Read a whole book in English? Me?
Yes, you. Believe it or not, that may be easier than you think. Not all classics are too difficult or complicated. So you’re not limited to the simplified versions. And the easier books are not all for children.
Books in their original versions may send you to the dictionary. And you might not understand everything you read. But reading one from cover to cover will give you a real sense of accomplishment(成就). The key is to find the right books. Let’s take a look at these.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
Stepping into an old wardrobe, four English schoolchildren find themselves in the magical world of Narnia. On this delightful land, they find friends among the many talking creatures. The children soon discover, however, that Narnia is ruled by the White Witch. Edmund, one of the children, falls under her power. Who can free Narnia? Only Aslan, the great and noble lion. He alone knows the Deeper Magic. But the children themselves must help fight the battle against the White Witch and those who serve her.
The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)
Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, hasn’t caught any fish in more than 80 days. Sailing far out from land, the old man hooks an enormous fish. That begins an agonizing three day battle. First he struggles against the great fish. Then he must fight off the sharks that circle the little boat and threaten to eat his fish. Exhausted and bleeding, the old man arrives back at shore. But his fish, his beautiful fish . . .
Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for this superb story of strength and courage, of victory and regret.
A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine Lingle)
Meg’s father, a U.S. government scientist, has been missing for many months. He had been experimenting with time travel when he mysteriously disappeared.
Now Meg, her little brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin will try to rescue him. But first they must outwit the forces of evil they encounter(遇到) on their journey through time and space. Can they find Meg’s father before it’s too late?
This novel is more than just a science fiction adventure. It’s an exploration of the nature of our universe.
The Pearl (John Steinbeck)
One day Kino, a poor Mexican pearl diver, finds a magnificent pearl. With it he dreams of buying a better life, new clothes and schooling for his son. Instead, it brings only evil. His wife pleads with him to get rid of it. "No," says Kino. "I will have my chance. I am a man." But when he kills a man who is trying to steal the pearl, Kino and his wife must run for their lives.This tale of dreams, justice and the power of greed is told simply and beautifully.
The Long Winter (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
It’s winter, 1880—1881, on America’s northern prairies. Mr. and Mrs. Ingalls and their four girls stay near the kitchen stove to keep warm. Heavy snowstorms cut them off even from neighbors. With the trains stopped, no supplies can reach the town. Food and fuel are running out. Day after day the girls must grind wheat for bread and twist hay to burn. At times they nearly lose the battle to keep their spirits up.
This story provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of early American settlers.
63. In the passage, the author intends to _______.
A. recommend a few simplified versions of classics
B. recommend a few original versions of classics
C. tell us how to read an English book from beginning to end
D. tell us how to find proper English books to read 
64. In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the White Witch is probably _____.
A. an evil woman with magic power           B. a friendly woman with magic power
C. a delightful talking creature                D. a powerful lion
65. The underlined word "outwit" in the passage probably means ______.
A. get rid of                              B. take advantage of  
C. beat by being cleverer                    D. make the most of
66. Which book deals with history?
A. The Pearl.                            B. The Old Man and the Sea.   
C. A Wrinkle in Time.                     D. The Long Winter.
67. A Wrinkle in Time is different from other books mentioned in the passage in that _____.
A. it is not a science fiction                 B. it tells a true story
C. it provides some scientific knowledge      D. it tells the battle between justice and evil

小題1:B
小題2:A
小題3:C
小題4:D
小題5:C
         
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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

When you put down your pens at the end of the college entrance exam, 12 hard years of study will have come to an end. Forget your studies for a while. It’s time to enjoy yourselves!
There are many ways to celebrate this special month of graduation. You can have photos taken with your classmates and teachers, or dine out together and exchange gifts.
High school students in western countries such as the United States and Canada usually have party to mark their graduation. It’s to mark the time when kids turn into young men and women. After the party, teenagers either go to college or find a job. It means they will no longer depend on their parents as before.
As the party, boys usually dress in dinner jackets and bow ties, though many different types of formal clothes are worn. Girls traditionally wear formal dresses, or dress to shock or be noticed, in shiny or brightly colored materials.
Common party activities include dining, dancing, the crowing(加冕)of a ball king and queen, and just talking to friends. In some cases, high school students collect funds for their class party through the four years of their high school.
High schools in or near large cities may rent big rooms at expensive hotels or,to be unusual, on a pleasure boat.But often costs are out by simply using the school gym.Students make a lot of effort to decorate the gym to make the event special.The music played at the party will be the most popular kinds,like rock and hip-hop.
Sometimes teachers and parents also go to the party,but others like to go with friends,to whom they are soon going to say goodbye.
小題1:The writer’s purpose in writing this passage is to         
A.tell an interesting experience of high school students
B.tell how the western students spend the last days of high school
C.introduce several ways of the western students’ killing time
D.tell how western high school students usually celebrate graduation
小題2:What does the party mean, for western high school students that are about to graduate?
A.They are adults and will not depend on parents.
B.These teenagers can find a job to support themselves.
C.They have grown up and need friends’ help.
D.They have finished high school and will go to college.
小題3:What does the underlined word“mark”in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.RememberB.ShowC.Sign D.Celebrate.
小題4:From the fourth paragraph,we can infer that        .
A.the party is very interesting
B.graduates pay much attention to the party
C.boys wear as usual to attend the party
D.girls like to make themselves beautiful at all hours
小題5:All the following statements are true EXCEPT that     .
A.generally speaking,students will receive 12 years’ formal education before going to college
B.girls wear formal dresses or dress in shiny or brightly colored materials in order to be noticed
C.using the school gym is cheaper and students don’t need to make a lot of effort
D.sometimes teachers and parents are also invited to the parties

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Fire fighting is a serous matter, knowing what to do during a fire can save people’s lives. It is important to know the ways you can use and show them to everyone else in the family, such as stairways and emergency exits, but not elevators.
From the lower floors of building, escape through windows is possible. Learn the best way to get out from a window with the least chance of serious injury.
The second floor window is usually not very high from the ground. An average person, hanging by the fingertips will have a drop of about 6 feet to the ground. It is about twice the height of an average man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way down than to stay in a burning building.
Windows are also useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed before opening the window. Otherwise, smoke and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get fresh air rather than smoke that may have leaked into the room.
On the second or third floor, the best windows for escape are those which open onto a roof. From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely. Dropping onto cement might end in injury. Bushes and trees can help you to have a soft landing.
小題1:Which of the following should not be used when trying to escape from a fire?
A.Windows B.ElevatorsC.Fire exitsD.Stairways
小題2:How far from the ground is the second floor window?
A.a(chǎn)bout 12 feetB.a(chǎn)bout 6 feet
C.a(chǎn)bout the height of an average manD.nearly 10 feet
小題3:According to the passage, windows are ______ of escaping a fire?
A.the only wayB.the best way
C.safer than any other waysD.one of the possible ways
小題4:The writer suggests that _______
A.breathing in smoke might be harmfulB.smoke will enter the room through an open window
C.fresh air can’t reach the second floor window
D.to keep you head low will help you to escape a fire
小題5:If you are on the second or third floor when a fire breaks out, you’d better _____
A.drop directly onto the groundB.first drop onto a roof then onto the cement
C.drop from a roof window then onto bushes and trees
D.drop onto the cement rather than bushes and grass

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解


TAIBEI-Increasing numbers of Taiwanese students are joining the island’s “China rush”, seeking education on the Chinese mainland.
According to official Chinese figures, the number of Taiwanese students admitted into college and postgraduate(研究生)programs on the mainland totaled 461 in 1996, 928 in 1997 and 839 in 1998.Although no latest official numbers were available,” Netbig. Com Said this number had risen between 30 to 50 percent annually in the past two years with well over 1000 entering mainland campuses last year.
The Internet site, based in the Chinese city of Shenzhen, provides education service and information on Chinese mainland college and universities. “Many Taiwanese believe a Chinese education giving more knowledge about the people and culture in the mainland will increase their chances in the Chinese job market, Net. Com vice-president Ingrid Huang said.“I believe it will give me hands-on experience in the business field in the Chinese mainland and a better understanding of the Chinese mainland people,” said Lydia Chang, a 19-year-old majoring in journalism at Shih Shin University. Chang plans to go on to get a master’s degree in business administration in Shanghai, which she says offers the best environment for such studies.
A journalism graduate student, surnamed Lin, at the National Taiwan University said he would like to study law on the Chinese mainland since “there will be better career prospects now that more Taiwanese companies are going there”. “They hope the children could build up connections which could later become useful in their business operations,” said Yang Ching-yao, professor of the Chinese mainland studies. A Netbig. Com survey showed the campuses favored by Taiwan students included Beijing, Qinghua and Renmin universities in Beijing, and Jinan and Zhongshan universities in Guangzhou. The most popular studies were law, business and Chinese medicine.
At present, Chinese Taibei doesn’t recognize diplomas earned in the Chinese mainland nor help with any inquiries about studying there. But recognizing the trend, education authorities are giving a final form to a policy accepting certificates(證書)from selected universities.
1.ore Taiwanese students study on the Chinese mainland because ___________.
A.Taiwan will reunite with the mainland sooner or later
B.the fees asked for are lower than those of Taiwan
C.what they have learned on the mainland will bring them a bright future
D.there are many famous universities for them to choose
2.Some business executives were sending their children to study in the Chinese mainland so that their children ___________.
A.could receive better education     B.could learn more about the policy there
C.could do well in the business operations     D.could make more friends there
3.The underlined word “it” in the third paragraph refers to __________.
A.Netbig. Com                      B.a(chǎn) Chinese education on the mainland
C.the Chinese job market        D.the university
4.The author wrote the article to tell us ______________.
A.more Taiwanese students are studying on the mainland
B.the number of Taiwanese students going to universities on the mainland had been increasing year after year
C.education on the mainland is more attractive compared with that of Taiwan
D.Taiwan and the mainland should cooperate with each other in every field.
5.Which is true according to the passage?
A.Chinese Taibei recognizes diplomas earned on the Chinese mainland
B.The number of Taiwanese students going to study on the mainland will surely be increasing in the next few years.
C.Chinese Taibei doesn’t help with any inquiries about Taiwanese studying in the mainland
D.Education of Taiwan is far behind the mainland.

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Damage to Ozone Layer Gets Worse
In the middle of winter, when snow is falling in many parts of the United States, scientists have sounded a warning to people who plan to spend many hours in the sun this summer.The warning: The sun's summertime rays are more dangerous than once thought.
A team of scientists from 80 nations recently reported to the United Nations that a layer of ozone(臭氧層)in the atmosphere, which protects humans from harmful levels of ultraviolet(紫外線)radiation, will be thinner over the United States this summer.The thinner layer allows more ultraviolet rays from the sun to reach Earth.The extra amount of ultraviolet radiation could cause an increase in the number of cases of skin cancer.
Scientists first became concerned about the layer in the mid-1980s when a hole was discovered in the layer above Antarctica during the winter.The hole was caused in chemicals used in refrigerators and air conditioners.When these chemicals are sent out into the atmosphere, they produce gases that destroy the ozone.
Concern about the protective ozone layer rose more recently when data from satellites and ground stations showed that ozone levels were dropping over areas other than Antarctica.Low ozone levels were recorded in the spring and summer over the United States and over other populated areas in the world.
Although many countries have already begun stopping the use of ozone-destroying chemicals, the new findings are expected to advance the timetable for a total ban of the chemicals.
小題1:The scientists have observed the ozone layer ______.
A.since 1980B.since last winter
C.for more than 20 yearsD.for about one year
小題2:The ozone layer in the atmosphere can ______.
A.do a lot of good to human beings in many ways
B.protect humans from diseases caused by bad weather
C.do a lot of harm to human beings in the summer-time
D.protect humans from harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation
小題3:Scientists first found that there was a hole in the ozone layer ______.
A.a(chǎn)bove Arctic during the winter in the mid-1980s
B.a(chǎn)bove Antarctica during the winter in the mid-1980s
C.over somewhere in the north of the equator in 1980
D.over the USA in the summertime in the mid-1980s
小題4:The damage to the ozone layer was caused by ______.
A.the changeable weatherB.ozone-destroying chemicals
C.chemicals from refrigeratorsD.chemicals from air conditioners

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Cities need to put efforts to deal with pollution and clear the air.
Chinese cities will need to put efforts to clear up the sky when a new department to improve regional air quality is set up by 2015, according to the latest plan released by the State Council.
Besides the existing pollution control program for S02, regional emission caps (區(qū)域排放上限) for other certain chemicals will be established in the three key air polluting areas— rhe Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.Coal-consumption caps will also be tried out in some areas, according to the plan.
The plan is aimed at dealing with regional air pollution—such as acid rain and smog—which have become increasingly obvious in China in recent years and caused a severe threat to people's health, Zhang Lijun, vice-minister of environmental protection, said in an interview on Monday.
The air quality in a city affects the regions nearby because pollutants (污染物)can travel through the atmosphere, said Chai Fahe, vice-director of Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences.
“So efforts to reduce air pollution in a single city, targeting a certain pollutant will not oe enough," Chai said.
Zhang said the country's major industrial districts—the Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region—have recorded more than 100 misty days annually in recent years.
These three regions, home to at least 200 million people, occupy only 6.3 percent of the country's area but consume 40 percent of the country's coal and produce half of its steel, according to official figures.
Studies also show that the visibility (能見度) in eastern regions of China has dropped by 7 to 15 km compared to that in the early 1960s, as a result of air pollution.
Liaoning province, the Shandong Peninsula, Wuhan in Hubei province and its surrounding area, the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan region in Hunan province, the Chengdu-Chongqing region, and the western coast of the Taiwan Straits are also listed as areas to carry out such regional air pollution control programs, according to the plan.
The new plan also requires an improved air quality system, which will measure the pollution levels."The current system, which only measures some major pollutants, cannot reflect the true picture." said Chai.
小題1:It will not be enough to reduce air pollution in a single city because ______.
A.a(chǎn)ir pollution has been becoming more and more serious in recent years
B.a(chǎn)ir pollution like acid rain and smog is threatening people's health
C.a(chǎn)ir pollutants in a city can travel in the sky and affect nearby areas
D.a(chǎn)ir pollutants stay in fixed places over the cities
小題2:Suppose the visibility in eastern regions of China was 130 km in the early 1960s, the visibility there nowadays is           .
A.123 to 115 km
B.137 to 145 km
C.123 to 145 km
D.115 to 137 km
小題3:The main purpose of the passage is        .
A.to inform readers of the damage caused by air pollution
B.to introduce the new plan to control air pollution
C.to provide official figures of air pollution levels
D.to point out the regions affected by air pollution
小題4:What does the underlined phrase "the true picture" in the last paragraph mean?
A.The major pollutants.
B.The key polluted areas.
C.The major polluted cities.
D.The pollution levels.

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

What do you know about the sea? We know that it looks very pretty when the sun is shining on it. We also know that it can be very rough when there is a strong wind. What other things do we know about it?
The first thing to remember is that the sea is very big. When you look at the map of the world you will find there is more water than land. The sea covers three quarters of the world.
The sea is also very deep in some places. It is not deep everywhere. Some parts of the sea are very shallow. But in some places the depth of the sea is very great. There is one spot, near Japan, where the sea is nearly 11 kilometers deep! The highest mountain in the world is about 9 kilometers high. If that mountain were put into the sea at that place, there would he 2 kilometers of water above it ! What a deep place !
If you have swum in the sea, you know that it is salty. You can taste the salt. Rivers, which flow into the sea, carry salt from the land into the sea. Some parts of the sea are saltier than other parts. There is one sea, called the Dead Sea, which is very salty. It is so salty that swimmers cannot sink! Fish cannot live in the Dead Sea!
In most parts of the sea, there are plenty of fishes and plants. Some live near the top of the sea. Others live deep down. There are also millions of tiny living things that float in the sea. These floating things are so small that it is hard to see them. Many fish live by eating these.
The sea can be very cold. Divers who go deep down in the sea know this. On the top the water may be warm. When the diver goes downwards, the sea becomes colder and colder. Another thing happens. When the diver goes deeper, the water above presses down on him. It squeezes him. Then the diver has to wear clothes made of metal. But he cannot go very deep. Some people who wanted to go very deep used a very strong diving ship! They went down to the deepest part of the sea in it. They went down to a depth of eleven kilometers !
小題1:When does the sea look beautiful?  
A.When it is calm.B.When the weather is fine.
C.When there is a strong wind.D.When there is a storm.
小題2: How much of the earth’s  surface does land cover?  
A.15%.B.25%.C.30%.D.45%.
小題3:Why does the writer cite(引用) the sea somewhere near Japan? 
A.To show that the sea in some places is very deep.
B.To show that the sea in some places is very shallow.
C.To show that its depth is 9 kilometers greater than the height of the highest mountain.
D.To show that its depth is 11 kilometers greater than the height
of the highest mountain.
小題4:Which of the following statements about the Dead Sea is NOT true?
A.Swimmers cannot sink.B.It is a safe place for swimmers.
C.It is extremely salty.D.Fish can be found in it.

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解


The brain of an insect isn’t very big. But insects are somehow still able to make lots of important decisions. Bees, ants and roaches(蟑螂) build hives with thousands of workers doing specialized work. The jobs are done without a head or even a plan. How do insects manage this?
To solve the mystery, scientists in Belgium spent months building robotic roaches and then putting them among real roaches. The final goal of the research is to find out how the simple behavior of individuals gives rise to a collective(集體的) decision. The roach is a good starting point for trying to answer the big question because its social system is simple enough for scientists to study.
The first step was to build robots that real roaches would accept as their own. Although the robotic roaches don’t look much like the real thing, they have similarities with them in three key ways: they naturally head toward dark areas, they are influenced by the behavior of other roaches, and even more importantly, they smell like roaches.
The next step was getting the robotic and real roaches to work together on common tasks. In experiments, the robots would collectively head towards a dark place, copying the behavior of natural roaches. That got the researchers wondering: if you program the robotic roaches to go toward the lighted place, will the real roaches follow, going against their natural instincts.(本能) ?
They will – it turned out. Many of the real roaches followed the robots to a lighter shelter. But influence turned out to be a two- way street. On occasion, the real roaches were able to override the programming of the robot roaches and get them to turn into dark hiding places. Being social creatures, both the robotic and natural roaches were paying attention to and following the example set by others.
In theory, it would be possible to create a robot that could influence collective decision-making in humans. To do this, researchers would have to invent a robot that people would accept. Fortunately, the technology isn’t there yet.
69. Why do scientists choose the roaches to study?
A. Their social system is simple               
B. They are social creatures.
C. They are able to build their hives quite well.   
D. It is easy to create robotic ones.
70. The robotic roaches are accepted by real ones because of all the following EXCEPT that ______ .
A. they smell like real ones          B. they look exactly like real ones
C. what they do are somewhat influenced by other roaches
D. they naturally head toward dark areas
71. What’s the author’s attitude to creating a robot that would influence collective decision-making in humans?
A. Uninterested           B. Positive       
C. Negative              D. Doubtful
72. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage ?
A. Scientists’ Research                   B. Robotic Roaches
C. Amazing Insects                      D. Insects’ Social System

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解


Japan's 24-hour convenience stores, already struggling with lagging sales and growth, may soon face yet another threat - moves to limit business hours and close the stores late at night. The district of Saitama, which borders Tokyo, may follow in the footsteps of the western city of Kyoto and urge convenience stores to close during late night hours in an effort to limit carbon dioxide(二氧化碳)emissions, Japanese media reported.
Kyoto, a former capital, wants to persuade convenience and other 24-hour stores to close late at night so as to improve evening views of the city and cut down on energy use. The Nikkei business daily said closures could last from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. The move is strongly opposed by the industry, which fears a bad impact on an already troubled sector also grappling with the specter of a higher tobacco tax, which could hit overall sales.  
"Even if we only operate the stores for 16 hours, we can't stop the refrigerators," said Toshiro Yamaguchi, the president of Seven-Eleven Japan Co, which is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co Ltd, at a news conference in Saitama on Tuesday. He said such cuts in operating hours would reduce each store's profit by 20 percent. "If this happens, our current business model will lose its foundation."  
Analysts said that while it is difficult to estimate the potential impact of the move without a concrete plan, their overall impression was that it was likely to be negative. "This could cut profits and lead to less efficient operations and the increased loss of opportunities," said Masafumi Shoda, an analyst at Nomura Securities. "But it depends on the store -- urban stores do better than others. There are some in the countryside that are inefficient."  
Some have suggested that if governments were sincere about reducing carbon emissions there were much more efficient methods, such as cutting back on the huge number of automatic vending machines(自動售貨機)
68. Which of the followings was the first to try to limit convenience store hours?  
A. Saitama                   B. Tokyo               C. Kyoto               D. Nomura Security  
69. What's the main goal of the proposal?  
A. To give employees more free time.  
B. To limit carbon dioxide emissions.  
C. To sell more tobacco products.  
D. To reduce each store’s profit.  
70. How's the convenience store sector doing in Japan?  
A. It is not mentioned.  
B. It's doing great. Business is booming.  
C. Not very well.  
D. It’s about to close.  

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