（甘肃省天水一中2010届高三上学期第三阶段考试）

B

Dear Jane, Barbara and Roger,

As you know, we’ve been looking for a new house for some time. Now that all our children have left home, we find that the house is too big for us. Also, since your father retired, there has been no reason for us to stay in this district. Although we like our neighbors, we’ve decided to move south for two reasons. First, the weather will suit us better, and second, we’ll be a little nearer to you, Uncle George and Auntie Hilda. It will make visiting each other much simpler.

We stayed with your uncle and aunt last weekend and saw several houses. One of them sounded as if it were just what we wanted. The right number of rooms, a small garden, etc. When we saw it, we nearly died! It was in a terrible condition and would have cost a fortune to make it habitable (宜居的). The roof and all the walls needed repairing and the whole inside redecorating. After that, we were very cautious about believing details from the estate (房地产) agent. The next two we saw were not much better, but the fourth house was exactly what we wanted. It was empty, so we’re going to move in immediately. We’ll put all your things in boxes and take them with us.  You’ll have to sort them out, throwing away what you don’t want. 

Can you all come next weekend? You can have a nice rest in the country. Telephone on Wednesday at the new number to let us know.

Lots of Love,

Mum and Dad

45. The parents decided to move south because ______.

A. they didn’t like traveling

B. they wanted to go back to their hometown

C. they both retired and they wanted to live with their children

D. they wanted to be nearer to their relatives and they liked the weather in the south

46. What is the meaning of the underlined sentence in Para 2 “When we saw it, we nearly died!”?

A. We were at a loss for words when we saw the house.

B. We were so tired since we had been to several houses.

C. We were so excited because the house was exactly what we wanted.

D. We were greatly disappointed because the house was in a poor condition.

47. From the passage, we can understand that the estate agent ______.

A. overstated the exact condition of the house

B. did not have enough houses for people to choose from

C. tried to persuade people to buy houses in a poor condition

D. usually could not understand the need of their customers

48. The purpose of the parents writing this letter is to ______.

A. ask their children to help them move house

B. express their regret for not being with their children

C. inform the children that they will move to a new house

D. ask their children for suggestions about moving to a new house

（福建省三明一中2010届高三上学期第二次月考）

D

In the United Sates, a person has to be sixteen to drive, seventeen to see certain movies, and eighteen to vote. People can get terrific discounts on all sorts of stuff- provided they’re over sixty-five. Everywhere we look there are age limits that define what people can and can’t do. But creativity has no boundaries, no limitations. Anyone can invent. And they do. Inventors are popping up at the youngest of ages.

Sitting in the car waiting for her mom to return from shopping, Becky decided she might as well try to finish her math homework. But it was growing dark and getting hard to see the paper.

“I didn’t have a flashlight, and I didn’t want to open the car door because then the whole car would light up.” Recalled Becky. “so I thought it would be neat to have my paper light up somehow, and that’s when the idea came to me.”

It isn’t every day that a ten-year-old intents a product eagerly sought by several businesses, but that’s exactly what Becky Schroeder did when she created a tool that enabled people to write in the dark. Her invention? The Glo-sheet.

That night Becky went home trying to imagine different ways of making her paper glow in the dark. She remembered all sorts of glow-in-the-dark toys-like balls and Frisbees-and wondered how they were made. She was determined to find a solution. So the very next day. Beck’s dad took her on an outing to the hardware store. They returned with a pail of phosphorescent paint. She took the paint and stacks of paper into the darkest room in the house-the bathroom. There, she experimented.

“I’d turn on the light, turn it off, turn it on,” said Becky. “My parents remember me running out the room saying “It works, it works! I’m writhing in the dark!”

She used an acrylic board and coated it with a specific amount of phosphorescent paint. She took a complicated idea and made it work rather simply. When the coated clipboard is exposed to light, it glows. The glowing board then illuminates or lights up the paper that has been placed on top. Two years after her initial inspiration, in 1974, Becky became the youngest female ever to receive a U.S. patent.

She didn’t actively market her Glo-sheet. She didn’t need to. The New York Times wrote an article about and incredible invention- patented by a twelve-year-old, and the inquiries and orders streamed in.

82.What caused Becky to invent Glo-sheet?

A. She was having trouble with math problems.

B. She was trying to do homework when it got dark.

C. She was trying to earn money.

D. She was working on a school project.

83. Why was Paragraphs 3, 6 written in italics?

A. so the reader will know there is new vocabulary.

B. So the reader will read with more expression

C. To show that Becky is speaking

D. To set off difficult paragraphs

84. In paragraph 5, Becky and her dad returned from the hardware store with a bucket of phosphorescent paint. What is “phosphorescent paint”?

A. paint that glows in the dark[

B. paint that acts as glue

C. paint that covers marks

D. paint that becomes hard

85. In paragraph 8, what does it mean that Beck “didn’t actively market her Glo-sheet”?

A. She kept the original one for her own use.

B. Other people came to her to get the Glo-sheet.

C. Becky’s father tried to sell the Glo-sheet.

D. She gave away samples to her friends.

86. With which statement would Becky most likely agree?

A. Experience is needed to be a good inventor.

B. Only invent things you know other people want.

C. You never know what you can do unless you try.

D. Always try to sell patent rights to large companies.

（福建省三明一中2010届高三上学期第二次月考）

C

    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.

79 From the passage, we can learn that the author was __________.

A. an animal protector

B. the owner of the cat

C. a prison officer

D. a prisoner

80. We can infer from the third paragraph that __________.

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[

81. What is the best title for the passage?

A. Caring Makes us Human

B. Prison Culture is Important

C. Animals Need Care

D. Everyone Needs to be Cared for

（安徽省利辛二中2010届高三上学期第四次月考）

B

 When I was a little kid, a father was like the night in the refrigerator. Every house had one, but no one really knew what either of them did once the door was shut.

 My dad left the house every morning and always seemed glad to see every one again at night . He opened the jar of pickets when no one else at home could. He was the only one in the house who wasn’t afraid to go into the basement by himself.

Whenever it rained, he got the car and brought it around to the door. When anyone was sick, he went out to get the prescription filled. He set mousetraps. He cut back the roses so the thorns (刺)wouldn’t snag you when you came to the front door. He oiled my roller skates, and they went faster . When I got my bike ,he ran alongside me for at least a thousand miles until I got the hang of it. He signed all my report and my cards. He took a lot of pictures, but was never in them. He tightened up Mother’s sagging（松垂的）clothesline every week or so.

I was afraid of everyone else’s father, but not my own.

Whenever I played house, the mother doll had a lot to do. I never knew what to do with the daddy doll, so I had him say, “I’m going off to work mow,” and threw him under the bed.

When I was nine years old, my father didn’t get up one morning and go to work, he went to the hospital and died the next day.

There were a lot of people in the house who brought all kinds of good food and cakes. We had never had so much company before.

He never did anything, I didn’t know his leaving would hurt so much.

60 The phrase “got the hang of it.” In Paragraph 3 means being able to              

A held the bike    B repaired the bike C controlled the bike D ran as fast as bike

61 Father did a lot of things including         besides going off to work

A making roller skates    B  helping mom wash clothes

C looking after the sick   D  seeing to the flowers in the garden

62 From the passage we can infer that the author seemed NOT to       when she was a child

A enjoy playing house with other children at all

B be aware of his father’s role in the house at first

C be afraid of going into the basement alone

D miss his father much after he passed always

63 From the passage,  we can see that father           

A loves his family very much    B loves only about his work

C is very careless              D always acts strangely

（山东省淄博市2010届高三上学期期末考试）

A

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. The other woman my wife wanted me to visit was my mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That Friday after work, when I arrived at her house, my mother waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other’s life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.

As we arrived at her house later, she said, “I’ll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you.” I agreed.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn’t have a chance to do anything for her.

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said: “I paid this bill in advance. I wasn’t sure that I could be there; but, nevertheless, I paid for two plates—one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son.”

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: ‘I love YOU’ and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve.

Nothing in life is more important than your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till some “other” time.

56. From the passage we can see _________.

A. the mother was happy to have dinner with her son

B. the author doesn’t like his work and his three children

C. the author and his mother went to a high-class restaurant

D. the author saw a movie with his mother after dinner

57. What can we know about the author’s mother according to the passage?

A. She wanted to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

B. She wanted to invite her son to have dinner again.

C. She died of a massive heart attack very suddenly.

D. She wrote a letter to tell her son about her illness.

58. During the dinner, what did they talk about?

A. Extraordinary things.

B. Some national events.

C. Each other’s daily life.

D. Movies and dishes.

59. It can be inferred from the passage that_________.

A. the author regretted for not showing much love to his mother

B. the author was satisfied to do something for his mother

C. the mother felt happy to pay for the bill in advance

D. the mother was sorry for inviting her son to have dinner

60. The author of the passage tends to agree that _________.

A. family should be as important as work

B. work is more important than family

C. we can show our love till some other time

D. we should spend more time with our family

（福建省三校2010届高三上学期期中联考）

A

My friend took his colleague to see an art exhibition in north London.

The show was basically piles of breeze blocks (煤渣砖) forming armchair and sofa shapes, painted in primary colors.

Seeing these, the colleague said, “You brought me all the way out here to see this pile of junk when we could have been having a nice lunch?” He continued his rant about the work all the way back to the office.

When they got there my friend said, “You said you don’t like the work, but you haven’t stopped talking about it since you first saw it.”

Whether he liked it or not, he could not forget it.

If the artwork is fresh and new, you can’t expect to like it straightaway, because you have nothing to compare it with.

The effort of coming to terms with things you do not understand makes them all the more valuable to you when you do grasp them.

Good art speaks for itself. That doesn’t mean you have to like it.

So the next time you go to an art show, or look at anything for that matter, observe what effect it has on you and try to form your own opinion.

That way, you become the critic and not a mouthpiece for someone else’s opinions.

56. What does the colleague think about the art exhibition?

   A. He feels it a waste of time going to the exhibition.

   B. He is very interested in the work shown on the exhibition.

   C. He is disappointed that art is abused on the exhibition.

   D. He thinks his understanding about art is far better than the author of the work on the show.

57. The underlined word ‘rant’ means ________.

   A. praise              B. hatred                 C. complaint       D. misunderstanding

58. Which of the following does NOT represent the author’s opinion about art?

   A. Good art speaks for itself.

B. Good art doesn’t mean you have to like it.

   C. It matters more what impression a piece of art work leaves on you.

   D. Learn to be a mouthpiece for someone’s opinion matters more.

59. What suggestion does the author give for going to an art show?

   A. Like it whether it is good or not.                      B. Don’t compare it with anything.

   C. Observe its effect and form your own opinion. D. Be a good mouthpiece.

（贵州省贵阳二中2010届高三第一学期11月月考）

D

When I was 16 years old, I made my first visit to the United States. It wasn’t the first time I had been abroad. Like most of English children I learned French at school. And I had often been to France, so I was used to speaking a foreign language to people who didn’t understand French. But when I went to America I was really looking forward to having a nice easy holiday without any language problems.How wrong I was. The misunderstanding began at the airport. I was looking for a public telephone to give my friend Danny a call and tell her that I had arrived. A friendly old man saw me looking lost and asked if he could help me.

“Yes”, I said. “I want to give my friend a ring.”

“Well, that’s nice,” he said. “Are you getting married? But aren’t you a bit young?”

“Who is talking about marriage?” I replied. “I only want to give my friend a ring to tell her I’ve

arrived. Can you tell me where there’s a phone box?”

“Oh!” he said, “there’s a phone downstairs.”

When at last we met, Danny explained the misunderstandings to me.

“Don’t worry,” she said to me, “I had so many difficulties at first. There are lots of words

which the Americans use differently in meaning from British. You will soon get used to all

the funny things they say. Most of the time British and American people understand each other!”

53. Where was the writer from?

A. America.     B. France.   C. England.      D. China

54. The writer wanted ______.

A. to buy a ring for his friend     B. to make a call to his friend

C. to go to the telephone company    D. his friend to see him off

54. From the passage we can see that “give somebody a ring” ______.

A. has the same meaning in America as in England

B. means “call somebody” for the old man

C. has two different meanings    D. means “be going to get married” in England

56. In the last paragraph, the underlined word “they” refers to ______.

A. the old man and the boy   B. the Americans   C. the British    D. the French

（甘肃省天水一中2010届高三第一学期第二次段考）

C

       My senior year, I can't believe it's almost over. Now when I look back, it was stressful, but exciting, the ball, graduation, and then of course, college.

    I started my college application process months before Christmas. My parents told me it would be smart if I set up interviews and tours. But 1 didn't have clear aim. I wanted to go to college, but I didn't want to deal with the stress.

    As the days flew by, my applications lay on my desk just as I had left them three months before. "You are wasting valuable time, "my parents complained. Sweeping away the gathered dust on the applications, I worked on them every Sunday until I finished. Next came writing the essays.

I had many ideas, but every school had different requirements. I changed them until I was pleased. Finally, everything was underway.

    Now I just had to wait. In March, I started receiving letters of rejection. I began to think that I had set myself up for disappointment. I had a letter from Salem State College stating that they wanted to see my third quarter grades before they made their decision. Yes! At least someone wanted to consider me. At the beginning of April, I received a letter from Keens State. I had been rejected. Those opening words" We regret to inform you..." made me sit down and cry. I had lost all hope. Then I heard from Plymouth State. Not my first choice, but...I had been accepted. Maybe if I get my grades up, l can transfer to another school...

    The college application process hurt me deeply. All my friends had dozens of schools to choose from. I guess my parents were right. High school grades are undoubtedly important to your future plans. If I could do it all over again, I would take it more seriously.

49．How did the writer feel in the way of going to college?

    A．Happy．             B．Sad．               C．Mixed．           D．Changeable.

50．Which of the following is NOT true?

    A．The writer thought senior year was stressful.

    B．The writer didn't set up interviews and tours.

    C．The writer had a strong desire to get to college.

    D．The writer was afraid of the pressure of college.

51．What does the underlined sentence mean?

    A．The writer was fired by the college.

    B．The writer was rejected by the college.

    C．The writer couldn't go to any college.

    D．The writer couldn't go to college forever.

52．The writer felt       at the end of the passage.

      A．honorable          B．relieved             C．regretful            D．hopeless   

 (山东省青岛市2010届高三上学期期中考试)

A

Recently I paid a visit to Harvard University, where there are top class scientists and professors and the best academic system in the world.

I was pretty shocked when I first stepped onto the campus. Well, it's not even really a campus. It's more like a district in a small town.

Harvard's main buildings are from the 18th century. They look very old and simple. You might even say they're a little shabby. They don't fit the modern idea of university at all. The buildings are surrounded by grass and trees, so I felt as if I had walked into a medieval castle. But when I looked across the street, busy shops and in-fashion students made me feel like I was in the 21st century again. It creates a strong contrast and brings a special atmosphere to the school.

Our tour guide Gary took us around and told us: "You see this grass field in the center of the school? Here is where they host their graduation ceremony. They just set up tents and benches and have a very simple ceremony. Unbelievable! Who would think the most talented students just graduate on the lawn?

I saw some students put a blanket on the grass and lie down to read a book. When I listened to the soft sound of pages turning, along with chirping of the birds, I felt very calm. There was no competitive feeling at all.

Harvard has the world's first computer in its science center and there are hundreds of high-end computers too. Its religion and the literature departments are also among the best. It is the perfect mix of tradition and new technology. It makes Harvard a very attractive place to study in.

I hope one day I'll attend my dream school—Harvard.

56. The article is mainly about        . 

A. the author's campus life in Harvard

B. the author's impression of Harvard

C. Harvard's old buildings

D. the academic system at Harvard

57. The author was most impressed by        , according to the article. 

A. Harvard's mix of tradition and new technology

B. the classes held on beautiful lawns at Harvard

C. Harvard students not taking their graduation ceremony seriously

D. the feeling of not living in modern society on the campus

58. What can we conclude from the article? 

A. Harvard campus is actually a district of a big city.

B. There are no competitions at Harvard University.

C. Graduation ceremonies are not complex at Harvard.

D. All Harvard buildings date back to the 18th century.

59. According to the article, in which fields is Harvard top in the world? 

A. Literature, arts, and law.

B. Religion, law and arts.

C. Literature, arts and computer science.

D. Religion, computer science and literature.

60. Which word can be used to describe the Harvard campus? 

A. modern       B. competitive      C. peaceful        D. splendid

 (江西省新余一中、宜春中学2010届高三11月联考)

A

One winter evening, a storekeeper was going to close up his shop. Suddenly he saw Seth, a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow grab a pound of fresh butter and concealed it in his hat. No sooner had the storekeeper seen the act than he hit upon exactly the right revenge. He would punish the thief, and satisfy his own appetite for fun.

Seth had his hat on his head, and the butter in his hat. He was anxious to leave. However, the rightful owner of the butter offered him a cup of hot drink, took him by the shoulders and planted him in a seat close to the stove. The grocer stuffed in the stove as many sticks of wood as he could possibly fit inside.

Seth already could feel the butter settling down closer to his hair, so he jumped up, declaring that he must go. “Sit down; don’t be in such a hurry,” replied the grocer, pushing him back into the chair again.

Streak after streak of the butter came pouring from under the poor man’s hat. The fun-loving grocer kept on stuffing wood into the stove. Then, as if surprised, he remarked, “You seem to be perspiring (排汗) as if you were warm! Let me put your hat away for you.”

“No!” exclaimed poor Seth at last, unable to stand it a moment longer. “No, I must go; let me out.”

A greasy (油腻的) waterfall of butter was now pouring down the poor man’s face and neck, soaking (浸泡) into his clothes, and trickling down his body into his boots. He was bathed in oil from head to toe.

Just as his victim darted out the door, the grocer said, “I reckon (估计) the fun I’ve had out of you is worth the money, so I shan’t charge you for that pound of butter in your hat.”

56．Why did Seth put the butter in his hat?

A. Because he just wanted to play a trick on the grocer.

B. Because he had nowhere to put the butter but in the hat.

C. Because he wanted to revenge himself on the grocer.

D. Because he didn’t want to pay for it.

57．What is not the action that the grocer took as a revenge?

A. The grocer offered Seth a cup of hot drink.

B. The grocer forced Seth to take a seat near the stove.

C. The grocer overcharged Seth for the butter.

D. The grocer offered to take off Seth’s hat.

58．What was the purpose of the grocer’s hospitality?

A. He wanted to make friends with Seth.

B. He wanted to be kind to him.

C. He wanted to take his revenge on Seth by making the butter in his hat melt.

D. He wanted to sell more of his goods.

59．What is the best title of the passage?

A. Great fun     B. The right revenge    C. A fun-loving grocer   D. A foolish customer