It is widely known that any English conversation begins with The Weather.Such a fixation with the weather finds expression in Dr.Johnson’s famous comment that“When two English meet，their first talk is of weather.”Though Johnson’s observation is as accurate now as it was over two hundred years ago，most commentators fail to come up with a convincing explanation for this English weather­speak.
Bill Bryson，for example，concludes that，as the English weather is not at all exciting，the obsession with it can hardly be understood.He argues that“To an outsider，the most striking thing about the English weather is that there is not very much of it.” Simply，the reason is that the unusual and unpredictable weather is almost unknown in the British Isles.
Jeremy Paxman，however，disagrees with Bryson，arguing that the English weather is by nature attractive.Bryson is wrong，he says，because the English preference for the weather has nothing to do with the natural phenomena.“The interest is less in the phenomena themselves，but in uncertainty.”According to him，the weather in England is very changeable and uncertain and it attracts the English as well as the outsider.
Bryson and Paxman stand for common misconceptions about the weather­speak among the English.Both commentators，somehow，are missing the point.The English weather conversation is not really about the weather at all.English weather­speak is a system of signs，which is developed to help the speakers overcome the natural reserve and actually talk to each other.Everyone knows conversations starting with weather­speak are not requests for weather data.Rather，they are routine greetings，conversation starters or the blank “fillers”．In other words，English weather­speak is a means of social bonding.
【小題1】The author mentions Dr.Johnson’s comment to show that________.

A．most commentators agree with Dr.Johnson
B．Dr.Johnson is famous for his weather observation
C．the comment was accurate two hundred years ago
D．English conversations usually start with the weather
【小題2】What does the underlined word “obsession” most probably refer to?
A．A social trend.
B．An emotional state.
C．A historical concept.
D．An unknown phenomenon.
【小題3】According to the passage，Jeremy Paxman believes that________.
A．Bill Bryson has little knowledge of the weather
B．there is nothing special about the English weather
C．the English weather attracts people to the British Isles
D．English people talk about the weather for its uncertainty
【小題4】What is the author’s main purpose of writing the passage?
A．To explain what English weather­speak is about.
B．To analyse misconceptions about the English weather.
C．To find fault with both Bill Bryson and Jeremy Paxman.
D．To convince people that the English weather is changeable.


【小題1】D
【小題2】B
【小題3】D
【小題4】A

解析

練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

   There is probably no field of human activity in which our values and lifestyles are shown more clearly and strongly than they are in the clothes that we choose to wear.The dress of an individual is a kind of “sign language” that communicates a set of information and is usually the basis on which immediate impressions are formed.Traditionally,a concern for clothes was considered to be an affair of females,while men took pride in the fact that they were completely lacking in clothes consciousness(意識).
This type of American culture is by degrees changing as man dress takes on greater variety and color.Even as early as 1955,a researcher in Michigan said that men attached rather high importance to the value of clothing in daily life. White collar workers in particular viewed dress as a symbol(象征)of ability,which could be used to impress or influence others,especially in the work situation.The white collar worker was described as extremely concerned about the impression his clothing made on his superiors(上司).Although blue collar workers were less aware(察覺到的)that they might be judged on the basis of their clothing,they recognized that any difference from the accepted pattern of dress would be made fun of by fellow workers.
Since that time,of course,the patterns have changed:the typical office worker may now be wearing the blue shirt,and the laborer a white shirt;but the importance of dress has not become less.Other researchers in recent years have helped to prove its importance in the lives of individuals at various age levels and in different social and economic status groups(階層).
【小題1】The passage tells us that _______.

A．our values and lifestyles are in no field of human activity
B．the clothes that we choose to wear have something to do with our values and lifestyles
C．our values and lifestyles are from the sign language
D．the clothes we choose to wear depend on a set of information and immediate impression
【小題2】Traditionally,people usually thought that _______.
A．men cared very much for clothes
B．women were concerned greatly about what they wore while men didn’t
C．both men and women paid great attention to their clothes
D．neither men nor women showed interest in clothes
【小題3】Blue collar workers pay attention to their clothes because _______.
A．they are concerned about the impression their clothes make on their superiors
B．they know very clearly that people will judge them on the basis of their clothing
C．they want to impress and influence others
D．they don’t want to be laughed at
【小題4】Which of the following can best explain the underlined sentence in the second paragraph?
A．Men thought the value of clothing in daily life was very important.
B．Men didn’t pay attention to the importance of the value of clothing in daily life.
C．Men thought little of the importance of the value of clothing in daily life.
D．Men were concerned little about the value of clothing in daily life.
【小題5】The passage mainly suggests that _______.
A．now men pay more attention to their clothes than women do
B．women always like beautiful dresses
C．people have paid more and more attention to the importance of dress
D．American culture is changing greatly

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Not all bodies of water are so evidently alive as the Atlantic Ocean, an S-shaped body of water covering 33 million square miles. The Atlantic Ocean, in a sense, replaced the Mediterranean as the inland sea of Western civilization. Unlike real inland seas, which seem strangely still, the Atlantic Ocean is rich in oceanic liveliness all the time. It is perhaps not surprising that its vitality has been much written about by ancient poets.
“Storm at Sea”, a short poem written around 700, is generally regarded as one of mankind’s earliest artistic representations of the Atlantic Ocean.
When the wind is from the west
All the waves that cannot rest
To the east must thunder on
Where the bright tree of the sun
Is rooted in the ocean’s breast.
As the poem suggests, the Atlantic Ocean is never dead and dull. It is an ocean that moves, impressively and endlessly. It makes all kinds of noise---it is forever thundering, boiling, crashing and whistling.
It is easy to imagine the Atlantic Ocean trying to draw breath----perhaps not so noticeably out in mid-ocean, but where it meets land, its waters bathing up and down a sandy beach. It imitates nearly perfectly the steady breathing of a living creature. It is filled with co-living existences, too: unimaginable quantities of creatures, little and large alike, mix within its depths in a kind of oceanic harmony, giving to the waters a feeling of heartbeat, a kind of sub-ocean vitality. And it has a psychology. It has personalities: sometimes peaceful and pleasant, on rare occasions rough and wild; always it is strong and striking.
【小題1】Unlike real inland seas, the Atlantic Ocean is __________.

A．a(chǎn)lways energeticB．lacking in liveliness
C．shaped like a squareD．favored by ancient poets.
【小題2】The writer uses the poem “Storm at Sea” for the purpose of ___________.
A．describing the movement of the waves
B．showing the strength of the storm
C．presenting the power of the ocean
D．proving the vastness of the sea
【小題3】In the last paragraph, the Atlantic Ocean is compared to ___________.
A．a(chǎn) beautiful and poetic placeB．a(chǎn) person of blood and flesh
C．a(chǎn) world of interest and wonderD．a(chǎn) lovely animal

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

In Africa, listening is a guiding principle .It’s a principle that’ been lost in the constant chat of the Western world .From my own past experience , I noticed how much faster I had to answer a question during a TV interview .It is as if we have completely lost the ability to listen .We talk and talk , and we end up frightened by silence .
Everywhere, people on the African continent write and tell stories. Even the nomads(流浪者)who still live in the Kalahari Desert are said to tell one another stories on their daylong wanderings, during which they search for roots and animals to hunt.
A number of years ago I sat down on a stone bench outside the Teatro Avenida in Maputo, Mozambique, where I worked as an artistic consultant. It was a hot day, and we were taking a break, hoping that a cool gentle wind would move past. Two old African men were sitting on that bench, but there was room for me, too. In Africa people share more than just water. Even when it comes to shade, people are generous.
I heard the two men talking about a third old man who had recently died. One of them said, “I was visiting him at his home. He started to tell me an amazing story about something that had happened to him when he was young. But it was a long story. Night came, and I decided that I should come back the next day to hear the rest. But when I arrived, he was dead.”
The man fell silent. I decided not to leave that bench until I heard how the other man would respond to what he’d heard. Finally he, too, spoke. “That’s not a good way to die—before you’ve told the end of your story.”
What separates us from animals is the fact that we are storytelling creatures and we can listen to other people’s dreams, fears, joys, sorrows, desires and defeats—and they in turn can listen to ours.
Many people make the mistake of confusing information with knowledge. They are not the same thing. Knowledge involves the interpretation of information. Knowledge involves listening.
Many words will be written on the wind and the sand, or end up in store. But the storytelling will go on until the last human being stops listening. Then we can send the great record of human out into the endless universe.
Who knows? Maybe someone is out there, willing to listen…
【小題1】From the very beginning of the passage, we can know Europeans ________.

A．a(chǎn)ctually lose the ability to listen
B．seldom chat constantly with each other
C．feel frightened when they are alone and silent
D．tend to talk more and listen less
【小題2】 It can be inferred from the passage that if you are in Africa, you will _______.
A．suffer hot weather and lack of water
B．be certainly helped when in trouble
C．often hear the stories told by strangers
D．have no choice but to listen during a talk
【小題3】According to the last three paragraphs, we can know _________.
A．no one knows exactly why Africans are willing to listen
B．information is hard to understand without interpretation
C．listening makes the difference between information and knowledge
D．the existence of humans’ recordings totally depends on the way of storytelling
【小題4】The passage mainly talks about __________.
A．the experience of the author
B．the art of listening in Africa
C．the importance of storytelling
D．the life styles of Africans

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Did you know that the first documented use of OMG(oh my god)was in 1917, or that LOL was once a common term meaning little old ladies in 1960? That's what the world learned when OMG, LOL, and FYI (for your information) were added to the Oxford English Dictionary last week. This dictionary is considered by many to be the reference book that defines the English language.
Words added to the Oxford English Dictionary are truly considered new members of the language. People invent new words all the time, but only a few become popular enough to get defined in dictionaries.
Typed online or in text messages, LOL, FYI, and OMG are initialisms,_which can be said aloud letter by letter, like LOL, which now stands for Laugh Out Loud.Faster to type than the full phrases, initialisms like these have been used online since the 1990s. But these three online terms are now spoken outside the Internet too, making them different from other online lingo( 行話). Dictionary editors decided the words are used so commonly that they had to be defined this year.
Another important addition to the dictionary this year was ?， as in “I ? NY.” This is the first graphic (圖形的 ) symbol ever defined in the Oxford English Dictionary.The editors added ? as a verb under the definition of “heart”， meaning “to love”．
Some slang words — informal language used more commonly in speech than in writing — were also added, like wassup, a shortened way to say “What's up”. Even words that have been in use for many years like biker and happy camper were finally added to the dictionary.
The Oxford English Dictionary now defines more than 600,000 words.That adds up to more than 21,730 pages! Guinness World Records calls it the longest dictionary in the world.The Oxford English Dictionary is known for recording words of all kinds—popular, outdated, and even foreign words used by English speakers throughout the language's long history.
【小題1】The text is mainly about that ________.

A．expressions like LOL and FYI have been added to the Oxford English Dictionary
B．English words change their meaning as time goes by
C．English language is becoming more and more difficult to learn
D．the Oxford English Dictionary breaks the Guinness World Record
【小題2】Which of the following is NOT included in the facts that the Oxford English Dictionary has been updated?
A．Some online terms are added to it.
B．A graphic symbol is first introduced into it.
C．Some slang words are collected in it.
D．Some old words are left out.
【小題3】What does the underlined word “initialisms” refer to?
A．Words having foreign origins.
B．Words made from the first letters of several words in a phrase.
C．Uncommon words frequently appearing on the Internet.
D．Official words used in formal documents with capital letters.
【小題4】Before any new word is added to the Oxford English Dictionary, it must be ________.
A．spread widely across the Internet
B．used commonly by the dictionary editors
C．used commonly in either spoken or written language
D．a(chǎn) short word

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Military training has long been considered a ritual(儀式) that freshmen must go through in order to officially start their college lives. While some question the necessity of such training. Many students see military training as a campus tradition that should be maintained.
Early in February, the Ministry of Education issued a new regulation that colleges and universities should carry out a minimum of 14 days compulsory military training for freshmen.
In a report by Beijing Evening News, Hou Zhengfang, a Beijing-based education PhD, questioned the benefits of military training. “The training routine does little to improve students’ physical fitness over only two weeks’ time. Maybe some disaster prevention training, such as earthquake survival or escaping from fires would be of greater benefit.”
Meng Yang, a 19-year-old freshman at Guangxi University, fainted during training. She said that many students, especially girls, are willing to train under direct sunshine. “For me, military training is physically challenging and even damages my health.”
According to Li Jian from the student affairs office of Guangzhou University, feeling dizzy  happens frequently during military training and the school has received a lot of complaints from both students and parents: “But I still think military training is a good thing. Students are easier to manage after the military training. They became more positive about their new environment after the training.”
Although autumn is fast approaching Beijing, the noon heat burns 3300 freshmen on Tsinghua University’s campus. Chu Jinjing, a freshman majoring in medicine, did feel some discomfort while training in sweaty clothes in the glaring heat, the 18-year-old still enjoyed being part of group going through strict exercises. “By going through this tough training, students bond faster and a sense of belonging to the school can be formed. I’ve made a lot of friends already.”
According to the Ministry of Education, the purpose of military training is to teach students discipline, the spirit of teamwork and endurance. But in reality, according to Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, the effect is not satisfying. “Such goals require long-term development. It is unrealistic to expect military training to make a difference in only 14 days.” He thus suggests that it should be up to schools to conduct military training in a way that best suits their students.
However, Wang Wenhui, an 18-year-old freshman from Xi’an Jiaotong University, sees military training as a tradition that reaches beyond character building. “From junior and senior high school to college, we join military training to start a new journey. I would feel a bit incomplete without it.”
【小題1】How many people expressing their opinions are mentioned in this passage?

A．4 B．5 C．6 D．7
【小題2】According to Hou Zhengfang, it seems much more beneficial to give freshmen_____________.
A．survival skills
B．military training
C．the spirit of teamwork and endurance
D．strict exercises
【小題3】What is the author’s attitude towards military training?
A．Supportive B．Subjective C．Objective D．Rejective
【小題4】What is the best title for the passage?
A．A Policy Made by the Ministry of Education
B．Military Training under Fire
C．A New Journey
D．A Best Way to Teach Students Discipline

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Scotland is a unique place, loaded with history, where you can find aristocratic（貴族的）palaces and castles, as well as the traditional parades in national costumes.
In order to see and discover the true soul of Scotland today and what formed the character of this splendid region, we have to go towards the northern regions, to the Grampian Mountains（格蘭扁山區(qū)）, beautiful and plain. The Scots conquered the environment with simple spades and strong arms, for it was difficult to farm.
The history of this ancient struggle, and its people’s ancient love with the hard land, can be felt within the walls of the Angus Folk Museum. You are able to get a feel of the typical rural atmosphere of times past from the everyday artifacts displayed here.
From coastal Aberdeen in towards the Grampian Mountains there runs the Castle Trail, a road that touches on many fortresses（堡壘）, which are witnesses of continual fights against the control of neighboring England in Scottish history. 
Perhaps the most exciting moment for Scottish autonomy is the one experienced inside this ancient church of Arbroath, where, in 1320, the Declaration of Independence was celebrated, at the instigation（鼓動）of King Robert the Bruce. He carried out the plan for autonomy drawn up by the great popular hero William Wallace, for whom cinema has designed the wonderful film Brave Heart, the winner of the five Oscars. 
This is Glamis Castle, where King Macbeth and Queen Elizabeth used to live. Among the most frequent guests here are the predictable ghosts, if not actually created, by ancient popular beliefs. These have been handed down over the centuries by people tending to live with mystery, with the forces of the supernatural.
Another attraction here is a legendary monster: the Loch Ness Monster. Whether it’s real or imaginary, this monster, which has been nicknamed Nessie, has collected a good 3,000 sightings over the last 50 years.
The true flag of Scotland, tartan, is recognizable from the brightly colored plaid patterns which are used to distinguish the various social groups. 
Bagpipes and dancing open the competitions of local sporting events, which are called Highland Gatherings.
【小題1】Take a look at the Angus Folk Museum, and we can learn about _______.        .

A．the love of ancient Scottish to the hard land 
B．the rural atmosphere in Grampian Mountains 
C．a(chǎn)ncient Scottish people’s fighting against the enemy 
D．the history of the Scottish famous palaces and castles 
【小題2】What were the fortresses built for?
A．Fighting against the invaders of England. 
B．Developing business with neighbor areas. 
C．Preventing the people from moving around.  
D．Providing a shelter from tough weather for travelers. 
【小題3】In the fifth paragraph, the underlined “the one” refers to the moment of _______.
A．the film Brave Heart winning the five Oscars 
B．the plan for Scottish autonomy being carried out 
C．the instigation of King Robert the Bruce 
D．the celebration of the Declaration of Independence 
【小題4】 According to the passage, which one is TRUE?
A．The film Brave Heart is mainly about King Robert Bruce.  
B．The Scottish film industry is one of the attractions of the land.  
C．Highland gatherings are often marked with bagpipes and dancing  
D．The supernatural forces in Glamis Castle may change a person’s belief. 
【小題5】The purpose of the writer is to _______.
A．a(chǎn)dvise readers to pay a visit to Scotland  
B．teach students about the customs of Scotland 
C．introduce cultural background about Scotland 
D．a(chǎn)nalyze the geographic formation of Scotland 

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

Rock and roll music developed in the United States in the early nineteen-fifties. It was based on the music called rhythm and blues that was performed by African American musicians.
Early rock and roll singers developed their own kinds of music. Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, the Beach Boys, and Bob Dylan were the most popular rock and roll musicians in the early 1960’s. All were American. Then, in 1964, a new rock and roll group from England invaded America: the Beatles.
Some people say the Beatles’ music shook America like an earthquake. The Beatles changed rock and roll forever. Their early songs were influenced by American rock and roll musicians, including Chuck Berry. But the Beatles looked different and sounded different from any musical group before them.
The Beatles released their first album in the United States in 1964, when all of the top five records in America were by the Beatles. In 1967, they released an album called “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” It was one of the first “concept” albums. That is, all the songs were linked by a common story or idea.
The popularity of the Beatles led the way for more rock and roll bands from England to become popular in America. The Rolling Stones was the most important of these bands. The Rolling Stones is one of the few groups from the 1960’s that is still performing and recording today. In 1965, the group recorded one of its most famous songs, “Satisfaction”.
The musical instrument most linked to rock and roll is the guitar. Experts say Jimi Hendrix was one of the most influential guitar players in rock and roll during the late 1960’s. His “Purple Haze” was liked by many people.
By the 1970’s, rock and roll music became known as rock music. It expanded into many new forms. For example, there was country rock, hard rock, acid rock, and heavy metal rock. Punk rock, jazz rock, and glitter rock.
In the middle 1970’s, experts say rock music regained some of the energy of early rock and roll. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band became popular with their album “Born to Run”. Springsteen’s music was like the lively rock and roll music of the early nineteen-sixties. Many of his songs were about social issues. He sang about the effects of unemployment and the war in Vietnam.
【小題1】The main topic of this passage is _______.

A．the history of American music
B．the famous rock and roll groups
C．the new forms of rock and roll music
D．the development of rock and roll music
【小題2】Which of the following matches is NOT true?
A．the Beatles — Chuck Berry
B．the Rolling Stones — Satisfaction
C．Jimi Hendrix — Purple Haze
D．Bruce Springsteen — Born to Run
【小題3】Whose songs were mainly about social problems like unemployment and war?
A．Elvis Presley’s. B．Bob Dylan’s.
C．Jimi Hendrix’s. D．Springsteen’s.
【小題4】From the passage, we can know that _______.
A．one of the Rolling Stones’ albums was called “concept”
B．rock and roll music had many different forms at the beginning
C．rock and roll music probably came from African American music
D．the Beatles and the Rolling Stones became popular at the same time

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

American and British use different greetings. In the USA the commonest greeting is “Hi”. In Britain it is “Hello！” or “How are you？”. “Hi！” is creeping(不知不覺的)into British, too. When they are introduced to someone, the Americans say, “Glad to know you.” The British say, “How do you do？” or “Pleased to meet you.” When Americans say “Good­bye”， they nearly always add, “Have a good day，” or “Have a good trip，” etc. to friends and strangers alike. Britons are already beginning to use “Have a good day”。
The British usually use “got”in the sense of “have”. The Americans hardly ever do.
Am.E: Do you have a car, room，etc.？Yes, I do.
Br.E: Have you got a car, room, etc.? Yes, I have.
Finally, there are a number of differences between American and British English in the spelling of words, e．g.check(US)/cheque(UK); center(US)/centre(UK). Many American words ending in “or”， e．g. honor, vigor, labor are spelt in British English with an “our”， e．g. honour, vigour, labour. Many verbs in American English with “ize”or “izing” forms, e．g. organize, realizing are spelt in Br.E “ise”or “ising”，e.g.organise，realising.In American English, “practice”is used both for the verb and noun.In Br.E, the verb is spelt “practise”， and the noun “practice”. In the main, American English  avoids the doubling up of consonants(輔音字母)in nouns and verbs while British English does not.In American English, for example, one writes “travel, traveled, traveling, traveler，” while in British English, one writes  “travel, travelled, travelling, traveller”．
It was once predicted that British and American English would became separate languages finally. But the opposite has happened. The links(連接)between the two countries are so strong that linguistically(語言上的), and probably culturally(文化上的)too, they are closer together than ever.
【小題1】The Americans hardly say________.

A．Good­bye.Have a good day!B．Glad to know you!
C．Hi!D．Have you got a car?
【小題2】A British writes________.
A．cheque；centerB．honor；organise
C．traveled；practice D．labour；traveller
【小題3】What does the fifth paragraph talk about?
A．There are lots of differences in spelling between Am.E.and Br.E.
B．Why do the Americans and the British use different spellings?
C．There are few differences in spelling between Am.E.and Br.E.
D．The different usages of words in Am.E and Br.E
【小題4】Which of the following is TRUE?
A．The two languages will become separate languages.
B．American English will be used more and more.
C．The two languages will be closer and closer.
D．British English will be used more and more.

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案