to Fiji.
C.He and the author had lots of common interests.
D.He and the author held different opinions about Fijian culture.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It has been cold and windy recently. If only it ______sunny and clear now!
A. is B. should be
C. were D. being
高二英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
Swim-with-dolphins
Humans have always been fascinated by dolphins and there has been a long history of association between the two. 1.. The “swim-with-dolphins” tourist industry is becoming more popular every year. The chance to see dolphins in the wild is often a lifetime dream for many people and tour operators are always on the lookout to give their tourist swimmers the best experience they can. After all, it can cost a large amount of money to have this kind of holiday experience. 2.
Research has shown that while dolphins can move away if they do not want to interact with human swimmers , they do not like it at all if the swimmers slip into the water directly on top of them or if humans are in their path of travel. However, if swimmers enter the water to one side of them, the dolphins do not avoid the swimmers to the same extent. 3.
In all cases, the dolphins seem to have become more sensitive to the presence of the swimmers. For dolphins, swimming with humans is not necessarily a high priority(优先权). 4. It is a new and unusual experience for them .
5. The advice is that dolphins should be given adequate periods of time throughout the day when they are not exposed to tourism. Humans’ lifelong dreams of swimming with dolphins in the wild have severely affected them, leaving not enough time for them to rest and take care of their own babies.
If we are to enjoy these remarkable animals and not just use them for our entertainment, then we must carefully monitor the “swim-with-dolphins” industry worldwide.
A. They cannot fulfill their lifelong dreams .
B. This possibly seems like less threatening behavior to them.
C. In the long term there could be harmful effects on the dolphin’s well-being.
D. It is frequently asked whether “swim-with-dolphins” tourism should be stopped.
E. So tour operators try to place eager swimmers as near as possible to the dolphins.
F. Over time this has turned into a worldwide tourist activity--swimming with dolphins.
G. In fact , only some baby dolphins will be relatively willing to participate in the interaction.
高二英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
It has always been thought that alcohol causes people to put on weight because it contains a lot of sugar, but new research suggests a glass a day cold form part of a diet. Looking at past studies they found that, while heavy drinkers do put on weight; those who drink in moderation can actually lose weight.
A spokesman for the research team at Navarro University in Spain says, “Light to moderate alcohol intake, especially of wine, may be more likely to protect against, rather than promote, weight gain.” The International Scientific Forum on Alcohol research reviewed the findings and agreed with most of the conclusions, particularly that data do not clearly indicate if moderate drinking increases weight.
Boston University’s Dr. Harvey Finkel found that the biologic mechanisms(生物学机制) relating alcohol to changes in body weight are not properly understood. His team pointed out the strong protective effects of moderate drinking on the risk of getting conditions like diabetes(糖尿病), which relate to increasing obesity. Some studies suggest that even very obese people may be at lower risk of diabetes if they are moderate drinkers.
The group says alcohol provides calories that are quickly absorbed into the body and are not stored in fat, and that this process could explain the differences in its effects from those of other foods. They agree that future research should be directed towards assessing the roles of different types of alcoholic drinks, taking into consideration drinking patterns and including the past tendency of participants to gain weight.
For now there is little evidence that consuming small to moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis increases one’s risk of becoming obese. What’s more, a study three years ago suggested that resveratrol白藜芦醇, a compound present in grapes and red wine destroys fat cells.
1.The passage is mainly for those_________
A. who produce wine B. who go on a diet
C. who have a drinking habit D. who are eager to lose weight
2.The underlined phrase“ in moderation” in the first paragraph means_________.
A. excitedly B. carefully
C. frequently D. properly
3.What can we learn from the passage
A. Current data clearly show that moderate drinking increases weight.
B. Resveratrol is proved to increase the risk of becoming fat.
C. The research found moderate drinking has a strong protective effect.
D. The specific roles of different types of alcoholic drinks are very clear.
4.What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
A. How to do some easy experiments.
B. How to reduce the calories contained in wine.
C. How to make wine in a healthy way.
D. How to prove the finding mentioned above.
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
It has always been thought that alcohol causes people to put on weight because it contains a lot of sugar, but new research suggests a glass a day cold form part of a diet. Looking at past studies they found that, while heavy drinkers do put on weight; those who drink in moderation can actually lose weight.
A spokesman for the research team at Navarro University in Spain says, "Light to moderate alcohol intake, especially of wine, may be more likely to protect against, rather than promote, weight gain." The International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research reviewed the findings and agreed with most of the conclusions, particularly that data do not clearly indicate if moderate drinking increases weight.
Boston University’s Dr. Harvey Finkel found that the biologic mechanisms(生物学机制) relating alcohol to changes in body weight are not properly understood. His team pointed out the strong protective effects of moderate drinking on the risk of getting conditions like diabetes(糖尿病), which relate to increasing obesity. Some studies suggest that even very obese people may be at lower risk of diabetes if they are moderate drinkers.
The group says alcohol provides calories that are quickly absorbed into the body and are not stored in fat, and that this process could explain the differences in its effects from those of other foods. They agree that future research should be directed towards assessing the roles of different types of alcoholic drinks, taking into consideration drinking patterns and including the past tendency of participants to gain weight.
For now there is little evidence that consuming small to moderate amounts of alcohol on a regular basis increases one’s risk of becoming obese. What’s more, a study three years ago suggested that resveratrol(白藜芦醇), a compound present in grapes and red wine destroys fat cells.
1.The passage is mainly for those___________.
A. who produce wine
B. who have a drinking habit
C. who go on a diet
D. who are eager to lose weight
2.The underlined phrase" in moderation" in the first paragraph means ___________.
A. excitedly B. carefully
C. frequently D. properly
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Current data clearly show that moderate drinking increases weight.
B. Resveratrol is proved to increase the risk of becoming fat.
C. The research found moderate drinking has a strong protective effect.
D. The specific roles of different types of alcoholic drinks are very clear.
4.What is most likely to be discussed in the paragraph that follows?
A. How to do some easy experiments.
B. How to reduce the calories contained in wine.
C. How to prove the finding mentioned above.
D. How to make wine in a healthy way.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It was very cold and I had been watching a homeless man make himself comfortable in a “shelter” on the river bank. His “shelter” was a tarpaulin (油布) tied to rocks to keep the wind from blowing it away. He had been living there for over a month. I never saw him with warm clothing or food. I knew what I wanted to do.
When I told my parents what I wanted to do they were alarmed. They said I could be putting myself at risk, taking a box to a homeless person at night! But I knew, in my deep heart, that I would be safe.
I got a box. My parents watched as I added warm gloves, a heavy blanket ... into the box until it was full! Then, I put a Christmas card on top. It said, “Even though we hardly know each other, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas!” I put ten one-dollar bills inside it as well.
My father insisted he went there with me as it was 10 pm on Christmas Eve. I said he could drive me but he had to stay in the car. He agreed.
I took the box and walked towards his “house”. I called, “Sir, I have a Christmas box for you!”
“Go away!” he shouted.
“Sir,” I repeated.
“Go away!” he shouted.
“Why?” I asked him.
He walked over and I expected to see an angry face. Instead I saw two of the most beautiful, gentle, blue eyes I have ever seen.
“Merry Christmas!” I said.
“Why are you doing this?” he asked.
“Because you matter to me,” I said. With that I gave him the box.
Tears came to his eyes and he thanked me. I got back to the car and watched him carry the box like it was filled with gold. I didn’t want to embarrass (使困窘) him by watching him any more so Dad and I left.
1.The underlined word “alarmed” can best be replaced by _____.
A. pleased B. worried
C. disappointed D. surprised
2.Why did the author ask his father to stay in the car?
A. Because he wanted to prove he was brave.
B. Because he believed the homeless man was bad.
C. Because he wanted to protect his father from being hurt.
D. Because he didn’t want the homeless man to feel bad.
3.When the homeless man saw the author first, he was _____.
A. quite angry B. very excited
C. quite puzzled D. very curious
4.The author’s purpose in writing the text is to tell readers that _____.
A. it is easier said than done
B. poverty is the mother of health
C. where there is a will, there is a way
D. a willing helper does not wait until he is asked
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Jessica has always been honest and straightforward, and it doesn’t matter ______ that she’s talking to.
A.who is it B.who it is C.it is who D.it is whom
高二英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析
The relationship between humans and animals has always been complex. Some cultures have developed entire belief systems around favored animals. Even in cultures with less formal belief systems, connections between people and animals still lead to commonly accepted opinions about animals.
These belief systems usually develop around the animals that interact (互动) with humans most frequently. Therefore, it should not be surprising that so many stories surround the most common of animals: rats. Rats live side by side with humans all over the world and regularly interact with people. Human-rat coexistence may be common all around the world, but different cultures respond to that closeness in different ways.
In the United States and Europe, one typical attitude is that the rat is a pest. This could be due to the common belief that rats spread disease. Actually, they don’t, at least not directly, but many people don’t know that. The Pied Piper of Hamlin, a well-known children’s story, is one example of how rats have been described in Western literature: in that story, rats cause such a problem that a town has to hire a piper to call them all away.
In many Latin American countries, the rat is described in a very different way. The story of the tooth fairy (a fairy believed by children to leave money while they sleep in exchange for a tooth that has come out) is common all over the world, but in Latin America, the “fairy” is a rat! Rats do have very strong teeth, which could explain the association. Clearly, this shows another attitude toward rats that is much more positive.
Yet another attitude toward the rat can be seen in the Chinese Zodiac (生肖). The Rat is one of the animals of the Zodiac. Like the other zodiac animals, the Rat is neither entirely good nor entirely bad. It’s described as clever and friendly, but also tricky and not entirely honest. That may be the most accurate description of the rat so far. Whether you like rats or not, it’s hard to deny their reputation for cleverness.
As many people are discovering these days, rats can even make excellent pets, so long as you remember to close the cage carefully!
1.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A. A trend of keeping rats as pets.
B. How different cultures look at rats.
C. How humans get along with animals.
D. Favored animals in different cultures.
2.The rats in The Pied Piper of Hamlin appear______.
A. unpleasant B. honest C. smart D. unusual
3.The tooth fairy in Latin America mentioned in Paragraph4 is to show______.
A. the tooth fairy is lovely
B. rats look very frightening
C. rats are welcome in Latin American countries
D. the story of the tooth fairy is common all over the world
4.According to the author, rats______.
A. don’t spread disease
B. should be treated as pests
C. are fairly described in the Chinese Zodiac
D. are kept as pets by more and more people
5.The passage is probably taken from a ______.
A. travel guide B. news report C. nature magazine D. history textbook
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析