For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the ground or the sewer(下水道) system. But if you want to save a little water and reuse it on your lawns or plants --- or even use it for laundry, dishes, or other needs --- collecting rainwater from your gutter’s downspouts(檐槽的水落管) is a no-brainer.
According to John C. Davis, writing in E / The Environmental Magazine, just about any homeowner can collect rainwater, given that the roof and gutters do most of the work. And since an inch of rain falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof produces some 1,200 gallons of water, you can harvest enough to water your lawn or garden.
Plants and grass actually do better when fed rainwater instead of tap water, which is usually treated with substances that can hold back plant growth. Using rainwater can also extend the life of pipes, since the salts added to tap water may gradually damage the pipes. However, homeowners should set up a water purification system if they do plan to use rainwater for inside needs.
Rainwater harvesting can also be good for the local community, as it reduces the erosion, flooding, and pollution associated with heavy rainfall, and reduces dependence on public water supplies. So some states fund rainwater collection systems in their local communities.
Many varieties of rain barrel(桶) systems, starting at just $100, are available for home use. A typical setup is simply a rain barrel positioned under a gutter’s downspout. Skillful homeowners can make their own water harvesting systems, but buying one is a lot easier. Most garden centres offer a range of choices as well as tips.
【小题1】The underlined word “no-brainer” in Para. 1 probably means something that ______.
A.is hard to deal with | B.is very easy |
C.is of no real value | D.deserves more attention |
A.how to set up a water harvesting system |
B.how a rain barrel system works |
C.some advice on saving tap water |
D.the benefits of using rainwater |
A.Basic gardening skills. | B.Water-saving techniques. |
C.Wastewater treatment systems. | D.Roof rainwater collection. |
【小题1】B
【小题2】D
【小题3】D
解析试题分析:本文主要介绍了收集并利用雨水的可行性以及收集雨水的方法和好处。比如利用雨水灌溉草坪,植物;使用雨水可以延长管道寿命;可以有效减少因暴雨而造成的洪涝灾害,而且还可以减少人们对公共供水的依赖。
【小题1】词意猜测题。从常识可以判断从房檐落水管里收集雨水是非常简单的事情,而且下文just about any homeowner can collect rainwater,也是很好的一个提示,所以正确选项是B。
【小题2】主旨大意题。第三四段是讲述利用雨水可以灌溉植物草坪,可以延长管道寿命,对当地社区也有好处,可以减少因暴雨而造成的洪涝,所以判断D选项正确。
【小题3】主旨大意题。文章第一段提出收集雨水很方便collecting rainwater from your gutter’s downspouts is a no-brainer.第二段是说雨水收集的可行性,第三四段是介绍利用雨水的好处,最后是讲如果收集雨水。文章中心话题是雨水的收集,所以D选项正确。
考点:考查日常生活类短文阅读。
科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
When I first told people I was going to work in Cameroon, the most common reaction was: “Why?” The second was: “It’s in Africa; you’ll die!” The third: “Where is that?”
So let me give some answers. I was offered a job that looked interesting in a part of the world I’d never been to before. I’d also long had an interest in Africa, so I decided it was time to find out the reality.
A small amount of research showed that in more than 40 years since gaining independence, Cameroon has been a peaceful country with no wars. Not only are there no wars, but Cameroon is a food exporter to the region.
Now, after three years, I can say that these have been the healthiest years of my life! No malaria or any of the other frightening diseases you read about when Africa is mentioned. The worst thing that ever happened to me was a bout of food poisoning — once.
So what is it like to teach here? Well surprisingly not so different from teaching anywhere else.
Most students come to us with a bit of English in their heads. Cameroon is a bilingual country with French and English as official languages, while there are also close to 200 local ethnic languages in a country of 16 million people. French is the dominant language, spoken by about 80% of the population.
The local school system is very traditional and somewhat strict. Perhaps not surprisingly when there can be up to 150 students in the classroom (of which maybe 30 have the books, and there are probably seats for 70).
Like anywhere else, students appreciate it if you know a bit about their country, and not just Roger Milla (the top scorer of the 1990 World Cup, in case you’re wondering). It helps if you know the names of the ten provinces, know who the first president was, or can say a word in a local language.
So in conclusion: Cameroon isn’t just football. Not is it war, poverty and disease. It’s just life and people, like anywhere else.
【小题1】 On hearing the writer’s decision, most people _____.
A.didn’t understand him | B.considered it as a joke |
C.admired him | D.laughed at him |
A.a country full of diseases | B.peaceful after liberation |
C.a poor country, especially lack of food | D.quite different from others in education |
A.Food export may lead to many frightening diseases. |
B.Most students in Cameroon do not need books |
C.Cameroon is not as bad as people commonly believed |
D.There must be a lot of people suffering from food poisoning. |
A.leading | B.easy | C.only | D.wonderful |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
A “blogger” is a person who writes on an Internet computer Web site called a “blog(博客)”.The word “blog” is a short way of saying Web log, or personal Web site. Anyone can start a blog, and they can write about anything they like. There are millions of blogs on the Internet today. They provide news, information,advertisements, advice and ideas for many people who read them. They contain links to other Web sites. And they provide a place for people to write about their ideas and react to the ideas of others.
A research company called Perscus has studied more than 300 Web logs. It says that blogs are most popular with teenage girls. They use them to let their friends know what is happening in their lives. The study also says that more than 100,000 bloggers stopped taking part in the activity after a year.
However, some people develop serious blogs to present political and other ideas. For example, the Republican and Democratic parties in the southern state of Kentucky recently started their own blogs. And American companies are beginning to use blogs to advertise their products. At the same time, some long-standing blogs have ended. Last week, blogging leader Dave Winer closed his free blog service “weblogs. com”. He says the site became too costly to continue. He started the blog four years ago. And thousands of people had written on it. They are now upset because they did not know that the site was closing. One blog that is still going strong is called Rebecca’s Pocket. Rebecca Blood created the Web-site in 1999. She wrote about the history of blogs on the site. That article led to a book called “The Weblog Handbook”. It has been translated into four languages so far. Ms. Blood says Rebecea’s Pocket gets about 30,000 visitors a month. She writes about anything and everything — politics, culture and movies. She recently provided medical advice. And she wrote about how to prevent people from stealing money from on -line bank accounts.
【小题1】The author wrote this passage mainly to _________.
A.introduce an Internet computer Web site called “blog” |
B.introduce a short way of saying Weblog |
C.tell readers how to write blogs |
D.tell readers about blogs |
A.account passwords | B.medical advice |
C.advertisements | D.different ideas |
A.more than 100,000 bloggers stopped taking part in the activity |
B.American companies used blogs to advertise their products |
C.people stole money from on -line bank accounts |
D.He couldn’t afford the increasing money needed to run the blogs |
A.it was created by a woman |
B.it is about the history of blogs |
C.it provides useful information and advice |
D.it has editions in at least four different languages |
A.Objective | B.Sceptical |
C.Disapproving. | D.Sympathetic. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Shopping in the United States changes a lot.About ninety years ago most people shopped in small stores that were owned by one person or a family.Women went from the bakery to the butcher's to the grocer and on to the fruit and vegetable seller in order to get their food for the week.
Then about sixty years ago, supermarkets were born.In a supermarket, people could get all the different kinds of food they needed without going to different stores.
The next big change in shopping in the United States was the shopping mall.A shopping mall is a group of stores under one roof.Because malls allowed people to shop without worrying about the weather, they soon became very popular.The mall became a place for people to socialize in addition to shopping.If you walk through a mall, you will see older people sitting, chatting and drinking coffee.Malls are places for teenagers to hang out.Many teens will often just "go to the mall" and spend time with their friends.
The recent change in American shopping was the superstore.Large chain stores such as Wal-Mart, Office Depot and Toys "R" Us have been built all across the United States.Because they are so large, they can buy goods at a great discount and sell them much cheaper than smaller stores.
Sometimes, when they are built near small towns, many of the small town stores have to close.They just cannot compete with their giant neighbors.
And now, online shopping is becoming more and more popular all over the States.People are too busy to go to the physical stores, so they go shopping over the Internet.Online shopping has lots of advantages.For instance, online stores are usually available 24 hours a day.Searching or browsing online shops can be faster than browsing the physical stores.While, online shopping also has its disadvantages.People are at higher risk of being cheated on the part of the merchant than in a physical store.And privacy of personal information may be let out.
【小题1】Which of the following shows the right order of shopping development in the United States?
①small stores ②superstores ③shopping malls ④shopping online ⑤supermarkets
A.①②③④⑤ | B.①⑤②③④ |
C.①⑤③②④ | D.②③④①⑤ |
A.Shopping malls | B.Small stores |
C.Supermarkets | D.Superstores |
A.Because they are built near small towns. |
B.Because they are across the United States. |
C.Because they sell all kinds of products people need. |
D.Because they can buy goods at a reduction in the price. |
A.Wasting time. | B.Leaking personal information. |
C.Fixed prices. | D.No chance to do physical activities |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Taste is such a subjective matter that we don’t usually conduct preference tests for food. The most you can say about anyone’s preference is that it’s one person’s opinion. But because the two big cola companies—Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola are marketed so aggressively, we’ve wondered how big a role taste preference actually plays in brand loyalty. We set up a taste test that challenged people who identified themselves as either Coca-Cola or Pepsi fans: Find your brand in a blind tasting.
We invited staff volunteers who had a strong liking for either Coca-Cola Classic (传统型) or Pepsi, Diet (低糖的) Coke, or Diet Pepsi. These were people who thought they’d have no trouble telling their brand from the other brand.
We eventually located 19 regular cola drinkers and 27 diet cola drinkers. Then we fed them four unidentified samples of cola one at a time, regular colas for the one group, diet versions for the other. We asked them to tell us whether each sample was Coke or Pepsi; then we analyzed the records statistically to compare the participants’ choices with what mere guess-work could have accomplished.
Getting all four samples right was a tough test, but not too tough, we thought, for people who believed they could recognize their brand. In the end, only 7 out of 19 regular cola drinkers correctly identified their brand of choice in all four trials. The diet-cola drinkers did a little worse----only 7 of 27 identified all four samples correctly.
While both groups did better than chance would predict, nearly half the participants in each group made the wrong choice two or more times. Two people got all four samples wrong. Overall, half the participants did about as well on the last round of tasting as on the first, so tiredness, or taste burnout, was not a factor. Our preference test results suggest that only a few Pepsi participants and Coke fans may really be able to tell their favorite brand by taste and price.
【小题1】According to the passage the preference test was conducted in order to ________.
A.show that a person’s opinion about taste is mere guess-work |
B.compare the ability of the participants in choosing their drinks |
C.find out the role taste preference plays in a person’s drinking |
D.reveal which cola is more to the liking of the drinkers |
A.the competition between the two colas is very strong |
B.blind tasting is necessary for identifying fans |
C.the purpose of taste tests is to promote the sale of colas |
D.the improvement of quality is the chief concern of the two cola companies |
A.being seriously burnt in the skin |
B.being badly damaged by fire |
C.being unable to function because of excessive use |
D.being unable to burn for lack of fuel |
A.emphasize that taste and price are closely related to each other |
B.recommend that blind tasting be introduced in the quality control of colas |
C.show that taste preference is highly subjective |
D.argue that taste testing is an important marketing strategy |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
Winners Club
You choose to be a winner!
The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account (交易账户) where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7----that’s 24 hours a day, 7days a week!
It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers:
·No account keeping fees!
You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there is no account keeping or transaction fees!
·Excellent interest rates!
You want your money to grow. The Winners Club has a good rate of interest which gets even better if you make at least two deposits(储蓄) without taking them out in a month.
·Convenient!
Teenagers are busy. You may never need to come to a bank at all. With the Winners Club you can choose to use handy tellers and to bank from home using the phone or the Internet...You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account. This could be your pocket money or your pay from your part-time job!
·Maga magazine included!
Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.
The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parents or guardians (so we can organize that cool key-card) but it is easy. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!
【小题1】The Winners Club is a bank account intended for__________.
A.parents | B.teenagers | C.winners | D.adults |
A.Special gifts are ready for parents. |
B.The bank opens only on work days. |
C.Services are convenient for its members. |
D.Fees are necessary for the account keeping. |
A.be an Internet user. | B.be permitted by your parents. |
C.have a big sum of money. | D.be in your twenties. |
A.To set up a club. | B.To provide part-time jobs. |
C.To organize key-cards. | D.To introduce a new banking service. |
A.encourage spending | B.talk about the management of the bank |
C.are full of adventure stories | D.help to make more of your money |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
A few years ago, I took a sightseeing trip to Washington, D.C.Standing outside the Ronald Reagan Center, I heard a voice say, “Can you help me?” When I turned around, I saw an elderly blind woman with her hand extended.In a natural reflex (反应), I reached into my pocket, pulled out all of my loose change and placed it on her hand without even looking at her.I was annoyed at being bothered by a beggar.But the blind woman smiled and said, “I don’t want your money.I just need help finding the post office.
In an instant, I realized what I had done.I judged another person simply for what I assumed she had to be.I hated what I saw in myself.This incident re-awakened my belief in humility (谦恭), even though I’d lost it for a moment.
The thing I had forgotten about myself is that I am an immigrant.I left Honduras and arrived in the U.S.at the age of 15.I started my new life with two suitcases, my brother and sister, and a strong, serious-minded mother.Through the years, I have been a dishwasher, mechanic and pizza delivery driver among many other humble jobs, and eventually I became a network engineer.
In my own life, I have experienced many open acts of prejudice (偏见).I remember a time, at age 17 — I worked as a waiter, and I heard a father tell his little boy that if he did not do well in school, he would end up like me.I have also witnessed the same treatment of my family and friends, so I know what it’s like, and I should have known better.
But now, living in my American middle-class lifestyle, it is too easy to forget my past, to forget who I am and where I have been, and to lose sight of where I want to be going.That blind woman on the streets of Washington, D.C., cured me of my blindness.She reminded me of my belief in humility and to always keep my eyes and heart open.By the way, I helped that lady to the post office.And in writing this essay, I hope to thank her for the priceless lesson.
【小题1】We can learn from the first two paragraphs that____________________.
A.the author regretted his act of prejudice |
B.the blind woman needed the money badly |
C.the author was as poor as the blind woman |
D.the author was a native American |
A.rather hurt | B.very excited | C.deeply moved | D.greatly inspired |
A.be nice to the elderly and the disabled |
B.try to experience different kinds of life |
C.treat others equally with love and respect |
D.think about one’s past as often as possible |
A.Learn from Your Past | B.How My Dream Comes True |
C.A Belief That Will Never Change | D.A Priceless Lesson in the Street |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
A few days ago we ––– that’s me and the husband ––– took a cab to the station. Chat with the driver fell to the wrong of cyclists, and the misunderstanding of the road rules. So far as the rules of the road go, there seems to be one basic principle: when you are driving a car you hate bikes, when you are riding a bike you hate cars (and I guess walkers hate everyone).
There is an obvious difference of viewpoint built in here. It wasn’t until I started to drive a car (almost 20 years after I had first ridden a bike) that I actually realized that you could not see a cyclist at night without lights. In fact I now want to shout at late night cyclists without lights (like motorists once did at me): “ You’ll get killed, sunshine, I can’t see you.”
The problem is that cyclists do ride headlong into danger. It's not just not having lights. It’s biking on pavements (and so threatening to injure a load of innocent walkers in the process) and biking down one-way streets the wrong way.
I admit that I do bike the wrong way down a one-way street sometimes. My feeble(软弱无力) defense is that I try always to do it as if I know I was doing wrong. That is slowly, with an apologetic look on the face, and ready to get off at any minute. I can’t bear the guys(一伙人) (usually, but not always it is guys) who do it as if they owned the place, and at high speed.
So cyclists are not entirely innocent. But they are among the disadvantaged groups, because the bottom line is that a car or a lorry can kill a cyclist and not the other way around.
【小题1】 When did the writer realize the danger for late night cyclists without lights?
A.Not until she became a driver herself. |
B.Not until she had driven a car for 20 years. |
C.After she was shouted at by a motorist. |
D.After she was once knocked down by a group of guys. |
A.angry | B.guilty |
C.innocent | D.proud |
A.drivers | B.passers-by |
C.cyclists | D.motorists |
A.She often took a cab with her husband. |
B.She has been a motorist for over 20 years. |
C.She used to ride a bike without lights at night. |
D.She often biked the wrong way down a one-way street. |
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科目:高中英语 来源: 题型:阅读理解
September is an exciting month in every college freshman’s life. For many, it’s the first time that they’ve left home to live in a new environment. But after the hustle and bustle of a few weeks, excitement gives way to a less enjoyable emotion— homesickness.
Homesickness manifests itself in many ways. You may miss mum’s cooking, your pets, or even your old bed. All this becomes a fond memory of the past. Homesickness can be a bitter feeling for many students, especially when faced with the challenges of settling into an unfamiliar environment.
But remember, you’re not alone. According to a recent BBC article, 70 percent of British college students experience homesickness. In this increasingly globalized world in which people migrate to faraway places for a relationship, education or work, homesickness is a feeling shared by many adults.
Homesickness can have similar symptoms to depression and in extreme cases it can develop into a panic attack. As for the term, homesickness or nostalgia wasn’t invented until the 17th century. It was considered a disorder by a Swiss physician, who attributed soldiers’ mental and physical discomfort to their longing to return home, “nostos” from Greek, and the accompanying pain, “algos”.
Studies in recent years, however, have shown that nostalgia may have some benefits to our mental health. After a decade of surveys and researches, Constantine Sedikides, a US social psychologist, found that nostalgia is what makes us human. He explains that nostalgia can resist loneliness, boredom and anxiety. Therefore, it’s necessary for college students to learn some ways to overcome the uncomfortable feeling.
【小题1】 From the first two paragraphs, we can infer that __________.
A.homesickness means a fond memory of the past |
B.only a few students will experience homesickness |
C.homesickness is an enjoyable emotion among freshmen |
D.college freshmen usually suffer from homesickness after weeks |
A.homesickness may cause mental diseases |
B.homesickness is a feeling only shared by adults |
C.homesickness won’t do any good to our health |
D.homesickness is also called nostalgia in Switzerland |
A.some benefits about homesickness |
B.other problems in college freshmen’s life |
C.how to make campus life more meaningful |
D.some tips on how to cope with homesickness |
A.negative | B.supportive | C.skeptical | D.critical |
A.Let’s embrace homesickness |
B.How to fit into the college life |
C.A harmful emotion—homesickness |
D.The disadvantages of homesickness |
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