高一寒假阅读综合测试(99223)-高一英语阅读(585)-21英语网

本文作者： 21ST

A

After I graduated from junior high school, I wanted to play a sport, but each one that I had already tried (badminton, basketball, volleyball, swimming, soccer and kung fu) didn’t appeal to me anymore.

Then I remembered some of my happy childhood times when my friends and I took part in a program called Book Bucks every year in elementary school. If we read for 20 minutes each day, we were given vouchers (证件) to use at businesses around our town. Every year, I chose to spend my Book Bucks at the local rock climbing gym, City Beach.

Thus, I joined the youth climbing team at City Beach.

At first, I struggled. Even though I was only on the recreational (娱乐的) team (there is also a competitive (竞技的) team), I was weaker than kids who were younger than me. The practices, which were twice a week, left me sore for days on end. I couldn’t do proper push-ups (俯卧撑), much less pull-ups.

That summer, I climbed outside of practice nearly every day. At home, I practiced my pull-ups, hoping that I could catch up with the rest of the team. To my surprise, not only did I catch up, but also I quickly became one of the best on the team. Two years after I joined, I’m now on the competitive team.

As I work each day to get better, rock climbing continues to teach me valuable life lessons. Even the strongest people have trouble climbing, since you need to think critically (审慎地) to figure out your climbing route (路线). This goes to show that often, logic (逻辑) is the best solution. What’s more, I realized that dreams don’t work unless you act. Whenever I thought about being the best, I became easily distracted (分心的) from my efforts (努力). Instead, I learned to focus on becoming my best.

Nowadays it’s difficult for high school students to find activities that they truly love, so I’m glad I found rock climbing. It has provided me with a support network of students and teachers, stimulated (使活跃) me mentally and physically, and blessed me with a more balanced life. Now that rock climbing is in my life, I can’t imagine life without it.

By Laura Chen

1. Why did the author join the youth climbing team at City Beach?

A. She found that she was best at rock climbing.

B. She took part in the program Book Bucks again.

C. She thought of her happy childhood times there.

D. She believed she had the potential (潜力) to join the competitive team.

2. Which of the following is TRUE about the author’s rock climbing?

A. She has worked hard and made great progress.

B. She has been rock climbing constantly (时常) since childhood.

C. It has been two years since she joined the competitive team.

D. She showed more talent than her teammates in the beginning.

3. What is the valuable life lesson that the author learned from rock climbing?

A. Everyone has the chance to be the best.

B. Each of us should focus on exploring his or her own potential.

C. Our dreams will come true as long as we get started.

D. We should think carefully before we make a choice.

4. The author is glad that she found rock climbing because ______.

a. it developed her sense of balance (平衡)

b. it gave her more self-confidence (自信)

c. it brought her more of a connection with others

d. it improved her strength (力量) and concentration (专注力)

A. ac B. cd C. abd D. abc

B

What are the most popular courses at Harvard University, US?

Unsurprisingly, Intro to Economics and Intro to Computer Science claim the top two spots. But what about Classical Chinese Ethical and Political Theory (《中国古典伦理及政治理论》), a course focused on ancient Chinese philosophers (哲学家) and their theories? As the third most popular course, it has drawn so many students that Harvard had to move the class to its Sanders Theater, the biggest lecture hall on campus.

According to The Atlantic, Professor Michael Puett requires his students to read original texts such as Confucius’ Analects (《论语》) and the Mencius (《孟子》). But doesn’t that make the class boring?

Not at all, says The Atlantic: “It’s clear that students are attracted by Puett’s promise: ‘This course will change your life.’”

Puett introduces his students not just to a completely different cultural worldview. More importantly, he puts Chinese thought “in the context (背景) of contemporary (当代的) American life to help 18- and 19-year-olds figure out how to be good human beings and [become successful people].”

Puett told The Atlantic that nowadays, more students are pressured to think big and achieve individual (个人的) excellence. They usually direct all of their courses, and even their activities after class, towards practical (实际的) career goals.

However, Puett believed that being calculating (算计的) about one’s plans is precisely the wrong way to make any sort of important life decision. “The Chinese philosophers would say that this strategy makes it harder to remain open to other possibilities,” he explained to The Atlantic. “Students who do this are not paying enough attention to the daily things that actually inspire (鼓舞) them.”

Our smallest actions, said Chinese philosophers, have a ripple effect (连锁反应). To really change our lives for the better, we have to start with mundane things. “Holding open the door for someone or smiling at the grocery clerk (杂货铺店员) can change the course of the day by affecting how we feel,” said Puett. “Paying attention to small clues (线索) can change everything that we can become as human beings.”

5. What are the things that students can learn in Professor Michael Puett’s course?

A. How to be a better person.

B. The culture of ancient China.

C. How to make their big dreams come true.

D. A complete introduction to Confucius and Mencius.

6. Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?

A. The texts the students read have been translated into English.

B. Harvard had to move the big class to a theater outside of its campus.

C. Classical Chinese Ethical and Political Theory is the most popular course at Harvard.

D. It wasn’t expected that so many students would be interested in ancient Chinese philosophers and their theories.

7. Why is it bad to be totally calculating about one’s plans according to Puett?

A. Students won’t dare to think big.

B. Students won’t be practical enough to achieve their goals.

C. Students won’t pay enough attention to improving their daily lives.

D. Students will not take part in all kinds of activities after class.

8. What does the underlined word “mundane” mean in the last paragraph?

A. Great. B. Valuable.

C. Ordinary. D. Friendly.

C

Yes, it’s still 2013, but as USA Today says, “it’s never too early to plan your 2014 travels”. With so many hot destinations (目的地) around the globe, “where should I go?” can be difficult to answer. According to Lonely Planet, though, Brazil is a fine choice – on Oct 29, the travel guide named that country the top one to visit in 2014.

“As if endless strands of coast and mountains splashed with rainforest didn’t already add up to an unfair share of heaven (天堂), Brazil will hold two of the greatest sporting events in the world, beginning with the 2014 FIFA World Cup and followed by the 2016 Summer Olympics,” explained Lonely Planet.

Brazil is the largest and most populous country in South America. It boasts (自豪拥有) the Amazon, the world’s largest jungle (丛林), which is home to a variety of plants and animals. But the great landscape (景色) is not the only thing Brazilians take pride in.

The colors green and yellow might make most people think of Brazil’s soccer team even more than its national flag. Soccer is more than a sport in Brazil; it’s a way of life. In fact, the World Cup brings Brazilians together. It is interesting to note that the general elections (大选) in Brazil are usually held during the same year as the World Cup. Political parties try to take advantage of the patriotic enthusiasm (爱国热情) created by soccer to inspire political energy.

Alongside soccer, samba is another emblem (象征) of Brazil. The country’s most traditional dance is highlighted every February at the Rio Carnival, which is one of the world’s biggest.

“Brazil has left its second-class nation status (地位),” said former Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2009 after Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 Olympics.

Brazil’s growing economy, fueled (刺激) by oil and aircraft factories, has made it more than just a nation of samba, soccer and beaches. These days, it might just be the best tourist destination in the world.

9. Which is TRUE about Brazil?

A. Soccer and samba are two symbols of the country.

B. It will hold the FIFA World Cup and the Summer Olympics in 2014.

C. It is the largest country with the longest history in South America.

D. Its Amazon is the world’s largest jungle with the most beautiful landscape.

10. We can tell Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is ______ his country from his words.

A. modest about B. honest about

C. proud of D. ashamed of

11. Which of the following aspects are mentioned about Brazil in the article?

a. military b. economy

c. language and culture

d. geography and population

A. bc B. bd C. acd D. bcd

12. The author’s purpose in writing the article is to ______.

A. give an introduction of Brazil as a tourist destination

B. prove that Lonely Planet’s recommendation is right

C. give an objective review of Brazil as a nation

D. explain why Brazil will be holding the two sporting events

D

Once upon a time, people got their news from the shop. It was written in a newspaper, by journalists, and people bought one newspaper and assumed (认为) that it told the truth.

Now, news can come from anywhere – blogs, micro blogs, social media sites and Internet forums. News is free and fast. Someone with a mobile phone takes a picture and suddenly it’s halfway across the world. And because almost everyone has a mobile phone and almost everyone can go online, almost everyone can be a journalist.

Suddenly all the professional journalists have to prove why their work is called “professional”. It’s hard to persuade people to pay for something they can get for free, especially if the free version (版本) is better written and more accurate (准确的).

Even the idea that journalists are “trustworthy” news sources is being questioned. A big British newspaper called the News of the World was found to be illegally (非法地) tapping people’s phones to find stories. People have started muttering (抱怨) about the “death of the newspaper industry”.

But the figures don’t quite add up to “death”. In fact, they’re very confusing. One survey in the UK showed that most people get their news from popular social networks such as Twitter and Facebook, but another said that the majority (大部分) go to newspaper websites.

Maybe there’s an explanation for this confusion. In newspaper offices today, people aren’t just writing. Everyone has one eye on Twitter and another on local news sites. Every story that goes online has a comments (评论) section for readers. Writers change and update their stories in response to those comments. Every journalist knows they are being compared with every blogger and news site. They know readers can look at one story from many angles (角度) now, and decide which to believe. They have to fight to offer the best written and most accurate story.

News isn’t dead; it’s more alive than ever. Newspapers are becoming platforms (平台) for comments, facts and opinions. News is closer than ever to the truth.

13. Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?

A. News nowadays is not as trustworthy as it was before.

B. Free versions of news sources are less well-written and less accurate.

C. It’s cheaper and faster to get news thanks to modern technology.

D. Journalists are now likely to lose their jobs because news can come from anywhere.

14. What does the underlined word “confusing” in Paragraph 5 mean?

A. Satisfying. B. Surprising.

C. Easy to get. D. Difficult to understand.

15. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 6 mean?

A. Journalists also have to write from many different angles.

B. Journalists also need to make their stories believable.

C. Journalists also have to take charge of (负责) their comments sections.

D. Journalists listen to the opinions of readers and then improve their stories.

16. What’s the author’s attitude toward today’s news?

A. Critical (批评的). B. Doubtful.

C. Supportive. D. Disappointed.

E

Look around and you’ll see them on buses, in subway stations and at restaurants: people busy on their smartphones. And it’s likely that you are one of them too.

Smartphones do make our lives easier. But have you ever thought about what they mean for your eyes?

A new study found that there has been a 35 percent increase in the number of people in the UK who suffer from shortsightedness (近视) since smartphones were introduced there in 1997, reported the Daily Mail.

According to the study, half of British people own smartphones and they spend an average of two hours a day using them. This, along with time spent using computers and watching television, is putting children and young people at risk (危险) of permanently damaging (永久性地损伤) their sight.

“Using computers and smartphones all the time strains our eyes – especially smartphones, as they have much smaller screens than computers,” Cordelia Chan, eye doctor at the Singapore National Eye Center, told Singapore-based Her World magazine.

Staring at smartphones for long hours also gives you dry eyes. When looking at something in the distance, your eyes automatically blink (眨眼) a certain number of times. However, the blinking slows down when you look at things closer to your face. This reduces (减少) the amount of tears produced. “Decreased tear secretion (分泌) may cause mild discomfort, tearing [and] blurred vision... in your eyes,” Chan said.

Another bad habit is using smartphones in dark rooms before going to sleep. Our pupils (瞳孔) act like curtains (窗帘) that control how much light enters our eyes, and they dilate (扩大) in a dark room. If you look at a bright screen while your pupils are dilated, too much light enters your eyes. This can damage the nerve (神经) at the back of the eye, which can cause a disease called glaucoma (青光眼). People with glaucoma have cloudy vision, among other problems.

While you’re probably not going to just stop using your smartphone, there are a few things you can do to protect your eyes. Hold your phone at least 30 centimeters away from your eyes when using it. Take a break every hour and try the following: look at something at least five meters away from you and then focus on the tip of your nose. Repeat (重复) this several times. It should reduce the discomfort in your eyes.

17. The article is mainly about ______.

A. things you should pay attention to when using smartphones

B. why smartphones are more harmful than computers to users’ health

C. smartphones’ risks to the development of young children’s eyes

D. the damage that smartphones can do to users’ eyes

18. Which of the following is TRUE?

A. The smaller the screen a digital device has, the harder it is for our eyes to see.

B. The more the eyes blink, the drier the eyes become.

C. The more tears the eyes produce, the more comfortable the eyes feel.

D. Half of British people who own smartphones suffer from shortsightedness.

19. When using smartphones in dark rooms before going to sleep, ______.

A. your pupils fail to dilate

B. darkness causes your pupils to have trouble controlling the amount of light that enters your eyes

C. you will have problems with tearing eyes

D. your nerves can be damaged

20. Which of the following is suggested as a way of reducing the harm that smartphones cause to the eyes?

A. Turn off your phone for a certain amount of time every day.

B. Hold your phone at least 50 centimeters away from your eyes.

C. Don’t use your phone for more than an hour without taking a break.

D. Try looking at something green at a far distance for several minutes.