Empty Deserts
In the 19th century Americans from the eastern states moved out west to settle in the rich new lands along the Pacific coast. The most difficult part of their trip was crossing the “Great American Desert in the western part of the United States by horse and wagon.
The western desert can be very dangerous. There is little water and there are few trees. But the desert also has scenery of great beauty. Tall towers of red and yellow stone rise sharply from the flat sandy valley floor. The scene has been photographed many times and appears in movies and in TV.
In Arizona, man made dams across the Colorado River have made two large lakes in the middle of the dry desert country. At Lake Powell, the red stone arch of Rainbow Bridge rises high above the blue lake.
There are few roads. Many areas of Lake Powell’s shore can only be reached by boat or on foot. But hikers in this empty desert land sometimes find very old native American pictures, painted on the rocks.
In Death Valley, California, the summer temperature rises to 130 degrees. There is less than two inches of rain each year. Death Valley is the lowest place in America---- 925 meters below sea level. In the 1800s, many travelers died when they tried to cross this waterless valley in the terrible heat.
Although the desert is dry and seems empty, there is plenty of life if you look closely. Small insects, snakes and rats have learned how to live in the desert heat. They live under ground and come out at night, when it is cool. Plants such as cacti need very little water.  When it does rain in the desert (sometimes only once or twice a year), plants grow quickly, and flowers open in a single day. For a short time, the desert is covered with brilliant colors.
小題1:In the 19th century, Americans moved from the east to the west because they ______.
A．enjoy the tripB．wanted to make their home there
C．wanted to find new grassland thereD．had no water to drink
小題2:From the passage, we can conclude that ______.
A．the western desert is a good place for people to live in
B．there is little water but there are many trees in the desert
C．the desert is dangerous but it is full of life
D．till now, people know little about the desert
小題3: If you want to find some old native American pictures painted on the rock you must go ______.
A．on footB．by boatC．by carD．by plane
小題4:In the 1800s many travelers died in Death Valley because of ______.
A．illnessB．high temperature
C．cold weatherD．poisonous water
小題5:In the desert, animals will die ______.
A．if they move aboutB．if they cannot make holes underground
C．if they come out at nightD．if they drink much water

小題1:B
小題2:C
小題3:A
小題4:B
小題5:B
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A long time ago, in an Italian city, the people there built a tower which was admired by everyone passing through. A little further down the road, in a neighboring city, they had built a tower of similar beauty. The two towers were equally well known. The people of the second city, envious (妒忌的) and filled with pride, planned to destroy the neighboring tower so it wouldn’t take attention away from their own. One night, they came to the tower and began to quietly undermine its foundations(地基).
The next morning, the tower was leaning(傾斜) slightly ,but nobody noticed. The same happened for the following few days, until a little girl who was passing by pointed up at the tower and said: “ I think the tower is going to fall down.” And everyone around looked closely, and could see that she was right .Nervousness spread through the city. And they tried many methods to try to straighten the tower, but nothing seemed to work. That was, until one day when the same little girl was walking up again, and she put her arm on the side of the tower to rest. She felt the tower shaking slightly. When she took her hand off it, the movement stopped. And when she put it back on again, the same thing happened. The girl spent a while doing this, until she was completely certain of what she had discovered: “ The tower is ticklish ( 怕癢的) ！” She ran to get some plants, and she planted them right next to the tower. Now if the tower leant over any further it would be tickled by the leaves of those plants. Being a ticklish tower, it would then return to where it had been. In this way, the girl managed to make sure that the tower didn’t fall down, but still kept it leaning a little.
The fact that it was leaning made it even more famous, and this taught a fine lesson to the envious people of the neighboring city.
小題1:Why did the people of the second city plan to destroy the neighboring tower?
A．Because the tower blocked the way of their tourists.
B．Because the tower had the same building style as theirs.
C．Because they hoped that the tower could lean slightly.
D．Because they hoped that visitors just liked their own tower.
小題2:The underlined word“undermine”（in Paragraph1）probably mean “_________”．
A．test B．raiseC．damageD．strengthen
小題3:When local people heard the news that their tower was going to fall down, they were _________.
A．very anxious
B．very happy
C．very ashamed of themselves
D．a(chǎn)ngry at the people in the neighboring city
小題4:What lesson can we learn from the practice of the envious people in the neighboring city?
A．All that ends well is well.
B．Every dog has his day.
C．A bad beginning makes a bad ending.
D．A friend is never known till a man has need.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The history of the Games Olympia
Olympia, the site of the ancient Olympic Games, is in the western part of the Peloponnese which, according to Greek mythology, is the island of "Pelops", the founder of the Olympic Games. Imposing temples, votive buildings, elaborate shrines and ancient sporting facilities(設(shè)備) were combined in a site of unique natural and mystical beauty.
Olympia functioned as a meeting place for worship and other religious and political practices as early as the 10th century B.C. The central part of Olympia was dominated by the majestic temple of Zeus, with the temple of Hera parallel to it. The ancient stadium in Olympia could hold more than 40,000 audience, while in the surrounding area there were auxiliary(輔助的) buildings which developed gradually up until the 4th century B.C. and were used as training sites for the athletes or to house the judges of the Games.
The Games and religion
The Olympic Games were closely linked to the religious festivals of the cult of Zeus, but were not a total part of a rite. Indeed, they had a secular character and aimed to show the physical qualities and development of the performances accomplished by young people, as well as encouraging good relations between the cities of Greece. According to specialists, the Olympic Games owed their purity and importance to religion.
Victory ceremonies
The Olympic victor received his first awards immediately after the competition. Following the announcement of the winner's name by the herald, a Hellanodikis (Greek judge) would place a palm branch in his hands, while the audience cheered and threw flowers to him. Red ribbons were tied on his head and hands as a mark of victory.
The official award ceremony would take place on the last day of the Games, at the elevated vestibule of the temple of Zeus. In a loud voice, the herald would announce the name of the Olympic winner, his father's name, and his homeland. Then, the Hellanodikis placed the sacred olive tree wreath（花環(huán)）, or kotinos, on the winner's head.
小題1:When did Olympia become the site of the Olympic Games?
A. In the 10th century B.C.
B. Before the 4th century B.C.
C. After the 4th century B.C.
D. It was not mentioned here.
小題2:Which one is TRUE according to the passage?
A．Zeus is the founder of the Olympic Games.
B．The ancient stadium in Olympic were used as training sites for the athletes in the 10th century.
C．The Olympic Games have much to do with the religion.
D．The Olympic victor would receive a golden medal.
小題3:Can you guess the meaning of this word “herald” in the passage?
A．the authorB．the headmasterC．the announcerD．the manager
小題4:When the athletes won the game, ______.
A．They were awarded immediately after the competition.
B．They were awarded twice. The first, immediately after the competition; the second, on the last day of the game.
C．They were awarded on the last day of the game.
D．They were awarded on the last day of the game or immediately after the competition.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


The Parthenon in Athens is a building with a long and complex history. Built nearly 2,500 years ago as a temple celebrating the Greek goddess Athena, it was for thousands of years the church of the Virgin Mary of the Athenians, then a mosque (清真寺), and finally a ruin. The building was changed and the sculptures much damaged over the centuries. By 1800 only about half of the original sculptural decoration remained.
Between 1801 and 1805, Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, which controlled Athens, acting with the full knowledge and permission of the Ottoman authorities, removed about half of the remaining sculptures from the fallen ruins and from the building itself. Lord Elgin loved Greek history and transported the sculptures back to Britain. The arrival of the sculptures in London had a huge effect on the European public, greatly increasing interest in ancient Greek culture and influencing contemporary artistic trends. These sculptures were acquired from Lord Elgin by the British Museum in 1816 and since then they have all been on display to the public, free of charge.
Since the early 1980s, however, the Greek government has argued for the permanent removal to Athens of all the Parthenon sculptures in the British Museum. They have also challenged the British Museum Board of Trustees' legal title to the sculptures.
The British Museum, however, insists that it exists to tell the story of cultural achievement throughout the world, from the dawn of human history over two million years ago until the present day. The museum considers itself an important resource for the world: the breadth and depth of its collection allows the world public to re-examine cultural identities and explore the complex network of interconnected world cultures.
It also says that, within the context of this unparalleled collection, the Parthenon sculptures are an important representation of ancient Athenian civilization. Each year millions of visitors admire the artistry of the sculptures and gain insights on how ancient Greece influenced - and was influenced by - the other civilizations that it encountered.
51. For most of its history people went to the Parthenon to ______.
A. admire the goddess Athena             B. pray to their god
C. search for sculptures                             D. learn about its complex history
52. The underlined "it" (in Paragraph 4) refers to "_________".
A. the British Museum                B. the Greek government
C. the Parthenon                         D. the British Museum Board of Trustees
53. What can we infer from the passage?
A. The sculptures introduced ancient Greek culture to the west.
B. Ancient Greek culture has greatly influenced world culture.
C. The British Museum has made much money from the Parthenon sculptures.
D. The British Museum is the place most capable of preserving these sculptures.
54. What can we learn about Lord Elgin from the passage?
A. He is greatly admired in Greece.
B. He worked for the Ottoman Empire.
C. He saved the Parthenon sculptures from being destroyed.
D. He had a deep interest in Greek culture.
55. The author's main intention in writing this passage is to tell _____.
A. the history of the Parthenon and its sculptures
B. what people can see in the British Museum
C. why the British Museum refuses to return the sculptures
D. the influence of Greece on British culture

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

One of the greatest warriors(勇士) of history, Genghis Kahn, came from the Mongolian people. He controlled many countries in Asia and Europe because of his bravery and leadership in battle. This time period was known as the Yuan Dynasty in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Genghis decided to go hunting one day and many of his warriors went with him. Genghis had his favorite hawk on his wrist. The hawk was trained to fly high in the air to look for game like deer, rabbits or wild birds. When his bird flew to the ground, Genghis would follow it and shoot the wild game with his arrows. It was his favorite hobby.
This particular day, game was hard to find. Toward evening, Genghis sent all the men home and decided to go another way by himself. He even let his hawk go, thinking it would fly home as well. He became thirsty so he stopped by some rocks where he noticed water was dripping. He took a cup from his pack and filled it slowly. When he put it to his mouth, he was surprised for his hawk came and spilled (使濺出) all the water in his cup.
He thought this was very unusual so he filled the cup again. The hawk rushed down and knocked the cup free from his hand. Genghis was now thirsty and angry. As he filled the cup a fourth time, he drew his sword to stop the bird interrupting him. As the bird flew down, Genghis killed it but his cup fell deep into the rocks in the scuffle (扭打).
He decided to crawl up the rock of the mountain to find the source of the water. He found a pool and noticed a huge poisonous snake was dead in the water. He realized the hawk had saved his life. His anger had caused him to kill his favorite bird. In his despair (絕望), he promised to make sure of everything before he would become angry again.
小題1:This passage may most probably be found in _____.
A．a(chǎn) story bookB．a(chǎn) newspaperC．a(chǎn) magazineD．a(chǎn) guide book
小題2:When the hawk tried to stop Genghis, he thought his hawk was trying to ____.
A．save himB．bother himC．help himD．comfort him
小題3: Which of the following is not TRUE according to the passage?
A．Genghis Kahn took up many countries because he was a brave and great leader.
B．The hawk devoted its life in order to save Genghis Kahn from being poisoned.
C．The snake was dead because it drank the water of the pool in the mountain.
D．Genghis Kahn was so thirsty that he decided to look for the source of the water.
小題4: What conclusion can we draw from the passage?
A．One should never act while thinking. B．One had better not act before thinking.
C．One must act when thinking. D．One would act without thinking.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The industrial age has been the only period of human history in which most people’s work has taken the form of jobs. The industrial age may now be coming to an end, and some of changes in work patterns which it brought may have to be reversed. This seems a discouraging thought. But, in fact, it could offer the prospect of a better future for work. Universal employment, as its history show, hasn’t meant economic freedom.
Employment became widespread when the enclosures（圈地運(yùn)動(dòng)）of the 17th and 18th centuries made many people dependent on paid work by taking them away from the use of the land, and thus from the means to provide a living for themselves. Then the factory system destroyed the cottage industries and removed work from people’s homes. Later, as transport improved, first by rail and then by road, people traveled longer distances to their place of employment until, eventually, many people’s work lost all connection with their home lives and the places in which they lived.
Meanwhile, employment put women at a disadvantage. In pre-industrial times, men and women had shared the productive work of the household and village community. Now it became customary for the husband to go out to paid employment, leaving the unpaid work of the home and family to his wife. Tax and benefit regulations still assume this norm（準(zhǔn)則）today, and restrict more flexible sharing of work roles between sexes.
It was not only women whose work status suffered. As employment became the dominant form of work, young people and old people were kept out — a problem now, as more teenagers disappointed and annoyed at school and more retired people want to live active lives.
All this may now have to change. The time has certainly come to switch some efforts and resources away from the utopian（烏托邦）goal of creating jobs for all, to the urgent practical task of helping many people to manage without full-time jobs.
小題1: From the passage we can learn that ____.
A．jobs have existed since human came into being
B．the industrial age brought jobs to everyone
C．the industrial age brought the work patterns most people’s work has taken
D．in the future more and more people could get jobs as the industry is developing
小題2:Before the enclosures of the 17th and 18th, people lived mainly on ____.
A．paid workB．unpaid workC．taxes and benefitsD．land
小題3:Before the industrial age women played ____.
A．more important roles in making a lifeB．less important roles in making a life
C．roles as weak as after in raising their children D．roles as important as men in supporting a family
小題4: From the passage we can infer that ____.
A．creating jobs for all must be changed
B．enough jobs must be created by our society
C．more and more jobs are being created
D．industrial age has made many people unable to live without full-time jobs

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


As late as 1800, women's only place was in the home. The idea of women in the business world was unthinkable. Men were certain that no woman could do a good job outside her home. This was such a widely accepted idea that when the well-known Bronte sisters began writing books in 1864, they had to sign their books with men's names instead.
Teaching was the first profession(職業(yè))open to women soon after 1800. But even that was not an easy profession for women to enter because most schools and colleges were open only to men. Oberlin College in Ohio was the first college in America to accept women.
Hospital nursing became respectable work for women only after Nightingale became famous. Seeing that she was not only a nurse but also a rich and well-educated woman, people began to believe it was possible for women to nurse the sick and still be “l(fā)adies”. Miss Nightingale opened England's first training school for nurses in 1860.
The invention of the typewriter(打字機(jī))in 1867 helped to bring women out of the home and into the business world. By 1900. thousands of women were working at real jobs in schools, hospitals, and offices in both England and America. Some women even managed to become doctors or lawyers. The idea that women could work in the business world had been accepted.
63. Why couldn't women become teachers easily? Because_______.
A. the first profession open to them was writing
B. most schools and colleges were open only to men
C. they wanted to be nurses instead  D. they had to work in the business world
64. The article is mainly about_______.
A. women in the business world  B. the famous Bronte sisters
C. schools and colleges in America  D. rights for American women
65. Which fact does the article lead you to believe?
A. The Bronte sisters thought that they were men.
B. England's first training school for nurses was in Ohio.
C. There are more men than women in professional job.
D. Women find it necessary to work harder than before.
66. Which of the following is TRUE.
A. The typewriter was made in the 1970's. 
B. Most Englanders are doctors or lawyers.
C. People's ideas about women's work have changed.
D. The 18th century saw a changing world for women.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

     For well over a thousand years，smallpox was a disease that everyone feared．The disease killed much of the native population in South America when the Spanish arrived there in the early sixteenth century．By the end of the eighteenth century，smallpox was responsible for about one in
ten deaths around the world．Those who survived the disease were left with ugly scars on their sjun．
It had long been well known among farmers that people who worked with cows seldom caught smallpox；instead，they often caught a similar but much milder disease called cowpox (牛痘) ．A Bridsh doctor called Jenner was extremely interested in this，and so he studied cowpox He believed that，by vaccinating (給接種疫苗) people with the disease，he could protect them against the much worse disease smallpox．In 1796，he vaccinated a boy with cowpox and，two months later，with smallpox．The boy did not get smallpox．In the next two years，Jenner vaccinated several children in the same way，and none of them got the disease．
News of the success of Jenner’s work soon spread．Vaccination soon became a common method to protect people against other diseases caused by virus，such as rable (狂犬病)，and vaccines (疫苗) were sent across the world to the United States and India．
It took nearly two centuries to achieve Jenner’s dream of getting free of smallpox from the whole world．In 1967，the world Health Organization (WHO) started a great vaccination program，and the last known case of smallpox was recorded in Somalia in 1977．The story of vaccinations does not end there，however．There are many other diseases that kill more and more people every year．Besides，many new diseases are being discovered．The challenge for medical researchers will，therefore，probably continue for several more centuries
小題1:Smallpox was so serious that       by the end of l8th century
A．its death rate was up to ten percent
B．those who caught it were certain to die
C．one in ten people in the world died of smallpox
D．one in ten deaths in the world was caused by smallpox
小題2:Edward Jenner discovered that vaccination with cowpox could      
A．make smallpox much milder
B．stop people from getting smallpox
C．protect people against any disease
D．prevent people’s scars after smallpox
小題3:Which of the following statements is not true?
A．The first experiment with cowpox was made by a British doctor
B．After 1977 smallpox disappeared around the world according to WHO．
C．Vaccination had existed among ordinary farmers before being discovered
D．Vaccination can be used to protect people in the world against not only smallpox
小題4:The author of the passage thinks that      
A．vaccinations bring many new problems
B．vaccinations end the spread of diseases
C．there is a long way to go to fight against diseases
D．there is along way to go to discover new diseases

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解


B
When a Swedish ship that sank in 1628 was recovered from the port of Stockholm, historians and scientists were overjoyed with the chance to examine the remains of the past. The ship construction showed how ships were built and operated during the seventeenth century. In this way, artifacts, objects made by human beings, provided a picture of daily life almost 400 years ago.
Underwater archaeology –the study of ships, aircraft and human settlements that have sunk under large bodies of water—is really a product of the last 50 years. The rapid growth of this new area of study has occurred because of the invention of better diving equipment. Besides the Swedish ship
wreck(殘骸), underwater archaeologists have made more exciting discoveries such as the 5,000-year-old boats in the Mediterranean Sea.
Underwater archaeology can provide facts about the past. In ancient ports all over the world are ships sunken in the past 6,000 years. There are also sunken settlements in seas and lakes telling of people’s way of life and their systems of trade in ancient times. Underwater archaeologists want to study these objects to add to the world’s knowledge of history , but they have to fight two enemies. One enemy is treasure hunters who dive for ancient artifacts that they can sell to collectors. Once sold, these objects are lost to experts. The second enemy is dredging machines (挖掘機(jī))often used to repair ports. These machines destroy  wrecks and artifacts or bury them deeper under sand and mud. By teaching the public about the importance of underwater “museums” of the past, archaeologists are hoping to get support for laws to protect underwater treasures.
59．What purpose does Paragraph 1 serve in the passage?
A．To provide background information of the topic.
B．To attract readers’ attention to the topic.
C．To use an example to support the topic.
D．To offer basic knowledge of the topic.
60．The aim of underwater archaeology is to___________.
A．exploit water bodies
B．search for underwater life
C．study underwater artifacts
D．examine underwater environment
61．Underwater archaeologists are worried because___________.
A．sea hunters have better diving equipment
B．their knowledge of world history is limited
C．dredging machines cause damage to the ports
D．sold artifacts can hardly be regained for research
62．What is the main purpose of the passage?
A．to introduce a young branch of learning.
B．To discuss the scientists ’ problems.
C．To explain people’s way of life in the past.
D．To describe the sunken ships.

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