ANIMALS have always been used to represent certain human characteristics. Countries also use animals as symbols. From eagles to lions, many countries use an animal to show its national spirit and character.
The image of an eagle is on the US President’s flag, and on the one-dollar bill. The bald eagle is a large, powerful, brown bird with a white head and tail. The term “bald” does not mean that this bird lacks feathers. Instead, it comes from the old word piebald, that menas, “marked with white”.
The US declared that the eagle was its national bird in 1782. It was chosen because of “its long life, great strength, and noble looks”.
A few eagles have even become American heroes. An eagle named “Old Abe”, the mascot of a Wisconsin troop of soldiers during the Civil War, traveled 14,000 miles with its men. He was often shot at by the enemy, but survived 42 battles.
But, one of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin didn’t agree with the choice. “The bald eagle … is a bird of bad moral character, like those among men who live by robbing, he is generally poor, and often very messy,” he argued. Franklin wanted the turkey as the country’s national bird.
If Americans chose their national symbol deliberately, the symbol of England arose out of history.
King Herry Ⅰ(1068-1135) was a brave warrior but also wise. His appreciation for the rule of law earned him the nickname the Lion of Justice. He was the first English King to use a lion as a royal symbol, which is popularly known as the “king of the jungle”. By the year Richard Ⅰ, known as “The Lionheart” for his bravery, came to the throne in 1189, the famous Three Lions badge had been formed. Now it can be seen on the shirts of England’s sports teams.
Although people might not think of lions when they think of England, everyone knows about the Australian kangaroo. Legend has it that the kangaroo gets its name from an early meeting between local aborigines and white settlers. When asked by the Europeans what these strange-looking animals were, a native replied “kangaroo”, meaning “I don’t understand you.”
The kangaroo is an individualistic animal. Although it does gather in groups, the kangaroo is not a herd animal. If a group is attacked, individuals run off in different directions. Australians think the kangaroo represents positive values, such as individual responsibility and pride.
小題1:The general idea of this passage should probably be __________ .
A.a(chǎn)nimals are friends of human beings
B.nearly all the countries have an animal as their national animal
C.a(chǎn)nimals’ good values are always used to show a country’s national spirit and character
D.certain human characteristics are the same as some animals, so some countries love animals
小題2:Which is NOT true about the animal of the “bald eagle”?
A. It was Benjamin Franklin who made the bald eagle as the national animal of the USA.
B. The term “bald” means “marked with white”.
C. The bald eagle can show American national spirit and character.
D. “Old Abe” was even an American hero.
小題3:The reason why the lion was made as the national animal of the United Kingdom was that ______ .
A.it could always be used to represent certain human characteristics of England
B.the Kings of England loved lions
C.there are many lions in England
D.lions are “king of the jungle”
小題4:What good values can the kangaroo show as national spirits?
A.Group.B.Respect of others.
C.Not understandingD.Positive values.

小題1:C
小題2:A
小題3:A
小題4:D

試題分析:人類常常使用動(dòng)物來(lái)代表一些性格特征。動(dòng)物也被許多國(guó)家拿來(lái)代表它們的民族精神或民族性格特點(diǎn)。文章介紹了美國(guó)、英國(guó)和澳大利亞的代表性動(dòng)物。
小題1:根據(jù)第一段“ANIMALS have always been used to represent certain human characteristics. Countries also use animals as symbols. From eagles to lions, many countries use an animal to show its national spirit and character.”可知,動(dòng)物常被用來(lái)代表人類的一些特點(diǎn)。許多國(guó)家也用動(dòng)物來(lái)象征它們的民族精神和性格特點(diǎn)。故選C。
小題2:根據(jù)第五段“But, one of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin...Franklin wanted the turkey as the country’s national bird.”可知,本杰明富蘭克林是開國(guó)者之一,而不是他把禿頭鷹作為美國(guó)的象征。他想把火雞作為美國(guó)的象征。故選A。
小題3:根據(jù)倒數(shù)第三段“earned him the nickname the Lion of Justice...use a lion as a royal symbol...The Lionheart... the famous Three Lions badge...”可知,獅子作為英國(guó)的象征是歷史發(fā)展的結(jié)果。故選A。
小題4:根據(jù)最后一段“the kangaroo is not a herd animal...Australians think the kangaroo represents positive values”可知,袋鼠不是群居動(dòng)物,排除A;澳大利亞人認(rèn)為袋鼠代表著一些積極的價(jià)值。故選D。
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Singapore Flyer was launched in 2008 and states to hold the current title for the world’s biggest observation wheel, full 30 meters taller than the London Eye observation wheel in London! Soaring 165 meters, Singapore Flyer offers a whole view of Singapore’s important tourist attractions including the scenic Marina Bay.
Singapore Flyer is also popular for providing an attractive range of shopping and dining choices. Among its greatest dining choices is the Singapore Flyer Sky Dining, one of the most exciting dining experiences you will ever come across.
Singapore Flyer Sky Dining is the first ever in the world to offer a full service in the sky. To top it all you are presented with best menus created by award-winning cooks from all over the world.
The sky dining doesn’t stop from there. You will gain fast boarding flights, in other words, no more waiting in line to board an observation capsule (機(jī)艙). You can enjoy the service of an in-flight host along with a nice three-course fine dining menu.
Be ready to enjoy yourself in the air-conditioned glass capsule where you will be served a welcome drink, an appetizer (開胃品) along with the main course. From the capsule you will see the night skyline of Marina Bay, Merlion Park, Raffles Place, Empress Place and Padang, bathed in exciting colors. And not just once but you will get to see these very interesting sights twice, during your almost one hour long special dining experience.
Up to five couples can book a small room and there are even choices to book an entire room for you and your partner. The sky dining experience begins from the VIP waiting room where you will be served with tasty desserts and drinks of your choice. You can see the Singapore Flyer conveniently from one of the top hotels in Singapore like M Hotel Singapore.

小題1:At Singapore Flyer, tourists can ___________.
A.do some shopping and have dinner
B.enjoy some interesting sights just once
C.enjoy a wonderful 30-minute dining experience
D.get a whole view of all the Singapore’s tourist attractions
小題2:Which of the following statements is TRUE about Singapore Flyer?
A.It is the second biggest observation wheel in the world.
B.The menus are created by native cooks.
C.It provides fast boarding service.
D.There are no special rooms for couples.
小題3:The underlined phrase in the third paragraph probably means “___________”.
A.What’s moreB.At the top of it
C.What’s worseD.From top to bottom
小題4:The three-course dining menu at Singapore Flyer usually includes the following EXCEPT___________.
A.a(chǎn) welcome drinkB.the main course
C.a(chǎn)n appetizerD.tasty desserts
小題5:Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
A.Virtual TourismB.A Guide to Singapore Flyer
C.Eating at Singapore FlyerD.The future of Singapore Flyer

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

When you visit America, you will see the word Motel on signs and notice boards. It is made up of “motor” and “hotel” and it is really a hotel for people who arrive by car (how-ever, you don’t need a car to stay at one). You have to pay when you arrive for your room, which usually has a bath. Meals are not provided, but there will certainly be a cafeteria (自助餐館). Americans eat a lot of salads and sandwiches. Along the main roads there are a lot of motels. Each tries to offer more than next. Some provide television in every bedroom; others have swimming pools; and so on. Motels are especially useful when you are in the country, far from a town or city. You will also find them in the big National Parks.
In these great National Parks, you may meet guests you don’t expect to see. An American friend told me a little story. In the middle of a moonless night she heard strange noises outside her motel window in the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. Thinking it might be a thief, she jumped out of bed, opened the door and crept towards a dark shadow. As she got close, she saw the thief. She was dreadfully frightened: it wasn’t a human thief — it was a big black bear. The bear was turning over some empty tins with its paw, looking for tasty bits of food. My friend decided to leave that particular thief alone!
There are also, of course, places called “rooming houses”,  where they receive lodgers (房客). You will see such signs as Tourists or Rooms Rent, and you could try one of these. A word of warning — looking for a room in New York during the tourist season is like looking for gold on the moon! 
小題1:Which of the following is TRUE about motels?
A.You can only find motels in the big National Parks.
B.They are free for people who arrive by car.
C.If you want to stay at a motel, you must have a car.
D.The word “motel” is formed by two words.
小題2:Which of the following is NOT provided by motels?
A.Baths.B.Swimming pools.
C.TV.D.Meals.
小題3:The underlined word “crept” in the second paragraph probably means “______”.
A.moved slowlyB.rushed out
C.threw awayD.ran fast
小題4:The second paragraph mainly tells us ______.
A.a(chǎn)n interesting story
B.the experience of the author’s friend
C.we may meet animals in the National Parks
D.bears usually look for food at night
小題5:From the last paragraph, we can learn that in New York during the tourist season ______.
A.tourists can find gold there
B.tourists can have a sweet dream there
C.it is difficult to find a room there
D.there is warning for tourists to New York

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

History is full of cases where dreams have been a pathway to creativity and discovery.A striking example is provided by Dr.Otto Loewi,a pharmacologist and winner of a Nobel Prize.Loewi had spent years studying the chemical transmission of nerve impulses (脈搏).A tremendous breakthrough in his research came when he dreamed of an experiment three nights in a row.The first two nights he woke up and wrote down the experiment quickly and untidily on paper.But the next morning,he couldn't tell what the notes meant.On the third night,he got up after having the dream.This time,instead of making notes he went straight to his laboratory and performed the crucial experiment.Loewi later said that if the experiment had occurred to him while awake he would have rejected it.
Loewi's experiment gives some insight into using dreams to produce creative solutions.Inhibitions (拘謹(jǐn)) are reduced during dreaming,which may be especially useful in solving problems that require a fresh point of view.
Being able to take advantage of dreams for problem solving is improved if you “set” yourself before retiring.Before you go to bed,try to think intently about a problem you wish to solve.Bury yourself in the problem by stating it clearly and reviewing all relevant information.Then use the suggestions listed in the previous section to catch your dreams.Although this method is not guaranteed to produce a novel solution or a new insight,it is certain to be an adventure.About half of a group of college students using the method for a week recalled a dream that helped them solve a personal problem.
小題1:The main idea of this passage is that ________.
A.very little is really known about the meaning of dreams
B.it is possible to “catch” one's dreams by planning before going to sleep
C.dreams can be useful in producing creative solutions to one's problems
D.Loewi's experiment helped in the study of transmision of nerve impulses
小題2:The first paragraph is mainly organized by ________.
A.classifying types of experiments
B.summarizing the work of one researcher
C.comparing and exploring historical cases
D.telling in time order about one man's research
小題3:If Loewi had thought of the experiment while awake,he would have ________.
A.a(chǎn)sked someone else to do it
B.thought it was a bad idea
C.tried it out on his own
D.thought it was a wise idea
小題4:The author probably thinks that ________.
A.Loewi should not have conducted his experiment
B.dreaming is of very little value to most people
C.inhibitions may stop someone thinking of useful ideas
D.college students should not try out dream experiments

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

When most of us hear the word chocolate, the verb that comes to mind is probably “eat”, not “drink”, and the most proper adjective would seem to be “sweet”. But for about 90 percent of chocolate’s long history, it was strictly a beverage (飲料), and sugar didn’t have anything to do with it.
The Origin of Chocolate
Many modern historians have estimated that chocolate has been around for about 2000 years, but recent research suggests that it may be even older.
In the book The True History of Chocolate, authors Sophie and Michael Coe prove that the earliest linguistic (語(yǔ)言學(xué)的) evidence of chocolate consumption dates back three or even four thousand years.
Valuable and Fashionable Chocolate Beverage
It’s hard to discover exactly when chocolate was born, but it’s clear that it was cherished from the start. For several centuries in pre-modern Latin America, cacao beans were considered valuable enough to use as currency. 100 beans could purchase a good turkey hen, according to a 16th-century Aztec document.
Sweetened chocolate didn’t appear until Europeans discovered the Americas and sampled (品嘗) the native cuisine. Chocolate didn’t suit the foreigners’ taste at first — one described it in his writings as “a bitter drink for pigs” — but once mixed with honey or cane sugar, it quickly became popular throughout Spain. By the 17th century, chocolate was a fashionable drink throughout Europe, believed to have nutritious, medicinal functions. But it remained largely a privilege of the rich until the invention of the steam engine made mass production possible in the late 1700s.
The Birth of Solid Chocolate
In 1828, a Dutch chemist found a way to make powdered chocolate. His product became known as “Dutch cocoa”, and it soon led to the creation of solid chocolate. In 1847, Joseph Fry created the first modern chocolate bar. By 1868, a little company called Cadbury was marketing boxes of chocolate candies in England. Milk chocolate hit the market a few years later.
Prosperous Chocolate Industry
In America, chocolate was so valued during the Revolutionary War that it was used instead of wages. Even now, statistics show that the humble cacao bean is still a powerful economic force. Chocolate manufacturing is a more than 4-billion-dollar industry in the United States, and the average American eats at least half a pound of the stuff per month.
小題1:The earliest chocolate was most probably _________.
A.a(chǎn) dish B.a(chǎn) drink C.a(chǎn) bar D.a(chǎn) candy
小題2: It can be inferred from the passage that ________________.
A.the history of chocolate is at most 4,000 years.
B.people around the world could buy things with chocolate.
C.chocolate was well paid attention to since it was born.
D.a(chǎn)n American at least eats a pound of chocolate per month.
小題3:Why did chocolate suit the Spanish’s taste so quickly? _________
A.Because chocolate was so tasty and bitter.
B.Because chocolate was believed to be a source of nutrition.
C.Because chocolate was sweetened with honey or cane sugar.
D.Because chocolate became a fashionable beverage.
小題4:Which one shows the correct order according to the time of their appearing? _________
A.chocolate beverage----chocolate bar----chocolate candies----milk chocolate
B.chocolate bar----chocolate beverage----chocolate candies----milk chocolate
C.chocolate bar ----chocolate candies ----milk chocolate ---- chocolate beverage
D.chocolate beverage ----chocolate candies----chocolate bar---- milk chocolate

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

The Taj Mahal (泰姬陵) is a love story, a sad and beautiful one. If it didn’t exist, we would easily imagine that the story of its construction was simply a fairy tale. Three hundred years ago, there lived an Indian emperor called Shah Jahan. His wife was a beautiful and bright woman whom he loved greatly. Her title was Mumtazl Mahal: its shortened form Taj Mahal, means “pride of the palace”. In the year 1630 this beloved wife of the emperor died. He was so brokenhearted that he thought of giving up his throne. He decided out of his love for his wife, to build her the most beautiful tomb that had ever been seen.
He summoned the best artists and architects from India, Turkey, Persia and Arabia and finally, the design was complete. It took more than twenty thousand men working over a period of 18 years to build the Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
The building itself stands on a marble platform 29 meters square and 6-7 meters high. Towers rise from each of the four corners. The Mahal itself soars another 61 meters into the air. It is an eight-sided building made of white marble.
The emperor planned to build an identical tomb of black marble for himself on the other side of the river connected by a silver bridge. However, his son put him into a prison in the palace before he could finish, and for the rest of his life, he could only gaze across the river at the tomb of his beloved wife.
小題1: The whole passage tells us about ______.
A.a(chǎn) beautiful fairy tale
B.the story of the Taj Mahal
C.white and black marble tombs made for two emperors
D.the love story of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife
小題2:Which of the following statements is NOT true about the Taj Mahal?
A.It was completed quickly owing to the efforts of the best artists and workers.
B.A lot of people took part in the building work.
C.It is a magnificent building.
D.It is a tomb for the emperor’s beloved wife.
小題3: The emperor’s own tomb was designed to be ____________.
A.61 meters high B.eight-sidedC.black-coloredD.white-colored
小題4:The emperor _____________.
A.died soon after Taj Mahal died
B.was killed by his son
C.was beloved by his people
D.died after 1648

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

From the beginning of human history, wild animals provided food, clothing and sometimes medicine. We may not depend so much on wild animals now. But we hear about them every day. Americans use the names of animals in many ways. Automobile manufacturers (制造商) and gasoline companies especially like to use big cats to sell their products. They like lions, tigers and wildcats. When Americans say wildcat, they usually mean a lynx, an ocelot or a bobcat. All these cats attack quickly and fiercely. So wildcats represent something fast and fierce.
An early American use of the word wildcat was quite different. It was used to describe members of Congress who declared war on Britain in 1812. A magazine of that year said the wildcat congressmen went home. It said they were unable to face the responsibility of having involved their country in an unnecessary war.
Wildcat also has been used as a name for money. At that time, some states permitted banks to make their own money. One bank in the state of Michigan offered paper money with a picture of a wildcat on it. Some banks, however, did not have enough gold to support all the paper money they offered. So the money had little or no value. It was called a wildcat bill or a wildcat bank note.
The banks which offered this money were called wildcat banks. A newspaper of the time said those were the days of wildcat money. It said a man might be rich in the morning and poor by night.
Wildcat then was used for an oil well or gold mine that had almost no oil or gold in it. Dishonest developers would buy such property. Then they would sell it and leave town with the money. The buyers were left with worthless holes in the ground. Today, wildcat oil wells are in areas that are not known to have oil.
小題1:What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Wildcats and their stories. B.Wildcats and their characters.
C.Varieties of animal species.D.Relationship between animals and humans.
小題2:From the passage we can know that ______.
A.wildcats represent the state of Michigan.
B.the use of wildcats was not always the same
C.wildcats are the best friend of human beings
D.honest developers never buy wildcat oil wells
小題3:The underlined words “a lynx, an ocelot or a bobcat”in Paragraph 1 may refer to ______.
A.gasoline companiesB.a(chǎn)utomobile manufacturers
C.names of wildcatsD.brands of automobile
小題4:It can be inferred that during the days of wildcat money ______.
A.people couldn’t buy anything with the money
B.people didn’t know how to save money
C.the rich invested too much on oil wells
D.people complained and suffered a lot

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Today, bicycles are elegantly simple machines that are common around the world. Many people ride bicycles for recreation, whereas others use them as a means of transportation. The first bicycle was invented in Germany in 1818. Because it was made of wood, it wasn’t very strong nor did it have pedals (腳踏板).Riders moved it by pushing their feet against the ground.
In 1839, Kirkpatrick Macmillan, a Scottish blacksmith, invented a much better bicycle. Macmillan’s machine had iron-covered wheels to keep them from getting worn down. He also used foot-operated levers, similar to pedals, so his bicycle could be ridden at a quick pace. It didn’t look much like the modem bicycle, though, because its back wheel was substantially larger than its front wheel. Although Macmillan’s bicycles could be ridden easily, they were never produced in large numbers.
In 1861, Frenchman Pierre Michaux and his brother Ernest invented a bicycle with an improved pedal mechanism. They called their bicycle a velocipede,but most people called it a “bone shaker” because of the effect of the wood and iron frame. Despite the impolite nickname, the velocipede was a hit. After a few years, the Michaux family was making hundreds of the machines annually, mostly for fun-seeking young people.
Ten years later, James Starley , an English inventor, made several innovations that revolutionized bicycle design. He made the front wheel many times larger than the back wheel, put a gear on the pedals to make the bicycle more efficient,and lightened the wheels by using wire spokes. Although this bicycle was much lighter and less tiring to ride, it was still clumsy, extremely top-heavy,and ridden mostly for entertainment.
It wasn’t until 1874 that the first truly modern bicycle appeared on the scene. Invented by another Englishman, H. J. Lawson, the safety bicycle would look familiar to today’s cyclists. The safety bicycle had equal-sized wheels, which made it easier to ride. Lawson also attached a chain to the pedals to drive the back wheel. By 1893,the safety bicycle had been further improved with air-filled rubber tires, a diamond-shaped frame, and easy braking. With the improvements provided by Lawson; bicycles became extremely popular and useful for transportation. Today, they are built, used, and enjoyed all over the world.
小題1:This passage was most likely written in order to _____.
A.compare bicycles used for different purposes
B.describe the problems early bicycle makers experienced
C.persuade readers to use bicycles for transportation
D.tell readers about the early history of the bicycle
小題2:Macmillan covered the wheels of his bicycle with iron to _____
A.a(chǎn)dd weight to the bicycle
B.make the bicycle easier to ride
C.a(chǎn)llow the wheels to last longer
D.let the bicycle be more comfortable
小題3:Which of the following bicycle types was invented by James Starley?

小題4:Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.Two hundred years ago,bicycles did not exist.
B.The first bicycle could be ridden at a very quick pace.
C.The Michaux brothers called their bicycle a “bone shaker”.
D.Macmillan’s machine had wheels with rubber tires.
小題5:The information about bicycles in this passage is arranged according to _____.
A.importanceB.timeC.placeD.Interest

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

At present time, roller skating (滑旱冰) is easy and fun. But many years ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, people never tried skating on wheels. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making instruments (工具). In his free time he liked to play the violin. Merlin was a man with many ideas and many dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to go to an important party. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think. He wanted to find a way to make a wonderful entrance at the party. Merlin had an idea. He thought that he would attract a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll (滾動(dòng)). Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skate shoes. Merlin was very proud of them. He dreamed of arriving at the party and skating into the room while playing the violin. He was sure that everyone would be very surprised.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room, playing his violin. Everyone was really surprised to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skating. He rolled on, playing the violin. Then, with all eyes on him, Merlin hit into a huge mirror on the wall. The mirror broke into many pieces with a very loud noise.
Nobody forgot Merlin’s wonderful entrance after that.
小題1:The first paragraph tells us that people began to skate on wheels from 1750 because _______.
A.it is very easy
B.it is very exciting
C.Joseph Merlin’s instruments
D.it is very popular
小題2:People called Merlin a dreamer because ___________.         .
A.he slept and dreamed a lot
B.he was full of different ideas and dreams
C.he invented the first roller skates
D.he always made people’s dreams come true
小題3:___________ made Merlin think of skating on wheels.
A.Merlin’s workB.Merlin’s violin
C.A huge mirrorD.An important party
小題4:What was Merlin’s problem after he rolled into the room?
A.He couldn’t stop his roller-skating.
B.He couldn’t attract a lot of attention.
C.Everyone was surprised at him.
D.He couldn’t play the violin while rolling.
小題5:What’s the best title for the passage?
A.Joseph Merlin’s Story
B.How Roller Skating Was Invented
C.A Surprising Entrance to the Party
D.Violin and roller skating

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