Americans who volunteer for the Peace Corps get a chance to help improve lives in developing countries. They also get a chance to learn more about the world, and about themselves. This week this program is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
President John Kennedy established the Peace Corps soon after he took office in 1961. It was the time of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. The new program gave Americans a chance to answer the call to service that the president made in his inaugural(就职的)speech. “Ask not what your country can do for you,” he said. “Ask what you can do for your country.” Kennedy told Peace Corps volunteers that America’s image in the countries where they were going would depend largely on them.
On August 30th, 1961, the first group of 51 Peace Corps volunteers arrived in Accra, Ghana, to serve as teachers. They had agreed to work for almost no pay. They would spend two years in Ghana helping its people and learning the reality of life in a developing country. Most of the volunteers had just completed college. About half of them taught English or health care. In the 50 years since then, more than 200，000 Americans have served as Peace Corps volunteers. They have worked in 139 countries.
The Peace Corps is a government agency that was created to promote world peace and friendship. There are three goals: First, to help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. Second, to help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the people served. And, third. to help promote a better understanding of other people on the part of Americans.
Today, the Peace Corps has more than 8,000 volunteers and trainees in 77 countries. They work in agriculture, economic development, education, the environment and health care. Some work in programs related to youth development.
Sixty percent of current Peace Corps volunteers are women. The average age of a volunteer is 28. But the ages of Peace Corps volunteers range from 18 to 86. Some Americans join the Peace Corps after they retire. Today seven percent of volunteers are over the age of 50. And 19 percent are members of minority groups.
【小题1】Volunteers for the Peace Corps can _______.
| A．improve their abilities by learning in some developed countries |
| B．travel to many foreign countries to learn more about the world |
| C．have an opportunity to help all the people in developing countries |
| D．contribute to lives in developing countries and develop themselves |
| A．Volunteers served as teachers to work for no pay in Accra, Ghana. |
| B．Kennedy established the Peace Corps before he took office in 1961. |
| C．Most of the volunteers of the first group had just graduated from college. |
| D．America’s image in the foreign countries depends completely on volunteers. |
| A．what the Peace Corps is and its steps |
| B．why the Peace Corps was created and what are its goals |
| C．what role the Peace Corps play in daily life |
| D．How the Peace Corps was created and its aims |
| A．industry | B．environment | C．education | D．health care |
| A．Most of the volunteers for the Peace Corps are women. |
| B．Few minority groups joined the Peace Corps. |
| C．Half of the retired volunteers joined the Peace Corps. |
| D．People of different ages take an active part in the Peace Corps. |
【小题1】D
【小题2】C
【小题3】B
【小题4】A
【小题5】D
解析试题分析：本文叙述了美国的Peace Corps有各种年龄段的人志愿者所参与的组织，该组织的成立的原因及目的。志愿者的目的是帮助改善发展中国家的生活及了解他们自己。
【小题1】细节理解题。根据help improve lives in developing countries. They also get a chance to learn more about the world, and about themselves.志愿者的目的是帮助改善发展中国家的生活及了解他们自己， 故选D。
【小题2】细节理解题。根据Most of the volunteers had just completed college. 大多数志愿者都是刚刚大学毕业，故选C。
【小题3】段落大意题。根据Peace Corps组织成立的原因及目的，故选B。
【小题4】细节理解题。根据They work in agriculture, economic development, education, the environment and health care.可知这里没有提到工业，故选A。
【小题5】细节理解题。根据最后一段可知不同年龄的人都积极参与这个组织，故选D。
考点：文化类短文阅读。
点评：命题者常以以下一些方法设置段落大意题的干扰项，从而误导考生选择错误选项：选项以偏赅全；选项过于笼统；选项内容是命题者杜撰的；选项是无关信息。
名校课堂系列答案科目：高中英语 来源：2012-2013学年海南省农垦加来高级中学高二第一次月考英语试卷（带解析） 题型：阅读理解
Smiling
People smile at times. However, the meaning of a smile in different cultures may be different. Depending on different cultures, smiling can express joy and amusement, but it can also indicate embarrassment（苦恼）. The following examples show this point of view:
In an attempt to be open and friendly, people in the United States smile a lot. Every one smiles at each other, this nonverbal communication shows being friendly in the United States. However，in China, smiling is not only an expression of happiness, but also a way to avoid being embarrassed. Chinese people like smiling when they are embarrassed in order to avoid embarrassment. Smiling is a kind of good will but not sneer（嘲笑）. For example: When a child falls off from a bike, the adults in China may smile, which is a kind of gentle encouragement and may not be a kind of impolite laugh.
When a person from the United States might blush（脸红）with embarrassment or become offensive, a Chinese might blush with smile. To avoid serious misunderstanding, people who engage in intercultural communication should be able to understand the meaning of smiling appropriately. Related to the smile is the laugh. Also, different cultures have different meanings about laugh. For example, Americans can enjoy a very heartfelt belly (腹部) laugh that comes from the deepest emotions. However, most Chinese seldom laugh that way because they are thought to be silly except among close friends.
【小题1】We can use smile to express all of the following feelings except_________,
| A．joy and happiness | B．amusement | C．embarrassment | D．fear |
| A．they are very happy | B．they want to show they are friendly |
| C．they want to hide their true feelings | D．they want to avoid embarrassment |
| A．laugh at him | B．avoid his own embarrassment |
| C．avoid embarrassment and encourage the boy | D．show his politeness |
| A．People smile at times. | B．Smiling can express different feelings depending on different cultures. |
| C．Americans are more open and friendly than Chinese people. | |
| D．The Chinese people often hide their true feelings. |
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科目：高中英语 来源：广东省潮州市实验中学2010届高三下学期4月月考 题型：阅读理解
C
John Steinbeck once said, “All Americans believe they are born fishermen. For a man to admit to a distaste in fishing would be like denouncing (公开指责) mother – love or hating moonlight.”
I can’t say that I’m the biggest John Steinbeck fan. Actually, the only thing I can ever remember reading by him was “The pearl” when I was in middle school, but I couldn’t agree more with the man when it comes to fishing. Whether I am on a boat in the middle of the Lay Lake, fishing off the shores of the Florida Keys for tarpon (大海鲢) or catching rainbow trout (红鲭鱼) in the Shoshone River of Wyoming, fishing is my life.
According to the American Sports Fishing Association, the fishing industry brings in more than $ 116 billion per year from fishermen across the country.
Though a beautiful picture to imagine fishing is much more than that. Fishing is a way of life for many people and a way to escape everyday stress. Being a fisherman makes me a member of a wonderful group of people extending to all walks of life. Even President Bush can be found fishing on his farm in Texas with his good friend Roland Martin when the job gets too stressful.
I can remember fishing with my grandfather when I was 5 years old on his boat at Lake Mitchell. Although I didn’t understand what I doing. I did know that my grandfather was happy and that made me happy. Since then I’ve spent the past 16 years on the rivers and lakes of Alabama.
After days of practice, before and after work, I slowly developed an understanding of fishing. My boss. Ric Horst, took me back to the Shoshone, and I managed to bring in a 19 – inch cutthroat trout. Fishing with Ric was a life – changing experience for me. He not only showed my how to fish correctly, but also told me how fishing could be a way to escape your problems.
Since then, prime – time (黄金时间) season seems to take forever to arrive.
Now, with the ending of February and beginning of March in sight, the excitement of heading out Lake Tuscaloosa or Lake Lurleen before classes and catching something has finally returned.
51．What John Steinbeck said in the first paragraph implies that .
A．Americans are believed to be the offspring (后代) of fishermen
B．it is unthinkable for an American to admit his dislike of fishing
C．all Americans are expert at fishing
D．those who dislike fishing would not love their mother
52．The writer came to understand the real meaning of fishing .
A．when he was reading “The pearl” by John Steinbeck
B．when he went fishing with his grandfather at Lake Mitchell
C．after he had spent 16 years on the rivers and lakes of Alabama
D．after he went fishing with his boss, Ric Horst on the Shoshone
53．What can be inferred from the text?
A．The author is at most 21 years old.
B．The author regards fishing as a very important part in his life.
C．The author agreed with John Steinbeck the most when he was in middle school.
D．President Bush often goes fishing in public in order to collect idea for his job.
54．According to the author, .
A．people can get to know VIPs when fishing.
B．people can smooth away all the troubles by fishing
C．Fishing is a way of communication
D．Fishing is a way to make a living for most American people
55．What is the purpose of the writing?
A．To describe the writer’s experience and understanding of fishing.
B．To explain the reason why so many Americans like fishing.
C．To make others understand the industry of fishing.
D．To express his opinions about fishing in different time of the year.
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科目：高中英语 来源：江苏省宁海外国语学校2010届高三高考模拟英语试题（二） 题型：阅读理解
B
Economists usually study markets．Now，two Americans have won the Nobel Prize in economics for not studying markets．They will share almost one and a half million dollars for their analysis of economic governance(治理)．The winners are Elinor Ostrom of Indiana University in Bloomington and Oliver Williamson of the University of California，Berkeley．The prize in economic sciences has gone to 63 men since it was first awarded 40 years ago．Elinor Ostrom is the first woman．And，like other winners over the years，her training is not limited to economics．She is a professor of political science and of public and environmental affairs．
Today，economic theory suggests that good resource management requires ownership，either private or public．If not，the thinking goes，then self-interest will lead to overuse and destruction of shared resources．Ecologist Garrett Hardin described this idea in 1968 as“the tragedy of the commons．”
Elinor Ostrom showed how local decision making can lessen the tragedy．Her research has deepened understanding of how people balance their needs with those of others who depend on the same resources．
She studied communities like farmers in Southern California who depended on a common water supply． She documented how people who use resources often develop ways to share them．One example is forest management．She says，“One of the absolutely key，most important variables(变量)as to
whether or not a forest survives and continues is whether local people monitor each other and its use．Not officials，locals．”
Oliver Williamson has studied big companies and found that they often are better than markets at doing complex jobs．Under his theory，businesses act as structures for conflict resolution．
For example，companies that own their suppliers can avoid long-term contracts and disputes over prices．This can make production more efficient and make better use of limited resources．But businesses can also abuse their power．Professor Williamson says the best way to deal with this is not by limiting the size of companies，but through industry regulation．
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said economists need to do more than study markets and prices．The Nobel judges urged more research like the kind they recognized with this year’s award．
60．According to Elinor Ostrom， ．
A．the tragedy of the commons is caused by local decision
B．private ownership can cause the tragedy of the commons
C．overuse of shared resources can cause the tragedy of the commons
D．it is not the officials but the local people who can do something to avoid the tragedy
61．This year’s Nobel Prize for economics is shared by ．
A．Elinor Ostrom and Oliver Williamson B．Elinor Ostrom and Garrett Hardin
C．Oliver Williamson and Garrett Hardin D．63 economic scientists
62．Professor Williamson proved that long-term contracts and disputes over prices can be
avoided by big companies by ．
A．1imiting the size of other companies
B．providing sufficient production
C．sharing resources with their own suppliers
D．setting up their own industry regulation
63．Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage?
A．Two American Economists Won the Nobel Prize for Studying Markets．
B．Researchers of Economic Governance Won the Nobel Prize for Economics．
C．First Woman to Win the Nobel Prize for Economic Strategies．
D．The Tragedy of the Commons and the Big Businesses．
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科目：高中英语 来源：2010-2011江西南昌高三考前最后一模英语试卷 题型：阅读理解
Making greener choices and encouraging healthy lifestyles can promote your health and benefit the environment．Here are some guidelines to follow:
Choose foods thoughtfully
Americans have never had such a variety or abundance of food to choose from．Besides so many choice
s, we now hear about our "food print", the amount of land needed to supply o
ne person's nutritional needs for a year．Do we buy cherry tomatoes from Mexico or tomatoes grown locally in a hothouse? Do．we get the Granny Smiths from the fanners' market or the supermarket? Is organic produce healthier for us and the planet?
These are very complex issues that require analysis of many criteria, including the energy used in producing and transporting the food, as well as the type of soil and methods of raising the food．
Despite the complexities, there are some general guidelines you can follow．For instance, eat less meat or eat low on the food chain．Your doctor may have recommended you to restrict your consume red meat because of its too much fat content．Beyond that, there are environmental reasons, too. Raise food animals contributes substantially to climate change because a meat-based diet requires more land, energy and water than a plant - based one．
Drinking plenty of fluids is significant during hot weather or when exercising．But is bottled water the way to go? You may not think so when seeing the true costs．Based on a survey, manufacturing the 30 - plus billion plastic water bottles can produce more than 2．5 million tons of carbon dioxide and use here times the amount of water in the bottle．Adding in transportation, the energy used comes to over 50 million barrels of oil equiv
alent （等价物）．Consequently, skip the bottled water and drink tap water, both at home and at restaurants．Additionally, bottled water is not necessarily cleaner than tap.
【小题1】In Paragraph 2 the author puts forward three questions mainly _____．
| A．to prove Americans have less food to choose from |
| B．to show us the shopping habits of most Americans |
| C．to indicate Americans tend to buy food from abroad |
| D．to remind people to reconsider their food purchase |
| A．it contains too much fat | B．it costs a lot in transportation |
| C．it is too low on the food chain | D．it isn't related to climate change |
| A．Americans all prefer to buy cherry tomatoes from Mexico． |
| B．The plant - based diet is responsible for the climate change． |
| C．Americans have a variety of food to choose from． |
| D．Organic produce is the only choice for Americans． |
| A．bottled water is cleaner than tap water |
| B．tap water is economical as well as eco - friendly |
| C．bottled water is more available than tap water |
| D．tap water uses one - third the cost of bottled water |
| A．Skip bottled water, carry tap | B．Drink bottled water |
| C．Produce plastic water bottles | D．Save water resources |
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科目：高中英语 来源：2012-2013学年江苏省苏州五中高一下学期期初考试英语试卷（带解析） 题型：阅读理解
America is a mobile society. Friendships between Americans can be close and real, yet disappear soon if situations change. Neither side feels hurt by this. Both may exchange Christmas greetings 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. This can be quite difficult for us Chinese to understand, because friendships between us develop more slowly but then may become lifelong feelings, extending(延伸) sometimes deeply into both families.
Americans are ready to receive us foreigners at their homes, share their holidays, and their home life. They will enjoy welcoming us and be pleased if we accept their hospitality(好客) easily.
Another difficult point for us Chinese to understand Americans is that although they include us warmly in their personal everyday lives, they don’t show their politeness to us if it requires a great deal of time. This is usually the opposite of the practice in our country where we may be generous with our time. Sometimes, we, as hosts, will appear at airports even in the middle of the night to meet a friend. We may take days off to act as guides to our foreign friends. The Americans, however, express their welcome usually at homes, but truly can not manage the time to do a great deal with a visitor outside their daily routine. They will probably expect us to get ourselves from the airport to our own hotel by bus. And they expect that we will phone them from there. Once we arrive at their homes, the welcome will be full, warm and real. We will find ourselves treated hospitably.
For the Americans, it is often considered more friendly to invite a friend to their homes than to go to restaurants, except for purely business matters. So accept their hospitality at home!
【小题1】The writer of this passage must be ________.
| A．an American | B．a Chinese | C．a professor | D．a student |
| A．Friendships between Americans usually extend deeply into their families. |
| B．Friendships between Americans usually last for all their lives. |
| C．Americans always show their warmth even if they are very busy. |
| D．Americans will continue their friendships again even after a long break. |
| A．warmly welcomed at the airport | B．offered a ride to his/her home |
| C．treated hospitably at his/her home | D．treated to dinner in a restaurant |
| A．strict with time | B．willing to spend time |
| C．careful with time | D．serious with time |
| A．Americans’ and Chinese’s views of friendships | B．Americans’ hospitality |
| C．Friendships between Chinese | D．Friendships between Americans |
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