As the railroads and the highways shaped the American West in the past centuries, a new electrical generating(發(fā)電)and transmission (輸送) system for the 21st century will leave a lasting mark on the West, for better or worse. Much of the real significance of railroads and highways is not in their direct physical effect on the scenery, but in the ways that they affect the surrounding community. The same is true of big solar plants and the power lines that will be laid down to move electricity around.
The 19 th century saw land grants(政府撥地) offered to railroad companies to build the transcontinental railroads, leaving public land in between privately owned land. In much of the West, some of the railroad sections were developed while others remained undeveloped, and in both cases the landownership has presented unique challenges to land management. With the completion of the interstate highway system, many of the small towns, which sprang up as railway stops and developed well, have lost their lifeblood and died.
Big solar plants and their power lines will also have effects far beyond their direct footprint in the West. This is not an argument against building them. We need alternative energy badly, and to really take advantage of it we need to be able to move electricity around far more readily than we can now.
So trade-offs will have to be made. Some scenic spots will be sacrificed. Some species(物種) will be forced to move, or will be carefully moved to special accommodations. Deals will be struck to reduce the immediate effects.
The lasting effects of these trade-offs are another matter. The 21st century development of the American West as an ideal place for alternative energy is going to throw off a lot of power and money in the region. There are chances for that power and money to do a lot of good. But it is just as likely that they will be spent wastefully and will leave new problems behind, just like the railroads and the highways.
The money set aside in negotiated trade-offs and the institutions that control it will shape the West far beyond the immediate footprint of power plants and transmission lines. So let’s remember the effects of the railroads and the highways as we construct these new power plants in the West.
小題1:What was the problem caused by the construction of the railways?
A．Small towns along the railways became abandoned.
B．Land in the West was hard to manage.
C．Some railroad stops remained underused.
D．Land grants went into private hands.
小題2:What is the major concern in the development of alternative energy according to the last two paragraphs?
A．The use of money and power.
B．The transmission of power.
C．The conservation of solar energy.
D．The selection of an ideal place.
小題3:What is the author’s attitude towards building solar plants?
A．Disapproving.B．Approving.C．Doubtful.D．Cautious.
小題4:Which is the best title for the passage?
A．How the Railways Have Affected the West
B．How the Effects of Power Plants Can Be Reduced
C．How Solar Energy Could Reshape the West
D．How the Problems of the Highways Have Been Settled

小題1:B
小題2:A
小題3:D
小題4:C

試題分析：主要講述的就是新型的太陽能裝置是否能重新塑造出西部的新的發(fā)展，人們對于新型的能源很渴望，但是也有很多的擔心。
小題1:B 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)第二段3,4,5行In much of the West, some of the railroad sections were developed while others remained undeveloped, and in both cases the landownership has presented unique challenges to land management.說明西部的土地難以管理是重要的原因，故B正確。
小題2:A 細節(jié)題。根據(jù)There are chances for that power and money to do a lot of good. But it is just as likely that they will be spent wastefully and will leave new problems behind,說明人們很擔心錢沒有被正確第使用，而是被浪費掉了，故A正確。
小題3:D 推理題。根據(jù)文章最后兩段可知，雖然這樣做有很多的好處，但是人們?nèi)匀粨耐顿Y的錢和精力會不會被浪費掉，所以態(tài)度很謹慎。故D項正確。
小題4:C 主旨大意題。本題主要講述的就是新型的太陽能裝置是否能重新塑造出西部的新的發(fā)展，人們對于新型的能源很渴望，但是也有很多的擔心。故C項符合文章要求。
點評：經(jīng)濟類短文是考生的難度，此類文章的最大的障礙是詞匯以及考生對閱讀內(nèi)容的不熟悉，需要考生在閱讀的時候有足夠的耐心。要養(yǎng)成在上下文串聯(lián)中猜測詞義的能力，根據(jù)上下文中出現(xiàn)的同義詞，近義詞，反義詞，以及詞義的解釋來理解生詞。同時要抓住文章的中心，不要受其他信息的影響。要根據(jù)題目及選項以及文章的上下文串聯(lián)合理的判斷推理。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Although Paris is often considered the city of romance， close to a million adults who call it home are single. Many single people say that France’s capital is one of the most difficult places to meet people. The complaints of this lonely group have inspired a new phenomenon known as “supermarket dating.” At Galerie Lafayette Gourmet，singles can shop for more than just the items on their grocery list. They can look for someone who has blue eyes， brown hair，and is 1.8 meters tall，or whatever may be on their romantic shopping list.
At this Paris location，single people of all ages can schedule their shopping for Thursday nights between 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. When they walk through the door，they pick up a purple basket to advise that they are looking for love. They try to arrive early because the baskets disappear quickly, and then they have to wait in line for their turn to wander the store aisles(過道).
With purple baskets in hand， shoppers can consider their romantic options while they pick out their groceries. When they are ready to pay， they can go to the checkout line for singles who want to chat.
Most of the people who look for love in the supermarket are skeptical of Internet dating. They know that it is easy to embellish（美化）one’s appearance or to lie about one’s age over the Internet. The supermarket， on the other hand，is considered a safe and casual environment in which to meet a potential match. In addition， what one finds in another’s grocery basket can say a thing or two about that person’s character or intentions. Buying pet food can be a man’s way of showing a potential match that he has a sensitive side. Women who fill their baskets with low-fat food show their healthy style of living. These ways it’s possible to find much more than food at a grocery store.
小題1:What do many single people in Paris complain about?
A．The difficulty in meeting people.
B．The idea of supermarket dating.
C．The items on their grocery list.
D．The inconvenience in shopping.
小題2:Which of the following can be inferred but is not clearly stated in the second paragraph?
A．The dating supermarket is located in Paris.
B．The dating supermarket is open only on Thursday evenings.
C．People looking for love must get a basket of a particular color
D．The dating supermarket has very good business.
小題3:How do love shoppers meet one another?
A．They schedule their meeting in advance.
B．They go through a special checkout.
C．They pick out their groceries with great care.
D．They dial the phone numbers on their shopping items.
小題4:According to the writer，a possible way to win a woman’s heart is to              .
A．pick up a purple basketB．buy low-fat food
C．embellish your appearanceD．buy pet food
小題5:Why do the people prefer the supermarket dating to Internet dating?
A．The supermarket dating is more convenient.
B．The supermarket dating is more casual.
C．The supermarket dating can be trusted more.
D．The supermarket dating is less expensive.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The aims of the Illustrators’(插圖畫家的) Exhibition, staged as part of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, organized by BolognaFiere and held from 23 to 26 December 2012, are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers.
QUALIFICATIONS
? Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality, if they were born before 31st December 1992, whose artwork is intended for use in children’s books, are qualified to enter the Exhibition, either directly or through publishing houses or schools.
? Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Nonfiction Category. Illustrators may only enter one category.
? Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be re-entered.
? The confirmation(確認) form must be filled in and a photograph attached, then presented together with illustrations no later than 15 October 2012.
SHIPMENT
Entries may be delivered by post, express delivery service or by hand. From abroad, please use the following forms: Form “A” for registered mail or post by air; Form “B” if using an international forwarding agent or airline.
To avoid delays, material should not be sent by normal post. Material should be sent “carriage(運費) paid”, including any customs and delivery costs.
BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the non-arrival or late arrival of artwork. All published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number, publisher’s name and address.
REQUIREMENTS
The illustrations (i.e. the size of the sheet) must not exceed(超過) the following dimensions:
Fiction:
32 × 42 cm (or 42 × 32 cm)
Non-fiction:
50 × 70 cm (or 70 × 50 cm)
Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered, nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere. The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board, maximum thickness 2 mm (for scanner separation purposes).
SELECTION PROCESS
All artwork received by the stated deadline and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group (whose decision is final), including five members (from publishing house and art schools) appointed each year by BolognaFiere.
EXHIBITIONS ABROAD
After the Bologna event, the Illustrators Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY. The Illustrators Exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues(場館) in other countries. The exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the Illustrators Exhibition, and the provisions(條款) of the regulations are extended to the organizers of the exhibitions held abroad.
RETURN OF ARTWORK
All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere or directly by the organizers of the exhibitions and held abroad by the end of July 2013.
小題1:Which of the following of the Illustrators’ Exhibition is TRUE?
A．It will last five days in all in July every other year.
B．It is intended for college students who are good at painting.
C．It is held by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in BolognaFiere.
D．It can strengthen the relationship between illustrators and publishers.
小題2:The illustrators of the Illustrators’ Exhibition ______.
A．should be at least 16 and no more than 25
B．may re-enter their artwork after it is returned
C．should state the category of their artwork clearly
D．may choose to attach a photo to the application form
小題3:Which of the following is unacceptable for delivering entries?
A．Normal post. B．Airline post. C．Registered mail. D．Express delivery.
小題4:What is BolognaFiere responsible for?
A．Paying for the delivery costs.
B．Late arrival of artwork.
C．Confirmation of ISBN number.
D．Returning the illustrators’ works.
小題5:The illustrators’ works will not be considered if they ______.
A．a(chǎn)re received after the day of 15 October 2012
B．a(chǎn)re smaller than the required size
C．have already been published abroad before
D．don’t meet the demands of the international experts

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

There are many travel destinations across the globe. What confuses a person most is which travel destination to choose. When choosing a destination for a vacation or a trip, you need to decide what that destination has to offer to you. Meanwhile, you should also take many factors into consideration, so that the decision-making will get easy.
The amount of money you want to spend is an important factor and plays an important role in deciding a destination. For example, cities like London, New York, Vegas etc are expensive. On the other hand when you travel to Asia, the cost is generally lower and you don’t need to spend much on traveling, lodging or shopping. Therefore, it is important to estimate your budget before selecting a destination.
When you plan your vacation, another important thing to plan is the number of the days you want to spend. There are many travel destinations in the world that can be covered in a week’s time. Some destinations like Africa, or Maldives beaches can be planned in a week’s time. Some other destinations like New York, Thailand may require more than a few weeks to enjoy completely.
Vacations are also planned according to the company you have. For example, if you travel with your family, then you’ll need a place where you can enjoy with your family members. Similarly, if you are going with friends, a city full of amusement parks, museums, shopping centers will be an ideal(理想的) destination. Therefore you need to consider whom you are going with, before deciding a destination.
小題1:Who are the intended readers of the text?
A．Students majoring in tourismB．Foreign travelers
C．travel agenciesD．Travel planners
小題2:Compared to a journey to Thailand, a journey to New York _______.
A．is more suitable for a group of peopleB．will take you a longer time
C．will cost you more moneyD．gives you more fun
小題3:What is the main factor to be considered mentioned in the last paragraph?
A．Services providedB．Your partners in traveling
C．Activities involved in travelingD．Your budget for a travel

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The porter(行李搬運工) brings your bags to your room and helpfully explains all you want to know．Then he points to the phone and says：“If there’s anything else you need, just call．”All this time you have been thinking of one thing：“How much should I tip(付小費)him?” To make your next trip a little easier, here’s guide to tipping across some Asian countries.
Bangkok(曼谷)
In general, the more westernized the place is, the more likely you will be expected to leave a tip．Some top-end restaurants will add a 10％ service charge to the bill．If not, waiters will appreciate your tacking on(附加)the 10％ yourself．However, if you’re eating at a lower-end restaurant, a tip is not necessary．If you’re staying at one of Bangkok’s many five-star hotels, expect to tip the porter 20 to 50 baht(泰國貨幣單位),depending on how many bags you have．Taxis are now metered in Bangkok．Local custom is to round up(湊整數(shù))the fare to the nearest five baht．
Hong Kong
Tipping is customary in this money-mad metropolis(大都市)．Most restaurants add a 10％ service charge to the bill, but the extra money often ends up in the pocket of the owner. If the service is good, add another 10％ to the bill, up to HKMYMl00 in an especially nice restaurant．For HK MYM10 hotel porters should do it at all but the nicest hotels where a new HKMYM20 bill may be more acceptable．When in a taxi, round up to the nearest dollar．
Kuala Lumpur（吉隆坡）
Tipping in Malaysia is limited to the expensive westernized hotels, which often add a 10％ service charge to your meal or hotel room．If you are at a hotel restaurant, expect a 10％ service charge．
But at local restaurants, there’s no need to add a tip. At five-star hotels, one or two ringgit(馬來西亞貨幣單位)will satisfy a porter. At lower-end buildings don’t feel you have to tip Like Bangkok, many taxis are now metered so you can just round up to the nearest ringgit．
Seoul
Tipping is not part of Korean culture, although it has become a matter of course in international hotels where a 10％ service charge is often added．If you’re at a Korean barbecue joint(燒烤處), there’s no need to add anything extra．But a nice Italian restaurant may require a 10％ contribution．
If you’re at a top-end hotel, so expect to pay 500～l,000 won per bag．Taxi drivers don’t accept a tip．Keep the change for yourself．
小題1:Which of the following is NOT the unit of money?．
A．ChargeB．BahtC．WonD．Ringgit
小題2:In which of the following cities is it unnecessary to tip the taxi-drivers?
A．BangkokB．HongkongC．Kuala LumpurD．Seoul
小題3:If you stay at a five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur, how much will you pay the porter at least?
A．10％ of service chargeB．Three ringgitC．Half a ringgitD．One ringgit
小題4:The writer seems           ．
A．to tell the readers how to travel
B．to give the readers some advice on how to tip
C．to ask the readers to go on a travel to Asian cities
D．to make the trip more pleasant

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Researchers at Yale, Texas A&M and Boston University predict that by 2030 urban areas will expand by more than 463,000 square miles, or l．2 million square kilometers． That is equal to 20,000 American football fields becoming urban every day for the first three decades of this century．
The growth in urban areas will go with the construction of roads and buildings, water and sanitation facilities, and energy and transport systems that will transform land cover and cities globally． Recent estimates suggest that between $25 trillion（萬億） and $30 trillion will be spent on infrastructure（基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施） worldwide by 2030, with $100 billion a year in China alone．
"Considering the long life and near unavoidability of infrastructure investments, it will be critical for current urbanization-related policies to consider their lasting impacts," said Karen Seto, lead author of the study． "We have a huge opportunity to shape how cities develop and their environmental  impacts．"
Nearly half of the increase in high-probability ----defined as greater than 75 percent ---- urban expansion is forecasted to occur in Asia, with China and India absorbing 55 percent of the regional total． In China, urban- expansion is expected to create a l,l00-mile coastal urban corridor from Hangzhou to Shenyang． In India, urban expansion will be gathered around seven state capital cities, with large areas of low-probability growth forecasted for the Himalaya region where many small villages and towns currently exist．
Africa's urban land cover will grow the fastest, at 590 percent above the 2000 level of 16,000 square miles． Urban expansion win be concentrated in that continent's five regions: the Nile River in Egypt; the coast of West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea; the northern shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya and Uganda and extending into Rwanda and Burundi; the Kano region in northern Nigeria; and greater Addis Ababa, Ethiopia．
"Urban expansion is concentrated in． only a few areas where there are large cities and industry," said Seto． "From the northern shore of Lake Victoria down to Rwanda is also a major hotspot of urban expansion．"
In North America, where 78 percent of the total population lives in urban areas, urban land cover will nearly double by 96,000 square miles by 2030．The study also forecasts that 48 of the 221 countries in the study will experience insignificant amounts of urban expansion． "
小題1:As for China, the expansion of urban area means          ．
A．$ 100 billion will be spent on infrastructure a year
B．creating a coastal urban corridor from Hangzhou to Qingdao
C．it will become the fastest developing country in the next decade
D．it will make up 55% of the increase in urban expansion in Asia
小題2:According to the passage infrastructure doesn't include          ．
A．construction of roadsB．sanitation facilities
C．energy systemsD．land cover transformation
小題3:In paragraph three the underlined word “their lasting impacts” refers to the impacts of           .
A．the development of cities B．urbanization-related policies
C．infrastructure in vestmentsD．China’s expansion of urban area
小題4:The best title for this passage should be                  .
A．The limitation of urban expansion
B．More investment on infrastructure
C．The fast development of the third world
D．The future urban expansion of the world

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Suppose that we lined up our roughly 14 million United States businesses in order of size, starting with the smallest, along an imaginary road from San Francisco to New York. There will be 4,500 businesses to the mile, or a little less than one per foot. Suppose further that we planted a flag each business. The height of the flag pole represents the yearly volume of sales (銷量) , each $ 10, 000 in sales in shown by one foot of pole.
The line of flagpoles is a very interesting sight. From San Francisco to about Reno, it is almost unnoticeable, a row of poles about a foot high. From Reno eastward the poles increase in height until, near Columbus, Ohio - about four - fifths of the way across the nation - flags fly about 10 feet in the air.
But as we approach the eastern terminus (終點) , the poles suddenly begin to mount (升高) . There are about 300, 000 firms in the country with sales over $ 500, 000. These firms take up the last 75 miles of the 3,000 - mile road. There are 200, 000 firms with sales over $ 1 million. They take up the last 50 miles. Then there are 1, 000 firms with sales of $ 50, 000, 000 or more. They take up the last quarter of a mile before the city limits, flags flying at cloud height, 5 , 000 feet up .
At the very gate of New York, on the last 100 feet of the last mile , we find the 100 largest industrial firms . They have sales of at least $ 1.5 billion, so that their flags are already miles high. Along the last 10 feet of road , there are 10 largest companies . Their sales are roughly $ 10 billion and up : their flags fly 190 miles in the air , almost in the stratosphere (平流層) .
小題1:What is the author’s main purpose in this passage?
A．To tell the reason why the largest firms are in New York.
B．To show the geographical distribution (分布) of the United States businesses.
C．To provide a general idea of the size of businesses in the United States.
D．To tell us how the United States businesses are arranged.
小題2:What’s the correct order of the following places from east to west?
A．San Francisco, Reno, New York, Columbus.
B．San Francisco, Reno, Columbus, New York.
C．New York, Columbus, Reno, San Francisco
D．New York, Reno, Columbus, San Francisco
小題3:Among the four parts of the imaginary road , which part , considering all the firms in it , has the largest total volume of sales ?
A．The last 75 miles. B．The last 50 miles.
C．The last 100 feet of the last mile.D．The last quarter of a mile
小題4:Which of the following diagrams (圖表) shows the right order of size of the US businesses , according to the text ?
S =" San" Francisco  R =" Reno"  C =" Columbus"  N =" New" York  H =" height"  F = feet

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Few people realize that there is a big difference between formal English and informal English. Formal English is used for most writing, and often in public speaking and formal meetings. It pays close attention to grammar rules, because if we use proper grammar, our meaning is often more precise. Also, on important occasions, we do not want to appear uneducated or to offend (冒犯) others, so we are very careful about how we speak. Informal English is used in speaking or writing to our friends and family. It often does not pay such close attention to grammar rules, because when we speak or write to them, we want our words to flow quickly. Also, with our friends and family, we are usually not so worried about appearing uneducated or about offending them by how we write or speak.
A big difference between formal and informal English is the use of contractions. A contraction is where we make a word shorter or where we put two words together and take away some of the letters. For example, instead of saying “do not”, many people say “don’t”. Using contractions in our speech is fine because it sounds natural, especially when we speak to our friends. In formal writing, however, contractions are usually avoided because people might think that you have made a mistake, or that you do not know proper grammar.
In the same way we might make words shorter, in informal English we often make sentences shorter as well. For example, if someone asks you your name, you will likely answer with one word: your first name. However, in formal English we usually use complete sentences. For example, we might write “My name is John”. In most speaking, we may not need to use every word in a sentence because the person we are speaking to will probably still understand us. In most writing, however, every word in a sentence must be written out in order to make sure that we can be understood.
小題1:When we use formal English, _______.
A．we will offend others
B．we will appear educated on important occasions
C．we needn’t pay more attention to grammar rules
D．we can express ourselves more directly and more quickly
小題2:What’s the meaning of the underlined word “precise”?
A．clear B．directC．puzzlingD．simple
小題3:Contractions are best used when we are _______.
A．speaking at a formal meetingB．speaking in public
C．speaking to our friendsD．writing an application (申請) letter
小題4:In speaking, we do not always use complete sentences because ______.
A．we do not care about grammarB．we do not want to sound stupid
C．we can still be understoodD．we don’t want to waste time

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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 a lot of 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 included Chinese art, history and philosophy． Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage 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) newspaper D．a(chǎn) philosophy textbook

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