Particulate MatterThere are things floating a...

Particulate Matter

There are things floating around in the air. Most of them, you can not even see. They are a kind of air pollution called particles or particulate matter. In fact, particulate matter may be the air pollutant that most commonly affects people’s health.

Have a Look.

Particles can come in almost any shape or size, and can be solid particles or liquid droplets.1. These two groups differ in many ways. One of the differences is size, we call the bigger particles PM 10 and we call the smaller particles PM 2.5.

BIG.

The big particles are between 2.5 and 10 micrometers (from about 25 to 100 times thinner than a human hair). These particles are called PM 10 (we say ―PM ten, which stands for Particulate Matter up to 10 micrometers in size).2.

SMALL.

The small particles are smaller than 2.5 micrometers (100 times thinner than a human hair).3.We say ―PM two point five, as in Particulate Matter up to 2.5 micrometers in size.The smaller particles are lighter and they stay in the air longer and travel farther. PM 10 particles can stay in the air for minutes or hours while PM 2.5 particles can stay in the air for days or weeks.And travel? 4. PM 2.5 particles go even farther; many hundreds of miles.

Particulate Matter and Your Health.

When you breathe, you take in the air along with any particles in the air, like heavy metal sand cancer causing organic compounds. Both PM 10 and PM 2.5 particles can cause health problems, specifically respiratory (呼吸的) health.5. Exposure to particulate matter leads to increased use of medication and more visits to the doctor or emergency room.

A.These particles are called PM 2.5.

B.We divide particles into two major groups.

C.These particles cause less severe health effects.

D.PM 10 particles can travel as much as 30 miles.

E.Air pollution is a growing problem in the whole world.

F.PM 2.5 can have worse health effects than the bigger PM 10.

G.Air pollutants have great effects on our environment and our health.

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析

It's thought that around 5 trillion pieces of plastic are currently floating in our oceans.

Both mammals and fish benefit from clean oceans. It is reported that more than 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans every year, and nearly half of the plastic we produce is single-use only.

This shoe brand, however, is riding the wave of change and is on a mission to help clean up our waters and rid the sea of plastic bottles that can take up to 400 years to break down. Vivobarefoot's newest footwear uses recycled plastic materials and has created an education program that spreads awareness about how harmful plastic is for sea life.

Every pair of shoes is made up of 17 plastic water bottles taken from the ocean and turned into a sustainable, comfortable pair of shoes, which are also healthy for your feet. And while not everyone can take part in ocean cleanups, choosing little ways we can give back to our planet goes a long way.

Vivobarefoot's new products include a variety of high-performance styles such as casual sneakers, running shoes, and hiking boots. The brand hopes that its latest initiative（首创精神）will help lessen the indifference to pollution and how harmful it is for all living beings.

In the future, Vivobarefoot hopes to increase their production of shoes created from sustainable materials, and thankfully, they are now one of many brands that aim to increase environmentalism and educate communities on how global warming affects everyone.

This year, they'll add more recyclable and traceable materials into more than half of their production line, and they have plenty of creative developments in the works as well.

The shoes also have a health benefit. Based on the concept that wider, minimally designed shoes enable our foot to function at maximum potential, wearers also experience better balance and sensory input.

1.How does the author make his point convincing?

A. By listing figures.　　 B. By telling a story.

C. By giving examples.　　 D. By making comparisons.

2.What is Vivobarefoot doing to help with the marine creatures?

A. Donating money to buy food for them.

B. Keeping the oceans free from plastic bottles.

C. Producing more shoes from sustainable materials.

D. Raising public awareness of recycling and reuse.

3.What is probably Vivobarefoot's operation philosophy?

A. Customer-focused.　　 B. Service-oriented

C. Money-saving.　　 D. Environmentally-friendly.

4.Which of the following is True according to the text?

A. Vivobarefoot's new products haven't been released.

B. Vivobarefoot is the most popular shoe brand in the world.

C. Vivobarefoot cares about not only its business but also public services.

D. Vivobarefoot is the first company to find the new function of waste materials.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

_____ the station in India, which has the most female commercial pilots around the world, Chinese airlines are struggling with an acute female pilot shortage.

A.In contrast to B.On account of C.With regard to D.In response to

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Siri is an artificial intelligence (AI) that you can carry around in the pocket, where it waits patiently to be told what to do. In the week we spent together, my AI assistant has performed admirably in finding me restaurants, or the location of the nearest coffee shop.

A typical command might be: “Reserve a table for two at a good French restaurant in San Francisco.” Siri responds by presenting a list of top-rated restaurants that can be booked on OpenTable.com. If you say which time you want, it can book you a table without your lifting a finger. In some ways Siri is just a fancy front-end (前端程序) to the 35 sites it can connect to, from taxi booking sites to movie review databases. But what’s new is the way it can analyze the intentions of its master or mistress and use those sites to put them into action.

Siri attaches probabilities to the explanation of each word and cross-references (对照检索) with your location and other data, some of which you must provide yourself. To send email reminders, Siri obviously needs to know your email address. To “find me the flower shop closest to work”, it needs to know where you work. To pay bills or buy airline tickets, it would need access to your credit card.

That raises the question of how far we are willing to trust a piece of software that can go and do things for us based on what it “thinks” we mean, a topic that occupies some engineers working on artificial intelligence. The more data, and power, you give your virtual assistant, the more damage it could do. Siri may be simple, and always shows its explanation of a command before carrying it out. But it gives users a preview of a new balance between privacy, trust and convenience that the expansion of AI into everyday life is likely to develop.

1.What is Siri?

A. A digital e-book reader.

B. A music-sharing software.

C. A voice-controlled website.

D. An artificial intelligence software.

2.When asked “do I need my umbrella today?”, what will Siri probably respond with?

A. The list of umbrella makers.

B. The list of umbrella shops.

C. The local weather forecast.

D. The local climate conditions.

3.Siri is new in that it has the ability ______.

A. to understand what you speak

B. to connect a lot of websites

C. to give a variety of commands

D. to create computerized database

4.What question does Paragraph 4 answer?

A. Does Siri think itself?　　 B. Can I trust you, Siri?

C. Is Siri simple for use?　　 D. Will Siri be popular?

高三英语阅读理解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。

Floating mountains in the ocean are better known as icebergs (冰山). Icebergs are 1. (mass) of freshwater ice that have broken from a glacier (冰川) or polar ice sheet. Most icebergs are formed around Antarctica and Greenland.

Icebergs 2. (see) today began thousands and thousands of years ago. They began as flakes of snow falling on land. Over the years, more and more snow fell. The snow on 3.bottom was crushed (压碎) because snow on top was packing it down. Years of 4.(melt) and freezing formed layers of ice thousands of feet thick. These sheets of ice are called glaciers. During the warmer weather in spring 5. summer, pieces of ice break off from glaciers. The broken pieces of ice fall into the water and become icebergs.

Icebergs vary 6. size. The largest iceberg ever recorded was the size of the state ofRhode Island in the United States. The 7. (tall) iceberg stood 550 feet above the ocean. That’s about the size of the Washington Monument in Washington, D. C.

Icebergs can be very 8. (danger) to ships traveling near them because only one-eighth of an iceberg 9. (be) above water. This means that the rock-hard ice is much larger underneath. Captains taking 10.(they) ships around an iceberg may miscalculate the size of the iceberg.

高三英语语法填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Four Bookstores Worth Visiting Around the World

◆ Word on the Water

London, England

This floating bookstore in the Regent's Canal is known as "The London Bookbarge". Formerly mobile, it has now found a permanent home where visitors can browse all year round, warm themselves up by a wood-burning fire in the winter and enjoy the performances of music and poetry on the rooftop stage in the summer.

+44 7976886982, https://www.atlasobscura.com

◆ EL Ateneo Grand Splendid

Buenos Aires, Argentina

This theater-turned-cinema-turned-bookstore is an example of the connection between the performing arts and books. It preserves the traditional ceiling and special curtains of the former theater and books line the walls, including where the audience once sat in box seats.

+54 1148136052, https://www.atlasobscura.com

◆Kay Craddock Antiquarian Bookseller

Melbourne, Australia

This shop sells only antique and second-hand books. Visitors can search for the strange collection of owl figurines (猫头鹰雕像) scattered throughout or they can check out the shelves to find classics，such as a collection by Jane Austen printed in 1833 selling for ＄15, 000.

+61 (0)396548506, https://www.kaycraddock.com

◆ Zhongshuge Bookstore

Hangzhou, China

Each location of this Chinese bookstore chain is architecturally unique, but the location in Hangzhou stands out. Stairs and seats built into round bookshelves combined with mirrored ceilings give the optical illusion (视觉幻象) of countless books. Other optical illusions include a tunnel of books and what appears to be a long roller coaster of books in the children's book room.

+86 057188003279, https://weibo.com/67661899

1.To appreciate poetry shows, you'll dial___________.

A.+54 1148136052 B.+44 7976886982

C.+61 (0)396548506 D.+86 057188003279

2.Which of the following once had different functions?

A.Word on the Water. B.Zhongshuge Bookstore.

C.EL Ateneo Grand Splendid. D.Kay Craddock Antiquarian Bookseller.

3.What is the Chinese bookstore mentioned above famous for?

A.Its special designs. B.Its floating locations.

C.Its performing arts. D.Its second-hand classics.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

You may have seen the term"bullet journal" floating around online, but what exactly is a bullet journal? This article will highlight the uses for a bullet journal and why they're great for people who wish to be more organized.

What is a bullet journal?

A bullet journal is a planner system which allows you to plan for the future, track the past and keep your life organized with lists separated by bullet points. It is a place for you to create clear, yet simple to-do lists and a place to keep a note of your life goals and aspirations.

What does it help with?

A bullet journal is perfect for people who like writing lists to keep themselves organized. They're great for doing as a hobby and you can get creative with the way you present your lists. They're also perfect for people who constantly write down to-do lists or make hand-written notes.

Why is it important?

A bullet journal is important because we all feel better when our life is organized. Organization can reduce stress and make you happier. Having your life in order, you will know exacdy what you have to do every day so that you can remember all of your life goals.

How to create a bullet journal?

The instructions will help you embark on your bullet journal.

Step 1. Find or buy a blank notebook

Any notebook with blank pages will do because if you are someone who is creative and artistic, you can decorate the notebook any way you like.

Step 2. Find or buy pens

It's best to start off simple and choose a pen that you find easy to use and that you would feel comfortable writing with every day.

Step 3. Monthlies

In this section, you can put a list of important dates for that particular month.

Step 4. Dailies and Weeklies

Put all of your daily or weekly tasks in this section so that you don't forget anything that you have to do during that day or week.

Step 5. Life Goals

Keep a life goals section. This can include different collections of goals, such as career, relationships, places you wish to visit and so on.

Now start your bullet journal!

1.Bullet journals are intended for those who hope to _______.

A.keep life in order B.lead a relaxing life

C.highlight their progress D.reduce their workload

2.Keeping bullet journals helps people _______.

A.develop artistic taste B.get rid of stress

C.build a better mood D.give up a hobby

3.Which of the following is most likely to be included in a bullet journal?

A.Weekly expenses.

B.Appointments with a dentist.

C.Weather forecasts.

D.Passwords to your computer.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Hummingbirds(蜂鸟) are one of nature’s most energetic fliers and the only birds to hover(盘旋) in the air by relying on their strength alone.

Now scientists have found that it is the ratio(比值) of the bird’s wing length to its width that makes them so efficient. The discovery is helping experts compete with 42 million years of natural selection to build helicopters that are increasingly efficient.

David Lentink, an assistant professor at Stanford University in California, tested wings from 12 different species of hummingbirds, which he sourced from museums. He placed them on a machine used to test the aerodynamics(气力学) of the helicopter blades(桨叶). Professor Lentink’s team used the same machine to test the blades from an advanced micro-helicopter used by the UK’s army. They found that the micro-helicopter’s blades are as efficient at hovering as the average hummingbirds.

But while the micro-helicopter’s blades kept pace with the average hummingbird wings, they could not keep up with the most efficient hummingbird’s wing. The wings of Anna’s hummingbird were found to be about 27 percent more efficient than the man-made micro- helicopter’s blades.

While Professor Lentink wasn’t surprised at nature’s superiority, he said that helicopter blades have come a long way. “The technology is at the level of an average hummingbird,” he said. “A helicopter is really the most efficient hovering device that we can build. The best hummingbirds are still better, but I think it’s amazing that we’re getting closer. It’s not easy to match their performance, but if we build better wings with better shapes, we might match hummingbirds.”

Professor Lentink said that we don’t know how hummingbirds maintain their flight in a strong wind, how they navigate(确定方向) through branches, or how they change direction so quickly. He thinks that great steps could be made by studying wing aspect ratios-the ratio of wing length to wing width. Understanding these abilities and characteristics could be a benefit for robotics and will be the focus of future experiments.

1.What did the scientists find about hummingbirds?

A. Their wings are long and wide

B. They can hover in the air for a long time

C. The ratio of their wing length to wing width is very important

D. They are the most energetic flier in nature

2.Which is the right order of Professor Lentink’s research?

①Tested wings from different species of hummingbirds

②Got resources from museums

③Analyzed the results and drew a conclusion

④Tested the blades from a micro-helicopter

A. ①②③④　　 B. ②①③④

C. ②④①③　　 D. ②①④③

3.According to Professor Lentink, what will be the focus of future experiments?

A. To know how hummingbirds can fly in a strong wind

B. To know how hummingbirds change direction so quickly

C. To develop a new kind of helicopter

D. To study the secrets of hummingbirds

高三英语阅读理解困难题查看答案及解析

Stories are shared in many ways. They are described in books and magazines. They are read around the campfire at night. They are randomly distributed from stand-alone booths. But what else?

To revive （复兴）literature in the era of fast news and smartphone addiction, Short Edition, a French publisher of short-form literature, has set up more than 30 story dispensers （分发机）in the USA in the past years to deliver fiction at the push of a button at restaurants, universities and government offices.

Francis Ford Coppola, the film director and winemaker, liked the idea so much that he invested in the company and placed a dispenser at his Cafe Zoetrope in San Francisco. Last month public libraries in some other cities announced they would be setting them up, too. There is one on the campus at Penn State. A few can be found in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla. And Short Edition plans to announce more, including at the Los Angeles International Airport.

“Everything old is new again," said Andrew Nurkin, the director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, which is one of the libraries that set up the dispensers. “We want people to be easily exposed to literature. We want to advance literacy among children and inspire their creativity.

Here's how a dispenser works： It has three buttons on top indicating choices for stories that can be read in one minute, three minutes or five minutes. When a button is pushed, a short story is printed. The stories are free. They are chosen from a computer category of more than 100,000 original submissions by writers whose works have been evaluated by Short Edition's judges, and transmitted over a mobile network. Offerings can be tailored to specific interests, like children's fiction or romance. Short Edition gets stories for its category by holding writing contests.

Short Edition set up its first booth in 2016 and has 150 machines worldwide. “The idea is to make people happy," said Kristan Leroy, director of Short Edition, “There is too much unhappiness today. ”

1.What do we know about the stories sent by dispensers?

A.They are expensive.

B.They are short in form.

C.They can be read on smartphones.

D.They are mainly taken from magazine literature.

2.Where can you find the popularity of story dispensers in America?

A.In paragraph 3.

B.In paragraph 4.

C.In paragraph 5.

D.In paragraph 6.

3.Which is the main purpose of setting up the dispensers according to Andrew Nurkin?

A.To get rid of people's smartphone addiction.

B.To reduce the financial stress of libraries.

C.To make people have access to literature.

D.To advertise the network literature.

4.What is the best title for the text?

A.Online Reading: a Virtual Tour

B.Short Edition, a French Publisher

C.Everything Old Will Be Popular Again

D.Taste of Literature, at the Push of a Button

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

There are around 6,000 living languages in the world—and at least half of these are in danger. In every part of the world, languages are disappearing. In fact, one scientist has said that languages are in more danger of extinction than birds or animals. Professor Steve Sutherland of the University of East Anglia says that in the past 500 years 4.5 percent of languages have died out—compared with 1.3 percent of birds, and 1.9 percent of mammals.

Languages come and go, and thousands have done exactly that without leaving any trace(痕迹). Only a very few—Basque, Greek and Latin among them—have lasted more than 2000 years. But it seems that the pace of their disappearance is becoming quicker.

The Ethnologue, a database of all the languages spoken in the world, states that 417 languages are spoken by so few people that they are in the final stages of becoming extinct. If very few people speak a language, it will probably die out.

Languages may be lost through migration, as people move from small towns to city centers, or when environments are destroyed by the search for oil or wood. Natural disasters can also devastate populations, and along with them, their language. Governments also play a role in the extinction of languages. The need to establish “official languages”, for a country to educate its children and carry out its business, had a disastrous effect on many small languages.

What is lost if a language is lost? Some people argue that languages die as the human race develops. Obviously there could be great benefits if everyone in the world spoke the same language—some industries already reflect this, with English essential for pilots and air traffic controllers. But there are more important things than convenience. As languages are lost, whole ways of life and knowledge may be lost along with them.

To put it simply, language expresses something about who we are, about where we live in the world. Ani Rauhihi, a Maori teacher in New Zealand’s North Island, sums it up: “If you grow up speaking our language, you won’t know who you are.”

1.What do the figures mentioned in the first paragraph suggest?

A. Most languages have died out completely.

B. Languages are in great danger of extinction.

C. Languages are disappearing slower than before.

D. Animals are disappearing faster than languages.

2.What can best replace the underlined word “devastate” ?

A. raise

B. control

C. improve

D. destroy

3.What if a language is lost according to the passage?

A. There will be great trouble.

B. There is no need to worry about it.

C. Its culture and knowledge will also be lost.

D. People will be able to communicate with others conveniently.

4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A. Languages reflect our identity.

B. People will speak the same language one day.

C. Ani Rauhihi cares less about languages dying out.

D. Fewer people will remember their own languages.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析