Do you suppose Darwin, one of the greatest scientists of all time, really did foolish experiments? Or did he do experiments that were so simple and basic that other people just thought they were foolish?
Sometimes, people think they already know the answer to a question or the solution to a problem. Sometimes, they really do know an answer or a solution, but without thinking they are important.
Charles Darwin didn’t settle for(满足于)just thinking he knew something. And, he believed all things could be important however simple they seemed to be.
Suppose you drop sheets of paper that are of exactly the same size and shape. If you drop them at the same time in the same place, they will fall in the same way. Now make one of the sheets of paper into a tight little ball and let it drop along with the other sheets. What happens? You have done an experiment that is so simple that you might think it couldn’t be worth anything.
But this simple experiment is important. It explains part of our present-day understandings of physics, ideas that were worked out long ago by Galileo and Newton. And these understandings set aside some of ancient Greek physics.
Scientists sometimes stop to look at very simple things and to think very hard about them. Even the simplest idea, which we might think is foolish, can shake the foundations of science.
1.The passage tells us that Charles Darwin .
A.was a great English scientist
B.always liked doing the experiments that others thought difficult
C.thought even the simplest thing was important
D.didn’t get well with others
2.The underlined phrase “set aside” most probably means .
A.throw away B.store up
C.put to use D.realize
3.The author of the passage tries to .
A.convince us that Charles Darwin, Galileo and Newton are the greatest scientists in the world
B.draw the conclusion that basic sciences are simple things
C.prove that two sheets of paper, with the same size and shape, will fall at the same speed
D.draw our attention to everyday happenings around us
4.Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Darwin really did foolish experiments.
B.According to some people Darwin did foolish experiments.
C.It is believed by all the people that things could be important though they seemed to be simple.
D.Galileo and Newton worked out ancient Greek physics.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
Do you suppose Darwin, one of the greatest scientists of all time, really did foolish experiments? Or did he do experiments that were so simple and basic that other people just thought they were foolish?
Sometimes, people think they already know the answer to a question or the solution to a problem. Sometimes, they really do know an answer or a solution, but without thinking they are important.
Charles Darwin didn’t settle for(满足于)just thinking he knew something. And, he believed all things could be important however simple they seemed to be.
Suppose you drop sheets of paper that are of exactly the same size and shape. If you drop them at the same time in the same place, they will fall in the same way. Now make one of the sheets of paper into a tight little ball and let it drop along with the other sheets. What happens? You have done an experiment that is so simple that you might think it couldn’t be worth anything.
But this simple experiment is important. It explains part of our present-day understandings of physics, ideas that were worked out long ago by Galileo and Newton. And these understandings set aside some of ancient Greek physics.
Scientists sometimes stop to look at very simple things and to think very hard about them. Even the simplest idea, which we might think is foolish, can shake the foundations of science.
1.The passage tells us that Charles Darwin .
A.was a great English scientist
B.always liked doing the experiments that others thought difficult
C.thought even the simplest thing was important
D.didn’t get well with others
2.The underlined phrase “set aside” most probably means .
A.throw away B.store up
C.put to use D.realize
3.The author of the passage tries to .
A.convince us that Charles Darwin, Galileo and Newton are the greatest scientists in the world
B.draw the conclusion that basic sciences are simple things
C.prove that two sheets of paper, with the same size and shape, will fall at the same speed
D.draw our attention to everyday happenings around us
4.Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Darwin really did foolish experiments.
B.According to some people Darwin did foolish experiments.
C.It is believed by all the people that things could be important though they seemed to be simple.
D.Galileo and Newton worked out ancient Greek physics.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
It is one of the greatest mysteries of nature. In case you haven’t noticed, all living things follow very definite, individual rhythms, all as regular as a clock, but what makes them regular?
Though many scientists maintain that these rhythms are the result of some outside force like gravity or radiation or both, the results of most scientific researches agree with other scientists who believe that each living thing has its own built-in biological “time clock.”
Take the mystery of migration for example. Scientists can’t really explain why many species of birds migrate in the autumn even though the temperature is still summery. The birds just seem to snub the comfortable weather that they are having. When a certain time comes, they travel south by the thousand. In spring time, they migrate northwards when though there probably is snow still covering the ground when they finally arrive. Something said “go”, and they did.
Animals that hibernate are obeying individual time clock, too. When their clock indicates the time to take a winter’s nap, they do, and nothing can stop them. At a certain time in the spring, they wake up and come out regardless of the weather outside.
Plants appear to have yearly rhythms, such as the sprouting(发芽)of seeds, and they also have daily rhythms. Notice sometimes that plants raise their leaves in daylight and lower them at night.
If you live along the California coast, you can easily observe a demonstration of this mysterious clock functioning regularly. There, from February to September, the highest tides occur exactly every fourteen and four-fifths days, and during these high tides, but at no other time, small silvery fish called grunions surf-ride a wave to the beach. There the female deposits her eggs in the sand and the male, fertilize them; then both hitch a wave-ride back to the sea. Exactly fourteen and four-fifths days later, never before or after, the tiny eggs hatch, and the high tide carries the new habits out to sea.
1.According to the passage, the mysterious rhythms result from ________.
A.the influence of gravity on living species
B.the effect of radiation on living species
C.the influence of a mysterious outer force on living species
D.the internal mechanism inside the living species
2.The underlined word “snub” in the third paragraph probably means ________.
A.fight B.ignore
C.symbolize D.criticize
3.Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A.Hibernating animals are obeying an internal time clock.
B.The positioning of the leaves of some plants is due to the daily rhythms.
C.The internal clock functioning is demonstrated in the reproducing habits of grunions.
D.The yearly hibernation is more because of the weather influence than the biological functioning.
4.The passage is mainly about ________.
A.the rhythms of life B.the reasons of mysterious hibermation
C.strange behaviors of species D.the timing for different events in the world of species
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
语法填空,阅读下面短文,在空白处填入适当的内容(不多于3个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
Edison was one of the greatest scientists that greatly shaped modem society.
When he was seven, Edison's family moved from Ohio to Michigan after his father got a job there. Because of hearing problems, he had difficulty 1. (follow) the lessons and often ran away from school. However, he used the time 2. (read) books and set up a laboratory in his home. But the smell from his laboratory was often so strong 3. his mother had to stop him from carrying out any more experiments at home.
At the age of twelve, Edison got a job on the Grand Trunk Railway. There, he made use of an abandoned (被抛弃的) car 4. his laboratory. During that time, he 5. (success) developed a device (设备) that could send messages. By 1869, Edison' s inventions in telegraphy were widely accepted, 6. made him decide to leave the job and become a full-time7. (invent). Edison's most' "well-known" inventions included the electric light bulb, microphones and so on. In explaining 8. he could come up with so many inventions, Edison said "Genius is one per cent inspiration and ninety-nine per cent perspiration."
Edison 9. (die) at the age of 84 on October 18, 1931. At the time of his death, he was still doing experiments in his laboratory in West Orange, New Jersey. He clearly enjoyed his work and lived life to 10. fullest.
高二英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
One of the greatest soccer players of all time is Pelé. He was born in 1940 in Tres Coracoes, Brazil. His first soccer ball was a grapefruit. He also used an old sock and filled it with newspaper. Pelé left school at a young age to play soccer and work to help his family. Later in life, he finished high school and college.
Pelé scored 1,281 goals—more goals than any other player in the world. He helped Brazil win three World Cup titles.
Pelé retired from soccer in 1971. People all over the world admired Pelé. Presidents and world leaders invited him to their countries. Nigeria once stopped its war for three days to let Pelé play. His talent is very unusual. Doctors once tested Pelé to find out why he played soccer so well. They found that he had excellent eyesight. He is also very intelligent. Pelé liked to do math problems and play chess. He said these activities helped him play better.
Pelé is married and has three children. He likes to be with his family. He also plays the guitar and writes songs. Pelé cares about people, especially children. He gives money to help poor children. He never advertises for tobacco or liquor companies. He knows that he has a great influence on young people. Pelé once said that he wants to “unite people, never to separate them.” He is loved and admired all over the world.
1.The text is mainly talking about Pelé’s __________.
A. family B. life
C. hobby D. work
2.How old was Pelé when he stopped playing soccer?
A. 49 B. 39
C. 31 D. 22
3.Which words can best describe Pelé ?
A. Caring and responsible. B. Intelligent and aggressive.
C. Helpful and outgoing. D. Generous and modest .
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
—Which performance do you like best?
—All are marvelous and the best one is just a matter of personal________.
A. explanation B. preference
C. assumption D. reference
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Audrey Hepburn is one of Hollywood’s all-time greatest actress. She is famous not only in the USA, but also in other parts of the world.
Hepburn was born in Belgium on May 4, 1929. She began taking ballet (芭蕾) lessons at a very young age. She loved dancing and her dream was to become a successful ballet dancer. She had put most of her effort into ballet training before she entered the film industry.
In 1951, Hepburn was chosen to play the lead role of a young princess in the Hollywood film Roman(罗马) Holiday. It was a big success and Hepburn became famous immediately. She won an Oscar for Best Actress for her role in this film.
During her life time, Hepburn earned four more Oscar nominations(提名). Some well-known films that she acted in include Funny Face, Breakfast at Tiffany and My Fair Lady.
Hepburn also devoted much of her time to charity(慈善). She spent the last few years of her life working closely with UNICEF to help poor children in different parts of the world. She was honoured with a number of awards(奖励) because of her efforts in helping them.
1.Hepburn was born in ________.
A.USA B.Belguim C.Italy D.England
2.Her dream was to become a successful ______ when she was very young.
A.singer B.trainer C.dancer D.director
3.______ made Hepburn a big success.
A.Roman Holidays B.Funny Face C.Breakfast at Tiffany’s D.My Fair Lady
4.Hepburn was honoured with a number of awards because she __________.
A.acted in many films B.was good at ballet
C.gave everything to others D.did her best to help poor children
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
—Have you heard the bad news that Stephen Hawking, one of world’s greatest physicist passed away on March 14?
—You bet! It is only when you suddenly lose someone _______ you fully realize how much you value him.
A. do B. then
C. will D. that
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The deep sea is one of the most mysterious places on earth. Scientists rarely go there. Those few do discover new species all of the time. Many places of the deepest parts of the ocean, where it's forever dark, can light up. Now, a teen's research has shown new light on how one of these swimming animals behaves in darkness.
The giant flashlight fish lives in the Indian Ocean as well as in tropical parts of the central and western Pacific. It lives at depths of up to 400 meters, (about 1,300 feet). But not always. Sometimes it lives in coral reefs in shallow waters. In those shallow waters, the blackish-blue fish comes out only at night. Reef-dwelling members of this species tend to be smaller than those living in deeper waters. Those biggies can grow to lengths of 35meters (14inches). That may not sound like a giant, but they are the largest of their type of fish.
The giant flashlight fish gets its name from a small glow-in-the-dark patch found in a packet of tissue under each eye, explains Caroline Edmonds. She is a 13- year-old student from Fountain Valley, Calif. There, she attends Talbert Middle School. She said that the eye pockets in these fish contain light-producing bacteria.
These bacteria and their host fish have built a relationship that helps both. The fish use the bacteria as a way to communicate with creatures around them. The bacteria gain nutrients from the fish and a safe place to live. When a fish wants to “ flash” its light, it turns the bacteria-filled pocket toward the outside of its body, Caroline explains. When a fish wants to hide its light, it turns the pocket back toward the inside. According to her data, the fish flash most often when they are being fed. They flash least often late at night, when they are resting.
1.The deep sea is dark and mysterious, but _________
A. a teen's research is going to light it up.
B. in the deepest part, lives a swimming animal.
C. scientists are looking for a new species to light up.
D. a kind of glowing fish has been found there.
2.What do we know about the giant flashlight fish?
A. It doesn't like living in warm places.
B. It can be found in coral reefs at times.
C. It doesn't like moving around at night.
D. It always lives at depths of up to 400 meters.
3.From where does the giant flashlight fish produce light?
A. Between its wings.
B. Inside its body.
C. Inside its back.
D. Near its eyes.
4.We can infer from the passage that Caroline Edmonds _________
A. is probably on a research team.
B. has learned about the fish in the library.
C. has always focused on her studies at school.
D. is one of the most famous American scientists.
5.What is implied in the last paragraph?
A. The light is usually on when the fish is excited.
B. The fish is sometimes troubled by the light.
C. The fish can decide when to “flash” its light.
D. The light is usually on when the fish is resting.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Have you ever had a case ______ you were accused of not making the greatest efforts to do something well?
A. that B. where C. which D. when
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Do your spirits soar (猛增) on a sunny day? Do you relax at the sound of flowing water?
Some scientists suggest that these contacts with nature are good for your health. In one study, hospital patients with a view of trees had shorter hospital stays and less need for pain medications. Another study indicated that prisoners with a view of the outdoors had fewer doctor visits.
“Why do we desire nature? Maybe we’re programmed to need it, since our ancestors’ survival was so dependent on their connection with nature,” suggests biologist E.O. Wilson.
Want to find out if contact with nature improves your outlook on life? Try a few of these ideas.
Hang out a bird feeder and watch the birds that visit it.
Sit down in the backyard or a nearby park. Close your eyes. What do you hear? Birds singing? The wind in the trees? Crickets (蟋蟀) chirping?
Find an anthill. Sit down and watch the ants work.
Take a walk right after a rainstorm. What looks different? Smells different?
Go barefoot on a sandy beach.
Open the curtains and the window, if the weather allows it.
On a windy day, watch the trees.
Go to a creek, river or park fountain. Listen to the sound of water in motion.
Camp out in the backyard or at a nearby state park. Use a tent or sleep on the ground.
Find a wide-open space to study the stars. Learn about the different constellations (星座).
Raise a garden. Or plant some seeds in a flowerpot.
Go hiking with your family. Talk about all of the colors you see in nature.
Take a camera and capture your nature experience.
1.From Paragraph 2 we can learn that ______.
A. prisoners don’t like to go to the doctor when ill B. trees can be used as pain medications
C. prisoners should often get out of prison to come into contact with nature
D. contacts with nature are very helpful for hospital patients
2.According to E.O. Wilson, we desire nature probably because ______.
A. it can help us feel relaxed
B. we have inherited (继承) from our ancestors who were dependent on nature
C. people have lived with nature for thousands of years
D. contacts with nature can improve a person’s outlook on life
3. From the passage, we can learn that ______.
A. studying the constellations is important to everyone
B. you can know all the colors only by going hiking
C. nature is quite important to us D. walking in a rainstorm can be very helpful
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A. Go hiking with your familyB. Let nature nurture you.
C.Visit your doctor less.D.Watch the trees more often.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析