The iPhone, the iPad, each of Apple’s products sounds cool and has become a fashion. Apple has cleverly taken advantage of the power of the letter “i” — and many other brands are following suit. The BBC’s iPlayer — which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet — adopted the title in 2008. A lovely bear — popular in the US and UK — that plays music and video is called “iTeddy”. A slimmed-down version of London’s Independent newspaper was launched last week under the name “i”.
In general, single-letter prefixes have been popular since the 1990s, when terms such as e-mail and e-commerce first came into use.
Most “i” products are targeted at young people and considering the major readers of Independent’s “i”, it’s no surprise that they’ve selected this fashionable name.
But it’s hard to see what’s so special about the letter “i”. Why not use “a”, “b”, or “c” instead? According to Tony Thorne, head of the Language Center at King’s College, London, “i” works because its meaning has become ambiguous. When Apple uses “i”, no one knows whether it means Internet, information, individual or interactive, Thorne told BBC Magazines. “Even when Apple created the iPod, it seems it didn’t have one clear definition,” he says.
“However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability (輕便) .”adds Thorne.
Clearly the letter “i” also agrees with the idea that the Western World is centered on the individual. Each person believes they have their own needs, and we love personalized products for this reason.
Along with “Google” and “blog”, readers of BBC Magazines voted “i” as one of the top 20 words that have come to define the last decade.
But as history shows, people grow tired of fads(一時(shí)的狂熱). From the 1900s to 1990s, products with “2000” in their names became fashionable as the year was associated with all things advanced and modern. However, as we entered the new century, the trend eventually disappeared.
【小題1】People use iPlayer to ______.

A.listen to music
B.make a call
C.watch TV programs online
D.play computer games
【小題2】We can infer that the Independent’s “i” is aimed at ______.
A.fashionable women B.young readers
C.old readers D.engineers
【小題3】 Nowadays, the “i” term often reminds people of the products which are ______.
A.environmentally friendly B.a(chǎn)dvanced
C.recyclable D.portable
【小題4】The writer suggests that ______.
A.the popularity of “i” products may not last long
B.“i” products are often of high quality
C.iTeddy is a live bear popular in the US and UK
D.the letter “b” replaces letter “i” to name the products


【小題1】C
【小題2】B
【小題3】D
【小題4】A

解析試題分析:本文為說明文。蘋果公司推出的帶有i­前綴的產(chǎn)品銷售得異;鸨阒罏槭裁磫?本文就介紹了這方面的取名知識(shí)。
【小題1】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第一段的The BBC’s iPlayer --- which allows Web users to watch TV programs on the Internet判斷選C。
【小題2】推理判斷題。根據(jù)第三段的內(nèi)容可判斷Independent's “i”主要針對(duì)的讀者群是年輕人。故選B。
【小題3】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)第五段的However, thanks to Apple, the term is now associated with portability(輕便可知帶有i­前綴的產(chǎn)品通常與輕便聯(lián)系在一起。故選D項(xiàng)。
【小題4】推理判斷題。根據(jù)最后一段第一句But as history shows, people grow tired of ads以及后面的例子可推知作者認(rèn)為帶有i­前綴的產(chǎn)品的盛行也維持不了太長的時(shí)間。故選A。
考點(diǎn):考查新聞?lì)惗涛拈喿x

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:完型填空

America’s Beauty Is in Its Diversity
America is built on the idea of freedom, and there is no exception for Muslim women. I     the freedom of religion and speech. But mostly, I believe it’s OK to be      , and to stand up for who and what you are. So I believe in wearing the hijab.
The hijab is a religious head covering, like a scarf. I am Muslim, and keeping my head covered is a       of maturity(成熟)and respect toward my       and to Allah’s will.      , I also like to wear it to be different. I don’t usually like to do what everyone else is doing. I want to be a(n)      , not just part of the crowd. But when I first wore it, I was also afraid of the       that I’d get at school.
I      on my own that sixth grade was the       I should start wearing the hijab. I was      about what the kids would say or even do to me. I thought they might make fun of me, or       be scared of me and       my headscarf. Kids at that age usually like to be all the same, and there’s little or no       of differences.
On the first day of school, I put all those       thoughts behind my back and walked in with my head held high. I was holding my breath a little, but       I was also proud to be a Muslim, proud to be wearing the hijab, proud to be different.
I was       about everything I thought the kids would say or even do to me. I actually met a lot of people because of wearing my head covering. Most of the kids would come and ask me questions —    — about the hijab and why I wore it.
I did hear some kid was making fun of me,       there was one girl—she wasn’t even in my class, and we never really talked much–and she spoke       me, and I wasn’t even there! I made a lot of new friends that year, friends that I still have until this very day, five years later.
Yes, I’m different, but everyone is different here, in one way or another. This is the      of America.

【小題1】
A.believe in B.stick to C.carry out D.push for
【小題2】
A.independent B.free C.sensitive D.different
【小題3】
A.signal B.sign C.reminder D.cause
【小題4】
A.religion B.country C.parents D.status
【小題5】
A.In a word B.In general C.To be exact D.To be honest
【小題6】
A.princess B.heroine C.individual D.a(chǎn)dult
【小題7】
A.praise B.punishment C.reaction D.reflection
【小題8】
A.hoped B.expected C.realized D.decided
【小題9】
A.time B.chance C.case D.occasion
【小題10】
A.disappointed B.scared C.enthusiastic D.a(chǎn)ngry
【小題11】
A.still B.a(chǎn)lready C.even D.ever
【小題12】
A.show off B.pull off C.pick up D.put up
【小題13】
A.rejection B.ignorance C.a(chǎn)wareness D.a(chǎn)cceptance
【小題14】
A.negative B.optimistic C.serious D.strange
【小題15】
A.often B.inside C.only D.outside
【小題16】
A.concerned B.particular C.wrong D.convinced
【小題17】
A.respectfully B.cautiously C.suspiciously D.critically
【小題18】
A.a(chǎn)nd B.so C.but D.or
【小題19】
A.in terms of B.in front of C.in charge of D.in favor of
【小題20】
A.significance B.beauty C.value D.power

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

A newly-wedded couple on a four-month honeymoon were hit by six natural disasters, including the Australian floods, Christchurch earthquake and Japanese tsunami (海嘯).
Stefan and Erika Svanstrom left Stockholm, Sweden, on December 6 and were immediately stuck in Munich, Germany, due to one of Europe's worst snowstorms.
Travelling with their baby daughter, they flew on to Cairns in Australia which was then struck by one of the most violent cyclones in the nation's history.
From there, the couple, in their 20s, were forced to shelter for 24 hours on the cement (水泥) floor of a shopping centre with 2,500 others.
“Trees were being knocked over and big branches were put down across the streets, ” Mr. Svanstrom told Sweden's Expressen newspaper. “We escaped by the skin of our teeth.”
Mr. Svanstrom said they then headed south to Brisbane but the city was experiencing massive flooding, so they crossed the country to Perth where they narrowly escaped burning bush fires.
The couple then flew to Christchurch, New Zealand, arriving just after a massive magnitude (震級(jí)) 6.3 earthquake attacked the city on February 22.
Mrs. Svanstrom said, “When we got there the whole town was like a war zone. We could not visit the city since it was completely blocked off, so instead we travelled around before going to Japan.”
But days after the Svanstroms arrived, Tokyo was rocked by Japan's largest earthquake since records began.
“The trembling was horrible and we saw roof tiles fly off the buildings,” Mr. Svanstrom said. “It was like the buildings were swaying back and forth.”
The family returned to Stockholm on March 29 after a much calmer visit to their last destination China.
But Mr. Svanstrom --- who also survived the destructive Boxing Day tsunami that hit southeast Asia in 2004 --- said the marriage was still going strong.
He added, “I know marriages have to experience some difficulties, but I think we have been through most of them. We've certainly experienced more than our fair share of disasters, but the most important thing is that we're together and happy.”
【小題1】In Svanstrom's opinion, a marriage          .

A.has to go peacefully and happily for all time 
B.has to experience many disasters at the beginning 
C.must always allow the couple be together and happy 
D.should experience difficulties to make it steady 
【小題2】 Why were Stefan and Erika Svanstrom stopped in Munich?
A.Christchurch earthquake stopped them. 
B.Because of Europe's worst snowstorm. 
C.The plane was damaged. 
D.The trains broke down. 
【小題3】Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.The family were stuck in a mall of Australia for twenty-four hours.  
B.The family didn't experience any disaster in China. 
C.During their stay in New Zealand, they also visited a war zone in the town. 
D.The earthquake the family experienced in Tokyo was the largest one recorded in Japan. 
【小題4】The Svanstroms thought that Christchurch of New Zealand was          .
A.disordered B.interesting 
C.beautiful D.shaking 
【小題5】The best title for this passage is          .
A.Meeting Disasters During Honeymoon 
B.Six Natural Disasters 
C.Newly-wed Couple Met Australian Floods 
D.Japanese Tsunami 

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Scores of people queued up to use a cash machine after it started giving out double the money requested.
The cash machine, outside a Sainsbury’s store in Barham Road, Hull, attracted a big crowd of people hoping to take advantage of the fault, on Tuesday night. Police officers were eventually sent in to guard the machine and prevent anymore money from being withdrawn. The fault is thought to have affected cash machines at supermarkets across the city. It is not yet known whether the customers will have to repay the cash or how much money was taken out.
A spokeswoman for Humberside Police said, “Officers were sent to the cash machine to prevent anyone else from withdrawing anymore money. We have also tried to make contact with the owners of the machine.” The spokeswoman said those who benefited from the fault could be traced and could face theft charges, but investigations would only take place if the operator made a complaint.
The cash machine is owned by a company called Payzone, a spokesman later confirmed. He said the fault was due to the machine being filled with notes of the wrong denomination(面值). An investigation is underway into the incident and the machine had been taken out of service, he added.
The Payzone spokesman said, “The transit company(轉(zhuǎn)運(yùn)公司)which is contracted to service this ATM has filled it up with the wrong denomination of notes, meaning it is paying out double what it should have. ” He could not say how much money had been taken out of the machine, or whether it would have to be paid back. It was understood that a number of cash machines in Hull owned by other companies had also been affected by this problem, he added.
【小題1】When it was discovered that the cash machine outside a Sainsbury’s store broke down, _______.

A.people queued up inside the store to buy things
B.people asked the police to protect the cash machine
C.people went to other cash machines to withdraw money
D.people queued up at the cash machine to benefit from the fault
【小題2】People who had managed to get money from the cash machine would face theft charges if ______.
A.the police traced their theft
B.the operator complained to the police
C.they got more money after the police came
D.the police contacted the owner of the machine
【小題3】 Who caused the cash machine not to work properly?
A.The people who withdrew money. B.The transit company.
C.The operator of the cash machine. D.The company Payzone.
【小題4】What would be the best title for this text?
A.Greedy Customers.
B.How to Get More Money from ATMs.
C.Cash Machine Gives Double Money.
D.Who Is the Owner of the Cash Machine.

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Tea, the most important of English drinks, is a relative latecomer to British shores. Although the custom of drinking tea dates back to the third millennium BC in China, it was not until the mid 17th century that tea first appeared in England.
Afternoon tea was introduced in England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford, in the year 1840. The Duchess would become hungry around four o’clock in the afternoon. The evening meal in her household was served fashionably late at eight o’clock, thus leaving a long period of time between lunch and dinner. The Duchess asked her servant to bring a tray of tea, bread, butter and cake to her room during the late afternoon. This became a habit of hers and she began inviting friends to join her.
This pause for tea became a fashionable social event. During the 1880’s upper class and society women would change into long gowns(長袍), gloves and hats for their afternoon tea which was usually served in the drawing room between four and five o’clock.
Traditional afternoon tea consists of a selection of dainty(講究的) sandwiches, scones(烤餅)served with cream and jams. Cakes and pastries(面團(tuán)) are also served. Tea grown in India or Ceylon is poured from silver teapots into delicate bone china cups.
Nowadays, however, in the average suburban home, afternoon tea is likely to be just a biscuit or small cake and a mug of tea, usually produced using a teabag.
【小題1】The title of the passage is __________.

A.Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford
B.Tea, the most important of English drinks
C.Anna, a person introducing afternoon tea to England
D.Afternoon tea, a very British tradition
【小題2】Afternoon tea was introduced in English in _________.
A.1880B.the mid 17th century
C.1840D.3 BC
【小題3】Traditional afternoon tea is made up of __________.
A.sandwiches, scones as well as cakes and pastries
B.a(chǎn) biscuit or small cake and a mug of tea
C.a(chǎn) tray of tea, bread, butter and cake
D.a(chǎn) selection of dainty sandwiches
【小題4】According to the passage, we can learn that _________.
A.Tea appeared in England much earlier than in China
B.The reason why the Duchess was hungry at 4 p.m. is that dinner time came quite late
C.In the suburban home, afternoon tea is also served in a dainty way
D.Tea grown in India or Ceylon is poured from china teapots into delicate bone silver cups.

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

When it comes to hard, noisy traveling, we’ve found that sometimes we’d rather read about it than actually go. Here are some bestsellers for armchair travelers.
The Station by Robert Byron. In 1928, the 22-year-old man made a journey to Mount Athos, resulting in one of the best travel books ever written, matched only by Byron’s own, much more famous The Road to Osciana.
In Darkest Africa by Henry Monton Stanley. It’s about his great efforts to save an unlucky German doctor Eduard Schnitzer, who had no desire to be rescued at all.
A Traveler’s Alphabet: Partial Memoirs by Sir Steven Runciman. A to Z and around the world. He provides priceless information of long-gone princesses, priests, and places.
South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage by Sir Ernest Shackleton. As the planet started the global war, Shackleton and his brave group of explorers made an unsuccessful but heroic journey to cross Antarctica from 1914 to 1917.
The Michelin Red Guide: France 2005 Reading through this final listing of all the nice hotels and wonderful restaurants in France is better than going there, listening to Chirac talk about the poisonous American culture, and spending the price of this book for a tiny cup of tea and a cookie the size of your thumb.
The Past Is a Foreign Country by David Lowenthal. This great book of an armchair exploration tells us what has happened in the past and shows the relationship between us and the past travelers.
【小題1】The underlined phrase “armchair travelers” in the first paragraph refers to those who___________ .

A.can only travel with special equipment for the disabled
B.find fun teaching others how to travel to other places
C.like to write about their strange traveling experiences
D.like to read about travels instead of traveling themselves
【小題2】Which of the books has a very low price according to the passage?
A.The Past Is a Foreign Country.
B.South: A Memoir to the Endurance Voyage.
C.The Michelin Red Guide: France 2005.
D.A Traveler’s Alphabet: Partial Memoirs.
【小題3】What can we learn from the passage?
A.The Station is more famous than The Road to Osciana
B.Henry Monton Stanley, was saved by a German doctor in Africa.
C.It took Shackleton and his men 3 years to cross Antarctica.
D.In his book, Lowenthal focuses more on history than the present.
【小題4】This passage is written____________ .
A.to warn readers against traveling
B.to sell more books about travels
C.a(chǎn)s an introduction to famous travelers
D.to tell people where to travel

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

There seems never to have been a civilization without toys, but when and how they developed is unknown. They probably came about just to give children something to do.
In the ancient world, as is today, most boys played with some kinds of toys and most girls with another. In societies where social roles are rigidly(嚴(yán)格地) determined, boys pattern their play after the activities of their fathers and girls are being prepared, even in play, to step into the roles and responsibilities of the adult world.
What is remarkable about the history of toys is not so much how they changed over the centuries but how much they have remained the same. The changes have been mostly in terms of craftsmanship, mechanics, and technology. It is the universality(普遍性) of toys with regard to their development in all parts of the world and their persistence to the present that is amazing. In Egypt, America, China, Japan and among the Arctic people, generally the same kinds of toys appeared. Differences depended on local customs and way of life because toys imitate their surrounding. Nearly every civilization had dolls, little weapons, toy soldiers, tiny animals and vehicles.
Because toys can be generally regarded as a kind of art form, they have not been subject to technological leaps that characterize(具有…的特征) inventions for adult use. The progress from the wheel to the cart to the automobile is a direct line of ways up. The progress from a rattle(撥浪鼓) used by a baby in 3,000 BC to one used by an infant today, however, is not characterized by inventiveness. Each rattle is the product of the artistic tastes of the time and subject to the limitations of available materials.
【小題1】 The reason why the toys most boys play with are different from those that girls play with is that______.

A.boys like to play with their fathers while girl with their mothers
B.they like challenging activities
C.most boys would like to follow their fathers' professions
D.their social roles are rigidly determined
【小題2】 One aspect of "the universality of toys" lies in the fact that________.
A.the basic characteristics of toys are the same all over the world
B.technological advances have greatly improved the durability of toys
C.the exploration of the universe has led to the creation of new kinds of toys
D.the improvement of craftsmanship in making toys depends on the efforts of universities
【小題3】 Regarded as a kind of art form, toys________.
A.reflect the pace of social progress
B.changes a lot as time goes by
C.a(chǎn)re not characterized by technological progress
D.a(chǎn)lso appeal greatly to adults
【小題4】 The author uses the example of a rattle to show that________.
A.it often takes a long time to introduce new technology into toy-making
B.even the simplest toys can reflect the progress of technology
C.even a simple toy can mirror the artistic tastes of the time
D.in toy-making there is a continuity in the use of materials

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Facial expressions carry meaning that is determined by situations and relationships. For example, in American culture (文化) the smile is in general an expression of pleasure. Yet it also has other uses. A woman’s smile at a police officer does not carry the same meaning as the smile she gives to a young child. A smile may show love or politeness. It can also hide true feelings. It often causes confusion (困惑) across cultures. For example, many people in Russia smiling at strangers in public to be unusual and even improper. Yet many Americans smile freely at strangers in public places (although this is less common in big cities). Some Russians believe that Americans smile in the wrong places; some Americans believe that Russians don’t smile enough. In Southeast Asian culture, a smile is frequently used to cover painful feelings. Vietnamese people may tell a sad story but end the story with a smile.
Our faces show emotions (情感), but we should not attempt to “read” people from another culture as we would “read” someone from our own culture. The fact that members of one culture do not express their emotions as openly as do members of another does not mean that they do not experience emotions. Rather, there are cultural differences in the amount of facial expressions permitted. For example, in public and in formal situations many Japanese do not show their emotions as freely as Americans do. When with friends, Japanese and Americans seem to show their emotions similarly.
It is difficult to generalize about Americans and facial expressiveness because of personal and cultural differences in the United States. People from certain cultural backgrounds in the United States seem to be more facially expressive than others. The key is to try not to judge people whose ways of showing emotion are different. If we judge according to our own cultural habits, we may make the mistake of “reading” the other person incorrectly.
【小題1】 What does the smile usually mean in the U.S?

A.Love.B.Politeness.
C.Joy. D.Thankfulness.
【小題2】 The author mentions the smile of the Vietnamese to prove that smile can ___ .
A.show friendliness to strangers
B.be used to hide true feelings
C.be used in the wrong places
D.show personal habits
【小題3】 What should we do before attempting to “read” people?
A.Learn about their relations with others.
B.Understand their cultural backgrounds.
C.Find out about their past experience.
D.Figure out what they will do next.
【小題4】What would be the best title for the test?
A.Cultural Differences B.Smiles and Relationship
C.Facial ExpressivenessD.Habits and Emotions

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logically.Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lot of inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past.“Houses” have been the most popular area for discoveries and inventions in the past and even now.
Many household items have been the result of inventions of people who desired better functioning of the existent products.Every individual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invention of a new tool or device.Many new household inventions are made almost every day and there are specific companies,which particularly keep a record of all these inventions.
A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field.These products are patented (專利) and have trade mark licenses.The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effective method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long.Vanity PC is a type of computer furniture that specifically hides all the computer wires and keeps a clean and good look.All the outdoor dust,mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing (安裝) the dirt drain (排水管) at the entrance of the door.Another important invention is the automatic toilet night­light,in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed.
These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people.Thus,a variety of new household items are invented every day,which helps in a better functioning of household chores and in a more useful manner.
【小題1】The first paragraph is intended to________.

A.stress the importance of inventions
B.introduce the topic of the article
C.show the advantages of modern lifestyle
D.tell the differences between human beings and animals
【小題2】According to the passage,people make house inventions to________.
A.earn more money and gain awards
B.a(chǎn)ccumulate their wealth
C.improve the present living conditions
D.meet the new demands of new science
【小題3】It can be inferred that the sliding cinch is used to________.
A.prevent your shoulder from being over­pressured
B.keep your shoulder safe and sound in an accident or an operation
C.help you practice your shoulder more often and reduce shoulder pains
D.cover your shoulder and make it stronger to resist the outside strike
【小題4】Common people can also make good inventions because________.
A.wisdom and inspiration sometimes come from everyday life
B.some inventions are easy to be made and can be mastered by them
C.they have a strong desire to do something for science research
D.success is often connected with hardship and bitter experience of common people
【小題5】The passage mainly talks about________.
A.the correct use of household facilities
B.different ideas about household inventions
C.the history of household inventions
D.household inventions and their influence

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