You may have never heard of Ladislao Biro, bu...

You may have never heard of Ladislao Biro, but you have certainly heard of the pen he invented—the ballpoint pen, or biro. Before Biro invented his pen, people wrote with fountain pens. The ink smudged(弄脏) and blotted and the pens sometimes leaked. In the 1930s Biro was a magazine editor in Budapest in Hungary. He noticed that the inks which the magazine’s printers used dried very quickly. Biro wondered if quick-drying inks could be used in pens. He came up with the idea of a tube of ink with a free-moving ball on the end. As a person wrote, the ball collected ink from the tube and rolled it on to the paper. The pen would be cheap and could be thrown away when the ink ran out.

Biro began to work on his invention, but before he could patent it the Second World War broke out. Biro left war-torn Europe and fled to Buenos Aires in Argentina. There, he and his brother Georg, who was a chemist, began to improve the pen. In the early 1940s Biro began to manufacture his new pen, the biro. In 1944, he sold his invention to another company, who began to mass-produce the pen for the British and American armed forces.

Biro was pleased that his pen was popular, but he did not gain much from his invention. The biro was later sold to the French firm, Bic, who now sell twelve million pens a day. Biro sank into obscurity in South America. His name, however, has become a household word.

48. The reasons for the popularity of ballpoint pens are these EXCEPT that_______.

A. the inks dried very quickly                      B. they were cheap

C. they were easy to carry around           D. they were mass-produced

49. Which of the following is the correct order of the events that happened to Biro?

a. applied for patent for first ballpoint pen

b. began to manufacture pens

c. fled from Hungary to escape Nazis

d. sold his invention

A. a c d b                    B. c d a b           C. a c b d           D. c a b d

50. The underlined part “sank into obscurity”(last paragraph) is closest in meaning to“_______”.

A. became unknown to many people       B. became popular with people

C. lost interest in business                         D. lost a lot of money

51. What does the passage mainly tell us about Biro?

A. He is successful in business.                 B. He is an important inventor.

C. He is a famous magazine editor.         D. He is a popular writer.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Tensions have erupted over some barren rocks in the Pacific that you may never have heard of, but stay tuned—this is a boundary dispute(争端) that could get ugly and some day have far-reaching consequences for China, Japan, Taiwan and the United States.

The islands in dispute are called the Senkaku chain by Japan, the Diaoyu islands by China, and the Diaoyutai by Taiwan. All three claim the islands, which are really just five small islands and three barren rocks northeast of Taiwan, 200 miles off the Chinese coast.

The latest conflict occurred when a Chinese fishing boat collided(碰撞) with two Japanese naval ships trying to stop it near the islands. The Japanese prevented the Chinese captain from leaving the place for questioning and the two countries have been exchanging angry protests.

The reason to worry is that nationalists in both China and Taiwan see the islands as unquestionably theirs and think that their government has been weak in claiming this authority.

So far, wiser heads have generally won the argument on each side, but at some point a weakened Chinese leader might try to gain the legal right with the public by pushing the issue and recovering the islands. It would be a dangerous game and would have a disastrous impact on China-Japan relations, but if successful it would raise the popularity of the Chinese government.

In reality, of course, there is zero chance that the U.S. will honor its treaty(条约) with Japan over a few barren rocks. We're not going to risk a nuclear conflict with China over some islands that may well be China's. But if we don't help, our security relationship with Japan will be at the breaking point.

So which country has a better claim to the islands? My feeling is that it's China, although the answer isn't clear-cut. Chinese navigational records show the islands as Chinese for many centuries, and a 1783 Japanese map shows them as Chinese as well. Japan purported to “discover” the islands only in 1884 and took control of them by force only in 1895 when it also grabbed Taiwan.

The best approach would be for China and Japan to agree to refer the dispute to the International Court of Justice, but realistically that won't happen. And since some believe that the area is rich with oil and gas reserves, the claims from each side have become more insistent.

As Chinese nationalism grows, as China's navy and ability to project power in the ocean gains, we could see some military conflicts over the islands.

Taken from NewYork Times

1.The underlined word “purported” (in Para.7) is closest in meaning to “_____”.

A. happened        B. claimed    C. pretended              D. intended

2.The latest conflict referred to in the passage occurred because _____.

A. the Japanese government has bought the Diaoyu Islands from the Liyuans

B. two Japanese naval ships sailed in the Chinese sea around the Diaoyu Islands

C. the Japanese kept the captain of a fishing boat from returning for questioning

D. a fishing boat collided with two Japanese naval ships by design in the Japanese sea

3.Which of the following is the author's personal idea?

A. It is the two Japanese naval ships that are to blame for the conflict.

B. It is the Chinese captain of a fishing boat that is to blame for the conflict.

C. It is the U.S. that will honor its treaty with Japan over a few barren rocks.

D. It is China that has a better claim to the islands because of its navigational records.

4.What can be inferred according to the passage?

A. The claim from both sides has become more insistent.

B. Japan has navy and ability to power the Diaoyu Islands.

C. China is developing so quickly that it will declare a war on Japan.

D. The dispute between China and Japan has put the U.S. in a dilemma.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

You may have never heard of Lanthanum, Cerium or Neodymium, but these elements (元素) and others known as “rare earth” play a major role in modern technology. They can actually be found in many places on the earth, but not in quantities that can be mined. Only a few countries — China, America, India, Australia, Brazil and Malaysia have any that can be mined enough to be traded.

Even though some of these elements such as Cerium are as abundant as Copper, they are not found in concentrated amounts on the earth’s surface. They are often mixed together with other metals, which makes extraction (提取) of these elements an expensive and an environmentally messy process. It was due to this reason that the term “rare earth” was invented.

Rare earth metals are used widely in our life. Rechargeable car batteries, computers, iPhones, DVD players, computer monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, glass polishing, and superconductors all use quantities of rare earth metals. Also, with the advancement in “green” technology like solar panels, these shiny materials are becoming more important than ever. An average electric car uses 10 pounds of Lanthanum for its rechargeable battery!

America has large deposits (存储量) of rare earths and has one of the first mines. It was opened in Southern California in 1940. The element “Europium” was the first metal to be separated in quantity for use in color televisions. However, in the 1980’s and 1990’s, as China started producing these elements in Inner Mongolia, the mines in America and elsewhere could not keep pace. The mine in Mountain Pass, California also failed environmental regulations and shut down in 2002.

Now, recognizing the importance of having more than one supplier of this important resource, other rare earth owning countries like India and Australia are either dusting off their rare earth mines or speeding up their production. It is believed that the debate over rare earths will become louder in the coming months and years.

1.What can we learn about rare earths?

A. They are actually as abundant as Copper.

B. They can be mined easily as other metals.

C. They can only be found in a few countries.

D. They are not really as rare as they are named.

2.Compared with China, America _____.

A. paid more attention to Europium

B. has larger deposits of rare earths

C. started producing rare earths earlier

D. has more rare earth mines

3.It can be inferred from the text that rare earths _____.

A. are now in great demand

B. can now be used in few fields

C. are harmful to the environment

D. will soon be replaced by other metals

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You may have never heard of Lanthanum, Cerium or Neodymium, but these elements (元素) and others known as “rare earth” play a major role in modern technology. They can actually be found in many places on the earth, but not in quantities that can be mined. Only a few countries — China, America, India, Australia, Brazil and Malaysia have any that can be mined enough to be traded.

Even though some of these elements such as Cerium are as abundant as Copper, they are not found in concentrated amounts on the earth’s surface. They are often mixed together with other metals, which makes extraction (提取) of these elements an expensive and an environmentally messy process. It was due to this reason that the term “rare earth” was invented.

Rare earth metals are used widely in our life. Rechargeable car batteries, computers, iPhones, DVD players, computer monitors, televisions, lighting, lasers, glass polishing, and superconductors all use quantities of rare earth metals. Also, with the advancement in “green” technology like solar panels, these shiny materials are becoming more important than ever. An average electric car uses 10 pounds of Lanthanum for its rechargeable battery!

America has large deposits (存储量) of rare earths and has one of the first mines. It was openedin Southern California in 1940. The element “Europium” was the first metal to be separated in quantity for use in color televisions. However, in the 1980’s and 1990’s, as China started producing these elements in Inner Mongolia, the mines in America and elsewhere could not keep pace. The mine in Mountain Pass, California also failed environmental regulations and shut down in 2002.

Now, recognizing the importance of having more than one supplier of this important resource, other rare earth owning countries like India and Australia are either dusting off their rare earth mines or speeding up their production. It is believed that the debate over rare earths will become louder in the coming months and years.

1.What can we learn about rare earths?

A. They are actually as abundant as Copper.

B. They can be mined easily as other metals.

C. They can only be found in a few countries.

D. They are not really as rare as they are named.

2.Compared with China, America 　　　　 .

A. paid more attention to Europium

B. has larger deposits of rare earths

C. started producing rare earths earlier

D. has more rare earth mines

3.It can be inferred from the text that rare earths 　　　　 .

A. are now in great demand

B. can now be used in few fields

C. are harmful to the environment

D. will soon be replaced by other metals

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You probably have heard of many famous people like Marie Curie, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

Jane Addams(1860-1935)

Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addans helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need . In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rachel Carson(1907-1964)

If it weren't for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world's lakes and oceans.

Sandra Day O'Connor(1930-present)

When Sandra Day O'Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator(参议员) and ,in 1981, the first woman to join the U.S. Supreme Court. O'Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

Rosa Parks(1913-2005)

On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rasa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movement. "The only tired I was, was tired of giving in," said Parks.

1.What is Jane Addams noted for in history?

A. Her social work. B. Her lack of proper training in law.

C. Her efforts to win a prize. D. Her community background.

2.What is the reason for O'Connor's being rejected by the law firm?

A. Her lack of proper training in law.　　　  B. Her little work experience in court.

C. The discrimination against women. D. The poor financial conditions.

3.Who made a great contribution to the civil-rights movement in the US?

A. Jane Addams. B. Rachel Carson.

C. Sandra Day O'Connor D. Rosa Parks.

4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?

A. They are highly educated. B. They are pioneers.

C. They are peace-lovers. D. They are truly creative.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

Jane Addams (1860-1935)

Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community(社区) by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American women to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rachel Carson (1907-1964)

If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exit today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers f pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.

Sandra Day O’Connor(1930-present)

When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Standford Law School in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona State Senator(参议员) and in 1981, the first woman to join the US Supreme Court（高等法院）. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

Rosa Parks (1913-2005)

On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison, But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. (抵制行动) It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil-rights movements.“the only tired I was, was tired of giving in.” said Parks.

1.What is Jane Addams famous for in history?

A. Her social work B. Her teaching skills

C. Her efforts to win a prize D. Her background

2.What was the reason for O’Connor’s being refused by the law firm?

A. Her lack of the training in law. B. Her little work experience in court

C. An unfair treatment to the women D. the poor financial conditions

3.Who made a great contribution to the civil rights movement in the US?

A. Jane Addams B. Rachel Carson

C. Sandra Day O’Connor D. Rosa Parks

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You probably know who Marie Curie was, but you may not have heard of Rachel Carson. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who do you think was the most important woman of the past 100 years?

Jane Addams(1860～1935)

Anyone who has ever been helped by a social worker has Jane Addams to thank. Addams helped the poor and worked for peace. She encouraged a sense of community(社区)by creating shelters and promoting education and services for people in need. In 1931, Addams became the first American woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Rachel Carson(1907～1964)

If it weren’t for Rachel Carson, the environmental movement might not exist today. Her popular 1962 book Silent Spring raised awareness of the dangers of pollution and the harmful effects of chemicals on humans and on the world’s lakes and oceans.

Sandra Day O’Connor(1930～present)

When Sandra Day O’Connor finished third in her class at Stanford Law School, in 1952, she could not find work at a law firm because she was a woman. She became an Arizona state senator(参议员) and, in 1981, the first woman to join the U. S. Supreme Court. O’Connor gave the deciding vote in many important cases during her 24 years on the top court.

Rosa Parks(1913～2005)

On December 1,1955，in Montgomery, Alabama, Rosa Parks would not give up her seat on a bus to a white passenger. Her simple act landed Parks in prison. But it also set off the Montgomery bus boycott. It lasted for more than a year, and kicked off the civil—rights movement. “The only tired I was, was tired of giving in,” said Parks.

1.What is Jane Addams noted for in history?

A. Her social work.　　 B. Her teaching skills.

C. Her efforts to win a prize.　　 D. Her community background.

2.What was the reason for 0’Connor’s being rejected by the law firm?

A. Her lack of proper training in law.　　 B. Her little work experience in court.

C. The discrimination against women.　　 D. The poor financial conditions.

3.Who made a great contribution to the civil—rights movement in the U. S.?

A. Jane Addams.　　 B. Rachel Carson.　　 C. Sandra Day O’Connor.　　 D. Rosa Parks.

4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?

A. They are highly educated.　　 B. They are truly creative.

C. They are pioneers.　　 D. They are Peace—lovers.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You may be familiar with the following famous people, but have you heard of their graduation speeches, in which they either share their unforgotten experiences or give you some great inspiration.

Michael Dell, University of Texas at Austin

And now you’ve accomplished something great and important here, and it’s time for you to move on to what’s next. And you must not let anything prevent you from taking those first steps. … You must also commit to the adventure. Just have faith in the skills and the knowledge you’ve been blessed（赐予）with and go.

J.K. Rowling, Harvard University

Half my lifetime ago, I was striking an uneasy balance between my ambition and the expectation from my parents who were not rich…But what I feared most of myself at your age was not poverty, but failure. The fact that you are graduating from Harvard suggests that you know little about failure, you might be driven by a fear of failure quite as much as a desire for success.

Steve Jobs, Stanford University

Sometimes life’s going to hit you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith…Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work, and the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle.

Bill Gates, Harvard University

We need as many people as possible to have access to the advanced technology to lead to a revolution in what human beings can do for one another. They are making it possible not just for national governments, but for universities, smaller organizations, and even individuals to see problems, see approaches and deal with the world’s inequities（不公平）like hunger, poverty, and so on.

1.What Michael Dell said is to urge us to ________.

A. listen to our heart　　 B. learn from our mistakes

C. follow others’ example　　 D. pursue our dreams

2.What did J.K. Rowling fear most when she was studying in university?

A. Failure.　　 B. Hunger.

C. Poverty.　　 D. Appearance.

3.What does Bill Gates suggest people do?

A. Master as much advanced technology as possible.

B. Work together to rid some global problems.

C. Make contributions to the environment.

D. Take responsibility for their own behavior.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

You probably know who Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton is, but you may not have heard of Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell if you are not interested in foreign literature. Of the outstanding ladies listed below, who is your favorite?

Jane Austen (16 December, 1775-18 July, 1817)

Jane Austen, a famous English writer, was born at Steventon, Hampshire. She began writing early in life, although the prejudices (偏见) of her times forced her to have her books published anonymously (匿名).

She wrote many books of romantic fiction about the gentry (贵族). Her works made her one of the great masters of the English novel. Only four of her novels were printed while she was alive. They were Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and (1816).

Charlotte Bronte (21 April, 1816-31 March, 1855)

She first published her works, including Jane Eyre, under the false name of Currer Bell. Her first novel, The Professor, was rejected by many publishers. It was not printed until 1857. She is famous for her novel Jane Eyre (1847), which was very popular when it was printed. Jane Eyre was a strong story of a plain, brave, clever woman struggling with her passions, reasons, and social condition.

Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell (8 November, 1900-16 August, 1949)

She was an American author and journalist, a lifelong resident and native of Atlanta, Georgia. One novel by Mitchell was published during her lifetime, the American Civil-War-Era novel, Gone with the wind, for which she won the National Book Award for Most Distinguished Novel of 1936 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1937. In more recent years, a collection of Mitchell’s girlhood writings and a novel she wrote as a teenager, Lost Laysen, have been published. A collection of articles written by Mitchell for The Atlanta Journal was republished in book form.

1.Why did Jane Austen publish her books with a false name?

A. She lacked confidence.　　 B. She was not well educated.

C. Women were discriminated.　　 D. Women were well protected.

2.Which novel was set in the background of war?

A. Sense and Sensibility.　　 B. Gone with the Wind.

C. Lost Laysen.　　 D. The Professor.

3.Who won the most prizes for her works?

A. Margaret Munnerlyn Mitchell.　　 B. Charlotte Bronte.

C. Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton.　　 D. Jane Austen.

4.What can we infer about the women mentioned in the text?

A. They were all fond of poetry.　　 B. They all died in their forties.

C. Their works were once rejected.　　 D. They are famous for their great works.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Have you heard of the following people? Maybe yes, maybe no. But they may be an inspiration for you.

The Tree Lady

Kate Sessions was an American botanist and landscape architect closely associated with San Diego, California. After becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, she took a job as a teacher far south in the dry desert town of San Diego. Kate decided that San Diego needed trees more than anything else. Therefore, this young woman single-handedly started a movement transforming the town into the leafy, garden-filled place as it is today.

The Snowflake(雪花) Man

Wilson Bentley is one of the first known photographers of snowflakes. His enthusiasm for taking photos began from his boyhood and was often misunderstood in his time, but his determination revealed two important truths: no two snowflakes are alike; and each is surprisingly beautiful. In 1931, he worked with William J.Humphreys of the U.S. Weather Bureau to publish Snow Crystals, a book containing 2500 photographs.

The Father of His Country

By the late 1760s, George Washington had experienced firsthand the effects of rising taxes imposed (征收) on American colonists by the British, and came to believe that it was in the best interests of the colonists to declare independence from England. During the American War of Independence, he led the colonial forces to victory. In 1878, he was elected president of the Convention that wrote the U.S. Constitution. Two years later, Washington became American’s first president. His retirement from office after two terms established a tradition that lasted until 1940, when Franklin Delano Roosevelt won a third term. The 22nd Amendment (1951) now limits the president to two elected terms.

1.Who made a great contribution to beautifying an area?

A. George Washington.　　 B. Wilson Bentley

C. Kate Sessions　　 D. William J. Humphreys

2.What is Wilson Bentley famous for?

A. His creative ideas to publish books.

B. His persistence in photographing snowflakes

C. His courage to fight against prejudice

D. His devotion to teaching kids scientific truths.

3.What does the author say about George Washington?

A. He was a national hero.

B. He was born into a poor family.

C. He became America’s president in 1787.

D. He served three terms as the President of America.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析