In its early history, Chicago had floods freq...

In its early history, Chicago had floods frequently, especially in the spring, making the streets so muddy that people, horses, and carts got stuck. An old joke that was popular at the time went something like this: A man is stuck up to his waist in a muddy Chicago street. Asked if he needs help, he replies, “No, thanks. I’ve got a good horse under me.”

The city planner decided to build an underground drainage (排水) system, but there simply wasn’t enough difference between the height of the ground level and the water level. The only two options were to lower the Chicago River or raise the city. An engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt. This raised the level of the city’s streets by as much as 12 feet.

This of course created a new problem: dirt practically buried the first floors of every building in Chicago. Building owners were faced with a choice: either change the first floors of their buildings into basements or lift the entire buildings to meet the new street level. Small wood-frame buildings could be lifted fairly easily. But what about large, heavy structures like the Tremont Hotel, which was a six-story brick building?

That’s where George Pullman came in. He had developed some house-moving skills successfully. To lift a big structure like the Tremont Hotel, Pullman would place thousands of jackscrews (千斤顶) beneath the building’s foundation and turn the jackscrews the same amount at the same time, thus raising the building slowly and evenly. Astonishingly, the Tremont Hotel stay open during the entire operation, and many of its guests didn’t even notice anything was happening.

Some people like to say that every problem has a solution. But in Chicago’s early history, every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem.

1.Why was the joke about Chicago mentioned in Paragraph 1?

A.To explain why horses were widely used.

B.To show the terrible road condition.

C.To prove Chicagoan were humorous.

D.To describe the lifestyle in the past.

2.What did Ellis advise to do?

A.Lower the Chicago River.

B.Build pipes above ground.

C.Fight against heavy floods.

D.Raise the level of streets.

3.What was the problem in moving Tremont Hotel?

A.It was hard to move its basement.

B.It was mainly made of wood.

C.It was too heavy to move easily.

D.There was no equipment to use.

4.What can be inferred from the text?

A.Tremont Hotel was the biggest building in Chicago.

B.George became famous for moving Tremont Hotel.

C.It took great efforts to move Tremont Hotel.

D.Guests left Tremont Hotel before the move.

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

In its early history，Chicago had floods frequently，especially in the spring，making the streets so muddy that people，horses，and carts got stuck.An old joke that was popular at the time went something like this：A man is stuck up to his waist in a muddy Chicago street.Asked if he needs help，he replies，"No，thanks.I've got a good horse under me."

The city planner decided to build an underground drainage （排水） system，but there simply wasn't enough difference between the height of the ground level and the water level.The only two options were to lower the Chicago River or raise the city.

An engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt.This raised the level of the city's streets by as much as 12feet.

This of course created a new problem：dirt practically buried the first floors of every building in Chicago.Building owners were faced with a choice：either change the first floors of their buildings into basements，and the second stories into main floors，or hoist the entire buildings to meet the new street level.Small wood-frame buildings could be lifted fairly easily.But what about large，heavy structures like Tremont Hotel，which was a six-story brick building？

That's where George Pullman came in.He had developed some house-moving skills successfully.To lift a big structure like the Tremont Hotel，Pullman would place thousands of jackscrews （螺旋千斤顶） beneath the building's foundation.One man was assigned to operate each section of roughly 10jackscrews.At Pullman's signal each man tured his jackscrew the same amount at the same time，thereby raising the building slowly and evenly.Astonishingly，the Tremont Hotel stay open during the entire operation，and many of its guests didn't even notice anything was happening.

Some people like to say that every problem has a solution.But in Chicago's early history，every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem.Now that Chicago's waste water was draining efficiently into the Chicago River，the city's next step was to clean the polluted river.

1.The author mentions the joke to show ______ .

A. horses were fairly useful in Chicago

B. the Chicago people were particularly humorous

C. Chicago was very dangerous in the spring

D. Chicago's streets were extremely muddy

2.The underlined word "hoist" in Paragraph 4 means" ______ ".

A. change　　 B. lift

C. repair　　 D. decorate

3.The city planners were convinced by Ellis Chesbrough to ______ .

A. build the pipes above ground　　 B. lower the Chicago River

C. fight against heavy floods　　 D. get rid of the street dirt

4.The passage is mainly about the early Chicago's ______ .

A. popular life styles and their influences

B. environmental disasters and their causes

C. engineering problems and their solutions

D. successful businessmen and their achievements.

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

In yesterday’s newspaper, it was reported that great damage ____by the flood.

A．has been done     B．had been done     C．has done          D．had done

高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

There is a long history for Chinese to drink tea. And it had been widely spread in China for more than 1,000 years 1. first appearing in Europe. Tea drinking is popular throughout history. Many people now go to expensively decorated teahouses 2. (talk) business. However, tea drinking is very complex. Many things contribute to an 3. (enjoy) experience. It starts with surroundings. In the past, it took place in a setting 4. “spring water runs on marble”. At present, to create such an atmosphere, teahouses 5. (decorate) with traditional paintings and furniture. Besides, there is always a 6. (perform) of a traditional Chinese music instrument, such as guzheng, pipa and erhu. Water 7. (use) for tea also matters. In old days, water 8. came from melted snow was regarded as the best; but today, people no longer use it due to pollution. Black tea, together with green tea, oolong tea and pu’er tea, 9. (rank) the top four favorites. Meanwhile, those kinds of tea are made by 10. (total) different methods.

高一英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

One Sunday morning in August I went to local music festival. I left it early because I had an appointment   1.________________  (late) that day. My friends walked me to the bus stop and waited with me   2.________________    the bus arrived. I got on the bus and found a seat near the back, and then I noticed a man   3.________________   (sit) at the front. He   4. (pretend) that a tiger toy was real and giving it a voice. He must be   5.________________________ (mental) disabled.

Behind him were other people to   6.________________  he was trying to talk, but after some minutes.  7.________________________   walked away and sat near me, looking annoyed

I didn’t want to be laughed at for talking to him but I didn’t like leaving him   8.________________   his own either.

After a while I rose from my seat and walked to the front of the bus. I sat next to the man and introduced myself. We had   9.________  amazing conversation. He got off the bus before me and I felt very happy the rest of the way home.

I’m glad I made a choice. It made   10. of us feel good.

高一英语其他题中等难度题查看答案及解析

When I settled in Chicago, my new city seemed so big and unfriendly. Then I had a 　　　　 　 problem and had to go to hospital for a 　　　　 　 examination.

It seemed a small 　　　　 　　 compared to the one I was about to face, but things started to go　　　　 　　 right from the beginning. Not having a car or　　　　 　　 the city, I was depending on a couple of buses to get me from A to B，　　　　 　　 I’d left myself plenty of time, soon it was 　　　　 　　 I was going to be late, as I had mistakenly boarded a bus that was taking me in the 　　　　 　　 direction.

I　　　　 the bus and stood on the pavement not knowing what to do, I looked into the eyes of a 　　　　 　　　 who was trying to get past me,　　　　 　　　 instead of moving on, she stopped to ask if　 I was　　　　 　　　 . After I explained my　　　　 　　 to her, she pointed to a bus stop across the street, where a bus would take me back into the city to my　　　　 　　 . Sitting there waiting, I felt　　　　 　　 that someone had been willing to help.　　　　 　　 , hearing a horn（喇叭）nearby, I looked up to see a　　 car with my new friend　　　　 　　 at me to get in, she had returned to offer me a　　　　 　　 to the hospital.

Such unexpected　　　　 　　 from a passer-by was a lovely gift to receive. As I climbed out of the car at the hospital and turned to thank her, she smiled and told me not to lose 　　　　 　　 for all things are possible.

1.A. physical　　　　 B. traveling　　 　 C. social　　　　 D. housing

2.A. scientific　　　　 B. final　　　　　 　 C. previous　　 D. thorough

3.A. chance　　　　　 　 B. challenge　　 　 C. success　　　 D. error

4.A. wrong　　　　　 　　 B. easy　　　　　 C. fast　　　　 D. ahead

5.A. leaving　　　　 　 B. visiting　　 　 C. knowing　　 　 D. appreciating

6.A. Although　　 　　 B. Since　　　　　 　 C. Unless　　　　 D. Once

7.A. strange　　　　 　 B. necessary　　 　 C. obvious　　　 D. important

8.A. same　　　　　 　　 B. right　　　　　 　 C. general　　 D. opposite

9.A. looked at　　 　 B. waited for　　 C. got off　　　 D. ran into

10.A. driver　　　　 　 B. friend　　　　 　 C. stranger　　 D. gentleman

11.A. Especially　　 　 B. Surprisingly C. Probably　　 D. Normally

12.A. nervous　　　 　　 B. excited　　　　 C. OK　　　　　 　　 D. dangerous

13.A. idea　　　　　 　　 B. motivation　　 C. excuse　　　 D. situation

14.A. appointment 　 B. apartment　　 C. direction　　 D. station

15.A. afraid　　　　 　 B. grateful　　　 C. certain　　　 D. disappointed

16.A. Thus　　　　　 　　 B. Then　　　　　　 C. Perhaps　　 D. Surely

17.A. staring　　　 　 B. laughing　　　　 C. waving　　　 D. shouting

18.A. lift　　　　　　 B. suggestion　　 C. bike　　　　 D. guidebook

19.A. results　　　　 B. news　　　　　　 C. kindness　　 D. appearance

20.A. power　　　　 　　 B. faith　　　　　　 C. touch　　　　 D. support

高一英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

It was because it had been raining for several days, leading to a flood over the fields and the villages that many people fell _______ without foods and shelters.

高一英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

In the early days of human history, people survived by hunting wild animals, or gathering wild grains and plants for food. Then, some people learned to grow crops and raise animals for food. They were the first farmers.

From the sixteenth century on, the word “farm” has meant agricultural land. But a much older meaning of the word “farm” is linked to economics. The word “farm” comes from the Latin word “firma”, which means an unchanging payment. Experts say the earliest meaning of the English word “farm” was a yearly payment made as a tax or rent.

Farmers in early England did not own their land. They paid every year to use agricultural lands. In England, farmers used hawthorn trees along the edges of houses. They called this row of hawthorns a hedge. Hedging fields was how careful farmers marked and protected them. Soon, people began to use the word “hedging” to describe steps that could be taken to protect against financial loss. Hedging is common among gamblers who make large bets. A gambler bets a lot of money on one team. But, to be on the safe side, he also places a smaller bet on the other team, to reduce a possible loss.

You might say that someone is hedging his bet when he invests in several different kinds of business. One business may fail, but likely not all. Farmers know that it is necessary to make hay while the sun shines. Hay has to be cut and gathered when it is dry. So a wise farmer never postpones gathering his hay when the sun is shining. Rain may soon appear. A wise person copies the farmer. He works when conditions are right.

1.We can know from the 3rd paragraph that farmers in early England _________.

A. had land of their own　　 B. paid to use hawthorn trees every year

C. used hedging fields　　 D. often suffered from financial loss

2.Which of the following is wise?

A. A mother tries to sleep as soon as her baby is quiet

B. Hay has to be cut and gathered before it is dry

C. Put off gathering hay when the sun is shining

D. Gather hay as it is rainy

3.If a boy is carefully listening to his teacher in class, he learns to _________.

A. become a wise farmer　　 B. hedge his bet

C. gather his hay　　 D. make hay while the sun shines

高一英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

There was a time when the owners of shops and businesses in Chicago had to pay large sums of money to gangsters(匪徒)in return for “protection”. If the money was not paid immediately, the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business by destroying his shop. Getting “protection money” is not a modern means. As long ago as the fourteenth century, an Englishman, Sir John Hawkwood, made the remarkable discovery that people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work destroyed by gangsters.

Then Sir John Hawkwood arrived in Italy with a group of soldiers and settled near Florence. He soon made a name for himself and came to be known to the Italians as Giovanni Acuto. Whenever the Italian city-states were at war with each other, Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to those who were willing to pay the high price he demanded.　 In times of peace, when business was bad, Hawkwood and his men would march into a city-state and, after burning down a few farms, would offer to go away if protection money was paid to them. Hawkwood made large sums of money with this method. In spite of this, the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero .When he died at eighty, the Florentines gave him a state funeral and had his picture painted, which was in memory of “this bravest man”.

1.What protection did Chicago gangsters give to those who paid them?

A. They saved those people’s businesses from destruction.

B. They left those people’s business unharmed much.

C. They sent soldiers to serve them no matter what help they needed willingly.

D. They didn’t take those people’s lives

2.Sir John Hawkwook's Italian name “Giovanni Acuto” was one which　　　　　　 .

A. he gave himself in order to become better known to the Italians

B. he earned through his sharp practice of selling his ‘protection’

C. he needed so as to hire his soldiers to Italians

D. was given him in telling his services to the others’

3.The Italians regarded Hawkwood as a sort of hero　　　　　　　 .

A. because they couldn’t help admiring his bravery and boldness(胆大)

B. as he aided the citizens in peacetime when business was bad for them

C. he had played an important role in their daily life

D. for he lived so long and was given a state funeral by the Florentines

4.From the passage, we can guess the gangsters were those　　　　　　 .

A. who were of great importance to the poor

B. who made the businessmen do whatever they were in need of

C. who were always ready to be sent abroad　　

D. who did harm to others

5.According to the writer, Hawkwood was　　　　　　　　 .

A. a sort of national hero　 B. an experienced leader C. a brave soldier　 D. a noble gangster

高一英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Farming and Gardening

Agriculture has a long history in China. Much of the wisdom_______by early Chinese scientists is still useful for farmers and gardeners today. One of China's early_______scientists was Jia Sixie, who lived in the sixth century AD. He spent his time doing_______into agriculture. He collected information, studied it, did experiments and learned from the_______of farmers.

Around 540 A.D., he wrote a book called Qimin Yaoshu. The book is about both farming and_______. It includes advice on the following_______ : growing green vegetables and fruit trees, keeping animals, and fish in lakes. There are also_______for making wine. Jia Sixie's book is a(n)_______guide for farming. Firstly, as a farmer you should do things at the right time of the year. If you sow seeds and_______young plants in the fields at the correct time of the year, your work will be less and________will be better. But if you________nature, and do things at the wrong time of the year, you will have to do more work and the results will not be so good. The________of the soil is also very important. Examine the soil on your farm________. If the condition of your soil is not good, you should improve it. Before sowing or planting crops, you must clean rough ground and________weeds. Let sheep or cows walk on the land to________the weeds or eat them. The best harvest is reached when farmers________the crops in their fields. For example, do not plant rice________in the same field. But if you plant rice in a field one year and wheat in the field the next year, you will________good crops. Other scientists said that wheat should be planted with________between the plants, but Jia did experiments and________that planting wheat close together is better.

1.A.discovered B.recovered C.reported D.repeated

2.A.industrial B.agricultural C.cultural D.article

3.A.search B.research C.experiment D.movement

4.A.adventures B.advantages C.tradition D.experience

5.A.nursing B.gardening C.produce D.trade

6.A.programs B.topics C.subjects D.events

7.A.instructions B.constructions C.measures D.treasures

8.A.economical B.practical C.similar D.regular

9.A.drop B.increase C.grow D.throw

10.A.dreams B.ending C.hope D.results

11.A.argue against B.go against C.compete with D.deal with

12.A.application B.situation C.condition D.addition

13.A.successfully B.carefully C.gradually D.frequently

14.A.remove B.pull C.kill D.reduce

15.A.destroy B.prevent C.divide D.limit

16.A.keep B.improve C.manage D.change

17.A.one after another B.here and there C.now and then D.year after year

18.A.win B.collect C.harvest D.plant

19.A.holes B.lines C.space D.balance

20.A.showed B.meant C.intended D.decided

高一英语完形填空中等难度题查看答案及解析