Do you know the following expressions?
Faustian bargain
According to most stories, Faust was a German scholar who was rather unhappy with his life．The devil（魔鬼）, Mephistopheles, promises him that in return for his soul．he will give Faust unlimited power and knowledge．Faust agrees and experiences all kinds of pleasures, but, in the end, his soul goes to the hell．A “Faustian bargain” therefore is a deal that finally results in one's ruin．It means a bargain made for temporary gain without taking future consequences into consideration．
A three-ring circus
When you refer to a situation as being a three-ring circus, you are saying that it is a situation of complete confusion．There are so many activities taking place all together that they leave you confused or annoyed．The expression comes from the world of entertainment—the circus．The area where the artists perform their acts is called the “ring”．In the past, some of the circuses were so large that they had three acts taking place meanwhile in three different “rings”．The audience had to decide which “ring” they wanted to focus on．
In the swim（of things）
When someone is in the swim of things, he is actively participating in the things happening around him, as in “I've been ill, but soon I'll be back in the swim of things.” In the world of fishing, fishermen use the word “swim” to refer to the section of the lake/river where fish can be found in plenty．So, if you are a fish man and wish to catch a lot of fish, where would you be? You would be “in the swim”!
【小題1】If a person makes a Faustian bargain, _____．

A．he might come to a bad end
B．he would be considered clever
C．his life would become satisfying
D．he would gain power and knowledge
【小題2】In the past, why did a circus perform different acts at the same time ?
A．It was the audience’s requirement.
B．The time was limited.
C．The circus was very big.
D．They wanted to earn more money.
【小題3】What do we learn about the expression “in the swim（of things）”?
A．It means having a lot of things to do．
B．It has nothing to do with swimming．
C．Originally it was used to refer to "going fishing"．
D．Patients use it to express their desire for health.
【小題4】What is the text mainly about?
A．The development of English phrases
B．Some old and interesting stories
C．Some phrases' meanings and origins
D．Some misunderstandings about words


【小題1】A
【小題2】C
【小題3】B
【小題4】C

解析試題分析：文章介紹Faustian bargain，A three-ring circus和 In the swim（of things）這幾個短語的含義和來歷。
【小題1】細(xì)節(jié)題：從第二段的句子：A “Faustian bargain” therefore is a deal that finally results in one's ruin．可知“Faustian bargain” 是指這個人是沒有善終的，選A
【小題2】細(xì)節(jié)題：從第三段的句子：In the past, some of the circuses were so large that they had three acts taking place meanwhile in three different “rings”．可知因為馬戲場太大，所以同時表演不同的節(jié)目，選C
【小題3】推理題：從最后一段的句子：When someone is in the swim of things, he is actively participating in the things happening around him, 可知in the swim指的是“積極參與周圍的事情“，選B
【小題4】主旨題：從第一段的句子：Do you know the following expressions?和全文，可知文章介紹一些短語的含義和來歷，選C
考點：考查文化類短文

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A．4 B．3 C．2 D．1
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

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The cartoon paints a sea world that is alive with color. All the characters are very human-like and have their own personalities.
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B．How to get home when getting lost
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D．Martin loves his son so much that he becomes so protective.
【小題3】It can be concluded according to the cartoon that ________.
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A．We should always listen to our parents.
B．Parents should let their children have an independent life.
C．Parent should take care of their children in case they get lost.
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The people find pen friends in the twin town .They exchange newspapers and stamps .The school teachers discuss teaching methods with the teachers in the twin town .Officials visit the twin town for celebrations .Ordinary people travel to the twin town ,too,but not very often if it is far away .
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As I was leaving to meet Lynne，my roommate told me that I’d better take some money，but I didn’t listen to him. I thought that Lynne would pay because she had invited me.
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The number of accidents involving pedestrians (行人) wearing headphones is on the rise , a report suggests, causing fresh warning from road safety groups in Britain .
A US-based study found a total of 116 reports of death or injury to pedestrians wearing headphones between 2004 and 2011 , jumping from 16 in 2005 to 47 in 2011 .
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Eighty-one of the 116 accidents (70%) resulted in the person’s death--- even though a warning was sounded in around a third of the cases .
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Floor Lieshout , director of Youth For Road Safety , said, “ This study shows once more the importance of using all of our senses while we are near traffic . It is important that we find an attractive way to make youth learn about the risks of wearing headphones in traffic .”
Andrew Howard , who is the head of road safety at the Automobile Association , added that some pedestrians can be “so focused in their own little world they forget the world going on around them”.That can include headphone wearers , Howard said, but also people talking on phones.
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Earlier studies have shown that people wearing headphones or talking on phones can suffer “inattentional blindness” which makes them isolated (孤立) from the world around them .
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A．Recent research on the risks to pedestrians
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C．The advantages and disadvantages of headphones
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A．most victims died in the accidents
B．most accidents were caused by cars
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D．most victims are under eighteen
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B．people wearing headphones are more likely to go blind
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D．it is dangerous to talk on phones while walking
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

When my family moved to America in 2010 from a small village in Guangdong, China, we brought not only our luggage, but also our village rules, customs and culture. One of the rules is that young people should always respect elders. Unluckily, this rule led to my very first embarrassment in the United States.
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By Jack
【小題1】Jack brought the couple their food very fast because _______.

A．the manager asked him to do soB．he respected the elderly
C．the couple wanted him to do soD．he wanted more pay
【小題2】When Jack called the couple “elderly”, they became _______.
A．nervousB．satisfiedC．unhappyD．excited
【小題3】In Jack’s hometown, _______.
A．people dislike being called “old”
B．people are proud of being old
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D．the elderly are the first to get food in restaurants
【小題4】After this experience, Jack _______.
A．lost his job in the restaurant
B．made friends with the couple
C．no longer respected the elderly
D．changed his way with older people
【小題5】 Which of the following is TRUE?
A．The more Jack explained, the angrier the couple got.
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C．The manager went back to the table and apologized to the couple.
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

While small may be beautiful, tall is just plain uncomfortable it seems, particularly when it comes to staying in hotels and eating in restaurants.
The Tall Persons Club Great Britain (TPCGB), which was formed six months ago to campaign for the needs of the tall, has turned its attention to hotels and restaurants. Beds that are too small, shower heads that are too low, and restaurant tables with hardly any leg-room all make life difficult for those of above average height, it says.
But it is not just the extra-tall whose needs are not being met. The average height of the population has been increasing yet the standard size of beds, doorways, and chairs has remained unchanged.
“The bedding industry says a bed should be six inches larger than the person using it, so even a king-size bed at 6′6″ (6 feet and 6 inches) is falling short for 25% of men, while the standard 6′3″ bed caters for less than half of the male population.” Said TPCGB president Phil Heinricy, “seven-foot beds would work fine.”
Similarly, restaurant tables can cause no end of problems. Small tables, which mean the long-legged have to sit a foot or so away from them, are enough to make tall customers go elsewhere.
Some have already taken note, however. At Queens Moat Houses′ Caledoman Hotel in Edinburgh, 6′6″beds are now put in as standard after requests for longer beds from taller visitors, particularly Americans.
【小題1】What is the purpose of the TPCGB campaign?

A．To provide better services.
B．To rebuild hotels and restaurants.
C．To draw public attention to the needs of the tall.
D．To attract more people to become its members.
【小題2】Which of the following might be a bed of proper length according to Phil Heinricy?
A．7′2″.B．7′C．6′6″D．6′3″
【小題3】What may happen to restaurants with small tables?
A．They may lose some customers.
B．They may start businesses elsewhere.
C．They have to find easy chairs to match the tables.
D．They have to provide enough space for the long-legged.
【小題4】What change has already been made in a hotel in Edinburgh?
A．Tall people pay more for larger beds.
B．6′6″beds have taken the place of 6′3″beds.
C．Special rooms are kept for Americans.
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

The Peales were a famous family of American artists. Charles Willson Peale is best remembered for his portraits of leading figures of the American Revolution. He painted portraits of Franklin and Jefferson and over a dozen of George Washington. His life-size portrait of his sons Raphaelle and Titian was so realistic that George Washington reportedly once tipped his hat to the figures in the picture.
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James Peale, the brother of Charles Willson Peale, specialized in miniatures (小畫像). His daughter Sarah Miriam Peale was probably the first professional female portrait painter in America.
【小題1】What is the main topic of the passage?

A．The life of Charles Willson Peale.B．Portraits in the 18th century.
C．The Peale Museum.D．A family of artists.
【小題2】The underlined word “unearthed” is closest in meaning to“ ______”.
A．showed B．dug upC．inventedD．looked over
【小題3】Which of the following is NOT the child of Charles Willson Peale?
A．Titian Peale.B．Rubens Peale.C．Raphaelle Peale.D．Sarah Miriam Peale.
【小題4】The author’s attitude toward the Peales is in general _______.
A．puzzled B．excited C．a(chǎn)dmiring D．disappointed

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