Heart of Stone, SnowdoniaRouteSnowdonia boast...

Heart of Stone, Snowdonia

Route

Snowdonia boasts the UK's MOST DRAMIATIC MOUNTAIN LANDSCAPE south of Scotland, and though not all that high at just over 1,000 metres , the peaks seem bigger because they rise directly from the sea. This ride does the same. It starts in the small coastal city of Bangor and ends at the youth hostel at Llyn Ogwen, one of the spiritual homes of British mountaineering, a lake set in the mountains range of Carneddau and Glyderau. All those mountains might suggest a hilly ride in store, but it's a very gradual climb along the route of the old railway lines and trolleybuses that served the Penrhyn Quarry at Bethesda. When Welsh slate “roofed the world” this was once the world's largest man-made hole. The quarry also reminds visitors of the Welsh labour movement at the turn of the 20th century. Beyond the quarries lies the broad, steep sided valley of Nant Ffrancon, where the artist John Piper made his home, so he could paint and draw the landscape. The return to Bangor largely follows the ride up, but there's no harm in that as it's a truly spectacular route.

Where to stay

YHA Idwal Cottage (08453 719744) is the oldest youth hostel in Wales； beds from £22, private rooms from £24 pp camping from £13.

Where to snack

Fitzpatrick's (9 Ogwen Street, Bethesda) is a friendly, and bright green, cafe just off the route. Open. Open Thursday〜Friday 8 a.m. 〜3 p.m, Saturday 〜Sunday 8 a. m.〜5 p. m

Ogwen Snack Bar （Nant Ffrancon, 01248 600683） is a mountaineers' tea bar right by the mountain rescue base. Open daily 9 a. m.〜approximately 5 p. m. ; closed Monday 〜Thurs-day late December 〜end of Jan.

1.Snowdonia is famous for its .

A.beautiful mountain landscape

B.tall and dangerous peaks

C.long history

D.mysterious lake

2.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A.There are many modern buildings along the route to Snowdonia.

B.You can always have coffee and tea as you like while traveling to Snowdonia.

C.You can't enjoy the oldest hostels while traveling to Snowdonia.

D.Some peaks in the mountain landscape are over 1,000 meters.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Most city parks are places where you can escape from big，ugly structures of metal and stone．The Manhattan High Line is different．Raised 25 feet above the ground，this massive metal structure once supported a rail line．The line opened in 1934 but it was hardly used after the 1960s，and much of it was torn down．However，one stretch remained in a region of Manhattan．The railway structure was ugly and everyone knew that at some time，it would have to be removed．

But the High Line was not destroyed．In fact．now the old rail line serves as one of the most peaceful places in the city．The idea to change the rail line into a park came from Joshua David and Robert Hammond．In 1999，they attended a community meeting to decide the fate of the High Line．David and Hammond were the only people at the meeting interested in saving the historical structure. Later on，when they asked railway officials to take them up to look at the High Line，they saw a mile and a half of wild flowers growing in the middle of the city，and they realized that the High Line had potential to become a park．There was growing interest in improving urban centers，and so the project quickly gathered funds for construction．

The first section of the High Line opened in 2009 and immediately became popular with tourists and locals alike．Each part of the park has a different atmosphere．Some areas are like balconies with wonderful city views．Other sections have wide lawns and walkways planted with wild flowers．Only the final section remains the way it has been for the last fifty years—a railway line overgrown with weeds．

1.What is the text mainly about?

A．A park．　　                     B．A train line．

C．City transport．                D．A historical monument．

2.Which of the following is NOT true about the High Line?

A．It is above ground level．　　     B．Only part of the line remains.

C．It is now a popular park．        D．Trains still use the line.

3.Why did David and Hammond want to save the High Line at first?

A．They thought it would make a good park．

B．They wanted to reopen the train line．

C．They thought it had historical value．

D．They were interested in improving the city.

4.Why were people easily persuaded by David and Hammond’s idea?

A．They wanted to make cities nicer places．

B．They wanted to see the wild flowers too.

C．They realized the High Line was important.

D．They knew that funds were available．

5.We can infer from the last paragraph that the park is ______________.

A．popular with tourists　　         B．similar to what it used to be

C．various in its design         D．1ike natural countryside

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Most city parks are places where you can escape from big, ugly structures of metal and stone. The Manhattan High Line is different. Raised 25 feet above the ground, this massive metal structure once supported a rail line. The line opened in 1934 to bring trains directly into factories and warehouses. It was hardly used after the 1960s, and much of it was torn down. However, one section remained in an area of Manhattan called Chelsea. Chelsea was becoming more and more valuable as restaurants, art galleries and apartments were built, but the ugly railway structure remained as a dead weight. Everyone knew that at some time, it would have to be removed.

But the High Line was not destroyed. In fact, now the old rail line serves as one of the most peaceful places in the city. It holds an elevated park, with beautiful gardens, a sidewalk and great views of the city. The idea to change the rail line into a park came from Joshua David and Robert Hammond. In 1999, they attended a community meeting to decide the fate(命运) of the High Line. David and Hammond were the only people at the meeting interested in saving the structure for its historical significance. Later on, when they asked railway officials to take them up to look at the High Line, they saw a mile and a half of wild flowers growing in the middle of the city, and they realized that the High Line had potential to become a park. There was growing interest in improving urban centers, and so the project quickly won support and funds for construction were easily obtained.

The first section of the High Line opened in 2009 and immediately became popular with tourists and locals alike. Each part of the park has a different atmosphere. Some areas are like balconies (阳台)with wonderful city views. Where the rail line goes between buildings, trees are thickly planted. Other sections have wide walkways planted with wild flowers. Only the final section remains the way it has been for the last fifty years – a railway line overgrown with weeds.

1.The underlined phrase “a dead weight” in Paragraph 1 means_____.

A. something with potential to be better.

B. something with historical interest.

C. something which is a danger to people.

D. something useless which slows progress.

2.According to Paragraph 2, David and Hammond wanted to save the High Line because they_____.

A. thought it had historical value

B. wanted to reopen the train line

C. thought it would bring them money

D. were interested in improving the city

3.From the last paragraph, we can learn that the park ______.

A. is different in its design

B. is covered with trees

C. didn’t change at all

D. became a natural countryside

4.Which of the following is NOT true about the High Line?

A. It is situated above ground level.

B. Only part of the line remains.

C. It is now a popular park.

D. Trains still use the line.　

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Doctors Say Most Heart Disease Preventable

Heart disease is the number one killer, worldwide, of men and women over the age of 60. But people of all ages die of heart attacks each year. And while death rates have declined in the U.S. and many western European countries, they are on the rise in the developing world. 1.________.

No one would have guessed that Barbara Teng would have a heart attack. She was not overweight. She did not smoke or exercise.“In 2004, the week after I turned 49, when I was on a business trip in Chicago, I had a major heart attack," she said. 2.________. She now exercises daily, and monitors her heart health.

Dr. Patrice Nickens, who is with the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, thinks that heart disease is 82 percent preventable. “3.________,” she said, “Men are also facing the same problem, and the key to staying healthy is knowing your numbers”.

“Your weight, your blood cholesterol, blood sugar and your blood pressure are important numbers that can help you take action and reduce your risk,” she said.

4.________.

“And the steps to take are simple: don’t smoke, maintain a healthy weight, exercise, know your numbers and talk to your physician and control these risks,” she said.

African-Americans are at higher-than-average risk for heart disease and stroke; people don't even know they have it, which increases the risk. Medstar Washington Hospital Center is trying to reach this population. 5.________. For example, helping the people monitor their blood pressure. If people realize they are at risk for heart disease, they'll make lifestyle changes: lose weight, exercise, eat the right foods and keep in touch with a doctor

A. A healthy lifestyle can prevent heart disease

B. So we must cure heart disease

C. It is the leading cause of death for women

D. With the right training, they can play an important role in community health

E. And that changed her life

F. Lack of exercise causes heart attacks

G. Yet most heart disease is preventable.

高三英语信息匹配中等难度题查看答案及解析

A mother, Carrie Cort, 51, from Sussex, and her nine-year-old son have been named the UK’s most environmentally friendly family after winning an award for their environmental achievements.

Now every aspect of her life is environmentally friendly, from her son Adam’s birthday parties to her clothing, and she recycles everything from empty pens to milk bottle tops. “Changing our family lifestyle to green has saved us around £ 11, 000 every year, which has given us more financial stability,” Carrie says. “Living green has made us healthier and I feel younger now. It is fun seeing what you can make with unwanted or broken things. Growing your own food is great exercise, good for wildlife, and the food is much more nutritious and tastier.”

“My concern for the way we humans are treating the planet was really roused in 2008 when Adam was born. When he arrived, I suddenly had this huge, greater awareness of the kind of planet we’re bringing our children into though I learnt something about it in university.” She began going to talks, reading books, watching documentaries and attending green meetings in order to educate herself in the details of green living.

Carrie set up the local campaign group Sussex Green Living six years after her son’s birth. Later, she gave up her high-powered job, as she ran a video company with her brother, to do her job full-time. Today, she organizes talks and workshops. She runs a repair café, where people can bring everything to be fixed. Her recycling program helps people reuse wastes. Toothpaste tubes, for example, which Carrie sends to the Philippines, are turned into purses by an organization. “My goal is to inspire more people to lead greener, more environmentally friendly lives, to enable us to live in greater harmony with nature, now and for future organizations. I achieve this using various Sussex Green Living communication programs and working with other organizations who have the same goals and values.”

1.How did Carrie feel about her environmentally friendly lifestyle?

A. unwanted. B. unhealthy. C. expensive. D. economical.

2.Which of the following is true about Carrie?

A. She made good preparations for living green.

B. She recycled what people ignored for fun.

C. She does daily exercise by growing food.

D. She majored in planet protection in university.

3.When did Carrie begin to form her environmentally friendly lifestyle?

A. After winning an award.

B. After giving birth to her son.

C. After being stuck in poverty.

D. After attending green meetings

4.What does Carrie rely on to make her achievements?

A. Her repair café and workshops.

B. Her own programs and others’ work.

C. Her well-paid job and her brother’s support.

D. Her independence of realizing her green dream.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

(The Guardian)：              More UK universities should be profiting from ideas

　A repeated criticism of the UK's university sector is its noticeable weakness in translating new knowledge into new products and services.

　Recently, the UK National Stem Cell Network warned the UK could lose its place among the world leaders in stem cell research unless adequate funding and legislation could be assured, despite an annual £40m spent by the Department of Health on all kinds of research.

　However, we do have to challenge the unthinking complaint that the sector does not do enough in taking ideas to market. The most recent comparative data on the performance of universities and research institutions in Australia, Canada, USA and UK shows that, from a relatively weak starting position, the UK now leads on many indicators of commercialization activity.

　When viewed at the national level, the policy interventions (interference) of the past decade have helped transformed the performances of UK universities. Evidence suggests the UK's position is much stronger than in the recent past and is still showing improvement. But national data masks the very large variation in the performance of individual universities. The evidence shows that a large number of universities have fallen off the back of the pack, a few perform strongly and the rest chase the leaders.

　This type of uneven distribution is not strange to the UK and is mirrored across other economies. In the UK, research is concentrated: less than 25% of universities are receiving 75% of the research funding. These same universities are also the institutions producing the greatest share of PhD graduates, science citations, patents and license income. The effect of policies generating long-term resource concentration has also created a distinctive set of universities which are research-led and commercially active. It seems clear that the concentration of research and commercialization work creates differences between universities.

　The core objective for universities which are research-led must be to maximize the impact of their research efforts. Their purpose is not to generate funds to add to the bottom line of the university or to substitute other income streams. Rather, these universities should be generating the widest range of social, economic and environmental benefits. In return for the scale of investment, they should share their expertise (expert knowledge or skill) in order to build greater confidence in the sector.

　Part of the economic recovery of the UK will be driven by the next generation of research commercialization spilling out of our universities. On the evidence presented in my report, there are three dozen universities in the UK which are actively engaged in advanced research training and commercialization work.

　If there was a greater coordination（协调）of technology transfer offices within regions and a simultaneous (happening at the same time) investment in the scale and functions of our graduate schools, universities could, and should, play a key role in positioning the UK for the next growth cycle.

1.What does the author think of UK universities in terms of commercialization?

A．They have lost their leading position in many ways.

B．They still have a place among the world leaders.

C．They do not regard it as their responsibility.

D．They fail to change knowledge into money.

2.What does the author say about the national data on UK universities’ performance in commercialization?

A．It masks the fatal weaknesses of government policy.

B．It indicates their ineffective use of government resources.

C．It does not rank UK universities in a scientific way.

D．It does not reflect the differences among universities.

3.We can infer from Paragraph 5 that “policy interventions (in Paragraph 4)” refers to _____.

A．concentration of resources in a limited number of universities

B．compulsory cooperation between universities and industries

C．government aid to non-research-oriented universities

D．fair distribution of funding for universities and research institutions

4.What dose the author suggest research-led universities do?

A．Fully use their research to benefit all sectors of society.

B．Generously share their facilities with those short of funds.

C．Advertise their research to win international recognition.

D．Spread their influence among top research institutions.

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

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1.If you want to do self-builds, the first step to follow is to________ .

A. get permission; cost project; finish touches

B. cost project; build project; finish touches

C. find land; cost project; build project

D. find land; get permission; cost project

2.Where will you click when you need to hire tools?

A. Use Our Estimating Service

B. Use Our Branch Finder Service

C. Visit the Travis Perkins Hire Website

D. Read more about Building Materials

3.What does Code For Sustainable Homes do?

A. Assists with self-builds.

B. Sets national standards for design and constructions.

C. Offers help on costing your project, and so on.

D. Offer the information on all aspects.

4.What’s the aim of Build the Dream?

A. To build one’s dream.

B. To supply building materials.

C. To help leading manufacturers.

D. To attract people to do self-builds.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Each of the UK's health service systems operates ______, and is politically accountable to the relevant government.

A.dependently B.dependent C.independently D.independent

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

In the 1760s, Mathurin Roze opened a series of shops that boasted(享有）a special meat soup called consomme. Although the main attraction was the soup, Roze's chain shops also set a new standard for dining out, which helped to establish Roze as the inventor of the modern restaurant.

Today, scholars have generated large amounts of instructive research about restaurants. Take visual hints that influence what we eat: diners served themselves about 20 percent more pasta(意大利面食）when their plates matched their food.　 When a dark-colored cake was served on a black plate rather than a white one, customers recognized it as sweeter and more tasty.

Lighting matters, too. When Berlin restaurant customers ate in darkness, they couldn't tell how much they'd had: those given extra-large shares ate more than everyone else, but were none the wiser—they didn’t feel fuller, and they were just as ready for dessert.

Time is money, but that principle means different things for different types of restaurants. Unlike fast-food places. fine dining shops prefer customers to stay longer and spend. One way to encourage customers to stay and order that extra round: put on some Mozart(莫扎特）.When classical, rather than pop, music was playing, diners spent more. Fast music hurried diners out.

Particular scents also have an effect: diners who got the scent of lavender(薰衣草）stayed longer and spent more than those who smelled lemon, or no scent.

Meanwhile, things that you might expect to discourage spending—"bad" tables, crowding. high prices — don't necessarily. Diners at bad tables — next to the kitchen door, say — spent nearly as much as others but soon fled. It can be concluded that restaurant keepers need not "be overly concerned about ‘bad' tables," given that they're profitable. As for crowds, a Hong Kong study found that they increased a restaurant's reputation, suggesting great food at fair prices. And doubling a buffet's price led customers to say that its pizza was 11 percent tastier.

1.The underlined phrase "none the wiser" in paragraph 3 most probably implies that the customers were 　　　　　 .

A.not aware of eating more than usual

B.not willing to share food with others

C.not conscious of the food quality

D.not fond of the food provided

2.How could a fine dining shop make more profit?

A.playing classical music.

B.Introducing lemon scent.

C.Making the light brighter,

D.Using plates of larger size.

3.What does the last paragraph talk about?

A.Tips to attract more customers.

B.Problems restaurants are faced with.

C.Ways to improve restaurants' reputation.

D.Common misunderstandings about restaurants.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

A. Mr. James talks a lot about gardening.

B. Mr. James likes boasting of his cleverness.

C. The woman is not interested in what Mr. James says.

D. Mr. James isn’t very straightforward in what he says.

高三英语短对话中等难度题查看答案及解析