American author Mark Twain once noted that “l(fā)ife would be surely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18.” Twain’s words were only one of many complaints about aging. The ancient Greek poet Homer called old age “hateful”, and William Shakespeare termed it “terrible winter”.
Alexander the Great, who conquered most of the known world before he died around 323 B.C., may have been looking for a river that healed the ravages of age. During the 12th century A.D., a king called Prester John ruled a land that had a river of gold and a fountain of youth.
But the name linked most closely to the search for a fountain of youth is 16th-century Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon. He thought it would be found in Florida. In St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S., there’s a tourist attraction. It is said to be the fountain of youth that Ponce de Leon discovered soon after he arrived in what is now Florida in 1513. However, elderly visitors who drink the spring’s water don’t turn into teenagers.
But the tale of the search for a fountain of youth is so appealing that it survives anyway, says Ryan K. Smith, a professor of history. “People are more attracted by the story of looking and not finding than they are by the idea that the fountain might be out there somewhere.”
Still, a few grains of truth have helped to support the story. Kathleen Deagan, a professor of archaeology, says a graveyard and the remains of a Spanish mission dating back to St. Augustine’s founding in 1565 have been discovered near the so-called fountain of youth. Michelle Reyna, a spokesperson for the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, says the fountain has been a tourist attraction since at least 1901 and may have been attracting visitors since 1860.
【小題1】According to the passage, who searched for a fountain of youth_________?

A.Ponce de Leon B.William Shakespeare.  
C.Kathleen Deagan D.Michelle Reyna 
【小題2】What does the underlined word “ravages” in the second paragraph probably mean_______?
A.Growth B.Limits  C.Damages  D.Benefits 
【小題3】What is the attitude of people towards the fountain of youth________?
A.People find much pleasure in looking for it. 
B.People believe the existence of it somewhere. 
C.People have no interest in searching for it. 
D.People consider the idea of the fountain of youth absurd. 
【小題4】The passage mainly tells us ________.
A.how the fountain of youth came into being 
B.why some famous people hate becoming old 
C.how to remain young forever  
D.whether the fountain of youth exists 
【小題5】Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage_________?
A.The underlined words “the story” refers to Alexander the Great ruling a land that had a river of gold and a fountain of youth. 
B.Augustine, which is the oldest city in the U.S, lies in Florida. 
C.Some elderly visitors find themselves younger after drinking the water from the fountain of youth. 
D.Kathleen Deagan is the spokesperson for the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park. 


【小題1】A
【小題2】C
【小題3】A
【小題4】D
【小題5】B

解析試題分析:美國著名作家馬克吐溫曾說過“如果我們能夠從80歲出生,然后逐漸長到18歲,這樣會更快樂一些”,對衰老抱有怨言的還有古希臘詩人荷馬、莎士比亞等。
【小題1】根據(jù)第三段“But the name linked most closely to the search for a fountain of youth is 16th-century Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon.”可知,西班牙探險家Juan Ponce de Leon曾經(jīng)尋找過長生不老的方法,故選A。
【小題2】根據(jù)第一段可知,人們討厭衰老,a river that healed the ravages of age能夠治愈衰老的一條河,the ravages of age指的是年齡的衰老,ravage意為“破壞”,故選C。
【小題3】根據(jù)第四段“People are more attracted by the story of looking and not finding than they are by the idea that the fountain might be out there somewhere.”可知,人們對尋找長生不老的故事更感興趣,故選A。
【小題4】根據(jù)第二、三、五段“had a river of gold and a fountain of youth ...However, elderly visitors who drink the spring’s water don’t turn into teenagers. ...Still, a few grains of truth have helped to support the story.”可知,文章主要講的是長生不老是否真的存在,故選D。
【小題5】根據(jù)第三段“In St. Augustine, the oldest city in the U.S., ...he arrived in what is now Florida in 1513”可知,St. Augustine是美國最古老的城市,它位于現(xiàn)在的佛羅里達(dá),故選B。
考點:歷史類短文閱讀

練習(xí)冊系列答案
相關(guān)習(xí)題

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Popeye the Sailor first became a popular cartoon in the 1930s.The sailor in that cartoon ate lots of spinach to make him strong. People watched him, and they began to buy and eat a lot more spinach. Popeye helped sell 33 percent more spinach than before! Spinach became a necessary part of many people’s diets. Even some children who hated the taste began to eat the vegetable.
Many people thought that the iron in spinach made Popeye strong, but this is not true. Spinach does not have any more iron than any other green vegetable.
People only thought spinach had a lot of iron because the people who studied the food made a mistake. In the 1890s, a group of people studied what was inside vegetables. This group said that spinach had ten times more iron than it did. The group wrote the number wrong, and everyone accepted it.
Today, we know that the little iron in spinach cannot make a difference in how strong a person is. However, spinach does have something else which the body needs—folic acid.
It is interesting to point out that folic acid can help make a person strong. Maybe it was really the folic acid that made Popeye strong all along.
【小題1】A good title for this reading passage is______.

A.Popeye the Sailor B.The Truth About Spinach
C.A Mistake with Numbers D.Folic Acid Makes You Strong
【小題2】Why did many people eat spinach after they saw Popeye the Sailor?
A.They thought spinach made them strong.
B.They thought Popeye was funny.
C.Spinach had a lot of iron.
D.People liked folic acid.
【小題3】A research group told people that spinach______.
A.made Popeye strong
B.was a green vegetable
C.had less iron than other green vegetables
D.had more iron than other green vegetables
【小題4】The reading passage says that perhaps Popeye got his strength from______.
A.iron B.folic acid C.spinach D.exercise

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

A Festival for the Dead is held once a year in Japan. This festival is a cheerful occasion, for on this day, the dead are said to return to their homes and they are welcomed by the living. As they are expected to be hungry after their long journey, food is laid out for them. Specially­made lanterns(燈籠) are hung outside each house to help the dead to find their way. All night long, people dance and sing. In the early morning, the food that had been laid out for the dead is thrown into a river or into the sea as it is considered unlucky for anyone living to eat it. In towns that are near the sea, the tiny lanterns which had been hung in the streets the night before, are placed into the water when the festival is over. Thousands of lanterns slowly drift out to sea guiding the dead on their return journey to the other world. This is a moving spectacle(景象,場面), for crowds of people stand on the shore watching the lanterns drifting away until they can be seen no more.
【小題1】The festival is a cheerful one,because________.

A.people specially make some lanterns
B.a(chǎn)ll night long, people dance and sing
C.people make much delicious food
D.the dead are said to return to their homes and are welcomed by the living
【小題2】Specially­made lanterns(燈籠) are hung outside each house to________.
A.help the dead to find their way
B.a(chǎn)dd the cheerful atmosphere
C.welcome the dead to go home
D.help the dead to find the food
【小題3】What happens to the lanterns at the end of the festival?
A.The lanterns are put away to be used next year.
B.They are thrown away.
C.They are placed into the water.
D.They are hung outside all the way.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

A Korean wave is sweeping across China, with many Chinese women worshipping South Korean actors Kim Soo Hyun and Lee Min Ho as demigods (半神半人). Chinese netizens have always been divided over South Korean TV dramas, but there is no doubt that programs from the neighboring country are now enjoying a new round of popularity in China. And a big part of the credit for that goes to You Who Came From The Star, the South Korean TV series which is on the air now.
Top South Korean actors Jun Ji-hyun and Kim Soo Hyun recently earned a popularity rating of 24.8 percent in their country, considered strong by Nielsen Korea. You Who Came From The Star and The Heirs have been subjects of hot online discussions throughout Asia. Besides, the book, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, read by the hero in You Who Came From The Star was a hard-to-get item on Amazon for a while.
The two TV programs have several common elements: a tall, handsome, and rich hero who loves the heroine blindly and always protects her, and an equally handsome man madly in love with the same woman. Both programs portray the purity of love, which is expressed through a kiss or a warm hug. Perhaps that’s the secret of their success; perhaps people are still fascinated by Cinderella-type stories.
The growing wealth gap is a matter of social concern both in South Korea and China, and the challenges that young people face in their search for a better life might have prompted (激起) many ordinary girls to dream of marrying rich, caring men. This is precisely what the popular South Korean TV dramas portray. In fact, South Korean TV dramas are tailored to meet the market’s demands.
In contrast, Chinese TV screens are flooded by knock-off (山寨) or poorly made soap operas. There are too many Chinese TV dramas that are either of the stereotyped (刻板的) war theme or just blindly copy foreign programs. The lack of good stories has resulted in loads of TV series on time travel or fights in the harems (后宮) of Qing Dynastyemperors. These, in short, are the pain of Chinese TV productions.
The shooting for South Korean productions generally starts when the scripts (腳本) are just one-third ready. Many popular productions have their own websites, where scriptwriters post part of the finished scripts, inviting viewers to leave messages, discuss the plot and come up with suggestions for future events. This not only keeps viewers’ interest in the TV dramas alive, but also helps scriptwriters and directors make changes to the storylines to suit the audience’s demand.
Hopefully, the innovation-induced (創(chuàng)新引導(dǎo)的) success of South Korean TV programs will prompt Chinese TV drama makers to think up new ideas and abandon their bad practice of copying foreign productions in order to attract more viewers at home, and possibly abroad.
【小題1】The main point the author emphasizes in this passage is ________.

A.why Korean actors are more popular than Chinese actors
B.how the three Korean actors became famous around East Asia
C.what modern TV dramas need is not copying foreign programs but innovation
D.the Cinderella-type stories are an ever-lasting theme people are fascinated with
【小題2】Which of the following best explains people’s favor for The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane?
A.The celebrity effect is powerful.
B.Drama stars are the best advertisements.
C.Rich and handsome heroes in dramas usually love reading.
D.A successful drama generally originates from a good novel.
【小題3】According to the passage, the secret to Korean TV dramas’ being successful is that ________.
A.drama stars must be tall, rich and handsome or beautiful
B.scriptwriters should choose the appropriate themes for all viewers
C.drama producers have creative ideas to adapt to viewers’ interest and demand
D.people’s concerns such as wealth gap both in Korea and China are taken good care of
【小題4】What does the last paragraph imply?
A.Abandoning copying foreign productions is the only way to attract viewers.
B.The Chinese TV drama makers should follow in the footsteps of the Koreans.
C.It’s hard to predict what the future TV dramas in China and Korea will be like.
D.A bright future of Chinese TV dramas can be expected prompted by the Koreans.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

China’s new term, tuhao, may be in next year’s Oxford English Dictionary. The word caught the attention of the dictionary's editing team after BBC’s recent program on influential Chinese words. “If its influence continues, it is very likely to appear on our updated list of words,” said Julie Kleeman, project manager with the editing team.
In Chinese tu means uncouth (笨拙的) and hao means rich. It has traditionally been referred to rich people who throw their weight around in China’s countryside. The word became more popular in September with the launch of Apple’s new gold-colored iPhone, which is loved by China’s rich people. The color became known as “tuhao gold.” The word is now also used by the online community to refer to people who have the cash but lack the class to go with it. Kleeman also mentioned two other Chinese words — dama and hukou — which may also make it into the dictionary.
People can have an intuitive (直觀的) grasp of the meanings if they see pinyin, Kleeman said, adding that people avoid using an English word to keep the original meaning.
“We have nearly 120 Chinese-linked words now in Oxford English Dictionary,” she said. Some of them are: Guanxi, which means “connection”; Taikonaut, a mix of taikong, meaning outer space, and astronaut.
The new words will be first uploaded on the official website before the dictionaries arrive. The online version is also renewed every three months. “It at least broke our old rules. It used to take 10 years to include a new word but now we keep the pace with the time,” according to a statement from ex-chief-editor John Simpson.
【小題1】Which of the following statements is true according to the text?

A.Dama and hukou have made it into Oxford English dictionary.
B.Some influential Chinese words appeared on one of BBC’s recent programs.
C.tuhao refers to people who have both the cash and the class.
D.John Simpson thinks that it is not good to break old rules.
【小題2】What does the underlined part in paragraph 2 mean?
A.Give orders to others. B.Get ready to help others.
C.Go on a diet. D.Put on weight.
【小題3】Tuhao becomes more popular in September partly because ______.
A.it is very likely to appear in Oxford English Dictionary
B.it is often used by the online community
C.people use Chinese pinyin to keep the original meaning
D.Apple launched a new gold-colored iPhone
【小題4】The main idea of the text is that ______.
A.tuhao may end up in Oxford English Dictionary
B.sometimes pinyin makes Chinese words better understood
C.tuhao has a new meaning at the present time
D.Oxford English Dictionary Includes new words faster than before

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Traditional Japanese food is surely one of the healthiest and most delicious in the world, and fortunately for most of us, foods like tofu, sushi and even green tea are now familiar and can be found easily out of Japan. As a national cuisine(烹飪), thanks to many social as well as political changes, Japanese food has greatly developed over the past few centuries. In ancient times, when much of the traditional cuisine was influenced by Korean and Chinese cultures, Japanese cuisine slowly changed with the start of the medieval(中世紀(jì)的)period, which brought along with it new tastes.
With the coming of the modern age, a great many changes took place and the Japanese cuisine was influenced greatly by Western culture. However, the traditional Japanese food of today is still very like what existed toward the end of the 19th century. This would mean that a large part of the Japanese cuisine includes those foods whose cooking methods and ingredients(原料)have been introduced from other cultures, but which have since then been experimented with and developed by the Japanese themselves.
The thing about Japanese food is that you either will love it or will completely look down upon it. With traditional Japanese food, there is no such thing as an in-between. However, chances are that if you hate Japanese food, then you probably haven’t even tasted real Japanese food or you simply haven’t given yourself the chance to like it. Unlike other cuisines, Japanese food is not something that you will appreciate after having only a bite. Like wines and cigars, Japanese food needs time to be liked.
【小題1】 After reading the whole passage, we learn that this passage mainly         .

A.a(chǎn)dvises us to eat healthy food is so healthy
B.explains why Japanese food is so healthy
C.introduces some famous traditional Japanese food
D.tells us something about traditional Japanese food
【小題2】What does the writer mean by saying “fortunately for most of us”?
A.That most people know how to prepare tofu and sushi themselves.
B.That most traditional Japanese food can be enjoyed everywhere.
C.That we can enjoy some traditional Japanese food out of Japan.
D.That Japanese food like tofu, sushi and even green tea is not strange to us.
【小題3】What can we learn from the passage?
A.Japanese food changed most during the medieval period.
B.Japanese food has been greatly influenced by other cultures.
C.The traditional Japanese food of today tastes totally different from that in the past.
D.Korean food is also one of the healthiest foods in the world.
【小題4】The last paragraph suggests that      .
A.healthy food usually doesn’t taste good
B.not everyone likes Japanese food
C.some people are crazy about Japanese food
D.it’s very easy to tell whether the food is real Japanese food or not
【小題5】 In the writer’s opinion, Japanese food        .
A.is not as good as people think
B.sometimes tastes really terrible
C.is worth tasting a second time
D.tastes as good as Chinese food

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

How words came into being is unknown. All we assume(推測)is that some early men invented certain sounds, in one way or another, to express thoughts and feelings, actions and things, so that they could talk with each other. Later they agreed upon certain signs, called letters, which could be put together to show those sounds, and which could be written down. Those sounds, whether spoken or written in letters, are called words.
The power of words, then, lies in their associations - the things they bring up to our minds. Words become filled with meaning for us by experience; and the longer we live, the more certain words bring back to us the happy and sad events of our past; and the more we read and learn, the more the number of words that mean something to us increases.
Great writers are those who not only have great thoughts but also express these thoughts in words which have powerful effects on our minds and feelings. This clever use of words is what we call literary style(文體). Above all, the real poet is a master of words. He can express his meaning in words which sing like music and which by their position and association can move men to tears. We should therefore learn to choose our words carefully and use them correctly, or they will make our speech silly and common.
【小題1】We learn from the text that language might have begun with           

A.a(chǎn)ctions B.expressions C.sounds D.signs
【小題2】What is mainly discussed in Paragraph 2?
A.The relation of human experience with words.
B.The gradual change and development of words.
C.The learning of new words.
D.The importance of old words.
【小題3】In the last paragraph, what does the author suggest that we should do?
A.Associate with listeners. B.Make musical speeches.
C.Learn poems by heart. D.Use words skillfully.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Make some noise on May 7 for Music Monday.People in the U.S. and Canada will be celebrating the day by singing and playing musical instruments together.
Music Monday is the first day of National Wanna Play Music Week,which runs from May 7 to 13.The National Association of Music Merchants(NAMM) organizes the week­long celebration every year.This marks the seventh year the organization is teaming up with Canada’s Coalition for Music Education(CME),the group that started Music Monday.
“It’s a day to fill the skies with music and bring young people together in song,” CME Executive Director Holly Nimmons said.
The CME started Music Monday in 2005.It is held every year on the first Monday of May.It was created to help people realize the importance of music education programs in schools and in communities.The day also celebrates the benefits of playing music for people of all ages.
NAMM researches the effects of music on children.They found that playing music has positive effects on thinking skills and on confidence.It also teaches self­discipline(自律) and helps kids bond with their peers(同齡人).“Learning musical skills can also help in your studies of other subjects,such as math,reading and language,” Lora Bodmer,who works at NAMM,said.
Their studies show that music can also help people form friendships and connect with different groups.Nimmons says anyone can join in on the day,not just those who are musically gifted.“I think that we all have the music in us,and it’s a matter of confidence,” she said.“Sing with other people or beat drums,just enjoy the music.”
Participants can turn on the radio to join the fun.Each year a song is assigned to Music Monday.This year the song is “Tomorrow Is Coming” by Luke Doucet.The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation(CBC) will be playing the tune at 1 p.m. Eastern Time.People across North America will play or sing the song at the exact same time.The performance is meant to connect people through melody(旋律).More than 700,000 students took part in the concert last year.
Schools,after­school programs,organizations,groups and individuals throughout the U.S. and Canada can all participate in Music Monday.Students who would like to share in the celebration should let their teachers or organization leaders know.But NAMM also encourages people to pick up any instrument and play anytime on the day.
【小題1】What can we learn about Music Monday?

A.National Wanna Play Music Week begins on Music Monday.
B.People can’t sing every day except on Music Monday.
C.Music Monday will last at least seven days.
D.Students can enjoy music on Music Monday freely.
【小題2】The purpose of National Wanna Play Music Week is to ________.
A.a(chǎn)dvise young people to learn music
B.help students to learn music better
C.get schools and communities closely united
D.call on people to pay more attention to music education
【小題3】Which of the following may be the benefit of music to kids?
A.Kids can get rid of many bad habits.
B.Kids are most likely to do well in their lessons.
C.Kids would like to play with other friends more.
D.Kids will get on well with their parents at home.
【小題4】What do the last two paragraphs mainly tell us?
A.How people will celebrate Music Monday.
B.What students should do on Music Monday.
C.Why a theme song is chosen for Music Monday.
D.Where the celebration of Music Monday will be held.

查看答案和解析>>

科目:高中英語 來源: 題型:閱讀理解

Ever since he got into the Hong Kong film industry in 1994 with He’s a Woman, She’s a Man, Hong Kong director, Peter Chan has been one of the industry’s most powerful voices. Later in 1996, another milestone Comrades: Almost a Love Story came into being. Chan’s latest film, American Dreams in China is a carefully-calculated film with an eye toward opening the mainland cinema market.
American Dreams in China is a film purely for Chinese audiences, but how it plays there remains to be seen. It sends the right messages, but whether that’s enough to make it a hit is everyone’s guess. Mainland audiences aren’t quite that easy to “speak” to.
The film began during the period of economic reforms in China in the 1980s. The bookish farm boy Cheng Dongqing (Huang Xiaoming), the ambitious and confident boy Meng Xiaojun (Deng Chao) and the poetic Wang Yang(Tong Dawei), were three friends at university in Beijing and preparing for American visa interviews. Wang was the first to be granted the visa but he gave it up for his western girlfriend, and Cheng was repeatedly denied. Only Meng actually got a study visa. As he was leaving, he told his friends that he wouldn’t come back.
Several years later, Cheng and Wang built a successful school, New Dream, from the ashes of Cheng’s misfortune(his girlfriend got a visa too, and Cheng lost his university teaching job) and Wang’s ability to connect with students often through Hollywood movies. In America, Meng suffered a lot. Disappointed, he went home and joined his friends at New Dream. Later, the three friends’ relationship became worsened, but finally was improved under the weight of their common goals.
【小題1】Which of the following films made Peter Chan a most influential director in Hong Kong?

A.American Dreams in China
B.Comrades: Almost a Love Story
C.New Dream
D.He’s a Woman, She’s a Man
【小題2】The underlined word “granted” (in paragraph 3) probably means “_________”.
A.prepared B.given C.involved D.permitted
【小題3】When the three men made preparations for American visa interviews, how many was/were offered a visa?
A.None B.One. C.Three. D.Two
【小題4】What led Cheng and Wang to start a business?
A.The connection with Hollywood movies.
B.The weight of their common goals.
C.Cheng’s misfortune and Wang’s ability.
D.Meng’s disappointment and sufferings.

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習(xí)冊答案