Modern inventions have speeded up people’s lives amazingly. Motor-cars cover a hundred miles in little more than an hour, aircraft cross the world inside a day, while computers operate at lightning speed. Indeed, this love of speed seems never-ending. Every year motor-cars are produced which go even faster and each new computer boasts (吹噓) of saving precious seconds in handling tasks.
All this saves time, but at a price. When we lose or gain half a day in speeding across the world in an airplane, our bodies tell us so. We get the uncomfortable feeling known as jet-lag; our bodies feel that they have been left behind in another time zone. Again, spending too long at computer results in painful wrists and fingers. Mobile phones also have their dangers, according to some scientists; too much use may transmit harmful radiation into our brains, a consequence we do not like to think about.
However, what do we do with the time we have saved? Certainly not relax, or so it seems. We are so accustomed to constant activity that we find it difficult to sit and do nothing, or even just one thing at a time. Perhaps the days are long gone when we might listen quietly to a story on the radio, letting imagination take us into another world.
There was a time when some people’s lives were devoted simply to the cultivation of the land or the care of cattle. No multi-tasking there; their lives went on at a much gentler pace, and in a familiar pattern. There is much that we might envy about a way of life like this. Yet before we do so, we must think of the hard tasks our ancestors faced: they farmed with bare hands, often lived close to hunger, and had to fashion tools from wood and stone. Modern machinery has freed people from that primitive existence.
小題1: The new products become more and more time-saving because       .
A.the manufacturers boast a lotB.time is limited
C.the prices are increasingly highD.our love of speed seems never-ending
小題2: What does “the days” in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A.Simple life in the past.B.Imaginary life.
C.Times of inventions.D.Time for constant activity.
小題3:. What is the author’s attitude towards the modern technology?
A.Critical.B.Optimistic.C.Objective.D.Negative.
小題4:. What does the passage mainly discuss?
A.The present and past times.B.Modern technology and its influence.
C.Imaginations and inventions.D.Machinery and human beings.

小題1:. D           
小題1:.A
小題1:.C
小題1:.B
練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

A simple flower made headlines in the British press last week. How could that be?
British Prime Minister David Cameron and his ministers were attending a reception hosted by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. They insisted on wearing poppies(罌粟花) in their buttonholes.
What’s wrong with that?
According to the Global Times, Chinese officials apparently had asked the UK delegation not to wear poppies. The British said that poppies meant a great deal to them on that day and they would wear them all the same.
So what’s the significance of the poppy? It’s a flower which has different cultural and symbolic meanings for British and Chinese people.
From the Chinese point of view, the poppy is a symbol of China’s humiliation at the hands of European powers in the Opium Wars of the 19th century. Britain forced China to open the borders to trade —including in the opium —which was made from poppies grown in India.
Yet from the British viewpoint the poppy is a reminder of the killing during Word War I. Red poppies grew on the battlefields of Flanders in Belgium where many thousands of British soldiers died or were buried. Since then, Poppy Day (November 11) has become a time in the UK to wear poppies and remember the sacrifices of British soldiers and civilians in times of war.
So you can see that the poppy sets off strong feelings in the hearts of Chinese and British people for different reasons. And it makes sense for us to try to understand each other’s standpoint.
Of course cultural differences can also be interesting and funny. And what one nation thinks is an acceptable gift may be viewed differently by their guest from overseas. US President Barack Obama gave a gift of an iPod to Britain’s Queen —a dull person with no interest in music. Obama also presented Gordon Brown with a fine selection of American movies. But they were in US format and impossible to play on British DVD players.
Many countries have diplomats stationed overseas. Diplomats provide information and advice to their governments back home. However, sometimes it would seem that even diplomats can overlook the cultural significance of a small flower.
(   ) 小題1:.  British Prime Minister David Cameron probably attended a reception in Beijing on         .
A.October 1B.November 11C.December 31D.January 1
(   ) 小題2:.  The poppy reminds the Chinese of         .
A.the shame caused by European countries in the 19th century
B.the British soldiers who were killed and buried during World War I
C.the Chinese soldiers killed during World War II
D.the suffering caused by Britain during World War I
(   ) 小題3:. The diplomatic problem in Beijing is mainly caused by         .
A.the translation mistakeB.the language difference
C.the cultural differenceD.the different lifestyle
(   ) 小題4:.  We can infer that         .
A.Britain’s Queen is not interested in art
B.Gordon Brown was fond of American movies US President Barack Obama sent him
C.US President Barack Obama received a gift for music
D.Britain’s Queen may not like the iPod US President Barack Obama presented her
(   ) 小題5:.  What is the main idea of the 9th paragraph?
A.Cultural difference can also be interesting and funny.
B.Cultural differences can cause a big problem.
C.US President Barack Obama likes to present gifts to other leaders.
D.US leaders and British leaders get along well with each other.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:完形填空

Thanksgiving Day was near. Lucy, the first grade teacher, gave her class a fun   36 — to draw a picture of somebody or something for which they were    37  . When the students    38  
their assignment, she found most of them drew some pictures of their family, teachers, friends or neighbors.
Douglas, however, made a different kind of picture. He was a   39   boy. He didn’t act the same as others. He always seemed to be shy and sad. He   40  played with other children during the break   41  they kindly invited him to. Lucy treated him very well. She always helped him and   42   him to be confident. Yes, his picture was different. He just drew a   43 . Nothing else. His abstract image   44   the imagination of his classmates. Whose hand could it be? One guessed it was a mother’s hand, for mother’s hand gives children warmth and   45  . Another child guessed it was a police officer’s hand, because the police   46  people and care for people. And so the discussion   47 .
When the children were discussing it, Lucy paused at Douglas’ desk,   48  down, and asked him whose hand it was. The little boy murmured, “It’s   49 , teacher.” Douglas was most thankful for her hand. She was   50  and felt tears in her eyes. She thought of the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or there. She   51   how often she had said to him, “Take my   52 , Douglas. We’ll go outside.” or “Let me show you how to hold your pencil.”
The story speaks of   53  thankfulness. It also says something about teachers teaching and parents parenting and friends showing friendship. They might not always say “  54 ” out, but they’ll remember the hand that you   55 out to give them love and be grateful to you always.
小題1:..
A.a(chǎn)ssignmentB.question C.suggestionD.solution
小題2:.
A.sorryB.regretfulC.thankfulD.responsible
小題3:.
A.gave inB.handed inC.put off D.called off
小題4:..
A.strongB.kindC.differentD.humorous
小題5:..
A.oftenB.usuallyC.seldomD.ever
小題6:..
A.because B.though C.a(chǎn)s D.since
小題7:..
A.encouragedB.discouragedC.cheeredD.praised
小題8:..
A.handB.faceC.earD.leg
小題9:.
A.reducedB.ruinedC.inspiredD.used
小題10:..
A.comfort B.praise C.sorrowD.coldness
小題11:..
A.searchB.questionC.meetD.protect
小題12:..
A.endedB.succeeded C.continuedD.failed
小題13:..
A.brokeB.pulledC.lookedD.bent
小題14:..
A.hisB.yours C.my mother’sD.my father’s
小題15:..
A.disappointed B.a(chǎn)nnoyedC.tiredD.touched
小題16:..
A.forgotB.regrettedC.recalledD.understood
小題17:..
A.handB.book C.lesson D.gift
小題18:..
A.rather thanB.more than C.a(chǎn)nything but D.nothing but
小題19:..
A.I’m sorryB.Take careC.I’m all rightD.Thank you
小題20:..
A.get B.reachC.putD.make

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Recently a professor of philosophy(哲學(xué))in the United States has written a book called Money and the Meaning of Life. He has discovered that how we deal with money in our day to day life has more meaning than we usually think. One of the exercises he has asked his students to do is to keep a record of every penny they spend for a week. From the way they spend their money, they can see what they really value(重視)in life.
The professor says our relation with others often becomes clearly defined(明確)when money enters the picture. You might have wonderful friendship with somebody and you think that you are very good friends. But you will know him only when you ask him to lend you some money.If he does,it brings something to the relationship that seems stronger than ever before. Otherwise it can suddenly weaken the relationship if he doesn’t.
Since money is so important to us, we consider those who are rich to be very important. The professor interviews some rich people in his research for his book.
Question:  What is the most surprising thing you have discovered about being rich?
Answer :  The most surprising thing is why people give me so much respect(尊重). I am nothing.I don’t know much.All I am is rich.
People just have an idea of making more and more money, but what is it for? How much money do I need for any given purpose in my life? In his book,the professor uncovered an important need in modern society:to bring back the idea that money is a tool rather than the end.Money plays an important role in the material world,but expecting money to give happiness may be missing the meaning of life.
小題1:.
The students are asked to keep a record of every penny they spend to______.
A.learn how to spend money B.learn how to make more money
C.know what to write in a recordD.know what is important in life
小題2:.
In the second paragraph, the professor mainly tells us ________.
A.never to borrow money from a friend
B.friendship disappears when it comes to money
C.money can influence friendship
D.money can weaken friendship
小題3:.
.Through his book,the professor seems to tell us       
A.money is very important in the material world
B.the purpose of our life is to make money
C.money does not surely mean happiness
D.we should value money in our life
小題4:.
We consider rich people important because         
A.they have a meaningful lifeB.they are successful people
C.we sometimes borrow money from them D.we think money is important in life
小題5:.
Which of the following might the author disagree?
A.Money is important in modern society.
B.The meaning of life does not completely lie in money.
C.Wealth will surely bring the owner happiness.
D.Happiness is not necessarily the result of wealth.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

For thousands of years, the most important two buildings in any British village have been the church and the pub. Traditionally, the church and the pub are at the heart of any village or town, where the people gather together to socialize and exchange news.
As a result, British pubs are often old and well preserved. Many of them have become historic sites. The most famous example is the pub in the city of Nottingham called “Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem”, which dates back to the year 1189 AD and is probably the oldest pub in England.
However, British pubs are not just for kings and queens; they welcome people from all classes and parts of society. On a cold night, the pub’s landlord or landlady can always find a warm place for you by the fire. There is always honest and hearty food and plenty of drink available at an affordable price.
That’s how things used to be. Things are beginning to change. It is said that the credit crunch(信貸緊縮) is causing 39 British pubs a week to go out of business. People do not have enough spare money to spend on beer. Recently, the UK government banned smoking in all pubs, and that may also have affected the number of customers going to pubs.
This decline is happening despite the fact that in 2005 the UK government started to allow pubs to stay open after 1l pm. Previously, with 1l pm as closing time, customers would have to drink quite quickly, meaning they sometimes got more drunk than they would if allowed to drink slowly. The British habit of drinking a lot very quickly is known as “binge drinking”, and it causes long-term health problems for people and problems with violent crime for communities.
In order to save their businesses, pubs are trying to change with the market. British pubs now offer something for everyone. A lot of pubs used to be “Working Men's Clubs”, meaning that women could not usually enter. Today, however, women can freely enter 99% of pubs without experiencing any problems. Perhaps things are changing for the better after all.
小題1:. The passage mainly tells us something about       
A.the past and present of British pubsB.the decline of British pubs
C.the long history of British pubsD.the importance of British pubs
小題2:. Which may not be the cause of the decline of British pubs?
A.The credit crunch.B.The present closing time.
C.The ban of smoking.D.Having no spare money.
小題3:.. We can infer from the passage that       
A.British people used to like drinking slowly
B.closing the pubs early will reduce social problems
C.binge drinking means drinking less beer
D.British government aims to discourage people from binge drinking
小題4:. We can see from the last paragraph that the author ________
A.is against the admission of too many women to the pubs
B.holds an optimistic attitude towards the British pubs
C.thinks that women in the pubs will cause less social problems
D.thinks that British pubs should offer everything you need

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Based on cultural traditions and the changing face of contemporary British communities, the Festival of Muslim Cultures joins young people from Muslim and non-Muslim backgrounds together through the creation of innovative(創(chuàng)新的), high quality cultural activities.
We have been working with arts and educational institutions across the UK to promote the mainstreaming of Muslim cultures within UK everyday life. The Festival was created out of the need to encourage a better understanding between Muslims and non-Muslims, to promote respect for Muslim cultures and to show how culture creates the pathways that connect us all together.
The program launched with a visit by the Festival’s patron(贊助人), the Prince of Wales, to the exhibition “Palace and Mosque” in Sheffield and since then there have been more than 100 events that have ranged from a Somali community day in Cardiff at the National Museum of Wales to a late-night Dance with Radio Tarifa (from Spain) and Dimi Mint Abba (form Mauritania) in the Royal Albert Hall and from a home-grown play in Nottingham about the Kashmir earthquake to the exhibition“Beyond the Palace Walls” at the Royal Museum Edinburgh of Islamic art from the Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg.
We are now working on a number of long-term projects which stay true to our commitment to promoting Muslim cultures through arts collaborations(協(xié)作) and build on the extensive network of local, national and international partners that Festival has created. These include a three-year national program that connects young Muslims to their local cultural institutions; a UK Muslim cookbook; an exhibition of the Ottoman architect Sinan; and a project for schools around the 1000-year old story “The Animals’ Lawsuit against Humanity”.
For more information about the Festival, please click on another page: Who’s Who.
小題1:The best title of this passage would be _______.
A.Welcome to the Celebration of Muslim Cultures
B.The History and Development of Muslim Cultures
C.The Exhibition of “Beyond the Palace Walls”
D.New Ways to Connect Muslims to Local Cultures
小題2:Which is NOT the purpose of holding the Festival of Muslim Cultures?
A.To promote people’s respect for Muslim cultures.
B.To show to people how cultures join the people together.
C.To try to change the beliefs of various religions.
D.To make Muslims and non-Muslims understand each other better.
小題3:This passage was probably taken from _________.
A.a(chǎn) websiteB.a(chǎn) newspaperC.a(chǎn) book D.a(chǎn) magazine

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Scientists are trying to make the deserts into good land again. They want to bring water to the deserts, so people can live and grow food. They are learning a lot about the deserts. But more and more of the earth is becoming desert all the time. Scientists may not be able to change the desert in time.
Why is more and more land becoming desert? Scientists think that people make deserts. People are doing bad things to the earth.
Some places on the earth don’t get much rain. But they still don’t become deserts. This is because some green plants are growing there. Small green plants and grass are very important to dry places. Plants don’t let the sun make the earth even drier. Plants do not let the wind blow(吹) the dirt away. When a bit of rain falls, the plants hold the water. Without plants, the land can become desert more easily.
小題1: Deserts ________.
A.never have any plants or animals in them
B.can all be turned into good land before long
C.a(chǎn)re becoming smaller and smaller
D.get very little rain
小題2: Small green plants are very important to dry places because __________.
A.they don’t let the sun make the earth even drier
B.they don’t let the wind blow the soil away
C.they hold water
D.All of the above.
小題3: After reading this passage, we learn that __________.
A.plants can keep dry land from becoming desert
B.it is good to get rid of the grass in the deserts
C.a(chǎn)ll places without much rain will become deserts
D.it is better to grow crops on dry land than to cut them

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

After The Super Girl was shown on TV, it was loved by millions of people, especially the young people. It becomes a hot topic among people. Here are some of their opinions
China is a developing country and women now show their abilities as freely as men do. The modern world is a stage for them to show who they are and what they want.
—Nancy , 14     The Super Girls
One of the girls looks like Jolin Tsai (蔡依林) . In Singapore, a show of this kind is called Superstar. I think the competition like this is a good chance for the young girls with the dreams of stage. As for The Super Girl, I hope I can see one international super star coming out from this year's competition .
—Linda , 16
I am worried about these super girls. They are educated in different ways. At their ages, they should be spending more time at school , not on the stage. What are they learning? And for what?
—John , 15
小題1:What do people think about The Super Girl ?
A.It was loved by all the people B.Different people have different ideas
C.All the young people enjoyed it very much D.It is not popular among people
小題2:Linda hopes to see           from The Super Girl.
A.a(chǎn) show called Superstar in Singapore B.a(chǎn) girl with the name of Jolin Tsai
C.a(chǎn)n international superstar coming out D.some young girls with dreams of the stage
小題3:John worries about the super girls because these girls           .
A.don't spend enough time studying at school B.spend too much time studying at school C.show their abilities in their free time D.a(chǎn)re educated in the same way

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Everyone knows the smart black-and-white dog that sits on top of a red doghouse with his best friend---a bird called Woodstock.
Created by the American cartoonist Charles Schulz in 1950, the clever dog is loved by generations of kids and adults. He speaks more than 20 languages and appears daily in 26,000 newspapers around the world.
When Snoopy first appeared, he was not different form other pet dogs. But two years later, he had begun to speak with simple words and sounds. By 1957 he could walk on two legs and was going to school with his master, Charlie Brown, who failed in just about everything. Later he learned to use the typewriter.
Snoopy has done lots of jobs. He has been a bow-tie wearing lawyer, a tennis player, an Olympic figure skater, a world famous grocery checkout clerk, a pilot and even the first astronaut on the moon.
However, Snoopy has always dreamed of being a famous writer. The beginning of his story is always, “It was a dark and stormy night…” Unfortunately for him no one has ever wanted to publish the story.
In love, Snoopy is as much of a failure as Charlie Brown is at baseball. He easily falls in love but always has his heart broken. He eats to forget, but it never works.
Snoopy is an insightful, feel-good and sometimes sad dog. If you think a little about words, you might find them full of life lessons. Among his most famous lines are “To live is to dance, to dance is to live.” And “Yesterday I was a dog. Today I’m a dog. Tomorrow I’ll probably still be a dog. Sigh! There’s so little hope for advancement”.
小題1: Snoopy has done all the following jobs except ____________.
A.a(chǎn) lawyerB.a(chǎn) playerC.a(chǎn) clerkD.a(chǎn) writer
小題2: From the passage, we can learn that _________.
A.Snoopy is always a sad dogB.Snoopy can not speak in the beginning
C.Snoopy often dreams of true loveD.Snoopy is a real smart pet dog
小題3: It can be inferred that Snoopy ____________.
A.has many bird friends and relativesB.is a well-known writer and clerk
C.has been unfortunate since it was bornD.is very popular in the whole world
小題4:The word “advancement” in the last paragraph probably means__________.
A.successB.progressC.growthD.popularity

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案