The single, decisive factor(因素) that made it possible for mankind to settle in lasting communities(社区，聚居地) was agriculture. After farming was developed in the Middle East in about 6500 BC, people living in family units did not have to be on the move continually searching for food or hunting their animals. Once people could control the production of food and be assured of a reliable supply of it, their lives changed completely.
Farming was a revolutionary discovery. It not only made settlements possible and later the building of cities but it also made available a reliable food supply. With more food available, more people could be fed. Population therefore increased. The growing number of people available for more kinds of work led to the development of new social formations. With more and more food, a community could support a variety of workers who were not farmers.
Farming in the world over has always relied upon a dependable water supply. For the earliest societies this meant rivers and streams or regular rainfall. The first great civilizations grew up along rivers. Later communities were able to develop by taking advantage of the rainy seasons.
All of the ancient civilizations probably developed in much the same way, in spite of a few differences. As villages grew, the production of more numerous goods became possible. Cloth could be woven from wool. Houses made of wood, brick, and stone could be put up.
The science of mathematics was an early outgrowth of agriculture. People studied the movements of the moon, the sun, and the planets to work out seasons. In so doing they created the first calendars(日历). With a calendar it was possible to find out the arrival of each growing season. Measurement of land areas was necessary if field was to be divided accurately. Measurements of amounts, for example, of seeds or grains was also a factor in farming and housekeeping. Later came measures of value as money exchange became common.
All of the major ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, the Indus Valley, and China appeared in the 4th millennium BC. Historians still argue over which one came into being first. It may well have been the Middle East. This place reaches out from the Nile River in Egypt northward along the coast of former Palestine, then eastward into Asia to include Mesopotamia. In this area people settled along the riverbanks and practiced field agriculture. This kind of farming depended on the reproduction of seed, normally from grain crops.
1. The final result of the development of agriculture was that_________ .
A. the population increased slowly
B. a constant supply of food was certain
C. a new social formation came into being
D. a variety of jobs were open to people
2. Which of the following is true according to the writer?
A. Mathematics helped create the agricultural society.
B. Societies in the past in different parts of the world grew in similar ways.
C. Modern cities developed out of originally wealthier villages.
D. Cloth-making marked an important period in agricultural development.
3. The development of mathematics ________ .
A. enabled people to arrange their agricultural activities better
B. got the society out of the agricultural age
C. helped create early agricultural civilization around the world
D. made possible the exchange of agricultural goods
4. It can be safely concluded that _______ .
A. the development of mathematics played a decisive role in the birth of modern cities
B. the earliest civilization first came into being in the Middle East
C. all ancient civilizations around the world developed in exactly the same way
D. the development of agriculture played a very important role in human history
5. The text is mainly about _________ .
A. the importance of agriculture
B. the relationship between agriculture and mankind
C. the origin of agriculture
D. the ancient civilization
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：
The single most important factor ____ contributes to success is _____ you do every single day．
A．that; that B．which; what C．which; what D．that; what
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
The English are famous for their manners． The phrase, “Manners maketh the man” was coined by Englishman William of Wykeham back in 1324, but they’re just as important today． Books are written on the subject, advice columns in magazines tell people how to behave, and “finishing schools” still exist to ensure that young girls become young “ladies”．
The best example of English manners is in their mastery of the art of forming a queue． It is a popular joke in England （the land of sporting failures） to say, “if only queuing was an Olympic sport, we’d win hands down．” No one knows exactly how and when it started, but queuing plays an important role in the English social make-up． School children are taught to queue for roll-call, assembly and lunch, and English people across the land form orderly queues at shops, banks, cinemas and bus-stops every day． The English obviously aren’t the only people who queue, but they seem to do it better than anyone else． As one visitor said, “I have travelled across Europe, the Middle and Far East and nowhere have I seen the single-file queues which are formed in England．”
The English are also famously polite when it comes to language． Whereas many other notions are more direct in their communication, the English prefer a more indirect form of asking for things． For example, an American who wants to talk to a colleague might say, “Got a minute?”; however an English person will often use a more indirect means might of requesting the chat, “Sorry to bother you, but would you possibly have a minute or so to have a quick chat if you don’t mind, please?”
The English also love to apologize for things． When squeezing past someone, people say “sorry”． And they will apologize if you bump into them, “whoops! Sorry! My fault．” In fact, no one seems to say “sorry” as much as the English: “sorry I’m late． /Sorry I forgot to call you last night．/I’m sorry you didn’t get the e-mail．” And so on． They also like to use “please” and “thank you” a lot． In a shop, they will say, “I’d like a packet of crisp, please． Thanks．” British students thank their lectures, and bosses often thank their employees for doing their jobs．
Why does “finishing schools” still exist to help young girls become “ladies”?
A． Because the English mind their manners very much．
B． Because the English parents want to marry their daughters to the royal family．
C． Because the English girls are so rude that they need to be taught to be polite．
D． Because the English government ensures their existence．
The underlined sentence in paragraph2 implies ________________．
A． The English love the Olympics very much．
B． The English spend nothing winning an Olympic medal．
C． The English are best at queuing．
D． The English prefer to queue with their hands down．
According to the passage, if Americans say “Waiter! Could I have another fork, please?” how will the English express such a meaning?
A． Excuse me! Give me another fork, please!
B． Excuse me! I have to be a bother, but would you mind awfully changing this fork, please?
C． Hi! Would you mind giving me another fork?
D． Waiter! Come here and change the fork!
According to the passage, why do the employers often thank their employees for doing their jobs?
A． The employees can bring them a lot of benefits．
B． The employees finish their jobs perfectly．
C． The English employers’ good manners lead them to do so．
D． The employers do it as a result of the company’s regulation．
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科目：高中英语 来源：2012-2013学年江西南昌10所重点中学高三第二次模拟突破冲刺（三）英语试卷（解析版） 题型：阅读理解
The Friends of the Amazon is a nonprofit association helping to preserve the forest, its wildlife and its native cultures in the Peruvian Amazon. We are located 3 degrees south of the equator in the Region of Loreto, which is roughly the size of Montana and is one of the richest areas in the world in terms of flora(植物群) and fauna（动物群）. Our team consists of lawyers, ecologists, sociologists, medical professionals and native Amazonians working together to protect the forest and its people from destruction. We use litigation（诉讼）, filing lawsuits against those who seek to destroy the forest and its native cultures. In addition to legal processes, we promote health, education, and the conservation of native plants and animals.
The Amazon Rainforest is commonly referred to as the "lungs of the planet" whose trees are essential for absorbing carbon dioxide (CO2, a greenhouse gas that causes global warming) and converting it into oxygen, thereby mitigating the rise of global temperatures and climate change. An estimated 120 billion tons of carbon dioxide is absorbed in the Amazon Rainforest and global emissions of carbon dioxide increase with every tree of the rainforest that is cut down. That is why the survival of the Amazon Rainforest is vital for the survival of our planet, without which rising global temperatures could melt the polar icecaps and cause flooding of our coastal cities.
Currently, the Amazon is under siege（围攻）, with an estimated 1000 hectares being destroyed everyday. After harvesting old growth forests, corporations are often replacing the native forest with palm oil plantations instead of reforesting with native tree species. Palm oil trees are native to Africa, not the Amazon, and due to high profits, their promotion by international aid agencies and recent legislation in Peru, palm oil plantations represent perhaps the single greatest threat to the native Amazon Rainforest.
In addition to conventional logging and deforesting to make room for crops such as palm oil and soybeans, the Amazon forest faces a new threat in the form of REDD projects and “Carbon Cowboys”. REDD refers to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation by using carbon offsets (“carbon credits”). Under the guise of REDD projects, scammers are tricking native communities into signing unjust contracts in English without legal representation which essentially give these so called Carbon Cowboys the forest for free. These cheaters are making false promises of "billions of dollars in profits" from REDD and voluntary carbon offset （碳补偿）projects by lying that they are representatives of the United Nations and World Bank in order to trick vulnerable indigenous Amazonians into ceding their land by signing unjust contracts with hidden clauses that give the Carbon Cowboys a power of attorney to do whatever they want with the forest for a period of 100 years. Friends of the Amazon is actively filing lawsuits against these Carbon Cowboys and those who support them.
For further information on our programs and to find out how you can help preserve the Amazon Rainforest, please contact:
Friends of the Amazon
153 Túpac Amaru Street
Iquitos, Peru
Phone: (+51) 985665374
For more specific information on supporting the goals of our nonprofit organization, please contact us using the email address listed below.
If you would like to learn how you can help preserve the Amazon Rainforest and its indigenous people, please contact us for more information at:
info(at)friendsoftheamazon.org
1.The Friends of the Amazon is the name of _________.
A．your best friend B．a non-profit organization
C．a historic hero D．a famous carbon cowboy
2.What does the underlined word “converting ” in the second paragraph mean?
A．changing B．increasing C．reducing D．burning
3.Why is the survival of the Amazon Rainforest vital for the survival of our planet?
A．Because this forest absorbs a lot of carbon dioxide emitted by the world
B．Because people rely on this forest to get enough wood to build houses and furniture
C．Because people living here can get a large sum of compensation to offset carbon dioxide
D．Because the United Nations and the World Bank are helping preserving the land here
4.We can learn from the passage that palm oil trees _____________.
A．have produced much profit for the local people.
B．are native to Amazon and fit in well with their surroundings
C．are native to Africa and may do great harm to the native Amazon trees
D．are used to replace the native forest because the local people can profit from them
5.The purpose of this article is _______.
A．introduce the largest rain forest in the world
B．to appeal to the government to take some measures to get rid of Carbon Cowboys
C．to advertise the rain forest as a favourite tourist destination
D．to arouse the awareness of the public to help conserve the “lungs of our planet”
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科目：高中英语 来源：福建省2009-2010学年高一下学期期中考试英语试题 题型：阅读理解
The way people hold to the belief that a fun - filled, pain free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness. But in fact, the opposite is true: more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably(不可避免的)brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment (义务), self - improvement.
Ask a bachelor(单身汉)why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying. If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment. For commitment is in fact quite painful. The single life is filled with fun, adventure, excitement. Marriage has such moments, but they are not its most distinguishing features.
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three - day vacation. I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children. But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild.
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations. It liberates（解放） time: now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness. It liberates money: buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless. And it liberates us from envy: we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all.
1. According to the author, a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because _______ .
A. he finds more fun in dating than in marriage
B. he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single
C. he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities
D. he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement
2. Raising children, in the author’s opinion is ________ .
A. a rewarding task B. a thankless job
C. a moral duty D. a source of inevitable pain
3. From the last paragraph, we learn that envy sometimes stems from ________
A. hatred B. ignorance C. prejudice D. misunderstanding
4. To understand what true happiness is one must ________ .
A. have as much fun as possible during one’s lifetime
B. be able to distinguish happiness from fun
C. put up with pain under all circumstances
D. make every effort to liberate oneself from pain
5. What is the author trying to tell us?
A. It is important to make commitments
B. One must know how to attain happiness.
C. Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain.
D. It is pain that leads to happiness.
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科目：高中英语 来源：2011-2012学年浙江省高三上学期期中考试英语题 题型：阅读理解
Most of us spend our lives seeking the natural world. To this end, we walk the dog, play golf, go fishing, sit in the garden, drink outside rather than inside the pub, have a picnic, live in the suburbs, go to the seaside, buy a weekend place in the country. The most popular free time activity in Britain is going for a walk. And when joggers (慢跑者) jog, they don’t run the streets. Every one of them automatically heads to the park or the river. It is my firm belief that not only do we all need nature, but we all seek nature, whether we know we are doing so or not.
But despite this, our children are growing up nature-deprived (丧失). I spent my boyhood climbing trees. These days, children are robbed of these ancient freedoms, due to problems like crime, traffic, the loss of the open spaces and strange new ideas about what is best for children, that is to say, things that can be bought, rather than things that can be found.
The truth is to be found elsewhere. A study in the US: families had moved to better housing and the children were assessed for ADHD (多动症). Those whose housing had more natural views showed an improvement of 19%; those who had the same improvement in material surroundings but no nice view improved just 4%.
A study in Sweden indicated that kindergarten children who could play in a natural environment had less illness and greater physical ability than children used only to a normal playground. A US study suggested that when a school gave children access to a natural environment, the entire school would do better in studies.
Another study found that children play differently in a natural environment. In playgrounds, children create a hierarchy (等级) based on physical abilities, with the tough ones taking the lead. But when a grassy area was planted with bushes, the children got much more into fantasy play, and the social hierarchy was now based on imagination and creativity.
Most bullying (恃强凌弱) is found in schools where there is a tarmac (柏油碎石) playground; the least bullying is in a natural area that the children are encouraged to explore. This reminds me unpleasantly of Sunnyhill School, with its hard tarmac, where I used to hang about in corners dreaming about wildlife.
But children are frequently discouraged from involvement with natural spaces, for health and safety reasons, for fear that they might get dirty or that they might cause damage. So, instead, the damage is done to the children themselves: not to their bodies but to their souls.
One of the great problems of modern childhood is ADHD, now increasingly and expensively treated with drugs. Yet one study after another indicates that contact with nature gives huge benefits to ADHD children. However, we spend money on drugs rather than on green places.
The life of old people is much better when they have access to nature. The most important for the growing population of old people is in quality rather than quantity of years. And study after study finds that a garden is the single most important thing in finding that quality.
In wider and more difficult areas of life, there is evidence to indicate that natural surroundings improve all kinds of things. Even problems with crime and aggressive behaviour are reduced when there is contact with the natural world.
Dr William Bird, researcher from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, states in his study, “A natural environment can reduce violent behaviour because its process helps reduce anger and behavior that people might regret later.” Wild places need encouraging for this reason, no matter how small their contribution.
We tend to think human beings are doing nature some kind of favor when we are protecting nature. The error here is far too deep: not only do humans need nature for themselves, but the very idea that humanity and the natural world are separable things is damaging.
Human beings are a species of animals. For seven million years we lived on the planet as part of nature. So we miss the natural world and long for contact with non-human life. Anyone who has patted a dog, stroked a cat, sat under a tree with a glass of beer, given or received a bunch of flowers or chosen to walk through the park on a nice day, understands that.
We need the wild world. It is necessary to our well-being, our health, our happiness. Without other living things around us we are less than human.
1.What is the author’s firm belief?
A. People seek nature in different ways.
B. People should spend most of their lives in the wild.
C. People have quite different ideas of nature.
D. People must make more efforts to study nature.
2.What does the author say people prefer for their children nowadays?
A. Personal freedom. B. Things that are natural.
C. Urban surroundings. D. Things that are purchased.
3.What does a study in Sweden show?
A. The natural environment can help children learn better.
B. More access to nature makes children less likely to fall ill.
C. A good playground helps kids develop their physical abilities.
D. Natural views can prevent children from developing ADHD.
4.Children who have chances to explore natural areas ________.
A. tend to develop a strong love for science
B. are more likely to dream about wildlife
C. tend to be physically tougher in adulthood
D. are less likely to be involved in bullying
5.What does the author suggest we do to help children with ADHD?
A. Find more effective drugs for them.
B. Provide more green spaces for them.
C. Place them under more personal care.
D. Engage them in more meaningful activities
6. In what way do elderly people benefit from their contact with nature?
A. They look on life optimistically. B. They enjoy a life of better quality.
C. They are able to live longer. D. They become good-humored
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