Fans of US television dramas watch their favorite series for different reasons: some want to improve their English skills, others just want to kill time.
Some TV series are more than pure entertainment―they have a certain depth. Mad Men, which returned with a sixth season recently; Monday Mornings, which just finished its first season; and Modern Family, which sweeps the awards every year, are just a few examples.
Why do these shows stand out among so many similar ones? TV critics Raymond Zhou will give you an idea of why some shows are better than others.
Period drama—More than time travel
Period dramas are intended to capture the ambience (氣氛) of a particular era. Directors must therefore attract audiences as much by their recreation of a historical setting as by an interesting storyline.
Mad Men is an excellent example of this balance being struck. Set in New York during the 1960s, it accurately shows US attitudes in the workplace through the alcoholism and chain-smoking common of the time, and places an absorbing plot right in its center.
But rather than merely presenting a past decade, Mad Men’s subtle (微妙的) description of the struggles of white-collar workers at the time, both male and female, makes it stand out.
“The series’ attention to detail is superb,” Raymond Zhou said. “For example, creator Matthew Weiner makes Don Draper―the leading role of the series―drive a Buick instead of a Cadillac, because Weiner thinks the ad man lacks the self-pride to buy a luxury car. It’s this kind of attentiveness that raises the show’s artistic value.”
Critics also recommend
Another period drama that works is Broadwalk Empire, set during the prohibition period of the 1920s and 1930s in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Heather Havrilesky at Salon magazine noted how the show “revels in the oddities(怪事) of its time, peeling back the layers of polite society to reveal a shadow world of criminals and politicians working together to keep the liquor flowing.”
Why does it appeal to viewers? Because they know that the “l(fā)iquor” is a metaphor (暗喻) for today’s political scandals (丑聞).
小題1: How many US TV series are mentioned in this passage?
A．One.B．Two.C．Three.D．Four.
小題2: The following statements are the reasons why many people are attracted by US television dramas EXCEPT that __________.
A．US television dramas merely present a past decade
B．directors recreate a historical setting and adopt interesting storylines
C．the dramas can improve their English skills, and help people kill time
D．some TV series are more than pure entertainment, and they have a certain depth
小題3: According to Raymond Zhou, Don Draper’s driving a Buick instead of a Cadillac shows __________.
A．Mad Men attaches much importance to details
B．Mad Men places an absorbing plot right in its center
C．the director wants to raise the show’s artistic value
D．Mad Men’s description of the struggling white-collar workers makes it stand out
小題4: What does the passage mainly talk about?
A．Directors of US dramas.B．US dramas and their storylines.
C．US period dramas to kill time.D．US dramas and their magic touch.

小題1:D
小題2:A
小題3:A
小題4:D

試題分析：美劇大部分都是論'季'的,每年中的一個(gè)固定季度播出, 邊拍邊播,一年只播放一季。文章介紹了美劇受歡迎的原因，和其中影射現(xiàn)實(shí)的元素。
小題1:D信息歸納題。根據(jù)文中提到的Mad Men, Monday Morning, Broadwalk Empire, Modern Family，可知一共提到了4部電視劇，選擇D。
小題2:A反選題。根據(jù)文中提到的美劇吸引人的緣由可以知道它們不僅表現(xiàn)了某個(gè)歷史背景下的故事，還影射了現(xiàn)代社會(huì)中的一些問題，A項(xiàng)不正確，可知選擇A。
小題3:A細(xì)節(jié)題。根據(jù)文中第五段“The series’ attention to detail is superb,” Raymond Zhou said.，可知他舉這個(gè)例子是為了說明Mad Men在細(xì)節(jié)上安排了許多重要信息，選擇A。
小題4:D 主旨大意題。根據(jù)文中介紹的美劇吸引人的原因，以及美劇導(dǎo)演和編劇處理故事的手法，可知文章是說美劇像魔法一般的吸引力，選擇D。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Have you heard about Post Office Cats in Britain? They are mouse hunters. The post office has actually employed cats since 1868. They are not employed to sort or deliver mail, of course, but to protect the mail and keep the population of mice under control. They make sure your morning post arrives free from damages caused by rats and mice.
London post offices were the first to try out the experiment. Within a few months the population of mice had shrunk sharply. Other post offices all over the country were soon using cats in the war against rats and mice as well. Within ten years the pay of the cats was improved from one and a half old pence a day to six or nine pence a day. Now the average rate of pay is about a few pounds a month.
Some of the hard-working cats have become quite famous. In 1980, a cat named Lucky stopped an attempted robbery in a Worcestershire post office on her own. As the two burglars made their way in through the window, Lucky started an attack and they fled empty-handed. Another excellent cat was Jerry, of Earls Court post office in London. He served the building for 16 years and was on duty for 24 hours every day. He drove all the mice away.
However, there are fewer cats employed by the post office than at any time in the past. With the faster movement of the mail and better surroundings, post office cats are not always needed. But many post offices still employ them and they become great friends with the postmen. According to the post office, there is no plan for their services to be discontinued in the foreseeable future.
小題1:Cats were introduced to British post offices to ________.
A．help sort and deliver mails and papers
B．guard the building against thieves
C．keep mails and papers undamaged
D．search for certain dangers in mails
小題2:The underlined word “shrunk” in the second paragraph probably means “________”.
A．decreased B．increasedC．narrowedD．expanded
小題3:The cat named Lucky became famous because________.
A．She served the post office for 16 years around the clock.
B．She alone drove two burglars away from the post office.
C．She protected mails from being bitten by mice.
D．She was employed to sort and deliver mail.
小題4:We may learn from the last paragraph that________.
A．the duty of the cats has been replaced by machines
B．a(chǎn)ll the post offices are now completely mice free
C．cats are now considered of little use in post offices
D．cats will still be seen in service for quite a long time

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

請(qǐng)認(rèn)真閱讀下列短文，并根據(jù)所讀內(nèi)容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一個(gè)最恰當(dāng)?shù)膯卧~。
注意：每個(gè)空格只填1個(gè)單詞。請(qǐng)將答案寫在答題卡上相應(yīng)題號(hào)的橫線上。
By teaching your children fire safety rules you can ensure they know what to do when a house fire occurs. Making sure your children know exactly what is required of them cuts down the chaos of the emergency situation and helps keep your family safe and secure.
All children should know about important fire safety procedures. For example, tell your children to stay low to the ground in a smoky room, which keeps them from breathing smoke, as smoke always rises towards the ceiling. Also tell them that they can put a damp towel or a piece of clothing over their faces and breathe in through it to cut down the effects of breathing smoke even more.
In addition, make sure your children know how to correctly stop, drop and roll when their clothes catch fire. Because it results in loss of oxygen, which puts out the flames. Also your children should know to touch door handles before opening the doors to see if they’re hot. If they are, it means there’s a fire in the next room, and they should leave the door closed and find another route out of the house.
Make sure your children never play with lighters or matches. Usually, many children are attracted by lighters and matches and want to experiment with setting things on fire to see what happens. So hide lighters and matches in some place your children can’t reach.
Do regular fire drills to act out and improve your evacuation（疏散）plan. Make sure everyone knows all the possible exits of the house they can use, and that all members of your family know your evacuation plan well enough so that they don’t have to waste time thinking if a fire starts. Quick, determined response to a fire will save your family members’ lives.
                       Title: Teach your children fire safety rules
Reasons
Children should know what to do in __小題1:___ of a house fire.
It can help __小題2:___ the chaos of the emergency situation.
Teach children fire safety ___小題3:__
Stay low to the ground and __小題4:___ the face with damp towels or pieces of clothing.
Correctly stop, drop and roll to put out the fire on the ___小題5:__.
Don’t open the doors with ___小題6:__ door handles.
Keep lighters or matches away from children
It’s dangerous to ___小題7:__ with setting things on fire.
Keep lighters and matches out of children’s ___小題8:__.
Do fire drills ___小題9:__
Make all exits and the evacuation plan known to everyone.
Ensure every family member can __小題10:___ to a fire quickly and determinedly.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Bright red post boxes, the Queen and queuing—what do they all have in common? They are all important parts of British life. At least I thought so.
However, the ability to queue for long periods of time, once believed to be a traditional characteristic of the British, is no longer tolerated by people in the UK, according to a survey done for British bank Barclays.
Once upon a time, queuing was seen as normal. During World WarⅡ, everyone had to queue up to receive their daily supply of foods. In fact, if you didn't stand up and wait in line with all the others, it was seen as uncivilized.
The famous English double-decker buses, with only one entrance, might also help explain why queuing was seen as a part of British life. Almost always, there is queue to get on.
But perhaps the British are tired of being pushed past by the Spanish, the Italians or the French as they queue up to get a table at a restaurant. The people of these other European countries have more than one entrance to their buses, which explains their more relaxed attitude to the queue.
Two minutes is now the longest time most British people are prepared to stand and wait. But could it be that the Internet, which allows us to carry out tasks quickly, is the main reason why British people are no longer prepared to queue?
"Used to buying without delay, customers are even giving up purchases rather than wait their turn," says Stuart Neal of Barclaycard. "Shoppers are also less likely to queue for long if the item they are buying is of low value."
Perhaps I will have to replace "queuing" with "impatience" in my list of things I relate to the British. 
小題1: What can we learn about the tradition of queuing in Britain? 
A．It was considered a symbol of a civilized behavior.
B．It was a long time tradition as old as the Queen.
C．It was a product of the slow pace of life.
D．It has made the Britain different from other Europeans.
小題2: According to the passage, the British gradually stopped queuing because ______.
A．they prefer shopping online
B．the Internet has changed their way of life
C．what they are buying is of low value
D．they follow the example of foreigners
小題3: It can be learned from the text that ______. 
A．the British used to buy without delay
B．the British have to queue to receive food
C．the British get impatient with queuing for long
D．the British prefer to take double-decker buses
小題4:The author's main purpose of writing the passage is _______.
A．to tell us the influence of the Internet on the British ways of life
B．to compare the cultural difference between Britain and other countries
C．to report his research on the British ways of life
D．to talk about the changes in the attitude to queuing in Britain

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

On October 12, 1987, some Chinese scientists were working at the computers to look for information they needed. Suddenly they saw a lot of very bright spots(點(diǎn) )crossing the computers’ screens. At the same time the computers were working much slower. To find out what was happening they stopped their work to check some parts of the computers. To their horror(恐懼), they found out that most of their stored information was got rid of( 除掉) by computer viruses! Obviously all these computers had been infected（感染 ） by computer viruses.
It is said that the computer viruses were made by a group of young man fond of playing tricks. They all had excellent education. They created the viruses just to show their intelligence.（才智）These kinds of computer viruses are named Jerusalem( 耶路撒冷 )Viruses. These viruses can stay in computers for a long time. When the time comes they will attack the computers by lowering the function(功能), damaging their normal programs or even getting rid of all the information.
We now come to know that Jerusalem Viruses often attack computers on Fridays and that they are spreading(傳播) to a list of computers. Among the countries that suffering computer viruses are Britain, Australia, Switzerland and the U.S. But till now, how to get rid of the terrible remains a problem.
小題1:The group of young men created the viruses to __________. 
A．damage the computers
B．test their ability
C．play a trick on operators of the computers
D．tell the world that they were intelligent
小題2:According to the passage, computer viruses seem to _______.
A．have been in nature for years
B．be difficult to get rid of at present
C．exist（存在） in any computers
D．be able to be got rid of in the near future
小題3:The most serious damage caused by the viruses is that _______.
A．a(chǎn)ll the information stored in the computers is gone
B．the computer’s functions are lowered
C．the normal programs are damaged
D．the computers infected by the viruses can no longer be used
小題4:According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A．Four countries found their computers were infected by viruses.
B．The viruses will come to a new computer after staying in the old one for some time
C．The Jerusalem Viruses are a great harm to human health.
D．Scientists are trying to find a way to get rid of the viruses

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Everyone wants to have a healthy heart. Still, heart diseases affect more than 1 in 3 adults in the United States. The good news is that some simple, everyday habits can make a big difference in your ability to live a healthy lifestyle. Here are some worst habits for your heart, and how to avoid them.
Watching TV
Sitting for hours on end increases your risk of heart attack and stroke(中風(fēng)),“some exercise doesn’t make up for the time you sit,”says Harmony R. Reynolds, Why? The lack of movement may affect blood levels of fats and sugars. Dr. Reynolds advises walking around regularly and, if you’re at work, standing up to talk on the phone.
Leaving hostility and depression unchecked
Are you feeling stressed or sad? It can do harm to your heart. While everyone feels this way some of the time, how you handle these emotions can affect your heart health.“Those with stress are in greater danger; research has shown a benefit to laughter and social support,” Dr. Reynolds says. “And it’s helpful to be able to go to someone and talk about your problems.”
Cutting off from the world
It's no secret that on some days, other human beings can seem annoying and too difficult to get along with.
However, it makes sense to strengthen your connections to the ones you actually like. People with stronger connections to family, friends, and society in general tend to live longer, healthier lives.
Everyone needs alone time, but you should still reach out to others and keep in touch whenever you can.
Drinking (too much) alcohol
Sure, studies suggest a small amount of alcohol may be good for your heart. However, too many of us drink over. Too much alcohol is linked to a greater risk of high blood pressure, high levels of blood fats, and heart failure.
小題1:Watching TV for a long time may ______________.
A．help you live a healthy lifeB．lead to heart attack
C．make up for the time you sitD．make you feel stressed
小題2:Which of the following is bad for those with stress and sadness?
A．Laughing a lotB．Talking about their own problems.
C．Getting social supportD．Leaving these emotions alone.
小題3:If you want a long healthy life, you should____________.
A．cut off from the worldB．get along well with others
C．stay alone as much as possible D．drink no alcohol
小題4:From the passage we can infer that _____________.
A．some everyday habits can help avoid heart attacks
B．standing up to talk on the phone is not a good idea
C．it’s easy to strengthen your connections to others
D．too much alcohol is not linked to heart failure

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

We all know that theme parks are places to have fun and amuse ourselves, but among so many exciting rides there are also some dangers, Make sure you know what the safety standards are for all the attractions at the park. If you do that , you will be safe and have fun.
Drink water. Believe it or not , dehydration-- when your body doesn’t have enough water--is the commonest cause of injuries at theme parks. Drinking water while you are at the park is not enough.You must make sure that you drink enough water before your visit.
Use your “common sense”. There are lots of people around , so make sure where your friends or family are .Also ,if you are walking and want to stop , make sure nobody is walking behind you. First step aside,then look behind and if you aren’t in anybody’s way,then stop.It might sound exaggerated(夸張的),but crashes between people can cause accidents.
Follow the instructions. The majority of theme parks have instructions for each ride. Some rides only allow people of a certain height. So make sure you are not too tall or too short before boarding any ride. Also, people with certain diseases or conditions are advised not to go on some rides. Do remember : If you are told not to go on a ride, then DON’T.
Do not ride with a bad atomach or if you’ve just eaten. Rides can make you ill because of their violent changes of direction and your lunch may end up on someone else’s head: surely not a very pleasant experience.
Have fun, relax, and be a little brave!
Some rides might look scary but theme parks are very safe places.
小題1:What is the leading reason for injuries at theme parks?
A．SnowB．DehydrationC．FireD．Crashes
小題2:According to the author,____.
A．it doesn’t pay to go to theme parks
B．people can have lots of fun in theme parks
C．men are more interested in theme parks than women
D．shy people should not go to theme parks
小題3:Which of the following will the author accept?
A．Children should notplay in theme parks.
B．One shouldn’t eat anything before riding.
C．One must always stay with his friends or family in theme parks.
D．One must read the instructions before playing in theme parks.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

"He who can have patience can have what he wants," said Benjamin Franklin. They say patience is a virtue (美德) seldom found in women and never in men. This may or may not be true, but it's fair to say that there is nobody on the earth who couldn't benefit from more patience.
Patience is necessary for success.
It is said that "all good things come to those who wait". Many of the great scientists have remarked that their scientific discoveries came only through patient perseverance (堅(jiān)持). Edison said, "Genius was 99% perspiration and only 1% inspiration." Patience teaches us to value the effort and not just the success. It is a mistake to think that happiness can only be obtained through achievements.
Patience brings peace of mind.
When we desire certain outcomes (結(jié)果), we'll have no peace of mind. Even if one desire is filled, the nature of desire is that more will appear in its place. There is no end to human desires. Patience means we will work with an attitude of detachment (超然).
Patience can transform suffering into joy.
Throughout life we suffer injustice; the best healer is patience. Through being patient and accepting our situation, it's quite possible for our suffering to be transformed.
Sri Chinmoy said, "If failure has the strength to turn your life into bitterness itself, then patience has the strength to turn your life into the sweetest joy."
小題1:Whose saying supports the idea that patience makes a person joyful?
A．Franklin'sB．Edison'sC．Chinmoy'sD．Einstein's
小題2:In the writer's opinion, _____ .
A．human desires will easily be filled
B．patience is a virtue seldom found in a person
C．happiness can only be obtained through success
D．patience is the best medicine of suffering
小題3:How is the whole passage organized?
A．General-detail-general.B．General-detail.
C．Detail-general-detail.D．Detail-general.
小題4:Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A．We All Need PatienceB．Patience Means Success
C．Benefits of PatienceD．We Should Not Be patient

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

ASK LASKAS
YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS. SHE'S GOT ANSWERS
Q: My problem is computer gaming. I do it day and night, averaging four hours of sleep. I can't control of this, and I don't know where to go for help. Do you?                            —Player
A: Dear Player,
You have an addiction. For some people playing video games releases dopamine, a powerful brain chemical that makes you feel good. You'd toss your cigarettes if you were ready to quit, right? To kick the habit, get help from a health professional. And don't look for help on line; that would be like an alcoholic going to the bar for advice.
Q: My brother's wife just had triplets(三胞胎). This is such a joy! Yet every time I share the news with co-workers, they ask me if she was on fertility pills. I think this is rude—or has society just become so talk-show numbed (麻木的)that you can ask anyone anything?                     —No Show Host
A: Dear Host,
Yes. Our society has become increasingly disrespectful of privacy. But don't blame it all on the talk-shows. Continue to celebrate and greet impolite questions with stony silence. Their fertility history is nobody's business but their own.
Q: I work at an amusement park, and my manager steals supplies. She has a catering business on the side, and we've seen her load up her van at the back gates. The big bosses think she is the best thing since buttered bread, and we're all afraid that if we say anything, we'll lose our jobs. What can we do?   —Righteous
A: Dear Righteous,
Be sure you're right. You must have evidence about what and why things are going out the back gates. Once you know for certain, it's time to go to the bosses and report what you have seen.
Q: My stepson's wife sometimes leaves their eight-year-old home alone for "a short run to the store." That may be an hour or so. I believe by law we should report it. What do you think?
—The In-laws
A: Dear Laws,
I don't know what the child-protection laws in your state are, but I do know that children need care and attention. This child may be able and unafraid, but kids aren't always careful. It also sounds like there is stress in your family relationship. One thing you can do to help this situation is offer to baby-sit when Mom needs to step out.
小題1:Which of the following statements is true?
A．Dopamine is a powerful brain chemical good to our health.
B．Looking for help on line is like getting help from a health professional.
C．Player is a video game addict who smokes and sleeps few hours.
D．Player is advised to stay clear of the screen.
小題2:According to the Q&A,        .
A．Host's colleagues are insensitive
B．The talk-show is to blame
C．Somebody's business is everybody's
D．Host's sister-in-law was on fertility pills
小題3:What we can infer from the Q&A is      .
A．The Mom is not to blame because she needs a short run to the store
B．Children need care and attention, though not for all of them
C．Laws, the old lady, wants to report what she sees to the child's father
D．Laskas doesn't seem to approve of Laws' trying to report what she sees
小題4:Which Q&A mentioned transport?
A．The firstB．The second.C．The third. D．None.

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