Every day we are exposed to images, videos, music and news. In this age of visual and aural hyper-stimulation, the medium of radio is making a great comeback.
“We’re at the beginning of a golden age of audio,” said US-based podcaster Alex Blumberg in an article in The Sydney Morning Herald. In the last month alone, 15 percent of US adults listened to a radio podcast (播客). These statistics, released by Edison Research, show the successful evolution of traditional radio broadcasts to the present day’s digital podcast format. The term “podcast” was invented in 2004, but the trend only started gaining mainstream popularity in recent years. With the sharp increase in consumer demand for smartphones and tablets, podcast sales have jumped.
The appeal of the podcast partly lies in its multiplatform delivery and on-demand capabilities (功能). You can listen during those extra minutes of the day when you’re walking to the shops, waiting in a queue or riding the subway. Similar to television shows, podcasts are generally free to download and most offer new content every week.
Donna Jackson, 22, Sydney University media graduate, listens to podcasts two or three times a week, via iTurns. “I listen while I’m wandering around the house doing something else. It makes completing a boring task much more enjoyable… And it’s an easy way of keeping in touch with what’s going on in the rest of the world,” she said, “I mainly listen to BBC podcasts, but recently I’ve also been listening to This American Life and Serial. They have a special skill to really draw you in.”
Unlike television and music, the audio format has the potential to create a deep impression on readers. Blumberg says this owes to the podcast’s ability “to create close relationship and emotional connection.” Sydney University undergraduate Hazel Proust, majoring in social work and arts, agrees. “When you’re listening, it feels as if the voice of the podcast’s storyteller is talking directly to you. It’s comforting, ” said Proust.
It seems the age-old tradition of verbal storytelling is very much alive and well.
1.From the first two paragraphs, we can learn that ________.
A. traditional broadcast has come back
B. Americans love listening to the radio
C. podcasts have become very popular today
D. smartphones sell well because of podcasts
2.The writer mentions Donna Jackson mainly to ________.
A. tell how young people relax themselves
B. explain why young people like podcasts
C. introduce what programs podcasts are presenting
D. show how popular podcasts are presenting
3.Paragraph 5 is mainly about ________.
A. the influence of radios
B. the advantage of podcasts
C. readers’ impression on radios
D. people’s reaction to the medium
4.What is probably the best title of the passage?
A. Return of Radio
B. Opinions of Podcast
C. Features of Radio
D. Technology of Podcast
科目：高中英语 来源：2016届黑龙江大庆铁人中学高三第一阶段考试英语试卷（解析版） 题型：语法填空
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（不多于3个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
There’s no such thing as living alone. Never mind if you’re 1. only person in your house and have no dog, no cat, not even fish. You still have got several billion 2. (roommate) — and so do we all. Some of them are harmless, some are 3. (actual) helpful and some could even kill you. They are, of course, bacteria, fungi(菌类) and viruses, and like it or not, they’re on you, around you, and deeply within you. The fact that bacteria life is everywhere is not 4. (surprise). It’s something you 5. (learn) from your childhood when your mother told you not to drink water from someone else’s glass. There are lots of bacteria 6. are living in your tea kettle. There are bacteria 7. (sleep) with you on your bed. Scientists are beginning 8. (realize) the richness of the microbiome(微生物群系) — which is as complex as the ones 9. (find) in oceans, rainforests, deserts and woodlands. Your house has a microbiome and 10. do you.
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科目：高中英语 来源：2016届陕西咸阳武功县高三摸底考试英语试卷（解析版） 题型：单项填空
-- Shall I go and buy more fruit for the party?
-- No, I have already bought 3 baskets. That ____ be enough.
A. can B. should C. may D. Might
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科目：高中英语 来源：2014-2015学年北京市西城区高三一模考试英语试卷（解析版） 题型：其他题
根据短文内容，从短文后的七个选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
For people with thousands of pages to read, speed reading seems like a manna （甘露） from heaven．In addition, speed reading helps lighten the load of information you have to absorb since it provides a filter that you can use in screening all bits of information before you approach them．
1.Examining how much information you need will help you identify how you should read a certain document to maximize your learning and comprehension．Thorough reading may no longer be necessary in some cases, such as when you only need an outline of a certain document．
Another skill that can ease the burden of a reader is the ability to read words in blocks．Make sure you do not spend too long on a certain block．2. This will also make reading less tiresome and boring．
To master this important skill, you have to practice reading more and more words in a certain block at one time．A suggestion shared by some experts regarding this step is to increase the distance between you and the document you are reading．If you can read more and more words in one block, you can cut down on the time it usually takes you to read a certain text and you will be able to read more in a shorter period．
Readers should also practice reducing the number of times they go back to previous sections or blocks．Using a pointer such as the tip of a pencil or pen can also help to make the flow of your reading smoother and faster．3.Thus, your speed in reading will largely depend on the speed of the movement of your pointer．
If you still find yourself confused about the topic even after you have finished reading the document, do not re-read right away．Re-reading immediately will just lead to slower speed in reading．4.Getting your own reading corner will also help．
5. Continue practicing and practicing the techniques aforementioned and soon, you'll achieve the reading speed that will work best for you．
A．In this technique, your eyes will follow the tip of the pointer．
B．This saves time and reduces the effort that you have to make．
C．Taking a short break first is recommended before reading the material again．
D．As a final note, the most important point is consistent and deliberate practice．
E．Your invaluable time can be saved if you can have your reading speed doubled．
F．The first step to increase your reading speed is to identify the specific information you need．
G．Reducing the time you spend on a specific number of words in a block will make no difference．
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科目：高中英语 来源：2014-2015学年北京市西城区高三二模英语试卷（解析版） 题型：单项填空
—Have you seen ______ film before?
—Yes. I saw it on ______ Christmas Day, but I can’t remember the exact year.
A. the, a B. a, the
C. a, a D. the, the
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科目：高中英语 来源：2014-2015学年北京市海淀区高三下学期期中练习英语试卷（解析版） 题型：单项填空
Mary has her weakness, ___________ that doesn’t mean she is not qualified for her job.
A. and B. yet C. so D. or
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科目：高中英语 来源：2013-2014学年北京市西城区高三二模英语试卷（解析版） 题型：阅读理解
My grandmother Adele loved culture and was generous with its gifts. When I was a child, she took me to museums, restaurants, dances. She showered me with gifts from her travels around the world. But I can only remember her giving me one book—a book that, to this day, I have not read. She presented me with her own favorite childhood book: Hans Brinker. My grandmother was happy to share this book with me. She even decorated the title page with her proud writing.
I tried to read it. I adored reading, and would dive into a new pile of books from the library all at once. But something about Hans Brinker just wouldn’t let me in. The story was set in Holland, a long time ago. It felt dull and unfamiliar—even though I was a fan of classics of other times and places. I simply read the first pages over and over. I could not progress.
Standing on a bookshelf in our living room, the book was like something I avoided. It scolded me for not being interested, for not trying hard enough, for disappointing my grandmother.
The book started to fit in, almost forgotten, until Adele asked. Had I read it? Did I like it? Always determined, she wanted to know the answer. I would make some kind of excuse, feel bad, and open it again, hoping for a new reaction. The book weighed on me.
Years passed and finally Adele and I both accepted that I would never read Hans Brinker. Eventually I cleared the book from the shelf. The Hans Brinker experience led me to set a rule that I’ve lived by ever since: Do not ask about a book given as a gift. Don’t ask, despite your desire to discuss it to grow closer. The desire for such connection is what gives book-giving with special meaning—and increases the owner’s possibility to be a letdown.
Guilt is basically the same as for all gifts, though. If the giver doesn’t have the pleasure of seeing or hearing about the gift being enjoyed, and asks whether it is, then the owner—unless she can truthfully say “yes”—either has to admit to not liking the present, or else lie on the spot. Neither is pleasant. So, don’t ask.
1.When the author was a kid, his grandmother ________.
A. took him to travel around the world a lot
B. loved to take him to museums and stores
C. shared her childhood stories with him
D. gave him many gifts
2.What does the author think about the book his grandmother gave him?
A. Boring. B. Interesting.
C. Puzzling. D. Disappointing.
3.The underlined sentence “The book weighed on me” in Paragraph 4 probably means _______.
A. the book is too heavy for the author to carry
B. the author feels stressful facing the book
C. the book is full of powerful viewpoints
D. the author keeps reading the book
4.The author learns from the Hans Brinker’s experience that never________.
A. give others books as gifts
B. lie to people who give you gifts
C. get close to others through gifts
D. talk about the books given as gifts
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科目：高中英语 来源：2014-2015学年山东省菏泽市高三下学期第二次模拟考试英语试卷（解析版） 题型：阅读理解
Maurice Mountain is a retired lawyer in Washington, D.C. He developed a prototype(原型机) for a device he calls the Presto Emergency Boat Ladder. His invention is a small folding ladder that attaches to the side of a boat to help people who fall into the water. Mr. Mountain plans to mass-produce his boat ladder.
He created his invention at a workshop called TechShop. Mr. Mountain says, “I think it encourages innovation. I think people who probably have had ideas rolling around in the back of their minds for years but have never had the opportunity to actually put them into production or even experiment with them would find this place wonderful. Members of TechShop use high-tech equipment to develop and produce ideas they have for inventions.” Isabella Musachio manages a TechShop in Arlington, Virginia. She says the shop has many different kinds of equipment.
“TechShop is a do-it-yourself maker space. So when you come in we have all these different areas of the shop, and we have a metal shop, wood shop, lasers, 3D printers, electronics. I mean, we have so many different areas and we have all the equipment that is availahle to anybody above the age of 12.”
Membership costs for TechShop start at just over $ 100 per month. Members are able to use costly machines including 3D modeling tools and laser cutters. Isabella Musachio says TechShop helps its members build their dreams.
“Our motto is ‘build your dreams here’ because you can really come in with just an idea, and then with the help of TechShop make that leap from an idea to building your project o, your prototype or even your business.”
Jim Newton is the founder of TechShop. He first introduced the idea for the technology workshops at an arts and sciences event called Maker Faire in San Mateo, California in 2006. His idea attracted hundreds of members during that event, Now, there are eight TechShop locations in the U. S. In all, there are more than 6,000 members. Two more-TechShop locations in the cities of St. Louis and Look Angeles will be set up.
1. The invention Mr. Mountain invented will be used to____ .
A save the drowning people
B. help people climb the ladder
C. make the boat safer
D. let the boat float safely
2.What can be inferred from what Mr. Mountain says in Paragraph 2?.
A. People with imagination can achieve their dreams.
B. TechShop can help turn some people’s ideas into reality.
C. TechShop is a place where people can put forward their new ideas.
D. It's hard for people to put their ideas into practice.
3.From the last paragraph, we can know _____.
A. Jim Newton is a very great invention
B. people didn't like TechShop at first
C. TechShop will become more and more popular
D. TechShop greeted with bad reviews in 2006
4.What can we know about TechShop from the passage?
A. TechShop is founded by Maurice Mountain.
B. TechShop puts high-tech dreams within reach.
C. TechShop is a non-profit organization.
D. TechShop offers its members more ideas.
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科目：高中英语 来源：2014-2015学年北京市东城区高三下学期综合练习一 英语试卷（解析版） 题型：单项填空
The children's excitement as Christmas drew near．
A． grows B．tried C．trying D． had grown
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