閱讀理解
     Nuclear radiation from power plant leaks and bomb tests resulted in millions of fewer baby girls born
worldwide, according to a new study.
     Scientists noted these types of atmospheric blasts rather than ontheground incidents like Chernobyl
(切爾諾貝利), effected birth gender across the globe.
    Scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum M?nchen, Germany, analysed population data from 1975 to 2007 for
the U. S. and 39 European countries.
     There was an increase in the number of baby boys relative to girls in all of the countries from 1964 to
1975. This was the case in many eastern European countries for several years after 1986.
Scientists are putting the first spike down to the atomic bomb tests of the 1960s and 1970s where
radioactive atoms were blasted into the atmosphere. Air currents caught these atoms and then distributed
them around the world.
     They think the second spike is due to the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in which the reactor exploded in
the Ukraine(烏克蘭).
    The effects of Chernobyl were felt locally and no effect was seen in the U. S., probably because it was
too far from the disaster to have an effect.
    "The closer the country was to Chernobyl, the stronger the effect, " said study coauthor Hagen Scherb, a biostatistician(生物統(tǒng)計(jì)學(xué)家) at the German Research Center for Environmental Health in Munich.
     More males were born relative to females in Belarus-the Ukraine's neighbour-than in France.
     The study is based largely on Cold Warera statistics, but the findings are highly relevant for how gender could be affected after future nuclear disasters.
     And in the wake of Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident experts are predicting
another baby boy boom could come, especially on the U. S. West Coast.
     Previous radiation experiments on animals may give a clue for the increase in male births. Tests showed that radiation caused damage to the X chromosome(染色體) in sperm, Dr Scherb said.
     A human sperm cell contains either an X or Y chromosome, while an egg only has an X chromosome. An XY combination will become a boy, while an XX combination will be a girl.
1. How many nuclear radiation accidents are mentioned in the passage?
A. 1.    
B. 2.    
C. 3.    
D. 4.
2. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. The ontheground incidents like Chernobyl, effected birth gender across the globe.
B. There was an increase in the number of baby boys in many eastern European countries
     for several years after 1986.
C. The Japan's nuclear accident will not effect the birth gender of the U. S. because of the long distance.
D. Where radioactive material has spread, women can't give birth to children
3. How does radiation effect birth gender?
A. It damages the Y chromosome in sperm.
B. It stops X chromosomes and Y chromosomes combining.
C. It kills baby girls before they are born.
D. It damages the X chromosome in sperm.
4. What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. Nuclear age has led to millions of fewer baby girls being born.
B. Nuclear radiation has bad effects upon people's health.
C. Worries about radiation risks.
D. Nuclear age helps reduce the world population.
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科目：高中英語 來源：月考題 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解。
    Kataria is the founder of the worldwide laughter  movement.  The  celebration  of World Laughter
Day is a positive activity for world peace and is intended to build up a global sense of brotherhood
and friendship through laughter. The first "World Laughter Day" gathering took place in Mumbai,
India, on 11th January, 1998. 12,000 members from India and international Laughter Clubs attended
it. Now there are over 5,000 Laughter Clubs worldwide on all 5 continents.
     "HAPPYDEMIC" was the first World Laughter Day gathering outside India. It took place on 9th
January, two years after the Mumbai gathering.  In Copenhagen, Denmark, more than 10,000 people
gathered at Town Hall Square. The event went into Guinness Book of World Records."World Laughter
Day" is now organized on the first Sunday of May every year. Hundreds of people gather worldwide
on that day to laugh together.
     Today, many people fear widespread international terrorism. The world has never faced so much
unrest before. People are at war within themselves. Laughter is a universal language, which has the
ability to unite humanity without religion. Laughter can build a common connection between various
religions and create a new world order. The idea may sound overambitious(野心太大的), and maybe
it is. But maybe it is not. It is our deep belief that laughter and only laughter can unite the world, building
up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship.
     Studies also say that laughter helps your body do the following:  lower blood  pressure;  lighten
depression;  reduce stress; work out the heart, especially for those who are unable to perform physical
exercise. So in life, when you can laugh, you should laugh loudly and with your entire body-because it's
good for you.
1. The purpose of celebrating World Laughter Day is ________.  
A. to build up a global sense of brotherhood and friendship through laughter
B. to build a common connection between various religions
C. to reduce stress and lighten depression
D. to lower blood pressure
2. The first World Laughter Day gathering outside India took place________.
A. on 11th January, 1998  
B. on the first Sunday of May
C. on 9th January, 1996    
D. on 9th January, 2000
3. The author's attitude towards laughter movement is ________.  
A. positive                    
B. negative
C. uninterested                
D. objective
4. The passage is mainly about ________. 
A. World Laughter Day and its significance
B. the worldwide laughter movement
C. a universal language
D. laughter

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科目：高中英語 來源：江西省模擬題 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解。
     Copenhagen, one of the world’s most bicycle-friendly cities, has begun turning its extensive network
of cycle paths into bike highways in an effort to push more commuters (上下班往返的人) to leave their
cars at home.
     Considered one of Europe’s two “bicycle capitals” along with Amsterdam, Copenhagen counts more
bicycles than people and cycling is so popular that its numerous bike paths can become congested.
      Two-wheeler traffic jams are especially regular on the main Noerrebrogade thoroughfare (大街)
used by around 36,000 cyclists a day. “You have to elbow your way (擠過去) to go forward and some
cyclists aren’t always thoughtful,” complains 22-year-old university student Lea Bresell.
      The creation of bike highways “comes right on time”, says Danish Cyclist Federation spokesman
Frits Bredal. “Copenhagen’s roads are overloaded with people who want to ride their bicycles in all
kinds of weather,” he says.
     If in the 1960s Danes viewed the car as the symbol of freedom, the bicycle has assumed that role
today, Bredal says.
    "It’s a means of transportation used by all social classes, and even politicians ride bikes,” he says.
     It is on crowded Noerrebrogade - the busiest bicycle street in Europe - that city planners have
decided to build the first of Copenhagen’s environmentally friendly streets. The jammed bike paths will
be widened up to four meters on either side of the road, which will itself be reserved for buses only.
     The idea is to make Noerrebrogade “Europe’s great cycling street”, says Andreas Roehl, the
Copenhagen city’s bicycle program manager who is also known as “Mister Bike”.
     But Roehl is not content with making life easier for Copenhagen’s inner city cyclists: He wants to get
suburbanites (郊區(qū)居民) out of their cars and onto two wheels as well.
     His goal is to increase the percentage of suburban commuters cycling to and from the city from the 33
percent it is today to more than 50 percent by 2015. Within the city, 55 percent of all commuters already
travel by bike.
     Already Copenhagen stands out among other European capitals for its cycling infrastructure, counting
more than 390 kilometers of bike paths.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Copenhagen is planning to build bicycle-friendly highways.
B. Copenhagen is planning to build highways.
C. Copenhagen is one of Europe’s two “bicycle capitals”.
D. Two-wheeler traffic jams are especially common in Copenhagen.
2. What does Lea Bresell think of the present bike traffic on the main Noerrebrogade thoroughfare?
A. pleasant
B. Terrible
C. Cyclists are considerate
D. Bike paths are not made full use of
3. We can infer that _______.
A. most of people in Copenhagen can’t afford to buy cars
B. hiking is very common in Copenhagen
C. cars will not be allowed to run on the widened Noerrebrogade thoroughfare
D. Noerrebrogade thoroughfare will be deserted
4. How do suburban commuters travel to and from the city in Copenhagen at present?
A. More than half of the suburban commuters travel by bike.
B. Almost all the suburban commuters take buses.
C. Few suburban commuters travel by car.
D. About one third of the suburban commuters travel by bike.
5. According to the passage, what do you know about Copenhagen?
A. Copenhagen possibly has the longest among European capitals.
B. Copenhagen has the longest history among European capitals.
C. Copenhagen has the largest population among European capitals.
D. Copenhagen is the biggest in size among European capitals.

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科目：高中英語 來源：新疆自治區(qū)模擬題 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解。
     Japanese people,who never miss a chance to be photographed,were lining up to get their
pictures on a postage stamp．Vanity(虛榮)stamps with personal photographs went on sale
for the first time in Japan as part of an international postage stamp exhibition．The customer's
photo was taken with a digital camera and then printed on stamp sheets,a process that takes
about five minutes．Sold in a sheet of 10 stamps for $8．80,little more than the cost of lunch
in Tokyo,each stamp printed a different scene from a traditional painting along with the photo．
     The stamps can be used normally to mail a letter,and postal officials hope they will help
encourage interest in letter writing in the Internet age．"Certainly e-mail is a useful method of
communication,but letters are fun in a different way,"said Hatsumi Shimizu an official in the Post
Ministry．"We want to show young people that letters can be fun too．"
     While similar stamp sheets appeared in Australia in 1999 and are now sold in some nations
and territories, Japan's fondness for commemorative photos is likely to make them especially
popular here．Indeed,officials had prepared 1 000 sheets but they were sold out in less than
30 minutes．Although the stamps are currently only available as a special service during the
exhibition,postal officials said they may start selling them on a regular basis in the future．
1．The best title of this passage might be______．
A．Never Miss a Chance to be Photographed      
B．Your Own Face on a Postage Stamp
C．First Japanese Postage Stamps with a Photo    
D．Letters are as Fun as E-mails
2．By saying"little more than the cost of lunch in Tokyo",the author really means______．
A．this service is not very expensive      
B.the cost of this service is very high
C．food in Tokyo is very dear            
D．$8．80 is a very small amount of money
3．The purpose of this activity is______．
A．to make the international postage stamp exhibition more interesting
B．to make more stamps for normal use
C．to draw interest in writing letters
D．to satisfy Japan's fondness of commemorative photos
4．Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A．Japanese people like to take photos．
B．This kind of stamps must be used to mail letters．
C．Japanese people can get this kind of stamps easily after the stamp exhibition．
D．This service is more popular in Japan than in other places．

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科目：高中英語 來源：同步題 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解。
     For five days, Edmonton's Downtown Park is transformed into one huge stage where artists are
able to share their talents, and where people are able to celebrate and enjoy themselves. Since its
beginning in 1980, the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has been commemorating(紀(jì)念) the true
feeling of what folk music is all about and that's the traditional togetherness(友愛) that is felt when
people gather to share stories and feelings through song.
     This year will be the sixth year when volunteer Riedel will be offering up her time to the festival. "
People coming off a busy spring and summer have a moment of relaxation," Riedel said. "It's really
easy to relax, and it's great seeing family and friends have fun together." These families and friends
come from all different kinds of musical tastes. People who take pleasure in Blues are there, so are
people who love Bluegrass. This festival does its best to develop everyone's musical interests.
     With so many years of experience, the festival has become a welloiled machine, and does whatever
it can to make attendees feel as comfortable as possible. There are free water stations throughout
the venue(舉辦地)for people to fill up their travel cups. When people buy food, reusable dishes are
given a $2 plate fee, but that is returned when the plate is brought back.
      The festival has completely sold out of tickets, and in record time. But with big names such as
Van Morrison and Jakob Dylan, it's easy to see how that was going to happen. There is no parking
area during the festival, so using the Park & Ride system or Edmonton Transit is highly recommended.
A bike lockup area is provided and will be available Thursday until Sunday one hour before the gates
open until 45 minutes after the gates close.
      The Edmonton Folk Music Festival begins on Wednesday, Aug. 4 with Van Morrison playing the
special donation fund(基金) concert, and will finish up on Sunday, Aug. 8.
1. The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is held mainly to________.
A. gather people with different musical tastes
B. remind people of the real sense of folk music
C. exhibit the good voices of great talents in folk music
D. collect old stories of folk music
2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Riedel has volunteered for the festival for at least 5 years.
B. It's hard for people to appreciate Blues.
C. It costs people a little to fill up their cups from water stations.
D. People have to pay $2 for a plate of food.
3. We can learn from the passage that________.
A. people can get tickets easily for the festival
B. the Edmonton Folk Music Festival is well organized
C. driving one's own car to the festival is highly recommended
D. bikes are available at the festival from Wednesday to Sunday
4. What would be the best title for this passage?
A. Folk Music of Blues
B. One Festival for All
C. Festival for Family Gathering
D. Edmonton's Downtown Park

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科目：高中英語 來源：同步題 題型：閱讀理解

A. One Kind of Building Material
B. Factors That Influenced Modern Architecture
C. More Kinds of Buildings as a Result of Modern Life
D. The Achievements in Architecture as an Art
E. Restoration (復(fù)興) of Ancient Civilization
F. Stone and Marble Are Good Building Materials
1.                         
     Architecture is to building as literature to the printed word.The best buildings are often so well
constructed that they outlast their original use. They then survive not only as beautiful objects, but as
documents of the history of cultures. These achievements are never wholly the work of individuals.
Architecture is a social art.
2.                        
     The Renaissance brought about an entirely new age, not only in philosophy and literature but in the
visual arts as well.In architecture, the principles and styles of ancient Greece and Rome were brought
back to life and reinterpreted (重新詮釋). They remain dominant until the 20th century.
3.                                
     Many kinds of stone are used as building materials. Stone and marble were chosen for important
monuments because they are not burnable and can be expected to endure.Stone architecture was often
blended with stone sculpture. The use of stone has declined, however, because a number of other materials
are more adaptable to industrial use.
4.                          
     The complexity of modern life calls for a variety of building. More people live in mass housing and go to work in large office buildings; they spend their income in large shopping centers, send their children to
many different kinds of schools, and when they are sick they go to specialized hospitals and clinics. All
these different types of building accumulated experiences needed by their designers.
5.                         
     By the middle of the 20th century, modern architecture, which was influenced by new technology and
mass production, was dealing with increasingly complex social needs. Important characteristics of modern
architectural works are expanses of glass and the use of reinforced concrete (鋼筋混凝土). Advances in
elevator technology, air conditioning, and electric lighting have all had important effects.

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科目：高中英語 來源：安徽省月考題 題型：閱讀理解

     Many people have heard stories of the California gold rush during the 19th century, when lots of
people went there in search for gold. Panning (淘洗) for gold has a rich and interesting history.
Nowadays some people continue to pan for gold in California. Although it cannot be regarded as a
method for earning income, taking on gold-panning as a hobby can give you a feeling of being in the old
west and get you out into nature.
     The only tool that is required to pan for gold is a gold pan. You can use a regular old flat pan, but
"officially" gold pans are quite cheap so you may as well buy one that is made for the task. Most sold
pans come in either plastic or metal.
     Once you have your pan you will want to start practicing your gold panning technique. Panning for
gold works because gold is much heavier than most rocks. To pan for gold you add rock and dirt form
the bottom of a stream to your pan and then gently let water flow through the pan. The lighter-weight
rocks are slowly swept away while any gold will be left behind in the pan.To start panning for gold, first
you will need to find a good location. Try checking maps of your area and old history books to find
location where there were gold mines in the past. Even though most of the gold have already been
removed, there are likely to be small leftovers that you can find. Once you have found an area that looks
promising, look for any small stream or river where you can try out panning for gold.
     Panning for gold requires patience and it may be a long time before you hit anything of value. However, it is an enjoyable hobby and provides a great opportunity to get outdoors, so don't give up too quickly.
1. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
A. Where to pan for gold.
B. How gold-panning works.
C. What tools are needed.
D. A promising area for panning.
2. What is the author's attitude toward modern gold-planning?
A. Opposed.
B. Indifferent (漠不關(guān)心的).
C. Positive.
D. Neutral (中立的).
3. In which part of a newspaper would you probably find this article? 
A. Lifestyle.
B. Health.
C. Travel.
D. Sports.

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科目：高中英語 來源：甘肅省同步題 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解。
     English is fast becoming the language of science around the world, but what is its future among
everyday speakers? One expert points out that the percentage(比率) of native English speakers is
declining (降低) globally while the languages of other rapidly growing regions are being spoken by
increasing numbers of people. But English will continue to remain widespread and important.     
     However, British language scholar David Graddol says English will probably drop in dominance (主導(dǎo)) by the middle of this century to rank, after Chinese, about equally with Arabic, Hindi, and Urdu. "The
number of people speaking English as a first language continues to rise, but it isn't rising nearly as fast as the numbers of many other languages around the world, simply because the main population group has been
largely in the less developed countries where languages other than English have been spoken,' he says.    
     In a recent article in the journal Science, Mr. Graddol noted that three languages that are not near the
top of the list of the most widely spoken now might be there soon. These are Bengali, Tamil, and Malay,
spoken in south and Southeast Asia.     
     David Crystal, the author of the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language, says about 1.5
billion of the world's six billion people speak it as a second tongue compared to the 400 million native
speakers. But another expert on the English language says Mr. Graddol underestimates (低估) the future
of its dominance. "Nobody quite knows what's going to happen because no language has been in this
position before. But all the evidence (證據(jù)) suggests that the English language snowball is rolling down a
hill and is getting faster,' he said. 
1. In David Graddol's opinion, English will _____.    
A. remain widespread and important    
B. be more important than any other language    
C. lose its dominant position    
D. die away in the near future
2. The underlined sentence in the last paragraph implies that _____.    
A. snowballs will roll down faster than language balls    
B. the English language snowball is rolling down faster than any time in the past    
C. English language will soon drop in dominance    
D. more and more language users will choose English
3. How many experts does the passage mention who express their ideas about the future of English?    
A. 2.            
B. 3.          
C. 4.            
D. 5.
4. According to David Graddol, which of the following will possibly be one of the languages that will be most widely spoken?     
A. Malay.    
B. Arabic.    
C. Urdu.        
D. German.
5. What should be the best title for the passage?    
A. English Remaining the Dominant Position    
B. The Future of English? Who Knows?    
C. Opinions from Different Experts    
D. The English Language Snowball Rolling Down

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科目：高中英語 來源：福建省期末題 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解。

     You may have heard the term "the American Dream". In 1848, James W. Marshall found gold in
California and people began having golden dreams. That 19th century "American Dream" motivated
the Gold Rush and gave California its nickname of the "Golden State".
    The American Dream drove not only 1800s gold-rush prospectors(采礦者)but also waves of
immigrants throughout that century and the next. People from Europe, and a large number of Chinese,
arrived in the US in the 19th century hoping that in America they would find gold in the streets. But
most, instead, worked as railroad laborers. They created the oldest Chinatown, in San Francisco, and
gave the city a Chinese name "the old gold hill".
     In the 20th century, some critics said that it was no longer possible to become prosperous through
determination and hard work. Unfair education for students from poor families and racial discrimination
almost made the American Dream a nightmare(噩夢(mèng)).
     Then, in the 1990s, California saw a new wave of dreamers in Silicon Valley. People poured their
energy into the Internet. This new chapter of the American Dream attracted many business people and
young talents from China and India to form start-ups and seek fortune in America. Better pay, a nice
house, and a rising standard of living will always be attractive. However, the new American Dream is
no longer just about money. It encourages Americans to consume wisely to protect the environment,
improve the quality of life, and promote social justice.
    The Governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger has become the model of the new American
Dream. After years of hard work, he grew from a poor young man from Austria into a super movie
star and then a governor. Many people hope his story can save the American Dream and give California
a brighter future.
1. The "American Dream" was appealing to _______________.
A. Americans only.              
B. Chinese and Indians .    
C. Europeans.                  
D. people all over the world
2. It can be inferred that ____________.  
A. America's golden dream could never be realized
B. different times have different themes of the American dream
C. America's golden dream brought great fortune to Chinese immigrants
D. determination and hard work are the best way to realize the American dream
3. Why did most of the early immigrants work as railroad laborers?
A. Because they could earn more money as railroad laborers.
B. Because they thought railroad was the first step to find gold.
C. Because railroad laborers were greatly honored at that time. 
D. Because they had to make a living by working as railroad laborers.
4. The underlined sentence in the last paragraph indicates that ___________.
A. most of the immigrants to America don't reach their previous goals
B. the dream of seeking fortune in America is easy to realize
C. the success of Arnold Schwarzenegger is a common example of the immigrants
D. the immigrants have made great contributions to California
5. Which may be the best title of the passage?
A. Waves of Immigrants to America            
B. Hard Work Leads to Success
C. Changes of America's Golden Dream        
D. Make Fortunes Abroad

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