Our quarrel with efficiency is not that it gets things done, but that it is a thief of time when it leaves us no leisure to enjoy ourselves, and that it strains our nerves when we try to get things done perfectly. In building bridges, American engineers calculate so finely and exactly as to make the two ends come together within one-tenth of an inch. But when two Chinese begin to dig a tunnel from both sides of a mountain both come out on the other side. --The Chinese’s firm belief is that it doesn’t matter so long as a tunnel is dug through, and if we have two instead of one, why, we have a double track to boot.
　　The pace of modern industrial life forbids this kind of glorious and magnificent idling. But, worse than that, it imposes upon us a different conception of time as measured by the clock and eventually turns the human being into a clock himself. (This sort of thing is bound to come to China, as is evident, for instance, in the case of a factory of twenty thousand workers. The luxurious prospect of twenty thousand workers coming in at their own sweet pleasure at all hours is, of course, somewhat terrifying.)Nevertheless, such efficiency is what makes life so hard and full of excitement. A man who has to be punctually at a certain place at five o’clock has the whole afternoon from one to five ruined for him already. Every American adult is arranging his time on the pattern of the schoolboy - three o’clock for this, five o’clock for that, six-thirty for change of dress, six-fifty for entering the taxi, and seven o’clock for arriving at the destination. It just makes life not worth living.
小題1:The writer objects to efficiency mainly on the grounds that it ____.
A．gives us rights to have too much leisure time
B．urges us to get things done punctually
C．robs us of leisure time
D．imposes on us a perfect concept of time
小題2: In the eyes of the author, the introduction of industrial life gives rise to ____.
A．the excitement of life
B．magnificent idling of time
C．more emphasis on efficiency
D．terrifying schoolboy
小題3:The passage tells us ____.
A．Chinese workers come to work when it is convenient
B．a(chǎn)ll Americans are forced to be efficient against their will
C．Chinese engineers are on better terms with the management
D．Americans ought not to work so hard for efficiency
小題4: The author believes that relaxing the rule of punctuality in factories would lead to ____.
A．great troubleB．increased production
C．a(chǎn) hard and exciting lifeD．successful completion of a tunnel
小題1:C小題1:C小題1:D小題1:A
略
練習冊系列答案
相關習題

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The most common complaint about cellphones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them. But more damaging may be the cellphone’s interruption of our thoughts.
We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our cellphones, and this is in generally a healthy, protective development. “I didn’t hear it ring” or “I didn’t realize my phone had shut off” are among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach.
The concept of being unreachable is not new – we have “Do Not Disturb” signs on the doors of hotel rooms. So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cellphones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?
The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication. Until the recent mass use of cellphones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the globe. We came to take it for granted.
But cellphones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves. Now time alone, or a conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished. Even cellphone devotees, myself usually included, can’t help at times wanting to throw their phones away, or curse this invention.
But we don’t and won’t, and there really is no need. That we have the right to take back our private time is a general social recognition.
In other words, we don’t have to pay too much attention to the rings of our own phones. Given the ease of making and receiving cellphone calls, if we don’t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later.
A cellphone call deserves no more importance than a word from the person next to us. Though the call on my cellphone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg–who has finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie. But most likely it is not, and I’m better off, thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the slice of pizza I’ll eat for lunch.

小題1:.
What does the writer think about people telling “white lies” about their cellphones?
A．It is a way to show that you don’t like the caller.
B．It is natural to tell lies about small things.
C．It is basically a good way to protect one’s privacy.
D．We should feel guilty when we can’t tell the truth.
小題2:.
What is the meaning of the underlined word “devotees” in Paragraph 5?
A．people who enjoy something. B．people who are bothered.
C．people who hate something.D．people who are interrupted.
小題3:.
. According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cellphones?
A．People are always thinking of the cellphone rings so that they fail to notice anything else.
B．Cellphones interrupt people’s private time.
C．People feel guilty when they are not able to answer their cellphones.
D．With cellphones it is no longer possible to be unreachable.
小題4:.
. What does the last paragraph suggest?
A．A person who calls us from afar deserves more of our attention.
B．Steven Spielberg once called the author to talk about the author’s novel.
C．You should always finish your lunch before you answer a call on the cellphone.
D．Never let cellphones disturb your life too much.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The United States is one of the few countries in the world that has an official day on which fathers are honored by their children．On the third Sunday in June, fathers all across the United States are given presents, treated to dinner or otherwise made to feel special．
However, the idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington．A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father’s Day while listening to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909．Having been raised by her father, Henry Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her．It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices（犧牲） and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a selfless and loving man．Sonora’s father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father’s Day celebration in Spikane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910．
In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge declared the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day．Roses are the Father’s Day flowers: red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died．
When children can’t visit their fathers or take them out to dinner, they send a greeting card．Traditionally, fathers prefer greeting cards that are not too sentimental（傷感的）．Most greeting cards are too special so fathers laugh when they open them．Some give heartfelt thanks for being there whenever the child need Dad．
小題1:．The United States is special in Father’s Day because ______．
A．many people celebrate the dayB．only America celebrates the day
C．America makes it an official dayD．a(chǎn)ll men are honored in America
小題2:．At first, Father’s Day was fixed on June 19th because ______．
A．Sonora honored her father on her father’s birthday
B．Sonora’s birthday was June 19
C．it was decided by the president at that time
D．her mother died on June 19
小題3:．How many years has passed before Father’s Day became an official day since the father’s day was celebrated?
A．4B．10 C．14D．24
小題4:．According to the passage, on Father’s Day,  ______．
A．people will wear the same flowers to honor their fathers
B．only daughters wear red flowers to honor their fathers
C．children must go home to honor their fathers
D．fathers are often honored in different ways
小題5:．According to the passage, we can infer that Henry Jackson Smart ______．
A．was very kind to anyoneB．was the first father honored in 1924
C．did a lot for his daughterD．a(chǎn)lways help others by giving money

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

In white shirt, blue pants, black cloth shoes and two pigtails (辮子), Jingqiu gives off an air of great “pure beauty” in Zhang Yimou’s new movie Under the Hawthom Tree.《山揸樹之戀》
The film tells the story of the sad romance of Jingqiu and a handsome young man named Laosan. Set at the end of the “cultural revolution” (1966-1976), the pair manage to fall in love although they come form different political environments.
Before it was released, moviegoers speculated (推測) on just what this “pure beauty” could be. Director Zhang complained of how long it had taken him to find the right girl for the part of Jingqiu—a character so innocent that she believes simply lying on the same bed with a man will make her pregnant.
It was 18-year-old Zhou Dongyu who stood out from the crowd. According to Zhang, Zhou has “eyes that are clear like a fountain on a mountainside”. Born of an ordinary worker’s family, the Shijiazhuang girl was in her final year of high school and working hard for a place in an art college.
While some teenagers consider such “pure beauty” illusory (虛幻的), others believe that it speaks of something soulful.
Purity is all about the innocence that shines through from within, thinks 16-year-old Tan Mengxi of Nanjing.
“Being pure can be simple, not having complicated thoughts and being inexperienced. However, it doesn’t mean an ignorant or naive (天真的) person. So, a person is pure in his or her nature if he or she is always enthusiastic and able to deal with difficult matters independently. This purity doesn’t pass with time,” she said.
小題1: What image does Jingqiu give to audiences in the movie Under the Hawthorn Tree?
A．A simple girl.B．A pure girl.C．A romantic girl.D．A silent girl.
小題2: What kind of girl looks pure according to the passage?
A．A girl in red shirt, blue pants, black leather shoes and two pigtails.
B．A girl has eyes that are clear like a fountain on a mountainside.
C．A girl who was born into an ordinary worker’s family.
D．A girl wears accessories and make-up.
小題3: What’s the opinion of Tan Mengxi about purity?
A．It is of whether someone is ignorant or naive.
B．Being pure can be simple, not having complicated thoughts and being inexperienced.
C．It is of whether someone is always enthusiastic.
D．Purity is a matter of internal quality and doesn’t pass with time.
小題4: Which do you think is the best title for the passage?
A．What makes a pure girl?
B．A debate on the movie Under the Hawthorn Tree
C．Opinions on the character Jingqiu
D．It’s hard to find the character Jingqiu
小題5:When did the story in the movie happen？
A．In the 1960sB．In the 1980s
C．In the 1970sD．In the 1990s.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解(共15小題；每小題2分，滿分30分)
A car needs gas to run and your body also needs food to work for you. Eating the right kind of food is very important. It can help your body grow strong to take care of what you eat.
There are four main food groups altogether. The dairy group has food like milk, cheese and sour milk. The other three groups are the meat and fish group, the fruit and vegetable group, and the bread and rice group. Each meal should have at least one food from all four main groups. With all these food together, you will be given enough energy during the day.
It is easy to get into bad eating habits. You may eat your breakfast in a hurry to get to school on time. Or you may not have time for a good lunch. It may seem easy to finish your supper with fish and chips all the time. But you will find yourself tired in these days and you can not think quickly.
Watching what you eat will help keep your body healthy and strong. It is also good to take some exercise. It will help you eat more if you take a walk or play games in the open air. Having a good eating habit with some exercise is the key to your health.
小題1:Which of the following diets do you think is the best one?
A．Eggs, tomatoes and chicken.
B．Milk, bread, cabbages and beef.
C．Corn, fish, cream and pork.
D．Rice, bean curd（豆腐）, apples, fish and chicken.
小題2: Which of the following is a good eating-habit?
A．Going to school without any breakfast
B．Eating fish and chips for supper all the time..
C．Having at least one food from all four groups each meal.
D．Having different food from all four food groups.
小題3: In this passage the writer mainly tells us that _____.
A. every person needs food to grow well
B taking exercise can keep your body strong
C. the right kind of food with exercise will keep you healthy
D. enough energy helps people think more quickly
小題4:The underlined word “dairy” in the second passage means _____.
A．the food made out of cows such as milk and butter
B．she shop that sells milk and butter
C．a(chǎn) farm where cows are kept
D．a(chǎn) place where milk products are made.
小題5:The best title for this passage is _____.
A．The Four Food GroupsB． A Healthy Diet
C．Your Body And FoodD．Food And Your Health

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


閱讀下列短文, 從每題所給的選項（A、B、C和D）中，選出最佳選項，并在答題卷上將該項涂黑。
D
Around the globe, the tourist trade is booming and you are promised to enjoy all the comfort and convenience of modern tourism. The first-class systems of communication by air, sea and land make it possible for us to visit each other’s countries at a moderate cost. What was once the ‘grand tour’, reserved for only the very rich, is now within most people’s grasp. The package tour and chartered flights (包機) are quite popular to us. Modern travelers enjoy a level of comfort which those on grand tours in the old days couldn’t have dreamed of. With all this coming and going, you would expect greater understanding to develop between the nations of the world. Not a bit of it! So what’s the sense of this mass exchange of populations if the nations of the world remain basically ignorant of each other? So there is a great misdirection in tourist business, especially in conducted tour items.
Many tourist organizations are directly responsible for this state of affairs. They purposely set out to “protect” their passengers from too much contact with the local population. Modern tourists lead a protected and separated life. They live at international hotels, where they eats their international food and sips their international drink while gazing at the natives from a distance. Designed tours to places of interest are carefully arranged. The tourists are allowed to see only what the organizers want them to see and no more. A strict schedule makes it impossible for the tourists to wander off on their own; and anyway, language is always a barrier, so they might only be too happy to be protected in this way.
At its very worst, this merely leads to a new and terrible kind of colonization. The sad thing about this situation is that it leads to the persistence of certain old ideas of other nations and countries. We don’t see the people of other nations as they really are, but as we have been brought up to believe what they are, even staying along with that from text books during our schooling.
You can test this for yourself. Take five nationalities, say, French, German, English, American and Italian. Now in your mind, match them with these five adjectives: musical, emotional, cold, pedantic (愛追究的), native. Far from providing us with any insight into the national characteristics of the peoples just mentioned, these adjectives just actually act as barriers, for we can’t do the job with certainty. So, frequently, when you set out on your travels, the only characteristics you notice are those which confirm what you have already obtained as the first conceptions in your mind. And you get home only with the highly unoriginal and inaccurate impression, such as the saying, “Anglo-Saxons are hypocrites (偽君子)” and “Latin peoples shout a lot ”. However, to gain the real understanding, you only have to make a few foreign friends and you will know how ridiculousridiculous ridiculous ridiculous and harmful some old conceptions of other nations are. But how can you make foreign friends when the tourist trade does its best to prevent you?
Being carried to an extreme, stereotypes can be positively dangerous. A very wild and limited outlook may stir up racial hatred and blind us to the basic fact — how reasonless it sounds! – that all people are human. We are all similar to each other, while at the same time all unique.
小題1:What does “grand tour” bring people now?
A．It only offers us reasonable cost.B．It is the best way of modern tourism.
C．It is not liked by rich people.D．It is available for the majority to enjoy it.
小題2:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．By travelling abroad, one can know a certain country well.
B．Making friends is impossible for anyone staying abroad.
C．The tourist organizations have the best way to do their duty.
D．Traveling conditions are much more improved than before.
小題3:Which word in the following is the best to summarize “Latin people shout a lot”?
A．Silent.B．Noisy.C．Lively.D．Active.
小題4:The purpose of the author’s writing is to point out ______.
A．conducted tour should be stoppedB．the way of touring should be changed
C．gained knowledge can’t be renewed D．some nations stay the same as before
小題5:What is the author’s attitude toward the present tourism?
A．Objective B．Negative.C．Critical.D．Appreciative.
小題6: The main idea for this passage is that ______.
A．tourism does little to increase understanding between nations
B．tourism is terrible without the work of the tourist organizations
C．conducted tour is so dull that nobody wants to accept it now
D．tourism really does something wonderful to many countries

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Many of us assume that with such a last name, Peter Buffett, 52, must enjoy a life of endless privilege. But the son of billionaire investor (投資人) Warren Buffett definitely doesn’t think so.
“People who are born with a silver spoon in their mouth can fall victim (受害者) to what my father has called a silver dagger (匕首) in your back,” Buffett told Reuters in an interview. “It leads to a sense of entitlement (特權(quán)) and a lack of personal achievement.”
Entitlement, he believes, is the worst thing ever. “Anybody who acts like they deserve (應得) something ‘just because’ is a disaster,” he said.
In his new book, Life Is What You Make It: Finding Your Own Path to Fulfillment, Buffett says that the only real inheritance (遺產(chǎn)) handed down from his parents was a philosophy (價值觀): Forge your own path in life. It is a belief that has allowed him to follow his own passions, establish his own identity, and reap (收獲) his own successes.
Did his father ever want him to go into finance? “It was encouraged for a moment when I was open to the idea,” he told Reuters. But as he grew older, it became clear the financial world “was not speaking to my heart.”
His father accepted his choice to become a musician. He began his musical career by writing music for TV commercials (廣告). He then released his own albums.
“I am my own person and I know what I have accomplished in my life,” he told Reuters. “This isn’t about wealth or fame or money or any of that stuff, it is actually about values and what you enjoy and finding something you love doing.”
Along with the book, Buffett has begun a “Concert & Conversation” tour in which he plays the piano, talks about his life and warns against consumerist (消費主義) culture and damaging the environment.
“Economic prosperity (繁榮) may come and go; that’s just how it is,” he writes in the book. “But values are the steady currency (硬通貨) that earn us the all-important rewards.”
小題1: What does “It” in the second paragraph refer to?
A．A life of a top investor. B．A silver spoon in the mouth.
C．Being born to a wealthy family.D．The victim of a silver dagger in the back.
小題2: What does the article tell us?
A．Peter Buffett is a born musician.
B．Peter Buffett enjoys a hugely privileged life.
C．A wealthy family can benefit a child but also spoil him or her.
D．Peter Buffett was forced by his parents to take over their business.
小題3:The article claims that Peter Buffett owes his achievements largely to ______.
A．his passion for music B．the good education he received
C．his great determinationD．the values he learned from his parents
小題4: Which of the following statements would Peter Buffett probably agree to?
A．Wealth is there to enjoy to the fullest.
B．A person’s value lies within.
C．Many people are fooled by economic prosperity.
D．Young people should choose their own philosophy, whatever their parents believe in.

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

請閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個選項（A、B、C和D）中，選出最佳選項，并在答題卡上將該選項的標號涂黑。
Sitting on the peaceful coast of Galapagos Islands. Ecuador, watching the sun move quietly into the sea, you shouldn’t forget that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) arrived here in 1835. He stayed on the islands for five weeks, observing various animals. This finally inspired (啟發(fā)) his famous work, On the Origin of Species. You can certainly follow Darwin’s footsteps and enjoy a trip from four to seven days to the islands.
The most well-known animals of the Galapagos is the giant tortoise（巨型海龜），which can be seen moving slowly around the highlands of Santa Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago （群島）. Some of these creatures are so old that they might have been in their youth by Darwin himself.
Despite strict control over activities and timing, your stay on the Galapagos will be remembered as a chain of incomparable pictures; diving with sea lions that swim and play within inches of you; feeling small sharks touch your feet as you swim; and most magically, seeing a whale and her baby surface with a great breath of air.
Travelling between the islands and observing the wildlife that so inspired Darwin, so you will feel as though you are getting a special view of an untouched world. At night you will sleep on board the ship, leaving the wildlife in complete occupation of the islands, which are as undisturbed now as they have been since the beginning of time.
小題1:What do we know about Danwin’s visit to the islands?
A．He studied different creatures on the islands
B．He completed his famous book on the islands
C．He was touched by the geography of the islands
D．He was attracted by well-know animals of the islands
小題2:which of the following plays a role in making the islands “a paradise for wildlife”?
A．Animals on the islands feed on grass。
B．Local government forbids killing wildlife.
C．People cannot visit the islands as they wish.
D．tourists are not allowed to touch the animals。
小題3:Your stay on the islands will be most impressive mainly because of         .
A．The beautiful sea views
B．Darwin’s inspiring trip
C．a(chǎn) closer view of animals
D．various daring activities
小題4:which of the following would be the best title for the passage ？
A．A Unique Attraction for wildlife Lovers
B．Calapagos as a Paradise for Aentures
C．Charles Darwin as a symbol of Calapagos
D．A successful Example of wildlife protection

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A new power plant in Nakoso, Japan, might someday change everything for coal plants．Since the new power plant fired up in September, the designer, Mistubishi, is expecting to prove it's possible to burn coal without polluting．This technology is known as integrated gasification combined cycle （IGCC）．Proving IGCC works should give Mitsubishi's US partner, NRG Energy, the jump other hurdles to building new clean plants．
The project promised to solve the problem of the ages for power plants: how to produce cheap, clean, reliable electricity．No existing technology can do all three perfectly．
The problem is IGCC isn't there yet．It costs about 20 percent more than traditional plants．And even though it's easier to collect the resulting carbon dioxide from an IGCC plant than a traditional plant, there's no proven way to get rid of the greenhouse gas．One plan is to drill a shaft（通道） to pump the carbon dioxide underground, into saltwater formations．But there's no guarantee it will remain underground forever．
NRG administrators think solving the IGCC riddles is worth the trouble because they expect the U．S．will soon limit the amount of carbon dioxide that power generators may give out ．
"With the additional cost of IGCC, to just voluntarily build something that's 20 percent more expensive, that’s commercial suicide," NRG chief administrator, David Crane said．
NRG administrators expect the cost to decline after six or seven plants are built．But other industry experts think it will take about a dozen plants for the price to be competitive with traditional coal plants．
Takaya Watanabe, a vice general manager of Mitsubishi, admits that the cost challenges are difficult．“It’s good for a company to say we want to be green, but unless someone is willing to pay, it's a dream．It won't keep our family eating rice," he said．
小題1:What is expected of the new technology?
A．To make electricity without polluting the air．
B．To produce energy without burning coal．
C．To keep the use of electricity cheaper．
D．To pump carbon dioxide more easily ．
小題2:What's the biggest problem the companies are faced with?
A．How to pump greenhouse gases．
B．How to deal with the high cost．
C．How to get along with other partners．
D．How to improve the new technology．
小題3:What can be inferred from the passage?
A．New technologies are unacceptable to people．
B．It's unlikely to build more new power plants．
C．The companies are run on a tight budget．
D．Going green is easier said than done．

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習冊答案