高二暑假阅读专项训练(62098)-高二英语阅读(405)-21英语网

A

Life-changing disaster awaits the drunken driver. And Michael Nepola is proof.

“A lot of teachers say, ‘Don’t drink,’ but I’m not going to say that, because I know that [students are] going to do it,” says the Ho-Ho-Kus resident (居民). “I just say, ‘Don’t get in a car.’”

One year ago, a drunken Nepola lost control of his car and was thrown into trees 20 feet away. He was found covered in blood, with many bones broken.

In hospital, he was diagnosed with traumatic (创伤性) brain injury and remained in a coma (昏迷) and on life support for nearly three weeks.

Moments before the crash, he had been drinking and having fun with friends. Then restlessness got the best of them, and they hopped into the car.

Two passengers escaped safe and sound, but for Nepola, life would not be the same.

At Children’s Specialized Hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. physical therapist Erin Leahy first found Nepola unable to move the right side of his body. But by the end of his six-week stay, he was able to walk out of the building.

But Nepola’s recovery is incomplete. Brain and muscular therapy (治疗) has helped him regain movement in his right arm, but he still struggles with his right hand.

In the process of recovery, Nepola has thought deeply about what happened and why, and decided to share his story. Encouraged by his trauma doctor, Sanjeev Kaul, he began attending assemblies in April.

He said he was nervous at first, but has grown used to the spotlight. And his recovery and visible trauma help him draw serious attention from students. Driving drunk, he tells students, is like playing Russian roulette (一种赌博游戏): “You might do it a bunch of times, but something is going to happen.”

Before the crash he didn’t care about the future or college. He was a thrill-seeking all-around athlete. Now, his days are all about therapy, work and going to the gym. Mentally, he says, “I’m a lot happier in my life.”

Dad John Nepola says of his son, “He was a fighter. We’re all really proud of him.”

1. The main purpose of the text is to ________.

A. tell readers about the dangers of thrill-seeking

B. warn students about the dangers of drinking

C. advise people not to drive a car after drinking

D. tell readers about Michael Nepola’s recovery experience

2. After the accident, Michael Nepola ______.

A. made a full recovery

B. recovered at a magical speed

C. was eager for more adventures

D. enjoyed life more despite his physical condition

3. What does the sentence “You might do it a bunch of times, but something is going to happen” in the 10th paragraph of the article mean?

A. A drunk driver will eventually have a serious accident.

B. Drunk driving is as risky as it is exciting.

C. Drunk driving can be fun if the driver is experienced.

D. An experienced driver can drive drunk successfully.

4. What can we infer from the article?

A. Michael Nepola believes his accident was the result of bad luck.

B. Michael Nepola thinks that students shouldn’t get drunk.

C. Michael Nepola still doesn’t care about his future or college.

D. Michael Nepola wants to warn young people about the dangers of drunk driving.

B

Dear Friend,

The recent success of children’s books has made the general public aware that there’s a huge market out there.

And there’s a growing need for new writers trained to create the $3 billion worth of children’s books bought each year ... plus stories and articles needed by over 650 publishers of magazines for children and teenagers.

Who are these needed writers? They’re ordinary folks like you and me.

But am I good enough?

I was once where you might be now. My thoughts of writing had been pushed down by self-doubt, and I didn’t know where to turn for help.

Then, I accepted a free offer from the Institute to test my writing aptitude (潜能), and it turned out to be the inspiration I needed.

The promise that paid off

The Institute made the same promise to me that they will make to you, if you show basic writing ability:

You will complete at least one manuscript (手稿) suitable to hand in to a publisher by the time you finish our course.

I really didn’t expect any publication before I finished the course, but that happened. I sold three stories. And I soon discovered that was not unusual at the Institute.

Since graduation, I have authored 34 nationally published children’s books and over 300 stories and articles.

Free test and brochure

We offer a free aptitude test and will send you a copy of our brochure describing our recognized home-study courses on the basis of one-on-one training.

Realize your writing dream today. There’s nothing sadder than a dream delayed until it fades forever.

Sincerely,

Kristi Holl, Instructor

Institute of Children’s Literature

1. From the first three paragraphs, we learn that ______.

A. children’s books are usually bestsellers

B. publishers are making $3 billion each year

C. magazines for teenagers have drawn public attention

D. there is a growing need for writers of children’s books

2. When finishing the course, you are promised to ______.

A. be a successful publisher

B. become a confident editor

C. finish one work for publication

D. get one story or article published

3. Kristi Holl mentions her experience mainly to ______.

A. prove she is a good instructor

B. promote the writing program

C. give her advice on course preparation

D. show she sold more stories than articles

C

In 2005 in the UK 13 deaths and over 400 injuries were attributed (归因于) to accidents where drivers were using cellphones, deaths which could have possibly been avoided. There are 4 main reasons for banning cellphones at the wheel:

Research has proven that it is difficult to concentrate on driving and talking at the same time. A recent British study showed that talking on a mobile phone while driving was more hazardous (危险的) than operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. Tests conducted by scientists for UK-based insurance firm, Direct Line, involved 20 subjects using a driving simulator (模拟器) to test reaction times and driving performance and compared this to when drivers had too much to drink. The results showed drivers’ reaction times were, on average, 30 percent slower when talking on a handheld mobile phone than when legally drunk – and nearly 50 percent slower than under normal driving conditions. The tests also showed that drivers talking on phones were less able than drunk drivers to maintain a constant speed, and they had greater difficulty keeping a safe distance from the car in front.

Speaking on a cellphone is an anti-social activity because it puts the lives of others at risk. It doesn’t matter how well we drive, if another driver is not being as professional or as careful, especially using a phone and splitting his or her attention, we are put in danger by their actions. Talking on a phone while driving reduces the competence level to control the vehicle as well as increasing the response time to any danger.

It is a huge responsibility to drive a car and one which should not be taken for granted because it is associated with the lives of others. By speaking on cell phones while driving, such a responsibility is treated with impunity (不受惩罚) and the dangers ignored. The driver does not deserve to be in front of that wheel.

There was a time not long ago when no one had a mobile phone and we all got on with our business quite adequately (不错地). Cellphones might be very useful for an emergency situation, but there really is no need for anyone to have one in a car and talking on it. Any other business can certainly wait until the person is stationary (非移动的).

(上接C2版)

1. What can we learn from the British study mentioned in Paragraph 2?

A. Drunk drivers had greater difficulty keeping a safe distance from other cars than drivers talking on the phone.

B. The reaction times of sober drivers on the phone was 50% slower than that of drunken ones.

C. Talking on the phone while driving is generally more dangerous than drunk driving.

D. Drivers on the phone are more able to maintain a constant speed than drunken ones.

2. According to the article, which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Professional drivers never put the lives of others at risk.

B. Speaking on the phone while driving is banned in many countries.

C. Our safety on the road is not guaranteed unless we improve our driving skills.

D. Drivers who don’t understand their responsibility for others’ lives should be banned from driving.

3. What does the last paragraph suggest?

A. There were fewer accidents on the road when no one had a cellphone.

B. Mobile phones have changed the ways we do business.

C. It is best to pull over your car before making or answering a call.

D. The use of cellphones is necessary for business success.

4. The author’s purpose of writing this article is to ______.

A. draw public attention to drunk driving

B. give an account of the findings of a study on driving on the phone

C. argue that talking on the phone while driving should be banned

D. call on drivers to stop using cellphones

D

Differing roles in prehistoric times have become differing shopping styles, some researchers believe.

While women spent their days gathering food, often with children, men were hunters who made specific plans about how to catch and kill animals. The two approaches to how we used to obtain food mirror how we shop in modern times, the study says.

The researchers say women today spend hours trying to find the right clothes, present or object, because women in the past spent so much time trying to find the best quality and healthy foods. Men, on the other hand, decided in advance what animal they wanted to kill and then went looking for it. Once it was found – and killed – they returned home.

Professor Daniel Kruger of the University of Michigan said the study could be the answer to why there is so much conflict when couples shop together.

Women learned how to get the best quality food in prehistoric times because if they chose the wrong nut it could kill, he said.

“When gathering, women must be very adept (擅长的) at choosing just the right color, texture (质地) and smell to ensure food safety and quality,” he said.

“In modern terms, women are much more likely than men to know when a specific type of item will go on sale. Women also spend much more time choosing the perfect fabric, color and texture.”

Prof Kruger decided to conduct the study after a winter holiday trip with friends across Europe. After exploring sleepy little villages and reaching Prague, the first thing the women wanted to do was shop, Prof Kruger said, and the men could not understand why.

“But that is not so unreasonable if you’re thinking about a gathering strategy,” he said. “Anytime you come into a new area you want to scope out the landscape and find out where the food patches are.”

Prof Kruger said that on the other hand, in prehistoric times men had to hunt for specific items, which meant they had to be very focused in their approach, just as he claims they are now when shopping. “Men often have a specific item in mind and want to get in, get it and get out,” he said.

Prof Kruger said if men and women understood each other’s shopping strategies they could avoid arguments.

1. The study mentioned in this article may help to answer the question ____.

A. why women tend to spend more time shopping than men

B. why women have more shopping strategies than men

C. why women can do better housework than men

D. why women stay at home while men have to work to support the family

2. Professor Daniel Kruger implies that different shopping patterns in modern times between men and women result from ______.

A. their physical differences B. their different social tasks

C. the long history of human evolution

D. their different interests and hobbies

3. Unlike women, men ______ when shopping.

A. do not know what to buy B. tend to buy things quickly

C. like to buy expensive things D. pay no attention to the quality of goods

4. The trip across Europe made Professor Daniel Kruger ______.

A. think Prague is a good place for shopping

B. think little villages in Europe are really worth visiting

C. decide to carry out the study

D. believe women and men always have conflicts in their life

E

As a cardiac (心脏病的) patient at Charlotte’s Levine Children’s Hospital, Jacob Jackson often stared blankly out the window, counting cars. It took his mind off the pain from surgeries (外科手术) to repair congenital heart defects (先天性心脏缺陷). At 16, he’s already had seven major operations.

Now, Jacob is counting the days until he goes to Hawaii to mentor kids at a summer camp for heart patients.

He leaves Thursday for Camp Mokuleia on Oahu’s North Shore, where he’ll spend four days with a low-income family whose young son has had five operations. Simply by being there, he hopes to offer encouragement. “I’ll tell them it’ll be all right,” said Jacob, who lives in western Lincoln County, “I can explain things. Talking helps.”

Kim Jackson is proud that her son is developing into a spokesman for a new generation of heart survivors. In May, he mentored two young brothers at Camp Taylor, a free medically supervised heart camp near Modesto, Calif., where she also worked as a volunteer counselor (辅导员).

The scars on Jacob’s body map his personal battle with a life-threatening disease.

About 10 days after his birth he had trouble eating, and doctors found a heart murmur (连续而低沉的声音).

At 7 weeks, Jacob had the first of his operations, which would include two open-heart surgeries.

Things would be OK for years. But Kim Jackson and her husband, Wade, never knew what to expect when they took their son to the doctor for a six-month checkup.

Meanwhile, Jacob knew his limits and pushed himself within the boundaries. He was smaller than other children his age and couldn’t play competitive sports. But he could still play and he played hard.

“He’s an amazing young man,” said Camp Taylor founder Kimberlie Gamino, who named the camp after her son, Taylor, who was born with half a heart, and is now 15. “He’s someone who can reach beyond his own limitations. He finds how you can achieve within those limitations and give back. It’s his special gift to children.”

In Hawaii, where Camp Taylor also runs a camp, Jacob will mentor not only a Hawaiian child, but the parents, too.

“This is a huge step,” Gamino said. “It empowers (赋予) a new-found self-esteem (自尊). It’s an opportunity to develop independence.”

Jacob’s family will foot the bill to get to California, and then Camp Taylor pays for the flight to Hawaii.

Jacob also organized a fundraiser (资金募集活动) and came up with $2,300 to help pay camp expenses for the family he’s mentoring in Hawaii.

1. What kept Jacob so long in hospital?

A. He was volunteering in the hospital for cardiac patients.

B. He was preparing for another heart surgery.

C. He was waiting for a chance to work in Hawaii.

D. He was recovering from a heart operation.

2. Which statement about Camp Taylor is FALSE?

A. It’s a free, medically supervised heart camp.

B. Jacob Jackson was one of the founders of the camp.

C. Kimberlie Gamino named the camp after her son.

D. Kim Jackson worked as a volunteer counselor in the camp.

3. What will Jacob do in Hawaii?

A. He will mentor two young brothers there.

B. He will encourage a couple of poor parents to fight on for their son.

C. He will mentor both a child and parents from a Hawaiian family.

D. He will help Camp Taylor to run another camp.

4. What is the main point of the article?

A. Jacob makes an effort to help people.

B. Cardiac patients need mentoring.

C. Camp Taylor organizes fundraisers.

D. Volunteers offer support to heart patients. (答案与解析见C6版)