J.K. Rowling set children’s imaginations on fire. Can the creator of Harry Potter do the same for a grown-up audience? The British author will find out on September 27, when more than 2 million hardcover(精装书) copies of her first novel for adults hit bookstores in the UK and the US, along with the digital edition. Set in a little English town, The Casual Vacancy is about an election held after an unexpected death.
Michael Pietsch, Rowling’s US publisher, says the novel reminded him of Dickens “because of the humanity, the humor, the social concerns, the intensely real characters”. No magic though, apparently: “This book isn’t Harry Potter”, says Pietsch. “It is a completely different concern”. As with Harry Potter, there are no advance copies for the media, no early reviews. To date, the seven-book series has sold more than 450 million copies worldwide, and it became one of the most successful movie franchises in July 21, 2007.
Back then, fans could buy books at midnight parties hosted by bookstores. But recent years have seen a great challenge for brick-and-mortar(实体的) bookstores. People are still buying books, indeed more books than in 2007, according to figures released by the Association of American Publishers. But they are reading them in a new format(样式)—the e-book. The Harry Potter series just became available digitally for the first time in April. It will be different for The Casual Vacancy, with the publisher simultaneously releasing an e-book. For Rowling fans who once queued up for Harry Potter, this means that instant satisfaction is now only a click away.
Moving from children’s books to adult literature is a big transition. Will Rowling’s new book be successful? Arthur Levine, the US co-editor of the Harry Potter books, seems confident: “If you read or re-read the Harry Potter books, you can see that Rowling has all the strengths she needs for great success as a fiction writer –you have great characters, an involving plot, a sense of humor and great empathy”.
【小题1】In Paragraph 2, what Michael Pietsch says means that_____.
| A．Dickens’ works are too impressive to forget. |
| B．J.K. Rowling has all the strengths of Dickens. |
| C．The new book is similar to Dickens’ works in some way. |
| D．The new book is quite different from the works of Dickens. |
| A．willingly | B．meanwhile | C．especially | D．eventually |
| A．To explain why the new book will have a digital edition. |
| B．To show the Harry Potter series are popular with readers. |
| C．To compare J.K. Rowling’s old books and her new book. |
| D．To clarify the great challenges for brick-and-mortar bookstores. |
| A．They are both intended for children. |
| B．They both show the author’s great talent. |
| C．Their characters both have magical power. |
| D．Both of them won’t be read on the Internet. |
【小题1】C
【小题2】B
【小题3】A
【小题4】B
解析试题分析: 本文讲哈里波特的作者又出新书，这是关于成年人的书，预售火爆及各方对些的评论。
【小题1】 C 细节理解题。根据第二段提到Michael Pietsch, Rowling’s US publisher, says the novel reminded him of Dickens “because of the humanity, the humor, the social concerns, the intensely real characters”. Michael Pietsch, Rowling的出版师说她的小说让他想到了狄更斯，因为人性，幽默，社会关心的问题，真实角色，所以说再者之间是相似的，所以选C项。
【小题2】B 细节理解题。根据下方提到For Rowling fans who once queued up for Harry Potter, this means that instant satisfaction is now only a click away对于她的排除买书的粉丝来说，这意味着即时的满足只需要轻轻一点，也就是说两种类型的书同时上市，所以选B项。
【小题3】A 细节理解题。根据第三段提到But they are reading them in a new format(样式)—the e-book但是他们马上要讲到一种新的样式，电子书，与纸书同步上市，所以这段用来解释为什么新书有电子版本，故选A 项。
【小题4】B 细节理解题。根据最后一段提到“If you read or re-read the Harry Potter books, you can see that Rowling has all the strengths she needs for great success as a fiction writer –you have great characters, an involving plot, a sense of humor and great empathy如果你重读哈里波特系列书，你能看到做为一个成功小说家他所具备的优点，伟大的人物，幽默感，同情心，所以两本书体现作者良好的语言天赋，所以选B项。
考点：文化类阅读。
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
“Long time no see” is a very interesting sentence．When I first read this sentence from an American friend’s email，I laughed．I thought it was a perfect example of Chinglish．
Obviously，it is a word-by-word literal translation of the Chinese greetings with a ruled English grammar and structure! Later on，my friend told me that it is a standard American greeting．I was too thrilled to believe her．Her words could not convince me at all．So I did a research on google．com．To my surprise，there are over 60 thousand web pages containing “Long time no see．” This sentence has been widely used in emails，letters，newspapers，movies，books，or any other possible places．Though it is sort of informal，it is part of the language that Americans use daily．Ironically，if you type this phrase in Microsoft Word，the software will tell you that the grammar needs to be corrected．
Nobody knows the origin of this Chinglish sentence．Some people believe that it came from Charlie Chan’s movies．In the 1930s，Hollywood moviemakers successfully created a world wide famous Chinese detective named “Charlie Chan” on wide screens．Detective Chan likes to teach Americans some Chinese wisdom by quoting Confucius．“Long time no see” was his trademark．Soon after Charlie Chan，“Long time no see” became a popular phrase in the real world with thanks to the popularity of these movies．
Some scholars refer to America as a huge pot of stew．All kinds of culture are mixed in the stew together，and they change the color and taste of each other．American Chinese，though a minority ethnic（少数民族的成员） group in the United States，is also contributing some changes to the stew! Language is usually the first thing to be influenced in the mixed stew．
You can have some other examples than adoptions from Chinese，such as pizza from Italian，susi from Japanese，and déjà vu from French etc．There is a long list! Americans do not just simply borrow something from others．They will modify it and make it their own，so you would not be surprised to find a tofu and peanut butter hamburger in a restaurant，or to buy a bottle of iced Chinese green tea with honey in a grocery store．Since Americans appreciate Chinese culture more and more nowadays，I believe more Chinese words will become American English in the future．In this way the American stew keeps adding richness and flavor．
【小题1】The writer himself felt surprised at ______．
| A．the Chinglish expression “Long time no see” |
| B．“Long time no see” used as standard American English |
| C．so many literal translation of the expressions used in America |
| D．finding out Americans use the expression every day |
| A．mixture literature | B．Confucius’ words |
| C．a kind of cooked dish | D．American changing cultures |
| A．detectives translate the phrase “Long time no see” |
| B．Hollywood made “Long time no see” popular |
| C．the huge pot of stew greatly affects all kinds of languages |
| D．cultures can be changed in the huge pot of stew |
| A．some Chinese expressions are introduced into English |
| B．you’ll not be surprised at a tofu in a restaurant in America |
| C．some American expressions can be used in China |
| D．American English keep being enriched from different cultures |
| A．Informal language sometimes doesn’t go with grammar and structure． |
| B．Languages are always ruled by grammar and structure． |
| C．“Long time no see” has been used in at least four media mentioned in the passage． |
| D．There are four languages mentioned to be adopted in the American stew． |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world’s books and three quarters of international mail are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary — perhaps as many as two million words.
However, let’s face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger. Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren’t sweet, are meat. We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (探讨它的矛盾), we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them. And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don’t fing, grocers don’t groce, and hammers don’t ham? If the plural of tooth is teeth, shouldn’t the plural of booth be beeth? One goose, two geese — so one moose, two meese?
How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of human beings. That’s why, when stars are out, they are visible ; but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.
【小题1】According to the passage ______.
| A．sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different things |
| B．there should be egg in an eggplant |
| C．pineapples are the apples on the pine tree |
| D．boxing rings should be round |
| A．Beeth. | B．Geese. | C．Meese. | D．Tooth. |
| A．A wise man and a wise guy. |
| B．Overlook and oversee. |
| C．Quite a lot and quite a few. |
| D．Hot as hell and cold as hell |
| A．clever | B．crazy | C．lazy | D．dull |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
NO matter which tourist destination you visit, chances are you’ll see Lonely Planet guidebooks in the hands of travelers.
Lonely Planet is one of the world’s largest travel guide brands, publishing more than 500 different guides in eight languages. This year marks the company’s 40th anniversary. The popular brand also produces television shows, websites and podcasts, all dedicated to travel.
Some people praise Lonely Planet books because they make traveling easy and affordable. They save you time and keep you from missing the very best things in a place. And of course, their reviews of hostels, hotels and restaurants, in addition to ticket information about your destination, are useful.
This can be great if you’re a nervous traveler, or if you haven’t traveled by yourself before. If you’re in a country where you don’t speak the language, sometimes there’s nothing better than getting into a taxi and opening up a guidebook. You simply point to a map, directing the taxi driver to a hostel that’s cheap and clean, with friendly staff and cold beer.
But others criticize Lonely Planet and other travel guide publishers. They say guidebooks take the fun and spontaneity(自发性)out of traveling, and that part of the enjoyment of travel comes from the fact that anything can happen. They also lament(哀叹)that if you follow a guidebook, you’ll end up doing the same things and having the same experiences as everyone else. You might end up seeing the same group of people over and over, because everyone is reading the same book and following the same trail.
Another criticism of travel guides is that they have an overly(过度的)large influence on local communities. For example, some locals dedicate their lives solely(仅仅)to behaving in ways that attract tourists. They fake a traditional lifestyle, wear traditional clothes and live in traditional houses just to attract tourists’ dollars.
【小题1】The Lonely Planet guidebook can bring you the following advantages EXCEPT that .
| A．it can help you to save time and money when traveling |
| B．you will not miss the best things without having to make choices |
| C．it provides a lot of useful information about your destination |
| D．you can easily find a nice place to stay in a strange city |
| A．Someone who always takes a taxi when traveling. |
| B．A tourist who likes to repeat others’ experiences. |
| C．A person who’s nervous touring an unfamiliar place. |
| D．A native traveler who is traveling alone. |
| A．the guidebook is not as useful as most travelers expect |
| B．travelers using it will be bored with meeting the same people on their journey |
| C．travelers using it may not get the chance to have unexpected adventures |
| D．local people keep their old lifestyle under the guidebook’s influence |
| A．mistake | B．learn | C．pretend | D．create |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer. But there is one question that has millions of correct answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near brook(小溪)；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village.Some other occupational names are: Carter---a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter---a person who made pots and pans.
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.
【小题1】Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?
| A．Places where people lived. | B．People’s characters. |
| C．Talents that people possessed. | D．People’s occupations. |
| A．owned or drove a cart | B．made things with metals |
| C．made kitchen tools or containers | D．built houses and furniture |
| A．Beatrice Smith | B．Leonard Carter |
| C．George Longstreet | D．Donald Greenwood |
| A．later generations | B．friends and relatives |
| C．colleagues and partners | D．later bosses |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Did you know that the first documented use of OMG(oh my god)was in 1917, or that LOL was once a common term meaning little old ladies in 1960? That's what the world learned when OMG, LOL, and FYI (for your information) were added to the Oxford English Dictionary last week. This dictionary is considered by many to be the reference book that defines the English language.
Words added to the Oxford English Dictionary are truly considered new members of the language. People invent new words all the time, but only a few become popular enough to get defined in dictionaries.
Typed online or in text messages, LOL, FYI, and OMG are initialisms,_which can be said aloud letter by letter, like LOL, which now stands for Laugh Out Loud.Faster to type than the full phrases, initialisms like these have been used online since the 1990s. But these three online terms are now spoken outside the Internet too, making them different from other online lingo( 行话). Dictionary editors decided the words are used so commonly that they had to be defined this year.
Another important addition to the dictionary this year was ?， as in “I ? NY.” This is the first graphic (图形的 ) symbol ever defined in the Oxford English Dictionary.The editors added ? as a verb under the definition of “heart”， meaning “to love”．
Some slang words — informal language used more commonly in speech than in writing — were also added, like wassup, a shortened way to say “What's up”. Even words that have been in use for many years like biker and happy camper were finally added to the dictionary.
The Oxford English Dictionary now defines more than 600,000 words.That adds up to more than 21,730 pages! Guinness World Records calls it the longest dictionary in the world.The Oxford English Dictionary is known for recording words of all kinds—popular, outdated, and even foreign words used by English speakers throughout the language's long history.
【小题1】The text is mainly about that ________.
| A．expressions like LOL and FYI have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary |
| B．English words change their meaning as time goes by |
| C．English language is becoming more and more difficult to learn |
| D．the Oxford English Dictionary breaks the Guinness World Record |
| A．Some online terms are added to it. |
| B．A graphic symbol is first introduced into it. |
| C．Some slang words are collected in it. |
| D．Some old words are left out. |
| A．Words having foreign origins. |
| B．Words made from the first letters of several words in a phrase. |
| C．Uncommon words frequently appearing on the Internet. |
| D．Official words used in formal documents with capital letters. |
| A．spread widely across the Internet |
| B．used commonly by the dictionary editors |
| C．used commonly in either spoken or written language |
| D．a short word |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
We’ve reached a strange－some would say unusual－point.While fighting world hunger continues to be the matter of vital importance according to a recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO)，more people now die from being overweight，or say，from being extremely fat，than from being underweight.It’s the good life that’s more likely to kill us these days.
Worse，nearly l8 million children under the age of five around the world are estimated to be overweight.What’s going on?
We really don’t have many excuses for our weight problems.The dangers of the problem have been drilled into us by publichealth campaigns since 2001 and the message is getting through—up to a point.
In the 1970s，Finland，for example，had the highest rate of heart disease in the world and being overweight was its main cause.Not any more.A publichealth campaign has greatly reduced the number of heart disease deaths by 80 per cent over the past three decades.
Maybe that explains why the percentage of people in Finland taking diet pills doubled between 2001 and 2005，and doctors even offer surgery of removing fat inside and change the shape of the body.That has become a sort of fashion.No wonder it ranks as the world’s most bodyconscious country.
We know what we should be doing to lose weight—but actually doing it is another matter.By far the most popular excuse is not taking enough exercise.More than half of us admit we lack willpower.
Others blame good food.They say：it’s just too inviting and it makes them overeat.Still others lay the blame on the Americans，complaining that pounds have piled on thanks to eating too much Americanstyle fast food.
Some also blame their parents－their genes.But unfortunately，the parents are wronged because they’re normal in shape，or rather slim.
It’s a similar story around the world，although people are relatively unlikely to have tried to lose weight.Parents are eager to see their kids shape up.Do as I say－not as I do.
【小题1】What is the“strange”point mentioned in the first sentence?
| A．The good life is a greater risk than the bad life. |
| B．Starvation is taking more people’s lives in the world. |
| C．WHO report shows people’s unawareness of food safety. |
| D．Overweight issue remains unresolved despite WHO’s efforts. |
| A．A lot of effective diet pills are available. |
| B．Body image has nothing to do with good food. |
| C．They have been made fully aware of its dangers. |
| D．There are too many overweight people in the world. |
| A．the cause of heart disease |
| B．the fashion of body shaping |
| C．the effectiveness of a campaign |
| D．the history of a bodyconscious country |
| A．Actions or Excuses? |
| B．Overweight or Underweight? |
| C．WHO in a Dilemma |
| D．No Longer Dying of Hunger |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
According to legend, the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, Italy, which connects the Palazzo Ducale to an ancient prison, got its name because the walk across it gave prisoners on their way to jail a final chance to enjoy the beauty of the city. The view from the bridge today, however, is more likely to be of a giant billboard selling Bulgari or Coca-cola.
But when the Coke billboards went up this summer on buildings near the Piazza San Marco,which is at the historic heart of Venice, there was a public debate.
"We can't commercialize everything, " said Alessandra Mottola Molfino, a Venetian.
"We couldn't stay quiet, " said Maria Camilla Bianchini d'Alberigo, president of a heritage protection association.
City of officials. however, argue that without these ads, the city could not afford to maintain its heritage. Many have been damaged by centuries of wear and are even a threat to public safety.
"I can't turn down the image of a bottle when there are pieces of the Palazzo Ducale falling to the ground, " said Renata Codello, a Culture Ministry official.
The Culture Minister has a budget of about $ 47 million (315 million yuan) for restoration of monuments. but Italy has a rich architectural heritage, and funds are always tight. Of that amount, $ 1. 8 million was given to the entire Veneto region, which includes Venice.
Two years ago, the city signed an agreement with the Dottor Group, a company responsible for the restoration of the Bridge of Sighs and the Palazzo Ducale. It allows it to sell ad space.
But there is a condition in the agreement: The ads should not offend public taste.
In August, Venice banned US actress Julianne Moore's Bulgrari ad from a billboard in the Piazza San Marco.
The photo shows a naked Moore covered with lion cubs. handbags and jewelry. Mayor Giorgio Orsoni called the image too racy (猥亵) and unsuitable for the Piazza San Marco.
"l consider the fact that Venice is part of the real world_ but we cannot accept these Hollywood-style images. There are wise sponsors. and we need to come up with advertising that suits Venice. not Times Square, " he said in a speech.
【小题1】The article is mainly about__________in Venice.
| A．restoration of cultural heritage |
| B．widespread commercialization |
| C．the conflict between ads and cultural heritage |
| D．the difficulty of restoring monuments |
| A．introduce other monuments of the ancient city |
| B．show many ancient structures need repairing |
| C．indicate that the view is blocked by huge ads |
| D．attract readers' interest in the famous city |
| A．is in favor of | B．is worried about | C．objects to | D．doesn't mind |
| A．They support commercialization. |
| B．They feel the ads are damaging the city. |
| C．The ads are usually racy and in an American style. |
| D．The ads don't present a traditional view of Venice. |
| A．Hollywood stars' ads cannot go up in Venice |
| B．people can buy Bulgari or Coca-cola on the Bridge of Sighs |
| C．the Dottor Group may stop its restoration work for lack of funds |
| D．the mayor of Venice is expecting new advertising |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Most kinds of rose plants come from Asia. But roses are also native to other areas including northwest Africa, Europe and the United States. In 1986, Congress chose the rose as America’s national flower. Technically, Congress and President Ronald Reagan declared it the “national floral emblem.” Whatever the name, the decision did not smell sweet to supporters of others popular flowers.
Some people say roses are difficult to grow. But you have a good chance of success if you start with a few suggestions from experts. You should plant your roses where they can get sunshine for about six hours on bright days. You can buy roses form a garden center or by mail order. You can buy potted roses, also known as container roses, or bare-root plants. Each kind has its fans.
Some gardeners say potted roses are easier to plant. They say the roots develop better. But Jeffrey Dinslage, an expert, pint out that bare-root roses come without soil. So they weigh less to transport.
Another expert advises getting bare-foot roses as close to planting time as you can. If they arrive before you are ready to plant them, make sure the packing material is moist. Keep the plants in a cool, dark place. The resting plants have no leaves but still need water. When growing roses, the soil should feel moist deep down. Watering should be done in the morning.
But do not water too much. People often ask Jeffrey Dinslage about unhealthy discoloration on rose leaves. He says the spots are usually caused by too much water. After heavy rains or too much watering, he advises pulling away mulch, the substance used to protect the roots, temporarily from around the roots. This will help dry the soil.
【小题1】From the first paragraph, we know that in the United States _______.
| A．all the people like roses | B．there are a lot of national flowers |
| C．some roses don’t smell sweet | D．there are some other popular flowers |
| A．They are easier to plant. | B．Their roots develop better. |
| C．They are cheap to transport | D．Their leaves need no water |
| A．Slightly wet. | B．Pretty dry. | C．Too hard. | D．Lightly soft. |
| A．not water roses in the morning | B．protect the roots of roses |
| C．improve the quality of the soil | D．not water roses very much |
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