In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what "keeping up with the Joneses" is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbors.
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began eaming $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days.He got married and moved with his wife to a verywealthy neighborhood outside New York City. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants, Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbors.
It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbors. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it " Keeping up with the Joneses" because "Jones" is a very common name in the United States. " Keeping up with the Joneses" came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand's series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are "Joneses" in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
【小題1】Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they______.
| A．want to be as rich as their neighbors |
| B．want others to know or to think that they are rich |
| C．don't want others to know they are rich |
| D．want to be happy |
| A．live outside New York City | B．live in New York city |
| C．live in apartments | D．have many neighbors |
| A．correct | B．interesting | C． impossible | D． good |
【小題1】B
【小題2】A
【小題3】C
解析試題分析：Keep up with the Joneses是一條美國(guó)成語(yǔ)，譯是“趕上瓊斯家”，意思是與鄰居或同時(shí)代的人爭(zhēng)比闊氣，在本文中作者講述了這個(gè)典故的由來(lái)：一位叫亞瑟的美國(guó)青年有錢(qián)后為了追求虛榮搬到紐約城外的富人區(qū)，然后亦步亦趨、不甘落后地和鄰居攀比斗富，最終因財(cái)源枯竭，付不起這些開(kāi)銷(xiāo)而退出了這場(chǎng)“競(jìng)爭(zhēng)”，也不得不搬出富人區(qū)，遠(yuǎn)離了浮華世界。
【小題1】細(xì)節(jié)理解題。根據(jù)文章第一段In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it….. That is what "keeping up with the Joneses" is about可知人們與左鄰右舍攀比是為了讓別人認(rèn)為他們是有錢(qián)人，所以B選項(xiàng)正確。
【小題2】推理判斷題。根據(jù)故事內(nèi)容He moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighborhood outside New York City.當(dāng)Arthur有錢(qián)時(shí)他和妻子搬到了紐約城外，以及 when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They moved back to an apartment in New York City.當(dāng)他沒(méi)法和別人攀比時(shí)，又搬回了紐約市，由此推斷在美國(guó)，富人都喜歡住在紐約市外，所以A選項(xiàng)正確。
【小題3】推理判斷題。由文章第三段It was like a race, but one could never finish his race because one was always trying to keep up.可以推斷作者認(rèn)為長(zhǎng)期和別人攀比是很難做到的，是不可能的事情，故C選項(xiàng)正確。
考點(diǎn)：考查社會(huì)知識(shí)類(lèi)短文閱讀。
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解
I met him first in 1936. I rushed into his ugly little shop to have the heels of my shoes repaired. I waited when he did it. He greeted me with a cheerful smile. “You’re new in this neighborbood, aren’t you?”
I said I was. I had moved into a house at the end of the street only a week before.
“This is a fine neighborhood,” he said. “You’ll be happy here.” He looked at the leather covering the heel sadly. It was worn through because I had failed to have the repair done a month before. I grew impatient, for I was rushing to meet a friend. “Please hurry,” I begged.
He looked at me over his spectacles. “Now, lady, we won’t be long. I want to do a good job. You see, I have a tradition to live up to.”
A tradition? In this ugly little shop that was no different from so many other shoe repair shops on the side streets of New York?
He must have felt my surprise, for he smiled as he went on. “Yes, lady, I inherited a tradition. My father and my grandfather were shoemakers in Italy, and they were the best. My father always told me, ‘Son, do the best job on every shoe that comes into the shop, and be proud of your fine work. Do that always, and you’ll have both happiness and money enough to live on.’”
As he handed me the finished shoes, he said: “These will last a long time. I’ve used good leather.”
I left in a hurry. But I had a warm and grateful feeling. On my way home I passed the little shop again. There he was, still working. He saw me, and to my surprise he waved and smiled. This was the beginning of our friendship. It was a friendship that came to mean more and more to me as time passed.
Every day I passed his shop, we waved to each other in friendly greeting. At first I went in only when I had repair work to be done. Then I found myself going in every few days just to talk with him.
He was the happiest man I’ve ever known. Often, as he stood in his shopwindow, working at a pair of shoes, he sang in a high, clear Italian voice. The Italians in our neighborhood called him la luce alla finestra—“the light in the window”.
One day I was disappointed and angry because of poor jobs some painters had done for me. I went into his shop for comfort. He let me go on talking angrily about the poor work and carelessness of present-day workmen. “They had no pride in their work,” I said. “They just wanted to collect their money for doing nothing.”
He agreed. “There’s a lot of that kind around, but maybe we should not blame them. Maybe their fathers had no pride in their work. That’s hard on a boy. It keeps him from learning something important.” He waited a minute and said “Every man or woman who hasn’t inherited a prideful tradition must start building one.”
“In this country, our freedom lets each of us make his own contribution. We must make it a good contribution. No matter what sort of work a man does, if he gives it his best each day, he’s starting a tradition for his children to live up to. And he is making lots of happiness for himself.”
I went to Europe for a few months. When I returned, there was no “l(fā)ight in the window”. The door was closed. There was a little sign: “Call for shoes at shop next door.” I learned the old man had suddenly got sick and died two weeks before
I went away with a heavy heart. I would miss him. But he had left me something—an important piece of wisdom I shall always remember: “If you inherited a prideful tradition, you must carry it on; if you haven’t, start building one now.”
【小題1】The shoemaker looked sadly at the shoes because __________
| A．they were of poor quality. |
| B．he didn’t have the right kind of leather |
| C．he thought they were too worn to be repaired |
| D．the author hadn’t taken good care of them. |
| A．looked no different from other shoe repair shops |
| B．had a light in the window |
| C．was at the end of a street |
| D．was quite an ugly and dirty one |
| A．develop | B．receive | C．learn | D．a(chǎn)ppreciate |
| A．to repair her worn shoes |
| B．only to chat with the shoemaker |
| C．to look at the new shoes there |
| D．only to get comfort from the shoemaker |
| A．Because he always worked late at night. |
| B．Because he always put a light in the window. |
| C．Because he was always guiding the others. |
| D．Because he was always happy and cheerful. |
| A．A Proud Shoemaker | B．A Prideful Tradition |
| C．The Light in the Window | D．Treasure Your Shoes |
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解
If Confucius(孔子）were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be many candles. He’d need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It’s nothing personal. Most Americans don’t even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn’t mean that Americans don’t care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and philosophy（哲學(xué)）. Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantages of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks of Westerners philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker’s ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
【小題1】The opening paragraph is mainly intended to ________.
| A．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| B．a(chǎn)ttract the readers’ interest in the subject |
| C．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A．have a great interest in studying Chinese |
| B．take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America |
| B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Chinese Culture for Westerners |
| D．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| A．a(chǎn) biography | B．a(chǎn) history paper |
| C．a(chǎn) newspaper | D．a(chǎn) philosophy textbook |
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解
Americans are buying more products and services than ever before through the Internet, and the popularity of online sales is likely to spread to other countries. Online sales now represent as much as one-tenth of all retail(零售) sales in the United States，which has led traditional stores to seek new ways to keep their customers loyal.
Lynne Shaner used the Internet to buy everything she needed for her wedding and holiday gifts for her husband. Other than food, 90 percent of her purchases(購(gòu)買(mǎi)的東西) were made on her home computer. “I find that, by being able to go online and opt for the things that I need to select and have them delivered to me right at my doorstep, I’m free from all the driving, all the crowds, all the noise, and I usually get a better selection.”
There are a lot of people like her. Experts say American online shopping hit records in both November and December. Fifty-seven percent of Americans have bought something electronically. Store owners worry that this growing amount of online sales will hurt their business. Cornell University marketing professor Ed McLaughlin says, “They should be worried. Anything that can move online will be sold online. And it's just a matter of time. However, traditional stores can keep their customers by selling goods like clothing, which buyers may want to see and try on before purchasing. The stores could also offer things that are difficult to ship. ”
Bill Martin, whose business helps stores learn about their customers, says, “Traditional stores offer a social experience that some people enjoy. There is still a lot of emotion in the buying decision that takes place, and you can't always get that on-line. It's a rather cold process. Traditional stores can provide goods for buyers more quickly than online stores. And some retailers are using websites to persuade people to visit their stores. ”
While online shopping worries some business owners, the only worry for delivery services like FedEx and UPS is keeping up with the number of packages. UPS Manager Dana Kline says her company is very busy at this time of year. UPS is so busy that it has filled 55,000 temporary worker positions during the holiday season.
【小題1】According to Lynne Shaner, shopping online ________.
| A．helps choose things she needs most |
| B．will replace traditional shopping soon |
| C．offer many benefits to customers |
| D．seldom provides a better selection |
| A．choose | B．sell | C．design | D．purchase |
| A．online shopping has little effect on traditional stores |
| B．it is time for store owners to be anxious about their business |
| C．traditional stores can do nothing to stop challenges from online shopping |
| D．traditional stores should sell more things that are difficult to ship |
| A．Online sales fail to offer customers sense of emotion. |
| B．Customers enjoy social experience when shopping online. |
| C．Traditional stores can help customers decide what to buy. |
| D．Customers can buy goods more quickly after visiting websites. |
| A．UPS has filled more worker positions than FedEx |
| B．business owners are concerned about delivery services |
| C．FedEx is keeping up with UPS on the number of packages |
| D．delivery services are facing more and more pressure from online sales |
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解
As computers become all the more popular in China, Chinese people are increasingly relying on computer keyboards to input Chinese characters. But if they use the computer too much, they may end up forgetting the exact strokes(筆畫(huà)) of each Chinese character when writing on paper. Experts suggest people, especially students, write by hand more.
Do you write by hand more or type more? In Beijing, students start using a computer as early as primary school. And computer dependence is more widespread among university students. Almost all their assignments and essays are typed on a computer.
All the students interviewed say they usually use a computer.
It’s faster and easier to correct if using a computer. And that’s why computers are being applied more and more often to modern education. But when people are taking stock in computers increasingly, problems appear.
“When I’m writing with a pen, I find I often can’t remember how to write a character, though I feel I’m familiar with it.”
“I’m not in the mood to write when faced with a pen and paper.”
Many students don’t feel this is something to worry about. Now that it’s more convenient and efficient to write on a computer, why bother to handwrite?
Many educators think differently. Shi Liwei, the headmaster of a famous primary school in the capital said, “Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic (審美的) value. But those characters typed with computer keyboards only maintain their practical value. All the artistic beauty of the characters is lost. And handwriting contains the writer’s emotion. Through one’s handwriting, people can get to know one’s thinking and personality. Beautiful writing will give people a better first impression of them.”
To encourage students to handwrite more, many primary schools in Beijing have made writing classes compulsory(必修的) and in universities, some professors are asking students to turn in their homework and essays written by hand.
【小題1】Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?
| A．The Importance of Handwriting and Typing. |
| B．To type or to Handwrite. |
| C．Writing by Computer will Replace Writing by Hand. |
| D．Practical and Aesthetic Value of Chinese Characters. |
| A．they are usually asked to e-mail their homework and essays. |
| B．they can correct the mistakes they make quickly and conveniently. |
| C．they found it not easy to remember how to write a character. |
| D．computers have become a trend and fashion in China. |
| A．Handwriting contains the writer’s emotion. |
| B．The writer’s thinking and personality are shown in his or her handwriting. |
| C．Handwriting can impress people well and build one’s self-confidence. |
| D．Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic value. |
| A．more and more students will give up writing on a computer. |
| B．writing by hand will give way to typing by computer one day. |
| C．more and more students will pay attention to handwriting. |
| D．the typing article better expresses one’s emotion and quality. |
| A．supportive | B．proud | C．objective | D．Disapproval |
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解
It’s become part of the restaurant table setting: knife, fork, napkin and cell phone.
Distracted (思想不集中的) dining is the new concern with customers constantly texting friends, uploading a Weibo photo of the meal they’re about to chew down or emailing the boss. For many smart-phone users, it’s hard just to focus on the meal and company at hand.
Now, one restaurant in Los Angeles is giving diners a reason to turn off the digital world, by offering customers willing to check (寄存) their phones at the door a 5-percent discount on their bill. Owner and chef Mark Gold of Eva Restaurant, located on Beverly Boulevard near N. Gardner Street, hopes this gives customers a way to truly sit back and relax, enjoy their meal and actually talk with friends and family in person.
“For us, it’s really not about people disturbing other guests. Eva is home, and we want to create that environment of home, and we want people to connect again,” he explained. “It’s about two people sitting together and just connecting, without the distraction of a phone, and we’re trying to create an atmosphere where you come in and really enjoy the experience and the food and the company.”
Gold said applying the suggestion reminds him to avoid cell phone usage, too. “I’m guilty of it as well. When my wife and I go to dinner it seems like the cell phone is part of the table setting now. Every table you look at, it’s a wine glass, the silverware and the cell phone,” he joked.
The husband and wife team runs Eva, a 40-person space with European flair. Gold said a little less than half take advantage of the deal, and no one has gotten upset about it.
“I think once the server approaches the table and they’re presented with the offer, they like the idea of actually talking to each other again,” he said.
【小題1】When having meal in Eva Restaurant, we are not offered on the table.[學(xué),
| A．forks | B．cellphones | C．napkins | D．knives |
| A．Because it can cause health problems. |
| B．Because it will disturb other customers. |
| C．Because it can get a 5-percent discount on the customers’ bills. |
| D．Because it may prevent people communicating with their companions. |
| A．Many people would like to upload a photo of their food before they eat nowadays. |
| B．People are forbidden to use cellphones in Eva Restaurant. |
| C．More than half of the customers in Eva Restaurant have enjoyed the discount. |
| D．People can easily connect with each other anytime without using cellphones. |
| A．No Cellphone at Table! |
| B．Focus on Your Cellphone! |
| C．Eva Restaurant – Home to Customers. |
| D．Talk Face to Face. |
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解
Wugging, or web use giving, describes the act of giving to charity at no cost to the user. By using Everyclick.com, which is being added to a number of university computers across the UK, students can raise money every time they search, but it won’t cost them a penny.
Research shows that students are extremely passionate(熱情的)about supporting charity（慈善）--- 88％of full time students have used the Internet to give to charity. This figure is high because this age group is often the least likely to have their own income. 19％ of 22 to 24 year olds have short-term debts of more than￡5，000. With rising personal debt levels in this age group, due to university tuition fees or personal loans and a lack of long-term savings, traditional methods of donating to charity are often not possible.
Beth Truman, a 21year old recent university graduate has used Everyclick.com to donate to her chosen charity, the RSPCA, for two years and has seen the “wugging” movement grow in popularity with students. “When you’re at university you become more socially aware, but it's sometimes hard to give to others when you have little money yourself,” says Beth. “Wugging is great for people in this age group as it allows them to use the technology on a daily basis to give to charity, without costing them a single penny.”
Wugging is perfect for people who want to be more socially aware and supportive but don’t feel they have the means to do so. Students using the web can raise money for causes they care about without costing them anything in terms of time or money, and charities get a valuable source of funding.
Everyclick.com works like any other search engine, allowing users to search for information, news and images but users can decide which of the UK’s 170,000 charities they would like to support through their clicks. Everyclick.com then makes monthly payments to every registered charity. Launched in June 2005, Everyclick.com is now the eighth largest search engine and one of the busiest charity websites in the UK.
【小題1】 According to the passage, “wugging” is actually a _______.
| A．website | B．charity-related action |
| C．school organization | D．student movement |
| A．It makes Everyclick.com popular in the UK. |
| B．It makes giving to charity easy. |
| C．It results in students being more social awareness. |
| D．it stresses the importance of charity in people’s daily lives. |
| A．most full time students contribute to charity on the Internet every day |
| B．Everyclick.com helps students pay for the college education |
| C．“Wugging” is a win-win idea for both students and charities |
| D．Everyclick.com is the most successful search engine in the UK |
| A．“Wugging”, a New Popular Term（術(shù)語(yǔ)）on the Internet |
| B．British People Show Strong Interest in Charity |
| C．More Britain Charities Benefit from the Internet |
| D．Students Raise Money for Charity by “wugging” |
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw Kyle from my class walking home from school. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd (a foolish person)." I had quite a weekend planned, so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running towards him. They knocked all his books out of his arms and tripped(絆倒) him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the glass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, I saw a tear in his eye.
As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should go to hell." He looked at me and said, "Hey, thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real thankfulness. I asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began. "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. I am here to tell you a story."
I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile. "Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
I heard the gasp(倒吸氣) go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and Dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize its depth.
【小題1】Why did Kyle carry all his books home?
| A．Because it was Friday. |
| B．Because he was a nerd. |
| C．Because he wanted to kill himself. |
| D．Because he liked doing things for his mother. |
| A．The bunch of kids attacked Kyle to have his glasses and books. |
| B．The author planned to study all weekend after he met Kyle. |
| C．The author was a freshman when Kyle gave the speech. |
| D．Kyle felt grateful to the author for his help. |
| A．When Kyle couldn't find the glass, he turned to the author for help. |
| B．The author teased Kyle a lot about being a nerd. |
| C．The author didn't expect Kyle to tell the story. |
| D．Kyle thanked his parents first for saving his life. |
| A．The kids. | B．Kyle's books. | C．Kyle's glasses. | D．Kyle's arms. |
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解
Dear Michelle,
My Dad hates my Mom. He tells me that she is a liar and that I should not trust her. Of course, they are divorced but they have “joint custody” (共同監(jiān)護(hù)). What a joke! I am 15, my brother is nine, and we have a life of hell, frankly.
We live one week on and one week off. This was the brilliant idea of both of my parents, which was fair to them but ruining my life. I cannot get away from his voice and his putting my mom down. Sometimes I think about running away.
A Hopeless Ant
Dear Hopeless Ant,
First, thank you for trusting me with your problem. If all you said is correct, then there are several things that you can and should do to help yourself, your brother, and oddly enough, your parents.
You need a family counselor. Such a person could listen to each family member alone and then meet together to talk about the situation.
If refused, you need to talk to a counselor in your school. You need to be heard, and you need an adult who will listen. A school counselor can organize a meeting with your parents.
Perhaps you need to write to your mother. Writing things down allows people to go over it more than one time.
I cannot imagine that she will stand passively by and do nothing at all to help once she reads how you feel. Your father needs a letter as well. He may not realize the destructive effect that it has on his children.
Lastly, have a plan in mind when all else fails that is not self-destructive. Life passes very quickly, sweetheart, and you will grow up and have your own life.
Until then, you need to keep yourself safe. Never doubt that it will get better. Write back and let me know how everything is going.
Michelle
【小題1】The Hopeless Ant wrote the letter to ________.
| A．express dissatisfaction with his parents |
| B．a(chǎn)sk for advice seriously |
| C．make his father punished |
| D．just make a joke |
| A．his father always told a lie |
| B．his father wasn’t friendly to his mother |
| C．his father divorced his mother |
| D．the Hopeless Ant couldn’t stay with his parents |
| A．Keep himself/herself away from danger. |
| B．Have a talk with his/her parents. |
| C．Have his/her own family plan. |
| D．Write letters to families. |
| A．Entertainment | B．Advertisement | C．Life | D．Education |
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