Raymond Schneider politely elbowed his way through crowds of customers as he made for the candy bins at Dylan’s Candy Bar in Manhattan. Since he was laid off in December, Mr. Schneider, a 33-year-old designer, says he has become a “gummy junkie,” buying a lot of sweets every time he shops for groceries.
“Sugar is comforting,” he said. “There’s nothing more stressful than growing financial insecurity everywhere.”
The recession (經(jīng)濟(jì)衰退) seems to have a sweet tooth. As unemployment has risen, Americans, particularly adults, have been consuming growing amounts of candy, say candy makers, store owners and industry experts.
Theories vary on exactly why. For many, sugar lifts spirits dragged low by the economy. For others, candy also provides a reminder of better times. And not insignificantly, it is relatively cheap.
At Candyality, a store in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago, business has jumped by nearly 80 percent compared with this time last year, and the owner, Terese McDonald, said she was struggling to keep up with the demand for Bit-O-Honeys, Swedish Fish and Sour Balls.
“They put candy in their actual budget,” she said.
Many big candy makers are also reporting rising sales and surprising profits.
“Candy companies are relatively recession-proof,” said Peter Liebhold, chairman of the Smithsonian Institution’s work and industry division. “During the Great Depression, candy companies stayed in business.”
小題1:Raymond Schneider was set as an example to show ________.
A.many Americans were laid off in the recession
B.lots of Americans like candies
C.many Americans in the recession like sweets which are comforting
D.Americans are suffering much in the recession.
小題2: What does the underlined sentence “The recession seems to have a sweet tooth” mean?
A.Candy consuming rises while people are suffering bad effects of the recession.
B.The recession doesn’t have any bad effect on Americans.
C.Americans are optimistic even though they are out of employment.
D.Candy companies stayed in business during the Great Depression.
小題3:Which is NOT the reason why people in the recession like sugar?
A.It is relatively cheap.
B.It is comforting and can make a lot of profits.
C.It raises people’s spirits up.
D.It calls up people’s good memories.
小題4: The best title of the passage is ________.
A.Sugar Is Comforting
B.Candy Companies Stay In Business
C.Americans Have A Sweet Tooth
D.Sugar Sales Rise In The Recession

小題1:C小題2:A小題3:B小題4:D
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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Face-to-face communication involves much more than the spoken word.In fact, we often communicate our feelings to others through our body language without realizing we are doing so.We communicate through posture, gesture and facial expression.But the eyes also play an important part in this unspoken language.William Shakespeare called the eyes "a window to the soul," and you can learn to look through that window and better understand a person's body language by reading eye movement.
Begin a conversation and ask a simple question.Watch carefully for eye movement during the response.If the person looks up, he or she is thinking or forming pictures.This is also a sign of a visual thinker.Looking up and to the left shows recalling a memory, while looking up and to the right could show imaginative construction or lying.
If the person looks down, this could be a sign of obedience or even blame.Looking down and to the left can show a person talking to themselves.Looking down and to the right can show that they are feeling strong emotion.
Looking sideways can indicate distraction or checking out a potential threat, hut a sideways glance can also show anger.In addition, eyes that look side to side often show shiftiness and lying.
A glance usually indicates a desire for something.Glancing at a door could show a desire to leave the room, while a glance, at a person could indicate a desire to talk to them.A glance is also used when it is forbidden to look at something.
A person who is lying to you may hold eye contact longer than normal.In addition, this person might smile with his mouth but not with his eyes.Smiling with the eyes is difficult to do if the emotion is not genuine.
Rapid blinking(眨)of the eyes can occur when a person is thinking, and this can also be another sign of lying.Again, a person who is aware of this sign might overcompensate and stare.
小題1:.The writer supported his argument in the first paragraph by __    __.
A.using a quotationB.defining the body language
C.telling a story of William ShakespeareD.making a comment on eyes
小題2:.Which of the following eye movement shows a dishonest speaker?
A.If he looks up and to the left.
B.If he looks up and to the right.
C.If he looks down and to the left.
D.If he looks down and to the right.
小題3:.Which eye movement cannot hide your feelings?
A.Looking side to side.B.Blinking the eyes quickly.
C.Smiling with the eyes.D.Maintaining a prolonged eyes contact.
小題4:.The writer wrote this passage to __    __.
A.introduce the different meanings of the body languages
B.teach us how to use eyes to express ourselves
C.explain the importance of body languages
D.tell us how to read eye movement

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

According to the United States government, people are classified as homeless if they have no place to stay and no expectation of finding a place for the next thirty days. Although technically accurate, that is an impersonal assessment of an enormous and very human problem.
The homeless population represents all of us Americans. It includes men and women, the elderly, children, and infants. Its members are from all ethnic groups. What they have in common is poverty.
Currently in the U.S., thirty-nine million people live in poverty. When money is really tight, paying the rent or buying food often becomes a choice. Government assistance in the form of food stamps does help but, as one homeless man explains, you can’t pay the rent with food stamps.
With no money for rent, the streets and homeless shelters become the alternative.
Although men make up the largest group within the homeless population, homeless women with children are rapidly joining them. In fact, one quarter of the homeless people in the U.S. are teenagers and young children.
People may become homeless for numerous reasons. However, there are certain factors that many of these individuals have in common. They include a lack of adequate education and job skills. A majority of the teenagers and adults have not completed high school.
The abuse of alcohol and drugs is also a common factor. One third of the adult homeless population abuses alcohol, while one quarter of the same group uses drugs.
Some members of this population suffer mental health problems. Within the past several years many institutions for the mentally ill have been closed and their patients sent “home”. Unfortunately, a number of those people have no home to go to and they are unable to adequately look after themselves.
Job loss in today’s economy has also become a real factor in the loss of people’s homes. The breakup of families through abandonment and divorce is also contributing factors, particularly when there are children involved. The parent who is left to care for the kids with inadequate income may be forced to depend on the homeless shelters to put a roof over their heads.
小題1:The writer thinks that the U.S. government’s definition for the homeless shows _________.
A.a(chǎn)n insincere attitude toward the homeless
B.a(chǎn)n unbearable attitude toward the homeless
C.a(chǎn)n uncivilized attitude toward the homeless
D.a(chǎn)n unsympathetic attitude toward the homeless
小題2:The U.S. government helps the homeless by _________.
A.giving them homeless allowanceB.giving them food stamps
C.finding jobs for themD.finding residence (a place to live) for them
小題3:People become homeless for all the following reasons EXCEPT _________.
A.the lack of adequate education
B.the abuse of alcohol and drugs
C.the closure of institutions for the mentally ill
D.the poor performance of economy
小題4:The breakup of families is likely to lead to homelessness because a parent with kids may _________.
A.lose his or her job in today’s economy
B.be unable to look after the kids
C.not have enough income
D.find residence at a homeless shelter

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Not many people know that U.S. President Calvin Coolidge did not always live in the White House. Sometimes he lived in the nearby Willard Hotel.
Once, in the middle of a night, the President awoke to see a thief searching his clothes. Coolidge calmy spoke up from the darkness, “I wish you wouldn’t take that watch.”
“Why?” asked the shocked man.
Coolidged answered, “Take it near the window and read what is engraved on the back of it.”
The man read, “Presented to Calvin Coolidged, Speaker of the House, by the Massachusetts General Court.” He was very surprised!
“Are you President Coolidge?” he asked. He had never thought he would find the president sleeping in a hotel!
“Yes, I am” Coolidge said. Then he asked, “Why are you doing this,Son?”
The young man explained that he and a friend traveled to Washington during their college vacation. They spent all of their money and had no money to pay the hotel bill and the train tickets back to school.
Coolidge added up those fees. It came to $32.  That may not sound like much now, but it was a big sum then. “I’ll give you the $32 as a loan,” the President said, “And I expect you to pay me back.”
The youth thanked him. Coolidge left him with this warning: “Son, you are a nice boy, you are better than you are acting. You are starting down the wrong road. Just remember who you are.”
It wasn’t until after the death of Mr.Coolidge that this story was allowed to come out. It was first published in the Los Angeles Times. And the most interesting of all is that the President’s notes show that the young man was indeed better than he was acting. He repaid the $32 loan in full.
小題1:.The president stopped the youth from stealing the watch because         
A.It was his favorite watch.
B.He wanted to give some money to the youth
C.He wanted to help the young man from getting into trouble
D.He used it for work and daily life
小題2: It can be inferred from the passage that      
A.the youth’s family was in financial difficulty
B.hotel fees were rather expensive at that time
C.the youth never connected with the president again
D.the youth learned a lesson from his experience with the president
小題3: How did people first get to know the story of the president with the youth?
A.From the president himself
B.From a newspaper
C.From the youth’s notes
D.From the youth himself
小題4: We can learn from the passage that      
A.possessions can be given up when necessary
B.generosity should be encouraged in some cases
C.people can benefit from their unforgettable experiences
D.a(chǎn)n act of kindness may change a person’s life

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Animals are natural resources that people have wasted all through our history.
Animals have been killed for their fur and feathers, for food, for sport, and simply because they were in the way. Thousands of kinds of animals have disappeared from the world forever. Hundreds more are on the danger list today. About 170 kinds in the United States alone are considered in danger.
Why should people care? Because we need animals. And because once they are gone, there will never be any more.
Animals are more than just beautiful and interesting. They are more than just a source of food. Every animal has its place in the balance of nature. Destroying one kind of animal can create many problems.
For example, when farmers killed large numbers of hawks(老鷹), the farmers stores of corn and grain were destroyed by rats and mice. Why? Because hawks eat rats and mice. With no hawks to keep down their numbers, the rats and mice multiplied(繁殖) quickly.
Luckily, some people are working to help save the animals. Some groups raise money to let people know about the problem. And they try to get the governments to pass laws protecting animals in danger.
Quite a few countries have passed laws. These laws forbid the killing of any animals or plants on the danger list. Slowly, the number of some animals in danger is growing.
小題1:Animals are important to us mainly because____.
A.they give us a source of foodB.they are beautiful and lovely
C.they keep the balance of natureD.they give us a lot of pleasure
小題2:What has happened to the animals on the earth?
A.Hundreds of kinds of animals have disappeared forever.
B.Many kinds of animals have died out.
C.About 170 kinds of animals have disappeared forever.
D.All kinds of animals are in danger.
小題3:Which of the following is NOT true?
A.People care much about animals because they need them.
B.Once a certain kind of animals is gone forever, there will never be any more.
C.Killing all rats and mice may cause some problems.
D.People must not kill any animals.
小題4:What can we infer from the fact that quite a few countries have passed laws protecting animals in danger?
A.Every person will know the importance of protecting wild animals.
B.Animals in danger will not be killed any more.
C.The number of some animals in danger will increase.
D.Animals in danger will be kept away from people.

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Among various programs, TV talk shows have covered every inch of space on daytime television.And anyone who watches them regularly knows that each one is different in style.But no two shows are more opposite in content, while at the same time standing out above the rest, than the Jerry Springer and Oprah Winfrey shows.
Jerry Springer could easily be considered the king of "rubbish talk".The topics on his show are as surprising as can be.For example, the show takes the ever-common talk show titles of love, sex, cheating, and hate, to a different level.Clearly, the Jerry Springer show is about the dark side of society, yet people are willing to eat up the troubles of other people's lives.
Like Jerry Springer, Oprah Winfrey takes the TV talk show to its top.But Oprah goes in the opposite direction.The show is mainly about the improvement of society and different quality of life.Contents are from teaching your children lessons, managing your work week, to getting to know your neighbors.
Compared to Oprah, the Jerry Springer show looks like poisonous waste being poured into society.Jerry ends every show with a "final word".He makes a small speech about the entire idea of the show.Hopefully, this is the part where most people will learn something very valuable.
Clean as it is, the Oprah show is not for everyone.The show's main audience are middle-class Americans.Most of the people have the time, money and ability to deal with life's tough problems.Jerry Springer, on the other hand, has more of a connection with the young adults of society.These are 18-to 21year-olds whose main troubles in life include love, relationship, sex, money and drug.They are the ones who see some value and lessons to be learned through the show's exploitation.
小題1:Compared with other TV talk shows, both the Jerry Springer and the Oprah Winfrey shows are____.
A.more interesting B.unusually poplar
C.more detailed D.more formal
小題2:Though the social problems Jerry Springer talks about appear unpleasant, people who watch the shows ______.
A.remain interested in them
B.a(chǎn)re ready to face up to them
C.remain cold to them
D.a(chǎn)re willing to get away from them
小題3:Which of the following is likely to be a topic of the Oprah Winfrey show?
A.A new type of robot.B.National hatred.
C.Family income planning.D.Street accident.
小題4:We can learn from the passage that the two talk shows ____.
A.have become the only ones of its kind
B.exploit the weaknesses in human nature
C.a(chǎn)ppear at different times of the day
D.a(chǎn)ttract different people

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

A primary school teacher who left a class of 25 pupils in tears after she told them Santa Claus did not exist has been fired. When excited youngsters became rowdy as they talked about Santa, the supply teacher said out suddenly, "It's your parents who leave out presents on Christmas Day."
The class of seven-year-olds at Blackshaw Lane Primary School, Royton, Greater Manchester burst into tears and told their parents when they arrived home. Mothers and fathers then complained about the incident and were sent a letter by the school saying the teacher, who only worked at the school for one day last week, has been punished.
The school has now said it will not hire her again.
One father said, "My son came home and said that his teacher had told the class that Santa doesn't exist and it’s their mum and dad that put out presents for them. Obviously, they were all talking about Christmas and being a bit rowdy. She just came straight out with it. "
"My son was in tears and so was everyone else in the class — especially as it was so close to Christmas. I thought it was wrong. He was crazy about it. He’s only seven-year-old and it's part of the magic of Christmas to him. "
"We told him that she did not believe in Father Christmas because of her religion and he's fine now."
"The father described the incident as ' shocking' and believed it was done with malicious intent (惡意地). A lot of parents were angry and complained to the school. The teacher, who was supplied by Rochdale and Oldham Supply Agency, is still listed and will work with other schools," the agency said.
However, the head teacher in Angela McCormick refused to comment on the incident.
小題1: Who felt the angriest about the incident?
A.The teacher who was fired.B.The parents whose children cried.
C.The pupils who were in tears.D.Santa Claus the teacher talked about.
小題2: We can infer from the passage that       .
A.the teacher was fired and couldn't continue her career in teaching
B.the parents complained about the discipline of the school
C.the little pupils felt disappointed after hearing the words said by the teacher
D.in reality, Santa Claus exists and gives out presents once a year
小題3: What’s the meaning of the underlined word "rowdy"?
A.surprised.B.noisy.C.discouraged.D.a(chǎn)nnoyed.

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Are you fond of tomatoes? Bunol, a town in Spain, held its yearly tomato festival on the last Wednesday of August. Thousands and thousands of people made their way from all corners of the world to fight in it, the world’s biggest food fight. Tons of fully-grown tomatoes were thrown in the streets.
No one knows exactly how this event started. Maybe it came from a local food fight between friends, or a joke that was played on a bad musician.
On Wednesday, at 11am, the fight began. A cannon(大炮) shot was fired to start the fight. At first, people fought one another, but slowly they began to fight in groups. After exactly one hour, the fight ended when the cannon shot was fired once more. At this point, no more tomatoes could be thrown.
Those who attend this event are encouraged to wear protective glasses. And they must press the tomatoes before throwing so that they won’t hurt others. Another rule is that no one is allowed to take anything — such as a glass bottle — into the fight. Although it is forbidden to tear(扯破) another person’s clothing, the crowd seems to tear the shirt of any clothed person, whether they are men or women.
Fire trucks are used to clean the streets after the fight with water provided from a Roman channel (海峽). The government seems more concerned with cleaning up the town than the visitors, and people go to the Bunol River for a wash.
小題1:What do we know about the tomato fight?
A.Nobody knows how it really started.
B.Only people from Spain can take part in it.
C.It is held on the first Wednesday of August.
D.Green tomatoes can be used in the fight.
小題2:When the cannon shot is fired the second time, ____.
A.people start to throw tomatoes
B.people start to fight in groups
C.the whole tomato fight is over
D.the fight has lasted for two hours
小題3:Which is NOT one of the rules of the tomato fight?
A.People can’t use glass bottles.
B.People must wear protective glasses.
C.It isn’t allowed to tear other people’s clothes.
D.Tomatoes should be pressed before they are thrown.
小題4:After the tomato fight, the town government ____.
A.provides water to the people
B.cleans up the streets with fire trucks
C.takes people to the Bunol River
D.holds other activities about tomatoes

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科目:高中英語 來源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Sandstorms hit northwestern China's Gansu Province and North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on the first day this year. According to Sun Landong, a meteorologist with the Lanzhou Meteorology Observatory,visibility was less than 100 meters in Minqin, a Gansu county near Inner Mongolia, because of sand. When visibility drops to less than 1 kilometer,it is called a sandstorm. The sandstorm in Minqin blew up dust in neighboring towns, such as Baiyin, Wuwei, Jinchang and Lanzhou, the capital city of Gansu Province. Dust-laden winds also swept into Beijing. Brought by northwesterly blowing at more than 20 meters per second,dust first reached the capital's suburbs at 7 a. m,downtown areas at 9 a. m. The winds,which died down during the night,brought the temperature down to as low as 80C below zero and many flights put off their planned time from the city's airport.
It is quite rare for sandstorms,which are frequent between March and June,to happen in winter,when the earth is frozen. The sandstorms in Gansu and Inner Mongolia do not necessarily mean there will be more of them in the spring than last year,when they were serious,but Beijing is taking it very seriously. It is reported that Beijing will spend 6 billion yuan ( US 725 million) in preventing sandstorms in the capital and has already set up a spe­cial team to make sure what causes them.
小題1: What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Sandstorms took place in Gansu.
B.Sandstorms happened on the first day of the new year.
C.Sandstorms are very serious,compared to last year.
D.Experts are trying their best to determine the cause of the sandstorm formed this year.
小題2:Suppose the dust was 300 kilometers away from Beijing, it would reach Beijing about
hours later if it travels at a speed of 20 meters per second?
A.4. 2 B.1. 5 C.2. 0 D.2. 5
小題3:Why did sandstorms begin in the winter this year?
A.Because there was little snow this season.
B.Because a lot of trees have been cut down.
C.Because people took few measures to control them.
D.It is not mentioned in the passage.
小題4: Which of the following doesn't belong to the bad effect the sandstorms have done in Bei­jing?
A.The temperature fell. B.Flights put off their time to take off.
C.The air is dirty. D.People had three days off.
小題5:The author wrote the passage to        .
A.tell us the environments are becoming worse and worse
B.explain what measures people have taken to control sandstorms
C.make people realize the need to protect the environment.
D.call on us to do what we can to save the earth

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