The United States is already one year into a depression That was the news this week from the Na-tional Bureau of Economic Research. The downturn is the longest since a depression that began in 1981and lasted sixteen months.
Economists generally wait for production to shrink for six months in a row before they declare a re-cession. But the bureau, a private group, uses a wider set of information to measure the economy. Thenews only confirmed what many people already knew: that the world's largest economy is weak and maynot recover soon.
Worsening conclitions have led to a big drop in spending, especially on costly products like new cars. Even Japanese automaker Toyota saw its sales fall thirty - four percent in the United States in November from a year ago.
The heads of Chrysler, Ford and General Motors retumed to Congress this week to again ask for federal aid.  Congressional leaders denounced(指責(zé)) them two weeks ago after they came in private jets with no clear plans for saving their industry. This time, the chiefs drove to Washington in fuel- saving hybrid vehicles. And their companies presented detailed restructuring plans. The reguest for aid has risen from twenty-five billion dollars two weeks ago to thirty-four billion in loans and credit lines.
G.M. wants almost half of that, and says it needs four billion dollars this month. It warned that without support it cannot continue to operate.
Ford is in a better position, But the sharing of suppliers means it could be affected if G.M. or
Chrysler fails. Ford is asking for a nine billion dollar credit line in case it needs it.
Chrysler is the smallest and most trouble of America's Big Three. It says it needs a seven billion dollar loan by the end of the month.
Two days of congressional hearings began Thursday in the Senate Banking Committee. The chairman, Democrat Chris Dodd, said he would support helping the automakers for the good of the economy.
But the committee's top Republican, Richard Shelby, continued to express opposition to a bailout(賄政援助）．
A main root of the world financial crisis is the weak housing market in the United States. The Trea-sury Department has been under pressure to help troubled homeowners. Now comes news that the depart-ment is developing a plan aimed at reducing interest rates on mortgage loans(汽車貸款) for some buyers of homes. That could be good for homeowners trying to sell.
小題1:From the first two paragraphs, we know       .
A．the United States is expected to recover soon
B．the depression has lasted more than 16 months
C．the depression is much more severe than expected
D．the depression will last no more than 6 months
小題2:Why were the automakers refused for federal aid two weeks ago?
A．Because the government had no extra money to help.
B．Because they didn't have a ciear plan to save their industry.
C．Because they had wasted too much on costly new cars.
D．Because they had enough money to save their industry.
小題3:Which of the following is asking for the largest federal aide
A．G.M.B．Toyota.C．Chrysler.D．Ford.
小題4:From the passage we may know Richard Shelby        tile automakers' request for federal aid?
A．was forB．was againstC．didn't care aboutD．took no notice of
小題5:Which of the following statement is NOT true according to the passage?
A．The hearings on Thursday agreed on a federal aid to the automakers.
B．The main cause of the crisis is weak housing market in the U.S..
C．The government is taking measures to save t he housing market.
D．The Treasury Department had to help the troubled homeowners.

小題1:C
小題2:B
小題3:A
小題4:B
小題5:A
本文是關(guān)于美國經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇無力，大公司尋求政府救助的文章。
小題1:主旨大意題。由1,2段可知美國經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇無力，情況比預(yù)料的還要嚴(yán)重。
小題2:細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)文章第四段Congressional leaders denounced(指責(zé)) them two weeks ago after they came in private jets with no clear plans for saving their industry.
小題3:細(xì)節(jié)題。第四段中The reguest for aid has risen from twenty-five billion dollars two weeks ago to thirty-four billion in loans and credit lines.這些企業(yè)要求的貸款大約是340億美元。第五段G.M. wants almost half of that。第六段Ford is in a better position, Chrysler is the smallest and most trouble of America's Big Three. B項(xiàng)豐田公司是日本的。所以選擇A。
小題4:細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段But the committee's top Republican, Richard Shelby, continued to express opposition to a bailout(賄政援助）．
小題5:細(xì)節(jié)題。文章倒數(shù)2,3段清楚顯示并非完全同意，有人反對(duì)。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

It is estimated that some seven hundred million people, about half the world’s  adult population, are unable to read or write, and there are probably two hundred and fifty million more whose level is so slight that it is hardly called literacy(有文化).
Recently the attack on illiteracy had been stepped up. A world plan has been drawn up by a committee of UNESCO experts in Paris, as part of the United Nations Development Decade（十年計(jì)劃）,and an international conference of the subject has also been held. UNESCO stresses that functional literacy is the aim. People must learn the basic skills of responsible citizenship, the ability of reading notices, newspapers, timetables, letters, price-lists to keep simple records and accounts, to select the importance of the information gathered, and to fill in the forms.
The major areas of illiteracy are in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. In Africa there are at least one hundred million illiterate people, which is eighty to eighty-five percent of the total population. In Europe the figure is about twenty-four million; most of them are in Sothern Europe, with Spain, Italy, Portugal, Yugoslavia heading the list (the United Kingdom has about seven hundred thousand).
UNESGO is eager for each country in the world, poor or rich, to wipe out illiteracy.
小題1:The author implies that this world plan is to______.
A．be carried out in the major areas of illiteracy like Africa.
B．be realized in the years
C．be drawn up by Parisian experts
D．be discussed at an international conference
小題2:The world plan mentioned in the passage aims at____.
A．a(chǎn)sking African countries to take the lead in attacking illiteracy
B．strengthening the function of the UNESCO
C．helping illiterate people learn functional reading and writing
D．training responsible citizens
小題3:According to the passage, which of the following countries has the most illiterate people?
A．England B．FranceC．SwedenD．Spain
小題4:Which of the statements is true?
A．The major areas of illiteracy are in Asia, Africa, and Central and South America.
B．In the USA there are at least one hundred million illiterate people,
C．the United Kingdom has about seven hundred million illiterate people
D．In Europe the figure is about twenty-four million; most of them are in Northern Europe.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Do you like sitting on the edge of your seat? How about falling off it laughing? If so, "Rush Hour 1" is the perfect movie for you. Although it didn’t get the best reviews, it is perfect for those who like a good comedy.

Just as in the first "Rush Hour," Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) and LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) are partners. This time, they are on vacation in China and Carter is looking for a good time, but they are on the job again when a bombing at the American Embassy kills two customs agents. Lee and Carter go to look for a suspect named Ricky Tan. For Lee this is a serious case because Tan killed his father. Will Carter and Lee be able to capture Tan?
Another reason to see this movie perhaps is for the thrilling action, which includes karate fights with Jackie Chan. One of my favorite scenes shows Carter and Lee in a massage parlor (店堂) when everything goes crazy.
"Rush Hour 2" is, of course, really funny with Chris Tucker in the lead role. Chan and Tucker have many clever jokes and remarks. Some of the jokes aren’t enjoyed by the critics, but most will find them entertaining.
With no doubt, the movie was great. I was filled with anxiety about what was going to happen next. Many critics say that sequels (續(xù)集) are not as good as the original but this one is great. I especially enjoyed it because the special effects are minimal so everything looks as though it actually happened. The lighting effect is great as well as the sound.
So, if you are looking for a great action movie that leaves you at the edge of your seat and makes you laugh quite a bit, you should rush to see “Rush Hour 2.”
小題1:According to the author, "Rush Hour 2" is a perfect movie particularly ______.
A．full of special effects
B．with the best actors
C．full of humors
D．with great lights
小題2:In "Rush Hour 2”, the two leading roles are on duty again because ______.
A．their vocation in China is limited to a short term
B．inspector Lee doesn’t want to have a good time
C．the American Embassy in China was attacked
D．a(chǎn) suspect named Ricky Tan killed Lee’s father
小題3:In Rush Hour series, the following are usually included EXCEPT _____.
A．thrilling actionsB．maximal special effects
C．karate fightsD．clever jokes and remarks
小題4:If "Rush Hour 3" is shot, what kind of the movie will it be? ______.
A．Stage tragedyB．Action movie
C．Soap operaD．Situational comedy

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

“Have a nice day!” may be a pleasant gesture or a meaningless. When my friend Maxie says “Have a nice day” with a smile, I know she sincerely cares about what happens to me. I feel loved and secure since another person cares about me and wishes me well.
“Have a nice day. Next!”This version of the expression is spoken by a salesgirl at the supermarket who is rushing me and my groceries out the door. The words come out in the same tone（腔調(diào)）with a fixed procedure. They are spoken at me, not to me. Obviously, the concern for my day and everyone else’s is the management’s attempt to increase business.
The expression is one of those behaviors that help people get along with each other. Sometimes it indicates the end of a meeting. As soon as you hear it, you know the meeting is at an end. Sometimes the expression saves us when we don’t know what to say “oh, you may have a tooth out? I’m terribly sorry, but have a nice day.”
The expression can be pleasant. If a stranger says “Have a nice day” to you, you may find it heart-warming because someone you don’t know has tried to be nice to you.
Although the use of the expression is an insincere, meaningless social custom at times, there is nothing wrong with the sentence except that it is a little uninteresting. The salesgirl, the waitress, the teacher, and all the countless others who speak it without thinking may not really care about my day. But in a strange and comfortable way, it’s nice to know they care enough to pretend they care when they really don’t care all that much. While the expression may not often be sincere, it is always spoken. The point is that people say it all the time when they like.
小題1:How does the author understand Maxie’s words?
A．Maxie shows her anxiety to the author.
B．Maxie really wishes the author a good day.
C．Maxie encourages the author to stay happy.
D．Maxie really worries about the author’s security.
小題2:What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?
A．The salesgirl is rude.
B．The salesgirl is bored.
C．The salesgirl cares about me
D．The salesgirl says the words as a routine.
小題3: By saying “Have a nice day,” a stranger may _____.
A．try to be polite to you
B．express respect to you
C．give his blessing to you
D．share his pleasure with you
小題4:According to the last paragraph, people say “Have a nice day”_______.
A．sincerelyB．a(chǎn)s thanksC．a(chǎn)s a habitD．encouragingly
小題5:What is the best title of the passage?
A．Have a Nice Day—a Social Custom.
B．Have a Nice Day—a Pleasant Gesture.
C．Have a Nice Day—a Heart-warming Greeting.
D．Have a Nice Day—a Polite Ending of a Conversation.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

URBANA, ILL. (AP)--Mike dropped out of college to support his pregnant(懷孕的) girlfriend and now works as a manager of a trucking company, Lynn graduated with honors from Harvard University and was hired as a lawyer with a top law firm in a major city. What do these two people have in common? Ten years ago they were both high school valedictorians (致告別辭者).
A University of Illinois study follows the lives of 81 valedictorians and salutatorians (致詞的學(xué)生代表) who graduated a decade ago from public and private high schools in the state.
Tales of Success and Failure
The study found tales of success and failure. The research on 46 women and 35 men found that some were doctors and scientists, one was a drug addict, another was a waitress with emotional problems.
"There is a popular idea about people who do well in school doing well in life," said Terry Denny, professor of education. Denny conducted the study with Karen Arnold, a former graduate student of Denny' s who is now a professor at Boston College. Denny and Arnold contacted the 81 students before graduation, and then followed up with interviews nearly every other year. They also sent them questionnaires in the mail.
Varied Careers
One-third of the students are lawyers, or have a doctorate. Nineteen are in business and 15 are engineers or computer scientists. Others include a farmer, a stock broker, and an aerobics instructor.
Arnold says many of the students have only average positions in the work world and that "most are not headed for greatness in their careers." Denny, however, says that it is too early to make such predictions. "Who expects someone to be on the Supreme Court at the age of 28 or to be the discoverer of an important scientific invention right after college?" he said. "These students are just getting started in life. They are just beginning to find out what life is all about."
小題1:What can we conclude from Paragraph 1?
A．Mike got married before he went to college.
B．Lynn was honored by a law firm in the city.
C．Mike was not so lucky as Lynn after graduating from college.
D．Mike and Lynn both graduated first in their high school class.
小題2:According to the article Denny is probably older than Arnold because      .
A．Denny was her professor
B．Arnold did well at school.
C．Denny interviewed some students
D．Arnold helped Denny in the research
小題3:What is probably the best title for the article?
A．Successful Careers for College Graduates
B．Success in Education Predicts Success in Later Life
C．High School Honors Not Always Key to Life Success
D．A study on Successful Jobs and College Graduates
小題4:Who probably wrote this article?
A．College graduatesB．Reporters
C．Professors and researchers D．Teachers

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Death Valley, one of America’s great national parks, is a place of strange and silent beauty. As beautiful as this place is, its name provides evidence of very real danger. Death Valley is a land of beautiful yet dangerous extremes. There are mountains that reach more than 3,000 meters into the sky. There is a place called Badwater that is the lowest area of land in the Western Hemisphere. If there were water there, it would be 86 meters below the level of the ocean.
Death Valley can be dangerously cold during the winter months. Storms in the mountains can produce sudden flooding on the floor of the Valley. The air temperature during the summer has been as high as 57℃. The sun can heat the ground so that the temperature of the rocks and soil can be as high as 74℃. The extreme heat of Death Valley has killed people in the past. It will continue to kill those who do not honor this extreme climate. Death Valley does not forgive those who are not careful.
Death Valley is a good example of the violence of nature. It contains evidence of several ancient volcanoes that caused huge explosions. Evidence of one of these explosions is called Ubehebe Crater. The explosion left a huge hole in the ground almost a kilometer and a half wide.
In many areas of Death Valley it is easy to see where the ground has been pushed up violently by movement deep in the Earth. This movement has created unusual and beautiful rock formations. Some are red. Others are dark brown, gray, yellow or black. Other areas of rock look as if some huge creature violently broke and twisted the Earth to create unusual, sometimes frightening shapes.
In other parts of Death Valley there are lines in the rock that show clearly that this area was deep under an ocean for many thousands of years. Much of the Valley is flat and extremely dry. In fact, scientists believe it is the driest place in the United States.
Death Valley, part of the Great Mojave Desert, is a huge place. It extends more than 225 kilometers across the southern part of California, and across the border with Nevada.
小題1:Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A．The water in Badwater is 86 meters below the level of the ocean.
B．The highest air temperature in summer can reach as high as 74℃.
C．The ground has been pushed up violently by explosions of volcanoes.
D．There might have been marine lives living in Death Valley.
小題2:Why were some people killed by Death Valley?
A．Because they didn’t respect Death Valley and thus they were punished.
B．Because it is extremely hot in summer and dangerously cold in winter.
C．Because they were not careful enough to take with them what they needed.
D．Because several volcanoes erupted and caused huge explosions.
小題3:The underlined word “twisted” in Paragraph 4 most possibly mean ______.
A．bent and turnedB．created and developed
C．built and shapedD．changed and ruined
小題4:The purpose of the article is to _______.
A．encourage people to visit Death Valley, a beautiful national park in America
B．warn people not to visit Death Valley because it is quite dangerous there
C．introduce to us readers a special national park in America, Death Valley
D．raise money for the protection of Death Valley because it is in danger now

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


Many businesses today use conferences as a means of discussing new plans of the company. As people are paying more attention to the environment and green problems, more businesses are looking for ways to reduce their negative effect on the environment. Many businesses do this by using Web conferencing.
Web conferencing is a technology that allows people to communicate more effectively over the Internet. It’s an easy way of hosting and attending conferences without having to leave the office. Each of the people involved in a Web conference will be posted an invitation to the conference with the time and date of the Web conference on it. When the conference is ready to begin, all participants (參與者) must sit at their computers and they will be connected over the Internet.
With Web conferencing all participants attend conference from the comfort of their own desks. Obviously, in doing this no fuel is used in traveling to and from a conference, and less work is taken up in attending a conference.
Any material to be used during Web conference is simply e-mailed to all the participants before the conference. Participants can then either choose to print material or read it on screen. This not only saves paper but also greatly reduces mailing costs for the business.
As a conference hall or business center isn’t being used, it means that the only power that is used is the power that is used by the participants’ personal computers. Similarly, conference organizers don’t have to arrange for food or overnight accommodation. All this means that less energy is used.
Often in business some companies actively choose to do business with other companies that do many things to reduce their negative impact on the environment. And Web conferencing helps you show other businesses that you are willing to work hard for the green cause.
小題1:What is the passage mainly about?
A．Ways of protecting the environment
B．Green benefits of Web conferencing
C．Ways of hosting a Web conference
D．Impact of Web conferencing on costs
小題2:According to paragraph 1, many companies use Web conferencing because they ______.
A．a(chǎn)re interested in using any new technology.
B．believe that Web conferencing is more convenient.
C．want to do something to protect the environment .
D．haven’t enough money to hold a traditional conference.
小題3:The participants of a Web conference _____.
A．will be e-mailed an invitation before the conference.
B．a(chǎn)re required to sit in an office together.
C．will receive many paper materials.
D．must have access to the Internet.
小題4:Which of the following words best describes the author’s opinion about a Web conference?
A．UselessB．Environmentally friendly
C．InconvenientD．Money-consuming

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


A trip with your family and friends to Disney World can be one of the best vacations of your life. When you decide to travel to this destination, you can be sure in the knowledge that you are going to have a great time.
Many travelers may be worried about the exorbitant amount of money that one has to pay for a comfortable and fun trip to Disney World. We all want to give our family and children the best time since it may only be a once in a lifetime vacation. However it would not be wise to end up in debt over a week-long stay in Disney World. A few handy tips and a little planning can make a lot of difference and can reduce some of your financial (經(jīng)濟(jì)上的) worries.
You need to start planning for a vacation to Disney World well in advance. The first step is deciding what time of year you wish to visit it. The peak seasons of the year will be costly for the accommodations (膳宿) whether you are staying within or outside the theme park. Staying outside the resort is a choice that may save you a large amount of money if you plan to stay for a week or two. Also, there are plenty of budget (價(jià)格低廉的) hotels outside Disney World that offer cheap and pleasant accommodations with shuttle services. Another money saving tip is to buy food ahead of time. If you have most of your meals at your hotel or at cheaper restaurants, it will save you a lot of money. You can try not to buy food in and around Disney World. Carrying food and beverages and enough cold water would help you reduce the cost, too.
小題1:The first paragraph mainly tells us that ______.
A．a(chǎn) trip to Disney World must be the best vacation of your life
B．you are sure to have a good time by visiting Disney World
C．when you decide to travel to Disney World, you should bring your family and friends with you
D．you can get rich knowledge during your travel to Disney World
小題2:The underlined word “exorbitant” in Paragraph 2 probably means “______”.
A．too lowB．too high
C．too expensive D．too small
小題3:Why do you need to start planning for a vacation to Disney World well in advance?
A．You can get more information about Disney World ahead of time.
B．You can make it more economical to travel to Disney World.
C．You can spend longer time traveling in Disney World.
D．You can receive a warm welcome in Disney World.
小題4:How can you save money if you visit Disney World according to the passage?
A．By going there in the peak seasons.
B．By staying outside the resort for a week or two.
C．By buying food ahead of time in Disney World.
D．By carrying enough food and drinks.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

On Halloween Night, children go trick-treating in their neighborhoods. Dressed up as ghosts, skeleton devils, and various other characters, children knock on doors to collect their treats. Seldom do they actually perform a “trick”.
It is thought that trick-or-treating comes from an old English custom. On All Souls Day, poor people went begging and promised to say prayers in exchange for food. Apple bobbing, still a favorite Halloween game, was originally an ancient ceremony honoring the harvest time.
A jack-o’-lantern is placed on porches and windows to tell children that treats are available. The legend was that a man named Jack could enter heaven because he played tricks on the devil. As punishment, he had to wander the earth carrying a lantern waiting to be judged fit to get into heaven.
People believed that Halloween marked the connection between the world of the living and the world of the dead. This meant that ghosts would roam the earth on this night. Some believed that these ghosts would go back to the homes they lived in before they died.
Thankfully, Halloween is an amusing night when children can dress up and get a bag full of candy. We don’t have to worry about ghosts. Or do we?
小題1:Apple bobbing was an ancient ceremony held originally to ____.
A．honor the harvest timeB．honor the dead
C．honor the livingD．play a trick on each other
小題2:The underlined word “roam” is close in meaning to ____.
A．come backB．placeC．collectD．walk around
小題3:Which of the following is not true?
A. On Halloween Night, children often dress up as ghosts.
B. On Halloween Night, children often perform tricks.
C,. Trick-or-treating comes from an old English custom.
D. Children can get a lot of candy on Halloween Night.
小題4:According to the passage, Halloween is a(n) ____ festival.
A．sadB．badC．interestingD．boring

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