April Fool’s Day(愚人節(jié)), was a day of laughing and jokes. This day is kept in many countries, not only in Britain and the USA. This is a day to play jokes and make people laugh. Nobody knows when was the beginning of this custom. Some people connect it with the end of winter and the return of spring which make people merry and ready to play jokes.
In Scotland young people were sent for hen’s teeth or bird’s milk and everybody laughed when they could find such things. In the USA and Britain some people could place a sign on a person’s back with the words “push me!” Children often tell a grown-up that his sock is torn or he has something black on his face, and then shout “April Fool!” There is also the old purse(錢包) trick. A purse is left lying in the street, but when someone wants to take it, it is quickly pulled back by a string which the hidden joker holds in his hand. Or the purse may be filled with stones. Sometimes invitations are sent to people, asking them to come and visit somebody, but when they come they see that nobody expects them. Some people like to telephone to the zoo on the day and ask for Mr. Fish, Miss Fox or Mrs. Cat. All these jokes are very old but still they make people laugh.
小題1: ____________knows when the custom of April Fool’s Day started.
A.OneB.AnyoneC.NobodyD.Someone
小題2:Many tricks are played on April Fool’s day except ____ .
A.phoning the zooB.placing a sign on someone’s back
C.playing cardsD.leaving a purse in the street
小題3:The purpose of playing jokes is to _____ .
A.for funB.make people laugh
C.make fool of oneselfD.fool someone
小題4:The best title of the passage is ____ .
A.How people in the west spend their April Fool’s Day
B.Customs are different
C.How British people celebrate their holidays
D.How April Fool’s Day comes about

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

No one can believe that the over 6,300-kilometer Great Wall might disappear some day. Believe it or not, the Great Wall is being destroyed by people. Less than 20 percent of the Great Wall built in the Ming Dynasty ,is still perfect, but about 80 percent is in danger. The Great Wall can be called “ great “ mostly because of its amazing length. But we should realize that the length was made up of one brick at a time. If we do nothing to save the Great Wall,it will become a series of separate wasteland rather than a historic site.
The Great Wall is actually a series of walls built and rebuilt by different dynasties over the past 2,000 years. It began in the rule of China’s first emperor, Qin Shihuang of the Qin Dynasty (221BC----206BC), and lasted into the Ming Dynasty. The parts built before the Ming Dynasty have nearly disappeared. People are familiar with sections such as Badaling in Beijing and Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu, because they have been open to tourists for many years. But those sections far away from the public eyes have been almost forgotten.
Few local people knew the 3—meter—high walls made of earth and stones beside them are parts of the Great Wall. The lack of knowledge is considered as one of the main reasons behind human.
The bricks on the Great Wall are carried off by countryside people to build their houses,sheep corrals and pigsties. Some were taken away to build roads. Bricks carved with people’s names are put away as remembrances. The rubbish is spread over the battlements. The brick can be sold 15 yuan per tractor load. Those who destroyed and are destroying the Wall know its name, but are not clear about its cultural meaning. It will take a long time to let them know this. The local farmers not only carried off the body of the Wall but also dug out the entire base.
It is necessary to protect the Great Wall. First of all, the officials should be aware of the importance of the Great Wall. Young Chinese should know more about the nation’s great civilization and learn to love it.
小題1:Why does the writer say the Great Wall might disappear?
A.It is useless from now on.
B. It is too old to be used again.
C. It will be replaced by a new one.
D. Some parts of it are being destroyed.
小題2:The underlined part “ those sections far away from the public eyes “( in Para. 2 ) refers to the parts of the Great Wall______________.
A.nobody can watch.
B.that are too far to be seen.
C.that are too difficult to find.
D.that are not well-known to the public.
小題3: What’s the main reason of the Great Wall being destroyed?
A.The local people sell the bricks for a living.
B.The local people are short of culture knowledge.
C.The local people think that the Great Wall is not important.
D.The local people need bricks and stones to build houses.
小題4: Which of the following may be the best title for this passage?
A.How to Protect the Great Wall.
B.How the Great Wall came into being.
C.The Great Wall Being Rebuilt.
D.The Great Wall Being in Danger.

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Cittaslow has discovered China, and it is awarding a little village in Jiangsu the title of "slow city"
The bored teenagers of Gaochun are impatient with the leisurely pace of hometown life.For them there is no nightlife to speak of, no bright lights, no excitement and they cannot wait to grow up and leave for the urban attractions of the big cities.But it is this laid-back lifestyle that has attracted international attention.At least, a quiet village within Gaochun county has come under the spotlight.Yaxi village, population 20,000, is about to be designated China's first "slow city" by Cittaslow, the sustainable lifestyle movement that first surfaced in Italy 11 years ago.
At home, the residents at Yaxi are unfazed and pretty much unimpressed by the honor.To them, life has been like this for as long as they can remember.Here, growing old gracefully is natural.
Nobody living in this little county had heard of Cittaslow or the words "slow city" before this.
"The first time I heard the term was last July, when the vice-president of Cittaslow, Angelo Vassallo, visited Yaxi village," says Zuo Niansheng, the chief editor of local newspaper Gaochun Today.
"Vassallo was deeply impressed by this village's natural and cultural resources and said it perfectly fitted the requirements for a slow city," says Zuo."That was how Yaxi became connected with Cittaslow.
The Slow City must also be committed to protect and maintain the natural environment as well as promote a sustainable way of development ?all of which are the current strategies adopted in Gaochun."We've been doing this for years," adds Zuo.
Cittaslow was founded in Tuscany, Italy in 1999.It was a spin-off from the Slow Food movement which started, also in Italy, in 1986 as a protest against the first McDonald ' s opening near the Spanish Steps in Rome.The movement championed a return to healthy, nutritious home-grown, home -cooked food.
Slow Food has since expanded globally to more than 130 countries.Its mission has also broadened to include the promotion of sustainable foods and local small businesses, and the localization as opposed to globalization of food production.
Cittaslow is an expansion of the Slow Food movement, and it actively advocates a lifestyle that is sustainable, that will improve quality of life, and will preserve cultural and culinary (烹飪的)heritage.
小題1:According the passage, Cittaslow is a(n) ____.
A.organizationB.personC.lifestyleD.honor
小題2:What' s the reaction of the residents at Yaxi to the award according the passage? They feel
A.very excited.B.very shocked
C.indifferentD.very happy
小題3:Why is the village Yaxi awarded the title of “slow city”? Because          .
A.it is full of excitement and activities of nightlife
B.the residents at Yaxi enjoy a leisure life
C.it is very rich and has a lot of attractions
D.foreign people like small towns than big cities.
小題4:It can be inferred from the passage that         .
A.young people at Yaxi enjoy their life very much
B.China is more and more popular with foreign people
C.the first McDonald’s in Europe was opened in Spain
D.the lifestyle of “slow city” will be good to environment and people

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

The new iPhone 3G should please everyone. Its look and feel are only slightly improved, but a faster network loads Web pages more quickly, true GPS functionality allows it to easily find places nearby, and the new $199 price (down from $400) makes it an affordable luxury.
Before deciding whether to buy, however, make sure you can actually take advantage of the iPhone 3G's high-speed data network. 3G stands for third-generation, which in non-geek speak translates to Web pages and mail messages that, ideally, load about three times faster than on the original iPhone. Even better, 3G coverage enables you to make a phone call and surf the Web at the same time. That's great, if you live or work in a place where the 3G network of AT&T(美國電話電報公司) (the sole wireless carrier of the iPhone) is active. That's not so great in cities like New York where AT&T's cellular coverage is awful. As one of my colleagues in New York City, who bought the original iPhone, commented, "It's just a toy. You can't make phone calls on it, so I carry my Verizon phone with me all the time."
The real fun begins when you tap on the icon called "App Store" and start browsing the hundreds of add-on applications that have been developed just for the iPhone. You'll find tons of games (I like JirboBreak, a free game inspired by the Atari classic Breakout) and mobile versions of popular websites like Pandora, Facebook, MySpace and the New York Times. Most apps will cost you, but the vast majority are $9.99 or less. The apps work on the old iPhones too, but you'll enjoy them a lot more on the iPhone 3G because many of the programs, including Yelp (local business reviews), Whrrl (mobile social networking) and UrbanSpoon (restaurant reviews), use your exact location — provided by the iPhone 3G's GPS chip — to make recommendations. The apps also load much faster over the 3G network.
小題1:The new iPhone 3G has following features except that _______
A.It looks and feels betterB.It has a faster network
C.It is easy to locate a placeD.It is too expensive for people to buy
小題2:Why do one of my colleagues carry Verizon phone with him all the time? ______.
A.Because iPhone 3G is just a toy.
B.ecause he prefers Verizon phone better.
C.Because AT&T's cellular coverage is terrible there
D.Because Verizon phone enables him make a phone call and surf the Web at the same time
小題3:Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage. ____.
A.App Store will offer you great fun.B.many apps have been developed for the iPhone.
C.Most apps are very expensive.
D.Pandora, Facebook, MySpace and the New York Times are popular websites.
小題4:From the passage we know that the attitude of the author toward iPhone 3G is _____.
A.doubtfulB.a(chǎn)ppreciativeC.optimisticD.pessimistic

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Almost all cultures celebrate the end of one year and the beginning of another in some way. Different cultures celebrate the beginning of a new year in different ways, and at different times on the calendar.
In western countries, people usually celebrate New Year at midnight on January 1st. People may go to parties, dress in formal clothes—like tuxedos(小禮服)and evening gowns, and drink champagne at midnight. During the first minutes of the New Year, people cheer and wish each other happiness for the year ahead. But some cultures prefer to celebrate the New Year by waking up early to watch the sun rise. They welcome the New Year with the first light of the sunrise.
It is also a common Western custom to make a New Year’s promise, called a resolution. New Year’s resolutions usually include promises to try something new or change a bad habit in the new year.
Many cultures also do special things to get rid of bad luck at the beginning of a new year. For example, in Ecuador, families make a big doll from old clothes. The doll is filled with old newspapers and firecrackers. At midnight, these dolls are burned to show the bad things from the past year are gone and the new year can start afresh (again). Other common traditions to keep away bad luck in a new year include throwing things into rivers or the ocean, or saying special things on                the first day of the new year.
Other New Year traditions are followed to bring good luck is to eat grapes on New Year’s Day. The more grapes a person eats, the more good luck the person will have in the year. In France, people eat pancakes for good luck at New Year. In the United States, some people eat black– eyed peas(豇豆)for good luck——but to get good luck for a whole year you have to eat 365 of them!
小題1:Which culture celebrates New Year in the morning?
A.The United States.B.Spain.
C.France.D.The passage doesn’t say.
小題2:According to the third paragraph, what is a resolution?
A.Something you burn.B.Something you eat.
C.Something you say.D.Something you wear.
小題3:What is the topic of the fourth paragraph?
A.Bringing good luck. B.Keeping away bad luck.
C.Planning for the next year.D.Remembering the past.
小題4:Which is probably true about eating black – eyed peas on New Year?
A.Black-eyed peas taste bad.B.The peas are very difficult to cook.
C.One pea brings one day of luck.D.It is bad luck to eat a lot of black-eyed peas.

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