Attacking billionaires is gaining popularity - especially among candidates to be America’s president. “Every billionaire is a policy failure,” goes a common left-wing slogan. In Britain’s election, too, the super-rich are under fire. Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party, says that a fair society would contain none.
Left-wingers’ criticizing inequality is nothing new. But the idea that huge personal fortunes are made possible only when government goes wrong is a more novel and serious idea. It is also misguided.
The left’s accusation is based on a bit of truth. When competition is fierce and fair, persistently high profits should be difficult to sustain. Yet on both sides of the Atlantic some companies make large profits in concentrated markets, and some billionaires have become successful where competition has failed. For example, Facebook and Google dominate online advertising. About a fifth of America’s billionaires made their money in industries in which government control or market failure is common.
Yet many others operate in competitive markets. The retailers owned by Mike Ashley, one of Mr Corbyn’s targets, are known for low prices and cruel competition. For every Mark Zuckerberg, the boss of Facebook, there are several technology entrepreneurs( 创 业 者 )with lots of rivals. Nobody can seriously accuse these innovators of having dominated their markets or of depending on state favors. The same goes for sportsmen such as Michael Jordan or musicians like Jay-Z, billionaires both.
When capitalism functions well, competition reduces profits for some but also produces them for others as entrepreneurs seize more markets. Their success will eventually set off another cycle of disruption( 颠 覆 ), but in the meantime fortunes can be made. This process creates vast benefits for society. According to estimates by William Nordhaus, an economist, between 1948 and 2001 innovators captured only 2% of the value they created. Perhaps that is why billionaires are tolerated even by countries with perfect social-democratic system: Sweden and Norway have more billionaires per person than America does.
Taxes should be increased progressively. But that does not justify limitless redistribution or punitive(惩罚性的)tax increase. Ms Warren’s wealth tax has already doubled once during her campaign. Thomas Piketty, an economist behind many of the most-cited inequality statistics, proposes a wealth tax of up to 90% on the richest billionaires. Such expropriation(征收)would surely discourage motivation to innovate and to allocate capital efficiently. An economy with fewer entrepreneurs might have fewer billionaires but would ultimately be less dynamic, leaving everyone worse off.
Whatever Mr Corbyn says, Britain is hardly corrupt by global standards. But it does have a problem with inherited wealth, the source of one-fifth of billionaires’ fortunes. Higher inheritance taxes would be welcome there and in America, where it is too easy to pass wealth between the generations. Besides, a broader agenda of attacking monopoly(垄断)while maintaining dynamism would help weaken over-protection of intellectual-property and copyright, and promote competition in old and new industries alike.
Doing all this would achieve much more than an unfair attack on the rich - and without the associated damage. By all means, correct policy failures. But billionaires are usually the wrong target.
1.The examples of Facebook and Google are mentioned in Paragraph 3 to show _____.
A.the situation is unique to America
B.most billionaires benefit from government’s protection
C.some billionaires do succeed in less competitive situations
D.profits are impossible in fiercely competitive industries
2.What will happen when capitalism works well?
A.Tax on the rich will be increased as a punishment.
B.More wealth will be produced for the whole society.
C.Billionaires will get most of the wealth they have created.
D.Billionaires are not accepted even in social-democratic societies.
3.The writer thinks expropriation like Thomas Piketty’s proposal will _____.
A.increase taxes progressively B.allocate capital more efficiently
C.prevent economic development D.motivate people to strive for success
4.What does the writer mainly tell us in the last but one paragraph?
A.Intellectual property and copyright protection must be weakened.
B.It makes no sense for the government to increase inheritance taxes.
C.It’s possible to promote market competition without fighting monopoly.
D.Practical measures can be taken to deal with the gap between rich and poor.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
Attacking billionaires is gaining popularity - especially among candidates to be America’s president. “Every billionaire is a policy failure,” goes a common left-wing slogan. In Britain’s election, too, the super-rich are under fire. Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party, says that a fair society would contain none.
Left-wingers’ criticizing inequality is nothing new. But the idea that huge personal fortunes are made possible only when government goes wrong is a more novel and serious idea. It is also misguided.
The left’s accusation is based on a bit of truth. When competition is fierce and fair, persistently high profits should be difficult to sustain. Yet on both sides of the Atlantic some companies make large profits in concentrated markets, and some billionaires have become successful where competition has failed. For example, Facebook and Google dominate online advertising. About a fifth of America’s billionaires made their money in industries in which government control or market failure is common.
Yet many others operate in competitive markets. The retailers owned by Mike Ashley, one of Mr Corbyn’s targets, are known for low prices and cruel competition. For every Mark Zuckerberg, the boss of Facebook, there are several technology entrepreneurs( 创 业 者 )with lots of rivals. Nobody can seriously accuse these innovators of having dominated their markets or of depending on state favors. The same goes for sportsmen such as Michael Jordan or musicians like Jay-Z, billionaires both.
When capitalism functions well, competition reduces profits for some but also produces them for others as entrepreneurs seize more markets. Their success will eventually set off another cycle of disruption( 颠 覆 ), but in the meantime fortunes can be made. This process creates vast benefits for society. According to estimates by William Nordhaus, an economist, between 1948 and 2001 innovators captured only 2% of the value they created. Perhaps that is why billionaires are tolerated even by countries with perfect social-democratic system: Sweden and Norway have more billionaires per person than America does.
Taxes should be increased progressively. But that does not justify limitless redistribution or punitive(惩罚性的)tax increase. Ms Warren’s wealth tax has already doubled once during her campaign. Thomas Piketty, an economist behind many of the most-cited inequality statistics, proposes a wealth tax of up to 90% on the richest billionaires. Such expropriation(征收)would surely discourage motivation to innovate and to allocate capital efficiently. An economy with fewer entrepreneurs might have fewer billionaires but would ultimately be less dynamic, leaving everyone worse off.
Whatever Mr Corbyn says, Britain is hardly corrupt by global standards. But it does have a problem with inherited wealth, the source of one-fifth of billionaires’ fortunes. Higher inheritance taxes would be welcome there and in America, where it is too easy to pass wealth between the generations. Besides, a broader agenda of attacking monopoly(垄断)while maintaining dynamism would help weaken over-protection of intellectual-property and copyright, and promote competition in old and new industries alike.
Doing all this would achieve much more than an unfair attack on the rich - and without the associated damage. By all means, correct policy failures. But billionaires are usually the wrong target.
1.The examples of Facebook and Google are mentioned in Paragraph 3 to show _____.
A.the situation is unique to America
B.most billionaires benefit from government’s protection
C.some billionaires do succeed in less competitive situations
D.profits are impossible in fiercely competitive industries
2.What will happen when capitalism works well?
A.Tax on the rich will be increased as a punishment.
B.More wealth will be produced for the whole society.
C.Billionaires will get most of the wealth they have created.
D.Billionaires are not accepted even in social-democratic societies.
3.The writer thinks expropriation like Thomas Piketty’s proposal will _____.
A.increase taxes progressively B.allocate capital more efficiently
C.prevent economic development D.motivate people to strive for success
4.What does the writer mainly tell us in the last but one paragraph?
A.Intellectual property and copyright protection must be weakened.
B.It makes no sense for the government to increase inheritance taxes.
C.It’s possible to promote market competition without fighting monopoly.
D.Practical measures can be taken to deal with the gap between rich and poor.
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Car sharing is another way to drive green that’s gaining in popularity, especially in urban areas．People who may not drive every day but still want a car to run errands （差事）or drive on weekends benefit most from car sharing．Car sharing is usually run by a service like Zipcar, though there are non-profit （非营利的）and informal car sharing services．Members pay a monthly fee and have access to an entire fleet of cars when they need one．The cars are parked in fixed spots around the city, so members only need to make a reservation, and then go to the pickup spot．
Car sharing has major environmental benefits because it reduces the number of cars on the road．Members don’t drive just because they are in a car．They plan trips, and if they don’t need a car, they don’t use one．Still, a car is available to them if they need to make a big trip to the grocery store, pick someone up at the airport or if they want to go to the beach for the day．Members also benefit by having access to a car without any of the headaches of ownership．They usually don’t have to pay for the gas, insurance or maintenance （保养）, and the monthly membership fee is less than a typical car payment．So if you really want to go green but aren’t ready to totally give up a car yet, car sharing may be the way to go．
If you still need to get around, but want to go even greener than sharing a car, share a bus!
1.The author intends to tell us that car sharing ________．
A．has become the most popular way to go to work
B．has become the best way to cut living costs
C．is becoming more and more popular in cities
D．is becoming popular both in urban and rural （乡村的）areas
2.We can conclude from the passage that _________．
A．Zipear can’t help you if you are running urgent errands
B．Zipcar, different from other services, aims green driving with no profit
C．Zipcar is a company supplying car sharing service for a monthly payment
D．Zipcar is a company providing formal car sharing free
3.The second paragraph mainly tells us _________．
A．why people will share a car
B．why car sharing benefits the environment
C．why car sharing is cheaper than owning a car
D．why a car is available to members
4.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A．Car sharing has become a new trend （趋势）．
B．Car sharing can save you the headaches of ownership．
C．Bus sharing is even greener than car sharing．
D．Zipcar is the largest company offering car sharing services．
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining global popularity. According to a government white paper, TCM has been introduced in 183 countries and regions around the world.
Westerners' understanding of TCM, however, may be limited to acupundure，cupping and massage (针灸，拔罐和按摩). For instance, the purple, injury-like marks left on US.swimmer Michael Phelps' back from cupping for the purpose of relaxing his muscles and reducing pain became the center of attention during the Rio Olympics in 2016.
As a matter of fact, Chinese herbs play a more important role in getting rid of diseases and keeping the body in good condition in the TCM treatment system than physical treatment.It is therefore disheartening to know that-while 103 World Health Organization member countries have given approval to the practice of acupuncture，not many recognize Chinese herbal medicine TCM falls far behind Western medicine owing partly to the slow development of Chinese herbs.
Herbs, are made into pills,powder and soup, and the kind of herbs uscd1 their quality and quantity, and the processing of the ingredients jointly determine the effectiveness of the prescription. Compared with Western medicine, which has standardized drug production processes and treatment methods, TCM lacks standardization, with the chemical composition and functions of its medicines being unclear and their effects being unstable. Fortunately,standardization has improved in recent decades, with an increasing number of factories producing patented TCM drugs.
Another factor that has prevented the development of TCM prescription drugs is the lack of creativity, While Western medicine-making companies come up with new products every year, TCM drug producers tend to make medicines according to prescriptions handed down from the past. Chinese chemist Tu Youyour's winning the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her research into malaria(疟疾）treatment may drive creativity to some extent in China's TCM industry. However, the current state of affairs cannot be changed within a short time.
1.The author mentions the example of Michael Phelps in order to show .
A. he was injured in his swimming.
B. cupping is a kind of important TCM treatment.
C. westerners know a little about TCM.
D. westerners attach great importance to TCM.
2.Why don't some member countries of WIIO recognize Chinese herbal medicine?
A. Because Chinese herbs can get rid of diseases
B. Because they only approve the practice of acupuncture
C. Because western medicine 15 more effective
D. Because medicine made out or Chinese herbs develops slowly
3.Compared with Western medicine，what is the main weak point of TCM ?
A. The methods of processing herbs.
B. The effectiveness of prescription.
C. Lacking in standardization.
D. Its unstable functions.
4.The lack of creativity in TCM refers to the fact that .
A. medicine-making companies lack creativity.
B. prescriptions are got from the past.
C. Western companies are more experienced.
D. medicine-making companies lack driving force
高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining global popularity. According to a government white paper, TCM has been introduced in 183 countries and regions around the world.
Westerners’ understanding of TCM, however, may be limited to acupuncture(针灸), cupping(拔罐) and massage(按摩). For instance, the purple, injury-like marks left on U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps’ back from cupping for the purpose of relaxing his muscles and reducing pain became the center of attention during the Rio Olympics in 2016.
As a matter of fact, Chinese herbs play a more important role in getting rid of diseases and keeping the body in good condition in the TCM treatment system than physical treatment. It is therefore disappointing to know that while 103 World Health Organization member countries have given approval to the practice of acupuncture, not many recognize Chinese herbal medicine. TCM falls far behind Western medicine owing partly to the slow development of Chinese herbs.
Herbs are made into pills, powder and soup, and the kind of herbs used, their quality and quantity, and the processing of the ingredients jointly determine the effectiveness of the prescription. Compared with Western medicine, which has standardized drug production processes and treatment methods, TCM lacks standardization, with the chemical composition and functions of its medicines being unclear and their effects being unstable. Fortunately, standardization has improved in recent decades, with an increasing number of factories producing patented TCM drugs.
Another factor that has prevented the development of TCM prescription(处方) drugs is the lack of creativity. While Western medicine-making companies come up with new products every year, TCM drug producers tend to make medicines according to prescriptions handed down from the past. Chinese chemist Tu Youyou’s winning the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her research into malaria(疟疾) treatment may drive creativity to some extent in China’s TCM industry. However, the current state of affairs cannot be changed within a short time.
1.Why does the author mention the example of Michael Phelps?
A.Because Phelps has an international fame for his interest in TCM.
B.Because cupping is a kind of important TCM treatment.
C.Because currently westerners have a preference for TCM
D.Because westerners have rather limited knowledge about TCM.
2.Why don’t some member countries of WHO recognize Chinese herbal medicine?
A.Because Chinese herbs can’t cure diseases as well as western medicine
B.Because they only approve of the practice of acupuncture
C.Because Chinese medicine tastes so bad.
D.Because medicine made out of Chinese herbs develops pretty slowly
3.Compared with Western medicine, what is the weak point of TCM in Paragraph 4?
A.The methods of processing herbs.
B.The effectiveness of prescription.
C.Lack of proper standardization.
D.Its unstable functions.
4.The lack of creativity in TCM refers to the fact that_______.
A.medicine-making companies lack creativity
B.prescriptions are passed down from generation to generation
C.Western companies are more experienced
D.medicine-making companies lack driving force and experienced specialists
高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） is gaining global popularity． According to a government white paper， TCM has been introduced in 183 countries and regions around the world．
Westerners' understanding of TCM， however， may be limited to acupuncture， cupping and massage（针灸，拔罐和按摩）． For instance， the purple， injury﹣like marks left on U． S． swimmer Michael Phelps，back from cupping for the purpose of relaxing his muscles and reducing pain became the center of attention during the Rio Olympics in 2016．
As a matter of fact， Chinese herbs play a more important role in getting rid of diseases and keeping the body in good condition in the TCM treatment system than physical treatment． It is therefore disheartening to know that while 103 World Health Organization member countries have given approval to the practice of acupuncture， not many recognize Chinese herbal medicine． TCM falls far behind Western medicine owing partly to the slow development of Chinese herbs．
Herbs are made into pills， powder and soup， and the kind of herbs used， their quality and quantity， and the processing of the ingredients （原材料） jointly determine the effectiveness of the prescription． Compared with Western medicine， which has standardized drug production processes and treatment methods， TCM lacks standardization， with the chemical composition and functions of its medicines being unclear and their effects being unstable． Fortunately， standardization has improved in recent decades， with an increasing number of factories producing patented TCM drugs．
Another factor that has prevented the development of TCM prescription drugs is the lack of creativity． While Western medicine﹣making companies come up with new products every year， TCM drug producers tend to make medicines according to prescriptions handed down from the past． Chinese chemist Tu Youyou's winning the 2015Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her research into malaria （疟疾） treatment may drive creativity to some extent in China's TCM industry． However， the current state of affairs cannot be changed within a short time．
1.Why does the author mention the example of Michael Phelps？
A. Because he was injured in his swimming．
B. Because cupping is a kind of important TCM treatment．
C. Because westerners know a little about TCM．
D. Because westerners attach great importance to TCM．
2.Why don't some member countries of WHO recognize Chinese herbal medicine？
A. Because Chinese herbs can get rid of diseases．
B. Because they only approve the practice of acupuncture．
C. Because Western medicine is more effective．
D. Because medicine made out of Chinese herbs develops slowly．
3.Compared with Western medicine， what is the weak point of TCM in Paragraph 4？
A. The methods of planting herbs．
B. The effectiveness of prescription．
C. Lacking in standardization．
D. Its stable functions．
4.The lack of creativity in TCM refers to the fact that ．
A. medicine﹣making companies lack creativity
B. prescriptions are got from the past
C. Western companies are more experienced
D. medicine﹣making companies lack driving force
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining global popularity. According to a government white paper, TCM has been introduced in 183 countries and regions around the world.
Westerners’ understanding of TCM, however, may be limited to acupuncture, cupping and massage(针灸，拔罐和按摩). For instance, the purple, injury-like marks left on U. S. swimmer Michael Phelps，back from cupping for the purpose of relaxing his muscles and reducing pain became the center of attention during the Rio Olympics in 2016.
As a matter of fact, Chinese herbs play a more important role in getting rid of diseases and keeping the body in good condition in the TCM treatment system than physical treatment. It is therefore disheartening to know that while 103 World Health Organization member countries have given approval to the practice of acupuncture, not many recognize Chinese herbal medicine. TCM falls far behind Western medicine owing partly to the slow development of Chinese herbs.
Herbs are made into pills, powder and soup, and the kind of herbs used, their quality and quantity, and the processing of the ingredients (原材料) jointly determine the effectiveness of the prescription. Compared with Western medicine, which has standardized drug production processes and treatment methods, TCM lacks standardization, with the chemical composition and functions of its medicines being unclear and their effects being unstable. Fortunately, standardization has improved in recent decades, with an increasing number of factories producing patented TCM drugs.
Another factor that has prevented the development of TCM prescription drugs is the lack of creativity. While Western medicine-making companies come up with new products every year, TCM drug producers tend to make medicines according to prescriptions handed down from the past. Chinese chemist Tu Youyou’s winning the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her research into malaria (疟疾) treatment may drive creativity to some extent in China’s TCM industry. However, the current state of affairs cannot be changed within a short time.
1.Why does the author mention the example of Michael Phelps?
A. Because he was injured in his swimming.
B. Because cupping is a kind of important TCM treatment.
C. Because westerners know a little about TCM.
D. Because westerners attach great importance to TCM.
2.Why don’t some member countries of WHO recognize Chinese herbal medicine?
A. Because Chinese herbs can get rid of diseases.
B. Because they only approve the practice of acupuncture.
C. Because Western medicine is more effective.
D. Because medicine made out of Chinese herbs develops slowly.
3.Compared with Western medicine, what is the weak point of TCM in Paragraph 4?
A. The methods of planting herbs.
B. The effectiveness of prescription.
C. Lacking in standardization.
D. Its stable functions.
4.The lack of creativity in TCM refers to the fact that ________.
A. medicine-making companies lack creativity
B. prescriptions are got from the past
C. Western companies are more experienced
D. medicine-making companies lack driving force
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
A television series is fast gaining its word-of-mouth 1.(popular) among not only Chinese households but also some foreigners. The drama, 2.(call) In the Name of the People, offers viewers, 3.(particular) foreigners, an opportunity to better understand China’s politics and culture and also the nations’ iron-fist resolve in the fight 4.corruption(腐败) among the country’s officials. The drama is 5.effort rarely seen in recent memory that carries the anti-corruption topic onto mainstream television. Before that, the discussion of this topic was widespread 6.mostly remains private in Chinese society.
“I was quite 7.(impress) by the jaw-dropping scene8.the cash hidden on a giant wall was found in a low-level official’s house. It is a bribe(行贿)he’s accepted which is worth 230 million yuan (about 33 million U. S. dollars)”, said Eric Ivarsen from Norway, a master’s student 9.(major) in the public management and social development at the University of Chinese Academy of Science.
“My subject has a very high requirement of knowledge about Chinese politics and culture. After watching the drama, I 10.(well) understand China’s political terms, for example, seats order according to official rankings, languages being used in a meeting, which is quite different from my country,” lvarsen added.
高三英语短文填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining global popularity. According to a government white paper, TCM 1.(introduce) in 183 countries and regions around the world so far.
Westerners' understanding of TCM, however, may be limited to acupuncture(针灸), cupping(拔罐) and massage. As 2.matter of fact, Chinese herbs play a more important role than physical 3.(treat) in getting rid of diseases and keeping the body 4.good condition in the TCM treatment system.
Herbs are made into pills, powder and soup, 5.are used for different kinds of illnesses.
The herbs, 6.(they) quality and quantity, and the processing of the ingredients jointly determine the effectiveness of the prescription. TCM, 7.(compare) with Western medicine, lacks standardization because the chemical composition and functions of its medicines are unclear and their 8.(effect) are unstable. 9.(fortunate), standardization has improved in recent decades, with an increasing number of factories10.(produce) patented TCM drugs.
高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
——Chatting online has become_________popular means of communication.
——That’s true.It is especially popular with__________young.
A 不填； the B a ; the C不填；不填 D a ；不填
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
The popular Korean male artist Rain swept through Asia recently, gaining popularity among both male and female fans. 36 his popularity, Pepsi(百事可乐), which did not 37 to offer any Korean artist the opportunity to be one of its ambassadors (大使), has changed their mind. They now have 38 Rain to be its new “blue blood(蓝血家族)” and have offered him a high price.
For the past two years, Pepsi has 39 an enormous amount of money in signing up world popular mega stars to be the company’s ambassadors. They 40 soccer star David Beckham, Taiwan popular Idols F4, Jay Chou, Hong Kong star Edison Chen, Nicholas Tse, Louis Koo etc. Now with the 41 rising of Korean star Rain, Pepsi was quick to put him on its 42.
According to sources, Pepsi has recently sent a(an) 43 to Korea to discuss details with Rain and they are about to 44 a contract. When a reporter called Ms Li to verify this matter, she didn’t deny it, and 45 that “At this point, we can’t reveal anything”. Also according to sources, Pepsi will be the sponsor of Rain’s October 46 in Hong Kong, but Rain’s Hong Kong manager Ms Chan Ka Ying 47 , “At this moment, it’s not 48 to talk about this. There will be an announcement shortly!”
49 the old Chinese saying goes: “One mountain cannot be ruled by two tigers”, Pepsi has somehow created an internal 50 between Rain and Jay Chou. Rain’s popularity is rising and he has the 51 “single eye-lid” feature as Jay, whose status has somehow been 52. There’s a rumour that the skin product brand DHC is intending to 53 their ambassador from Jay to Rain, in order to capture the Korean, Japanese, Chinese 54.
Rain’s recent Beijing concert was a tremendous hit, 55 in “Korean Fever” in Mainland China.
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高三英语完型填空困难题查看答案及解析