One day an American friend invited me to a party. It wasn’t a real party, it was some kind of informal get-together. Since it was summer time, he had a cookout where most of his American friends and relatives were known to me, but there were others I had never met before.

    It was the most embarrassing (令人尷尬) party for me when I noticed that everybody was wearing jeans and simple T-shirts for the day, while I arrived in proper dress with my shoes and my hair all fixed for a fancy party. It was hard to explain my embarrassment to other guests. When one of them turned around and said, “What nice clothes! What’s the occasion?” I felt my face burning hot with embarrassment. I did not answer at all. If she knew how bad I already felt, she wouldn’t have come near me. But she did. Maybe she didn’t ask intentionally to make me feel bad or uncomfortable, but my reaction had to do with the way I already felt. I could have told her I had to go to another party afterwards, but I did not want to continue the conversation.

    Many times I thought about going home and changing, but I knew that they would notice. It would be even worse for me, because I knew they would quickly think that I felt out of place. So I wanted to pretend that I was okay…

    I had already realized their customs were different from mine; but after I talked to my friend, I was more convinced that people here are more casual (休閑的,隨意的). They care less about formality, unless it is a special occasion, like a wedding or a very formal invitation.

    In contrast, my culture is totally the opposite. For instance, in Cape Verdean culture, if a friend invited me to his house on a special day, even if it is not a real party, one should appear well dressed or otherwise the host will be annoyed thinking you are disrespectful to him or the other guests. We do dress casually for going on picnic or on ordinary days, but not normally to go over to a friend’s when invited, especially if other people will be there.

    After all, I think that my problem at the party wasn’t that I wasn’t accepted by the Americans; but my feeling was so bad that I couldn’t fit in the group even if nobody noticed, because I was the one who discovered the difference in the first place. It doesn’t matter if people dress differently, but I was the only one different in the group. I felt I was the one who should adjust to their customs. After that, I decided to learn more about American culture, so now I don’t have as many problems as I’ve had in the past.

48.Which of these statements describes the cookout in the story?

A. It was very formal.

B. People wore casual clothing.

C. It took place in a restaurant.

D.People care more about formality.

49.This story is mainly about _________.

A. culture differences

B. living in the United States

C. what to do at a cookout

D. how to get prepared for a cookout

50.It can be inferred from the story that the author _________.

A. left the cookout early

B. probably didn’t enjoy the cookout

C. never wears blue jeans

D. will never go to a cookout

51.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “intentionally” in the second paragraph?

A. Patiently.  B. Willingly.  C. Carefully.         D. On purpose.

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科目:高中英語 來源:甘肅省天水市一中2009-2010學(xué)年高二上學(xué)期期末考試英語試卷 題型:050

閱讀

Fading beauty

  She is widely seen as proof that good looks can last for ever.But, at nearly 500 years of age, time is catching up with the Mona Lisa.

  The health of the famous picture, painted by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1505, is getting worse by the year, according to the Louvre Museum(盧浮宮博物館)where it is housed.

  “The thin, wooden panel on which the Mona Lisa is painted in oil has changed shape since experts checked it two years ago,” the museum said.Visitors have noticed changes but repairing the world's most famous painting is not easy.Experts are not sure about the materials the Italian artist used and their current chemical state(狀態(tài)).

  Nearly 6 million people go to see the Mona Lisa every year, many attracted by the mystery of her smile.“It is very interesting that when you're not looking at her, she seems to be smiling, and then you look at her and she stops,” said Professor Margaret Livingstone of Harvard University.“It's because direct vision(視覺)is excellent at picking up detail, but less suited to looking at shadows.Da Vinci painted the smile in shadows.”

  However, the actual history of the Mona Lisa is just as mysterious as the smile.Da Vinci himself loved it so much that he always carried it with him, until it was eventually sold to France's King Francis I in 1519.

  In 1911, the painting was stolen from the Louvre by a former employee, who took it out of the museum hidden under his coat.He said he planned to return it to Italy.The painting was sent back to France two years later.

  During World War II, French hid the painting in small towns to keep it out of the hands of German forces.

  Like many old ladies, the Mona Lisa has some interesting stories to tell.

(1)

What does the writer mean by “time is catching up with the Mona Lisa”?

[  ]

A.

The painted woman is not so beautiful any more.

B.

Ageing is something that affects us all.

C.

The painting needs repairing.

D.

At such an old age, she is no longer popular.

(2)

What makes the repair work difficult?

[  ]

A.

The wooden panel is thin and old.

B.

No one knows exactly what materials were used to create the painting and how it might respond to treatment.

C.

The health of the painting is suffering

D.

Experts can't agree on how to carry out repairs.

(3)

What makes her smile so mysterious according to Professor Livingston?

[  ]

A.

The materials the Italian artist used.

B.

The way she smiles.

C.

The way Da Vinci painted the smile.

D.

It plays a trick upon the human mind.

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科目:高中英語 來源:吉林省吉林一中2011-2012學(xué)年高二上學(xué)期期中考試英語試題 題型:050

閱讀理解

Fading beauty

  She is widely seen as proof that good looks can last for ever.But, at nearly 500 years of age, time is catching up with the Mona Lisa.

  The health of the famous picture, painted by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1505, is getting worse by the year, according to the Louvre Museum(盧浮宮博物館)where it is housed.

  “The thin, wooden panel on which the Mona Lisa is painted in oil has changed shape since experts checked it two years ago, ” the museum said.Visitors have noticed changes but repairing the world’s most famous painting is not easy.Experts are not sure about the materials the Italian artist used and their current chemical state(化學(xué)狀態(tài)).

  Nearly 6 million people go to see the Mona Lisa every year, many attracted by the mystery of her smile.“It is very interesting that when you’re not looking at her, she seems to be smiling, and then you look at her and she stops, ” said Professor Margaret Livingstone of Harvard University.“It’s because direct vision(視覺)is excellent at picking up detail, but less suited to looking at shadows.Da Vinci painted the smile in shadows.”

  However, the actual history of the Mona Lisa is just as mysterious as the smile.Da Vinci himself loved it so much that he always carried it with him, until it was eventually sold to France’s King Francis I in 1519.

  In 1911, the painting was stolen from the Louvre by a former employee, who took it out of the museum hidden under his coat.He said he planned to return it to Italy.The painting was sent back to France two years later.

  During World War II, French hid the painting in small towns to keep it out of the hands of German forces.

  Like many old ladies, the Mona Lisa has some interesting stories to tell.

(1)

What does the writer mean by “time is catching up with the Mona Lisa”?

[  ]

A.

The painting woman is not so beautiful any more.

B.

Ageing is something that affects us all.

C.

The painting needs repairing.

D.

At such an old age, she is no longer popular.

(2)

What makes the repair work difficult?

[  ]

A.

The wooden panel is thin and old.

B.

No one knows exactly what materials were used to create the painting and how it might respond to treatment.

C.

The health of the painting is suffering.

D.

Experts can’t agree on how to carry out repairs.

(3)

What makes her so mysterious according to Professor Livingston?

[  ]

A.

The materials the Italian artist used.

B.

The way she smiles.

C.

The way Da Vinci painted the smile.

D.

It plays a trick upon the human eyes

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Oh God! I think I was about seven when my sisters and I pulled this stupid stunt(驚險動作).

I remember we were watching TV when we heard my   36  , Chris, yelling from the backyard. We all   37  out to see what happened. 38____ we finally located him, he was in a tree 39 from the highest tree branch. Crying, he explained he had climbed up the tree and couldn’t get down. One of us should climb up but we couldn’t   40  to get him moving down.

Luckily, my youngest sister, Ka, five then, had seen a(n)   41  situation. She suggested we grab a 42  , hold it under the branch, and tell him to 43____ so we could catch him. My other sister, Yams, one year younger than me, looked at me eagerly to   44  her idea and I said “Yeah, let’s try that.”

Immediately we   45  a sheet and held it beneath the tree. Now mind you, the ages holding this blanket were   46  from seven to five, thus the sheet was probably being held up to our waist and also close to touching the ground. But we were   47  it could work.

Chris, my brother, aged four, looked down at us with hesitation, asking in a 48   voice, “Are you sure I’ll land on the blanket?” But because of a problem at 49 with his tongue being a bit attached to the mouth, it came out like this, “Ah you sho awill lan on da blanked?” “Yup!” I told him, “We’re sure!” and he let go.

How   50  he was to trust us! And no matter how 51 we held, Chris fell right 52 that sheet and landed on his stomach. This tiny seventy-pound boy had made a big   53  right in the sheet!

Because he wasn’t moving, we bent down to   54  if he was still alive. Slowly, he uttered these five words, “Ah stee hi da flow!”, in other words, “I still hit the floor!” Poor little man!

Now Chris is fourteen and he still blames us about it. Any tree he climbs he can get down on his own and,   55  , he wants to be a fireman when he grows up.

36. A. neighbour       B. brother       C. classmate     D. cousin

37. A. headed      B. wandered      C. waited      D. stayed

38. A. After         B. Since        C. Though           D. When     

39. A. jumping      B. looking        C. hanging       D. shaking

40. A. try               B. manage       C. plan       D. decide

41. A. serious        B. awkward       C. similar      D. ridiculous

42. A. sheet       B. ladder        C. quilt        D. net

43. A. slide        B. drop        C. climb      D. move

44. A. change        B. offer        C. prove        D. confirm

45. A. bought         B. took         C. fetched       D. snatched

46. A. counting       B. lasting        C. ranging        D. decreasing

47. A. proud         B. happy           C. grateful       D. confident

48. A. soft         B. trembling    C. frightening      D. loud

49. A. birth         B. school     C. church       D. table

50. A. lucky         B. bright        C. stupid        D. careless

51. A. tight         B. long       C. high        D. close  

52. A. on          B. under      C. across      D. through

53. A. noise       B. swing        C. mark         D. hole

54. A. check        B. sense       C. prove      D. claim

55. A. frankly        B. strangely       C. luckily        D. obviously

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Oh God! I think I was about seven when my sisters and I pulled this stupid stunt(驚險動作).

I remember we were watching TV when we heard my   36  , Chris, yelling from the backyard. We all   37  out to see what happened. 38____ we finally located him, he was in a tree 39 from the highest tree branch. Crying, he explained he had climbed up the tree and couldn’t get down. One of us should climb up but we couldn’t   40  to get him moving down.

Luckily, my youngest sister, Ka, five then, had seen a(n)   41  situation. She suggested we grab a 42  , hold it under the branch, and tell him to 43____ so we could catch him. My other sister, Yams, one year younger than me, looked at me eagerly to   44  her idea and I said “Yeah, let’s try that.”

Immediately we   45  a sheet and held it beneath the tree. Now mind you, the ages holding this blanket were  46  from seven to five, thus the sheet was probably being held up to our waist and also close to touching the ground. But we were   47  it could work.

Chris, my brother, aged four, looked down at us with hesitation, asking in a 48 voice, “Are you sure I’ll land on the blanket?” But because of a problem at 49 with his tongue being a bit attached to the mouth, it came out like this, “Ah you sho awill lan on da blanked?” “Yup!” I told him, “We’re sure!” and he let go.

How   50  he was to trust us! And no matter how 51 we held, Chris fell right 52 that sheet and landed on his stomach. This tiny seventy-pound boy had made a big   53  right in the sheet!

Because he wasn’t moving, we bent down to   54  if he was still alive. Slowly, he uttered these five words, “Ah stee hi da flow!”, in other words, “I still hit the floor!” Poor little man!

Now Chris is fourteen and he still blames us about it. Any tree he climbs he can get down on his own and,   55  , he wants to be a fireman when he grows up.

36. A. neighbour       B. brother       C. classmate     D. cousin

37. A. headed      B. wandered      C. waited      D. stayed

38. A. After         B. Since        C. Though           D. When     

39. A. jumping      B. looking        C. hanging       D. shaking

40. A. try               B. manage       C. plan       D. decide

41. A. serious        B. awkward       C. similar      D. ridiculous

42. A. sheet       B. ladder        C. quilt        D. net

43. A. slide        B. drop        C. climb      D. move

44. A. change        B. offer        C. prove        D. confirm

45. A. bought         B. took         C. fetched       D. snatched

46. A. counting       B. lasting        C. ranging        D. decreasing

47. A. proud         B. happy           C. grateful       D. confident

48. A. soft         B. trembling    C. frightening      D. loud

49. A. birth         B. school     C. church       D. table

50. A. lucky         B. bright        C. stupid        D. careless

51. A. tight         B. long       C. high        D. close  

52. A. on          B. under      C. across      D. through

53. A. noise       B. swing        C. mark         D. hole

54. A. check        B. sense       C. prove      D. claim

55. A. frankly        B. strangely       C. luckily        D. obviously

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科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

請認(rèn)真閱讀下面短文,從短文后各題所給的A、B、C、D四個選項中,選出最佳選項,并在答題卡上將該項涂黑。

Oh God! I think I was about seven when my sisters and I pulled this stupid stunt(驚險動作).

I remember we were watching TV when we heard my   36  , Chris, yelling from the backyard. We all   37  out to see what happened. 38____ we finally located him, he was in a tree 39 ____ from the highest tree branch. Crying, he explained he had climbed up the tree and couldn’t get down. One of us should climb up but we couldn’t   40  to get him moving down.

Luckily, my youngest sister, Ka, five then, had seen a(n)   41  situation. She suggested we grab a 42___, hold it under the branch, and tell him to 43____ so we could catch him. My other sister, Yams, one year younger than me, looked at me eagerly to   44  her idea and I said “Yeah, let’s try that.”

Immediately we   45  a sheet and held it beneath the tree. Now mind you, the ages holding this blanket were   46  from seven to five, thus the sheet was probably being held up to our waist and also close to touching the ground. But we were   47  it could work.

Chris, my brother, aged four, looked down at us with hesitation, asking in a 48____ voice, “Are you sure I’ll land on the blanket?” But because of a problem at 49 with his tongue being a bit attached to the mouth, it came out like this, “Ah you sho awill lan on da blanked?” “Yup!” I told him, “We’re sure!” and he let go.

How   50  he was to trust us! And no matter how 51 we held, Chris fell right 52 that sheet and landed on his stomach. This tiny seventy-pound boy had made a big   53  right in the sheet!

Because he wasn’t moving, we bent down to   54  if he was still alive. Slowly, he uttered these five words, “Ah stee hi da flow!”, in other words, “I still hit the floor!” Poor little man!

Now Chris is fourteen and he still blames us about it. Any tree he climbs he can get down on his own and,   55  , he wants to be a fireman when he grows up.

36. A. neighbour       B. brother       C. classmate     D. cousin

37. A. headed      B. wandered      C. waited      D. stayed

38. A. After         B. Since        C. Though           D. When     

39. A. jumping      B. looking        C. hanging       D. shaking

40. A. try               B. manage       C. plan       D. decide

41. A. serious        B. awkward       C. similar      D. ridiculous

42. A. sheet       B. ladder        C. quilt        D. net

43. A. slide        B. drop        C. climb      D. move

44. A. change        B. offer        C. prove        D. confirm

45. A. bought         B. took         C. fetched       D. snatched

46. A. counting       B. lasting        C. ranging        D. decreasing

47. A. proud         B. happy           C. grateful       D. confident

48. A. soft         B. trembling    C. frightening      D. loud

49. A. birth         B. school     C. church       D. table

50. A. lucky         B. bright        C. stupid        D. careless

51. A. tight         B. long       C. high        D. close  

52. A. on          B. under      C. across      D. through

53. A. noise       B. swing        C. mark         D. hole

54. A. check        B. sense       C. prove      D. claim

55. A. frankly        B. strangely       C. luckily        D. obviously

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