A used book or nearly-new kitchen gadget (配件) may not be at the top of every Christmas wish list, but hard economic times coupled with a new green awareness are changing attitudes about gift-giving in France.
French holiday shoppers are choosing larger numbers for “green” gifting this Christmas, studies show. About 30 percent of French consumers will give second-hand items as gifts to stretch out their tight budgets but also to do their little bit for recycling, according to a study by international consulting firm Deloitte.
The survey of Christmas consumer behaviors in 18 European countries found the French were more than twice as likely as other Europeans to give second-hand items. Websites promoting re-gifting and green gifting are popular in France, with many reporting a rise in business.
“Concerns about the ecology and the economy have come together and we are now seeing people who accept the types of gifts that were not appreciated just a short time ago,” said Sebastien Ravut, who runs a website promoting eco-friendly consumerism. His site lists shops in France that offer fair trade products, bio-friendly goods and recycled items. Over the Christmas holidays, the number of visits to the site has doubled from last year, reaching 60,000 a month.
A study by online survey firm Vivodi for PriceMinister showed eight out of 10 people would be happy to receive a used item as a gift and that younger consumers were more open to the idea.
But Gilles Goldenberg, author of the Deloitte study, said that environmental concerns are not why customers buy used goods. “The number one concern is getting the lowest possible price,” said Goldenberg. “Eco-friendly products are drawing a lot of interest, but not if that means paying more.”
Theatre tickets and other low-carbon gifts are fashionable, and eco-friendly websites are also encouraging gift givers to offer time and services instead of stuff. “The order of the day is to spend less time shopping and more time connecting” over the holidays, said Florence de Monclin from the Nicolas Helot foundation for Nature and Humanity.
小題1:We can judge from the Deloitte study that _________.
A．over a quarter of the French give second-hand Christmas gifts
B．the French are less willing to buy eco-friendly gifts than other Europeans
C．80% of French people are happy to receive second-hand gifts
D．less than 10% of European consumers are likely to give second-hand gifts
小題2:According to Goldenberg, the main reason for customers to buy used goods is that _______.
A．they want to be eco-friendly B．they want to save money
C．it is encouraged by websites D．it is a new fashion in Europe
小題3: All the following might be a promoted gift EXCEPT ________.
A．a(chǎn) theatre ticket
B．a(chǎn) second-hand book
C．a(chǎn) nearly-new digital toaster
D．a(chǎn) box of heavily packaged chocolate
小題4:Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．Old people are not open minded enough to accept second-hand gifts.
B．People wish to receive second-hand gifts because of the economic downturn.
C．Ravut’s website received a sharp decrease in visits during the Christmas holidays.
D．In de Monclin’s opinion, people should spend more time with friends and family during holidays

小題1:A
小題1:B
小題1:D
小題1:D
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

I devote myself to music because of my grandmother. My mom and I lived with my grandparents from the time I was two __36__ I was eight. And even then, I was at their house before and after school every day while my mother was __37__.
Grandma loved music. It was she that first __38__ me to Elvis Presley (貓王) as a very young child, and once I heard his music, I was truly in __39__ with it. Most five-year-olds ask for __40__ for birthdays, but I wanted Elvis’ albums. I would play them non-stop and __41__ to the music in my grandma’s family room though my movements didn’t look good.
Grandma played the piano and __42__ me to sing “America the Beautiful” and “Somewhere over the Rainbow”. I __43__ started playing music on the piano, and soon Grandma was paying for me to __44__ piano lessons from a lady living in the __45__. I would come home from __46__ and walk three houses down for my lesson. I __47__ took about nine months of lessons, but it was enough to give me a foundation (基礎(chǔ)) and __48__ me to continue to teach myself.
Last month when I came home to visit Grandma in the hospital, I __49__ my guitar with me. She was in a lot of pain, but the music seemed to __50__ her soul. She had me sing some songs and when I started to sing “Somewhere over the Rainbow”, her weakened voice __51__ in with mine for a few lines. That experience was one of the most __52__ of my lifetime and one I will certainly cherish forever. I told her of my music career and she was very __53__ and said, “That’s wonderful!” I __54__ to play for her throughout the week I was home.
My grandma passed away two days ago. In my opinion, part of her will live on through every __55__ I write or sing in my life.
小題1:
A．unlessB．untilC．a(chǎn)fterD．when
小題2:
A．a(chǎn)t workB．in troubleC．on boardD．in danger
小題3:
A．sentB．leftC．rememberedD．introduced
小題4:
A．debateB．loveC．a(chǎn)greementD．doubt
小題5:
A．musicB．spaceC．giftsD．toys
小題6:
A．waveB．sleepC．danceD．play
小題7:
A．forcedB．preparedC．enabledD．taught
小題8:
A．generallyB．eventually(最后)C．suddenlyD．fortunately(幸運地)
小題9:
A．observeB．makeC．takeD．enjoy
小題10:
A．hotelB．a(chǎn)partmentC．neighborhoodD．countryside
小題11:
A．schoolB．hospitalC．streetD．office
小題12:
A．exactlyB．onlyC．completelyD．seldom
小題13:
A．a(chǎn)skB．makeC．letD．a(chǎn)llow
小題14:
A．gave upB．gave awayC．brought alongD．brought up
小題15:
A．comfortB．blameC．a(chǎn)ttractD．find
小題16:
A．joinedB．pouredC．movedD．fell
小題17:
A．surprisingB．touchingC．puzzlingD．tiring
小題18:
A．sadB．calmC．boredD．pleased
小題19:
A．refusedB．expectedC．continuedD．pretended (假裝)
小題20:
A．projectB．a(chǎn)rticleC．bookD．song

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Temperature is part of my married romance.   36  to New York from Baltimore——where there is just one small snowstorm each year——I was seated by a fireplace in my new home, with fires   37  all day, just as what ancient people did at a wedding.
My husband, Peter, comes from northern Ontario（加拿大的安大略省）, where winter   38  from September to May and cold wind is   39 . “When Canadians have -30℃, they   40  it bravely,” he says, “Cold wind is for crybabies.（愛哭的人）”
So to marry this man I had to learn to   41  for serious cold. To get me from Baltimore’s Inner Harbor to Albany’s frozen Hudson, Peter piled me   42  jackets and sweaters, scarves and gloves, even a hat with earflaps. The gift of Sorel boots——comfortably warm at Canada’s 30 below, was a   43  meaning getting serious.
That first winter together, living in upstate New York, I thought I’d   44 . My boots were good below freezing, but my fingers could   45  tie them. Physical adaptation is real, but it came slowly. And there is also emotional   46  to cold. Some days I tell myself that I have enough beach memories to stick to on   47   days and other days I am reminded that living cold does indeed build   48 .
49 , having a warm house is important. After my first marriage ended, for years I   50  went on a second date with a man whose response to my “I’m cold.” was, “Put on a sweater.” Now I’m married to a man who   51  that cold hands do not mean a warm heart, and that a big oil bill is better than roses. But surprisingly, I’ve grown, too. I am   52  , in this new life and climate, to go and look for that cost-saving sweater.
The word comfortable did not   53  refer to being satisfied. It’s from Latin, comfortare, meaning to strengthen. The Holy Spirit is Comforter；not to make us comfortable, but to make us   54  . We   55  not be warm but we are indeed comforted.
小題1:
A．ComingB． Having been coming
C． To comeD． Came
小題2:
A．lightningB． burningC． goingD． flashing
小題3:
A．a(chǎn)ppearsB． startsC． keepsD． runs
小題4:
A．somethingB． everythingC． nothingD． none
小題5:
A．suggest B． faceC． neglectD． love
小題6:
A．drink B． receiveC． dressD． ride
小題7:
A．under B． overC． insideD． with
小題8:
A．remarkB． signC． commentD． show
小題9:
A． sleep B． forget
C． dieD．continue
小題10:
A． hardly B． easilyC． tightlyD． loosely
小題11:
A．health B． reaction
C． feelingsD． adaptation
小題12:
A．rainy B． freezingC． sunnyD． happy
小題13:
A．characterB． love
C． hopeD． hardship
小題14:
A．MeanwhileB． However
C． ThereforeD． Besides
小題15:
A．merelyB． everC． neverD． just
小題16:
A．wonders B． knowsC． statesD． decides
小題17:
A．unableB． accustomed
C． interestedD． willing
小題18:
A．originallyB． exactlyC． actuallyD． namely
小題19:
A．wildB． coldC． strongD． warm
小題20:
A．willB． mustC． canD． may

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

It seems that some people go out of their way to get into trouble．That’s more or less what happened the night that Nashville Police officer Floyd Hyde was on duty.
“I was on the way to a personal-injury accident in West Nashville．As I got onto  Highway 40，blue lights and sirens(警笛)going.I fell in behind a gold Pontiac Firebird that suddenly seemed to take off quickly down the highway．The driver somehow panicked at the sight of me．He was going more than a hundred miles an hour and began passing cars on the shoulder．”
But Hyde couldn’t go after him．Taking care of injured people is always more important than worrying about speeders，so the officer had to stay on his way to the accident．But he did try to keep the Firebird in sight as he drove，hoping another nearby unit would be able to step in and stop the speeding car．As it turned out，keeping the Firebird in sight was not that difficult．Every turn the Pontiac made was the very turn the officer needed to get to the accident scene.
Hyde followed the Pontiac all the way to his destination(目的地)．At that point he found another unit had already arrived at the accident scene．His help wasn’t needed.Now he was free to try to stop the driver of the Firebird，who by this time had developed something new to panic about．
“Just about that time，” Hyde said，“I saw fire coming out from under that car，with blue smoke and oil going everywhere.He’d blown his engine．Now he had to stop．”
“After I arrested him．I asked him why he was running．He told me he didn’t have a driver’s license(執(zhí)照)．”
That accident cost the driver of the Firebird plenty---a thousand dollars for the new engine---not to mention the charges for driving without a license，attempting to run away，and dangerous driving．
小題1:The underlined word“panicked”in Paragraph 2 means       .
A．fearedB．hatedC．excitedD．satisfied
小題2:The driver of the Firebird suddenly speeded down the highway because         .
A．he was racing with another driver on the road
B．he realized he had to hurry to the accident scene
C．he thought the police officer wanted to stop him
D．he wanted to overtake other cars on the shoulder
小題3:Which of the following statements is true?
A．Someone else was taking care of the injured person．
B．The Pontiac reached its destination at the accident scene．
C．Hyde knew where he was going by following the right car．
D．The policeman was running after a speeder on Highway 40
小題4:Choose the best title for the passage．
A．Going My Way?B．Help on the Way?
C．Fun All theWay?D．Losing His Way?

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

If you look for a book as a present for a child, you will be spoiled for choice even in a year when there is no new Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling’s wizard is not alone: the past decade has been a harvest for good children’s books, which has set off a large quantity of films and in turn led to increased sales of classics such as The Lord of the Rings.
Yet despite that, reading is increasingly unpopular among children. According to statistics, in 1997 23% said they didn’t like reading at all. In 2003, 35% did. And around 6% of children leave primary school each year unable to read properly.
Maybe the decline is caused by the increasing availability（可利用性）of computer games. Maybe the books boom（繁榮）has affected only the top of the educational pile. Either way, Chancellor Gordon Brown plans to change things for the bottom of the class. In his pre-budget（預(yù)算） report, he announced the national project of Reading Recovery to help the children struggling most.
Reading Recovery is aimed at six-year-olds, who receive four months of individual daily half- hour classes with a specially trained teacher. An evaluation earlier this year reported that children on the scheme made 20 months’ progress in just one year, whereas similarly weak readers without special help made just five months’ progress, and so ended the year even further below the level expected for their age.
International research tends to find that when British children leave primary school they read well, but read less – often for fun than those elsewhere. Reading for fun matters because children who are keen on（熱衷） reading can expect lifelong pleasure and loving books is an excellent indicator（指示物）of future educational success. According to the OECD, being a regular and enthusiastic reader is of great advantage.
小題1:Which of the following is true of Paragraph 1?
A．Many children’s books have been adapted from films.
B．Many high-quality children’s books have been published.
C．The sales of classics have led to the popularity of films.
D．The sales of presents for children have increased.
小題2:Statistics suggested that ___.
A．the number of top students increased with the use of computers.
B．a(chǎn) decreasing number of children showed interest in reading.
C．a(chǎn) minority of primary school children read properly.
D．a(chǎn) large percentage of children read regularly.
小題3:What do we know about Reading Recovery?
A．An education of it will be made sometime this year.
B．Weak readers on the project were the most hardworking.
C．It aims to train special teachers to help children with reading.
D．Children on the project showed noticeable progress in reading.
小題4:Reading for fun is important because book-loving children ____.
A．takes greater advantage of the project.
B．shows the potential to enjoy a long life.
C．is likely to succeed in their education.
D．would make excellent future researchers.
小題5:The aim of this text would probably be ____.
A．to overcome primary school pupils’ reading difficulty.
B．to encourage the publication of more children’s books.
C．to remind children of the importance of reading for fun.
D．to introduce a way to improve early childhood reading.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的選項中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項。選項中有兩項多余選項。
小題1:___
After I had spent a week with my English family, I slowly began to understand their English a little better. _小題2:____ Students in my group are from different cities of Britain and their dialects (方言) are different too! Some of their accents are quite strong and they also have their own words and expressions.
小題3:____ Before I came to England I had thought that fish and chips were eaten every day. That’s quite wrong! I get rather annoyed now when I hear all the foolish words about typical English food.
I had expected to see “London fog”. Do you remember our texts about it? We had no idea that most of this “thick fog” disappeared many years ago when people stopped using coal in their homes. But the idea to speak about weather was very helpful. 小題4:___ On the other hand, habits are different. People tell me what is typical British here in London is not always typical in Wales or Scotland小題5:____
But what is ordinary for all British is that they follow traditions(傳統(tǒng)). Probably Britain has more living signs of its past than many other countries. And people have always been proud of having ancient (古老) buildings in capitals, big cities and the countryside.
I will tell you more about Britain in my other letters.
Love from Britain.
Peter
A．The weather in London is really changeable.
B．I have difficulty in understanding my classmates.
C．Thanks for your nice letter.
D．The family I live with are friendly.
E. It’s very different from what I learned at school.
F. Local habits and traditions are not the same as what we knew.
G. But it’s not the language that’s different and surprising.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

There are three kinds of goals: short-term, intermediate and long-term goals. Short-term goals are those that usually deal with present activities. Such goals can be achieved in a week or two, or possible months. It should be remembered that just as a building is no stronger than its foundation (基礎(chǔ)), our long-term goals cannot be achieved without the achievement of solid short-term goals. Upon completing our short-term goals, we should date the time and then add new short-term goals that will build on those that have been completed.
The intermediate goals build on the foundation of the short-term goals. They might deal with just one term of school or the entire school years, or they could extend for several years. Any time you move a step at a time, you never allow yourself to become discouraged. As you complete each step, you will have more belief in your ability to grow and succeed.
Long-term goals may be related to our dreams of future. They might cover five years or more. Life is not a static (靜態(tài)的) thing. We should never allow a long-term goal to limit us or our course of action.
小題1: The long-term goals mean______.
A．something static and easy to get if we complete our short-term goals
B．something easy to reach if we complete a short-term goal in time
C．nothing but our dreams of future
D．a(chǎn) lot, such as a dream, and aspiration (熱望) or a wish in our life
小題2:When we complete each step of our goals, ______.
A．we will win final successB．we become down-hearted
C．we should encourage ourselvesD．we should think about changing our goals
小題3: It is the most important for us students to have ___________ first.
A．long-term goalsB．intermediate goals
C．short-term goalsD．dreams of future
小題4:Which of the following titles is best for this passage?
A．Three Kinds of GoalsB．How to Reach Goals
C．Changeable GoalsD．Moveable Goals

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Between their crazy schedules and upside-down circadian（晝夜節(jié)律的） rhythms, teens have always been somewhat sleep-deprived（剝奪）．Now technology is making it worse．
Teens are not just texting, instant-messaging and surfing Facebook all day; they’re sleeping with their cell phones or laptops, too．Or rather, not sleeping．And doctors and parents, many of whom raised in an era when phones were attached to walls, are concerned．
“So many teens are having sleep issues, and parents aren’t necessarily regulating the use of the electronic devices enough,” says Margie Ryerson, a therapist．“It’s impossible to wind down and relax the body, the mind, the senses and be ready to fall asleep．”
“We all know teens don’t get enough sleep in general,” says San Francisco．“As long as parents allow teens to have these devices in their bedrooms at night, teens will be tempted（誘惑） to use them．”… Teens would socialize 24/7 if they could．
Ryerson calls it the CNN syndrome of teenhood— round-the-clock reports on breaking news about everything, from homework to wardrobe choices to ice-cream cravings．
Sleep deprivation is linked to memory and concentration problems, anxiety and depression, and moodiness．“Many people assume these problems arise directly from adolescence, which is not really true,” he says．“The real issue is sleep deprivation．Late-night texting can certainly make the situation worse．”
“The psychology behind this constant contact is certainly understandable,” Ryerson says．“It comes from wanting to avoid being left out．They won’t be considered important and significant in their peer group, if they don’t know what’s going on．If they’re on top of everything, they belong,” she says．
“What helps, at least for younger kids,” says Ryerson, “is parental involvement．If all of their friends are all able to text into the early hours of the night, it is hard for a middle or high schooler to set the limit themselves．Often they appreciate parents stepping in．”
“As parents, we want our kids to be happy, healthy and responsible,” she says, “and the most necessary requirement for achieving balance is to first take care of ourselves physically — eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep．”
小題1:According to Ryerson, it seems that ____．
A．it is unnecessary to control teens’ using the electric devices
B．parents possibly don’t control teens in using the electric devices
C．there is no need for parents to make use of the electric devices
D．parents don’t learn enough how to use the electric devices
小題2:By saying the underlined part “the CNN syndrome of teenhood”（in Para5）, Ryerson means _．
A．teens are affected by CNN news reports very much
B．teens watch news report on CNN around the clock
C．teens text to tell each other everything possible
D．teens like the news report on CNN
小題3:When teens felt depressed, people used to think it was because ____．
A．teens stayed up late to do homework
B．teens were easily anxious in character
C．teens didn’t have enough sleep at night
D．teens were going through a period of growth
小題4:Why do teens keep texting all the time?
A．To have a sense of being accepted by others．
B．To keep informed of what is going on in the world．
C．To spread important news among their group．
D．To reduce the pressure from parents and schools．

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

At one time, people used to travel to foreign countries because they thought they would be different from home—the building, the food, the national dress. Nowadays, however, one large city is very like another. They all have their Hilton or Sheraton Hotels which look Hilton or Sheraton Hotels everywhere. They all have their McDonald’s, their KFCs, their Pizza Huts. Office buildings look the same everywhere, and most city centers are full of office buildings. And, of course, people are driving the same brands of Japanese or European cars, usually wearing the same kinds of clothing and the world’s airlines are all flying the same aircraft, Boeings or Airbuses.
What, therefore, is the purpose of foreign travel for people who are not on business? What do tourists hope to experience in a foreign country that they cannot experience at home? Why travel to foreign countries at all? The answer could be that people are very interested in the past. It is a nation’s history that is its main attraction. Most of today’s tourists travel overseas to find out what foreign countries and cultures used to be like, not what they are like today. The words “cultural tourism” are now part of the language of tourism, and it is the museums and works of art in many countries that are their main attractions.
If they are lucky—and have had sensible, strong governments—many countries also usually have at least a few beautiful places for tourists to visit.
Finally there is perhaps a nation’s greatest attraction: its people. A nation is not just its historical buildings, its works of art or beautiful places, it is also the people who live in it. This is why a country such as Thailand attracts millions of people every year. They come mainly because of the friendliness of the Thai people. It is why the Pacific Islands are also so popular. There may not be much to see or do in Fiji, but there are lots of friendly, smiling people to make visitors feel welcome.
小題1:The passage is mainly about      .
A．the importance of tourismB．different foreign cultures
C．how to plan an overseas tripD．why people travel to foreign countries
小題2:The writer thinks that large cities in foreign countries       .
A．a(chǎn)re similar to one anotherB．share the same aircraft
C．do not have good hotelsD．do not offer a warm service to foreigners
小題3:The writer believes that many tourists are interested in foreign        .
A．hotelsB．historyC．carsD．programs
小題4:The underlined phrase “cultural tourism” means        .
A．visiting lots of museumsB．traveling overseas
C．studying the history of a foreign countryD．tourists being interested in a nation’s past and ideas

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