Cast your mind back to the past twenty years and hardly did anyone have their own email account. The Internet had just taken off in 1991 and people were only using office and PC­based email exchanges.
In the mid 1990s external email providers appeared. The most famous of these was Hotmail, the first free email provider and web­based email service. Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith launched Hotmail on July 4, 1996. And Microsoft took note of and bought Hotmail for $400 million on December 30, 1997, a nice birthday present for Bhatia who turned 29 that day. It was relaunched as MSN Hotmail and in 2007 was relaunched again as Windows Live Hotmail.
Fast forward the present day and most of us have at least a personal web­based email account. It seems impossible to live without them. One of the biggest advantages of email is the fact that communication has become so much easier, especially with those across different time zones. Email takes seconds to send a message whereas letters, as we used to communicate by, could take weeks. Of course there was the fax, that beeping invention from the 1980s, but it wasn’t as secure as email and you never knew if the person on the other end had picked up your fax or if it had got lost somewhere in the office.
In conclusion, one of the best inventions from the 1990s has to be email. But sometimes people are too closely connected to their email and have a compulsion to check it several times a day. At work, people have become lazy and instead of going to speak to the person sitting next to them, they send an email,causing an in box to pile up with more time spent reading email and responding rather than working. Clearly, an invention that saved time because of its quick and speedy connection can now also cause us to waste a lot of time.
小題1:The earliest web-based email came into being probably _______.
A.in 1991B.in 1996C.in 1997D.in 2007
小題2:The author mentions “fax” in the third paragraph in order to tell us that _______.
A.it is exactly as good as email
B.it is much better than email
C.it is less convenient than email
D.it is easier and faster than email
小題3:The underlined word “compulsion” in Paragraph 4 probably means “_______”.
A.strong desireB.common senseC.special curiosityD.general idea
小題4:Which is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A.We should check email boxes frequently.
B.Lazy people like sending an email.
C.Email brings us great convenience.
D.Good inventions also cause problems.

小題1:B
小題2:C
小題3:A
小題4:D

試題分析:文章介紹了通信方式的發(fā)展變化。自從有了互聯(lián)網(wǎng),電子郵件快速發(fā)展,得到了廣泛的應(yīng)用。幾乎每個(gè)人都有一個(gè)電子郵件賬號(hào)。但是,發(fā)明給我們帶來(lái)便利的同時(shí),也會(huì)附帶有一些問(wèn)題的出現(xiàn)。
小題1:根據(jù)“In the mid 1990s external email providers appeared. The most famous of these was Hotmail, the first free email provider and web­based email service. Sabeer Bhatia and Jack Smith launched Hotmail on July 4, 1996.”可知,基于網(wǎng)絡(luò)的最早的電子郵件出現(xiàn)在二十世紀(jì)九十年代中期,故選B。
小題2:根據(jù)第三段“Of course there was the fax, that beeping invention from the 1980s, but it wasn’t as secure as email and you never knew if the person on the other end had picked up your fax or if it had got lost somewhere in the office.”可知,傳真沒(méi)有電子郵件安全,無(wú)法知道對(duì)方是否接收了傳真,或者把傳真的文件放丟了。傳真沒(méi)有電子郵件方便,故選C。
小題3:根據(jù)最后一段“But sometimes people are too closely connected to their email and have a compulsion to check it several times a day.”可知,有時(shí)候,人們與電子郵件的聯(lián)系過(guò)于密切,以至于有一種一天查收好幾次的欲望。故選A。
小題4:根據(jù)最后一段“Clearly, an invention that saved time because of its quick and speedy connection can now also cause us to waste a lot of time.”可知,好的發(fā)明在帶來(lái)便利的同時(shí),也會(huì)引起許多問(wèn)題。故選D。
練習(xí)冊(cè)系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

A farm planted levels or floors is called a vertical(垂直的)farm. A skyscraper type building can house a vertical farm. Since the garden is built upwards,rather than outwards,it requires much less space than a conventional farm.
The world is quickly running out of room for conventional farming. Vertical farms could be a key to this situation. An 18­story vertical farm could feed as many as 50,000 people,all in an area which is the size of the average city block. Vertical farms in the city could cut down on transportation costs as well. Think about the amount of fuel it takes to transport food from farmland to city. The resources saved would be surprising. Besides saving travel time,food would be delivered in fresher condition and with less damage.
There is a growing concern about the use of pesticides(殺蟲劑) in agriculture today. But the vertical farm would be a greenhouse type environment, avoiding the need for a large number of pesticides. Vertical farms can be built in a contained space,therefore they are an excellent solution for living well in an environment far different from our own. Hydroponics(水耕法) could be a big part of vertical gardening. This would reduce the amount of soil needed to grow food. Of course,not all food does well with this type of planting,but there are many crops that actually seem to do better.
In some climates,a lack of sunlight creates a short growing season. The solar power option may not work as well here. The addition of grow lights would make it possible to grow crops in vertical gardens in these areas .In other words,we could grow crops in areas where we never could before.
Vertical farms may just be a concept for now,but they are a concept that will solve many of our problems in the future.
小題1:According to the passage, a vertical farm ________.
A.is mainly built outwards
B.is dependent on solar power
C.is planted on levels upwards
D.is only an environmental friendly farm
小題2:Compared to the conventional farm, the vertical farm can ________.
A.depend far less on sunlight
B.greatly increase the use of soil
C.help to protect the limited gardens
D.reduce the harmful effect of pesticides
小題3: It can be learned from the passage that vertical farms ________.
A.have already been put into use
B.only use hydroponics to grow food
C.need less room than conventional farms
D.may increase the transportation costs
小題4:What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Vertical farms for our future
B.Ways to deal with future problems
C.Vertical farms and green skyscrapers
D.Making full use of our limited land

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Most students try to learn English grammar using grammar textbooks. They study grammar rules and take grammar tests. They use an analytical(分析的) approach, attempting to memorize, and then apply, a great number of rules.
However, research has proved this method inefficient and ineffective. The truth is, the human brain simply cannot consciously remember process and use hundreds of or thousands of grammar rules. Real speech is too fast.
Native speakers do not learn grammar in this way, but rather intuitively (憑直覺(jué)地) and unconsciously. They learn in a complete way, not by attempting to memorize individual grammar rules. As a result, native speakers use correct grammar fluently and easily.
Fortunately, it is possible for English learners to learn grammar this way. Language teacher Blaine Ray has developed a unique "intuitive" approach to teach English grammar. Her system uses "point of view" stories to teach the patterns of English grammar, allowing students unconsciously to acquire correct grammar without ever studying grammar rules.
In this system, the teacher first tells a simple story from one point of view. It may be told about the past, then repeated, but beginning with "since he was a child"; then repeated again, but this time about the future.
Listening to these stories allows students intuitively and effortlessly to learn English grammar and makes them be able to use it correctly when they speak.
Point of View Stories is a creative new way to study English grammar, and offers hope to millions of frustrated English learners.
小題1:Which of the following ways is approved by the author?
A.Remembering grammar rules.
B.Taking grammar tests.
C.Analyzing grammatical structure.
D.Applying language to situations.
小題2: What does the underlined part "this way" in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A.Talking to native speakers when learning.
B.Learning English grammar in a complete way.
C.Using correct English grammar.
D.Learning English grammar from a teacher.
小題3:From this passage we learn that ______.
A.native speakers learn English grammar by listening to stories
B.Blaine Ray’s method gets students to grasp correct grammar unconsciously
C.Blaine Ray teaches grammar rules by asking students to tell stories
D.it’s hard for students to speak correct English in the new system
小題4:This passage wants to ______.
A.criticize the traditional way of learning grammar
B.introduce a new way to study English grammar
C.a(chǎn)sk students to learn English grammar by listening to stories
D.tell us how the native speakers learn English grammar
小題5:Why shouldn’t the English learners use an analytical approach?
A.because the analytical approach can let them learn English grammar effortlessly
B.because the analytical approach makes them be able to use English correctly when they speak.
C.because the analytical approach can’t let them memorize and then apply a great number of rules.
D.because Real speech is too fast.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

The World's Largest Insect .This giant insect can be used as a toy.
A child ties one end of a string to a stick and the other end around the "neck" of an insect. Holding the stick, the child lets the insect go. With a loud whirring sound, the insect takes off, pulling the string in a large curve over the child's head. The child laughs as the stick jumps around. The child is African, and the toy is the African Goliath beetle, the largest insect in the world.
The Goliath is a true insect because it has six legs and a body that is divided into three parts. Like all beetles, it has two pairs of wings. The front pair are thick and stiff and protect the back pair, which are soft. It is these soft back wings that make the beetle fly forward. They also cause the loud whirring sound the beetle makes when it flies. To steer, the beetle twists and turns its legs the same way you steer a bike by turning its front wheel.
African children often use the Goliath beetle as a toy. Although it is over 15 centimeters long, it is quite harmless.
小題1: The African Goliath beetle is _______. 
A.the world's largest insect
B.a(chǎn) toy used in many parts of the world
C.the only insect found in Africa
D.the world's smallest insect
小題2:What do African children often use the Goliath beetle as?
A.a(chǎn) tool.B.a(chǎn) toy. C.harmfull insects.D.Good animals.
小題3:We know the Goliath beetle is a true insect because it _______. 
A.makes a whirring sound when it flies B.has both soft and hard wings
C.has six legs and a body with three parts D.can fly
小題4:When flying, the Goliath steers by_______. 
A.turning its soft back wings
B.twisting and turning its hard front wings
C.twisting and turning its legs
D.twisting and turning its whole body

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Over 60﹪of pupils in South African schools choose English for learning and teaching, but only 7﹪of pupils speak English as their home language, a recent South Africa survey shows.
Out of the country’s 12.2 million pupils only 851,536 speak English at home, yet 7.6 million pupils choose English as their favorite language of learning and teaching. Zulu is the most widely spoken home language, spoken by over 3.1 million pupils. However, less than a third of them choose to be taught in Zulu. The same thing is true of Pedi-speaking pupils, only a third of such pupils choosing to be taught in their home language. Besides English,
Afrikaans is the only language that has more pupils choosing it as their language of instruction than it has pupils who speak it at home. In primary schools, most pupils will choose African languages. As early as grade four, many would choose English or Afrikaans in their lessons.
The rising number of English-learning pupils is mainly caused by social and cultural reasons. English is the most common spoken language in official and public life in South Africa, the survey reports. In April 2011, the leaders of higher education and training said that they would take some steps to improve the university teaching and prevent the continuing decline of African languages. They suggested that in future every South African university student could be required to learn at least one African language in order to complete their studies at school.
小題1: We can learn from the passage that most South African pupils__________.
A.speak English both at home and at school
B.a(chǎn)re required to learn two languages at school
C.choose English as their primary school language
D.a(chǎn)re expected to speak their native language at home.
小題2: It can be inferred from the passage that__________________.
A.Afrikaans is the most popular home language in South Africa
B.it’s easier for South African pupils to learn Afrikaans at school.
C.the number of South African pupils learning Afrikaans has increased
D.many South African pupils use Afrikaans at school instead of at home.
小題3: The underlined word “decline” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to “_________”.
A.going downhill
B.spreading widely
C.growing upwards
D.developing further
小題4: What is the survey in the passage mainly about?
A.The use of native languages in South African families.
B.The language choice and use among South African pupils.
C.The progress in South Africa’s language teaching education
D.The spread of English at schools in South Africa.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

This winter, the air quality over the north China plain was so bad that it was actually off the standard scale. The air pollution reached levels that the World Health Organization describes as dangerous. On Thursday, heavy smog blanketed most of northern and eastern China again. 
It is reasonable to ask why the air pollution is so bad this winter. Weather conditions and topographic(地形學(xué)的) factors have been given as reasons, but, although contributing factors, these are not to blame. The worsening air pollution is linked to an energy mix that relies heavily on coal and to motor vehicle emissions(排放). But despite the astonishing growth of motor vehicles in our cities, it is the burning of coal that is the biggest cause of air pollution. More than half of the country's power plants are located in the eastern region and China's coal consumption has more than doubled in the past decade, reaching 3.8 billion tons last year, accounting for almost half the world's total coal consumption. And with coal occupying nearly 70 percent of the country's primary energy consumption, it has become critical to reduce the use of coal if we are to solve the nation's overall air pollution problem.
In the face of the poisonous air recently, one citizen said, "we have nothing but hot air to purify the skies". In fact, the government plans to have 350 billion yuan ($55.67 billion) investment in improving coal-fired facilities and limiting the use of yellow-label cars that do not meet the Euro I emissions standard and so on.
However, it would be far more effective to reduce emissions at the source, which means that the biggest challenge currently facing government departments is saying "no" to the country's air polluting offenders. According to the Joint Prevention and Control Plan on Air Pollution in Key Regions released recently by the State Council, the amount of coal the nation consumes is set to rise by 30 percent during the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan. This is not going to let anyone breathe easier. 
This highlights a key problem when it comes to environmental issues in this country - economic development comes first. The fundamental cause of the worsening air pollution is the idea of economic growth at any cost, which has resulted in ever-worsening pollution. And the priority(優(yōu)先權(quán))given to economic growth presents another problem, namely the failure of existing environmental protection policies and regulations to control pollution. For instance, the current weak regulations covering emissions would suggest there has been a significant reduction in emissions when clearly this is not the case. Also those enterprises found breaking the regulations are still far lower than the cost of treating the pollution they produce. This means even if many large-scale enterprises with lagging production capacity(能力) fail to meet the requirements for environmental protection, the environmental protection department is incapable of shutting these enterprises down or forcing their relocation. 
Dealing with air pollution requires taking action at the local level to reduce vehicle emissions and at the regional level to reduce industrial emissions. But it also requires giving more priority to environmental issues in policymaking. Our hope is that the environmental protection department will be truly capable of saying "no" to pollution, and it will raise standards and effectively enforce them, and that governments at all levels will prioritize quality of life not just economic growth.
小題1:The writer mentions the heavy smog in parts of China in Paragraph1 in order to_____.
A.remind people to stay in doors because of the bad air quality
B.show people’s concern about the priority to economic growth
C.introduce the issue about the serious air pollution
D.highlight the importance of government’s policies and regulations
小題2:Why is it a big challenge for the government to say “no” to the air polluting offenders in China?
A.Because enterprises are encouraged to develop economy at the cost of the environment.
B.Because much emphasis has been laid on economic growth regardless of the cost.
C.Because it’s impossible to relocate the enterprises for lack of money.
D.Because the production capacity of enterprises falls behind the required speed.
小題3:It can be learned from the passage that the essential reason for the worsening air conditions in China is_______.
A.the sharp growth of coal consumption in recent years
B.the rapid increase of motor vehicles in cities
C.the building of power plants in northern China
D.the poor weather conditions caused by complex geographical factors
小題4:According to the writer, which of the following is the key to solving the air pollution problem?
A.Giving priority to economic development in policymaking.
B.Making environment-friendly policies and carrying them out effectively.
C.Increasing investment in the construction of coal-fired facilities.
D.Limiting the use of cars not meeting the required emission standard
小題5:Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?
A.Pessimistic.B.Convincing.C.Doubtful.D.Concerned.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

The fourth round of heavy smog to hit Beijing in four weeks has sent more people to the hospital with respiratory (呼吸的) illnesses and led to calls for laws to control the pollution.
Pan Shiyi, a celebrity, said he is planning to propose a Clean Air Act to the local government. As a representative to the Beijing Municipal People's Congress, he started an online survey at 9:20 a.m. Within three hours, more than 25,000 web users, or 99 percent of total respondents (應(yīng)答者) , welcomed his proposal.
They have good reasons to stand alongside Pan. The latest round of haze(霧霾)reduced visibility to under 500 meters in many parts of the city. The smog has also led to a great increase in respiratory illnesses, particularly among children and the elderly. Anxious parents and doctors almost all blame the smoggy air for the illnesses. Though most schoolchildren are home for the winter holidays, the bad air can easily move indoors. Besides, ordinary medical masks fail to provide enough protection, so some people have turned to gas masks.
The causes of the frightening smog are rather mysterious, though experts blame too much emissions (排放) and the mountains around Beijing that trap pollution in winter, unless there is enough wind to clear it away. Some critics blamed China’s top two oil firms, China National Petroleum Corp and China Petrochemical Corporation, saying the companies’ outdated production technologies produce large quantities of high-polluting gas fuel.
Meanwhile, some Beijingers have moved their brainstorming discussion to computers. If Pan’s proposal for a Clean Air Act is adopted, netizens say the new law should include items providing for “car-free days” in times of smog, higher standards for vehicle fuel, stricter limit to industrial and engine gas emissions, and more effective protection for the public.
Beijing is not the only city that has ever lost the blue sky. Five days of thick fog caused thousands of deaths in Britain in December 1952, urging the government to pass the first Clean Air Act in 1956, which introduced smokeless zones and cleaner fuels to reduce pollution. That may provide some experience for Beijing to refer to.
小題1:Why did Pan Shiyi started an online survey?
A.To know the public’s opinions on pollution
B.To tell people the danger of the smoggy weather
C.To call on people to support his proposal
D.To collect supporting evidence for his proposal
小題2:What can we learn from the passage?
A.People are clear about the causes of the smoggy weather.
B.Children staying indoors will not get respiratory illnesses.
C.Smog is worse for people with lower resistance to diseases.
D.Masks can give people protection against the smoggy weather.
小題3:Britain is mentioned in the last paragraph to ______.
A.suggest Beijing should learn from other countries
B.let people know many places have this problem
C.tell people the situation in Britain is worse
D.call on the government to pass Britain’s Clean Air Act
小題4: What’s the best title for this passage?
A.The Use of Gas masks and Engines
B.Beijingers Call for Clean Air Act
C.Effective Protection for Blue Sky
D.The Mysterious Causes of the Scary Smog

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Does your child struggle in school? Is he or she afraid of reading out loud, writing an essay, or working out a math problem? While every kid has trouble with homework from time to time, if a certain area of learning keeps going wrong, it might show a learning disorder. Learning disorders, or learning disabilities, are a general term for a wide variety of learning problems.
A learning disability is not a problem with IQ or motivation (動(dòng)機(jī)). Kids with learning disabilities aren’t lazy or slow. In fact, most are just as smart as everyone else. Their brains are just wired (裝電線) differently. Simply put, children and adults with learning disabilities see, hear, and understand things differently. This difference affects how they receive and process (處理) information. This can lead to trouble in learning new information and skills, and putting them to use.
It can be tough to face the possibility that your child has a learning disorder. No parents want to see their children suffer. You may wonder what it could mean for your child’s future, or worry about how your kid will make it through school. But the important thing to remember is that most kids with learning disabilities are just as smart as everyone else. They just need to be taught in ways that suit their unique learning styles.
It’s not always easy to tell whether a child has learning disabilities, for learning disabilities look very different from one child to another. One child may struggle with reading and spelling, while another loves books but can’t understand math. Still another child may have difficulty understanding what others are saying or communicating loud. However, some warning signs are more common than others at different ages. If you’re aware of what they are, you’ll be able to catch a learning disorder early and quickly and take steps to help your child as quickly as possible.
小題1:From the passage, we can infer that_______.
A.students with learning disabilities look quite different from normal students
B.students with learning disabilities can’t do well in their studies
C.only few students with learning disabilities are as clever as normal students
D.it is quite possible for a students with learning disabilities to succeed in their studies
小題2:What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Learning about learning disabilities.
B.How to prevent learning disabilities.
C.Ways to identify learning disabilities.
D.Different learning disabilities.
小題3:What will be most probably discussed following the Paragraph 4?
A.Some ways which help parents teach their children with learning disabilities better.
B.Some suggestions on how to get along with their children with learning disabilities.
C.Some parents may have difficulties in helping their children with learning disabilities.
D.Some warning signs which show that a child may have learning disabilities.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills(風(fēng)車) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power.
For many centuries, people used windmills to grind(碾碎) wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radios. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were rarely used.
During the 1970s, people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realized that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher cost. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.
小題1:From the text we know that windmills________.
A.were invented by European armies
B.have a history of more than 2,800 years
C.used to supply power to radio in remote areas
D.have rarely been used since electricity was discovered
小題2:What was a new use for wind power in the late 19th century?
A.Sailing a boat.
B.Producing electricity.
C.Grinding wheat into flour.
D.Pumping water from underground.
小題3:One of the reasons wind was rediscovered in the 1970s is that_______.
A.wind power is cleaner
B.it is one of the oldest power sources.
C.it was cheaper to create energy from wind
D.the supply of coal and gas failed to meet needs
小題4:What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
A.The advantages of wind power.
B.The design of wind power plants.
C.The worldwide movement to save energy.
D.The global trend towards producing power from wind.

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊(cè)答案