A person steps on what seems like solid ground but discovers with horror that the ground is giving way underfoot. The person struggles desperately but is trapped. There is no escape. Slowly the person sinks deeper and at last is gone. The solid ground was solid only in appearance. It was actually quicksand, which is a deep mass of fine sand mixed with water.
How is quicksand formed? Water pushes up from below the surface and is held by the sand. The grains of sand are forced apart by the water. They cannot hold any weight. The subsurface water may have come from a spring, a river, or a stream. Sometimes pools of water near beaches become filled with sand. When the soil under these pools does not allow for good drainage(排水), the sand can become stretches of quicksand.
Is it true that a person who steps into quicksand is doomed to die? No, for people have fought their way from quicksand to firm land again. It is panic(恐慌) that creates the condition that can result in death, for the more a person struggles, the worse matters become. Quick movements will make the sand yield for a time, but then it rushes back and settles solidly around the body.
People trapped in quicksand should either lie back with arms outstretched, or not move at all. When the weight of the sand around his body has displaced equals that person’s weight, the victim will stop sinking. With feet held still, and with slow movements of the arms, as in the backstroke(仰泳) in swimming, people have managed to roll to safety and reach firm ground.
小題1:Quick movements by a person trapped in quicksand will _______.
A．help the person reach firm ground
B．help prevent panic
C．make the same sand yield temporarily
D．make the sand hold the person’s weight
小題2:Quicksand is _______.
A．a(chǎn) mass of fine sand mixed with waterB．formed only along rivers
C．found below subsurface waterD．solid ground
小題3:Which statement does the article lead you to believe?
A．Stretches of quicksand are found only under the sea.
B．People should never try to escape from quicksand.
C．It is hard to keep calm if you fall into quicksand.
D．Only heavy people can be trapped in quicksand.
小題4:The passage mainly tells about _______.
A．what solid ground looks likeB．the nature of quicksand
C．stepping into quicksandD．escaping from quicksand

小題1:C
小題1:A
小題1:C
小題1:B
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A report by the Consumer Electronics Association says electronics are among the most popular gifts being bought this holiday season. 
Jim Barry is a spokesman for the Consumer Electronics Association. He says the CEA study found that electronics represent three of the top five things on its "holiday gift wish list" this year.
JIM BARRY: "Notebook computers are at the top, followed by iPads and then e-readers. IPad is a touch-screen tablet computer and that's really the big player in that category."
The computer company Apple began selling its small, touch-screen computers in April.   People use the touch-screen computers to surf the Web, write e-mails, watch movies and read books. Since the iPad's release earlier this year, several other companies have come out with their own tablet computers just in time for Christmas.
A report from the e-Marketer research group predicts that worldwide, tablet sales will reach more than eighty-one million in two thousand twelve. Still, Jim Barry says these devices are facing tough competition this year from another Christmas favorite.
JIM BARRY: "Another hot category right behind that are the e-readers. So you can read on an iPad or a touch-screen tablet, but the e-book readers are less expensive. The Kindle is the market leader there, from Amazon. But you also have the Nook from Barnes and Noble and the e-reader from Sony. And you have more and more of those e-readers coming into the market as well."
The Consumer Electronics Association report found that iPod music players are also in high demand this holiday season.  
But not all of the things on the holiday gift wish list involved electronics. Clothes, cars and motorcycles also made the list. So did family togetherness and good health. And the one thing that people wanted most?
JIM BARRY: "At the top of the list was peace and happiness."
That is also our wish for you this holiday season.
小題1:The best title of the passage is         .  
A．How to choose a suitable gift for Christmas
B．iPads, E-Readers, Notebook Computers top wish lists
C．What we should buy for our kids this holiday season
D．How modern technology is changing the way people relate
小題2:People use the touch-screen computers to do all the following things except         .  
A．surf the Web and write e-mails
B．watch movies and read books
C．surf the Web and contact others on phone
D．surf the internet and use it as an e-reader
小題3:Which of the following sentences is TURE?  
A．iPads are the most popular gift among all the electronics.
B．Only the computer company Apple releases a touch-screen tablet computer.
C．All of the things on the holiday gift wish list are electronics.
D．There are more and more kinds of e-readers in the market.
小題4:You don't have enough money for an iPad, but you can buy          for a friend who enjoys reading.  
A．notebook computersB．iPod music players
C．touch-screen tablet computerD．e-book readers
小題5:We can infer from the last paragraph that         .  
A．people value peace and happiness more than anything else
B．clothes, cars and motorcycles are also popular gifts for Christmas
C．family togetherness and good health don't make the list
D．JIM BARRY also sends their wish for us this holiday season

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Blind imitation (模仿)is self-destruction.To those who do not recognize their unique worth. Imitation appears attractive: to those who know their strenghth. Imitation is unacceptable.
In the early stages of skill or character development, imitation is helpful. When I first learned to cook, I used recipes (菜譜) and turned out some tasty dishes. But soon I grew bored. Why follow someone else’s way of cooking when I could create my own? Imitating role models is like using training wheels on a child’s bicycle; they help you get going, but once you find your own balance, you fly faster and farther without relying on them.
In daily life, imitation can hurt us if we subconsciously (下意識地) hold poor role models. If, as a child, you observed people whose lives were bad, you may have accepted their fear and pain as normal and gone on to follow what they did. If you do not make strong choices for yourself, you will get the results of the weak choices of others.
In the field of entertainment, our culture glorifies celebrities. Those stars look great on screen. But when they step off screen, their personal lives may be disastrous. If you are going to follow someone, focus on their talent, not their bad character or unacceptable behaviors.
Blessed is the person willing to act on their sundden desire to create somrthing unique.Think of the movies,books,teachers,and friends that have affected you most deeply.They touched you because their creations were motivated by inspiration,not desperation.The world is changed not by those who do what has been done brfore them,but by those who do what has been done inside them.Creative people have an endless resource of ideas.The problem a creator faces  is  not running out of material;it is what to do with the material knocking at the door of imagination.
Syudy your role models,accept the gifts they have given,and leave behind what does not server.Then you can say,”I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors”tragedies and  tory ,and know that they are cheering on.
小題1:Imitation proves useful when you        .
A．know you are unique
B．lose the bslance of life
C．begin to learn something new
D．get tired of routine practice
小題2:To avoid the bad result of imitation, we should________.
A．forget daily fear and pain
B．choose the right example
C．a(chǎn)sk others for decisions
D．stay away from stars
小題3:Acording to the author. The world moves on because of those who are          .
A．desperate to intruence others with their knowledge
B．ready to turn their original ideas into reality
C．eager to discover what their ancestors did
D．willing to accept others’ideas
小題4:The trouble a creator faces is          .
A．the lack of strong motivation
B．the absence of practical ideas
C．how to search for more materials
D．how to use imagination creatively
小題5:What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A．To highlight the importance of creatively.
B．To criticize the characters of role models.
C．To compare imitation with creation.
D．To explain the meaning of success.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Researchers in Britain are driving the environmental movement to a new level. A team from the University of Warwick has built what it calls the world’s first completely environmentally friendly Formula Three racing car.
The car is made mainly of renewable materials, like plants and vegetables. The structure around the car is made from natural plant fibers and potatoes. The steering wheel(方向盤) is made from root vegetables like carrots. The engine uses bio-fuel made from vegetable oil and waste chocolate.
The new racing car is extremely fast. The car has a top speed of two hundred fifteen kilometers an hour. And it can go from zero to ninety-five kilometers an hour in just two and a half seconds. The racing car meets all of the Formula Three racing requirements except for its biodiesel(生物柴油) engine.
Automobile racing is one of the most widely watched sports in the world. But it is also considered one of the least friendly sports to the environment. Racing cars burn a lot of fuel, and create a lot of air pollution. In recent years, the racing industry has taken steps to protect the environment. More racing companies are now producing cars that use less energy. These cars produce less pollution than cars that depend on traditional fuel, like gasoline.
Last month, the new racing car was set to run in its first competitive race at the Formula Three Championship Final at Brands Hatch. It would have been the first biodiesel-powered car to race at Formula Three. Current Formula Three rules let only gasoline-powered car to compete. Officials needed permission from all of the Formula Three racers for the biodiesel-powered car to compete. They were unable to contact one of the drivers, so the new racing car didn’t appear in the event. In test runs, the new racing car was the fifth fastest among the Formula Three race cars. Supporters are hoping to have the fuel problem solved in time to compete in the next season.
小題1:. What’s the second paragraph mainly about?
A．What materials the new racing car is made of.
B．Why researchers built the new racing car.
C．The characteristics of the new racing car.
D．The process of the new racing car being designed.
小題2:.According to the passage, the _________ of the new racing car doesn’t meet the Formula Three racing
requirements.
A．speedB．a(chǎn)ppearanceC．weightD．engine
小題3:. It can be inferred from the passage that __________.
A．the new racing car is the first environmentally friendly car
B．a(chǎn)utomobile racing could be forbidden in the near future
C．many people like to watch automobile racing
D．the new racing car will be allowed to compete in the next season of Formula Three racing
小題4:. In recent years, racing companies are producing cars that __________.
A．burn more fuelB．go more quickly
C．produce less pollutionD．cost less money
小題5:.Why didn’t the new racing car compete at the Formula Three Championship Final last month?
A．Because the new racing car still needs testing.
B．Because officials needed each racer’s permission but failed to contact one.
C．Because there’re some technical problems to be solved.
D．Because few drivers think it is fast enough.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Dear editor,
I am Paul , a senior English teacher in Linchuan No. 1 Middle School in Jiangxi Province , China. This letter is written to ask for your opinion.
The other day, I met with a multiple - choice exercise. We teachers argued heatedly with each other over its answer. Unfortunately, neither side could convince the other. The sentence is to be attached at the end of the letter. There is no doubt that the reference answer C is correct. But I don’t  think it is the only answer. Personally, I do think A is also a reasonable choice in sense as well as in grammar, if the case is treated from another aspect.                                
What puzzles me is why we should deal with so many multiple - choice exercises with not rigorous（嚴謹?shù)模〆nough reference keys. But being a teacher, it’s very important and necessary to make it clear to students which answer is correct, which is more appropriate, and which is the best one. Regrettably, Multiple - choice test, which is a bit old - fashioned in western countries, seems to be quite popular and covers a rather high percentage in all sorts of English tests in China, especially in NMET.
Personally speaking, I don’t think multiple - choice test form making up more than 75 percent of the total scores in college entrance examination is a very good and effective testing method. Instead, more subjective testing forms depending on one’s own thinking and his ability to use the language like key words falling, question answering, paragraph or passage summarizing, English - Chinese or Chinese - English inter - translation, etc. should be applied to English proficiency tests. Through the test forms mentioned above, students’ ability to use the language will be better developed. Consequently, more advanced and outstanding English learners could be picked out. In fact, a test paper focusing on multiple - choice test influences, in a sense, students to form their own language thinking, which hinders（阻礙）the development of their language ability as well. Do you think so?
I am looking forward to your authoritative opinion. Thanks.
Yours sincerely,
Paul Liao
小題1:.
. What can be learnt from the letter is that the writer ________.
A．writes to argue with the editor over China’s present test system
B．thinks the reference answer to the sentence is completely wrong
C．thinks subjective test forms constitute a rather high percentage in NMET
D．doesn’t think highly of China’s present English proficiency test forms
小題2:.
. In order to better develop students’ ability to use English, the writer suggests ________.
A．dealing with more multiple - choice exercises
B．laying stress on the practice of subjective exercises
C．a(chǎn)rguing hotly with teachers over reference answers
D．considering a problem from different aspects
小題3:.
Which of the following does NOT belong to subjective exercises in English learning?
A．Keeping a diary.B．Summarizing a paragraph.
C．Copying a test.D．Translating a passage.
小題4:.
The writer seems to feel ________ as to the future development of students’ language ability.
A．concernedB．curiousC．confusedD．satisfied

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Gaudi Nanda sees a wearable computer as a handbag --- one that's built out of four-inch squares and triangles of fiber, with tiny computer chips embedded (嵌于) in it. It looks, feels and weighs like your typical leather purse.
That's where the similarities end: this bag can wirelessly keep track of your belongings and remind you, just as you're about to leave the house, to take your wallet. It can review the weather report and suggest that you take an umbrella. This purse can even upload your favorite songs onto your scarf.
Surely, a computing purse and scarf set may seem like the stuff of science fiction. But these devices, part of next generation of wearable computers, could become commonplace within a few years. Dupont created new super strong fibers that can conduct electricity and can be woven into ordinary-looking clothes. And the chipmaker developed chip packaging allowing wearable computers to be washed, even in the heavy-duty (耐磨損的) cycle.
As a result, these new wearable devices are different from the heavy and downright silly versions of the recent past, which often required users to be wrapped in wires and type on their stomachs. Unlike their predecessors, these new wearable computers also make economic sense. When her bag becomes commercially available in two to three years, Nanda expects it will cost around $ 150, which is the price of an average leather purse.
Here's how the bag works: You place a special radio-signal-transmitting chip onto your wallet. A similar radio in your purse picks up the signal and notifies you that you've forgotten to take your wallet. In turn, sensors on your purse's handles will notify the computer that you've picked up the purse and are ready to go.
Already, these new kinds of wearable devices are being adopted for use in markets like auto repair, emergency services, medical monitoring - and even, increasingly, for consumers at large. Indeed, more people will want to cross that bridge in the coming years - making for a booming market for wearable computers that don't look like something out of science fiction.
小題1: According to the passage, the new wearable computers _______.
A．require users to operate on the stomach
B．pick up the signals through wires and chips
C．a(chǎn)re being applied in some different areas now
D．a(chǎn)re smarter but more expensive than the old ones
小題2:What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph mean?
A．The new wearable computers have become fashionable.
B．People would like to learn more about the new computers.
C．New wearable computers promise to sell well in the future.
D．The idea of the purse-like computers comes from science fiction.
小題3:The purpose of the passage is to ________
A．introduce a new kind of computer
B．explain the functions of computers
C．compare different types of computers
D．show how high technology affects our life

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Research advances over the past decade have told us that, with a little work, we humans can clone just about anything we want, from frogs to monkeys and probably even ourselves!
So, we can clone things, but why would we want to?
Of all the reasons, cloning for medical purposes has the most potential to benefit large numbers of people. How might cloning be used in medicine?
1. Cloning animal models of disease
Much of what researchers learn about human disease comes from studying animal models such as mice. Often, animal models are genetically engineered to carry disease-causing mutations(變異) in their genes. Creating these transgenic（轉(zhuǎn)基因的） animals is a time-intensive process that requires trial-and-error and several generations of breeding（培育）. Cloning technologies might reduce the time needed to make a transgenic animal model, and the result would be a population of genetically identical animals for study.
2．Cloning stem cells(干細胞) for the treatment of diseases
Stem cells are the body's building blocks, responsible for developing and repairing the body throughout life. As a result, they might be used to repair damaged or diseased organs and tissues. Researchers are currently looking up cloning as a way to create certain human stem cells for the research of diseases.
3. Cloning farm animals for drug production
Farm animals such as cows, sheep and goats are currently being genetically engineered to produce drugs or proteins that are useful in medicine. Just like creating animal models of disease, cloning might be a faster way to produce large herds of genetically engineered animals.
小題1:From Purpose One, we can infer that      .
A．most transgenic animals are clone
B．most animals carry engineered genes
C．most transgenic animal models are not cloned
D．most animals carry disease-causing mutations in their genes
小題2:It can be learned from Purpose Two that cloning technologies can be mainly use do    .
A．create damaged or diseased organs and tissues
B．clone genetically defined human stem cells
C．develop and maintain the body
D．repair the body throughout life
小題3:According to Purpose Three, cloning technologies can be mainly used to      .
A．speed up the producing of genetically engineered animals
B．produce drugs or proteins that are useful in medicine
C．raise genetically engineered cows, sheep and goats
D．produce large herds of animals for human beings

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

On the first day of class, a graduate student from Xi’an Jiaotong University reminded me that, especially in China, “There are always two sides of a coin.” Experiencing China’s May 12 earthquake while living in Xi’an, Shanxi Province just north of the earthquake’s epicenter (地震的震中) in Sichuan with our two daughters, we have indeed seen both sides of what is beginning to be called China’s 5·12 disaster coin.
On television, in newspapers and through the Internet, we learned about the extent (巨大，重要性) of the destruction, and the statistics were horrific – over 69,000 confirmed (確認) dead, some 18,000 missing and more than 374,000 injured.
When we turn off the television and discuss what we as a family have learned from the events of the last several weeks, we find ourselves marveling (覺得驚奇) at how the Chinese are confidently but quietly dealing with this unprecedented tragedy – a disaster that continues with every aftershocks, mudslide and potential flood.
It seems like every school, organization and business is raising money for Sichuan, and young people all over the country are out in the streets looking for donations or giving blood at the many mobile blood vans that are out in full force.
Those who cannot give, like the 75-year-old woman from Sichuan, are volunteering or giving in other ways. An impressive example is the Sichuan policewoman with a newborn child who was nursing many infants whose mothers were killed in the quake.
The national concern over the fate of affected children has been moving. On May 22, there were 1697 orphans, but on June 24, the number dropped to 558; and rest assured, there are more people willing to adopt than there are orphans from Sichuan.
So, while no country or person ever welcomes tragedy, especially something of this magnitude (程度), the earthquake has taught us a great deal about China’s true character and its people’s resilience (韌性). It has also reminded us that the other side of even a dark coin may hold the promise of a brighter future,
(The author is an American Professor of International Relations at Xi’an Jiaotong University.)
小題1:
When the 5·12 earthquake happened, the author and his family were ________.
  
A．in Sichuan provinceB．near the earthquake epicenter
C．in Xi’an Jiaotong UniversityD．in their own country
小題2:
How many orphans had been adopted from Sichuan by June 24, 2008?
A．1139B．1697C．558D．We don’t know.
小題3:
The author quoted “ There are always two sides of a coin.” In the passage. Here “ two sides” refers to ________.
A．a(chǎn) dark side and a bright one of a coin
B．the unprecedented tragedy and China’s true character
C．the dead and the victims in the earthquake
D．the destruction and the donations
小題4:
Which of the following statements is NOT right according to the passage?
A．The whole world has seen all about China’s 5·12 disaster in the news media.
B．A policewoman fed her breast milk to many babies who lost their mothers.
C．Even a 75-year-old woman gave blood at the mobile blood vans.
D．The earthquake brought other natural disasters at the same time.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Getting rid of dirt, in the opinion of most people, is a good thing. However, there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt.
In the early 16th century, people thought that dirt on the skin was a means to block out disease, as medical opinion had it that washing off dirt with hot water could open up the skin and let ills in. A particular danger was thought to lie in public baths. By 1538, the French king had closed the bath houses in his kingdom. So did the king of England in 1546. Thus began a long time when the rich and the poor in Europe lived with dirt in a friendly way. Henry IV, King of France, was famously dirty. Upon learning that a nobleman had taken a bath, the king ordered that, to avoid the attack of disease, the nobleman should not go out.
Though the belief in the merit of dirt was long-lived, dirt has no longer been regarded as a nice neighbor ever since the 18th century. Scientifically speaking, cleaning away dirt is good to health. Clean water supply and hand washing are practical means of preventing disease. Yet, it seems that standards of cleanliness have moved beyond science since World War Ⅱ. Advertisements repeatedly sell the idea; clothes need to be whiter than white, cloths ever softer, surfaces to shine. Has the hate for dirt, however, gone too far?
Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays. Many first-time parents nervously try to warn their children off touching dirt, which might be responsible for the spread of disease. On the contrary, Mary Ruebush, an American immunologist(免疫學家)，encourages children to play in the dirt to build up a strong immune system. And the latter position is gaining some ground.
小題1:The kings of France and England in the 16th century closed bath houses because        .
A．they lived healthily in a dirty environment.
B．they thought bath houses were to dirty to stay in
C．they believed disease could be spread in public baths
D．they considered bathing as the cause of skin disease
小題2:Which of the following best describes Henry IV’s attitude to bathing?
A．Afraid.B．Curious.
C．Approving.D．Uninterested.
小題3:How does the passage mainly develop?
A．By providing examples.
B．By making comparisons.
C．By following the order of time.
D．By following the order of importance.
小題4:What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A．To stress the role of dirt.
B．To introduce the history of dirt.
C．To call attention to the danger of dirt.
D．To present the change of views on dirt.

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