“When I grow up, I want to be a runner.” These words are spoken by thousands of Kenyan children. 50 percent of the Kenyan top runners are members of Kalenjin, one minority race of the country. They make up less than two percent of Kenya’s population. This fact has puzzled sports scientists. They have spent considerable time and effort trying to answer one question: What enables the Kalenjin people to run so fast?
Although the question seems simple, finding the answer has proven to be difficult and controversial. A team of Danish sports scientists spent 18 months and discovered the Kalenjins had remarkably slow heart rates even when running long distances. The Kalenjins live in high-elevation（高海拔） villages in the Rift Valley in western Kenya. People living at high elevations produce more red blood cells, which aid in the transport of oxygen throughout the body. Because the air is thinner and contains less oxygen at high elevations, the body produces more red blood cells. Scientists believe there is a connection between increased red blood cells and low heart rates and that both may enable high-altitude athletes to outperform those who train at low altitudes. The Danish scientists also studied the bodies of the Kalenjins and compared them to those of the Danes. They found that the Kalenjins have longer “birdlike” legs. The Kalenjins also have lower body mass indexes (a measure of body fat based on weight and height) and shorter bodies than Danish people.
As a result of the Danish study, some scientists made the conclusion that the Kalenjins possess what is called a “speed gene(基因)”. However, Kenyan runners were offended by this conclusion They credited their success to hard work and endless hours of training.
Although the controversy over the “speed gene” remains unsolved, British runner Mo Farah’s experience offers an interesting perspective on the subject. In 2005, he realized he wasn’t meeting his potential as a runner. A group of Kenyan runners were training in England then. After he accidentally observed the Kenyans’ strict training routines and dedication to their sport, Farah said it was like a switch had been turned on in his head. He began eating healthy foods, going to bed early, and training harder than he had ever trained in his life. As a result, Farah’s running career exploded. He has won seven world and Olympic titles in the 5000m and regularly beats Kenya’s top runners!
Farah’s story proves what Kenyans have known all along. Regardless of genetics, their success would not be possible without hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and mental toughness. Their “secret” is simple. Train hard, run fast, and never give up.
1.What interested the sports scientists?
A.Kenyan sports history.
B.Kanlenjins’ running ability.
C.Kanlenjins’ training methods.
D.Kenyans’ enthusiasm for sport.
2.According to Danish scientists, what leads to the Kanlenjins’ success?
A.Physical condition. B.Hard training.
C.Living style. D.Strong will.
3.How did Kenyan runners think about Danish research result?
A.Convincing. B.Astonishing.
C.Unacceptable. D.Important.
4.Why is Mo Farah’s story mentioned in the passage?
A.To show running methods count.
B.To encourage British athletes.
C.To prove effort pays off.
D.To support gene theory.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题
“When I grow up, I want to be a runner.” These words are spoken by thousands of Kenyan children. 50 percent of the Kenyan top runners are members of Kalenjin, one minority race of the country. They make up less than two percent of Kenya’s population. This fact has puzzled sports scientists. They have spent considerable time and effort trying to answer one question: What enables the Kalenjin people to run so fast?
Although the question seems simple, finding the answer has proven to be difficult and controversial. A team of Danish sports scientists spent 18 months and discovered the Kalenjins had remarkably slow heart rates even when running long distances. The Kalenjins live in high-elevation（高海拔） villages in the Rift Valley in western Kenya. People living at high elevations produce more red blood cells, which aid in the transport of oxygen throughout the body. Because the air is thinner and contains less oxygen at high elevations, the body produces more red blood cells. Scientists believe there is a connection between increased red blood cells and low heart rates and that both may enable high-altitude athletes to outperform those who train at low altitudes. The Danish scientists also studied the bodies of the Kalenjins and compared them to those of the Danes. They found that the Kalenjins have longer “birdlike” legs. The Kalenjins also have lower body mass indexes (a measure of body fat based on weight and height) and shorter bodies than Danish people.
As a result of the Danish study, some scientists made the conclusion that the Kalenjins possess what is called a “speed gene(基因)”. However, Kenyan runners were offended by this conclusion They credited their success to hard work and endless hours of training.
Although the controversy over the “speed gene” remains unsolved, British runner Mo Farah’s experience offers an interesting perspective on the subject. In 2005, he realized he wasn’t meeting his potential as a runner. A group of Kenyan runners were training in England then. After he accidentally observed the Kenyans’ strict training routines and dedication to their sport, Farah said it was like a switch had been turned on in his head. He began eating healthy foods, going to bed early, and training harder than he had ever trained in his life. As a result, Farah’s running career exploded. He has won seven world and Olympic titles in the 5000m and regularly beats Kenya’s top runners!
Farah’s story proves what Kenyans have known all along. Regardless of genetics, their success would not be possible without hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and mental toughness. Their “secret” is simple. Train hard, run fast, and never give up.
1.What interested the sports scientists?
A.Kenyan sports history.
B.Kanlenjins’ running ability.
C.Kanlenjins’ training methods.
D.Kenyans’ enthusiasm for sport.
2.According to Danish scientists, what leads to the Kanlenjins’ success?
A.Physical condition. B.Hard training.
C.Living style. D.Strong will.
3.How did Kenyan runners think about Danish research result?
A.Convincing. B.Astonishing.
C.Unacceptable. D.Important.
4.Why is Mo Farah’s story mentioned in the passage?
A.To show running methods count.
B.To encourage British athletes.
C.To prove effort pays off.
D.To support gene theory.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? How about an ice-cream taster?
Yes, there really is a job where you can get paid to taste ice cream. Just ask John Harrison, an “Official Taste Tester” for the past 21 years. Testing helps manufacturers to be sure of a product’s quality. During his career Harrison has been responsible for approving large quantities of the sweet ice cream—as well as for developing over 75 flavors（味道）.
Some people think that it would be easy to do this job; after all, you just have to like ice cream, right? No—there’s more to the job than that, says Harrison, who has a degree in chemistry. He points out that a dairy or food-science degree would be very useful to someone wanting a career in this “cool” field.
In a typical morning on the job, Harrison tastes and assesses 60 ice-cream samples. He lets the ice cream warm up to about 12°F. Harrison explains, “You get more flavor from warmer ice cream, which is why some kids like to stir（搅拌）it, creating ice-cream soup.”
While the ice cream warms up, Harrison looks over the samples and grades each one on its appearance. “Tasting begins with the eyes,” he explains. He checks to see if the ice cream is attractive and asks himself，“Does the product have the color expected from that flavor?” Next it’s time to taste!
Continuing to think up new ideas, try out new flavors, and test samples from so many kinds of ice cream each day keeps Harrison busy but happy – working at one cool job.
1. What is John Harrison’s job?
A. An official. B. An ice-cream manufacturer.
C. A chemist. D. An ice-cream taster.
2.According to John Harrison, to be qualified in the “cool field”, it is helpful to ________.
A. think up new ideas every day
B. keep a diary of daily work
C. have a degree in related subjects
D. find out new flavors each day
3.What does Harrison do first when testing ice cream?
A. He stirs the ice cream.
B. He lets the ice cream warm up.
C. He tastes the flavor of the ice cream.
D. He examines the color of the ice cream.
4.Which of the following is probably the best title for the passage?
A. One Cool Job B. Flavors of Ice Cream
C. Tasting with Eyes D. John Harrison’s Life
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? How about an ice-cream taster?
Yes, there really is a job where you can get paid to taste ice cream. Just ask John Harrison, an “Official Taste Tester” for the past 21 years. Testing helps producers to be sure of a product’s quality. During his career Harrison has been responsible for approving large quantities of the sweet ice cream –as well as for developing over 75 flavors （味道）.
Some people think that it would be easy to do this job; after all, you just have to like ice cream, right? No –-- there’s more to the job than that, says Harrison, who has a degree in chemistry. He points out that a dairy or food-science degree would be very useful to someone wanting a career in this “cool” field.
In a typical morning on the job, Harrison tastes and rates 60 ice-cream samples. He lets the ice cream warm up to about 12 F. Harrisonexplains, “You get more flavor from warmer ice cream, which is why some kids like to stir it, creating ice-cream soup.”
While the ice cream warms up, Harrison looks over the samples and grades each one on its appearance. “Tasting begins with the eyes,”he explains. He checks to see if the ice cream is attractive and asks himself, “Does the product have the colour expected from that flavor?”Next it’s time to taste!
Continuing to think up new ideas, try out new flavors, and test samples from so many kinds of ice cream each day keeps Harrison busy but happy – working at once cool job.
1.What is John Harrison’s job?
A．An official. B．An ice-cream taster.
C．A chemist. D．An ice-cream producer
2.According to John Harrison, to be qualified(有资格的) in the “cool field”, it is helpful to________.
A．keep a diary of work B．have a degree in related subjects
C．have new ideas every day D．find out new flavors each day
3.What does Harrison do first when testing ice cream?
A．He stirs the ice cream.
B．He examines the colour of the ice cream.
C．He tastes the flavor of the ice cream.
D．He lets the ice cream warm up.
4.Which of the following is probably the best title of the passage?
A．Tasting with Eyes B．Flavors of Ice Cream
C．John Harrison’s Life D．One Cool Job
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? How about an ice-cream taster?
Yes, there really is a job where you can get paid to taste ice cream. Just ask John Harrison, an “Official Taste Tester” for the past 21 years. Testing helps manufacturers(制造商) to be sure of a product’s quality. During his career Harrison has been responsible for approving large quantities of the sweet ice cream— as well as for developing over 75 flavors .
Some people think that it would be easy to do this job; after all, you just have to like ice cream, right? No— there’s more to the job than that, says Harrison, who has a degree in chemistry. He points out that a dairy or food science degree would be very useful to someone wanting a career in this “cool” field.
In a typical morning on the job, Harrison tastes and assesses 60 ice-cream samples. He lets the ice cream warm up about 12℉. Harrison explains, “You get more flavor from warmer ice cream, which is why some kids like to stir it, creating ice-cream soup.”
While the ice cream warms up, Harrison looks over the samples and grades each one on its appearance. “Tasting begins with the eyes,” he explains. He checks to see if the ice cream is attractive and asks himself, “Does the product have the color expected from that flavor?” Next it’s time to taste!
Continuing to think up new ideas, try out new flavors and test samples from so many kinds of ice cream each day keeps Harrison busy but happy— working at one cool job.
1. According to John Harrison, to be qualified in the “cool field”, it is helpful to __________.
A. keep a diary of work
B. have a degree in related subjects
C. have new ideas every day
D. find out new flavors each day
2. What does Harrison do first when tasting ice cream?
A. He stirs the ice cream. B. He examines the color of the ice cream.
C. He tastes the flavor of the ice cream. D. He lets the ice cream warm up.
3. Which of the following is probably the best title of the passage?
A. Tasting with Eyes B. Flavors of Ice Cream
C. John Harrison’s Life D. One Cool Job
高二英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析
What do you want to be when you grow up? A teacher? A doctor? How about an ice-cream taster?
Yes, there really is a job where you can get paid to taste ice cream. Just ask John Harrison, an “Official Taste Tester” for the past 21 years. Testing helps manufacturers(制造商) to be sure of a product’s quality. During his career Harrison has been responsible for approving large quantities of the sweet ice cream— as well as for developing over 75 flavors .
Some people think that it would be easy to do this job; after all, you just have to like ice cream, right? No— there’s more to the job than that, says Harrison, who has a degree in chemistry. He points out that a dairy or food science degree would be very useful to someone wanting a career in this “cool” field.
In a typical morning on the job, Harrison tastes and assesses 60 ice-cream samples. He lets the ice cream warm up about 12℉. Harrison explains, “You get more flavor from warmer ice cream, which is why some kids like to stir it, creating ice-cream soup.”
While the ice cream warms up, Harrison looks over the samples and grades each one on its appearance. “Tasting begins with the eyes,” he explains. He checks to see if the ice cream is attractive and asks himself, “Does the product have the color expected from that flavor?” Next it’s time to taste!
Continuing to think up new ideas, try out new flavors and test samples from so many kinds of ice cream each day keeps Harrison busy but happy— working at one cool job.
1.According to John Harrison, to be qualified in the “cool field”, it is helpful to __________.
A. keep a diary of work
B. have a degree in related subjects
C. have new ideas every day
D. find out new flavors each day
2.What does Harrison do first when tasting ice cream?
A. He stirs the ice cream. B. He examines the color of the ice cream.
C. He tastes the flavor of the ice cream. D. He lets the ice cream warm up.
3.Which of the following is probably the best title of the passage?
A. Tasting with Eyes B. Flavors of Ice Cream
C. John Harrison’s Life D. One Cool Job
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Dear daughters,
Most parents tell their children, “You can be anything you want when you grow up.” I feel the same and I say this often. But I also want you to understand that realizing your dreams comes from hard work, some good luck and good timing.
Here are some words of wisdom for you as you make your way in the world, from an entrepreneur (企业家) and from your mama.
1. Be open-minded to changing your path along the way
In high school, I wanted to be a politician. I left my hometown and went off to college in Washington,
DC. There, I discovered that I loved to support women. It taught me that I’m creative, a strong leader and great at marketing. As a result, I moved on to be the head of a national healthcare nonprofit. Becoming a mother while in that job opened my mind to launching a breast pump bag (储奶袋) business. Now I run a highly successful company that I started up on my own. I'm not a politician!
2. Failure is critical to your success
Failure can be heartbreaking. But I will tell you that every failure I’ve had along the way has absolutely made me better.
Failing the big math exam in high school and going to summer school was embarrassing. I eventually passed, and I’ve never failed an exam again. I learned from that experience to ask for help. Now, I ask for help in business all the time.
I’m proud to be a role model to you as a mom and an entrepreneur. I hope I inspire you to believe that you can be anything you want. It will be my pleasure to watch your lives unfold before my eyes.
Love,
Your mom
1.In the writer’s opinion, what does it take to realize one’s dream?
A.Failure, hard work and good timing.
B.An open mind, failure and hard work.
C.Hard work, good luck and good timing.
D.A good dream, an open mind and hard work.
2.What did the writer learn from her failure?
A.Failure can make us embarrassed.
B.We shouldn’t get angry when we fail.
C.Don’t care too much about your failure.
D.It’s important to turn to others for help.
3.Which of the following words best describe the writer?
A.Political and proud.
B.Caring and cautious.
C.Modest and unlucky.
D.Flexible and successful.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Alice wants to become ______ singer when she grows up.
A．不填 B．the C．an D．a
高二英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析
Growing up, I wanted to be just like my mom. She was kind. People always seemed to feel comfortable in her presence. For years, she was a volunteer in our community. I loved going to the local nursing home with her where she taught a ceramics(制陶技术) class.
On one summer day, Mama told me to get changed and meet her at the car.
I had planned to spend the day at the lake with friends. Why did she have to ruin everything? I imagined the cool lake water. Irritated，I climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. We sat in silence. I was too upset to make conversation.
“Tasha, would you like to know where we are going?” Mama asked calmly.
“No,” I said.
“We are going to volunteer at a children’s shelter today. I have been there before and I think it would benefit you,” she explained.
When we reached the shelter, Mama rang the doorbell. Moments later, we were greeted by a woman. She led us to the front room where all of the children were playing. I noticed a baby whose body was scarred with iron marks. I was told it was because she wouldn’t stop crying. The majority of the children had noticeable physical scars. Others hid their emotional wounds.
As I took in my surroundings, I felt a gentle pull on my shirt. I looked down to see a little girl looking up at me. “Hi. You want to play dolls with me?” she asked. I looked over at Mama for reinforcement. She smiled and nodded. I turned back and said, “Sure.” Her tiny hand reached up and held mine, as if to comfort me.
My mom taught me a valuable lesson that summer. I returned to the shelter with her several times. During those visits, some of the children shared their troubled pasts with me and I learned to be grateful for what I had. Today as I try to instill (逐渐灌输) these values in my own child, I reflect back to that experience. It was a time that I will never forget.
1.The author admired her mom for__________ .
A. her kindness to others
B. her excellent teaching
C. her quality of honesty
D. her positive attitude to life
2.According to Paragraph 3, when she was asked to go out with her mom, the author was__________.
A. excited B. angry
C. surprised D. worried
3.From the passage we learn most children in the shelter__________.
A. were often punished by staff
B. weren’t allowed to go outside
C. were once treated badly
D. all suffered from mental illness
4.The underlined word “reinforcement” in the passage is closest in meaning to __________.
A. truth B. help
C. comfort D. support
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
Growing up, I wanted to be just like my mom. She was kind. People always seemed to feel comfortable in her presence. For years, she was a volunteer in our community. I loved going to the local nursing home with her where she taught a ceramic class.
On one summer day, Mama told me to get changed and meet her at the car.
I had planned to spend the day at the lake with friends. Why did she have to ruin everything? I imagined the cool lake water. Irritated使烦燥，I climbed into the car and slammed the door shut. We sat in silence. I was too upset to make conversation.
“Tasha, would you like to know where we are going?” Mama asked calmly.
“No,” I said.
“We are going to volunteer at a children’s shelter today. I have been there before and I think it would benefit you,” she explained.
When we reached the shelter, Mama rang the doorbell. Moments later, we were greeted by a woman. She led us to the front room where all of the children were playing. I noticed a baby whose body was scarred with iron marks. I was told it was because she wouldn’t stop crying. The majority of the children had noticeable physical scars. Others hid their emotional wounds.
As I took in my surroundings, I felt a gentle tug猛拉，牵引on my shirt. I looked down to see a little girl looking up at me. “Hi. You want to play dolls with me?” she asked. I looked over at Mama for reinforcement. She smiled and nodded. I turned back and said, “Sure.” Her tiny hand reached up and held mine, as if to comfort me.
My mom taught me a valuable lesson that summer. I returned to the shelter with her several times. During those visits, some of the children shared their troubled pasts with me and I learned to be grateful for what I had. Today as I try to instill (逐渐灌输) these values in my own child, I reflect back to that experience. It was a time that I will never forget.
1.The author admired her mom for ________.
A. her kindness to others
B. her excellent teaching
C. her quality of honesty
D. her positive attitude to life
2.According to Paragraph 3, when she was asked to go out with her mom, the author was ________.
A. excited B. angry
C. surprised D. worried
3.From the passage we learn most children in the shelter ________.
A. were often punished by staff
B. weren’t allowed to go outside
C. were once treated badly
D. all suffered from mental illness
4.The underlined word “reinforcement” in the passage is closest in meaning to “________”.
A. truth B. help
C. comfort D. support
5.What lesson did the author learn from her experience?
A. To value what you take for granted.
B. To play with children is fun.
C. To love others is to love yourself.
D. To do as what your parents do.
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析
“I don’t speak English”-these are the first words I learned when I came to America. Soon I was able to pronounce the four words clearly, and said them whenever an American tried to talk to me. This answer was very effective（有效的）at ending our conversation and saving me from another uncomfortable situation, or I would have to communicate in a language that I was not familiar with.
Before coming to the States, I thought I knew English pretty well. But the truth is that the grammar and vocabulary-based English that is taught in schools overseas（海外的）is not the English people speak in America.
But fear not! Once you are in America, you can immediately begin to bridge the gap（弥补差距）between the learned English that you already know, and the spoken English that is all around you. To do this, first of all, it is important not to fear when you realize that you may not be as prepared for daily communication as you thought. For me, as soon as I stopped worrying about my accent and started speaking, I made rapid progress. Often the people didn’t notice my mistakes because they were so glad to finally be able to communicate with me.
Another good idea is to listen carefully and pay attention to the way in which ideas are expressed. For example, if you are working hard and you want to stop working and rest for a little while, you can either say “I would like to stop working and rest for a while” or “I want to take a quick break from work.” The first sentence, I quickly learned, sounds dry and too formal for any kind of communication, while the second is an idiom（成语）that is widely used in American English conversation.
Finally, use what you already know---the vocabulary, the grammar and the spelling. Try to use these into the spoken language for more impressive and accurate（精确）speaking results.
1.What’ s the main idea of this passage?
A．You’d better say “I don’t speak English” in the USA.
B．How you can improve your spoken English in the USA.
C．Idioms are widely used to express your ideas in the USA.
D．Listening is the best way to improve your spoken English in the USA.
2.At first the writer preferred to use the sentence “I don’t speak English” to.
A．admit he is a foreigner
B．save much time for himself
C．prevent himself from being laughed at
D．avoid getting upset in communicating with others
3.What’s the problem with the English taught outside the English-speaking countries?
A．It is quite different from what the natives speak.
B．It is taught in boring and wrong grammar.
C．It has nothing to do with English.
D．It has too small a vocabulary.
4.When did the writer make rapid progress in spoken English?
A．As soon as he paid attention to the way Americans spoke.
B．The minute he found what has been learned useless.
C．The moment he got rid of the fear of speaking.
D．Immediately he arrived in the USA.
5.All the following are tips given buy the writer EXCEPT “.”
A．speaking bravely B．listening carefully
C．using what you have learned D．making few mistakes
高二英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析