On August 29th, as Hurricane Dorian tracked towards America’s east coast, Elon Musk, the boss of Tesla, an electric-car maker, announced that some of his customers in the storm’s path would find that their cars had suddenly developed the ability to drive farther on a single battery charge. Like many modern vehicles, Mr. Musk’s products are best thought of as internet-connected computers on wheels. The cheaper models in Tesla’s line-up have parts of their batteries disabled by the car’s software in order to limit their range. At the tap of a keyboard in Palo Alto, the firm was able to remove those restrictions and give drivers temporary access to the full power of their batteries.
Mr. Musk’s computerized cars are just one example of a much broader trend. As computers and connectivity become cheaper, it makes sense to bake them into more and more things that are not, in themselves, computers, creating an “internet of things”.
Such a world will bring many benefits. Consumers will get convenience, and products that can do things non-computerized versions cannot. Businesses will get efficiency, as information about the physical world that used to be uncertain becomes concrete and analyzable.
In the long term, though, the most obvious effects will be in how the world works. Ever more companies will become tech companies; the internet will become everywhere. As a result, a series of unresolved arguments will spill over from the virtual world into the real one.
Start with ownership. As Mr Musk showed, the internet gives firms the ability to stay connected to their products even after they have been sold, transforming them into something closer to services than goods. That has already made the traditional ideas of ownership unclear. When Microsoft closed its ebook store in July, for instance, its customers lost the ability to read titles they had bought (the firm offered refunds). That shifts the balance of power from the customer to the seller.
Virtual business models will jar in the physical world. Tech firms are generally happy to move fast and break things. But you cannot release the beta version (测试版) of a fridge. Apple, a smartphonemaker, provides updates for its phones for only five years or so after their release; users of Android smartphones are lucky to get two. But goods such as washing machines or industrial machinery can have lifespans of a decade or more. Firms will need to work out how to support complicated computerised devices long after their original programmers have moved on.
Data will be another flashpoint. For much of the internet the business model is to offer “free” services that are paid for with valuable user data, collected with consent (同意) that is half-informed at best. In the virtual world, arguments about what should be tracked, and who owns the resulting data, can seem airy and theoretical. In the real one, they will feel more urgent.
Predicting the consequences of any technology is hard — especially one as universal as computing. The emergence of the consumer internet, 25 years ago, was met with starry-eyed optimism. These days the internet’s faults dominate the headlines. But the people have the advantage of having lived through the first internet revolution — which should give them some idea of what to expect.
1.From the passage we can tell that Tesla can ______.
A.drive faster than usual in extreme weather B.adjust the range of its battery power
C.charge the battery at the tap of a keyboard D.operate when the battery is fully drained
2.Which of the following is NOT an example of the “unresolved arguments” mentioned in the passage?
A.Early adopters of certain apps find that they ceased to work after the firm lost interest.
B.The insurance company uses data from fitness trackers to adjust customers’ premiums(保费).
C.Computerized machinery can’t predict its breakdowns or schedule preventive maintenance.
D.A high-tech fridge company restricts its customers from repairing their fridges themselves.
3.The underlined word jar probably means _______ in this context.
A.boom B.conflict C.vanish D.expand
4.This passage is mainly about _______.
A.how the world will change as computers spread into everyday objects
B.the adoption of electric vehicles and the possible problems to expect
C.what should be done to prevent the breakdown of computerized devices
D.different views on the current application of Internet Technology
高三英语阅读理解困难题
On August 29th, as Hurricane Dorian tracked towards America’s east coast, Elon Musk, the boss of Tesla, an electric-car maker, announced that some of his customers in the storm’s path would find that their cars had suddenly developed the ability to drive farther on a single battery charge. Like many modern vehicles, Mr. Musk’s products are best thought of as internet-connected computers on wheels. The cheaper models in Tesla’s line-up have parts of their batteries disabled by the car’s software in order to limit their range. At the tap of a keyboard in Palo Alto, the firm was able to remove those restrictions and give drivers temporary access to the full power of their batteries.
Mr. Musk’s computerized cars are just one example of a much broader trend. As computers and connectivity become cheaper, it makes sense to bake them into more and more things that are not, in themselves, computers, creating an “internet of things”.
Such a world will bring many benefits. Consumers will get convenience, and products that can do things non-computerized versions cannot. Businesses will get efficiency, as information about the physical world that used to be uncertain becomes concrete and analyzable.
In the long term, though, the most obvious effects will be in how the world works. Ever more companies will become tech companies; the internet will become everywhere. As a result, a series of unresolved arguments will spill over from the virtual world into the real one.
Start with ownership. As Mr Musk showed, the internet gives firms the ability to stay connected to their products even after they have been sold, transforming them into something closer to services than goods. That has already made the traditional ideas of ownership unclear. When Microsoft closed its ebook store in July, for instance, its customers lost the ability to read titles they had bought (the firm offered refunds). That shifts the balance of power from the customer to the seller.
Virtual business models will jar in the physical world. Tech firms are generally happy to move fast and break things. But you cannot release the beta version (测试版) of a fridge. Apple, a smartphonemaker, provides updates for its phones for only five years or so after their release; users of Android smartphones are lucky to get two. But goods such as washing machines or industrial machinery can have lifespans of a decade or more. Firms will need to work out how to support complicated computerised devices long after their original programmers have moved on.
Data will be another flashpoint. For much of the internet the business model is to offer “free” services that are paid for with valuable user data, collected with consent (同意) that is half-informed at best. In the virtual world, arguments about what should be tracked, and who owns the resulting data, can seem airy and theoretical. In the real one, they will feel more urgent.
Predicting the consequences of any technology is hard — especially one as universal as computing. The emergence of the consumer internet, 25 years ago, was met with starry-eyed optimism. These days the internet’s faults dominate the headlines. But the people have the advantage of having lived through the first internet revolution — which should give them some idea of what to expect.
1.From the passage we can tell that Tesla can ______.
A.drive faster than usual in extreme weather B.adjust the range of its battery power
C.charge the battery at the tap of a keyboard D.operate when the battery is fully drained
2.Which of the following is NOT an example of the “unresolved arguments” mentioned in the passage?
A.Early adopters of certain apps find that they ceased to work after the firm lost interest.
B.The insurance company uses data from fitness trackers to adjust customers’ premiums(保费).
C.Computerized machinery can’t predict its breakdowns or schedule preventive maintenance.
D.A high-tech fridge company restricts its customers from repairing their fridges themselves.
3.The underlined word jar probably means _______ in this context.
A.boom B.conflict C.vanish D.expand
4.This passage is mainly about _______.
A.how the world will change as computers spread into everyday objects
B.the adoption of electric vehicles and the possible problems to expect
C.what should be done to prevent the breakdown of computerized devices
D.different views on the current application of Internet Technology
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
On August 29th，Elon Musk, the boss of Tesla, an electric-car maker, announced that some of his customers would find that their cars had suddenly developed the ability to drive farther on a single battery charge. Like many modern vehicles, Mr.Musk's products are best thought of as Internet-connected computers on wheels. The cheaper models in Tesla' line-up have parts of their batteries disabled by the car’s software in order to limit their range. At the tap of a keyboard in Palo Alto, the firm was able to remove those restrictions and give drivers temporary access to the full power of their batteries.
Mr. Musk's computerized cars are just one example of a much broader trend. As computers and connectivity become cheaper, it makes sense to bake them into more and more things that are not, in themselves, computers creating an “Internet of things”, or IoT. It is a slow revolution that has been gathering pace for years, as computers have found their way into cars, telephones and televisions. But the transformation is about to speed up. One forecast is that by 2035 the world will have a trillion connected computers, built into everything from food packaging to bridges and clothes.
Such a world will bring many benefits.Consumers will get convenience. Amazon's Ring smart doorbells, for instance, come equipped with motion sensors(运动传感器) and video cameras. Working together, they can also form what is, in effect, a private CCTV(closed circuit television) network, allowing the firm to offer its customers a“digital neighborhood-watch”scheme and pass any interesting video along to the police.
Business will get efficiency, as information about the physical world that used to be temporary and uncertain becomes concrete and analyzable. Connected cows can have their eating habits and vital signs tracked in real time, which means they produce more milk and require less medicine when they fall ill. Such gains are individually small but, mixed again and again across an economy, they are the raw material of growth potentially a great deal of it.
In the long term, though, the most noticeable effects of the IoT will be on how the world works. One way to think of it is to regard it as the second phase of the Internet. Ever, more companies will become tech companies; the Internet will become widespread. As a result, a series of unsolved arguments about ownership, data, competition and security will spill over from the virtual world into the real one.
1.Why does the author mention Elon Musk?
A.To tell a story about his car.
B.To introduce the topic.
C.To inform readers of his Tesla.
D.To explain batteries on electric Cars.
2.What can we infer about the IoT from Paragraph 2?
A.It is under connection.
B.It is getting computerized.
C.It is getting widespread use.
D.It is connecting computers.
3.What benefits can the IoT bring in the future?
A.It will bring convenience and efficiency.
B.It can help upload videos onto the Internet.
C.It can save cows from being ill.
D.It will bring small gains.
4.According to the last paragraph what will be discussed in the following part?
A.The evolution of the IoT.
B.Applying the IoT to the virtual world.
C.Its main use in tech companies.
D.Its effects on the real world.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
When will the speakers arrive at the camp?
A.On August 5th. B.On August 6th. C.On August 7th.
高三英语短对话中等难度题查看答案及解析
Construction on Knolly's Tunnel began in 1896， and it was opened on August 13th， 1898 by the man it was named after--Sir Clement C． Knolly， Acting Governor of Trinidad． It linked Rio Claro with Port of Spain． Its architecture is still admired and studied today， and many are amazed that Knolly's Tunnel has stood up to the earth's movement over so many years．
Much research is being done on the tunnel． At the top of Knolly's Tunnel are cottages covered with leaves， where visitors can sit and enjoy the beauty of nature． Standing at the beginning of Knolly's Tunnel， you can see nothing but the tiny light at the end． The train tracks have been removed and replaced with small stones． Visitors can drive through the tunnel or walk through， but should do so in groups for safety． In the old days， there were no lights， but now there are street lights on the way to the tunnel， though not inside．
On your way in， you may notice some manholes on the walls of the tunnel． These were there for individuals to step into for safety as the train passed． Knolly's Tunnel can be accessed through Tabaquite and through Mitchell Gap． The road was recently improved， but is better when you enter from Tabaquite， and there are signs on the road directing you to Knolly's Tunnel．
On the drive to Knolly's Tunnel there are two other cottages where visitors can sit and just enjoy nature． At the site itself， there is nothing to purchase to eat or drink， but in Tabaquite there are several bars， a restaurant， and food outlets． A gas station and a health centre are also close by．
For those who admire architecture， Knolly's Tunnel is a must-see when visiting Trinidad． For the nature lovers， there is no better place for them to be and for the historians， they can walk or drive through Knolly's Tunnel knowing that many of our ancestors toiled （worked hard） on its structure． So when you visit Trinidad， don't forget to take a look at Knolly's Tunnel!
1.Knolly's Tunnel is special in ______ ．
A. its environment B. its function
C. its location D. its architecture
2.The underlined word "site" in the paragraph 4 refers to ______ ．
A. Trinidad B. Tabaquite
C. Mitchell Gap D. Knolly's Tunnel
3.What is the purpose of the passage？ ______
A. To suggest a visit to Knolly's Tunnel．
B. To introduce the history of Knolly's Tunnel．
C. To evaluate the value of Knolly's Tunnel．
D. To witness the change of Knolly's Tunnel
4.The passage above is probably taken from ______ ．
A. a geography textbook B. a travel journal
C. a sports report D. a health and fitness magazine
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
On Sunday, August 24th, comic book lovers across the world held their breath to watch how much crazy collectors would pay for a rare Superman comic book. Though bids (出价) above the initial asking price of 1 million dollars had been coming in gradually since the copy was placed on the auction site (拍卖网站) eBay on July 14th, things really started to heat up during the final minutes when the price jumped from $2.5 to $2.6 and then $2.7 million, before shooting up to unbelievable 3,207,852 dollars!
This of course was no ordinary Superman comic book, but an edition of the extremely sought-after (很吃香地) No. 1 of Action Comics series — the first publication of the superhero that was born from the creative minds of teenagers Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. Though Action Comics No. 1, which depicted a diaper-clad baby Superman lifting furniture, had a print run of 200,000 copies, only about 100 are known to exist today.
While the rarity is certainly a reason for the high price, Stephen Fisher, CEO of ComicConnect.com, thinks it also has a lot to do with the fact that Superman was the world’s first superhero! Even so, none of the copies have been able to fetch (售得) as much as the most recent one, simply because they have not been as well-preserved. Graded a rare 9 out of 10 by CGC, a third party grading service for comic books, the book is the highest rated copy of Action Comics No. 1 so far. According to CGC officials, the 76-year-old comic book looks and feels as though it has just come off the newsstand (报摊).
That is not surprising given that the original owner, a Virginian man who bought the book for only 10 cents in 1938, had carefully tucked it away (藏起来) in a wooden box for four decades. Fortunately, when he passed away, the book was bought by a string of collectors who all realized it was a rare treasure that needed to be looked after.
Before this, the highest price paid for an Action Comics No. 1 had been $2 million for a copy sold by Hollywood actor Nicholas Cage in 2011. Ironically, the two teenagers responsible for creating Superman received just 130 dollars when they sold the rights to the superhero to comic book publisher Detective Comics in 1938.
1.the Superman comic book was placed on eBay on July 14th, .
A. it attracted no attention at all
B. things started to heat up immediately
C. the bid price didn’t go up very quickly at first
D. people thought it was worth millions of dollars
2.What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
A. Why the comic book is well-preserved.
B. Why the comic book is well worth reading.
C. Why the comic book is worth so much money.
D. Why the comic book has drawn so much attention.
3.When the other collectors got the comic book after the Virginian man, they .
A. all took very good care of it
B. all liked reading it very much
C. didn’t believe it was worth a fortune
D. all kept it in the same way as that man
4.What do we know about the creators of Superman?
A. They didn’t want to sell the rights to a comic book publisher.
B. They knew all along Superman would be the most successful comic book.
C. They were professional comic book writers when they created Superman.
D. They didn’t make much money from creating Superman.
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
On Tuesday August 11th, 1911, in the room where the world’s most famous painting, the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, was on display, there was an empty space where the painting should have been．The next day headlines all over the world announced the theft．
Actually the Leonardo had been long gone．The museum was always closed on Mondays for maintenance(维修)．Just before closing time on Sunday three men had entered the museum, and hid themselves in a storeroom．Early next morning, they took the painting and left．
Nothing was seen or heard of the painting for two years until Perrugia tried to sell it to a dealer for half a million lire．Perrugia was arrested and imprisoned for seven months．It seemed that the crime of the century had been solved．
But had it? Perrugia claimed all responsibility for the theft, and it was twenty years before the whole story came out．In fact Perrugia had been working for Valfierno and Chaudron, who went unpunished for their crime．They would offer to steal a famous painting from a gallery(美术馆) for a dishonest dealer or private collector．They would then make a copy of the picture and, with the help of bribed(受贿的) gallery workers, would then attach the copy to the back of the original painting．The dealer would then be taken to the gallery and make a secret mark on the back of the painting．Of course the dealer would actually be marking the copy．After having been given the marked painting, if the dealer were to see the painting still in the gallery, he would be persuaded that it was a copy, and that he possessed the genuine one．
This time, however, they stole the original．Before Perrugia was arrested, Valfierno and Chaudron had gone to New York．Valfierno told the story to a journalist in 1914, on condition that it would not be published until his death．
Does the story end there? Collectors have claimed that Perrugia returned a copy．It is also possible that Leonardo may have painted several versions of the Mona Lisa, or they might be copies made by Leonardo’s pupils．There has been a lot of argument about the 450-year-old painting, but after all, maybe that’s what she’s smiling about．
1.The Mona Lisa was stolen on _________．
A．August 9th B．August 10th C．August 11th D．August 12th
2.Choose the right time order of the following events．
a．Valfierno told the story to a journalist． b．Perrugia was arrested．
c．The truth was published． d．The Mona Lisa was stolen．
e．Valfierno went to New York． f．The theft was announced．
A．d, f, b, e, a, c B．d, f, e, b, a, c C．d, f, b, e, c, a D．f, d, e, b, c, a
3.We can infer from the passage that _________．
A．In most cases, Valfierno did not sell the original paintings
B．The Mona Lisa was painted 45 years ago
C．Perrugia returned a copy
D．Perrugia was not to blame for the theft
4.All of the following about Valfierno and Chaudron are true EXCEPT_________．
A．They stole paintings and then sold them to dishonest dealers．
B．They were not punished for stealing the Mona Lisa．
C．They kept the story to themselves until death．
D．They sometimes bribed gallery workers to help them．
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
The fantastic mud-rock flow in Zhouqu of Gansu at about 22 o’clock on August 7th, 2010 was considered______ deaths of more than 1,000 natives .
| A．to cause | B．causing | C．to be causing | D．to have caused |
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
In August 2017, Southeast Texas was underwater. Hurricane Harvey dumped five feet of rain in some areas, and nearly six feet of storm surge(风暴潮) made sure that the water had nowhere to go but into the houses, businesses, and lives of thousands of residents. More than 100 people died and $125 billion in damage was recorded before the waters went down weeks later.
About 30 miles due west of Houston, Katy, Texas, a former farm town of 18,000 residents, took a hard hit. Nearly 700 of its homes and 80 businesses were damaged or destroyed. But locals didn't wait for the rain to stop before opening their doors, refrigerators, and wallets to first responders, neighbors, strangers, and even pets.
Beaver Aplin, owner of the popular Buc-ee's chain of convenience stores, was preparing for the grand opening of his newest location just outside Katy. The 50,000-square-foot store was fully stocked with everything from food, water, and toiletries to batteries and Band-Aids. When the storm hit, Aplin opened the store early without thinking twice. He put the word out to first responders, telling them to take what they needed, free of charge.
Meanwhile, locals ran, drove, and paddled to rescue their neighbors stuck in the water. When the water was too deep, rescue came by boat. Pat Lester drove his air-boat into town from his home on the outskirts(郊外). He had seven life jackets, so he scooped up seven people at a time, starting with pregnant women, the elderly, and anyone who was ill.
These are just a small part of the stories of heroism that came out of Katy and all over Texas during one of the worst natural disasters the country has ever seen.
Even first responders coming from outside Katy could instantly feel the town's selfless spirit. ''We helped people in lots of other areas too, but Katy was amazing. Neighbors were going from house to house checking on people and helping everyone they could, '' David Scherff told Katy Magazine.
1.What was the result of Hurricane Harvey?
A.It killed almost 700 people. B.It cost $125 billion in damage.
C.It totally destroyed Katy. D.It forced all businesses to close.
2.What can best describe the people in Katy after reading the story?
A.Brave and selfless B.Driven and focused
C.Optimistic and open-minded D.Calm and intelligent
3.Why did Katy Magazine quote David Scheff’s words in the last paragraph?
A.To show respect to the first responders in Katy.
B.To point out the importance of natural disaster relief.
C.To praise Katy people for their heroic behavior in the floods.
D.To emphasize the need to help each other through hard times.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What did the woman do on August 20th last year?
A. She held a party B. She saw a doctor. C. She attended a wedding
2.Where did the speakers last met?
A. At Michael's house B. In an Indian restaurant. C. At Peters place
高三英语长对话中等难度题查看答案及解析
As more Europeans arrived in America 500 years ago, they were in such great need of the land that they and the Native American Indians battled constantly. By the end of the 19th century, most Indian tribes (部落) were moved to reservations. A lot of their children were taken away to boarding schools to learn to speak English. By the end of the 20th century, more than half of the Native Americans in the US were living in the cities. They gave up speaking their old tribal language and only used English. As a result, many Native American languages disappeared and with that their culture.
Today some American Indian languages are usually spoken by the older members of the tribes who still live on the reservations. In North America there are 150-170 languages that have at least one speaker. One ancient language spoken by the Northern Paiute tribe has over 100 speakers.
But the good news is that some of these people are keeping their culture and language alive. They are also receiving help from the National Geographic Society’s Enduring Voices project, whose aim is to help languages around the world which are dying out. The team meets these “last speakers”. The experts interview them and they are recorded with video, pictures and so on. They also tell old stories which are written down in English so people can learn more about the cultures.
Recording the language and culture is only part of the project. The next stage is to pass on the language to the next generation. The Salish tribe is an excellent example of how schools can help. The tribe lives on the Flathead Indian Reservation in Montana. Their language is spoken by about 50 people aged over 75. So now, the local people have set up a school. It has 30 students aged two to twelve during the day and there are also courses for adults in the evening.
1.Why did Europeans fight with the American Indians?
A. To live in American cities B. To occupy more living space
C. To have Indians speak English D. To make Indian cultures disappear
2.What does the underlined word “They” refer to in Paragraph 3?
A. The experts B. The recordings
C. The Indian cultures D. The last speakers
3.What can we know about the Salish tribe?
A. It has its own language school. B. It has given up speaking English.
C. Its next generation speaks English. D. Its language is only learnt by adults.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Learning American Indian Languages
B. Researching on American Indian Languages
C. Saving American Indian Languages
D. Finding Lost American Indian Languages
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析