Many years ago in a small German town, a Jewish businessman had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to the moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the businessman’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.
The moneylender told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty bag. The girl would then have to pick one pebble from the bag. If she picked the black pebble, she would become the moneylender’s wife and he would forgo her father’s debt. If she picked the white pebble, she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.
They were standing on a pebble-strewn path. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. The sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag. He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag. No doubt she was caught in a dilemma.
What would you have done if you were the girl? Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:
1.The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2.The girl should know that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3.The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.
The above story is used with the hope that it will make us appreciate the difference between lateral (橫向的)and logical thinking.
Read on…
The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles. “Oh, how clumsy of me!” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.” Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one. And since the moneylender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one.
小題1:The underlined word “forgo” in paragraph 2 may mean ________.
A．pay offB．run outC．take overD．give up
小題2:Which of the following indicates lateral thinking?
A．The girl refused to take a pebble and fled at once.
B．The girl exposed the cheat and found another way.
C．The girl picked one pebbles and made it disappear.
D．The girl picked a black pebble and accepted the result.
小題3:It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A．The girl dropped the pebble onto the path on purpose
B．The girl dropped the pebble onto the path by accident
C．The girl didn’t know there were two black pebbles in the bag
D．The girl replaced a black pebble in the bag
小題4:What lesson can we learn from the story?
A．Keeping calm when facing a difficult situation.
B．Thinking about a complicated problem in another way.
C．Thinking twice before making a final choice.
D．Coming up with a clever answer is easy.

小題1:D
小題2:C
小題3:A
小題4:B

試題分析：故事講述了這樣一件事：有位猶太商人不幸欠了放債人一大筆金錢。債主對商人貌美的女兒垂涎三尺，想取其為妻。于是讓商人在兩難選擇中進行選擇。債主意為勝券在握，哪知道商人的女兒用她的智慧解決這個兩難的問題。故事告訴我們這樣的寓意： 最復(fù)雜的問題亦有解決辦法。 這只是我們沒有嘗試去思考。 一個人的想法就是一種創(chuàng)意。
小題1:D詞義猜測題�！癐f she picked the black pebble, she would become the moneylender’s wife and he
would forgo her father’s debt.”該句的意思是根據(jù)債主的游戲規(guī)則“如果她挑選的是黑色鵝卵石，她將成
為她的丈夫”那么“他將      她父親的債務(wù)�！彼酝茢酁椤胺艞�(give up)”。
小題2:C推理判斷題。“l(fā)ateral thinking”是“從多方面考慮即橫向思維”的意思。根據(jù)第四段分析的三
種可能“1.女孩應(yīng)該拒絕選取鵝花石；2.女孩應(yīng)該知道袋子中都是黑色鵝卵石而揭露債主進行欺詐；3.女
孩應(yīng)該選擇黑色卵石犧牲自己以拯救他父親的債務(wù)和監(jiān)禁。”可以排除ABD三個選項，因為它們都不是
橫向思維而是傳統(tǒng)邏輯思維的產(chǎn)物(三種做法都將導(dǎo)致“女孩必須嫁給債主的”的后果)�；蚋鶕�(jù)最后一段
的敘述推斷答案C正確。
小題3:A推理判斷題。從最后一段“Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.(還沒看，一個沒拿穩(wěn)就掉落到鋪滿鵝卵石的路上，它立刻掉進所有鵝卵石中不見了)”說明她這樣做即把鵝卵石掉下來是“故意的”。
小題4:B推理判斷題。女孩利用債主的心理用“反證法”擊敗了債主，可見“換個角度來思考復(fù)雜的問題”就有可能“柳暗花明又一村”使問題迎刃而解。故B項正確。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

One day I visited an art museum while waiting for my husband to finish a business meeting . I was expecting a quiet   21  of the splendid artwork.
A young   22  viewing the paintings ahead of me   23  nonstop between themselves. I watched them a moment and decided the lady was doing all the talking. I admired the man’s
  24  for putting up with her  25  stream of words.  26  by their noise, I moved on.
I met them several times as I moved   27  the various rooms of art, Each time I heard her continuous flow of words, I moved away   28  .
I was standing at the counter of the museum gift shop making a   29  when the couple approached the   30  . Before they left, the man  31  into his pocket and pulled out a white object. He   32  it into a long sick and then  33  his way into the coatroom to get his wife’s jacket.
“He′s a   34  man.” The clerk at the counter said. “Most of us would give up if we were blinded at such a young age, During his recovery, he made a promise his life wouldn’t change. So, as before, he and his wife come in   35  there is a new art show.”
“But what does he get out of the art?”I asked .“He can’t see.”
“Can’t see? You’re   36  . He sees a lot, More than you and I do,” the clerk said, “His wife  37  each painting so he can see it in his head.”
I learned something about patience,  38  and love that day. I saw the patience of a young wife describing paintings to a person without   39  and the courage of a husband who would not   40  blindness to change his life. And I saw the love shared by two people as I watched this couple walk away, their arms intertwined.
小題1:
A．viewB．touchC．wanderD．scenery
小題2:
A．ladyB．manC．coupleD．clerk
小題3:
A．yelledB．a(chǎn)rguedC．screamedD．chatted
小題4:
A．a(chǎn)ttemptB．patienceC．wisdomD．independence
小題5:
A．vividB．constantC．casualD．exciting
小題6:
A．AdoptedB．AdaptedC．ConductedD．Disturbed
小題7:
A．towardsB．toC．throughD．from
小題8:
A．a(chǎn)nxiouslyB．slowlyC．quicklyD．sensibly
小題9:
A．commentB．decisionC．purchaseD．profit
小題10:
A．entranceB．queueC．frontD．exit
小題11:
A．pluggedB．reachedC．heldD．bent
小題12:
A．lengthenedB．madeC．broughtD．broadened
小題13:
A．ledB．foundC．forcedD．tapped
小題14:
A．braveB．roughC．smartD．generous
小題15:
A．whereverB．whateverC．wheneverD．whichever
小題16:
A．wrongB．sillyC．equalD．unique
小題17:
A．describesB．drawsC．showsD．decorates
小題18:
A．kindnessB．courageC．enthusiasmD．pride
小題19:
A．supportB．expectationC．sightD．confidence
小題20:
A．a(chǎn)llowB．hopeC．getD．Cause

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“It is never too late and you are never too old to start something new!” says Englishtown       Ellen Rema. Ellen began to learn English at the age of 50, and in just a few years, she has made      progress!
Ellen chose to study at Englishtown because no evening classes were       in the German countryside where she lives. At Englishtown, she joins       classes online and speaks with live native English-speaking teacher.
In 2010, Ellen began with the first level of Englishtown and quickly    . “I spent hours and hours studying,” she said “Maybe I wanted too much in a short time. I finished all my       after 2 years and studying English isn’t all about hard work. It should also be       ! I really like the online conversation classrooms, in which I can learn so much about other cultures and traditions. I am open for all      .”
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A．professorB．friendC．studentD．reporter
小題2:
A．a(chǎn)mazing B．challengingC．discouraging D．disturbing
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A．satisfiedB．offeredC．a(chǎn)ttendedD．represented
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A．conversationB．compositionC．listeningD．reading
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A．droppedB．brushedC．a(chǎn)wardedD．progressed
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A．channelsB．schedulesC．coursesD．papers
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A．funB．wasterC．weaknessD．wonder
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A．measuresB．topicsC．timetablesD．fashions
小題9:
A．takeB．setC．makeD．put
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Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats’s poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition.
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Earth, receive an honored guest:
William Yeats is laid to rest.
Let the Irish vessel（船）lie
Emptied of its poetry.
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A．It filled Yeats’s childhood with laughter
B．It was shocked by Yeats’s choice
C．It was a typically wealthy family
D．It had an artistic atmosphere
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A．Yeats founded the first Irish theater
B．Yeats stuck to modern forms in his poetry
C．Yeats began to produce his best works from the 1910s
D．Yeats was not favored by the public until the 1923 Noble Prize
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小題4:What is the passage mainly about?
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

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Of course, his secret was not magic or supernatural power. It was simply strength. He had the ability to move his toes as well as he moved his fingers. He could move his body into almost any position he wanted.
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A．his special tricks and supernatural powers
B．his unusual ability and skeleton key
C．his magic tricks and supernatural powers
D．his wisdom and magic tricks
小題2: It can be inferred from the passage that Houdini became famous ______ .
A．in 1894B．before he married
C．a(chǎn)t the age of 17D．when he was 24
小題3:According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?                         
A．Houdini was a famous American magician.
B．Houdini was first recognized in Chicago.
C．Houdini first entered the entertainment world together with his wife.
D．Houdini was popular with people from Europe and America.
小題4: Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A．A Skeleton KeyB．A Secret Prisoner
C．Worldwide FameD．Great Escapes

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

When two Bangs meet
SHELDON Cooper is a scientific genius on the popular American TV show, The Big Bang Theory (《生活大爆炸》). He finally met his match last year: Stephen Hawking.
This is not the first time that the scientist has appeared on TV. He has also been on Star Trek (in 1987) and The Simpsons (in 1989). Each time, he played himself.
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Hawking has always tried to make science more popular with people. His book: A Brief History of Time was published in 1988. In the book he shares his understanding of the universe in simple language. The book tries to explain many subjects about the universe to common readers, including the Big Bang, black holes and light cones (光錐).
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Hawking also believes that there might be aliens in space. However, he believes they are probably very dangerous, so we should not look for them. “I imagine they might exist in very big ships ... having used up all the resources from their home planet,” Hawking said in a British documentary named Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking. 
小題1:What does the “two Bangs” in the title refer to?
A．The director of “The Big Bang Theory” and the founder of it.
B．The director and the actor of “The Big Bang Theory”.
C．The founder of the “Big Bang” theory and its spreader.
D．The scientific genius on TV show and the one alive in real life.
小題2:Acting in The Big Bang Theory is Hawking’s _____ time on TV.
A．first B．second C．third D．fourth
小題3:According to Paragraph 5, Hawking wrote the book A Brief History of Time especially for _____.
A．scientists who study the universe
B．people who know a lot about the universe
C．people who know little about the universe
D．people who only know simple language
小題4:The Big Bang theory mainly explains _____.
A．how the universe startedB．what the universe is like
C．how old the universe isD．how the universe exploded
小題5:According to the passage, which of the following about Hawking is TRUE?
A．He was born with a disability.
B．He uses a computer to communicate.
C．He believes aliens are our friends.
D．He encourages people to look for aliens.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

Back in the 15th century, in a tiny village in Germany, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen! In order       to keep food on file table, the father, a goldsmith（金匠）by      , worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade. Despite their seemingly       condition, two of the eldest children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art,       they knew well that their father would never be able to       either of them to study at the Academy.
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When the young artist       home and said to his brother, “And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your      . Now you can go to the Academy to pursue your dream, and I will       you. ”Albert rose and wiped tile       from his cheeks. “No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too       for me. Look…look what four years in the mines have done to my      ! I cannot even hold a glass, much less make delicate lines on canvas （畫布）  __    a pen or a brush.”
More than 450 years have      . By now, among Albrecht Durer’s hundreds of masterful portraits, “The Praying Hands” is one       creation that can catch the world’s hearts.
小題1:
A．fullyB．merelyC．completelyD．entirely
小題2:
A．heartB．professionC．methodD．words
小題3:
A．hopelessB．promisingC．demandingD．careless
小題4:
A．soB．butC．howeverD．a(chǎn)nd
小題5:
A．studyB．give C．sendD．offer
小題6:
A．crowdedB．separatedC．newD．unusual
小題7:
A．winnerB．oldC．loserD．younger
小題8:
A．expectB．a(chǎn)dvertiseC．supportD．require
小題9:
A．flew awayB．left behindC．set asideD．went off
小題10:
A．desertedB．financedC．desiredD．envied
小題11:
A．earnB．save C．drawD．spend
小題12:
A．a(chǎn)rrivedB．returnedC．regainedD．got
小題13:
A．fateB．timeC．top D．turn
小題14:
A．take care ofB．make up forC．make use ofD．take charge of
小題15:
A．smilesB．tearsC．sweatsD．laughs
小題16:
A．tenseB．nervousC．tiringD．late
小題17:
A．eyesB．picturesC．handsD．mines
小題18:
A．withB．ofC．uponD．in
小題19:
A．changedB．kept C．rememberedD．passed
小題20:
A．strangeB．surprisingC．touchingD．terrible

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：完形填空

To celebrate the end of our exams, my friends and I went to a fast food restaurant. We ______ hamburgers and Coca Colar at the counter. When our ____ came, I started walking towards an empty table.  By  bad luck, my purse strap(帶子) got ______ on a chair and the tray(托盤that I was holding slipped ______ my hands and went flying in the air. The tray, and its contents, ______ on a man who was just about to ______ a bite of his sandwich. I stared, greatly ______, as the drinks soaked (浸濕) his white shirt.
Then I ______ my eyes and prepared myself for his burst of ______. Instead, he said “It’s OK” to ______ me before he disappeared into washroom.
Still shaky and unsure ______ to do next, my friends and I went to a table and sat there, trying our best to look ______ . A moment later, the man came out of the washroom and ______ our table. My heart almost stopped ______. I though he was going to ask for my father’s ______ and call him.
To my surprise, he merely smiled at us, handed us some cash and said, “______ yourself new hamburgers.” He then wa lked ______ without even finishing his food. He could have made what was already an uncomfortable situation worse, ______ he chose a different way and gave us a reason to believe that there is still ______ in this world. I’ll never ______ his actions.
小題1:
A．orderedB．madeC．a(chǎn)rrangedD．demanded
小題2:
A．foodB．turnC．billD．menu
小題3:
A．fixedB．caughtC．cutD．tied
小題4:
A．byB．inC．fromD．out
小題5:
A．knockedB．fellC．stoodD．hung
小題6:
A．takeB．tasteC．swallowD．chew
小題7:
A．discouragedB．disappointedC．shockedD．a(chǎn)nnoyed
小題8:
A．rolledB．rubbedC．narrowedD．closed
小題9:
A．bitternessB．a(chǎn)nxietyC．a(chǎn)ngerD．sorrow
小題10:
A．satisfyB．comfortC．encourageD．praise
小題11:
A．howB．whoC．whatD．when
小題12:
A．mildB．honestC．calmD．modest
小題13:
A．pushedB．a(chǎn)pproachedC．drewD．laid
小題14:
A．beatingB．breakingC．sinkingD．trembling
小題15:
A．helpB．positionC．numberD．job
小題16:
A．PrepareB．BuyC．FindD．Cook
小題17:
A．onB．a(chǎn)roundC．upD．a(chǎn)way
小題18:
A．soB．sinceC．a(chǎn)lthoughD．but
小題19:
A．kindnessB．happinessC．politenessD．brightness
小題20:
A．forgetB．refuseC．opposeD．ignore

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