In Greek mythology(神話), fire is a gift form God, stolen from Zeus(宙斯) by Prometheus and handed over to humans suffering from cold. What could be more natural than sitting around a beautiful fire on a winter night, at a campsite in the Berkshires?
Hard as it may be to believe, the fireplace—long considered a trophy(獎杯), particularly in a city like New York—is acquiring a social shame. Among those who desire to be environmentally responsible, it is joining the ranks of bottled water and big houses.
Sally Treadwell, a 51-year-old public relations executive in Boone, N.C., said nothing makes her happier than building a fire on a cold winter night. But most of the time she doesn’t, because she feels too guilty about the damage it may do to the environment. Every time she builds a fire, it causes “inner conflict,” she said. “It’s a guilty pleasure”.
“The smoke from a fire smells very nice,” said Diane Bailey, a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council in San Francisco. “But it can cause a lot of harm. The tiny particles(顆粒) can cause illness, and can cross into the bloodstream, causing heart attacks as well as worsening other conditions.”
Growing concerns about the air pollution and health problems caused by smoke from wood fires are urging a number of areas across the country to pass laws regulating them. Idaho offers a tax cut to people who replace uncertified(不合格的)wood stoves with “greener” ones; San Joaquin County in California forbids selling a home unless its wood stove is replaced with an E.P.A. certified one；and Palo Alto and other governments in California forbid wood-burning fireplaces in new construction.
Certainly, many think otherwise. In any case, most fireplaces are used far too infrequently to cause any real damage to the environment, said Stephen Sears, the vice president of the Brick Industry Association, voicing an opinion shared by some.
Perhaps not coincidentally, sales of wood-burning equipment dropped to 235,000 in 2009 from 800,000 in 1999, according to the Brick Industry Association. It also reports that approximately 35,000 fireplaces were installed in the United States in 2009, compared to 80,000 in 2005. Certainly those numbers reflect the economic slowdown, but the may also be affected by growing mixed feelings to wood fries.
小題1:We can infer from the 2nd paragraph that ________.
A．big houses are not considered environmentally friendly
B．bottle water is a good companion for a fire place
C．a(chǎn) fireplace is viewed as a sign of success
D．people in New York are laughed at for their tradition
小題2:Sally’s “inner conflict” in the 3rd paragraph resulted from ________.
A．her love for the fireplace
B．the damage to the environment
C．the concern about her health
D．her mixed emotion fro the fireplace
小題3: In terms of the regulations about wood fires we can learn from the passage that_______.
A．uncertified fireplaces are forbidden in Idaho
B．some people are against the woodfire controlling regulations
C．only energy-efficient wood stoves can be used in the US
D．a(chǎn)ll the people support measures taken to control the use of fireplaces
小題4:What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A．To urge people to burn less wood
B．To discuss wood-burning’s impact
C．To throw light on the causes of the fireplace’s decline
D．To indicate the cooling love for the fireplace

小題1:A
小題2:D
小題3:B
小題4:D

試題分析：在寒冷的冬天，壁爐一直是人們的至愛�？墒乾F(xiàn)在越來越多的人開始意識到燃燒木柴的壁爐對環(huán)境的破壞， 很多地方開始出臺相關(guān)規(guī)定， 以降低壁爐對環(huán)境和健康的影響。美國人對壁爐的熱情開始降溫。
小題1:考查推理判斷。第二段說，一直以來，特別是在紐約這樣的城市，壁爐被人們看得像獎杯一樣珍貴， 如今卻被視為社會的羞辱， 它加入到瓶裝水和大房子的行列，要承擔起對環(huán)境的責任。故可推知瓶裝水、大房子、壁爐都.是對環(huán)境不利的，選A
小題2:推理題;從第三段的內(nèi)容可知Sally喜歡壁爐帶來的快樂，但是也擔心壁爐給環(huán)境帶來的破壞，選D
小題3:推理題：文章第五段提到針對燃燒木材的壁爐的有關(guān)規(guī)定，而第六段提到很多人認為燃燒壁爐不會給環(huán)境帶來危害，選B
小題4:考查寫作意圖題：文章說到壁爐曾經(jīng) 是美國人的摯愛，但是現(xiàn)在人們懷疑壁爐給環(huán)境帶來的破壞，有的地方對燃燒壁爐設置了規(guī)定，規(guī)范壁爐的使用，由此可知美國人對壁爐的鐘愛在下降，這也是作者的意圖，選D
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

WELLINGTON, September 19 (Xinhua) -- If your teenage son won't get out of bed in the morning, then take comfort from the fact that he might be sleeping his way to a healthier future, according to a new research from New Zealand.
Researchers in human nutrition at the University of Otago have found that teenage boys who sleep less have more body fat when compared to girls, for whom lack of sleep has no noticeable effect on their body fat ratios.
The study of 386 boys and 299 girls aged 15 to 18 found that average-sized 16-year-old boy weighing 69.5 kg and 176 cm tall, who slept for eight hours a day, had a waist size l.8 cm bigger and l.6 kg, or 9 percent, more body fat than the average-sized boy who slept 10 hours a day.
"The boys who slept eight hours a day would also have l.8 kg more lean (bone and muscle) mass compared to the boys who slept 10 hours, but that's only a 1.4-percent increase, compared to the 9- percent increase seen in body fat," said lead researcher from the Department of Human Nutrition, Dr. Paula Skidmore.
"Our results suggest that for older teenage boys, making sure that they get enough sleep may help to maintain a healthier body. It seems to be that, within reason, the more sleep the better for boys," Skidmore said in a statement Thursday.
"It was unexpected that we did not find the same result in girls, who may actually be more aware of their diet and more in tune with a healthier lifestyle."
The researchers ruled out the effects of food choice and number of screens, such as televisions, games and consoles, which the teenagers had in their bedrooms.
小題1:What's the research really about?
A．Boys and girls.B．Food and weight. C．Sleep and health. D．Screens and fat.
小題2:What's the result of less sleep for teenage boys?
A．Bigger waist and more fat in the body.
B．An increase in weight and height.
C．More concerned with their diet.
D．A decrease in bone and muscle.
小題3:From the sixth paragraph we can infer that ______.
A．girls usually sleep less and have healthier lifestyles than boys
B．the researchers expected to see the same result in girls
C．peoples' diet has a great effect on their health
D．boys are usually lazier than girls
小題4:Who would be the most pleased to hear the news?
A．Teachers.B．Girls.C．Parents. .D．Boys.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Some say college is wasted on the young. So many of us look back at our own college years and realize what we could have done differently to make the most of them. While we can’t go back, we certainly can offer our sons and daughters our best advice to help them make the right choices in college. Hopefully, they will have fewer regrets than we do. Following are five guidelines parents can share with their college-bound kids to put the whole experience in perspective.
EDUCATION IS YOUR FIRST PRIORITY
As soon as you arrive on campus, there will be competing interests. Feel free to check them out but always remember that you are there first and foremost for your education. Go to class prepared and on time. Be engaged during class. Make sure your professor knows you and realizes that you care.
BE RESPONSIBLE
There are many layers of responsibility. Do what you say you will do and, if you can’t, own up to it early and communicate clearly. But being responsible isn’t just about meeting your commitments; it is also about taking care of you, your body, and your friends. For example, more than 1800 college students die annually from alcohol-related injuries. Look out for yourself and other people. Make moderate, sensible decisions so you aren’t reeling from the consequences later.
TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY
Incredible opportunities will present themselves: studying abroad, interning at a unique place, trying new things. Don’t let fear prevent you from taking advantage of them. There may never be so much time or as many resources devoted to your betterment again in your life. Say yes to opportunities that will help you grow.
FIND AND BE A MENTOR
Some of the best lessons available to us can come outside of the classroom in the form of a mentor. One of the most powerful growth opportunities is being a mentor. Early on, find someone on campus who you feel can help you grow and develop a relationship with him or her. Also find someone for you to mentor. You will reinforce and enrich your own learning experience by teaching someone else.
GET THE JOB DONE
It is natural to occasionally feel you want to quit, when it makes more sense to you to go find a full-time job. Resist that urge. As Jocelyn Negron-Rios, a mother of two, who is currently completing her degree, advises, “No matter how difficult it seems, keep at it because however insurmountable it feels now multiply that by 10,000 and that is how it feels when you are in your thirties with a full-time job and a family and are trying to pursue a degree.”
小題1:According to the passage, the most important thing for college students is ______.
A．taking part in different activities
B．working hard to get a degree
C．seizing every chance to try new things
D．improving themselves by learning from the others
小題2:Which of the following about college life is true?
A．Passing on what you’ve learned in college can help you enrich your learning experience.
B．Make sure that you are responsible for yourself rather than others.
C．Professors will not assess your performances in class but the grades you get in exams.
D．You can make full use of the opportunity whenever you want.
小題3:What can we infer from the words said by Jocelyn in the last paragraph?
A．Persistence is the key to success when you meet with difficulties in your learning process.
B．It is better if you gain more working experience before you finish your education.
C．As long as you work hard, you can gain a degree even when you are in your thirties.
D．Youth is the best time to learn since you have less burden.
小題4:What is the main purpose of the passage?
A．To give some rules for the college students.
B．To call on the students to make full use of college years.
C．To summarize some tips for parents to share with their children.
D．To analyze the benefits and difficulties of college life.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Retail therapy（購物療法）has long been considered as a good way to let off stress. Now, US scientists have discovered not only does retail therapy exist，but that it could be caused by an individual's fear of sudden death.
Researchers found materialistic people thought terrorism and war more stressful than others.
Psychologists believe the rise of materialism around the world and its treatment effect on extreme stress might be a response to fear of death caused by acts of terrorism, disease and natural disasters.
The scientists from Michigan State University said people with possession obsessions（妄想）often have lower self-esteem than others so are more likely to shop as the result of severe psychological suffering.
Ayalla Ruvio，a business professor studying people's shopping habits while rockets fell in Israel, said, "When the going gets tough, the materialistic people go shopping. This stress spending is likely to produce even greater stress and lower well-being. Essentially, materialism appears to make bad events even worse.
Dr Ruvio led a two-part study of Israeli citizens living in a town that came under extreme rocket attacks for about six months in 2007. She compared 139 residents of the southern town with 170 from another town that was not under attack to see how their symptoms of post-traumatic stress and shopping habits varied. Dr Ruvio found that, when faced with a deadly threat, those who are highly materialistic suffered much higher levels of stress，while their tendency to shop was increased.
Dr Ruvio said, "The relationship between materialism and stress may be more harmful than commonly thought.”
The second stage of their research surveyed 855 Americans about their materialistic nature and fear of death. They found shopping was used to relieve feelings of stress and anxiety about death but this was in response to fear of a variety of life-threatening events like car accidents, criminal attacks and natural disasters.
小題1:Which of the following opinion is NOT right according to the text?
A．Terrorism is believed to easily cause the rise of materialism.
B．The materialistic find terrorism and war more stressful than others.
C．The scientists think possession obsessions help people get self-respect.
D．The scientists think people with possession obsessions suffer a lot mentally.
小題2:Why did Dr Ruvio choose to study the two groups of Israeli citizens mentioned in the passage?
A．They enjoy the special shopping culture.
B．The stresses they face are usually deadly.
C．They are in different situation in terms of war.
D．They are usually active participants for researchers.
小題3:What's the result about Dr Ruvio's research?
A．Impulsive spending does good to people's health.
B．Shopping can't lower one's stress as it is expected.
C．Faced with great stress, people feel hopeless for life.
D．Faced with threat，people's wish to shop will decrease.
小題4:Which of the following events threaten people's life?
①Greater stress; ②Car accidents; ③Criminal attacks；. ④Natural disasters;
A．①②③B．②③④C．①②④D．①③④
小題5:What's the main idea of the passage?
A．Greater stress can lead to shopping.
B．Greater stress can cause a lot of diseases
C．Shopping is very important in people's life.
D．Can shopping reduce the stress and relieve the fear of death?

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Most of us know little about the mental processes that lie behind our decisions. Luckily, what psychologists are finding may help us all make better choices. Here are some of their amazing discoveries to help you make up your mind.
Consider your emotions. You might think that emotions are the enemy of decision making, but in fact they’re a part of it. Whenever you make up your mind, your brain’s emotional center is active. University of Southern California scientist, Antonio Damasio, has studied people with damage to only the emotional parts of their brains, and found that they were unable to make basic choices about what to wear or eat. Damasio thinks this may be because our brains store emotional memories of past choices, which we use to help the present decision making.
However, making choices under the influence of an emotion can greatly affect the result. Take anger, for example. A study by Nitika Garg of the University of Mississippi and other scientists found the angry shoppers were more likely to choose the first thing they were offered rather than considering other choices. It seems anger can lead us to make quick decisions without much thinking.
All emotions affect our thinking and motivation, so it may be best to avoid making important decisions under their influence. Yet strangely there’s one emotion that seems to help us make good choices. The American researchers found that sad people took time to consider the various choices on offer, and ended up making the best choices. In fact many studies show that people who feel unhappy have the most reasonable view of the world.
小題1:According to the text, what may help us make better decisions?
A．To think about happy times.
B．To make many decisions at a time.
C．To stop feeling regretful about the past.
D．To learn about the process of decision-making.
小題2:Damasio’s study suggests that ______.
A．emotions are the enemy of decision making
B．our brain has nothing to do with decision making
C．people with physical damage find it hard to make up their minds
D．our emotional memories of past choices can affect present decisions
小題3:Why are angry shoppers more likely to choose the first thing they are offered?
A．They often forget their past choices.
B．They make decisions without much thinking.
C．They tend to save time when shopping.
D．They are too angry to bargain.
小題4:What do we learn from the text?
A．Emotions are a part of decision making.
B．Sad people always make the worst choices.
C．No emotion seems to help us make good choices.
D．Only sad feelings affect our thinking and motivation.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

BEIJING—As China scrambles to respond to the choking smog that has blanketed Beijing in recent weeks, authorities in several major cities are experimenting with carbon trading platforms. The schemes are one effort to get control over greenhouse gases in an economy still hungry for cheap energy.
It has been a persistent concern in recent years, but the spiking pollution levels in January are sparking a public outcry.
Emissions from coal-fired electricity plants and busy factories are part of the problem that officials hope to get control over through carbon trading platforms. Seven cities are expected to open carbon markets later this year, including Tianjin.
“The government has decided to start with programs because the carbon trading is something new to China,” said David Tang, secretary of the board of the Tianjin Carbon Exchange. “So we want to have a number of programs to explore the use of the market.” said Tang.
China wants to launch a national carbon trading program by 2016. If it is successful, analysts say, the program would be one of the largest in the world and would help the country meet its target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 45 percent within seven years.
The platforms allow companies to earn credits for lowering greenhouse gas emissions, which can then be traded. If it works, it would encourage for-profit businesses to invest in green technology.
As public concern builds pressure for the government to find a solution, Wu Changhua, greater China director of the Climate Group, says there is a broad shift under way in how Chinese weigh their quality of life.
China has long put economic growth ahead of environmental concerns, making it the world’s biggest polluter. Carbon trading supporters hope that the markets could be one way to curb pollution and keep the economy growing.
小題1:Which of the following is TRUE about carbon trading platforms?
A．They are used to trade various resources.
B．They caused the choking smog in China.
C．They have been in existence for many years in China.
D．The choking smog may promote their development.
小題2:The underlined word in Paragraph 1 means “ ______”.
A．to make blanketB．to cover somethingC．to make something emptyD．to be like a blanket
小題3:Tang’s attitude towards carbon markets is ______.
A．unknownB．indifferentC．optimisticD．pessimistic
小題4:What can we infer from the passage?
A．China will have built a national carbon trading program by 2016.
B．Chinese have lived a life of high quality in all aspects.
C．The markets could slow the development of economy.
D．Standards of life will be changed in China.
小題5:What's the main idea of this passage?
A．The choking smoke in China.B．The urge for carbon trading platforms.
C．Greenhouse gases.D．The world’s biggest polluter.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Read the following text and choose the most suitable heading from A—F for each paragraph. There is one extra heading which you do not need.
A. When a child should learn to read
B. Why it is fun to teach a child reading
C. What if a child has reading problems
D. How you prepare a young child for reading
E. What is the best way to teach a child reading
F. Whether reading early promises later achievements
小題1:                  
Learning to read early has become one of those indicators—in parents' minds at least—that their child is smart. In fact, reading early has very little to do with whether a child is successful academically. Research has shown that difficulty with reading is often due not to inferior intelligence but to differences in the developmental wiring of each individual child. In some cases, there are neurological problems and developmental lags that can be overcome with proper training.
小題2:               
Traditionally, American schools teach children at age six, but many schools begin teaching informally in kindergarten and pre-kindergarten. If parents start too early to encourage reading, and a child does not immediately succeed, the parent has a hard time relaxing and letting the child go at his or her own pace.
小題3:               
Over the years, research has proved that the use of both the “whole language” method and the “phonic” method works best for a child to master reading. While the whole language approach, which includes reading to children and getting them interested in both the activity of reading and the story they are reading, is helpful, phonics must be taught. Children must be taught that one of the squiggles they see is a “p” and another a “b”. Getting the print off the page requires a different ability than being able to understand the meaning of what is written.
小題4:               
You can start developing the skills needed in reading at a very young age without putting any pressure on children. Besides reading to them, parents can start “ear training” their child by playing rhyme games. This develops the child's ability to recognize different sounds. In reading to children, parents also can point to words as they go, teaching the child that the funny lines on the page are the words you are saying. All this should be a fun activity.
小題5:               
Once a child is in school, the learning of reading is inevitably more serious. For children who have some kind of reading difficulty, you must get a professional diagnosis. While the teacher might say the child is merely disinterested but will get over it, disinterest or poor performance in reading can stem from a number of things, some being very specific learning disabilities that can be identified and worked on. But it is very tricky for parents to deal with their own child's learning disabilities.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

As rain begins to fall from the clouds, it is very pure. However, as it falls through the air it dissolves some of the gases in the air ,It also collects bits of dust and microbes(微生物)that are floating in the air, When the rain reaches the ground it begins to pick up more dust and dirt, Many kinds of mineral substances dissolve in the water ,Sand and nud cannot dissolve in water.
Since water is so important to us, it is very important that the water we use should be clean , Otherwise, we might get some of the diseases that are carried by water Many microbes are harmful ,They are so small that we cannot see them ,These microbes must be removed or killed before the water is not clean, people who drink this water may get these diseases, Thus , to provide people with clean water, the government purifies the water.
Purification is a long process and consists of three stages: storing ,purifying and distributing ,The first stage is storing , Man-made lakes called reservoirs are used for this purpose ,Water from the rains ,other lakes, streams and rivers is collected in the reservoirs ,This water is usually dirty and muddy.
In the second stage shich is purifying , water from the reservoirs is filtered in a special pond, Stones, sand and other unwanted tiny things are caught in it, After that, tiny microbes are still present in the water ,These microbes are removed by “airing ”the water and by adding a chemical substance called chloring(氯)to the water ,This kills all the microbes in the water ,A fter this the water can be safely used for drinking.
The third stage is the distribution of the purified water to homes ,hospitals, offices ,factories and other places, This is done through a network of pipes of various sizes, These pipes must be make of a suitable material.
小題1:From Paragraph 1, we can learn that           
A．Rain has contained gases when it forms in the clouds
B．Dust and microbes are dissolved in rain when rain falls on the ground
C．The closer rain is to the ground, the more impure things it contains
D．Sand and mud are things rain collects when it falls through the air
小題2:According to Paragraph 2 ,the following statements are wrong except that        
A．All the microbes in water are harmful so water must be purified
B．some diseases can spread through drinking water if it is not clean
C．Water is safe to drink if only harmful microbes are removed from it
D．it is the govrnment’s responsibility to make drinking water clean
小題3:What can we know about man-made lakes?
A．It is used through the whole process of purification
B．Only rain water can be collected and stored in it
C．Water collected can be stored and filtered in it
D．Water from them contains a lot of impure substances
小題4:What is the function of the chemical substance chlorine?
A．to air the waterB．to catch tiny things
C．to kill microbesD．to remove harmful gases
小題5:What is probably this passage?
A．A news reportB．A book reviewC．A magazine articleD．A school paper

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

There is no doubt that Apple is well aware of the increased competition in the market and could be in a hurry to put another product out there, said Ramon Llamas, senior research analyst at IDC Mobile Devices Technology and Trends. Given its history with product launches and business policy, though, Apple probably isn’t going to rush an iPhone release simply to put it on shelves, he said.
“If you’re Tim Cook (CEO of Apple), you’re thinking if you want to pay more attention to how to keep growing that bottom line and keep investors(投資人) happy, or continue with the same approach from Apple, which is do what we can do and manage products and releases in the best way they can work for us. Apple usually does things in their own time, and I’m having a hard time buying this May or June timeline.” Llamas told Mac News World.
While it’s probable that Apple is surely in a testing stage for its next smartphone, consumers likely have a standard wait for the finished product, said Colin Gibbs, analyst at GigaOm Pro.
“It typically takes a year or longer to create a state-of-the-art smartphone, so no one should be surprised Apple is in the testing stages with the next iPhone. And while it’s possible that Apple could launch the next iPhone this spring or summer, I’m not expecting to see it until a little later in the year,” he told Mac News World.
When it does launch, though, it could be in a variety of colors, said Gibbs. “Apple has already tested the waters with releasing colored products when it revamped (更新，翻新）its iPod line last fall, so it is understood that it would want the new change with its smartphone, as well”.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if the new iPhone becomes available in some new colors,’’ he said. “That could be done pretty cheaply, and it would give Apple a new marketing angle.”
小題1:According to Ramon Llamas, Apple always ______.
A．tries to please its investors
B．rushes to put new products to market
C．ignores the fierce market competition
D．does things as planned
小題2:As for the next iPhone, Colin Gibbs didn’t mention ______.
A．the stage of its being tested
B．the rough time of its being released
C．the function to be improved
D．the wide variety of its color
小題3:What’s Colin Gibbs’ attitude towards the next iPhone?
A．Disapproving.B．Indifferent (漠不關(guān)心的).C．Doubtful.D．Objective.
小題4:This passage is presented in the form of ______.
A．storiesB．commentsC．a(chǎn)dvertisementsD．debates

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