Do you know what really troubles me? For some reason, words with silent letters have always bothered me. For example, consider these words: know, design, island, school, wrist, naughty, and salmon. All of these words have at least one letter that is not typically pronounced, and these words are just a very small part of words with silent letters in them.
Some words are even worse, consider this word: colonel. Not only are some letters not pronounced, but letters that are not even there are pronounced.
Even foreign languages, especially French, are guilty of this needless complexity and confusion. I know there must be some main historical reasons why the words are spelled and pronounced the way they are, but that does not mean bad traditions must continue to survive. Especially if they are no longer logical.
Unfortunately, there is very little that anyone can do for it, because there’s no group of people who can change or have the right to change the English language for everyone. However, the only thing we can do is make changes in the way we talk and write in hopes that it catches on. For example, I pronounce the letter “l(fā)” in salmon on purpose to make people annoyed and to sound more different or complicated. I even pronounce colonel the correct or French way.
I can only hope these two minor changes to the English language make sense to you, and you will help to keep up these minor changes forever in your everyday life.
小題1:We can learn from the passage ________.
A．colonel is pronounced
B．salmon is pronounced
C．a(chǎn)ll the words with silent letters come from French
D．linguists will solve the problem of dumb letters
小題2:Which of the following is the main reason for silent letters?
A．French language.B．Historical reasons.
C．Some linguistsD．Bad traditions.
小題3:The underlined phrase “catches on” probably means “________”.
A．becomes popularB．gets across
C．follows the fashionD．doesn’t fall behind
小題4:Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
A．Troubles in everyday lifeB．Traps in English words
C．Words with silent lettersD．Necessary changes of languages
      
小題1:B
小題2:B
小題3:A
小題4:C
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Would you like to be a king or queen? To have people waiting on you hand and foot? Many Americans experience this royal treatment every day. How? By being customers. The American idea of customer service is to make each customer the center of attention. Need proof? Just listen to the commercials. Most of them sound like the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you.” Actually, not all stores in America roll out the red carpet for their customers. But wherever you go, good customer service means making customers feel special.
People going shopping in America can expect to be treated with respect from the very beginning. Most places don’t have a “furniture street” or a “computer road” which allow you to compare prices easily. Instead, people often “l(fā)et their fingers do the walking” through the store hot lines. From the first “hello”, customers receive a satisfying response to their questions. This initial contact can help them decide where to shop.
When customers get to the store, they are treated as honored guests. Customers don’t usually find store clerks sitting around watching TV or playing cards. Instead, the clerks greet them warmly and offer to help them find what they want. In most stores, the clear signs that label each department make shopping a breeze. Customers usually don’t have to ask how much items cost, since prices are clearly marked. And unless they’re at a flea market or a yard sale, they don’t bother trying to bargain.
When customers are ready to check out, they find the nearest and shortest checkout lane. But as Murphy’s Law would have it, whichever lane they get in, all the other lanes will move faster. Good stores open new checkout lanes when the lanes get too long. Some even offer express lanes for customers with 10 items or less. After they pay for their purchases, customers receive a smile and a warm “thank you” from the clerk. Many stores even allow customers to take their shopping carts out to the parking lot. That way, they don’t have to carry heavy bags out to the car.
小題1: By quoting (引用) the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you”, the author intends to_______.
A．suggest that customers believe what commercials say deeply
B．show readers the American idea on good customer service
C．express all the stores pay much attention to the customers
D．persuade readers to choose the stores with ads correctly
小題2:In the USA, what may you do at first if you want to do some shopping?
A．To visit a professional street with lots of similar stores.
B．To compare prices in many shops in the same street.
C．To make phone calls and get better shopping choices.
D．To receive other customers’ answers to the questions.
小題3:The underlined words “a breeze” in Para.3 most probably means _________.
A．a(chǎn)n easy jobB．a(chǎn) trouble　　C．a(chǎn) funny thing　　D．a(chǎn) boring task
小題4:Which of the followings shows American stores offer convenience to customers in this passage?
A．The store clerks don’t usually sit around watching TV or playing cards.
B．Some stores offer price bargain to the customers like a yard sale.
C．The clerks give customers a smile and a warm “thank you” after paying.
D．Some stores open new checkout lanes when the lanes are crowded.
小題5:Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
A．Customer Service in AmericaB．Excellent Stores in America
C．Shopping Rules in AmericaD．Being King or Queen in America

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Skiing only caught on for ordinary Chinese in the mid-1990s in the country’s north and northeast, but has since developed into a pastime that can be practiced nationwide. Here are four resorts(度假勝地) worthy of consideration.
Yabuli Ski Resort
The ski resort, built on Yabuli Sun Mountain, part of the Changbai Mountain Range, is located in China’s northernmost province, Heilongjiang.
It has the best snow quality, skiing trails and impressive views. Wild animals are often spotted on the site.
The resort serves as the primary training centre for China’s national teams. It also has a trail vertical drop from 200 meters to 1,200 meters with an average drop of 700 meters.
What’s cool: The largest ski resort in China.
Beijing Huaibei International Ski Resort
This is a great destination for snowboarders and skiers to escape the rush life of the city and is a large recreational spot that boasts excellent ski slopes, world-class facilities, beautiful natural scenery, as well as convenient accommodation and dining services.
Travelers are also able to take a bird’s eye view of the Great Wall by catching a cable car along 1,200 meters.
What’s cool: Close to the Great Wall and Beijing’s largest ski resort.
Shennongjia Ski Resort
Opened in 2004, the ski resort is located in the inland of Shennongjia. It covers an area of 100,000 square meters and is only 0.5 km from the Shennongjia National Nature Reserve.
There are ski tracks for beginners and more than 20 coaches for tourists. While experiencing the excitement of skiing, people can also admire Shennongjia’s distinctive scenery of countless different odd mountain valleys, unknown beautiful flowers and plants.
What’s cool: Largest winter sports complex for skiers from South and Central China.
Changbai Mountain Ski Resort
The ski resort is an ideal place for skiing and ice-skating because of its well-constructed ski tracks, comprehensive winter sports training facilities and breathtaking environment.
Enthusiasts can also choose other activities including motor skiing, sleigh skiing, shooting and hunting.
The area’s natural hot springs are another attraction of the resort.
What’s cool: The resort is located in the heart of Changbai Mountain Nature Reserve’s thick forest and has natural hot springs.
小題1: The passage is intended to ______.
A．encourage people to learn skiing during holidays
B．a(chǎn)ttract people to ski in these places
C．offer services of booking tickets for skiing
D．provide people with a better understanding of skiing
小題2:In what way is Changbai Mountain Ski Resort different from the other three resorts?
A．It has various training facilities.
B．It has coaches for tourists.
C．It has natural hot springs.
D．It has breathtaking natural scenery.
小題3:China’s national teams are usually trained at_______.
A．Yabuli Ski ResortB．Shennongjia Ski Resort
C．Changbai Mountain Ski ResortD．Beijing Huaibei International Ski Resort

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Besides providing a perfect environment for sea plants and animals to live in, seawater has other values, one of which is that it constantly moves, and its movements produce energy.
The most obvious movements are the waves and the tides. Winds cause the waves, and the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun causes the tides. In places like the Bay of Fundy in Canada, the difference between the high and low tide level can be as much as 40 feet.
France and Britain are now trying to use energy in the tides to produce electricity. Waves can produce electricity and some experiments are taking place to learn more about this. One of the most encouraging areas of research uses the difference between the temperature of seawater at the surface and deep down to produce electricity. 
小題1:Waves and tides are caused by ________ .
A．the same forcesB．different forcesC．their own movementsD．plants and animals
小題2:It can be inferred from the passage that __________ .
A．waves as well as the energy in the tide can produce electricity
B．the highest tide is 40 feet higher than the lowest one at the sea
C．many countries in the world have made the most of energy produced by seawater
D．it is being tried in some developed countries to use energy in the tides to produce electricity
小題3: The best title for the passage is ______.
A．Tides and WavesB．How to Produce ElectricityC．SeawaterD．Another Cheap Energy

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀理解B
Alexander the Great was a mighty(強(qiáng)大的) king and conqueror(征服者). He was one of the greatest military geniuses(軍事天才) the world has ever known. He was born in Pella, Macedonia. Alexander grew to be a handsome, brilliant(卓越的) man. Aristotle, the famous philosopher（哲學(xué)家）, came from Greece to teach him---geography, politics, literature, medicine and science. Alexander’s father, King Philip II of Macedon, taught him to plan and win battles.
The young prince became King when he was 20. He then began the series of marches that continued until he ruled almost all of the then-known world. On his great war horse, Bucephalus, he first took over Greece. He went on to conquer southeastern Europe, Asia Minor, Egypt and India. On his way he crushed(征服) the Persian Empire, and was made King of Egypt and Asia. He and his troops traveled over 11,000 miles(17,700 km). He spread Greek customs and ideas wherever he went.
In India his men refused to go further. They were tired and frightened, and wanted to go home. Worn out, Alexander agreed to turn back. He died of fever in Babylon, at the early age of 33.
小題1:Alexander and his troops traveled and fought probably ________ then.
A．by shipB．by simple truck
C．on their horsesD．on foot
小題2:What’s the main idea of the second paragraph?
A．He spread Greek customs and ideas wherever he went.
B．He began great marches and ruled a lot of countries.
C．How he took over one country after another.
D．In which order he crushed these countries after another?
小題3: Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．He died in his late thirties.
B．Bucephalus was probably a big ship.
C．He conquered all the countries then known in the world.
D．Alexander was very ready to listen to anybody including his officers and soldiers.
小題4:What’s the best title of this passage?
A．How Alexander the Great Became King?
B．Great Tragedy
C．Good Education Makes a Great Man
D．Alexander the Great

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

請(qǐng)閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)（A、B、C和D）中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該選項(xiàng)的標(biāo)號(hào)涂黑。
It is hardly surprising that clothing manufacturers （生產(chǎn)商）follow certain uniform standards for various features（特征）of clothes. What seems strange , however, is that the standard adopted for women is the opposite of the one for men. Take a look at the way your clothes button. Men’s clothes tend to button from the right, and women’s form the left. Considering most of the word’s population-men and women-are right-handed, the men’s standard would appear to make more sense for women. So why do women’s clothes button from the left?
History really seems to matter here. Button first appeared only on the clothes of the rich in the
17th century, when rich women were dressed by servants. For the mostly right-handed servants, having women’s shirts button from the left would be easier. On the other hang, having men’s shirts button form the right made sense, too. Most men dressed themselves, and a sword drawn from the left with the right hang would be less likely to get caught in the shirt.
Today women are seldom dressed by servants, but buttoning form the left is still the standard for them. Is it interesting? Actually, a standard , once set, resists change. At a time when all women’s shirts buttoned form the left, it would have been risky for any single manufacture to offer women’s shirts that buttoned the right. After all, women had grown so used to shirts which buttoned from the left and would have to develop new habits and skills to switch. Besides from the right, since anyone who noticed that would believe they were wearing men’s shirts.
小題1:What is surprising about the standard of the clothing industry?
A．It has been followed by the industry for over 400 years.
B．It is different for men’s clothing and women’s.
C．It woks better with men than with women.
D．It fails to consider right-handed people.
小題2: What do we know about the rich men in the 17th century?
A．They tended to wear clothes without buttons.
B．They were interested in the historical matters.
C．They were mostly dressed by servants.
D．They drew their swords from the left.
小題3:Women’s clothes still button from the left today because        .
A．a(chǎn)dopting men’s style is improper for women
B．manufacturers should follow standards
C．modern women dress themselves
D．customs are hard to change
小題4:The passage is mainly developed by          .
A．a(chǎn)nalyzing cause
B．making comparisons
C．examining differences
D．following the time order

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的A、B、C、D四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)。
C
China’s economic growth “hard to predict”
The worsening global economic situation makes it difficult for China to predict its growth for next year, a senior official said on Friday.
“How fast China’s economy will grow next year is uncertain,” Liu He, deputy director of the Office of the Central Leading Group on Finance and Economy Work, told China Daily.
“To a large extent, the rate will be decided by the external(外部) situation,” Liu said during a discussion with Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt and other economists in Beijing.
“This year, GDP is estimated to grow at 9.4 or 9.5 percent, down from 10.6 percent last year,” he said. “However, the impact of the current financial turbulence on our economy is much less than on the rest of the world.”
Nicholas Stern, a former UK government advisor, also told China Daily it will take at least one or two years for the world to recover from the recession, which is now spreading from the US and the UK to the rest of the world.
“We don’t know how long the recession will last, but it is unlikely to be short,” he said.
Liu said China can use the downturn(衰退) as an opportunity to restructure its economy, which has relied heavily on government investment, foreign trade and low-cost technology over the past years.
“When the economy is experiencing fast growth, companies are unwilling to upgrade their technologies,” Liu said.
“The slowdown gives such firms the opportunity to enhance(提高) their competitive edge through better technologies.”
(From China Daily 2009-01-11)
小題1:How many people are mentioned in this passage?
A．Only 2.B．No more than 3.C．Not more than 4.D．At least 5.
小題2:It can be inferred from Liu’s words that the impact of the current financial turbulence on China’s economy is ______.
A．moreB．lessC．the mostD．the least
小題3:The underlines word “extent” probably means ______.
A．senseB．degreeC．sizeD．depth
小題4: According to the passage, the reason why Liu said this downturn is an opportunity for China to restructure its economy is that ______.
A．China’s economy will not depend on government investment in the future
B．Foreign trade will grow in the future
C．The downturn will force China’s companies to upgrade their technologies
D．Low-cost technologies will not exist in China

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)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(yǔ) 來(lái)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(guó)電話(huà)電報(bào)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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