Thousands of years ago, birthdays were considered special days. On birthdays, the bad spirits were able to harm you and change your life. It was believed that the only way to solve the problem was to have your friends and family around you, so that good wishes and presents would keep the bad spirits away. Also, noisemakers were thought to be used at parties as a way of scaring away the evil spirits.
The custom of lighting candles was created by people believing that the gods lived in the sky. By lighting candles and torches, they were sending a signal or prayer to the gods, so they could be answered. Blowing out the candles and making a wish were thought to be another way of sending a signal or a message.
This is how the way we celebrate our birthdays came about. But different cultures celebrate in different ways.
The birthday story in the Bible（圣经） that we know best is about the birth of the Christ in Bethlehem（地名：伯利恒）. For nearly 2000 years since that day, the Christian world has been honoring this birth. The day many Englishmen celebrate is, of course, Christmas. There are other references to birthday parties. King Pharaoh celebrated his birthday by making a feast for his court followers. That was over 4000 years ago. The story of King Herod tells that on his birthday he made a supper for his lords, high captains and other special friends in Galilee (地名：加利利).
【小题1】According to the passage, good wishes and presents given by one’s friends and family on his birthday can _____________________.
| A．cheer him up |
| B．push bad spirits away |
| C．bring him a big fortune |
| D．prove that he’s a popular person |
| A．People send messages to the gods by lighting or blowing out the candles. |
| B．The gods celebrate their birthdays by lighting candles. |
| C．The custom of lighting candles originated with the gods. |
| D．The gods will help people realize their dreams on their birthdays. |
| A．how great the two kings were |
| B．that their court followers were awarded the special honors |
| C．the two kings’ excellent cooking skills |
| D．how different cultures celebrate in different ways |
| A．the functions of the noises made on birthdays. |
| B．how to scare away the bad spirits on birthdays |
| C．how birthdays came about |
| D．the origin of a famous day Christmas |
【小题1】B
【小题2】A
【小题3】D
【小题4】C
解析试题分析：文章介绍生日的由来的，庆祝生日的不同方式和这些庆祝方式的理由，而且根据文化风俗的不同，不同的地方庆祝方式也是不一样的。
【小题1】细节题：从第一段的句子：On birthdays, the bad spirits were able to harm you and change your life. It was believed that the only way to solve the problem was to have your friends and family around you, so that good wishes and presents would keep the bad spirits away. 可知在生日那天，祝愿和好运会赶走不好的东西，选B
【小题2】细节题：从第二段的句子：By lighting candles and torches, they were sending a signal or prayer to the gods, so they could be answered.可知通过点蜡烛和吹蜡烛可以给上帝发信号。选A
【小题3】推理题：从最后一段的句子：There are other references to birthday parties. 可知后面举的两个古代国王庆祝生日的方式是想说明不同的地方风俗不同，选D
【小题4】主旨题：从文章第三段的句子：This is how the way we celebrate our birthdays came about. 可知这篇文章讲的是生日是怎么产生的，选C
考点：考查日常生活类短文
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
People in cities all over the world shop in supermarkets. When you enter the supermarket, you see shelves full of food. You walk in the aisles, pushing your shopping cart. You probably hear soft, slow music in the supermarket. This kind of music is playing to relax you and make you walk slowly. Thus, you will probably stay longer and buy more food.
Where do you go in the supermarket when you first arrive? Many people go to the meat section first. This area of the store has many different kinds of meat. Some kinds are expensive and others are not. Usually, some kinds of meat are on sale. So it has a special low price. The manager of the store knows where the customers usually enter the meat section. The meat on sale is usually at the other end of the section, away from where the customers enter. If you want to buy this specially priced meat, you have to walk by the more expensive meat first. Maybe you will see something that you want to buy before you reach the cheaper, inexpensive meat. Then you will spend more money in the meat section.
The diary section sells milk that is low in fat. Some supermarkets sell three different containers（包装盒）of low-fat milk. Each container looks different, but each contains the same product. One says "1% fat", one says "99% fat free" and one says "low-fat" in big letters and "1%"in very small letters. If you look carefully you can see that all the milk has the same amount of fat, and each container is the same size. The prices of all these three should be the same. However, in many stores these three containers of milk would each have a different price. The store will make more money if a customer chooses the milk that costs the most.
Most of the food in supermarkets is very attractive. People often stop to look at the products in attractive containers. But remember, many products will say, "Buy me!". Stop and think which ones are the best value for your money.
【小题1】The word "aisles" in the first paragraph means _______ .
| A．the entrance of a supermarket |
| B．the place where you pay for your goods |
| C．the way between the shelves |
| D．the place where the special priced meat is on sale. |
| A．maybe you will buy some | B．you will not look at it |
| C．you will buy diary products | D．maybe it is on sale |
| A．contain three different amount of milk |
| B．contain three different kinds of milk |
| C．each have the same amount of fat |
| D．are all the same price |
| A．it is cheap |
| B．the customers will buy more |
| C．it is expensive |
| D．it is in the diary section |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Of all the websites, one that has attracted attention recently is myspace.com. Most of this attention has come from the media and tells every reason why the website should be shut down. The danger of internet predators(窃掠者) is indeed a tough reality, but shutting down the site is not the answer. If myspace.com were shut down, another site would quickly take its place. Therefore, the right way is to teach teens how to use the site safely and educate them about who may be predators and how to avoid them.
The key to staying safe on the Internet is to make sure that your profile(个人资料) is secure. The simplest way is to change the privacy setting on your profile to “private”, which protects your information so that only the people on your friend list can view it. Although this is effective, it is not perfect. Predators can find ways to view your profile if they really want to, whether through hacking(非法侵入) in or figuring out their way onto your friend list. Thus, you should never post too much personal information. Some people actually post their home and school addresses, date of birth, and other personal information, often letting predators know exactly where they will be and when. The safest information is your first name and province. Anything more is basically inviting a predator into your life.
Another big problem is photos. I suggest completely skipping photos and never posting a photo of a friend online without asking permission.
Most importantly, never, under any circumstances, agree to a real-life meeting with anyone you meet online. No matter how well you think you know this person, there are no guarantees that they have told the truth. But you could feel free to chat with people you meet on the site, but just remember that not everyone is who they say they are. Hopefully, the next time you edit your profile, you’ll be more informed about the dangers of Internet predators and take the steps to defend yourself.
Lastly, do not send money to anyone you meet online. A common scam among Internet criminals is to request to pay for “expensive Internet charges” or “unreasonable Internet cafe fees”. While it is indeed true that many countries in Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South America do not yet have Internet service readily available in all cities and towns, a sincere friend from one of these countries will be more than happy to pay their own Internet charges. Never, under any circumstances, should you send money to a stranger from another country(or within your own country for that matter) who claims monetary assistance is required to continue their contact with you.
【小题1】Kids can avoid web predators successfully by________.
| A．attracting more public attention |
| B．shutting down the “myspace.com” |
| C．learning different ways to try other sites |
| D．recognizing and getting away from them |
| A．everybody you meet online isn’t honest and reliable |
| B．it is not acceptable to post a photo of a friend online |
| C．it is not safe to chat with grown-ups on the website |
| D．only you and your friends can view your personal profile |
| A．A thing that you can have two choices. |
| B．An unpleasant task that tests one’s ability. |
| C．A possibility of something happening. |
| D．An illegal plan for making money. |
| A．Personal Safety. | B．Web Safety for Teens. |
| C．Web Hackers in the past. | D．Predators’ Tricks. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Joe is interested in getting exercise and competing on a team. He reads about the events at the local pool and finds the perfect activity.
Swimming Programs
Summer Swim Team
Join a Summer Swim Team and compete with other swimmers! The program is offered at eight different local pools for youths to 17 years old. The season runs June 21—August 21. Practices are daily (Monday through Friday) throughout the summer. The championship meet(冠军赛) is August 21. Cost: $50.00
Pools & Practice Times
Buckman 2-3 P.M. Montavilla 8-9 A.M.
Creston 7-9 A.M. Peninsula 4-7 P.M.
Dishman 8-9 A.M. Pier noon-1 P.M.
Grant 8-10 A.M. Sellwood 7-9 A.M.
Junior Swim Instructor
Two weeks, 20 hours of instruction, two hours per day for children 11-14 years old. Pre-training for youths interested in becoming swim instructors($45 per child)
Two weeks, 30 hours of instruction, three hours per day for children 11-14 years old. Pre-training in lifeguarding, and customer service ($45 per child)
Junior Swim Instructor & Junior Lifeguard Training Dates
June 28-July 9 August 9-August 20
June 12-July 23 August 23-September 3
June 26-August 6
Special Offer
Anyone who takes part in both junior swim instructor and junior lifeguard programs at the same time need only spend $75 instead of $90 for 50 hours of training.
Register Online
You can now register online! Visit our website at http://www.example.com You can choose an area of town, a specific local center, a program, or search for classes which can meet the needs of students of different ages. Just visit our website, and you’re on your way!
【小题1】If Joe joins the Summer Swim Team, he _____
A. needs to pay $45.00
B. begins training at 6 A.M.
C. has to practice for two months
D. needs to practice for 7 days a week
【小题2】Anyone who wants to be a junior swim instructor should _____
| A．be 11-14 years old |
| B．pay the instructor by the hour |
| C．do at least 30 hours of training |
| D．be an experienced junior lifeguard |
| A．To introduce Joe’ s hobbies. |
| B．To introduce a new website. |
| C．To introduce several swimming pools |
| D．To introduce some swimming activities. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
In the US and Britain, the slogan around colleges was “Save water. Shower with a friend.” Now, Wuhan University has come up with another system for the campus bathhouse. It charges students for the amount of time in a shower. Before entering the bathhouse, students pay for the amount of time they want in the shower with cash or their student ID card. The clock starts ticking the minute the tape is turned on. It pauses when a button is pressed for soap. An integrated circuit (IC) card reader at each tap shows the time. No money, no water. The benefits of the new system can be seen with the old system, which charged 1 Yuan for each person regardless of time in the shower. The university used about 320 tons of water daily under the old system, but only 160 tons now.
Many students use the new system but opinions on it are divided. Some students say it is bad because bathing had become a sort of race. Many people using it for the first time are not sure how long they need to shower. Some might be embarrassed if their time is up and they’re still covered in soap. They have to ask the bathhouse worker to help them buy extra time.
“It’s a flaw in the system that you can not buy extra time on the ID card,” said Ren, a freshman in Wuhan University. The university is also considering some students’ suggestions that they be allowed to pay after they’ve finished the shower. Not surprisingly, some are complaining about losing the hour shower. But many students say the move helps them develop a water-saving sense.
Without the time limits, most students tended to shower for 30 to an hour in the bathhouse.
Some even used the hot water to wash their clothes. “In my experience, 10—20 minutes is enough,” said Dai Zhihua, a third-year student who usually takes 8 minutes.
A similar system has been installed in other universities. Shanghai Normal University introduced it at its Fengxiang Campus in September. The bathing fee there is 0.2 Yuan per minute. One male student responded by setting a record with a two-minute shower.
【小题1】According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Students buy the time of their showers. |
| B．The clock times the student’s bathing except when the bather pauses for soap. |
| C．If money runs out, there will be no water. |
| D．Having finished bathing, the student has to pay for it. |
| A．fault | B．advantage | C．pity | D．perfection |
| A．a quarter | B．one third | C．one half | D．two thirds |
| A．the new operation can raise students’ environmental awareness |
| B．the new operation can solve the water crisis |
| C．a similar operation has been set in other universities |
| D．the university has saved a lot of water by using the new system |
| A．Culture. | B．Society. | C．Campus Life. | D．Lifestyle. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Have you ever noticed what happens to an idea once you express it？Just talking about it or writing it down causes you to make it clear in your own mind. How can you use this to increase your brain power？Start writing.
By putting thoughts into words，you are telling yourself the logic behind what you think，feel，or only partly understand. Often，explaining a thought is the process of understanding. In other words，you increase your brain power by exercising your “explain power”.
Another benefit of writing is that it helps you remember. Many，if not most，highly productive people are always taking notes. You can try keeping it all in your head，but if you keep a journal(日志)of your ideas the next time you’re working on a big project，you’ll probably have more success.
Want to understand a topic？Write a book about it. That’s an extreme example，but if you are learning something new，write a letter to a friend about it，and you will understand it better. Want to invent something？Write an explanation of the problem—why you want to solve it，and why it is worth solving，and you’re halfway there.
Writers don’t always write because they clearly understand something beforehand. Often，they write about something because they want to understand it. You can do the same. Writing will help bring you to an understanding. Give it a try.
【小题1】What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A Way on How to Write |
| B．Increase Your Brain Power Through Writing |
| C．Brain Power Helps Improve Your Writing |
| D．How to Start Your Writing |
| A．to increase your brain power |
| B．to improve the ability to remember |
| C．to develop your interest in study |
| D．to strengthen the understanding of a topic |
| A．has understood it very well |
| B．needs to understand it better |
| C．wants to remember it in his or her mind |
| D．is testing his or her new ideas |
| A．you are already successful |
| B．there’s a long way for you to go to reach your goal |
| C．you are left wondering what to do |
| D．you have been on the way to success |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
One way to sell stuff is to make things that people want to buy. Another way is to offer “free trials” and then hit customers with bills. This brings us to PDC Education Ltd, run by Rebecca Jordan and Kirsty Weir of Leeds, whose website teaching-resources-uk.com offers teaching plans for teachers.
Rosemarie Brady, finance manager of Rutlish School in Merton, southwest London, tells us that one teacher called Amanda Seyfried downloaded the “free” resources. “Unfortunately in very small print, they state that unless the free trial is cancelled, then you will be charged,” she says.
A year has gone by and now they’ve been sent a second bill for 500 pounds, just because they forgot to cancel the “free trial”.
Merton Council—and it’s not the only one—has sent a warning to all its schools saying: “ Only in the very (easily missed) small print of the terms and conditions is it explained that, after the 14-day trial, schools will be automatically signed for a two-year contact with the company.”
“This will only be stopped if the teacher who requested the trial writes directly to PDC to cancel before the 14 days have expired(期满). The fee can be as much as hundreds of pounds, with the threat of debt recovery if they are not paid.”
Among the online complaints is this one from a teacher. “How disappointed I am that they will not even consider seriously re-negotiating the invoice(清单).”
Rebecca Jordan of PDC Education said, “ The whole purpose behind the free trial is that we have confidence in our business. This free trial period gives teachers the chance to see what is on offer without having to commit to a payment.”
Only a “very small number” of teachers have complained when they receive an invoice, she added. “ Their only complaint is that they have not checked what they are signing up to but that is not our fault, the position is totally clear. The prices and the trial terms are clear to see on the online sign up page.”
It’s true the terms and conditions are on their website. But perhaps it’s unhelpful that they run to almost 3000 words.
【小题1】We know from the passage that____________.
| A．Merton Council suggests that PDC Education Ltd should be closed down |
| B．the website teaching-resources-uk.com uses tricks to cheat people out of money |
| C．the users complained that they had not been informed of writing to PDC earlier |
| D．the education website promises to enlarge their warning print and cut down the term |
| A．Critical | B．Reserved | C．Doubtful | D．Positive |
| A．An education website | B．A lesson in “free” trials |
| C．A mysterious invoice | D．Traps on the web |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
When a dirty and untidy orange cat showed up in the prison yard，I was one of the first to go out there and pet it．I hadn’t touched a cat or a dog in over 20 years．I spent at least 20 minutes，knelt down behind the kitchen as the cat rolled around，relaxed．What he was expressing outwardly, I was feeling inwardly．It was an amazing bit of grace to feel him under my hand and note that I was reaching a life or another creature with something as simple as my care．
Over the next few days，there were other prisoners responding to the cat．Every yard period，a group of prisoners gathered there．They stood around talking and taking turns petting the cat．These were guys you wouldn’t usually find talking to each other．Several times I saw an officer in the group，not chasing people away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy along with the prisoners．Bowls of milk and water appeared along with bread, wisely placed under the edge of the dustbin to keep the birds from getting it．
The cat was obviously homeless and in pretty bad shape．People said that the cat came to the right place．He's getting treated like a king．This was true．but as I watched I was also thinking about what the cat was doing for us．There was a lot of talk about what's wrong with prisons in America．We need more programs．We need more psychologists or treatment of various kinds．Some may even talk about making prisons more kind．But I think what we really need is a chance to practise our own kindness．Not receive it，but give it．After more than two decades here，I know kindness is not a value that's encouraged．It's often seen as a weakness．
Instead，the culture encourages keeping your head down，minding your own business，and never letting yourself be weak．
The cat did my heart good to see the effect he had on me and the men here．By simply saying，”I need some help here”，he did something important for us．He needed us．And we needed to be needed．I believe we all do．
【小题1】Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The cat was dirty because it was kept in prison． |
| B．The officer in the prison enjoyed petting the cat． |
| C．The prisoners prepared food for both the cat and birds． |
| D．The author realized the importance of practising kindness． |
| A．showing love to others can make prisoners strong |
| B．the American prison culture will be improved |
| C．the author is not content with the prison culture |
| D．caring for others is encouraged in American prisons |
| A．Caring Makes US Human． | B．Prison Culture is Important． |
| C．Animals Need Care． | D．Everyone Needs to be Cared for． |
| A．show us the officer and prisoners get along well with each other |
| B．show us the American prison culture does need improvement |
| C．show us the officer and prisoners all like cat |
| D．show us the American prison culture is great |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
This is a true story of how my car got stuck in water and how a stranger helped me during the worst rain storm.
Last Sunday, the sky was grey when I woke up. The weather report said rain was coming, but I couldn’t stay home just because of rain.
Around 8:00 am I had a doctor’s appointment. It wasn’t raining then. At 9:00 I left the doctor’s office to drive to work, and it was raining hard. I just had to go about 5-6 miles down one main road to get to a nearby school, where I could stay until the rain ended. Unfortunately, the road in front of the school was flooded, and my car stopped in the middle.
“Who is going to save me?” I wondered. I shut off the engine and turned on my flashers (车灯). I called 911. They were not helpful. I called my husband, even though he couldn’t come and help me. I was also very close to a police station. But I never saw even one police car. I decided to get out of the car, since it was still pouring.
My best decision of the day had been to wear rain boots. I took my umbrella and quickly got out and ran across the street to a shelter.
Before long, a tow truck(拖车) happened to pass by the street. The driver kindly offered to help me. At that moment, I really needed car pulled out quickly, so I trusted the stranger. He pulled my car and drove me home. After he had dropped my car off, he also helped me check the engine. He said the engine was most likely flooded, but fortunately there was no water inside the car.
Although many years have passed, I still remember that stormy day and the warm-hearted stranger clearly.
【小题1】How was the weather when the author got up?
| A．Rainy. | B．Cloudy. | C．Windy. | D．Sunny. |
| A．②①④③ | B．②③①④ | C．①②④③ | D．①③②④ |
| A．She turned off her flashers. |
| B．She tried to restart the engine. |
| C．She went to the police station nearby. |
| D．She got out of her car. |
| A．He lent his car to her. |
| B．He pulled her car out of the water. |
| C．He drove her to school. |
| D．He helped her fix her engine. |
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