Today's word, pan, takes us back to the days of the gold rush in California.
On January 24th, 1848, a man named James Wilson Marshall discovered gold in California. The news spread quickly. Thousands rushed west. They traveled on foot, on horseback and by boat to reach the gold fields. By 1849, the great gold rush was on. Towns and cities grew overnight. Throughout California --- in the mountains, along the streams and rivers --- thousands of people searched for gold.
Some found areas of mountain rock thick with gold. These men got rich. But such areas were few and quickly claimed by the first men to find them. Others searched for gold in the rivers coming down the mountains. They were after pieces of gold that the rains had washed down from above .
The only way to find this gold was by panning. First a gold miner put dirt in a metal pan and added water. Then he shook the pan so that the water would wash the dirt. Slowly, he poured the water out of the pan. If he was a lucky miner, pieces of gold would remain.
Across the nation, newspapers carried stories of the gold being found. Each one hoped that the place he claimed panned out well --- had some gold.
For many, gold mining did not pan out. For a few, it panned out well. But in time, huge machines were built that could wash many tons of dirt at a time. Panning died out.
The word, however, remained in the language. Today, Americans still say, “ It panned out well ,” when something they have done pleases them. A business, a discovery, a simple event pans out well if it is successful. Unhappily, sometimes things do not pan out.
In recent years, the word pan has taken on another meaning. Today, it also means to criticize. How it got this meaning is hard to discover. But the job of a critic is to sometimes pan the work of a writer, artist or singer.
【小题1】Why did so many people flood to California in 1848?
A.Because towns and cities there developed quickly. |
B.Because the mountains in California were a great place for travel. |
C.Because they wanted to get rich by looking for gold. |
D.Because the land of California was fertile at that time. |
A.Everything turned out well | B.Nothing could be worse |
C.It's not the case | D.It's a pity |
A.To tell us some stories about the gold rush. |
B.To introduce the word "pan" in American English. |
C.To teach us how to look for gold in rivers. |
D.To introduce the history of the gold rush in California |
【小题1】C
【小题2】A
【小题3】B
解析试题分析:文章介绍pan这个单词和美国的淘金热之间的关联,以及和pan有关的一些短语和含义。
【小题1】细节题:从文章第二段的句子:Thousands rushed west. They traveled on foot, on horseback and by boat to reach the gold fields.可知很多人涌到加力福利亚是想通过找金子变得富有,选C
【小题2】句意理解题:从第七段的句子:Americans still say, “ It panned out well ,” when something they have done pleases them.可知“It panned out well"是“一切进展很好”的意思,选A
【小题3】写作意图题:从文章第一段和最后一段的句子:可知这篇文章是想介绍美式英语中的单词“pan”,选B
考点:考查文化类短文
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
HE is one of the most charming young heroes since Harry Potter. Like Potter, he is chosen by fate to carry out a mission, but unlike the boy wizard, he doesn’t get any chances to have fun or hang out with friends because he’s a little too busy preparing to lead during an upcoming war to save the Earth.
Meet Ender Wiggin, 15, the main character of the hit US sci-fi movie Ender’s Game (《安德的游戏》), which will come out on Jan 7 in China.
The story opens in 2086, 50 years after an insect-like alien race, called the Formics, attacked the Earth and killed tens of millions of people before being driven back to their home planet. Since then, human beings have been in a state of fear, awaiting a second attack.
Earth’s military leaders seek young warriors to risk going into space for battle, and children are taught to compete for these positions. As the film explains, youths can make leaps of logic and intuition, devising effective attack strategies more quickly than adults.
So here comes Ender, the savior (救世主) of all mankind. Though Ender is a skinny kid, smaller than most, he is also smarter than average. He tends to analyze situations and easily find ways to achieve the most positive outcomes. This rare gift makes him stand out in the program and get promoted to the Battle School, where he is directed to plan and carry out a series of virtual attacks on the Formics.
Can he use his military talents to wipe out Earth’s enemies?
Despite the obvious “be all you can be” subtext (潜台词), the movie “explores complex issues, including the consequences of violence and maintaining humanity and morality during wartime with intelligence and insight,” commented Yahoo.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film best presents the power of empathy (感情移入), which is what makes Ender a good leader. “The reason Ender succeeds is because he understands what makes his opponents tick (有某种行为) on the battlefield,” explained the entertainment news site.
【小题1】The underlined words “a mission” in the first paragraph probably refer to “______”.
A.having fun and hanging out with friends |
B.being a boy wizard to save the Earth |
C.working to save all of mankind |
D.acting as a leader of the Formics |
A.youths are smarter and more fearless than adults |
B.youths are more willing to take risks in space |
C.youths have sharper intuition and quicker reactions than adults |
D.youths adapt to new battle environments more quickly than adults |
A.The movie intends to encourage people to try to be what they want to be and never give up. |
B.Ender is able to defeat Earth’s enemies because he possesses a super power that enables him to read his enemies’ minds. |
C.Ender’s success proves that a good leader should have intelligence and insight and make full use of his or her teammates’ talents. |
D.The movie discusses a variety of issues such as the effects of violence and the importance of morality and humanity during wartime. |
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Home stay provides English language students with the opportunity to speak English outside the classroom and the experience of being part of a British home.
What to Expect
The host will provide accommodation and meals. Rooms will be cleaned and bedcovers changed at least once a week. You will be given the house key and the host is there to offer help and advice as well as to take an interest in your physical and mental health.
Accommodation Zones
Home stays are located in London mainly in Zones2,3 and of the transport system. Most hosts do not live in the town centre as much of central London is commercial and not residential(居住的). Zones3 and 4often offer larger accommodation in a less crowned area. It is very convenient to travel in London by Underground.
Meal Plans Available
? Continental Breakfast21世纪教育网
? Breakfast and Dinner
? Breakfast, Packed Lunch and Dinner
It’s important to note that few English families still provide a traditional cooked breakfast. Your accommodation includes Continental Breakfast which normally consists of fruit juice, cereal(谷物类食品),bread and tea or coffee. Cheese, fruit and cold meat are not normally
part of a Continental Breakfast in England. Dinners usually consist of meat or fish with vegetables followed by desert, fruit and coffee.
Friends
If you wish to invite a friend over to visit. You must first ask your host’s permission. You have no right to entertain friends in a family home as some families feel it is an invasion of their privacy.
Self-Catering Accommodation in Private Homes
Accommodation on a room-only basis includes shared kitchen and bathroom facilities and often a main living room. This kind of accommodation offers an independent lifestyle and is more suitable for the long-stay student. However, it does not provide the same family atmosphere as an ordinary home stay and may not benefit those who need to practise English at home quite as much.
【小题1】 The passage is probably written for ____________.
A.host willing to receive foreign students |
B.foreigners hoping to build British culture |
C.travellers planning to visit families in London |
D.English learners applying to like in English homes |
A.Zone 4 is more crowded than Zone 2. |
B.The business centre of London is in Zone. |
C.Hosts dislike travelling to the city centre. |
D.Zone 2 is more crowded than Zone 4. |
A.Dessert and coffee |
B.Fruit and vegetables. |
C.bread and fruit juice |
D.Centre and cold meat. |
A.To experience a warmer family atmosphere. |
B.To enrich their knowledge of English. |
C.To entertain friends as they like. |
D.To enjoy much more freedom. |
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
When, after a year of being alone on his island, Robinson Crusoe sees a footprint in the sand, the reader of Robinson Crusoe trembles. Will Crusoe find another human being to end his loneliness? Is the footprint the sign of an enemy? Since 1719, when Daniel Defoe wrote Robinson Crusoe, thousands of people who enjoy English novels have thrilled to this great adventure story. But few know how the story came to be written. Robinson Crusoe was the first English novel. Its birth brought together the misadventures of a Scotch “failure” and the untapped imagination of an aging English scribbler.
Near the end of the Seventeenth Century, the hot-tempered Alexander Selkirk was charged with bad conduct while in church. Rather than face this charge, he ran away to sea. Several years later, Selkirk found himself on the ship of an English privateer. The privateer was preying on Spanish shipping. But Selkirk quarreled bitterly with the Captain. So, when the ship came to the island of Juan Femandez in the South Seas, Selkirk asked to be put ashore. When he saw that there were no people on the island, he begged to be taken back on board. But the Captain refused—Selkirk had gone too far. Over four years later, Selkirk was rescued by another ship.
When Selkirk got back to England, the story of his life on the island fired the imagination of Daniel Defoe. Defoe had been earning a living by his pen since he was thirty. He was amazingly hard-working. He wrote a whole newspaper three times a week. He also made part of his living from politics. He supported both political parties. He told each party that it had his sole support.
【小题1】Alexander Selkirk spent four years on a desert island because .
A.he sought adventure |
B.he was hot-tempered |
C.he was afraid to face charges |
D.his ship was wrecked |
A.made his living as a writer |
B.got his start as a writer with the writing of Robinson Crusoe |
C.was very “straight”-he was hardworking and honest |
D.had little power of imagination, but succeeded with his novel because he worked hard |
A.how Alexander Selkirk was able to survive on the island. |
B.why people enjoy English novels |
C.what the footprint in the sand meant |
D.how Robinson Crusoe came to be written |
A.Robinson Crusoe was a successful novel. |
B.Even if Alexander Selkirk had not lived on the island of Juan Femande, Robinson Crusoe would still have been written. |
C.Daniel Defoe lived partly by hard work and partly by his “ wits ”. |
D.With the writing of Robinson Crusoe , the English novel was born. |
A.critical | B.supporting | C.both A and B | D.opposing |
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
While many people agree that The Sound of Music(音乐之声)is one of the best films of all time, some are at a loss(困惑) to explain why. Well, I’ll tell you why it’s one of the best movies ever. The Sound of Music simply has everything one could want in a movie.
First of all, it has a real romance--one where you can watch the characters slowly fall in love.
Secondly, it has humor, clever and sarcastic(讽刺性的) humor. When Schraeder said, “ Bye, Maria, I’m sure you’ll make a fine nun(修女).” You just want to slap(掴) her across the face after hearing that.
Thirdly, it’s got adventure. The Nazis are the worst “bad guys” in any movie, so it’s great to see Maria, the Captain and the kids outwit(智取) them.
Fourthly, it’s got great music. The songs of the film are popular all over the world.
Fifthly, it’s got great scenery. The plot(情节) and dialogue are also amazing. I find new things to admire each time I watch.
Finally, is there a greater scene in any movie than the nuns showing the stolen Nazi car parts? In short, the film doesn’t just succeed because it cheers people up with a beautiful love story or songs. It also succeeds because it’s a wonderfully-constructed, wonderfully-written, and wonderfully-acted movie.
【小题1】What’s the purpose of the passage?
A.To tell people what makes a good movie. |
B.To tell people how to enjoy the humor in The Sound of Music. |
C.To explain why The Sound of Music is one of the best movies. |
D.To advise people to watch The Sound of Music |
A.in the author’s opinion, The Sound of Music succeeds mainly because of its songs |
B.the author can find something new to enjoy every time he watches the movie |
C.Maria just wants to slap Schraeder after hearing what she says to her. |
D.The Sound of Music is a movie about how Maria outwits the Nazis with the nuns |
A.plot | B.music | C.acting | D.clothing |
A.特征 | B.性格 | C.人物 | D.汉字 |
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Every year Chris Brogan posts his three words for a new year. Many others and I have followed his lead for the past three or four years. They helped me a lot. My words for last year were“passion”, “focus”and“delegate”and I stayed true to them. This year, 2013, my goals are more personal and less professional.
FOCUS
Focus is making a repeat appearance on my list this year because I’m too much of a multitasker. The problem is that I have trouble finishing one thing with so many things calling me. When I was working as a writer, all my projects were handled via a schedule, I’m putting a fitness and housekeeping routine into my schedule.
HEALTH
I get so busy taking care of everyone else, and I forget to take care of myself and this has to change. My health suffers and my weight suffers. I have to get my health in check, not only for me but because I promised my 9-year-old son. I’ll make good food and lifestyle choices. I miss being thin, and it’s time to get it back.
CELEBRATE
What good is having it if I’m not taking time to enjoy it? I have a wonderful job, a happy family, and so much to be thankful for. So how come I spend all my time working? Last summer my family took our first vacation in four years, the best thing I’ve done for myself and my family in a long time. This year, I’m making sure to take time to enjoy life and celebrate its many blessings.
Do you have any words for 2013?
【小题1】The underlined word “multitasker” probably refers to a person who .
A.makes a living by writing |
B.always fails to finish a task on time |
C.has several things to do at the same time |
D.pays more attention to fitness and housekeeping |
A.He wants to take better care of others. |
B.He’s gaining weight and feeling bad. |
C.He did not take any exercise in the past. |
D.He got the idea from his son. |
A.The word“CELEBRATE”can remind the writer to enjoy life. |
B.The writer has a vacation with his family every four years. |
C.The word“FOCUS”can help the writer focus on his family. |
D.The writer used to be overweight for lack of exercise. |
A.Three Words for 2013 |
B.Health Should Go First |
C.Keep Organized |
D.Goals for 2013 |
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
One might expect that the evergrowing demands of the tourist trade would bring nothing but good for the countries that receive the holidaymakers.Indeed,a rosy picture is painted for the longterm future of the holiday industry.Every month sees the building of a new hotel somewhere.And every month another rockbound Pacific island is advertised as the ‘last paradise(天堂) on earth’.
However,the scale and speed of this growth seem set to destroy the very things tourists want to enjoy.In those countries where there was a rush to make quick money out of seaside holidays,overcrowded beaches and the concrete jungles of endless hotels have begun to lose their appeal.
Those countries with little experience of tourism can suffer most.In recent years,Nepal set out to attract foreign visitors to fund developments in health and education.Its forests,full of wildlife and rare flowers,were offered to tourists as one more untouched paradise.In fact,the nature all too soon felt the effects of thousands of holidaymakers traveling through the forest land.Ancient tracks became major routes for the walkers,with the consequent exploitation of precious trees and plants.
Not only can the environment of a country suffer from the sudden growth of tourism.The people as well rapidly feel its effects.Farmland makes way for hotels,roads and airports;the old way of life goes.The onetime farmer is now the servant of some multinational organization;he is no longer his own master.Once it was his back that bore the pain;now it is his smile that is exploited.No doubt he wonders whether he wasn’t happier in his village working his own land.
Thankfully,the tourist industry is waking up to the responsibilities it has towards those countries that receive its customers.The protection of wildlife and the creation of national parks go hand in hand with tourist development and in fact obtain financial support from tourist companies.At the same time,tourists are being encouraged to respect not only the countryside they visit but also its people.
The way tourism is handled in the next ten years will decide its fate and that of the countries we all want to visit.Their needs and problems are more important than those of the tourist companies.Increased understanding in planning worldwide tourism can preserve the market for these companies.If not,in a few years’ time the very things that attract tourists now may well have been destroyed.
【小题1】What does the author indicate in the last sentence of Paragraph 1?
A.The Pacific island is a paradise. |
B.The Pacific island is worth visiting. |
C.The advertisement is not convincing. |
D.The advertisement is not impressive. |
A.its natural resources are untouched |
B.its forests are exploited for farmland |
C.it develops well in health and education |
D.it suffers from the heavy flow of tourists |
A.They are happy to work their own lands. |
B.They have to please the tourists for a living. |
C.They have to struggle for their independence. |
D.They are proud of working in multinational organizations. |
A.The number of tourists. |
B.The improvement of services. |
C.The promotion of new products. |
D.The management of tourism. |
A.optimistic | B.doubtful |
C.objective | D.negative |
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
No one knows for sure when advertising first started.It is possible that it grew out of the discovery that some people did certain kinds of work better than others did them.That led to the concept of specialization,which means that people would specialize,or focus,on doing one specific job.
Let’s take a man we’ll call Mr.Fielder,for example.He did everything connected with farming.He planted seeds,tended the fields,and harvested and sold his crops.At the same time,he did many other jobs on the farm.However,he didn’t make the bricks for his house,cut his trees into boards,make the plows(犁), or any of the other hundreds of things a farm needs.Instead,he got them from people who specialized in doing each of those things.
Suppose there was another man we shall call Mr.Plowright.Using what he knew about farming and working with iron,Mr.Plowright invented a plow that made farming easier.Mr.Plowright did not really like farming himself and wanted to specialize in making really good plows.Perhaps,he thought,other farmers will trade what they grow for one of my plows.
How did Mr.Plowright let people know what he was doing?Why,he advertised,of course.First he opened a shop and then he put up a sign outside the shop to attract customers.That sign may have been no more than a plow carved into a piece of wood and a simple arrow pointing to the shop door.It was probably all the information people needed to find Mr.Plowright and his really good plows.
Many historians believe that the first outdoor signs were used about five thousand years ago.Even before most people could read,they understood such signs.Shopkeepers would carve into stone,clay,or wood symbols for the products they had for sale.
A medium,in advertising talk,is the way you communicate your message.You might say that the first medium used in advertising was signs with symbols.The second medium was audio,or sound,although that term is not used exactly in the way we use it today.Originally,just the human voice and maybe some kind of simple instrument,such as a bell,were used to get people’s attention.
A crier,in the historical sense,is not someone who weeps easily.It is someone,probably a man,with a voice loud enough to be heard over the other noises of a city.In ancient Egypt,shopkeepers might hire such a person to spread the news about their products.Often this earliest form of advertising involved a newly arrived ship loaded with goods.Perhaps the crier described the goods,explained where they came from,and praised their quality.His job was,in other words,not too different from a TV or radio commercial in today’s world.
【小题1】What probably led to the start of advertising?
A.The discovery of iron. |
B.The specialization of labor. |
C.The appearance of new jobs. |
D.The development of farming techniques. |
A.praised his plows in public |
B.placed a sign outside the shop |
C.hung an arrow pointing to the shop |
D.showed his products to the customers |
A.explain the origin of advertising |
B.predict the future of advertising |
C.expose problems in advertising |
D.provide suggestions for advertising |
A.owned a ship |
B.had the loudest voice |
C.ran a shop selling goods to farmers |
D.functioned like today’s TV or radio commercial |
A.the history of advertising |
B.the benefits of advertising |
C.the early forms of advertising |
D.the basic design of advertising |
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Few Americans remain in one position or one place for a lifetime. We move from town to city to suburb, from high school to college in a different state, from a job in one region to a better job elsewhere, from the home where we raise our children to the home where we plan to live in retirement. With each move we are forever making new friends, who become part of our new life at that time.
For many of us summer is a special time for forming new friendships. Today millions of Americans vacation abroad, and they go not only to see new sights but also with the hope of meeting new people. No one really expects a vacation trip to produce a close friend, but the beginning of a friendship is possible.
The word “friend ” can be applied to a wide range of relationships ---- to someone one has known for a few weeks in a new place, to a fellow worker, to a childhood playmate, to a man or woman, to a trusted confidant.
【小题1】Many Americans move from place to place for the following reasons except______.
A.going to college | B.getting a better job |
C.finding a place to live in retirement | D.saving money |
A.enjoy the sunlight | B.feel strange | C.travel to other countries | D.get a new job |
A.hope to meet new people |
B.expect to find some close friends |
C.want to begin lasting friendships with new people |
D.Both A and B |
A.a fellow worker | B.a football teammate | C.a boy or a girl | D.all of the above |
A.For many of us summer is a special time for forming new friendships. |
B.Today millions of Americans vacation abroad. |
C.No one really expects a vacation trip to produce a close friendship. |
D.But surely the beginning of friendship is possible. |
查看答案和解析>>
湖北省互联网违法和不良信息举报平台 | 网上有害信息举报专区 | 电信诈骗举报专区 | 涉历史虚无主义有害信息举报专区 | 涉企侵权举报专区
违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com