Humans have sewn by hand for thousands of years. It was said that the first thread was made from animal muscle and sinew (腱). And the earliest needles were made from bones. Since those early days, many people have been involved in the process of developing a machine that could do the same thing more quickly and with greater efficiency.
Charles Wiesenthal, who was born in Germany, designed and received a patent on a double-pointed needle that eliminated the need to turn the needle around with each stitch (縫合) in England in 1755. Other inventors of that time tried to develop a functional sewing machine, but each design had at least one serious imperfection. ,科Frenchman Barthelemy Thimonnier finally engineered a machine that really worked. However, he was nearly killed by a group of angry tailors when they burned down his garment factory. They feared that they would lose their jobs to the machine.
American inventor Elias Howe, born on July 9, 1819, was awarded a patent for a method of sewing that used thread from two different sources. Howe’s machine had a needle with an eye at the point, and it used the two threads to make a special stitch called a lockstitch. However, Howe faced difficulty in finding buyers for his machines in America. In frustration, he traveled to England to try to sell his invention there. When he finally returned home, he found that dozens of manufacturers were adapting his discovery for use in their own sewing machines.
Isaac Singer, another American inventor, was also a manufacturer who made improvements to the design of sewing machines. He invented an up-and-down-motion mechanism that replaced the side-to-side machines. He also developed a foot treadle(腳踏板) to power his machine. This improvement left the sewer’s hands free. Undoubtedly, it was a huge improvement of the hand-cranked machine of the past. Soon the Singer sewing machine achieved more fame than the others for it was more practical, it could be adapted to home use and it could be bought on hire-purchase. The Singer sewing machine became the first home appliance, and the Singer company became one of the first American multinationals.
However, Singer used the same method to create a lockstitch that Howe had already patented. As a result, Howe accused him of patent infringement（侵犯）. Of course, Elias Howe won the court case, and Singer was ordered to pay Howe royalties（版稅）. In the end, Howe became a millionaire, not by manufacturing the sewing machine, but by receiving royalty payments for his invention.
小題1:Barthelemy Thimonnier’s garment factory was burned down because _____________.
A．people did not know how to put out the fire
B．Elias Howe thought Thimonnier had stolen his invention
C．the sewing machines was couldn’t work finally
D．workers who feared the loss of their jobs to a machine set fire
小題2:Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?  
A．Singer is an American inventor and manufacturer.
B．The Singer sewing company became more practical.
C．The foot treadle helped to make the sewer’s hands free.
D．Singer made improvements to the design of sewing machines.
小題3:Why did the court force Isaac Singer to pay Elisa Howe a lifetime of royalties?
A．Because the judge was against Singer for his surly attitude.
B．Because Howe had already patented the lockstitch used by Singer.
C．Because Singer had borrowed money from Howe and never repaid it.
D．Because Singer and Howe had both invented the same machine.
小題4:Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A．A Stitch in Time Saves Nine
B．The Case between Howe and Singer
C．Patent Laws on the Sewing Machine
D．The Early History of the Sewing Machine

小題1:D
小題2:B
小題3:B
小題4:D

試題分析：文章介紹了縫紉機(jī)的萌芽和早期發(fā)展歷程。以前都是手工操作，后來，不斷有人對(duì)縫紉機(jī)的發(fā)展做出了貢獻(xiàn)。
小題1:細(xì)節(jié)題：根據(jù)第三段“he was nearly killed by a group of angry tailors when they burned down his garment factory. They feared that they would lose their jobs to the machine.”可知，一些工人放火燒服裝廠是害怕因?yàn)闄C(jī)器的發(fā)明而丟掉工作。故選D。
小題2:細(xì)節(jié)題：根據(jù)第五段第一句“Isaac Singer, another American inventor...”可知，A、D正確；根據(jù)“This improvement left the sewer’s hands free”可知，C正確；根據(jù)“the Singer sewing machine achieved more fame than the others for it was more practical”可知，B項(xiàng)錯(cuò)誤；故選B。
小題3:根據(jù)最后一段的第一句“Singer used the same method to create a lockstitch that Howe had already patented”可知，Singer侵犯了Howe的專利，故選B。
小題4:考查主旨大意。文章介紹了縫紉機(jī)的早期發(fā)展歷史，A、B、C太片面。故選D。
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

The United States is not part of the Kyoto Protocol.But since 2005 more than 1,000 mayors across the country have agreed to sign their own version of the protocol.
It is called the United States Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement.Local leaders have agreed to follow the suggestions of the Kyoto Protocol in their communities.They have also agreed to urge state and federal governments to follow these suggestions.One goal is to reduce air pollution to the 1990 levels by 2012.
A “green” city might work on several kinds of environmental goals and programs.These include air quality，reducing electricity use, green building, public health, the reuse of materials, water quality and clean transportation.
The Natural Resources Defense Council works to protect the environment through action, law and science.One of its online projects is called Smarter Cities, which lists some cities that have made important environmental steps.
Washington，D.C.is also a leading city for green roofs，with over 92,000 square meters of green rooftops.The city also launched a program called “Skip the Bag，Save the River.”Stores charge people a five­cent  tax for using plastic or paper shopping bags instead of reusable bags.Money from the tax will be used to clean up a local river.
New York City is using water as a renewable energy source.For several years, the city has experimented with water in the East River to create energy.Officials operating the program recently asked for permission to put into place 30 river turbine devices.
The people of Portland, Oregon are among the top recyclers in the nation.People living there recycle over half of the waste they throw out.The city has also worked to provide green transportation by providing safe bike paths and free parking spaces where electric cars can get recharged.
In Oakland, California, you can ride on one of several public hydrogen­powered(氫氣作燃料的) buses.These buses release zero pollution into the air.However，they cost about five times more than common buses.
小題1:The United States Conference of Mayors' Climate Protection Agreement is aimed at________.
A．reducing energy use
B．reducing air pollution
C．improving public health
D．reusing waste materials
小題2:Why are shoppers charged a five­cent tax for buying shopping bags?
A．To clean a local lake that has been polluted.
B．To get enough money for the green roof project.
C．To prevent shoppers from using reusable bags.
D．To collect money for an environmental project.
小題3:New York City is cited as an example of________.
A．building green rooftops
B．making transportation clean
C．being good at recycling waste
D．using renewable energy source
小題4:Which of the following cities encourage citizens to use bicycles?
A．Washington，D.C.　   B．New York.
C．Portland.　  D．Oakland.
小題5:One obvious disadvantage of adopting hydrogen­powered buses is________.
A．its high cost　B．side effect
C．zero pollutionD．large space

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

These days it’s cheaper to throw that broken DVD player, cell-phone or TV out and buy a new one. This “ replace-rather-than-repair” mentality is polluting the planet with electronic waste. According to the UN Environment Program, we are throwing away an estimated 50 million metric tonnes of electronics waste    (e-waste) per year. But this is not ordinary garbage. Our electronics leak harmful heavy metals — such as mercury and arsenic — along with equally poisonous chemicals that end up in our soil and eventually our water.
You’ve probably participated in a community recycling event and left feeling good about shipping off that old computer to be recycled. Chances are it was shipped overseas where it’s polluting someone else’community.
Guiyu city in Southeastern China has become known as the e-waste city where low-paid workers use whatever means available to remove electronics in hopes of recovering the copper, microchips, aluminum, gold and silver and plastic that can be resold. Any leftover waste is simply thrown into the nearby river or piled up high in the streets, poisoning the children growing up here.
So what can you do with your e-waste? Robert Houghton, President and founder of Redemtech, an asset management and recovery firm, recommends you vote with your dollar. Buy from companies who have a take-back program that guarantees your discarde electronics are handled proper.
“ Consumers want to do business with companies who are demonstrably    good with corporate responsibility and dealing with e-waste, ” said Houghton.
There are   plenty of charitable   organizations that will    take your  used electronics and donate them for charitable causes:
? Electronic Recycling  Association (Canada) (ERA) collects old    computers for donation to libraries and other organizations across Canada.
? eBay’s Rethink Initiative pairs up consumers with businesses that refurbish (再磨光)old computers for donation.
? TechSoup has a thorough   listing of resources for those who would  like   to donate or recycle hardware，buy recycled hardware or find a refurbisher.
? The Charitable    Recycling Program  accepts all cell-phones    and    has a listing of charities it helps with its program.
? Call2 Recycle has set up drop off points across Canada in a number of stores. You can drop off your cell-phone and also your rechargeable batteries from handheld electronic products.
小題1:When there is something wrong with electronics, what is a popular trend among people nowadays?
A．To keep a DIY way.B．To put them away themselves.
C．To purchase what they like.D．To donate them to charities.
小題2:Guiyu city in Southeastern China is mentioned here to show us ____.
A．there is an ideal place in the world for e-waste
B．there is a good example in the world for recycling
C．the recycling events in Canada benefit people overseas
D．people should find a scientific and thorough way to recycle
小題3:In the     writer’s opinion, who can first shoulder the   great responsibility to guarantee e-waste is handled proper in the future?
A．The UN Environment Program.
B．Consumers who buy electronics.
C．President and founder of Redemtech.
D．Guiyu city in Southeastern China.
小題4:In Canada, which charity organization will    most possibly take all  your unwanted electronics?
A．Call2 Recycle.B．TechSoup.
C．eBay’s Rethink Initiative.D．Electronic Recycling Association.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Redwood trees are the tallest plants on the earth，reaching heights of up to 100 meters．They are also known for their longevity，typically 500 to 1000 years，but sometimes more than 2000 years．A hundred million years ago，in the age of dinosaurs，redwoods were common in the forests of a much more moist and tropical North America．As the climate became drier and colder，they declined to a narrow strip along the Pacific coast of Northern Califomia．
The trunk of redwood trees is very strong and usually forms a single straight column．It is covered with a soft bark．This bark can be pretty thick，well over two feet in the more mature trees．It gives the older trees a certain kind of protection from insects，but the main benefit is that it keeps the center of the tree harmless from moderate forest fires because of its thickness．This fire resistant quality explains why the giant redwood grows to live that long．While most other types of trees are destroyed by forest fires，the giant redwood actually prospers because of them．
Moderate fires will clear the ground of competing plant life，and the rising heat dries and opens the ripe fruit of the redwood，releasing many thousands of seeds onto the ground below．
New trees are often produced from shoots，little baby trees，which form at the base of the trunk．These shoots grow slowly，fed by the root system of the “mother’’ tree．When the main tree dies，the shoots are then free to grow as full trees，forming a “fairy ring” of trees around the original tree．These trees，in turn，may give rise to more shoots，and the cycle continues．
小題1:Why were redwood trees easier to find in the forests of North America millions of years ago?
A．The trees were taller and stronger．
B．The soil was softer for seeds to develop．
C．The climate there was warmer and wetter．
D．The temperature was lower along the Pacific coast．
小題2:Which of the following is a function of the tree bark as mentioned in the passage?
A．It allows redwood trees to bear seeds．
B．It prevents redwood trees from attack by insects．
C．It helps redwood trees absorb water in the air．
D．It makes redwood trees more beautiful and appealing．
小題3:Why do redwood trees grow to live that long according to the passage?
A．They have heavy and straight tree trunks．
B．They are properly watered and catered to．
C．They are more resistant to fire damage than other trees．
D．They produce many young trees to maintain their life cycle．
小題4:How does a “fairy ring’’ form according to the passage?
A．By killing an old tree．B．By connecting root systems．
C．By inserting holes into old trees．D．By surrounding a mature tree．

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

What's going to happen in the future? Will robots take over our planet? Will computers become smarter than us? Not likely. But here are some things that scientists say are most likely to happen 10 to 30 years later from now, according to the BBC.
1．Digital money
We used to pay with cash for everything we bought. Now when we swipe(刷) our bus pass or use a credit card to shop online, money is spent without us even seeing it. In fact, we are already using one type of digital money.
You have to admit that using a card is much easier than searching your pockets for change. It is also safer than carrying a lot of cash.
When ATM cards were first introduced, they were not accepted everywhere. But now it's hard to live without them. People in Sweden completely stopped using cash last year, according to the Associated Press, and the US might be next.
2．Bionic(能力超人的)eye
It's no longer something only in a sci­fi movie. People who are blind may have a chance to get their sight back—by wearing bionic eyes.
A blind eye can no longer sense light, but a bionic eye can use a camera to “see” the environment and send data directly to the brain.
Although the bionic eye that's out now only allows patients to see lights and unclear shapes, a high­resolution(高清晰度的) version could be just a few years away.
3．Self­driving cars
Everything is going automatic these days—washing machines, ticket selling machines and even cars. Unlike a human driver, a self­driving car won't get distracted by a phone call, the radio or something outside the window. Sensors and cameras on the car would allow it to stick strictly to the rules of the road and keep a safe distance from other cars. This would greatly reduce the number of road accidents. You could even take a nap while the car drives itself.
Many vehicle companies are now planning self­driving cars. “By 2040, driverless vehicles will be widely accepted and possibly be the dominant vehicles on the road，” said Jeffrey Miller, professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage, US, in Wired magazine.
小題1:The underlined word “distracted” in the article is closest in meaning to “________”．
A．directedB．discouraged
C．a(chǎn)ttackedD．disturbed
小題2:Jeffrey Miller's attitude towards self­driving cars is ________.
A．optimisticB．pessimistic
C．doubtfulD．cautious
小題3:Which section is the article most likely to be found in the newspaper?
A．Learning KitB．Campus Trends
C．EntertainmentD．Technology

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Recently we told you about a finding that more years of school could help students get higherscores on intelligence tests．That was the finding of a study of teenage males in Norway．Now，other research shows that physical activity may help students do better in their classes .
The research comes as educators in some countries are reducing time for activities like physical education．They are using the time instead for academic subjects like maths and reading．The studies appeared between 2007 and 2013．They included more than 55，000 children，aged 6 to 18．
Amika Singh：“Based on the results of our study，we can conclude that being physically active is beneficial for academic performance. There are，first，Physiological explanations，like more blood flow, and so more oxygen to the brain．Being physically active means there are more hormones(荷爾蒙)produced like endorphins(內(nèi)啡肽)．And endorphins make your stress level lower and  your mood improved, which means you also perform better.”
Also，students involved in organized sports learn rules and how to follow them．This could improve their classroom behavior and help them keep their mind on their work．
The study leaves some questions unanswered，however．Ms．Stash says it is not possible to say whether the amount or kind of activity affected the level of academic improvement．This is because of differences among the studies .
Also．they were mostly observational studies．An observational study is where researchers do not do controlled comparisons．They only describe what they observe．So they might observe a link that students who are more active often have better grades．But that does not necessarily mean being active was the cause of those higher grades．
The researchers said they found only two high - quality studies．They called for more high-
quality studies to confirm their findings．They also pointed out that “outcomes for other parts of the world may be quite different. ”
Still，the general finding was that physically active kids are more likely to do better in school．Ms．Singh says schools should consider that finding before they cut physical education programs．Her paper on “Physical Activity and Performance at School”is published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine．
小題1:The passage mainly tells us that ＿＿＿＿
A．a(chǎn) research on physical education has been done by the researchers
B．there exists a possibility that physical activity leads to higher grades
C．the amount or kind of activity directly affects academic level
D．the research shows that the children aged 6 to 1 8 don't do sports
小題2:Which of the following is TRUE?
A．Being mentally active is good for academic subjects．
B．The more hormones you have，the more stressed you will get．
C．They have found many high-quality studies to prove the research．
D．The educators in the research think studies，not exercise，mean much to students．
小題3:The underlined sentence in Paragraph 7 probably means ＿＿＿＿.
A．good marks result from high-quality study
B．findings probably vary in different areas
C．physical activity will spread all over the world
D．a(chǎn)cademic performance depends on the surroundings
小題4:What's the purpose of writing the passage?
A．To call our attention to the sports at school．
B．To introduce all types of physical activities．
C．To represent the academic performance．
D．To improve students' health ．

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

When Hurricane Phailin hit India in late 2013, it became the largest storm to strike the subcontinent in over a decade. The storm affected more than 12 million people in India and neighboring countries, and damaged or destroyed many houses. However, good news is that cleverly-designed beach house created by architect Ray Huff can survive such strong winds and storm waves.
Located on the shore of an Indian island, Huff’s award-winning cube-shaped beach house was built to replace one smashed to pieces by Hurricane Phailin.
Huff pointed out that many houses built along shoreline were poorly constructed, and enforcement(執(zhí)行) of building codes wasn’t strict. After Phailin’s attack, all new shoreline houses are required to meet stricter, better-enforced codes. The new beach house should be able to stand a Category 3 hurricane with peak winds of 179 to 209 kilometers per hour.
At first sight, Huff's house looks anything but hurricane-proof. Its redwood shell makes it resemble “a large party lantern” at night, according to one observer. But looks can be misleading. The house’s wooden frame is reinforced(加固) with long steel rods to give it extra strength.
To further protect the house from hurricane damage, Huff raised it 2.7 meters off the ground on pilings---long columns of wood anchored(固定) deep in the sand. Pilings might appear insecure, but they are strong enough to support the weight of the house. They also balance the house above storm waves. The pilings allow the waves to run under the house instead of running into it. “These swells of water come ashore at great speeds and cause most of the damage done to beach-front buildings,” said Huff.
Huff designed the wooden pilings to be partially hidden by the house’s ground-to-roof shell. “The shell masks the pilings so that the house doesn’t look like it’s standing with its pant legs pulled up,” said Huff. In case of a storm wave, the shell should break apart and let the waves rush under the house, the architect explained.
小題1:After Hurricane Phailin, new houses built along shore line are required_____.
A．to be easily reinforced
B．to look smarter in design
C．to meet stricter building standards
D．to be designed in the shape of cubes
小題2:The award-winning beach house is quite strong because____.
A．it is made of redwood
B．it is in the shape of a shell
C．it is strengthened by steel rods
D．it is built with wood and stones
小題3:Huff raised the house 2.7 meters off the ground on wooden pilings in order to _____.
A．support the weight of the house
B．a(chǎn)llow the waves to run through the house
C．a(chǎn)nchor stronger pilings deep in the sand
D．prevent water from rushing into the house
小題4:The main function of the shell is_____.
A．to give the house a better appearance
B．to strengthen the pilings of the house
C．to protect the wooden frame of the house
D．to slow down the speed of the swelling water

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Many people don't realize the importance of music education in the schools today．A new study showed, however, music education is extremely important．
In college, music education is one of the largest programs．Teachers have to learn general education materials and techniques． They must learn to play every instrument; they must learn music history and music theory; they must learn instrument repair and teaching methods; they must learn conducting and so much more．At the same time, much of our culture and tradition is absorbed in music．
Music plays a very important role in our education．
Music helps with math and science． Students learn to count, and how to multiply and divide．Students also use science to help them discover what sounds good together and what doesn't．Students also need science to understand something called the “overtone series", which is about how music is produced by vibration（顫動(dòng)）and why．
Students learn a lot about languages through music．Many songs are written in other languages, including ancient ones．Students must learn to translate these works to understand what they are singing about． A song is likely to be a famous short work set to music; so students are exposed to that very often while singing．
Students learn a huge amount of cooperation （協(xié)作）of body parts through music, so parts of the body can work better together．Students must use motor（肌肉運(yùn)動(dòng)的）skills in order to play an instrument．Singers and wind（管樂器）players must learn breath control and be in good shape to play．
Students learn about art． Some famous pieces were written about important pieces of art, and students learn about the artists and styles as they're playing the music．
Music education also brings higher thinking to our children．It allows them to think about complex patterns．Students have to be aware of what every other musician does at every time．In that way, it develops cooperation, as well．They tend to develop more ability for learning．
As one can see, music is very important to education．
小題1:According to the passage, learning music in college will be quite         ．
A．easyB．stressfulC．a(chǎn)ttractiveD．useless
小題2:As to the benefits from music, which of the following is NOT included in the passage?
A．Calculation．B．Language study．
C．Relaxation．D．Cooperation of body parts．
小題3:The underlined word "that" in Para．5 refers to“            "．
A．the musicB．the language
C．the cultureD．the work
小題4:What can we know from the passage?
A．Science and music are extreme poles．
B．Only the wisest person can learn music well．
C．Music is good to our all-round development．
D．All of us know the importance of music clearly．

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Remembering names is an important social skill. Here are some ways to master it.
Recite and repeat in conversation
When you hear a person’s name, repeat it. Immediately say it to yourself several times without moving your lips .You could also repeat the name in a way that does not sound forced or artificial.
Ask the other person to recite and repeat
You can let other people help you remember their names. After you’ve been introduced to someone, ask that person to spell the name and pronounce it correctly for you. Most people will be pleased by the effort you’re making to learn their names.
Admit you don’t know
Admitting that you can’t remember someone’s name can actually make people relaxed. Most of them will feel sympathy if you say, “I’m working to remember names better. Yours is right on the tip of my tongue. What is it again？”
Use association
Link each person you meet with one thing you find interesting or unusual. For example, you could make a mental note: “Vicki Cheng-tall，black hair”. To reinforce your association, write them on a small card as soon as possible.
Limit the number of new names you learn at one time.
When meeting a group of people, concentrate on remembering just two or three names. Free yourself from remembering everyone. Few of the people in mass introductions expect you to remember their names. Another way is to limit yourself to learning just first names. Last names can come later.
Go early
Consider going early to conferences, parties and classes. Sometimes just a few people show up on time. That’s fewer names for you to remember. And as more people arrive, you can hear them being introduced to others-an automatic review for you.
小題1:If you can’t remember someone’s name, you may________
A．tell them the truthB．tell them a white lie
C．a(chǎn)sk him for pityD．a(chǎn)sk others to help you
小題2:The underlined word “reinforce” mostly means “______”.
A．getB．simplifyC．strengthenD．collect
小題3:When you meet a group of people, it is better to remember______
A．a(chǎn)ll their namesB．a(chǎn) couple of names first
C．just their last namesD．a(chǎn)s many names as possible
小題4:What does the text mainly tell us?
A．How to recite and repeat namesB．Importance of attending parties
C．How to make use of associationsD．Tips on an important social skill

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