A Smashing tradition: MIT Students Drop Piano
One of the highlights of the school year at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology only lasts a few seconds but has a big influence. Residents of an MIT dormitory dropped an upright piano from their roof on 26th April to celebrate the last day students can drop classes without having them appear on their college report.
About 200 onlookers watched as the piano crashed into a second piano, a baby grand, positioned on the ground six stories below for a better smash. People scrambled (爭(zhēng)先恐后) for souvenir pieces-keys, hammers, strings and splinters. The tradition began in 1972 at the Baker House dormitory and has been observed irregularly until 2006 when it became an annual event.
Crafton Family Comes Back Home after 7 Years at Sea
While most of us will love to go on a vacation for a week or two on a small private sailboat, without doubt, spending seven precious years on sea is something most of us will never imagine or dare to do. However, that is what an American family has done. Tom Crafton and Kathy Crafton along with their three children have traveled across the world on their 43-foot sailboat named Nueva Vida. Over the past seven years the family had sailed 30,000 miles and visited more than 20 different countries. The family has recently come back to their homeland.
_____________________________________________

Living in the limelight（聚光燈）can be difficult but as these splendid pictures show for one bear the tourist train never stops. This arctic animal loves nothing more than an audience and will even climb out of his snowy bed to give the crowd a wave. The funny poses(姿態(tài)) of the friendly polar bear were caught on camera by Swedish photographer, Hams Strand.
【小題1】Which of the following is true about the first incident?

A．The typical style of celebration has been kept alive every year since1972.
B．Another small piano on the ground is meant to hold the falling one.
C．The students dropped the piano in celebration of their graduation.
D．The tradition became an annual event for MIT students several years ago.
【小題2】The writer thinks Crafton family’s seven-year sailing is ______.
A．unusual B．strange C．common D．doubtful
【小題3】What would be the best subtitle for the third incident?
A．The Limelight Makes Polar Bear Live Hard
B．Splendid Pictures of Polar Bear Attract Tourists
C．The Tourist Train Would Stop without Polar Bear
D．Polar Bear Says Hello to Tourists with a Friendly Wave
【小題4】The passage is probably taken out of ______.
A．a(chǎn) novel B．a(chǎn) magazine C．a(chǎn) diary D．a(chǎn) report


【小題1】D
【小題2】A
【小題3】D
【小題4】B

解析試題分析：麻省理工學(xué)生們有一件傳統(tǒng)且流行的事情：扔鋼琴。7年海上漂流終于回到了家。北極熊向游人們示以友好的波浪。
【小題1】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。由“The tradition began in 1972 at the Baker House dormitory and has been observed irregularly until 2006 when it became an annual event.”可知這項(xiàng)傳統(tǒng)已經(jīng)存在很久了。故選D。
【小題2】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。由“ without doubt, spending seven precious years on sea is something most of us will never imagine or dare to do. ”可知這是人們一般難以想象和敢于做的，因此覺(jué)得很不平常。unusual不尋常的；strange陌生的；common平凡的；doubtful懷疑的。故選A。
【小題3】主旨大意題。第三段講了北極熊如何向游人們表示友好。選D最佳。
【小題4】主旨大意題。這是一篇新聞報(bào)道，因此摘自報(bào)紙雜志。a novel 一篇小說(shuō)；a magazine一本雜志； a diary一篇日記； a report一份報(bào)告。故選B。
考點(diǎn)：新聞?lì)愰喿x。

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

In times of economic crisis. Americans turn to their families for support. If the Great Depression is any guide, we may see a drop in our skyhigh divorce rate. But this won't necessarily represent. an increase in happy marriages. In the long run, the Depression weakened American families, and the current crisis will probably do the same.
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【小題1】In the initial stage, the current economic crisis is likely to __________.

A．tear many troubled families apart
B．contribute to enduring family ties
C．bring about a drop in the divorce rate
D．cause a lot of conflicts in the family
【小題2】In the Great Depression many unhappy couples close to stick together because
A．starting a new family would be hard
B．they expected things would turn better
C．they wanted to better protect their kids
D．living separately would be too costly
【小題3】In addition to job losses. What stands in the way of unhappy couples getting a divorce?
A．Mounting family debts
B．A sense of insecurity
C．Difficulty in getting a loan
D．Falling housing prices
【小題4】What will the current economic crisis eventually do to some married couples?
A．It will force them to pull their efforts together
B．It will undermine their mutual understanding
C．It will help strengthen their emotional bonds
D．It will irreparably damage their relationship
【小題5】What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A．The economic recovery will see a higher divorce rate
B．Few couples can stand the test of economic hardships
C．A stable family is the best protection against poverty.
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

MONTAGNE: In the summer of 2011, the world first heard of a small island in Norway under the most terrible of circumstances. Utoya Island was a youth camp run by Norway's Labor Party. One day in July, a heavily armed, right-wing extremist stepped onto the island and began shooting at random. Sixty-nine people died, over 100 were wounded; almost all, young people. This month, artist Jonas Dahlberg was appointed to create a memorial. He described to us the experience he imagines for those who come to the island.
DAHLBERG: You start your walk through a forest of evergreens on a wooden pathway. After a while, this pathway starts to go down into the landscape.
MONTAGNE: Down into the landscape, and into a short tunnel. When you come out, you are unable to go any farther. You can't get to the tip of the island because it has been cut off. So all you can do is look across a narrow channel of water at what is now a wall of polished stone, carved with the names of the dead.
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MONTAGNE: On the day of the massacre, just hours before launching his shooting on the island, the killer set off a bomb in downtown Oslo, leaving eight people dead. As those events were unfolding, artist Jonas Dahlberg had been out with his brother, and stopped in at a seaside village.
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【小題1】Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Utoya Island was the only bloody shooting spot planned by the killer.
B．Utoya Island used to be a youth camp site and now has been reduced to total silence.
C．Dahlberg and his brother witnessed the shooting on Utoya Island.
D．Visitors to Utoya Island can touch the names of the victims carved on the polished stone.
【小題2】By the underlined phrase “a memory wound”, Dahlberg means all the following EXCEPT that ________.
A．the artist plans to slice through the end of an island to make actual loss
B．memorials are supposed to be not only about remembering but helping people to understand what was happening
C．this memorial shows the gunshots vividly to the visitors for them to understand what was happening
D．the space between is meant to symbolize how those who were killed are gone but are not forgotten
【小題3】 Which of the following pictures shows the design of the memorial?
A．B．
C．D．

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

Mainland couples who give birth to a second child in Hong Kong will be fined for breaking the family planning policy，a senior official has warned．
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He said that some families had been punished in the past few months after having a second child in Hong Kong, but gave no details.
Zhang made his remarks when a Hong Kong newspaper carried a controversial ( 有爭(zhēng)議的 ) notice claiming residents’ medical services had been affected by the growing number of mainland women who arrive in the city to give birth and gain fight of abode ( 居住) there.
According to statistics revealed by Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government，about 88，000 babies were born in Hong Kong in 2010，but more than 41，000 or 47 percent，were to mainland couples，including a large number from Guangdong．
Hong Kong has limited the number of mainland women permitted to give birth in the city at 34，000 this year．
The issue also has caused calls for an amendment（修正）to Hong Kong's Basic Law so that babies born to mainland women are no longer granted permanent fight of abode．
“I support Hong Kong government's decision to reduce or limit the number for mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong．”Zhang said．
China introduced its family planning policy in 1979 to limit births in the world's most populous nation，although the rules have been relaxed in recent years．
【小題1】Which of the following is true?

A．Those who give birth to a second child in Hong Kong will be fined．
B．Many government employees have been dismissed from their posts．
C．Zhang Feng is family planning department director of Guangdong Province．
D．It doesn't matter if they give birth to their second child on the mainland．
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A．went against B．was obeyed C．was for D．was dismissed
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B．a(chǎn)bout 88，000 babies were born in Hong Kong in 2010
C．the residents' medical services in Hong Kong had been affected
D．he agreed to reduce or limit the number for mainland women giving birth in Hong Kong
【小題4】From the passage we can infer       .
A．in 2010 most of the babies born in Hong Kong belonged to mainland couples
B．the number of mainland women permitted to give birth in Hong Kong has been reduced
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NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad experiences. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars. Often they relive these experiences in nightmares.
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In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body releasing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, While others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers' troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
"Some memories can ruin people's lives . They come back to you when you don't want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions," said Roger Pitman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. "This could relieve a lot of that suffering."
But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories give us our identity (特質(zhì)). They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
"All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I'm not sure we want to wipe those memories out, "said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist.
【小題1】The passage is mainly about              .

A．a(chǎn) new medical invention
B．a(chǎn) new research on the pill
C．a(chǎn) way of erasing painful memories
D．a(chǎn)n argument about the research on the pill
【小題2】The drug tested on people can           .
A．cause the brain to fix memories
B．stop people remembering bad experiences
C．prevent body producing certain chemicals
D．Wipe out the emotional effects of memories
【小題3】We can infer from the passage that           .
A．people doubt the effects of the pills
B．the pill will stop people's bad experiences
C．taking the pill will do harm to people's health
D．the pill has probably been produced in America
【小題4】Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with?
A．Some memories can ruin people's lives.
B．People want to get rid of bad memories.
C．Experiencing bad events makes us different from others.
D．The pill will reduce people's sufferings from bad memories.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

Human remains of ancient settlements will be reburied and lost to science under a law that threatens research into the history of humans in Britain, a group of leading archaeologists(考古學(xué)家) says. In a letter addressed to the justice secretary, Ken Clarke, 40 archaeologists write of their “deep and widespread concern” about the issue. It centers on the law introduced by the Ministry of Justice in 2008 which requires all human remains unearthed in England and Wales to be reburied within two years, regardless of their age. The decision means scientists have too little time to study bones and other human remains of national and cultural significance.
“Your current requirement that all archaeologically unearthed human remains should be reburied, whether after a standard period of two years or further special extension, is contrary to basic principles of archaeological and scientific research and of museum practice,” they write.
The law applies to any pieces of bone uncovered at around 400 dig sites, including the remains of 60 or so bodies found at Stonehenge in 2008 that date back to 3,000 BC. Archaeologists have been granted a temporary extension to give them more time, but eventually the bones will have to be returned to the ground.
The arrangements may result in the waste of future discoveries at sites such as Happisburgh in Norfolk, where digging is continuing after the discovery of stone tools made by early humans 950,000 years ago. If human remains were found at Happisburgh, they would be the oldest in northern Europe and the first indication of what this species was. Under the current practice of the law those remains would have to be reburied and effectively destroyed.
Before 2008, guidelines allowed for the proper preservation and study of bones of sufficient age and historical interest, while the Burial Act 1857 applied to more recent remains. The Ministry of Justice assured archaeologists two years ago that the law was temporary, but has so far failed to revise it.
Mike Parker Pearson, an archaeologist at Sheffield University, said: “Archaeologists have been extremely patient because we were led to believe the ministry was sorting out this problem, but we feel that we cannot wait any longer.”
The ministry has no guidelines on where or how remains should be reburied, or on what records should be kept.
【小題1】According to the passage, scientists are unhappy with the law mainly because _______.

A．it is only a temporary measure on the human remains
B．it is unreasonable and thus destructive to scientific research
C．it was introduced by the government without their knowledge
D．it is vague about where and how to rebury human remains
【小題2】Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A．Temporary extension of two years will guarantee scientists enough time.
B．Human remains of the oldest species were dug out at Happisburgh.
C．Human remains will have to be reburied despite the extension of time.
D．Scientists have been warned that the law can hardly be changed.
【小題3】What can be inferred about the British law governing human remains?
A．The Ministry of Justice did not intend it to protect human remains.
B．The Burial Act 1857 only applied to remains uncovered before 1857.
C．The law on human remains hasn’t changed in recent decades.
D．The Ministry of Justice has not done enough about the law.
【小題4】Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A．New discoveries should be reburied, the government demands.
B．Research time should be extended, scientists require.
C．Law on human remains needs thorough discussion, authorities say.
D．Law could bury ancient secrets for ever, archaeologists warn.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

Unemployment in Europe has recently hit record highs. Although Denmark has been protected from economic problems thanks to its low public debt, qualified (有資格的) professionals are still finding it tough to get a job. Danish marketing firm Reputation Copenhagen has come up with a way of helping academics get noticed -- putting them on display (展示) in storefront windows.
Many highly-trained professionals, ranging from former CEOs to lawyers and tax experts, are currently finding it increasingly difficult to find proper employment on the Danish job market. Some of them have been trying for years, leaving their resumes (簡(jiǎn)歷) with dozens of companies, without ever hearing back from them, and are now at a point where they are willing to try anything, even putting themselves in display windows like goods, hoping to get noticed.
Alexander Peitersen, managing director of Reputation Copenhagen, came up with the idea of using his company's office as a storefront for the campaign (活動(dòng)), as there are many businesses nearby that might be interested in the talents on display. So he set up a small desk, put up the “an available academic is sitting here” sign and asked the unemployed to just sit in the windows like goods. It seems like a pretty desperate measure, but at least it works. According to the agency's website, three of the jobseekers in their window display got a job in a day or two.
Peitersen says he came up with the idea after realizing human resource managers get hundreds of job applications every day, which look more or less the same, and that creative thinking is required in order to increase the chances of finding employment. Apart from companies interested in qualified job-seekers, the campaign has also attracted the attention of both local and international media.
【小題1】Which of the following words can be used to describe Peitersen?

A．Independent. B．Creative. C．Sensitive. D．Cautious.
【小題2】Some job-seekers are willing to put themselves in the windows to display in that ______.
A．they think it is fashionable
B．their parents ask them to
C．it’s increasingly difficult to get hired
D．they find it’s interesting
【小題3】It can be Inferred that ______.
A．no companies show interest in the qualified job-seekers in the windows
B．both local and international media don't agree with the campaign
C．human resource managers have to reply to hundreds of applicants
D．to some degree the window displays help people find jobs
【小題4】What is the text mainly about?
A．Job-seekers are displayed in the windows hoping to get hired.
B．The rate of unemployment in Europe has recently become hitter.
C．It is hard for qualified professionals to get a job.
D．Denmark has avoided economic problems due to its low public debt.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

The illegal ivory(象牙) trade has been a major problem in Africa for decades. Poachers have killed hundreds of thousands of elephants to obtain ivory. Now, affected areas are taking action. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced on Wednesday key African states where poaching takes place have promised to stop the ivory trade to protect elephants.
Over the past few days, top officials and experts from 30 states met at the African Elephant Summit. The conference, organized by the IUCN and the government of Botswana, was held in Gaborone, Botswana.
Conservation efforts will include China and Thailand, where much of the ivory is sent. “Now is the time for Africa and Asia to join forces to protect this universally valued species,” said Botswana President Ian Khama.
In the 1980s, as many as 1 million elephants across Africa were killed for their ivory. The ivory was used to make jewelry and other items. This continued until 1989, when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) voted to ban all the trade in ivory. As a result, demand for ivory fell. Governments cracked down on poachers. Elephant populations slowly began to increase. However , this progress was short-lived.
According to the IUCN, 2011 saw the highest levels of poaching and illegal ivory trading in at least 16 years. Around 25,000 elephants were killed in Africa that year. Data from the IUCN  show even higher levels of illegal trade may have been reached in 2013. “With an estimated 22,000 elephants illegally killed in 2012, we continue to face a critical situation,” said John E. Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General. “Current elephant poaching in Africa remains far too high, and could soon lead to local extinction if the present killing rate continues.
At the African Elephant Summit , key African states where elephants make their home agreed to develop a “zerotolerance approach” to poaching. The deal calls for maximum sentences for poachers and hunters, and increased cooperation between affected states. Officials are committed to classifying wildlife trafficking (交易) as a serious crime --- and to making sure that the people who commit it are punished. All participants at the conference agreed to sign the deal. With these states working together, there may yet be hope for elephants.
【小題1】The purpose of holding the African Elephant Summit is to _________.

A．make new laws to punish poachers. 
B．prevent elephants from being poached. 
C．collect money for elephants’ protection 
D．call for African countries to save elephants. 
【小題2】Why are China and Thailand mentioned in the text?
A．The ivory is illegally sold in these two countries. 
B．Elephants need protecting in these two countries. 
C．They know how to protect wildlife like elephants. 
D．They prefer jewelry and other items made of ivory. 
【小題3】What can we learn from Paragraph 5 ?
A．The governments do nothing to protect animals. 
B．Elephant poaching in Africa is out of control. 
C．A large number of elephants have been killed. 
D．Illegal ivory trading is to blame for the elephants’ extinction. 
【小題4】What would be the best title for the text?
A．Wild Animals Are at Risk B．New Hope for Elephants 
C．Elephants Need Our Help D．Wildlife Protection in Africa 

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

He’s not just a pretty face! Famous actor Josh Duhamel leads a group of youngsters in a two-mile charity beach run. He may be an attractive movie star, but there’s more to Josh Duhamel than a pretty face. The 40-year-old actor led a youth charity fun run for the third year running on Sunday, in aid of the Red Cross giving a hand to countries and places suffering natural disasters.
Josh sported the charity’s T-shirt and black baseball cap with black jogging bottoms as he joined a group of youngsters in the two-mile effort on Santa Monica Beach. Josh was clearly enjoying himself today, sprinting across the finish line raising both arms in a victory salute.
In March last year and January of 2010, Josh led thousands of runners and raised over $200,000 for both Japanese and Haitian earthquake relief efforts. And donations collected at this year’s Youth Run will go towards the American Red Cross PrepareSoCal campaign which helps Southern Californians get ready for disasters.
“I do the youth run because I feel that younger people may not be able to donate a lot of money but that doesn’t mean that they can’t contribute and make a difference,” Josh told the Red Cross website. “Bringing students of L. A. together for these events not only raises a lot of money, but also raises the spirits of those affected by any disaster and helps everyone young and old.”
Duhamel had won the title of Male Model of the Year in an International Modeling and Talent Association competition in 1997. Duhamel began his acting career as an extra in the music videos for Donna Summer’s song, “I Will Go With You” in 1998. Later that year, he won the role of Leo Pres on the ABC soap opera “All My Children”. He then began appearing in films, and his acting in the film “Transformers” as well as its sequels was so successful that he became a pop film star.
【小題1】Josh Duhamel led the beach run to help the Red Cross ________.

A．raise money for places suffering from disasters
B．raise money for people suffering from diseases
C．find more young volunteers especially teenagers
D．build up a fame of having the spirit of entertainment
【小題2】How did Josh Duhamel feel about his joining in the beach run?
A．He felt it the best way to kill time especially on weekends.
B．He disliked it when there were reporters coming here.
C．He thought it a best chance to make himself famous.
D．He found it enjoyable and exciting to be a member.
【小題3】What will the received donations of this year be used for?
A．Helping Japanese and Haitian defeat earthquakes.
B．Helping Southern Californians get ready for disasters.
C．Helping Northern Californians get ready for disasters.
D．Helping relieve Southern Californians defeat earthquakes.
【小題4】What is the aim of the youth run of L. A.?
A. To persuade more young people to keep the earth green.
B. To make the young realize the influence of famous people.
C. To inspire those affected by disasters and give them a hand.
D. To raise as much money as possible to help the old and young.
【小題5】What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A．The importance of the youth run started by the Red Cross.
B．The methods to join in the youth run led by Josh Duhamel.
C．The reason why Josh Duhamel leads the youth run.
D．The experiences and achievements of Josh Duhamel.

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