It is a wonderful morning，as I write this：hot，but without being too hot. Outside my window，I can see the sunniest sky of the year reflected in a huge natural expand of water. It is the kind of sun that makes you well aware of summer’s temporary nature —a reminder that if I am ever to go around to book this year's holiday，time is running out .
It is now close to four years since I last took a holiday. This is because I have come to the conclusion, over the course of my adult life, that I am not very good at it. You might say this sounds like saying you are not very good at drinking tea or listening to music. What could possibly be difficult about the natural act of putting your working life on hold for a couple of weeks and going somewhere to do nothing?
So what is my problem? On the surface, I'm probably a bit of homebody. And I just find the pressure of being on holidy too severe: it always feels like having a gun held to my head and being forced to have fun. Somehow, packing a carefully itemized list of possessions and meeting a scheduled flight has none of the excitement of suddenly deciding to take a day off and driving somewhere for the fun of it.
Thankfully, I am not alone. This summer, most of my friends have decided not to have a break. And a recent survey highlighted the downside(負(fù)面）of holidays, with the results shoeing that nearly two thirds of people found that the calming effects of a holiday wore off within 24 hours, as stress levels returned to normal. And this year's the Idler magazine published its book of awful holidays .Here you will find a list of the five most ecologically--damaging vacations it's possible to take, along with 50 horrible holidays experiences voted for on the idler website. Over the last decade, The Idler has become well known for promoting the idea of an easy, lazy life. The leisure(休閑）industry might seem an unlikely target of its criticism, but Dan Kienan, the book's editor, says that he was flooded with entries from readers for his list of awful holidays.
【小題1】According to the first paragraph We can know that the writer .
| A． has a strong desire to book a holiday |
| B． wishes that the weather would change |
| C． finds it is too late to enjoy the sunshine |
| D． realizes it’s time to decide whether to go on a holiday |
| A． people may find the man unbelievable |
| B． People think traveling is not so easy an act as drinking tea |
| C．The writer often regrets not taking a holiday． |
| D． The writer doesn't like drinking tea or listening to music |
| A． it usually takes too much time |
| B． he is tired of making preparations too much for holidays |
| C． it is far less enjoyable than breaks planned in advance |
| D． he feels embarrassed when other people are having fun but he isn't |
| A． pretend to enjoy their holiday |
| B． fail to relax while they are on holiday |
| C． feel that the benefits of going on holidays are limited |
| D． have made the some decision as the writer and most of his friends |
| A． damage the reputation of the magazine |
| B．prove his idea to be more popular than expected |
| C． indicate that his dislike of holidays is widely shared |
| D． foucs entirely on bad personal experiences of holidays |
【小題1】D
【小題2】A
【小題3】B
【小題4】C
【小題5】C
解析試題分析：文章介紹作者不喜歡旅游，寧可呆在家里，他厭倦于為假日做太多的準(zhǔn)備，而且作者在一些調(diào)查結(jié)果中發(fā)現(xiàn)，還有很多人不喜歡旅行。
【小題1】細(xì)節(jié)題：從第一段的句子：a reminder that if I am ever to go around to book this year's holiday，time is running out .可知作者覺得這是該決定是否要度假的時候了，選D
【小題2】句意理解題：從文章第二段的句子：You might say this sounds like saying you are not very good at drinking tea or listening to music.你可能會說這就像說你不擅長喝茶和聽音樂一樣（是難以置信的）可知這句話的意思是人們會發(fā)現(xiàn)這個人是難以置信的，選A
【小題3】細(xì)節(jié)題：從文章第三段的句子：Somehow, packing a carefully itemized list of possessions and meeting a scheduled flight has none of the excitement of suddenly deciding to take a day off and driving somewhere for the fun of it.可知作者不喜歡旅游的原因可能是他厭倦于為假日做太多的準(zhǔn)備，選B
【小題4】細(xì)節(jié)題：從文章最后一段的句子：And a recent survey highlighted the downside(負(fù)面）of holidays, with the results shoeing that nearly two thirds of people found that the calming effects of a holiday wore off within 24 hours, as stress levels returned to normal.可知從調(diào)查中人們感覺度假的好處是有限的，選C
【小題5】細(xì)節(jié)題：從文章最后一段的句子：Dan Kienan, the book's editor, says that he was flooded with entries from readers for his list of awful holidays.可知作者用Awful Holidays做為例子，為了暗示很多人和他一樣不喜歡假日。選 C
考點：考查日常生活類短文
期末寶典單元檢測分類復(fù)習(xí)卷系列答案科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
The young man arrived on the Massachusetts beach early carrying a radio, a shovel(鐵鍬), and a strange set of tools: a brick layer’s trowel, a palette knife, spatulas, spoons, and a spray bottle.
He walked down near the water — the tide(潮水) was out — and switched on the radio to listen to soft rock. Then he shoveled wet sand into a pile nearly four feet high and as many feet across. Then he created a square shape.
After that, he set to work with palette knife, spatulas, and spoons. He shaped a splendid tower, topped walls, fashioned beautiful bay windows, and carved (雕刻)out a big front gate.
The man knew his sand. He smoothly finished some surfaces and carved artistic designs on others. As the shapes began to dry, he gently kept them slightly wet with water from the spray bottle, in case they might break in the wind.
All this took hours. People gathered. At last he stood back, obviously satisfied with a castle worthy of the Austrian countryside or Disneyland.
Then he gathered his tools and radio and moved them up to drier sand. He had known for a while what many in the crowd still ignored: the tide was coming in. Not only had he practiced his art with confidence and style, he also had done so against a powerful, irresistible(不可抵抗的) deadline.
As the crowd looked on, water came at the base of the castle. In minutes it was surrounded. Then the rising flood began to eat into the base, walls fell, the tower fell, and finally the gate fell. More minutes passed, and small waves erased bay windows — soon no more than a small part was left.
Many in the crowd looked terribly sad; some voiced fear and discouragement. But the man remained calm. He had, after all, had a wonderful day, making beauty out of nothing, and watching it return to nothing as time and tide moved on.
【小題1】In this passage, why did the young man start early in the day?
| A．He needed the sun to help dry the sand. |
| B．It gave plenty of time for the crowd to gather. |
| C．He knew the tide was out on this particular morning. |
| D．It was easier to begin his work with only a few people around. |
| A．It is time to begin working. |
| B．It is the end of a day’s work. |
| C．It is the busiest time of the day. |
| D．It is time for lookers-on to leave. |
| A．They were disappointed to see the art ruined. |
| B．They tried their best to save the sand castle. |
| C．They were nervous about their own belongings. |
| D．They helped the artist finish the castle. |
| A．payment for his work |
| B．personal satisfaction |
| C．popularity as an artist |
| D．a(chǎn)ttention from the crowd |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Picture a library without books? Well, I can’t. Ever since I was little I would go to the library and take out numerous books. From picture books to beginning chapter books to YA books, books have always been a part of my life. Unlike many people today, I don't own a Kindle or a Nook or any type of e-reader. I prefer the old-fashioned book. There is something about holding a book and being able to turn the pages that I find comforting. In today's 21st century, books may become obsolete. For me that's something I find scary.
I am a fan of the old TV science-fiction series Twilight Zone. One episode（一段情節(jié)）is about a librarian who has become obsolete. Though this episode aired in 1961, the writer of the series, Rod Serling was exactly on point when it came to predicting the future.
In fact, in San Antonio, Texas the first-ever bookless library in the country opened. The library is full of iMacs, tablets and iPads which cost a huge $2. 3 million. The library offers around 10,000 e-books. So the question is, is this what the future will soon be? Mary Graham, vice president of South Carolina's Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce states, "This is the future…If you're going to be building new library facilities, this is what you need to be doing."
It is our generation that will be the guinea pigs（試驗品）of increasing technology like this. Is this a good or bad thing? Well, digital libraries may help the environment by not using paper; however, I feel like something will always be lacking with a digital book. A digital library is just the beginning.
With all of this new technology, people seem to be more absorbed in their own world. One of my biggest complaints is when I am with my friends and they can't seem to get off their smart phone and talk to me. To make plans with a friend and then have them stuck on their phone the whole time is extremely rude. Not only is it disrespectful, but it reflects the direction of where human interactions are heading. Though social media is great, it also is addicting and has negative effects.
Often when I go on Facebook it just makes me feel worse about myself. I'll see many of my 800 Facebook friends showing off their newest accomplishment or acceptance to college. Additionally, our society is becoming increasingly lazy. For instance, instead of doing mental math, people use their phone to solve 89 + 74. It is simple tasks like these that are allowing people to lack important educational and social skills.
It is up to us to find a balance between technology and human values and interactions. With new technology being created every day, we need to learn how to use it alongside our great minds. After all, inventions are supposed to benefit society not harm it. In the day of technology, who knows what's next?
【小題1】The underlined word "obsolete" （Paragraph l）is closest in meaning to .
| A．outdated | B．complex | C．expensive | D．meaningless |
| A．The episode still enjoys great popularity nowadays. |
| B．Rod Serling liked making predictions about the future. |
| C．The situation of books today is similar to what Rod Serling predicted in the episode. |
| D．The episode airing in 1961 was the most entertaining of the TV science-fiction series. |
| A．It is the first-ever library in America. |
| B．It is of no practical use although it costs so much. |
| C．It holds an exhibition of much electronic equipment. |
| D．People can read e-books there with the help of the new facilities. |
| A．Great as social media is, it does have some negative effects. |
| B．With the increasing use of social media, something will actually be lost. |
| C．Through social media, people can develop educational and social skills around. |
| D．As a result of social media, people may communicate less with the people around. |
| A．Optimistic | B．Skeptical | C．Supportive | D．Objective |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Shakespeare once called the English countryside “the precious stone set in the silver sea”- and he is not the last to sing high praises of its beauty and historical charm(魅力).
The countryside is particularly beautiful during the summer, especially in August and September. As one travels the countryside, you’ll find more of its treasures: so many plants and animals, romantic castles(浪漫的城堡), secret gardens, and villages so unchanged in the last decades that they seem to have been caught under a fairy’ s spell.
Must-sees include Derbyshire, called “the heart of England” and home to the National Park. The great peaks were the muse（創(chuàng)作靈感）of the Bronte sisters (and if you love the book Jane Eyre, you can visit North Lees hall, where the real Eyre family once lived).
History lovers will enjoy a visit to Lincoln city (its most famous son is Lord Alfred Tennyson). It is also known for its cathedral(大教堂), the charming tea shops, a small castle. One would never guess its violent past—built by Romans, it was once a center for arrow(箭) making.
Harry Potter fans shouldn’t miss a visit to Alnwick, which is better recognized as the “Hogswarth” in the movies.
Let’s not leave out the Wessex region, where one can see one of England’s greatest mysteries, Stone Henge. You can also go to the City of Bath, which has been famous for its medicines springs since the Roman times. Other popular tractions include Salisbury Cathedral, and landscaped(景色優(yōu)美的) gardens of Stourhead, and the cobbled(用鵝卵石鋪的) streets of Shaftesbury. This is also home to Oxford, one of the world’s most famous universities.
Art lovers will also like a visit to East Anglia, whose landscapes inspired the painter Constable (he was born in Dedham village). This is also home of the University City of Cambridge, and the famous architectural(建筑上的) attraction, King’s College Chapel. Be sure to visit the aircraft museum of Duxford.
【小題1】What was Shakespeare’s attitude towards the English countryside?
| A．Uninterested. | B．Dissatisfied(不滿意的). |
| C．Surprised. | D．Admiring. |
| A．produced arrows in the past |
| B．will be enjoyed by music lovers |
| C．was the place where the Eyre family once lived |
| D．has one of the world’ s most famous universities |
| A．the Wessex region | B．Derbyshire | C．Yorkshire | D．Alnwick |
| A．a(chǎn) travel guide |
| B．a(chǎn) book review(書評) |
| C．a(chǎn) history paper |
| D．a(chǎn) newspaper report |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
An 80-year-old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45-year-old highly educated son. Suddenly a crow(烏鴉) rested on their window.
The father asked his son, “What is this?”
The son replied “It is a crow.”
After a few seconds the father asked his son the second time, “What is this?”
The son said, “Father, I just now told you; it is a crow.”
After a little while, the old man again asked his son the third time, “What is this?”
At this time some expression of anger was felt in the son’s tone when he said to his father, “It is a crow, a crow.”
A little later, the father again asked his son the fourth time, “What is it?”
This time the son shouted at his father, “Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again? Although I have told you so many times? It is a crow. Are you not able to understand this?”
A little later the father went to his room and came back with an old diary which he had kept since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his son to read that page. The following words were written in it:
Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa. When a crow was sitting on the window, my son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times. I did not at all feel angered. I rather felt affection for my innocent(單純的) child.
So ……
If your parents reach old age, do not look at them as a burden, but be kind to them. Be considerate to your parents.
【小題1】How many times did the father asked his son the same question?
| A．Twice. | B．Three times. |
| C．Tour times. | D．Twenty-three times. |
| A．the son’s foolishness | B．the father’s loneliness |
| C．the father’s love for his son | D．the son’s curiosity |
| A．very disappointed | B．even angrier |
| C．rather happy | D．deeply ashamed |
| A．We should be considerate to our parents. |
| B．It’s important to be a great father. |
| C．We should form the habit of keeping a diary. |
| D．Old diaries have extraordinary values. |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Handshaking, though a European practice is often seen in big cities of China. Nobody knows exactly when the practice started in Europe. It is said that long long ago in Europe when people met, they showed their unarmed(無武器的) hands to each other as a sign of friendship. As time went on and trade in cities grew rapidly, people in cities began to clap each other's hands to make a deal or to reach an agreement. This practice was later changed into shaking hands among friends on meeting or leaving each other. "Let's shake (hands) on it" sometimes means agreement reached.
Do the Europeans shake hands wherever they go and with whomever they meet? No. Sometimes the Chinese abroad reach out their hands too often to be polite. It is really very impolite to give your hand when the other party, especially when it is a woman, shows little interest in shaking hands with you and when the meeting does not mean anything to him or-her. Even if, for politeness, he holds out his unwilling hand in answer to your uninvited hand, just touch it slightly. There is generally a misunderstanding(誤解) among the Chinese that westerners are usually open and straightforward, while the Chinese are rather reserved(保守的) in manner. But in fact some people in western countries are more reserved than some Chinese today. So it is a good idea to shake hands with a westerner only when he shows interest in further relations with you.
【小題1】In the old days in Europe, people put out their unarmed hands to each other ______.
| A．to make a deal | B．to greet each other |
| C．to show friendliness | D．to reach an agreement |
| A．where handshaking was first practised |
| B．how handshaking came about |
| C．a(chǎn)bout the relationship between handshaking and trade |
| D．a(chǎn)bout the practice of handshaking both in Europe and in China |
| A．Westerners are more reserved than the Chinese. |
| B．Westerners are unwilling to shake hands. |
| C．We should make a judgement before shaking hands. |
| D．We shouldn't shake hands with European women. |
| A．to tell us some differences between the East and the West |
| B．to offer us some important facts about handshaking |
| C．to introduce us to some different customs in the West |
| D．to give us some advice before we travel abroad |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Swiss International Air lines（SWISS）will introduce daily non-stop flights between Beijing and Zurich．
The new service to the financial center of Switzerland is expected to start on Dec．12,2012，which marks an expansion of services for the Chinese market．In May 2008，SWISS already started direct flights to Shanghai．
The first flight to Europe has a special price of 2,680 yuan，which does not include taxes and fuel surcharges．
“I am delighted the airlines of Switzerland can contribute to growing economic ties between the two countries with new daily flights scheduled，”says SWISS CEO Harry Hohmeister．
“We are witnessing a growing demand for tourist travel in both directions．”
Apart from Shanghai and Hong Kong，Beijing will be the third Chinese destination for SWISS．
The new route marks a return to Beijing for SWISS：the airlines previously flew to the Chinese capital as late as June 2003．
SWISS will initially operate its new daily non-stop Beijing-Zurich flights with an Airbus A340-300（219 seats）and Airbu: A330-300（236 seats）air-crafts．
The modem SWISS business class offers the most suitable comforts since the seats can be adjusted into a two-meter-long bed．
Seating firmness and softness can be adjusted thanks to air cushions．
With the introduction of the new SWISS service from Beijing，the Lufthansa Group Airlines may attract more Chinese customers when traveling to Europe．
SWISS．Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines already connect five Chinese cities with Europe and beyond．
This airlines group is the leading European airlines network in the Chinese market．
In the summer of 2011，the Lufthansa Group operated 78 weekly flights from China including Hong Kong to Europe．
SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group as well as a member of the Star Alliance，the world's biggest airlines grouping．
【小題1】According to the passage，from Dec．12,2012， ．
| A．it will only take us a day to fly from Beijing to Zurich |
| B．we can fly directly from Beijing to Zurich |
| C．the first flight from Beijing to Europe will only cost you 2,680 yuan |
| D．the direct flight to Shanghai started by SWISS will be canceled |
| A．SWISS wants to offer good service to Chinese people． |
| B．SWISS wants to contribute to growing economic ties between the two countries |
| C．There is a growing demand for tourist travel in both directions． |
| D．SWISS wants to create more opportunity for people to work． |
| A．The Airbus can carry more passengers than other planes． |
| B．The seats in it can be adjusted into comfortable beds． |
| C．It offers all kinds of services for passengers to choose from． |
| D．It has two kinds of air cushions on its seats． |
| A．SWISS is the customer of the Lufthansa Group Airlines |
| B．Austrian Airlines is a part of SWISS． |
| C．SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group． |
| D．SWISS belongs to Austrian Airlines． |
| A．SWISS already started direct flights to Shanghai． |
| B．SWISS adds direct flights from Beijing to Europe． |
| C．Beijing will be the third Chinese destination for SWISS． |
| D．SWISS is the world's biggest airlines grouping． |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
People in cities all over the world shop in supermarkets. Who decides what you buy in the supermarket? Do you decide? Does the supermarket decide?
When you enter the supermarket, you see shelves full of food. You walk in the aisles (走道) between the shelves. You push a shopping cart and put your food in it.
You probably hear soft, slow music as you walk along the aisles. This may be an attempt to please you, so you will enjoy shopping. Some supermarkets want to increase their profits by playing soft and slow music, because the slow music makes you walk slowly and you have more time to buy things.
Fresh fruit and vegetables are usually put near the entrance. When you arrive at the supermarket, you think about the kinds of fruit and vegetables you need first. Once you’ve got that out of the way, you can relax and do the rest of the shopping without any hurry. Besides, if you see fresh goods first, it gives you a “feel good” impression of freshness, so you can not help spending your money.
Maybe you go to the meat department then. There is some meat on sale, and you want to find it. The manager of the supermarket knows where customers enter the meat department. The cheaper meat is at the other end of the meat department, away from where the customers enter. You have to walk past all the expensive meat before you find the cheaper meat. Maybe you will buy some of the expensive meat instead of the meat on sale.
Most of the food in supermarkets is very attractive. It all says “Buy me quickly!” to the customers. The fresh fruit and vegetables say “Buy me quickly!” as you walk by. The expensive meat says “Buy me quickly!” The supermarket tells you what to buy.
【小題1】Some supermarkets play soft, slow music because it ______.
| A．makes customers walk slowly and buy more |
| B．can help customers get the things they want |
| C．can make customers relaxed and happy |
| D．can tell customers exactly where to go |
| A．where customers come from |
| B．which customers like slow music |
| C．where fresh meat should be put |
| D．which customers like cheap meat |
| A．pay no attention to it | B．possibly buy some |
| C．look for some cheap meat | D．feel uncomfortable |
| A．you know where to get things |
| B．it brings you good luck |
| C．it makes you spend less money |
| D．you’ll get a fresh impression |
| A．the customers will buy more | B．it looks very expensive |
| C．the customers come often | D．it seems cheap and fine |
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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解
Plants may not have eyes and ears，but they can recognize their siblings (兄弟姐妹)，and researchers at the University of Delaware have discovered how.The ID system lies in the roots and the chemical signals they secrete (分泌)．
Canadian researchers published that sea rocket，a common seashore plant，can recognize its siblings.Susan Dudley observed that when siblings are grown next to each other in the soil，they “play nice” and don’t send out more roots to compete.However，the moment one of the plants is thrown in with strangers，it begins competing with them by rapidly growing more roots to take up the water and mineral nutrients in the soil.
After reading Dudley’s study，Bais decided to find the method behind the sibling recognition.Working in his laboratory，Bais and his doctoral student Meredith Biedrzycki set up a study with wild populations of Arabidopsis thaliana.In a series of experiments，young seedlings were exposed to liquid media containing the root secretions from siblings，from strangers，or only their own secretions.The length of the longest lateral (側(cè)面的) root was measured.The exposure of plants to the root secretions of strangers induced (引誘) greater lateral root formation than exposure of plants to sibling secretions.Strangers planted next to each other are often shorter，because so much of their energy is directed at root growth.Because siblings aren’t competing against each other，their roots are often much shallower (淺的)．
Biedrzycki did the painstaking laboratory research，observing more than 3,000 plants involved in the study every day for seven continuous days and documenting the root patterns.“Arabidopsis roots are nearly translucent (半透明的) when they are young and were also twisted when I removed them from plates，”Biedrzycki notes.“This manuscript (手稿) is very important for my research since the focus of my thesis project is understanding the biochemical ways behind root secretions.”
The research also may have implications for the home gardener.“Often we’ll put plants in the ground next to each other and when they don’t do well，we blame the local garden center where we bought them or we attribute their failure to a germ，”Bais says.“But maybe there’s more to it than that.”
【小題1】Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
| A．A Great Biology Researcher |
| B．Plants Recognize Their Siblings |
| C．Plants’ Roots and Secretions |
| D．A Research on Plants |
| A．Sea rocket. |
| B．Plants’ sensing system. |
| C．Biedrzycki’s thesis project. |
| D．Dudley’s study. |
| A．Important. | B．Adventurous. |
| C．Careful. | D．Hardworking. |
| A．The local garden center should be blamed when plants can’t grow well. |
| B．The local garden center often sells low quality seeds to customers. |
| C．Plants in the home garden can’t grow well because of the germ and seeds. |
| D．Competing against strangers，plants in the home garden can’t grow well. |
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