No matter how long your life is, you will, at best, be able to read only a few books of all that have been written, and the few you do read should include the best. You can be pleased with the fact that the number of such is relatively small.
It is to be expected that the selections will change over time. Yet there is a surprising uniformity (一致性) in the lists which represent the best choices of any period. In every age, the list makers include both ancient and modern books in their selections, and they always wonder whether the moderns are up to the great books of the past.
What are the signs by which we may recognize a great book? The four I will mention may not be all there are, but they are the ones I’ve found most useful in explaining my choices over the years.
Great books are probably the most widely read. They are enduring best sellers. Gone with the Wind has had relatively few readers compared to the plays of Shakespeare or Don Quixote. It would be reasonable to estimate that Homer Iliad has been read by at least 25,000,000 people in the last 3000 years.
Great books are popular, not pedantic. They are not written by specialists about specialties for specialists. Whether they are philosophy or science, or history or poetry, they treat of human, not academic problems. They are written for men, not professors. To read a textbook for advanced students, you have to read an elementary textbook first. But the great books can be considered elementary in the sense that they treat the elements of any subject matter. They are not related to one another as a series of textbooks, graded in difficulty or in the technicality of the problems with which they deal.
Great books are always contemporary, the most readable and instructive.
Great books deal with the continuously unsolved problems of human life. There are mysteries in the world that mark the limits of human knowing and thinking. Inquiry not begins with wonder, but usually ends with it also. Great minds acknowledge mysteries only honestly. Wisdom is encouraged, not destroyed, by understanding its limitations.
小題1:Which is not the criterion in the following when considering a great book?
A．Although not a best seller, it must be the most widely read．
B．A great book can be read without any effort．
C．Great books are never out of date．
D．Great books will not disappoint you if you try to read them well．
小題2:According to the author, Gone with the Wind is     .
A．a(chǎn) best sellerB．disliked by readers who like Shakespeare
C．read more often than Don QuixoteD．a(chǎn) great book
小題3:In the passage the underlined word “pedantic” means        ．
A．showing the feelings, esp., those of kindness, which people are supposed to have
B．serving as practical examples
C．being elementary
D．paying too much attention to details in books
小題4:The best title for this passage is        .
A．Great Books in Your LifeB．Great Books in Your Specialty
C．How to Find a Great Book?D．What Is a Great Book?

小題1:D
小題1:A
小題1:D
小題1:D
略
練習冊系列答案
相關(guān)習題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Dash of Hope
"Dash" is a symbol which represents every day we’ve spent alive on earth．Therefore, how you spend your "dash" is important．
Recently I   36  about a little girl named Hope．After learning more about her life, I couldn’t help but feel it was not by   37  , nor happenstance, that she had been named "Hope"．The strong feeling of sympathy and generosity  38  in her young heart made a lasting impression on me and countless others． 39   I never had the opportunity to meet her, I wish I had．It seems as though she was wise beyond her tender years and very, very special．
Hope was a twelve-year-old girl who was   40  a "wish" in early December 2010 by the "Make-A-Wish" Foundation after being   41  that she had a rare type of bone cancer．However, when she found out that more than 150   42  in her area were waiting for their wishes to be granted （實現(xiàn)） , she unselfishly used her wish to   43  that those children have their wishes granted．She also asked tW it be done   44  January 16, 2011．Unfortunately, however, the organization informed her that her   45  request could not be granted as the funds （資金） were simply   46 ．They calculated that they would need to raise more than one   47  dollars in thirty days in order to grant her wish． 48 , but not discouraged, she turned her disappointment into an enthusiasm that inspired caring   49  to take up helping grant the wishes of the other children, and eventually   50   as well．Newspaper columnists and reporters for radio and TV stations 51   the story of this caring young girl who had   52  the hearts of so many and as word spread, the community was challenged．Committees were fanned and schools, corporations and various organizations assisted in  53  money to help make Hope’s dream come true．
Her efforts were not in vain as they continue to help others, not only   54  , but spiritually and emotionally as well．At the gathering to celebrate her life, "A Celebration of Hope" on January 16, 2011 , the   55  was made that they had indeed received donations totaling more than one million dollars．Her wish had been granted!
小題1:
A．heardB．thoughtC．caredD．talked
小題2:
A．coincidenceB．independence C．convenienceD．intelligence
小題3:
A．lostB．carriedC．expectedD．housed
小題4:
A．UntilB．Unless C．ThoughD．If
小題5:
A．expressedB．offeredC．madeD．sent
小題6:
A．recognizedB．informedC．remindedD．understood
小題7:
A．childrenB．citizensC．villagersD．relatives
小題8:
A．suggestB．a(chǎn)skC．a(chǎn)rrangeD．order
小題9:
A．forB．toC．onD．by
小題10:
A．finalB．formalC．simpleD．noble
小題11:
A．unbearableB．unbelievableC．unavailableD．uncomfortable
小題12:
A．thousandB．hundredC．millionD．billion
小題13:
A．DisappointedB．SurprisedC．WorriedD．Embarrassed
小題14:
A．committeesB．individualsC．corporationsD．organizations
小題15:
A．theirsB．oursC．hersD．yours
小題16:
A．wroteB．readC．broadcastD．shared
小題17:
A．touchedB．examinedC．wonD．opened
小題18:
A．findingB．spendingC．raisingD．borrowing
小題19:
A．perfectlyB．physicallyC．healthilyD．thankfully
小題20:
A．proposalB．decisionC．conclusionD．a(chǎn)nnouncement

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

In 2004,I was 22 years old and had just come back to Brazil after 14 months in England,holding my Cambridge Proficiency certificate.After nervously  21  a short training course,I began to give classes to my 12 students,all of them older than I was. I  22  hard to remain clam in class and  23  they wouldn't find out how unconfident I felt most of the time.I was quite _24_,actually,until the end of  25  and the night of the final oral test.
The test was going to start at 7 pm,and at 6:50, I_ 26  myself in the teachers bathroom to  27  all the test questions again.I really wanted to learn the 28  by heart so no one would think I was an inexperienced tester.The  29  is,I actually locked myself in the bathroom.I  30  couldn't get out!The bell rang at 7 pm and I could hear the noise in the halls  31  the students went to their rooms.I tried hard to 32  the bathroom door,but failed.
I heard the cleaning lady’s voice and asked for help as  33  as I could, However, she wasn't exactly a thoughtful person, and started  34 ：“Diana’s locked in the bathroom!”Shame had fallen upon me!  35  , the course director, the secretary and some teachers were outside the bathroom trying to get me out, and,  36  ,my students gathered outside too, happily saying things like“Aren’t we  37 ! No test today!”All I could do was 38  , and my entire  39  was waiting for me outside, naughty smiles on their faces.“ 40 ！Teacher.”They said,“We know you are human too!”
They all passed their test.True to the Brazilian style, we all went out for a beer afterwards, and laughed the whole thing off.
小題1:
A．holdingB．takingC．gettingD．giving
小題2:
A．performedB．learnedC．workedD．tried
小題3:
A．thoughtB．hopedC．guessedD．realized
小題4:
A．successfulB．fortunateC．happyD．satisfied
小題5:
A．the classB．the courseC．the dayD．the year
小題6:
A．tidiedB．washedC．lockedD．reminded
小題7:
A．rewriteB．a(chǎn)nswerC．go overD．put forward
小題8:
A．questionsB．instructionsC．a(chǎn)nswersD．steps
小題9:
A．situationB．conditionC．trickD．problem
小題10:
A．probablyB．simplyC．sadlyD．nearly
小題11:
A．a(chǎn)sB．beforeC．openD．push
小題12:
A．knockB．kickC．openD．push
小題13:
A．quietlyB．hurriedlyC．excitedlyD．crazily
小題14:
A．scoldingB．runningC．laughingD．shouting
小題15:
A．At firstB．Soon enoughC．In the endD．Right now
小題16:
A．to my amazementB．to my delightC．to my surpriseD．to my horror
小題17:
A．luckyB．comfortableC．a(chǎn)nxiousD．regretful
小題18:
A．watchB．smileC．waitD．worry
小題19:
A．classB．staffC．groupD．school
小題20:
A．SorryB．CongratulationsC．Don’t be angryD．Don’t worry

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

I returned to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, after graduation． I had been there before my mother became a minister． Two weeks later, I told my mother I was bored． She said, “Here’re the car keys． Go and buy some fruit．”_36_, I jumped into the car and speeded off．
Seeing me or rather my  37 , a boy sprang up,  38  to sell his bananas and peanuts． “Banana 300 naira． Peanut 200 naira!” Looking at his black-striped bananas, I  39  to 200 total for the fruit and nuts． He  40  and I handed him a 300 naira note． He didn’t have  41 , so I told him not to worry． He was  42  and smiled a row of perfect teeth．
When, two weeks later, I  43  this same boy, I was more aware of my position in Nigerian society． I should  44  this country as the son of a  45 ． But it was hard to find pleasure in a place where it was so  46  to see a little boy who should have been in school  selling fruit．
“What’s up?” I asked． He answered in  47 English, “I…I no get money to buy book．” I took out two 500 naira notes． He looked around  48  before sticking his hand into the car  49  the bills． One thousand naira means a lot to a family that  50  only 15,000 each year．
The next morning, security officers told me, “In this place, when you give a little, people think you’re a fountain of opportunity．” 51  it’s right, but this happens everywhere in the world． I wondered if my little friend had actually used the money for  52 ． After six months’ work in northern Nigeria, I returned and saw him again standing on the road． “Are you in school now?” He nodded． A silence fell as we looked at each other, and then I  53  what he wanted． I held out a 150 naira note． “Take this．” He shook his head fiercely and stepped back  54  hurt． “It’s a gift．” I said． Shaking his head again, he handed me a basket of bananas and peanuts． “I’ve been waiting to  55  these to you．”
小題1:
A．EncouragedB．DisappointedC．Delighted D．Confused
小題2:
A．carB．motherC．driverD．keys
小題3:
A．willingB．a(chǎn)fraidC．eagerD．a(chǎn)shamed
小題4:
A．got downB．bargained downC．put downD．took down
小題5:
A．explainedB．promisedC．a(chǎn)greedD．a(chǎn)dmitted
小題6:
A．changeB．notesC．checksD．bills
小題7:
A．troubledB．regretfulC．comfortableD．grateful
小題8:
A．ran afterB．ran intoC．ran overD．ran to
小題9:
A．protectB．enjoyC．helpD．support
小題10:
A．ministerB．headmasterC．managerD．president
小題11:
A．luckyB．a(chǎn)mazingC．funnyD．common
小題12:
A．oldB．brokenC．traditionalD．modern
小題13:
A．proudlyB．madlyC．curiouslyD．nervously
小題14:
A．forB．withC．a(chǎn)tD．upon
小題15:
A．spendsB．paysC．makesD．a(chǎn)ffords
小題16:
A．PossiblyB．ActuallyC．CertainlyD．Fortunately
小題17:
A．joysB．nutsC．booksD．bananas
小題18:
A．a(chǎn)skedB．imaginedC．remindedD．realized
小題19:
A．whenB．a(chǎn)s ifC．even ifD．a(chǎn)fter
小題20:
A．sendB．provideC．sellD．give

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

I had spent over five exhausting（令人疲乏不堪的） years on my essay for my Ph. D（哲學學士）. and was anxiously preparing for my oral boards which were to be held in California, and I had  36  a flight through Minneapolis, where I was to change  37 . My flight was very late, and I was soon in an all—out run to  38  my flight. I had to stop to catch my  39 on a moving sidewalk when I  40 a woman in her fifties   41 with a carry-on bag.
I don’t know   42  , but I looked at her face and blurted out, “Are you going on flight 567 to California?”
She responded, “Yes.”
“So am I ,” I responded．“Give me your bag. I’ll run   43 and tell them to wait for you.” I took her bag and started running again. I   44 onto the plane and told a flight attendant that one more passenger was behind me and to please   45 the plane for her. I   46 myself with her bag, and a few moments later she arrived and was the last person on the plane   47 they closed the doors and   48  . After the plane leveled off, I   49 the bag to her, and she smiled at me and thanked me.
I didn’t sleep a wink in the hotel and arrived at the   50 at seven o’clock in the morning. The  51 kept me waiting for an hour in a room. I walked into the boardroom and was initially frightened by all the   52 in their robes. As I slowly   53 at the faces of all the board members, I noticed the bright face of a woman. She gave me a smile   54 a young schoolgirl. It was the same woman whose bag I had carried ahead the night before.   55 , whenever I made a mistake on any questions, she did a great job of relaxing me.
小題1:
A．preparedB．caughtC．scheduled預(yù)定的D．ordered安排好的；
小題2:
A．trainsB．busesC．planesD．directions
小題3:
A．catch B．runC．getD．hold
小題4:
A．flightB．breathC．bagD．companions
小題5:
A．greetedB．metC．noticedD．seek
小題6:
A．walkingB．struggleC．carryingD．running
小題7:
A．howB．whyC．whatD．where
小題8:
A．beforeB．immediatelyC．fastD．a(chǎn)head
小題9:
A．racedB．gotC．solvedD．opened
小題10:
A．leaveB．holdC．remainD．reserve
小題11:
A．foundB．tookC．seatedD．occupied
小題12:
A．a(chǎn)fterB．whenC．whileD．before
小題13:
A．left outB．run awayC．took offD．carried away
小題14:
A．presentedB．preservedC．provedD．showed
小題15:
A．placeB．universityC．palaceD．city
小題16:
A．meetingB．boardC．essayD．a(chǎn)rgument
小題17:
A．professorsB．ladiesC．staffsD．teachers
小題18:
A．staredB．watchedC．glancedD．looked
小題19:
A．like B．a(chǎn)sC．ofD．from
小題20:
A．Needless to sayB．No matter how
C．What’s moreD．In the end

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

No one wants to look stupid or do the wrong thing at a new job. It is important to make the right impression from the very first day. You will face new people. You will be in a new place.
It may be difficult to know what to do. Here are five tips to help you make it through the first days at a new job:
1. First impressions can last forever. Make sure you make a good one. Before your first day, find out if your new job has a dress code (rules about what you can wear to work). If so, be sure to follow it. No matter what, always be neat and clean.
2. Get to work on time. Give yourself an extra15 minutes to make sure you arrive on time.
3. Pay attention to introductions. One of the first things that your supervisor may do is to introduce you to co-workers. These co-workers will be important to you. They are the ones who will answer your questions when the boss is not around.
4. Ask plenty of questions. Make sure that your supervisor has told you what is expected of you. If he or she has not told you your duties, ask for a list. Set daily and weekly goals for yourself.
5. Never be the first one to leave. Observe(觀察) what your co-workers do around quitting time (下班時間). It does not look good for you to be eager to leave.
小題1: Before you arrive at work on the first day, you should __________.
A．dress in a right wayB．introduce yourself
C．know your dutiesD．know your co-workers well
小題2:According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．You should be the first one to arrive at work.
B．You should ask your co-workers about your duties.
C．You should not be eager to go back home after work.
D．You are required to arrive 15 minutes earlier.
小題3:According to the passage, your supervisor is most likely your _____________.
A．visitor B．teacherC．workmate D．leader
小題4:What is the best title for this passage?
A．Getting a New Job.B．Tips on How to Work.
C．The First-day Work.D．The Importance of Co-workers.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Have you ever been to the beautiful country of Holland and its capital Amsterdam? Anyone who has traveled to Amsterdam would probably agree on one thing: Amsterdam's story is a tale of two cities -- one during the day and a completely different one at night．
During the day, the largest city in the Netherlands sits quietly on the Amstel River．You can rent a bicycle, visit the Van Gogh or Anne Frank museum, or take a water taxi．But when the sun goes down, the partying begins．In the big clubs and in coffee shops, tourists gather to hang out, talk politics and smoke．
Several areas of the city clearly show the two worlds that rule Amsterdam．And they're all within a short cab ride of each other．For example, Dam Square attracts daytime sightseers to its festivals, open markets, concerts and other events．Several beautiful and very popular hotels can be found there．And there's the Royal Palace and the Magna Plaza shopping mall．
But at night party-seekers come to the square．Hip hop or funk music is heard there．．So if you come, be ready to dance．The clubs don't shut down until 4 am．
And while you're there, check out the various inexpensive ways to tour the city．Don't worry about getting lost．Although Dutch is the official language, most people in Amsterdam speak English and are happy to help you with directions．And you'll notice that half the people in the streets are on bicycles they rent．
Amsterdam also has a well-planned canal system．For about 10 dollars, you can use the canal bus or a water taxi to cruise（巡游） the "Venice of the North"．
The city has a historic past．One impressive place to visit is the Anne Frank House on Nine Streets．It was there that the young Jewish girl wrote her famous diary during World War II．Visitors can view Anne's original diary and climb behind the bookcase to the room where she and her family hid from the Nazis for two years．
小題1:What means of transport is not available to visitors in Amsterdam?
A．A carriage．B．A bicycle． C．A canal bus． D．A water taxi．
小題2:When getting lost, a visitor can ask natives for directions in _______．
A．only DutchB．Dutch or English
C．only EnglishD．Spanish and English
小題3:What can you learn about by visiting the Anne Frank House?
A．The experience of a beautiful girl survivor．
B．The glorious past of Amsterdam．
C．The life of Jewish during World War Ⅱ．
D．The suffering of the Dutch in wars．
小題4:The passage is intended to _______．
A．call up people’s memories of World War Ⅱ
B．tell readers what A Tale of Two Cities is about
C．instruct visitors what to do and see in Holland
D．offer readers some information about Amsterdam

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Geena David knew she wanted to be a movie star when she was very young. She was not sure what gave her the idea, but she wanted to look like a movie star. “I have a lot of pictures from my childhood of me wearing sunglasses,” she says. “I used to wear them to watch TV.”
　 Early movie actors started wearing sunglasses not because they looked good, but because their eyes hurt. The lights used on movie sets were extremely bright and could cause a painful problem known as “Klieg eyes”. It was named after the Klieg brothers who invented the lights. Actors wore sunglasses to give their eyes a rest. But when movie stars began wearing their sunglasses in public, they quickly became a must.
　 Eventually actors started wearing sunglasses in their movies as well as on the street. Audrey Hephburn wore ultra-cool Ray-Ban sunglasses in the 1961 movie, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. As a result, Ray-Ban sunglasses started to appear more and more in the movies. In 1979, Ray-Ban “Wayfarers” were worn by Jake and Elwood in The Blue Brothers. Tom Cruise wore Ray-Ban “Aviator” sunglasses in the 1986 hit, Top Gun. Then in 1997, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones made Ray-Ban “Predator” sunglasses famous in Men in Black.
　  Of course sunglasses aren’t just a fashion statement. The main reason to wear sunglasses is to protect our eyes against UV radiation. UV radiation can damage our eyes, so people now choose their sunglasses carefully. But you don’t have to give up style for safety. The choice of frames and lenses available these days is huge. So you can protect your eyes and still be the coolest person on the beach.
小題1:What is mainly discussed in this passage?
A．The use of sunglasses.B．The history of sunglasses.
C．The sunglasses wearing.D．Why movie stars like to wear sunglasses.
小題2:Why did Geena David like to wear sunglasses?
A．She was a movie star.
B．She wanted to follow a movie star.
C．Wearing sunglasses was good to her eyes.
D．It was good to wear sunglasses when watching TV.
小題3:Early actors’ eyes hurt because ______.
A．they wore sunglasses
B．they went out in the sun too much
C．the lights on movie sets were too bright
D．their scripts were written in very small writing
小題4:Now people wear sunglasses ______.
A．just to protect their eyesB．for fashion and to protect their eyes
C．because of bright lightsD．because movie stars wear them

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Can you communicate with others when you live in a foreign country with no or little knowledge of its language? Of course, it is possible. You can communicate your moods and intentions to one another without words, because all human beings share a lot of common visual（看見的）signals. These signals are as effective as words during communication.
The gestures of the head play a key role in body language. The movements of eyes and eyebrows are as important as head movements in body language.
　　Besides the gestures of the head or the movements of the eyes and eyebrows, the action of arms, hands and legs is also a large part of body language. Extending one's arm and shaking hands with others is a greeting in both formal and informal cases. This part of body language might date back to primary tribes（部落）.
　　Like handshaking, there are still many other forms of body language presented by hands. Raising one's hand and making a circle with his thumb（拇指）and for finger signals, that something is OK. Clasped（握緊的）hands raised above the head, a traditional picture accepted by sportsmen after winning a fight, is a display of triumph that grows out of a kind of feeling following a victory. Waving one's hands, a speaker can make his words more powerful and vigorous（有活力的）.
　　Besides hand gestures, there are times when a person says something with his legs as well as with his head and eyes. The leg gestures often reflect one's attitude towards something or someone that person is with.
　　According to the above facts, body language has offered a more reliable（可靠的）way to understand one's mind by means of gestures. Though it is soundless and wordless, once you understand it, you will feel the world is bigger than you realized.
小題1: Which of the following is the proper title for this passage?
A．Body LanguageB．How to Communicate with the People around You
C．The History of Body Language D．Gestures And Languages
小題2:After reading the passage we can conclude that ________.
A．hand shaking suggests that the speaker is excited
B．head plays a less important part in body language
C．a(chǎn)ctors and actresses are good at gestures
D．people began to use body language long long ago
小題3:What's the characteristic of body language?
A．Soundless and wordless.B．Difficult to understand.
C．Powerful and vigorous.　　　D．Effective and normal
小題4:When sports men win a match, they probably ________.
A．clasp their hands to announce their victory
B．clasp their hands to express their excited feeling
C．have a picture taken as soon as possible
D．show a sign of thankfulness

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習冊答案