You’ve just come home, after living abroad for a few years. Since you’ve been away, has this country changed for the better or for the worse?
If you’ve just arrived back in the UK after a fortnight’s holiday, small changes have probably surprised you—anything from a local greengrocer suddenly being replaced by a mobile-phone shop to someone in your street moving house.
So how have things changed to people coming back to Britain after seven, ten or even 15 years living abroad? What changes in society can they see that the rest of us have hardly noticed—or now take for granted? To find out, we asked some people who recently returned.
Debi: When we left, Cheltenham, my home town, was a town of white, middle-class families—all very conservative (保守的).The town is now home to many eastern Europeans and lots of Australians, who come here mainly to work in hotels and tourism. There are even several shops only for foreigners.
Having been an immigrant (移民) myself, I admire people who go overseas to find a job. Maybe if I lived in an inner city where unemployment was high, I’d think differently, but I believe foreign settlers have improved this country because they’re more open-minded and often work harder than the natives.
Christine: As we flew home over Britain, both of us remarked how green everything looked. But the differences between the place we’d left behind and the one we returned to were brought sharply into focus as soon as we landed.
To see policemen with guns in the airport for the first time was frightening — in Cyprus, they’re very relaxed — and I got pulled over by customs officers just for taking a woolen sweater with some metal-made buttons out of my case in the arrivals hall. Everyone seemed to be on guard. Even the airport car-hire firm wanted a credit card rather than cash because they said their vehicles had been used by bank robbers. But anyway, this is still a green, beautiful country. I just wish more people would appreciate what they’ve got.
小題1:After a short overseas holiday, people tend to ______ .         
A．expect small changesB．notice small changes
C．welcome small changesD．exaggerate (夸大) small changes
小題2:How does Debi look at the foreign settlers?
A．Cautiously.B．Skeptically.C．Positively.D．Critically.
小題3:When arriving at the airport in Britain, Christine was shocked by ______ .          
A．the tight securityB．the messy arrivals hall
C．the relaxed policemenD．the bank robbers
小題4:Which might be the best title for the passage?
A．Life in Britain.B．Britain in Memory.
C．Britain in Future.D．Back in Britain.

小題1:B
小題2:C
小題3:A
小題4:D

試題分析：本文主要講述的是一些人在離開英國以后再回來的時(shí)候，對于故鄉(xiāng)發(fā)生的變化的自己的理解。
小題1:細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文章第二段第一句中“…small changes have probably surprosed you…”可知，在短期海外度假后，人們會注意到小變化，故B正確。
小題2:推理題。根據(jù)文章第五段最后2行I believe foreign settlers have improved this country because they’re more open-minded and often work harder than the natives.可知她對于外來的移民評價(jià)很高，認(rèn)為他們更開放更努力。故C正確。
小題3:細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)倒數(shù)第二段第一句中“To see policemen with guns in the airport for the first time was frightening…”可知，當(dāng)?shù)竭_(dá)英國機(jī)場，Christine為緊張的安全措施所震驚。故A項(xiàng)正確。
小題4:主旨大意題。本題較難，文章主要講述的是離開英國的人在回來以后的感覺，從文章最后一段But anyway, this is still a green, beautiful country. I just wish more people would appreciate what they’ve got.故D正確。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

(2013·高考北京卷，C)Although being famous might sound like a dream come true，today’s stars，feeling like zoo animals，face pressures that few of us can imagine.They are at the center of much of the world’s attention.Paparazzi (狗仔隊(duì)) camp outside their homes，cameras ready.Tabloids (小報(bào)) publish thrilling stories about their personal lives.Just imagine not being able to do anything without being photographed or interrupted for a signature!
According to psychologist Christina Villarreal，celebrities－famous people－worry constantly about their public appearance.Eventually，they start to lose track of who they really are，seeing themselves the way their fans imagine them，not as the people they were before everyone knew their names.“Over time，”Villarreal says，“they feel separated and alone.”
The phenomenon of tracking celebrities has been around for ages.In the 4th century B．C.，painters followed Alexander the Great into battle，hoping to picture his victories for his admirers.When Charles Dickens visited America in the 19th century，his sold­out readings attracted thousands of fans，leading him to complain (抱怨) about his lack of privacy.Tabloids of the 1920s and 1930s ran articles about film­stars in much the same way that modern tabloids and websites do.
Being a public figure today，however，is a lot more difficult than it used to be.Superstars cannot move about without worrying about photographers with modern cameras.When they say something silly or do something ridiculous，there is always the Internet to spread the news in minutes and keep their “story” alive forever.
If fame is so troublesome，why aren’t all celebrities running away from it? The answer is there are still ways to deal with it.Some stars stay calm by surrounding themselves with trusted friends and family or by escaping to remote places away from big cities.They focus not on how famous they are but on what they love to do or whatever made them famous in the first place.
Sometimes a few celebrities can get a little justice.Still，even stars who enjoy full justice often complain about how hard their lives are.They are tired of being famous already.
小題1:It can be learned from the passage that stars today________.
A．a(chǎn)re often misunderstood by the public
B．can no longer have their privacy protected
C．spend too much on their public appearance
D．care little about how they have come into fame
小題2:What is the main idea of Paragraph 3?
A．Great heroes of the past were generally admired.
B．The problem faced by celebrities has a long history.
C．Well­known actors are usually targets of tabloids.
D．Works of popular writers often have a lot of readers.
小題3:What makes it much harder to be a celebrity today?
A．Availability of modern media.
B．Inadequate social recognition.
C．Lack of favorable chances.
D．Huge population of fans.
小題4:What is the author’s attitude toward modern celebrity?
A．Sincere.B．Sceptical.
C．Disapproving.D．Sympathetic.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

For many of us, a little time with our smartphones or iPads before sleep is the highlight of the night. But would you still think it is relaxing if you knew that it damages or destroys your sleep? Scientists say that's exactly what it does.
In ancient times, when there were no lamps, telephones or smartphones, the sun was the main source of light. When the sun went down, our brains took that as a signal to start producing melatonin(褪黑素), a chemical that helps us sleep.
However, a healthy amount of melatonin can only be produced in complete darkness.Any light in your bedroom—even the one on the alarm clock or the charging indicator on your cellphone—could disturb the process, not to mention something as bright as smartphone and iPad screens. We tend to hold these much closer than a television or laptop, which allows them to shoot far more light straight into our eyes.
“This is particularly worrisome in populations such as young adults and adolescents, who already tend to be night_owls，” said researcher Brittany Wood at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.“Lack of sleep among teens is leading to depression, self­harm, low concentration and poor performance at school，” she added.
While all lights are the enemy of sleep, not all colors of light have the same effect. Our eyes are particularly sensitive to blue light, which is common during the day. Most of the light coming from electronic screens is blue light and it fools our brain into thinking it's still daytime. By contrast, orange or red light has less influence on melatonin production, because our brains recognize it as a signal that the day is ending, according to The Telegraph.
Asking yourself to keep your hands off your smartphone before bedtime might seem unreasonable, but you should at least remember to dim the screen or hold it farther away from your eyes. You could also wear a pair of orange sunglasses that take away the harmful blue light.
小題1:According to the passage, we can know ________.
A．it's a good habit to play with smartphones or iPads late into night
B．scientists suggest we should avoid using smartphones or iPads
C．darkness makes a great impact on the amount of melatonin
D．the sun was the only source of light in ancient times
小題2:Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A．The darker it is, the more melatonin will be produced.
B．The lighter it is, the more melatonin will be produced.
C．The more melatonin you have, the worse you'll sleep.
D．The more electrical equipment you have, the more melatonin will be produced.
小題3:The underlined part in Paragraph 4 refers to those ________.
A．who are young adults or adolescents
B．who don't perform well in school
C．who are addicted to a television or laptop
D．who are short of sleep at night and perform poorly in daily life
小題4:In the writer's opinion, which is a correct suggestion?
A．You should go to bed when the sun goes down.
B．You should use an orange or red light electronic screen.
C．You should wear a pair of blue sunglasses when sleeping.
D．You should avoid blue light as possible as you can before bedtime.

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The Wife-carrying World Championship has been celebrated in a small town in central Finland since 1992. In 1992, the people of the town decided to restart some long-forgotten traditions. Back in the late 1800s, there was a robber called Rosvo-Ronkainen in that area. He was said to only accept men as members of his gang who proved their worth in challenges. At that time, it was also a common practice to steal women from neighboring villages.
This event is becoming increasingly popular. A large number of competitors, people, and journalists from Finland to Canada attend the Wife-carrying World Championship every year.
The event is famous for its warm and humorous atmosphere. The Wife-carrying World Championship is held on a 253.3 meters long official track. The track has two dry obstacles (障礙物）and a water obstacle, about a meter deep.
There are a few basic rules and the winner is the couple who complete the course in the shortest time. The wife to be carried may be your own, or your neighbor’s. The minimum weight of the wife to be carried is 49 kg. If she is less than 49kg, the wife will be given a heavy bag to carry. Each time a competitor drops his wife, that couple will be fined 15 seconds.
Alongside with the Wife-carrying World Championship, there is also a team competition. The distance is the same but three men in the team carry the wife in turns. At the exchange point the carrier has to drink official “wife-carrying drink”. Then he may continue the race. A special prize is awarded to the team with the best costumes.
While the Wife-carrying World Championship is being held, there are bands playing music, a wife-carrying dance and other forms of entertainment.
小題1: The Wife-carrying World Championship is famous because ________.
A．it is held on a 253.3 meters long official track
B．many competitors take part in it
C．it has a pleasant atmosphere
D．the winner will be awarded a lot of money
小題2:If a husband drops his wife 3 times in the competition, he will be fined ________.
A．15 secondsB．30 secondsC．45 secondsD．60 seconds
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A．is more excitingB．has a special prize
C．has a different trackD．has three teams altogether
小題4:The passage is written mainly to ________.
A．warn people that the competition is dangerous.
B．a(chǎn)ttract more visitors to the Wife-carrying World Championship.
C．introduce how the Wife-carrying World Championship has become popular.
D．tell us something about the Wife-carrying World Championship.

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My father was Chief Engineer of a merchant ship, which was sunk in World War Ⅱ. The book Night of the U­boats told the story.
Memories
In September ，1940，my mother ,sister and I went to Swansea ,where my father ‘s ship was getting ready to sail ,we brought him a family photography to be kept with him at all times and keep him safe .
Then I remember my mother lying face down ,sobbing .she had heard from a friend that the ship had been sunk by a torpedo (魚雷).
I can remember the arrived of the telegram（電報(bào)），which in those days always brought bad news .my grandmother opened it ,it read ,safe .love ted.”
My most vivid memory is being woken and brought down to sit on my father’s knee, his arm in a bandage .
He was judged unfit to return to sea and took a shore job in Glasgow for the rest of the war, for as long as I can remember ,he had a weak heart ,mother said it was caused by the torpedoes .he said it was because of the cigarette ,whichever ,he died suddenly in his early 50s.
Ten years later I read night of the U-boat and able to complete the story .
A toast
In my room is the book and the photograph .often , glass in hand, I have wondered how I would have dealt with an explosion ,a sinking ship ,a jump into a vast ocean and a wait for rescue ?lest (以免 )we forget ,I have some more whisky and toast the heroes of the war.
小題1:We can infer that the mother and children went to Swansea ________.
A．to meet a friendB．to see the father off
C．to take a family photoD．to enjoy the sailing of the ship
小題2:What did the author learn about the father from the telegram?
A．he was still alive.B．His knee was broken.
C．His ship had been sunk.D．He had arrived in Glasgow.
小題3:The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 6 refers to the father’s ________.
A．weak heartB．taking a shore job
C．failure to return to seaD．injury caused by a torpedo
小題4:What is the passage mainly about?
A．A group of forgotten heroes
B．A book describing a terrifying battle.
C．A ship engineer’s wartime experience.
D．A merchant’s memories of a sea rescue.

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Most of the time, people wear hats to protect themselves from harsh weather conditions. Hats are also worn to show politeness and as signs of social position. But nowadays, hats, especially women’s hats, are much more than that. More exactly, hats have changed into fashion and style symbols by many movie stars. What’s more, people now consider many different features (特點(diǎn))when choosing even a simple hat. Many designers point out that, when choosing the right hat, it’s important to consider the color of your skin as well as your hair, your height, and the shape of your face.

First of all, the color of the hat should match the color of your skin and hair. For instance, black hats should be avoided if you are dark skinned. If a purple hat is placed on top of red hair, one will look as attractive as a summer flower. Second, the height of the hat is also an important point. Tall women should not go for hats with tall crowns, just as short women should choose hats with upturned brims to give the look of height. Third, and most importantly, the shape of the face decides the kind of hat one should pick. A small, gentle hat that fits the head looks good on a small face. However, women with big, round faces should choose a different style.

As the saying goes, “Fine feathers make fine birds.” A good hat can not only help your dress but also support your features, so why not choose the best possible one next time you want to be in public?
小題1:What does the underlined word “harsh” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A．goodB．strangeC．poorD．different
小題2:According to the article, which of the following women would look most attractive?
A．A big-faced woman who wears a small, nice hat.
B．A short red-haired woman who wears a purple hat.
C．A tall woman who wears a hat with a huge upturned brim.
D．A small dark-skinned woman who wears a black hat with a tall crown.
小題3:What does the last paragraph suggest?
A．Hats are worn on the head to keep warm.
B．Hats can help you look better in public.
C．Hats are not as important as character.
D．Hats can make you look much taller.
小題4:What is the best title for the article?
A．How to Show Your Social PositionB．How to Improve Your Features
C．How to Choose a Proper HatD．How to Design a Nice Hat

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Tourism has the power to bring jobs and economic development to popular destination（目的地）, but how should travelers decide where to spend their money? Are some countries more deserving of visitors’ dollars than others?
That’s the idea behind the 10-destination list put together by San Francisco-based non-profit Ethical（有道德的）Traveler, which since 2006,has published an annual guide to the World’s Best Ethical Destinations in the developing world.
“Instead of publishing countries for doing bad things,” said Jeff Greenwald, executive director of Ethical Traveler, “we’re trying to offer a favor, rewarding countries in the developing world that are really trying to do the right thing.”
So which countries are the most ethical? For 2013,the winners are Barbados, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Ghana, Latvia ,Lithuania, Mauritius, Palau, Samoa and Uruguay.
Those 10 countries scored highest in three main areas: social welfare, environmental protection and human rights.
Greenwald explained that countries must have a good tourism infrastructure（基礎(chǔ)建設(shè)）to make the list, but the non-profit Ethical Traveler also uses the list to promote（提倡）some under-visited places that can be a role model for other countries in their region. For example, Latvia earned high marks for improving its environmental efforts and strong human rights record, and the country’s parks and nature reserves make for a great off-the-beaten-path ecotourism trip.
In addition to just visiting these countries, travelers should aim to spend their money in locally-owned business, Greenwald said, to ensure their financial support stays in the country they’re visiting. However, that requires a well-maneged tourism infrastructure. While one could argue those poor places need the money even more, tourism can put pressure on countries that face such challenges.
Erica Avrami, research and education director at the World Monuments Fund(WMF) said that a list of ethical destinations is “a wonderful idea”, the idea of being ethical goes both ways. “There’s also a certain responsibility on the part of the traveler to make sure their own footprint is as minimal as possible,” she said. 
小題1:The passage mainly aims to _______.
A．promote ethical destinations
B．encourage ecotourism trips
C．speed up the development of tourism
D．discuss which countries are ethical destinations
小題2:According to the fifth paragraph Latvia can make the list partially for its _______.
A．good tourism infrastructureB．regular ecotourism trip
C．strong human rights recordD．good social welfares
小題3:According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A．Tourism fails to help develop local economy and provide jobs.
B．All the destinations should equally share the money spent by visitors.
C．Ethical Traveler punishes the developing countries for doing wrong things.
D．Ethical Traveler rewards the developing countries for doing the right thing.
小題4:In the eyes of Erica Avrami  _______.
A．being ethical is not actually a wonderful idea
B．being ethical depends on both travelers and destinations
C．travelers are advised to travel as far as possible
D．travelers should leave as much footprint as possible

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Buying insurance (保險(xiǎn)) is a way in which people can protect themselves against large losses. Protection against fire is one kind of insurance. Large numbers of people pay small sums of money to an insurance company. Although thousands of people have paid for fire insurance, only a few will lose their homes by fire. The insurance company will pay for these homes out of the small sums of money it has collected.
The first modern fire insurance company was formed in London, England, in the 1760s. A great fire had just destroyed most of the city, and people wanted protection against further losses. The first company grew rapidly. Soon other companies were founded in other areas.
Benjamin Franklin helped form the first fire insurance company in America in 1752, and then a new kind of insurance for farmers was suggested. The new insurance would provide protection against the loss of crops from storms.
Later on another new insurance company was started in America. This company, which offered life insurance, collected small sums of money regularly from many different men. If a man died, his family was given a large sum of money.
Over the years, insurance companies have offered new kinds of insurance protection. The new kinds of insurance cover losses from such accidents as car and plane crashes. Today, most people have some kind of insurance.
小題1:Who helped set up the first company in America?
A．Benjamin Franklin. B．Businessmen.
C．The first insurance company in London. D．Farmers.
小題2:Insurance means ____.
A．Protection against the losses from the storms
B．protection against illness
C．Protection against accidents
D．a(chǎn)ll of the above
小題3:The first modern insurance company offered ____.
A．life insurance B．fire insurance C．a(chǎn) new kind of insuranceD．both A and B
小題4:Why do most people buy some kind of insurance today?
A．Insurance will keep their homes from burning.
B．People can protect themselves against large losses.
C．Insurance will pay for safety.
D．The insurance companies grow rapidly.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Last year, CCTV journalists approached pedestrians with their cameras, held a microphone to their mouth and asked a simple question, “Are you happy?”
The question has caught many interviewees off guard. Even Mo Yan, who just won a Nobel Prize, responded by saying, “I don’t know”.
While the question has become a buzz phrase and the Internet plays host to heated discussions, we ask: What exactly is happiness? And how do you measure it?
In the 1776 US Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson set in writing the people’s unalienable right to “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”. 235 years on, Wen Jiabao told the nation, “Everything we do is aimed at letting people live more happily.” At National People’s Congress, officials agreed that increasing happiness would be a top target for the 12th five-year plan.
US psychologist Ed Diener, author of Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth, describes happiness as “ a combination of life satisfaction and having more positive than negative emotions”, according to US broadcasting network PBS. This may sound straightforward enough, but it still doesn’t explain what determines people’s happiness.
Many argue that happiness is elusive and that there is no single source. It also means different things to different people. For some, happiness can be as simple as having enough cash.
Researchers believe happiness can be separated into two types: daily experiences of hedonic (享樂的) well-being; and evaluative well-being, the way people think about their lives as a whole. The former refers to the quality of living, whereas the latter is about overall happiness, including life goals and achievements. Happiness can cross both dimensions.
Li Jun, a psychologist and mental therapy practitioner at a Beijing clinic, says, “Happiness can mean both the most basic human satisfaction or the highest level of spiritual pursuit. It’s a simple yet profound topic.”
Chen Shangyuan, 21, a junior English major at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, said his idea of happiness always evolves. “At present it relates to how productive I am in a day,” he said. “It might be linked to job security or leisure time after I graduate.”
Then there is the question of measuring happiness. Does it depend on how many friends we have, or whether we own the latest smart phone? Is it even quantifiable?
Economists are trying to measure happiness in people’s lives. Since 1972, Bhutan’s GDP measurement has been replaced by a Gross National Happiness index. It is calculated according to the peoples’ sense of being well-governed, their relationship with the environment, their satisfaction with economic development, and their sense of national belonging.
In 2009, US economist Joseph Stiglitz proposed “to shift emphasis from measuring economic production to measuring people’s well-being”. But is well-being more easily measured?
小題1: In the second paragraph, the writer gave an example to ________.
A．support his idea that being famous is the reason to be happy
B．introduce his topic to be discussed
C．tell people winning a Nobel Prize is a great honor
D．show that the question was quite difficult
小題2:From what Thomas Jefferson and Wen Jiabao mentioned in the passage, we know ________.
A．people’s happiness is determined by great people
B．people’s happiness is an important target for the development of a country
C．people in all countries have the right to ask the government for a happy life
D．people both in China and America are living a happy life
小題3:According to the passage, the writer may most likely agree that ________.
A．CCTV journalists are concerned about people’s happiness out of sympathy
B．the question has led to heated discussions about who are the happiest people in China
C．Bhutan’s new index shows that people there are the happiest in the world
D．it is not easy for us to decide what determines people’s happiness
小題4:What does the underlined word “elusive” in the sixth paragraph mean?
A．a(chǎn)vailable.B．easy to get.C．hard to describe.D．unimaginable.
小題5:The best title of the passage is ________.
A．Are you happy?B．The Measurement of Happiness
C．GDP and HappinessD．The Secret of Happiness

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