For many in the UK, if the New Year means anything, it means starting with a clean beginning and turning over a new leaf. And to do this, many of us make New Year's resolutions—a list of ways that we intend to improve ourselves in the year ahead. We reflect on our past transgressions and decide not to do them again. Stopping smoking is ever popular, as is a vow to take up more exercise or spend more time with family. But where does the idea of a New Year's resolution come from?
The answer might lie 4,000 years ago in ancient Babylonia (巴比伦王国), according to History.com. The Babylonians are believed to be the first to hold recorded celebrations for the New Year. The 12-day-long celebration, allowed them not only to reaffirm (重申) their loyalty to the king, but also to promise to the gods to pay their debts and return borrowed objects. For their good behavior, they believed the gods would cast favor upon them for the year to come.
The Romans too had similar traditions. New Year's Day was a time when senators would swear they had maintained the laws and city leaders and soldiers would take an oath (宣誓) of loyalty to the emperor. Incidentally, the month of January, is named after the Roman god Janus. He is the god of beginnings, transitions and time, among other things and is described as having two faces—one looking to the past and the other facing forward to the future.
The Romans may be long gone, but their legacy lives on. Come the turn of the year and we look at self-improvement, review our past mistakes, confess our wrongdoings and try to sharpen up in general. Ultimately, much like the Babylonians and Romans, we seek to reaffirm the best parts of ourselves, while leaving the worthless behind.
Whether you're looking at a quick behavioral change, or huge personality improving, you're taking part in an old tradition. I wish you all the best sticking to your resolutions. Happy New Year!
1.The underlined word ''transgressions'' in the first paragraph means '' ''.
A.childhood B.wrongdoings
C.careers D.achievements
2.What did the Babylonians do during the 12-day-long celebration?
A.They strengthened their loyalty to the king again.
B.They borrowed objects from gods.
C.They took up more exercise.
D.They kept the laws and stayed with families.
3.What physical feature does the Roman god Janus have?
A.Janus is the god of beginnings. B.Janus is the god of transitions and time.
C.Janus has two faces. D.Janus looks to the past.
4.The main idea of the passage is .
A.the way to celebrate New Year B.the origin of the New Year's resolution
C.the old story of Romans D.the approach to changing people's behavior
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题
For many in the UK, if the New Year means anything, it means starting with a clean beginning and turning over a new leaf. And to do this, many of us make New Year's resolutions—a list of ways that we intend to improve ourselves in the year ahead. We reflect on our past transgressions and decide not to do them again. Stopping smoking is ever popular, as is a vow to take up more exercise or spend more time with family. But where does the idea of a New Year's resolution come from?
The answer might lie 4,000 years ago in ancient Babylonia (巴比伦王国), according to History.com. The Babylonians are believed to be the first to hold recorded celebrations for the New Year. The 12-day-long celebration, allowed them not only to reaffirm (重申) their loyalty to the king, but also to promise to the gods to pay their debts and return borrowed objects. For their good behavior, they believed the gods would cast favor upon them for the year to come.
The Romans too had similar traditions. New Year's Day was a time when senators would swear they had maintained the laws and city leaders and soldiers would take an oath (宣誓) of loyalty to the emperor. Incidentally, the month of January, is named after the Roman god Janus. He is the god of beginnings, transitions and time, among other things and is described as having two faces—one looking to the past and the other facing forward to the future.
The Romans may be long gone, but their legacy lives on. Come the turn of the year and we look at self-improvement, review our past mistakes, confess our wrongdoings and try to sharpen up in general. Ultimately, much like the Babylonians and Romans, we seek to reaffirm the best parts of ourselves, while leaving the worthless behind.
Whether you're looking at a quick behavioral change, or huge personality improving, you're taking part in an old tradition. I wish you all the best sticking to your resolutions. Happy New Year!
1.The underlined word ''transgressions'' in the first paragraph means '' ''.
A.childhood B.wrongdoings
C.careers D.achievements
2.What did the Babylonians do during the 12-day-long celebration?
A.They strengthened their loyalty to the king again.
B.They borrowed objects from gods.
C.They took up more exercise.
D.They kept the laws and stayed with families.
3.What physical feature does the Roman god Janus have?
A.Janus is the god of beginnings. B.Janus is the god of transitions and time.
C.Janus has two faces. D.Janus looks to the past.
4.The main idea of the passage is .
A.the way to celebrate New Year B.the origin of the New Year's resolution
C.the old story of Romans D.the approach to changing people's behavior
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
—Your colleague is speaking English with fluency.
—It's no wonder．She ____ in the UK for a year as a visiting professor
A. worked B. has worked
C. had worked D. has been working
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
—Your colleague is speaking English with fluency.
—It's no wonder．She ____ in the UK for a year as a visiting professor．
A. worked B. has worked C. had worked D. has been working
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
How many hours does it take to be fluent in English?
There are plenty of people in the UK for whom even basic English is a problem. According to the survey, 726,000 people in England and Wales said they could not speak English well, and another 138,000 said they did not speak it at all.
Ling, 40,who arrived five years ago from China, found it difficult to learn English. " When I came here l was pregnant and so I was at home for the next three years. It took me longer to learn as l was very busy with the children.” Eventually she was able to begin taking classes and now speaks good conversational English. But even with classes, it can be a long process to pick up the language.
Age is the most important factor in language acquisition, says Mila Vulchanova, professor of linguistics at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. "There is a sensitive period in language learning, which is biologically determined, with an onset at birth and a decline around puberty. So the younger the immigrant, the better. Since this decline is only gradual, teenagers are at an advantage over adults.” he says.
There are a number of systems for grading English. The government expects immigrants to reach "ESOL Entry 3" or "B1 level" in Scotland, before they can be granted citizenship. It's equivalent（相当的） to being able to hold a confident conversation and-it might take 360 hours of study to achieve.
George Osborne said in June following the spending review that welfare claimants（申请者）who don't speak English will have their benefits cut if they fail to attend language courses.
Huan Japes, deputy chief executive of English UK, a trade body for language colleges, says a rule of thumb is 360 hours-120 hours for each of three stages-to get to the standard the government expects benefit claimants to reach.
But many of the people who attend courses are visiting students rather than people settling in the UK. Immigrants tend to have very varied levels of education.
" Using 120 hours( for each stage of English fluency) is a rather traditional approach to course book learning," says Dr Elaine Boyd, head of English language at Trinity College London. "If someone is really highly motivated, they can learn really quickly. It's common for children under the age of 11 to be very immersed and be fluent in about six months. "
1.The example of Ling is given to show that _ .
A. it's important to speak fluent English
B. many immigrants attend English classes
C. it's difficult to learn English well
D. many immigrants can't speak English in England
2. What does Mila Vulchanova mainly stress?
A. The necessity of working hard at English.
B. The function of the sensitive period.
C. The advantages of children's learning English.
D. The importance of starting learning English early.
3.What Dr Elaine Boyd says suggests that .
A. 120 hours is a standard that is a little low
B. 120 hours is a standard that is too high
C. English fluency can be easily achieved
D. English fluency can hardly be achieved
4.The author develops the passage mainly by .
A. using survey data
B. using experts' views
C. giving examples of English learners
D. listing the facts of English learning
高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
In the global economy, a new drug for cancer, ______ it is discovered, will create many economic possibilities around the world.
A．whatever B．whoever C．wherever D．whichever
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
In the global economy, a new drug for cancer, _________ it is discovered, will create many economic possibilities around the world.
A. whatever B. whoever C. wherever D. whichever
高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析
In the global economy, a new drug for cancer, ________ it is discovered, will create many economic possibilities around the world.
A. whatever B. whoever C. wherever D. whichever
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
In the global economy, a new drug for cancer, ________ it is discovered, will create many economic possibilities around the world.
A．whatever B．whoever
C．wherever D．whichever
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
(2013·江苏，28)In the global economy，a new drug for cancer，________it is discovered，will create many economic possibilities around the world.
A．whatever B．whoever C．wherever D．whichever
高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
(2013·高考江苏卷)In the global economy，a new drug for cancer，________ it is discovered，will create many economic possibilities around the world.
A．whatever B．whoever
C．wherever D．whichever
高三英语单项填空困难题查看答案及解析