Ever wonder how this season’s celebrations affect the environment? Guest blogger Krista Fairles takes an amusing look at this very topic:

The holidays are a wonderful, cheerful time when most people wait for Santa to bring them presents. But I’m not like most people. I spend my time wondering just what the environmental impacts of Santa Claus and his reindeer are, and more importantly, how I can calculate those impacts.
Lately I’ve been particularly curious as to whether Santa’s old sled is a clean green flying machine, or if he should be replacing his 8 reindeer with an environmentally-friendly car.
I should mention that, surprisingly, I was unable to find statistics specific to Santa’s magical flying reindeer, so these calculations use numbers from various sources and may not represent actual pollution caused by Santa and his animals. In other words, don’t complain to the government about the damage Santa is causing the environment based on this article.
Santa’s yearly trip around the globe is 44,000km long, twice the average of a North American driver. If we assume that the magic provides the altitude for this trip, then reindeer power only needs to push Santa’s sled forward. To complete the trip in 12 hours, I estimate they must travel at a speed of about 3100km/h. To travel at this speed, for this length of time, the reindeer need to eat an incredible 980 million calories each!!
So the next question is: how much food is in 980 million calories? Well, if they’re eating corn, they’d need to eat 16,500 lbs each — or 1.6 acres of food. Growing 12.8 acres of corn has its own implications for the environment that we’ll leave for another calculation.
We now need to consider that during the global trip the reindeer are “l(fā)etting out” some of that corn in the form of methane (甲烷，沼氣). A resting cow produces 110 kg of methane per year, so flying reindeer would each let out about 4.8 tons. With methane causing 20 times the global warming damage of CO2, and the altitude increasing that damage by 1000% that another 20 times, we can put Santa’s round-trip emissions at 15,488 tons. This is much more than the 100 tons an environmentally-friendly car would release on the same trip!
Bad Santa.
小題1:Which aspect does the writer NOT include in her analyses about reindeer’s influence on environment?
A．Distance covered.B．Calories consumed.
C．Tons of waste let out.D．Money spent on food.
小題2: According to Paragraph 6, how many acres of corn would Santa need to feed 10 reindeer?
A．1.6.B．16.C．12.8.D．128.
小題3:Which of the following statements would the writer most probably agree with?
A．Christmas celebrations are really a waste of money.
B．Vegetarians are more likely to survive than meat-eaters.
C．Raising animals has a negative influence on environment.
D．The car industry does less harm to environment than farming.
小題4:Which of the following words best describes the language style of the passage?
A．Humourous and concerned.B．Cheerful and friendly.
C．Academic and formal.D．Serious and boring.
小題5:Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
A．Is Santa driving clean and green?
B．Santa, watch where you’re going!
C．Santa Claus is coming to town!
D．Let’s reduce waste on Christmas celebrations!

小題1:D
小題2:B
小題3:C
小題4:A
小題5:A 

試題分析：文章大意：圣誕老人每年旅行44,000公里，那么圣誕老人的駕駛是清潔和綠色的嗎？
小題1:D細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第文章五、六、七段可以知道提及到Distance covered、Calories consumed和Tons of waste let out.，而D項(xiàng)沒有提及到。故D正確。
小題2:B細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第六段的第二句Well, if they’re eating corn, they’d need to eat 16,500 lbs each — or 1.6 acres of food.可以計算出10只馴鹿所需要的谷物。故B正確。
小題3:C細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文章第七段作者提及到馴鹿排放的沼氣可知C項(xiàng)和作者的觀點(diǎn)相符合。 故C正確。
小題4:A推理判斷題。全文作者以詼諧的口吻講述圣誕老人每年44,000公里的旅程所帶來的污染，體現(xiàn)了作者對環(huán)境的關(guān)注。故A正確。
小題5:A主旨大意題。全文作者以詼諧的口吻講述圣誕老人每年44,000公里的旅程所帶來的污染，懷疑圣誕老人是否是清潔和綠色旅行。 故A正確。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

(2013·高考天津卷)As I held my father’s hands one night，I couldn’t help but notice their calluses(老繭)and roughness.His hands tell the story of his life as a ____，including all his struggles.
One summer，I remember，a drought (旱災(zāi)) hit Ontario，turning it into a ____ desert.On one of those hot mornings I was picking sweet corn with my dad to fill the last ____ from the grocery store.Fifty dozen was all we needed，which ___ took twenty minutes.That morning，however，the process didn’t ___ quickly.After forty minutes of aimlessly walking in the field，we ____needed twenty dozen.I was completely frustrated and ___.Dropping the basket heavily，I declared, “If the store wants its last twenty dozen，they can pick it themselves！”Dad ____，“Just think，my little girl，only ten dozen left for each of us and then we’re ____.” Such is Dad－whatever problem he ____，he never gives up.
____，the disastrous effects of the drought were felt all over our country.It was a challenging time for everyone，____ Dad remained optimistic.He ____ to be grateful for other things like good health and food on our plates.Only then did I truly begin to ___ Dad and his faith that guided us through the hard times.
Dad is also a living example of real ____.From dawn to dusk，he works countless hours to___ our family.He always puts our happiness ____ his own，and never fails to cheer me on at my sports games ___ his exhaustion after long days.His loving and selfless nature has inspired me to become more sympathetic and ____，putting others first.
Dad，the life ____ I have learned from you will stay with me forever.You are my father，teacher，friend and，most importantly，my hero.
小題1:
A．teacherB．gardener
C．farmerD．grocer
小題2:
A．stormyB．lively
C．disappearingD．burning
小題3:
A．orderB．form
C．gapD．position
小題4:
A．repeatedlyB．normally
C．finallyD．really
小題5:
A．goB．begin
C．occurD．change
小題6:
A．yetB．still
C．evenD．nearly
小題7:
A．surprisedB．nervous
C．a(chǎn)ngryD．frightened
小題8:
A．a(chǎn)pologizedB．cried
C．complainedD．laughed
小題9:
A．lostB．done
C．goneD．touched
小題10:
A．meets withB．brings up
C．works outD．thinks about
小題11:
A．ThankfullyB．Hopefully
C．UnfortunatelyD．Strangely
小題12:
A．orB．for
C．soD．but
小題13:
A．happenedB．seemed
C．continuedD．a(chǎn)imed
小題14:
A．faceB．a(chǎn)ppreciate
C．examineD．question
小題15:
A．loveB．pride
C．friendshipD．honesty
小題16:
A．supportB．settle
C．start D．impress
小題17:
A．a(chǎn)fterB．before
C．besideD．under
小題18:
A．in spite ofB．in terms of
C．in control ofD．in place of
小題19:
A．carefulB．regretful
C．considerateD．humorous
小題20:
A．historyB．motto
C．patternsD．lessons

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Dear Alcohol,
You’ve been around forever. I can remember all the pain you’ve caused for me.
Do you remember the night you almost took my father’s life? I do. He loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me. He’s addicted to you, to the way you promise to rid him of his problems only to cause more of them. You just sat back and laughed as his car went spinning through the street, crashing into two other cars. He wasn’t the only one hurt by you that night.
Do you remember the night of my first high school party? You were there. My friends were intrigued by you. They treated you as if they were never going to see you again, drinking all of you that they could. I spent two hours that night helping my friends who had fallen completely. “I’m so embarrassed,” they said as I held their hair back so that they could vomit (嘔吐). “I’m sorry,” they said when I called taxies for them, walking them out and paying the driver in advance. “This won’t happen again,” they said as they were sent to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped. Two 15-year-old girls slept in hospital beds that night thanks to you.
Do you remember the night when you took advantage of my 17-year-old neighbor who had to drive to pick up his sister from her dance lessons? Do you know how we all felt when he hit another car and killed the two people in the other car? He died the next morning too. His sister walked home from her dance lesson, and passed police cars and a crowd of people gathering on the sidewalk just two blocks away from the dance studio. She didn’t realize her brother was in the midst of it all. She never saw him again. And it’s all your fault.
I wish you’d walk out of my life forever. I don’t want anything to do with you. Look at all the pain you’ve caused. Sure, you’ve made people happy too from time to time. But the damage you’ve caused in the lives of millions is inexcusable. Stop luring (引誘) in the people I love. Stop hurting me, please.
Sincerely,Anonymous
小題1:What is author’s purpose in writing to alcohol?
A．To introduce Mr. Alcohol to the readers
B．To describe the harm alcohol did to his family.
C．To show how much alcohol can hurt people.
D．To show the great fun that alcohol can bring to people’s life.
小題2:What did alcohol do to the author’s father?
A．It made him crash into two other cars and took his life.
B．It made him drink too much and he had to get his stomach pumped.
C．It made him kill two other people when driving.
D．It made him get into a car accident and badly injure himself.
小題3:The underlined phrase “were intrigued by” is closest in meaning to ______.
A．were familiar withB．were interested in
C．were disappointed withD．were satisfied with
小題4:What is the tone of the article?
A．Critical.B．Doubtful.C．Unconcerned.D．Humorous.
小題5:What is the main writing technique of the passage?
A．Making something more noticeable than usual.
B．Representing something in the form of a person.
C．Describing something by listing its harmfulness.
D．Comparing one thing with another to make his point clear.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

In a spelling contest (競賽), an 11-year-old girl was asked to spell a certain word. But with her     voice the judges were not sure if she spelled the word with the letter A or E. They talked it over and finally decided to     ask her what she had said. By then, the girl knew she had     the word, but instead of lying, she told the truth that she had said the     letter—so she lost the contest.
As the girl walked off the   , the entire audience stood to their feet, clapping to praise her    . Later, dozens of newspaper reporters wrote about this girl’s honesty.     she lost the contest, she     the biggest contest that day: the contest of her     .
Probably the biggest test of our character is what we should do if we knew we would never get   . This young girl could easily have    and nobody would have known it   herself. However, that’s just it: she would know she did wrong. It’s been said, “If you cheat, you make yourself   .” This young girl was strong and smart enough to value her own character more than the    from a spelling contest. Her    for herself was more important than any respect others might give her for winning a contest. She knew she would have to    with herself and the    she made at that moment would have a long-lasting influence.
It’s so true that the choices you make today make     you are tomorrow. Our children will follow our behavior. So if we want them to     to be honest, we must be honest ourselves. Remember, our kids are     what we do even when we don’t know.
小題1:
A．loudB．sweet C．deepD．soft
小題2:
A．rarelyB．simplyC．occasionallyD．totally
小題3:
A．forgotten B．mispronouncedC．misunderstoodD．misspelled
小題4:
A．correctB．wrongC．different D．same
小題5:
A．hallB．buildingC．stageD．classroom
小題6:
A．bravery B．courageC．honestyD．cleverness
小題7:
A．ThoughB．UnlessC．If D．Since
小題8:
A．defeatedB．broke C．wonD．a(chǎn)chieved
小題9:
A．characterB．knowledge C．lifeD．a(chǎn)bility
小題10:
A．paidB．caughtC．welcomeD．injured
小題11:
A．a(chǎn)skedB．liedC．explained D．replied
小題12:
A．except forB．butC．besidesD．a(chǎn)s well as
小題13:
A．cheap B．expensive C．pricelessD．brave
小題14:
A．prizeB．giftC．skill D．review
小題15:
A．senseB．prideC．respectD．love
小題16:
A．liveB．workC．studyD．a(chǎn)gree
小題17:
A．planB．conclusionC．discoveryD．choice
小題18:
A．whichB．that C．whatD．how
小題19:
A．grow upB．bring upC．pick up D．come up
小題20:
A．recordingB．watchingC．correctingD．a(chǎn)ccepting

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Of the thousands of different kinds of animals that exist in the world man has learned to make friends with an enormous number. Some are pets, and offer him companionship, some give protection, and some do hard work which man can not do for himself. Dogs , which serve man in all three capacities(能力), are found in various species in all countries of the world. The    Husky can live in the cold polar regions,and the Saluki is at home in the hottest parts of Central Africa.The inhabitants (居民)of certain countries are dependent for their very lives on the camel. In the West Indies the little donkey, strong and sure-footed, carrying heavy loads even in mountainous, places, is a familiar sight.
Trained and tamed for many generations, domestic animals are not accustomed to roaming in search of food and shelter. They look to their masters to provide for their needs, and as  long as these are supplied, they are content to do what their masters require.
All domestic animals need proper food .It must be suitable for them, sufficient in quantity, fresh and clean. Some people feed a pet dog or cat on odds and ends of table scraps(剩飯), and then wonder why the animal seems tired and dull. The quantity of food depends on the size of the animal and the amount of exercise it takes. Overfeeding is as bad as underfeeding. Containers for food and water must be washed regularly if the animal is to maintain good health.
Even well-cared-for animals may sometimes fall ill. If this happens, the wise master seeks the best advice he can get. All sorts of medicines and treatments are available for sick animals, and in some countries organizations exist to provide them free of at a cheap price. Useful, friendly, hardworking animals deserve to have some time, money and attention spent on their health.
小題1:What main idea does the author want to convey in the first paragraph?
A．There exists thousands of species of animals in the world.
B．Man came to establish a close relationship with a number of animals.
C．In some regions a donkey seems to be a very useful beast.
D．An animal will be useless unless domesticated.
小題2:When an animal doesn’t get enough food, it will probably    
A．refuse to obey its masterB．immediately fall ill
C．require its master to offer some foodD．seek for food on its own
小題3:Which of the following is NOT true of dogs according to the passage?
A．They can act as friends, guards ,and servants to man.
B．They have great adaptation for the environment.
C．There live a great variety of species of dogs on the globe.
D．The Husky and the Saluki are the strongest species ever known in the world
小題4:To keep a domestic animal physically fit, its owner is advised    
A．not to hesitate to spend enormous amount of money on it
B．to pay attention to its proper feeding
C．not to allow it to take excessive amounts of exercise
D．to join some sort of pet-keeping organizations
小題5:Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A．Domesticated Animals-Man’s Best FriendsB．Proper Diet- the Road to Health
C．The Advantages of Raising Domestic AnimalsD．Some Tips on Pet- keeping

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Gardening can be a very relaxing hobby for many people and this wonderful experience is not just for adults. Children are interested in gardening as well, if given the chance to explore nature and science in this way. Gardening can bring joy to both children and their parents alike, especially when the experience is shared together.
The time that is spent gardening together builds precious memories within their hearts and minds for years to come. When you are gardening with your children, try to give them their own special area. Keep their area in the center of the best soil and light, as you want to make sure of a successful gardening experience.
Plastic tools easily break and are difficult to use in the dirt, so when you are gardening with your children, give them real tools to use if possible. Even offering to let them use your tools is a way to admit the worth of the work they are doing. It is also important to talk with your children about the whole process of gardening, from planting to the harvest. They need to understand how things work and the importance of what they are doing.
Show off the children’s gardening work by taking friends and visitors for a walking tour through the garden and point out the children’s particular spot. When you give attention to the children’s work, this is a great motivation（動機(jī)） for children to continue wanting to be involved. Do not force children to take part when they are in a bad mood or if they are becoming bored. Instead, allow them to do something different, like building a scarecrow(稻草人)! This makes the gardening experience even more interesting. As you work together side by side with your children, you will encourage a love of the land in them, as well as create lasting memories of time spent with you.
小題1:What is the text mainly about?
A．Teaching children how to garden.
B．Giving children the chance to show off
C．Helping children realize the importance of work.
D．Sharing the joy of gardening with children.
小題2:Why should you introduce your children’s work to your friends?
A．It makes your friends believe your children are smart.
B．It helps you gain more confidence in your children.
C．It encourages children to continue doing such work.
D．It attracts your friends to take part in your gardening.
小題3:What kind of people is the text mainly written for?
A．ChildrenB．ParentsC．FarmersD．Teachers

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

How did your friendships begin? Most start with a short conversation on a random day. Asking about a homework assignment in class or complaining about your painful legs after playing in a soccer game, you found your best pal by accident.
“Small talk is where all your relationships begin,” Forbes magazine summed up.
The following is a five-step guide to making small talk from Bernardo J. Carducci, the director of the Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast, US. Let’s have a look.
Getting started
Begin by talking about the setting, such as the weather outside or the room you are in (“It’s cold in here, isn’t it?”). The purpose of talking about the setting is to show the other person that you are willing to make a conversation.
②The personal introduction
You should mention something about yourself, such as your name. A good personal introduction helps move the conversation forward.
③Looking for topics
At this point, you and your conversation partner need to find common ground. This is a good time to ask questions or to refer back to things you’ve said or heard earlier. Don’t worry if it gets quiet. The other person is probably just thinking of something to say.
④Expanding the topic
The goal is to keep the conversation going. At every stage, you should be careful not to talk too much. But don’t let the other person dominate the conversation either. If that starts to happen, mention something about yourself when he or she takes a breath.
⑤A polite ending
When ending a conversation, let the person know you’ll be leaving soon, express gratitude for the conversation and set the stage for a future conversation. For example, you could say, “I really must be going soon, but I had a great time chatting with you. I really liked hearing your opinion about that new movie. Here’s my phone number. Call or text me if you know of any other movies you think I might enjoy.”
小題1:According to the article, starting by talking about the setting is meant to ________.
A．find common groundB．impress the other person
C．make a conversationD．make the room warmer
小題2:What does the underlined word “dominate” mean in Tip④?
A．interruptB．controlC．a(chǎn)dapt D．simplify
小題3:When ending a conversation, you’d better ________.
A．talk about how much you want to keep talking
B．show that you’ve not enjoyed the talk
C．mention a specific movie that you love
D．give your opinion about the other person’s earlier comments
小題4:The main purpose of the article is to ________.
A．encourage students to make more friends
B．give students tips on making small talk
C．introduce popular topics for students
D．teach students how to create friendships

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Basically, people are afraid of giving talks in front of others. Some may have negative ____ in the past, such as being laughed at by others. Now the best way is to practice, practice, and practice.
Most people don’t want to hear this, but the best way to ____ a fear of public speaking is really practice, practice, and practice. ____ any fear ahead allows us to control it, rather than let it control us. Our overreactions to our fears are really our brains trying to ____ us from seeing it as a threatening situation. ____ faint (眩暈) is a good way to keep us off a stage, saving us from the threat of ____. But, the more we experience the “threatening” situation without the harm, the more we’re able to ____ that fear.
A good way to begin feeling comfortable while ____ publicly is to start small. Start ____ stories with friends and co-workers ____. This could be something you read about in the news, or something you did ____ the weekend. This point is to practice speaking in front of others, and feeling ____ at it.
If you have no problem speaking ____ in front of the other friends, ____ shake at the thought of getting behind a podium (講臺) and speaking in front of ____, then practicing behind a podium is what you must do. ____ there exist speaking clubs for you such as Toastmaster’s International, in which people meet ____. You can join a club in your area and practice speaking in public every week, as well as ____ speeches on a better basis. You will also receive advice on your ____ as well as your strengths. You’ll probably be ____ to find out that you’re better than you thought you were.
小題1:
A．opinionB．judgmentsC．a(chǎn)rgumentsD．experiences
小題2:
A．promoteB．organizeC．conquerD．strengthen
小題3:
A．ReadingB．Facing C．Ignoring D．Raising
小題4:
A．protectB．separateC．banD．warn
小題5:
A．Controlling B．Reducing C．FeelingD．Limiting
小題6:
A．braveryB．gratitudeC．sicknessD．shame
小題7:
A．dig outB．cut offC．get overD．take off
小題8:
A．introducingB．speakingC．explainingD．producing
小題9:
A．sharingB．makingC．writingD．correcting
小題10:
A．secretlyB．happilyC．shylyD．bravely
小題11:
A．fromB．withC．over D．for
小題12:
A．proudB．successfulC．uniqueD．nervous
小題13:
A．sociallyB．personallyC．privatelyD．honorably
小題14:
A．a(chǎn)ndB．orC．forD．but
小題15:
A．parentsB．teachersC．strangersD．relatives
小題16:
A．UnfortunatelyB．LuckilyC．Doubtfully D．Mentally
小題17:
A．instantlyB．frequentlyC．occasionallyD．rarely
小題18:
A．listening toB．talking aboutC．recordingD．copying
小題19:
A．a(chǎn)dvantagesB．weaknessesC．featuresD．excuses
小題20:
A．interestedB．frightenedC．surprisedD．disturbed

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

If Confucius(孔子）were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be many candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought.  It’s nothing personal.  Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius.  In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities.  More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries.  These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and philosophy（哲學(xué)）.  Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy.  Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese.  So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States.  Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers. 
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
小題1:The opening paragraph is mainly intended to ________.
A．provide some key facts about Confucius
B．a(chǎn)ttract the readers’ interest in the subject
C．show great respect for the ancient thinker
D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations
小題2:We can learn from Paragraph 4 that American students______.
A．have a great interest in studying Chinese
B．take an active part in Chinese competitions
C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams
D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese
小題3:What is the best title for the passage?
A．Forgotten Wisdom in America
B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language
C．Chinese Culture for Westerners
D．Old Thinker with a Big Future
小題4:The passage is likely to appear in ___________.
A．a(chǎn) biographyB．a(chǎn) history paper
C．a(chǎn) newspaperD．a(chǎn) philosophy textbook

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