The days of elderly women doing nothing but cooking huge meals on holidays are gone. Enter the Red Hat Society—a group holding the belief that old ladies should have fun.
“My grandmother didn’t do anything but keep house and serve everybody. They were programmed to do that,” said Emily Cornette, head of a chapter of the 7-year-old Red Hat Society.
While men have long spent their time fishing and playing golf, women have sometimes seemed to become unnoticed as they age. But the generation now turning 50 is the baby boomers (生育高峰期出生的人), and the same people who refused their parents’ way of being young are now trying a new way of growing old.
If you take into consideration feminism (女權主義), a bit of spare money, and better health for most elderly, the Red Hat Society looks almost inevitable (必然的). In this society, women over 50 wear red hats and purple (紫色的) clothes, while the women under 50 wear pink hats and light purple clothing.
“The organization took the idea from a poem by Jenny Joseph that begins: “When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple. With a red hat which doesn’t go,” said Ellen Cooper, who founded the Red Hat Society in 1998. When the ladies started to wear the red hats, they attracted lots of attention.
“The point of this is that we need a rest from always doing something for someone else,” Cooper said. “Women feel so ashamed and sorry when they do something for themselves.” This is why chapters are discouraged from raising money or doing anything useful. “We’re a ladies’ play group. It couldn’t be more simple,” added Cooper’s assistant Joe Heywood.
小題1:. The unlined word “chapter” in Paragraph 2 means ___.
A．one branch of an organizationB．a(chǎn) written agreement of a club
C．one part of a collection of poemsD．a(chǎn) period in a society’s history
小題2:. From the text, we know that the “baby boomers” are a group of people who ___.
A．have gradually become more noticeableB．a(chǎn)re worried about getting old too quickly
C．a(chǎn)re enjoying a good life with plenty of money to spend
D．tried living a different life from their parents when they were young
小題3:. It could be inferred from the text that members of the Red Hat Society are ___.
A．interested in raising money for social workB．programmers who can plan well for their future
C．believers in equality between men and womenD．good at cooking big meals and taking care of others
小題4:.. Who set up the Red Hat Society?
A．Emily CornetteB．Ellen CooperC．Jenny JosephD．Joe Heywood
小題5:.. Women join the Red Hat Society because ___.
A．they want to stay youngB．they would like to appear more attractive
C．they would like to have fun and live for themselvesD．they want to be more like their parents

小題1:.A
小題1:.D
小題1:.C
小題1:.B
小題1:.C
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

This year Canada’s navy is one hundred years old. To mark the occasion, military ships from six different countries around the Pacific Ocean came to Canada for a four-day celebration. There were parades, parties and demonstrations of navy search and rescue aircraft and a show put on by the Snowbirds.
The Snowbirds, Canada’s aerobatic team, fly Tudor jet aircraft that are not particularly fast or particularly new but with amazing and sometimes hair-raising precision. They put a formation of nine aircraft into a space that would normally hold only one and they change the information in flight, roll it, loop it, break it and reform it in a dizzying ballet in the sky. The Snowbirds are one of the best aerobatic flying teams in the world and they are a readily recognized symbol of Canada just as the Great Wall is a recognized symbol of China. For a Canadian, watching the Snowbirds fly can bring tears. They make us very proud.
The Snowbirds have been flying since 1971. All of the pilots are serving members of the Canadian Air Force. They are all very young, all are highly-skilled and each is attached to the Snowbirds for two or three years. Each winter they practice in the cold, clear skies and each summer they put on more than fifty air-shows across the country and sometimes abroad. What they do is highly specialized. They often fly less than two meters from each other at speeds of about seven hundred and fifty kilometers an hour.
Flying is, by its nature, inherently risky and what the Snowbirds do increases that risk. While the pilots are all highly trained professionals, eight Snowbird pilots have been killed over the years. I have been fortunate enough to watch the Snowbirds fly probably fifteen or twenty times and if I know they are going to be flying I will go to see them again and again. This is not because I want to see someone do something dangerous, it is because I want to see something done so well—it is almost unbelievably precise and beautiful. I want to watch nine aircraft in an incredibly tight formation, each one painted in the red and white of my country’s flag, soaring through the cloudless blue sky. I want to feel that pride and that tear just behind my eyelids that comes from watching something uniquely and wonderfully Canadian.
小題1:.
Which of the following is TRUE about the Snowbirds?
A．The aircraft they fly are particularly fast and new.
B．They are the best aerobatic flying team in the world.
C．They are regarded as a symbol of Canada.
D．Every year they put on more than fifty air-shows across the country.
小題2:.
. The underlined word “inherently” in the last paragraph refers to         .
A．naturallyB．trulyC．entirelyD．nearly
小題3:.
Why does the author like to watch the Snowbirds fly?
A．Because he wants to see someone do something dangerous.
B．Because the flying is unbelievably precise and beautiful.
C．Because his country’s flag is painted on each one.
D．Because watching them fly can make people cry.
小題4:.
Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A．Air-shows of the Snowbirds
B．A Four-day Celebration of Canada
C．The Training of Highly-skilled Pilots
D．A National Symbol -- the Snowbirds

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

While still in its early stages, welfare reform has already been judged a great success in many states—at least in getting people off welfare．It's estimated that more than 2 million people have left the list since 1994．
In the past four years, welfare list in Athens County have been cut in half．But 70 percent of the people who left in the past two years took jobs that paid less than $ 6 an hour．The result: The Athens County poverty rate still remains at more than 30 percent —twice the national average．For advocates（代言人） for the poor, that's an indication that much more needs to be done．
"More people are getting jobs, but it's not making their lives any better," says Kathy Lairn, a policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington．A center analysis of US Census data （戶口普查資料） nationwide found that between 1995 and 1996, a greater percentage of single, female-headed families were earning money on their own, but that average income for these families actually went down．
But for many, the fact that poor people are able to support themselves almost as well without government aid as they did with it is in itself a huge victory．"Welfare was a poison．It was a poisonous substance that was poisoning the family," says Robert Rector, a welfare-reform policy analyst．"The reform is changing the moral climate in low-income communities．It's beginning to rebuild the work ethic （道德觀）, which is much more important．"
Mr．Rector and others argued that once "the habit of dependency is cracked," then the country can make other policy changes aimed at improving living standards．
小題1:．From the passage, it can be seen that the author __   __．
A．believes the reform has reduced the government's burden
B．insists that welfare reform is doing little good for the poor
C．is not interested in the success of welfare reform
D．considers welfare reform to be fundamentally successful
小題2:．Why aren't people enjoying better lives when they have jobs?
A．Because many families end their marriage．
B．Because government aid is now rare．
C．Because their wages are still low．
D．Because the cost of living is rising．
小題3:．From the passage we know that welfare reform aims at____．
A．saving welfare funds                   B, rebuilding the work ethic
C．providing more jobs                                     D．cutting government expenses
小題4:According to the passage,____ before the welfare reform was carried out．
A．the poverty rate was lower
B．a(chǎn)verage living standards were higher
C．the average worker was paid higher-wages
D．the poor used to rely on government aid

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Being a mother is apparently not like it was in the good old days.
　　Today’s parents yearn for the golden age that their own mothers enjoyed in the 1970s and 1980s, researchers found. Mothers have less time to themselves and feel under greater pressure to handle work and family life than the previous generation. As a result, 88 per cent said they felt guilty about the lack of time they spent with their children.
The survey of 1,000 mothers also found that more than a third said they had less time to themselves than their mothers did – just three hours a week or 26 minutes a day. And 64 per cent said this was because they felt they ‘had’ to go out to work, while nearly a third (29 per cent) said they were under constant pressure to be the ‘perfect mother’, the report found.
Other findings showed social networking and parenting websites, as well as technology such as Skype, were important in providing help and support among female communities. Kate Fox, a member of the Social Issues Research Centre, which conducted the survey for Procter & Gamble, said: ‘With increasing pressure on mothers to work a “double shift” — to be the perfect mother as well as a wage-earner — support networks are more important than ever.
It comes as a separate report examining childcare in the leading industrialised nations found that working mothers in Britain spend just 81 minutes a day caring for their children as a ‘primary activity’. Mothers who stay at home, on the other hand, manage twice as much time – more than two and a half hours – looking after their offspring, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
　　Critics say the pressure on women to work long hours, and leave their offspring in the hands of nurseries or childminders, is putting the well-being of their children at risk.
　　The study also reveals that, despite the fact that more and more modern mothers go out to work, the burden of childcare still falls on them - even if their husband is not in work. A father who is not in work tends to spend just 63 minutes a day looking after his child - 18 minutes less than a mother who goes out to work. Working fathers spare less than three quarters of an hour with their children.
小題1:. What does the passage mainly talk about?
A．The good old days of mothers in the 1970s and 1980s.
B．The great sufferings of today’s children.
C．The statistics of working mothers and full-time mothers.
D．The big problems that today’s working mothers face.
小題2:. What does the underlined phrase “yearn for” probably means ___________.
A．hateB．missC．a(chǎn)bandonD．control
小題3: Which of the following problems is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A．Today’s mothers have less time left for their children and themselves.
B．The working mothers can hardly strike the balance between work and family.
C．Most of the mothers can not control their husbands nowadays.
D．Modern fathers do not spend enough time with their children.
小題4: From para. 4, we can infer that ___________.
A．working mothers can seek help on line
B．Skype is a very famous expert in studying social issues
C．working mothers’ double shift is to be a wife and a mother
D．Kate Fox has opened a website offering help to working mothers
小題5:. What critics say means that _____________.
A．it is wise for working mothers to put their kids in nurseries or childminders
B．too much time in nurseries or childminders is bad for kids’ mental and physical health
C．nurseries or childminders are dangerous places for children
D．children do not like nurseries or childminders at all

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

In the United States, friendships can be close, constant, intense, generous, and real, yet fade away in a short time if things change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greeting for a year or two, perhaps a few letters for a while—then no more. If the same two people meet again by chance, even years later, they pick up the friendship where it's left off and are delighted.
In the States, you can feel free to visit people's homes and share their holidays without fear that you are taking on a lasting obligation. Do not hesitate to accept hospitality because you cannot give it in return. No one will expect you to do so for they know you are far from home. Americans will enjoy welcoming you and be pleased if you accept their hospitality easily.
Once you arrive there, the welcome will be full and warm and real. Most visitors find themselves easily invited into many homes there. In some countries it is considered inhospitable to entertain at home, offering what is felt as "merely" home cooked food, not "doing something" for your guest. It is felt that restaurant entertaining shows more respect and welcome. Or for various other reasons, such as crowded space, language difficulties, or family custom, outsiders are not invited into homes.
In the United States, both methods are used, but it is often considered more friendly to invite a person to one's home than to go to a public place, except in pure business relationships. So, if your host or hostess brings you home, do not feel that you are being shown inferior treatment.
小題1:.
. In the United States, friendships might ________ if things become different.
A．disappear little by littleB．last forever
C．be heartbreakingD．end suddenly
小題2:.
All the following factors but ________ prevent people from inviting their friends home for
dinner according to the passage.
A．different languagesB．naughty children
C．different customsD．small houses
小題3:.
. We can infer that ________ in America according to this passage.
A．friendships are difficult to get but easy to lose
B．it is hard for a person to pick up the friendship when he comes across his long lost friend
C．you might be considered as a person hungry for social activities if you accept an invitation too easily
D．people care little about where they are invited to go for dinner
小題4:.
. Why is giving a dinner party at home considered less hospitable in some countries?
A．Because eating at the restaurant is a sign of respect.
B．Because having dinner at home seems less friendly.
C．Because dishes prepared at home are less delicious.
D．Because a dinner at the restaurant is more expensive.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

October 15th is Global Handwashing Day.  Activities are planned in more than twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap.
Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at so-called critical moments. These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food.
Global Handwashing Day is the idea of the Public-private Partnership for handwashing with soap. The goal, they say, is to create a culture of handwashing with soap. The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs （細菌）. They say the correct way to wash is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails. Then, wash well under running water. Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth.
The Partnership says soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing. Soap also helps to break up the dirt that holds most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which increases the chances that people will wash again.
It also says that washing hands with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any medicine. It could help reduce cases of diarrhea （痢疾）, which is the second leading cause of child deaths, killing more than one and a half million children a year, by almost half.
小題1:What does the author intend to tell us in the passage?
A．To keep healthy by washing hands.B．To wash hands with soap.
C．To take action to wash hands.D．To wash hands often.
小題2:Which of the following is the right way to wash hands?
a. Washing hands well.                b. Covering hands with soap.
c. Drying hands.                     d. Rubbing hands with soap.
e. Wetting hands.
A．a(chǎn)--c--b--e--dB．e--d--a--b--c
C．a(chǎn)--c--b--d--eD．e--b--d--a--c
小題3:Which fact can’t explain why soap is important?
A．It gives people a longer handwashing time.
B．It helps to remove a lot of germs from hands.
C．It attracts people to do more handwashing.
D．It gets all people into the habit of washing hands.
小題4:According to the last paragraph, diarrhea is a disease that ________.
A．kills half of the kids in the developing countries a year
B．causes the greatest number of child deaths
C．can be prevented to some degree by washing hands with soap
D．can’t be cured without washing hands

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Blair: Blair was the first to appear in movies in history. In 1905, Blair appeared in the movie Rescued by Rover (義犬救主). It is a British film that a baby is kidnapped by an old woman, but the faithful family dog Rover saves the baby at last.
Though Rover is a common name, it became popular because of the dog hero in the movie.
Lassie: lassie used to be the most famous dog in the world. She is a character who has starred (扮演) in many movies, TV shows and books over the years.
Lassie was created by Eric Knight and made her way into a short story in a newspaper in 1913 and into a novel in 1940.
Laika: Laika is the first animal that has orbited the earth. On November  3, 1957, Laika was sent to space in the Soviet Union’s Sputnik 2.(蘇聯(lián)人造地球衛(wèi)星2號). The Soviets admitted soon after the launch that the spacecraft would not return. It meant that the poor animal would die. People argued a lot about Laika’s death. Several countries issued stamps in memory of Laika. She became the first animal to give her life for the exploration of space.
Rin Tin Tin: Rin Tin Tin is the first American dog movie star. He first appeared in WhereThe North Begins in 1925. Rin Tin Tin went on to make 25 movies, he even signed his own contracts with paw prints(爪印). During his best time, he earned about 5 million dollars for those people who worked for him.
Snoopy: snoopy may be the most famous cartoon dog in the world. As a hunting beagle (獵犬) from Charles Schultz’ popular newspaper comic strip (連環(huán)漫畫)， Peanuts, snoopy first appeared in 1950. Though snoopy was at first a minor figure, he grew to become the strip’s best-known character. He is famous for always sleeping on top of his doghouse and sometimes dressing up and pretending himself as a World War I airplane pilot. Snoopy appeared in the Peanuts comic strips until Schultz’s retirement ( and death ) in February of 2000.
小題1:According to the passage how many dogs starred in movies?
A．2B．3C．4D．5
小題2:Two dogs created by artists are_.
A．Rin Tin Tin and SnoopyB．Blair and LassieC．Rin Tin Tin and Lassie
D．Snoopy and Lassie
小題3:Which dog is most worth respecting?
A．Laika.B．SnoopyC．Lassie.D．Rin Tin Tin.
小題4: Which of the following is the most reasonable?
A．Blair- the first dog movie star; Laika-the greatest dog; Snoopy-No.1 cartoon dog star.
B．Rin Tin Tin- the first dog movie star; Laika-the most disappointing dog; Snoopy-No.1 cartoon dog star.
C．Rin Tin Tin- a dog millionaire; Blair- the first dog movie star; Laika-the most well-known cartoon dog.
D．Laika-the greatest dog; Rin Tin Tin- the first dog movie star; Laika-the most well-known cartoon dog.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Mother’s Day is usually celebrated on the second Sunday of May every year. Do you know that a mom deserves a special gift this year for Mother’s Day? Sure, flowers can always brighten Mother’s Day and a dinner out is always appreciated. However, doesn’t she deserve something more personal or something that lasts longer than an evening?
I’m talking about the gift of fitness. Improved fitness is a gift that is invaluable to everyone. When you give a woman the gift of fitness, you are helping her open her door to better health. I can’t think of a more thoughtful gift that shows the recipient （接受者）how much you care about their well-being. By giving the gift of fitness you are providing them with unlimited health benefits. Besides, it’s a gift that you can truly feel proud to give.
Of course, we all know that exercising can help people stay slim and fit. But, do you also know about all the other great benefits of exercising? Daily physical activities reduce stress and help you sleep better. Fitness has been linked to reducing the risk of some diseases and to warding off depression. Researchers also believe that strength training can help prevent osteoporosis （骨質(zhì)疏松）. Not to mention that exercising also improves self-esteem, increases energy and helps you be able to do continuous work for longer.
All moms would find these benefits extremely great. If they are like most of us, they have probably even mentioned how they would like to drop a few pounds or just get in better shape. In fact, experts say that about 62% of Americans are currently on a diet. By giving the gift of fitness, you are helping provide your mom with extra motivation. She may be more motivated to actually get fit because she doesn’t want to feel guilty about ignoring such a thoughtful gift.
小題1: The first paragraph is likely to tell us that ________.
A．we should give a special gift to our mom for Mother’s Day
B．we should invite our mom to a dinner for Mother’s Day
C．it’s good to send flowers to moms for Mother’s Day
D．moms aren’t worth special gifts for Mother’s Day
小題2: The underlined word “invaluable”（in paragraph 2） means ________.
A．pricelessB．worthlessC．uselessD．helpless
小題3: According to this passage, the gift of fitness will ________.
A．make moms feel prouder
B．let moms free from illnesses
C．keep moms having a healthy diet
D．encourage moms to do more exercise
小題4: Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A．Better Pay Attention to Your Mother’s Health
B．Give the Gift of Fitness This Mother’s Day
C．Moms Like to Accept the Gift of Fitness
D．Help Your Mother Keep a Good Shape

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The Global Heritage Fund organization recently released a list of cultural treasures in the developing world that are in danger of disappearing. These“On the Verge” places face many threats. They included war, development pressures, stealing and misuse by visitors. The Global Heritage Fund says these places are important because they are records of our human civilization. And the group says countries can learn to use these treasures to help support responsible development in the future.
One such place is the town of Lamu. Lamu was once a very important trading center in East Africa. This ancient city became part of the United Nations Heritage list in 2001. But it still faces threats. For example, a modern port might be built nearby.
Other endangered places include Ani, a city in Turkey, the town of Maluti in India, the ancient city of Ninevah in northern Iraq, the Sans-Souci palace in Haiti, and the former capital of Ayutthaya in Thailand.
The Global Heritage Fund is nonprofit organization based in California. The group says it only focuses on developing countries which often have few resources to protect places of cultural importance. And, other major cultural organizations often pay more attention to protecting places in the developed world. For example, the fund points out the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has forty-five World Heritage places in Italy. UNESCO has forty-two in Spain. But Peru, famous for its ancient Incan buildings, has only nine World Heritage places. Guatemala has only three.
The Global Heritage Fund says its new report tries to place a value on cultural places so that they can also be considered as economic resources. It estimates that by 2025 these places of cultural importance could produce one hundred billion dollars a year in income for developing countries.
小題1: The underlined part “On the Verge” in Paragraph 1 is used to show the places are _____.
A．popularB．famous
C．endangeredD．dangerous
小題2: The town of Lamu faces danger from ________.
A．development pressuresB．stealing
C．misuse by visitorsD．a(chǎn) war
小題3: We can know that The Global Heritage Fund organization mainly _____.
A．protects places of cultural importance in developing countries
B．protects places of cultural importance in developed countries
C．provide resources to protect cultural places in every country
D．helps people know the importance of protecting cultural treasures
小題4: Which of the following countries has the fewest World Heritage places?
A．ItalyB．Guatemala
C．PeruD．Spain
小題5: According to The Global Heritage Fund organization, saving the places of cultural
importance_______.
A．has attracted a lot of attention worldwide
B．will start to benefit developing countries in 2015
C．is mainly to increase income of developing countries
D．can help developing countries make money out of them

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