Violin prodigies（神童）, I learned, have come in distinct waves from distinct regions. Most of the great performers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were born and brought up in Russia and Eastern Europe. I asked Isaac Stern, one of the world’s greatest violinists, the reason for this phenomenon. “It’s very clear, “he told me. “They were all Jews and Jews at the time were severely oppressed and ill-treated in that part of the world. They were not allowed into the professional fields, but they were allowed to achieve excellence on a concert stage.” As a result, every Jewish parent’s dream was to have a child in the music school because it was a passport to the West.
Another element in the emergence of prodigies, I found, is a society that values excellence in a certain field and is able to nurture (培育) talent. Nowadays the most nurturing societies seem to be in the Far East. “In Japan, a most competitive society with stronger discipline than ours,” says Isaac Stern, “children are ready to test their limits every day in many fields, including music. When Western music came to Japan after World War II, that music not only became part of their daily lives, but it became a discipline as well.” The Koreans and Chinese, as we know, are just as highly motivated as the Japanese.
That’s a good thing, because even prodigies must work hard. Next to hard work, biological inheritance plays an important role in the making of a prodigy. J. S. Bach, for example, was the top of several generations of musicians, and four of his sons had significant careers in music.
小題1:Jewish parents in Eastern Europe longed for their children to attend music school because ______.   
A．it would allow them access to a better life in the West
B．Jewish children are born with excellent musical talent
C．they wanted their children to enter into the professional fields
D．it would enable the family to get better treatment in their own country
小題2: Nurturing societies as mentioned in the passage refer to societies that ______.
A．enforce strong discipline on students who want to achieve excellence
B．treasure talent and provide opportunities for its full development
C．encourage people to compete with each other
D．promise talented children high positions
小題3:Japan is described in the passage as a country that attaches importance to ______.
A．a(chǎn)ll-rounded developmentB．the learning of Western music
C．strict training of childrenD．variety in academic studies
小題4:Which of the following contributes to the emergence of musical prodigies according to the passage?
A．A natural gift.B．Extensive knowledge of music.
C．Very early training.D．A prejudice-free society.

小題1:A
小題1:B
小題1:C
小題1:A
略
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

I’ve loved my mother’s desk since I was just tall enough to see above the top of it as mother sat doing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be the most wonderful thing in the world.
Years later, during her final illness, mother kept different things for my sister and brother. “But the desk,” she said again, “is for Elizabeth.”
I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it in action. But as a young girl, I wanted heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter.
They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was “too emotional(易動(dòng)感情的)”. But she lived “on the surface”.
As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive me.
I posted the letter and waited for her answer, none came.
My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace. It seemed that nothing happened. I couldn’t be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.
Now the present of her desk told me that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work though she’d never been able to. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside — a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded(折疊) and refolded many times.
Give me an answer, my letter asks, in any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words.
小題1:The writer began to love her mother’s desk _______.
A．a(chǎn)fter Mother diedB．before she became a writer
C．when she was a child D．when mother gave it to her
小題2:The passage shows that _______.
A．Mother was cold on the surface but kind in her heart to her daughter
B．Mother was too serious about everything her daughter had done
C．Mother cared much about her daughter in words
D．Mother wrote to her daughter in careful words.
小題3: The world “gulf” in the passage means _______.
A．deep understanding between the old and the young.
B．different ideas between the mother and the daughter.
C．free talks between mother and daughter.
D．part of the sea going far in land.
小題4:What did Mother do with her daughter’s letter asking for forgiveness?
A．She had never received the letter.
B．For years, she often talked about the letter.
C．She didn’t forgive her daughter at all in all her life.
D．She read the letter again and again till she died.
小題5: What’s the best title of the passage?
A．My letter to MotherB．Mother and Children
C．My Mother’s DeskD．Talks between Mother and me.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A quarrel at home may result in your falling ill. Don’t laugh, it’s true. Family matters including living habits and even the way we speak have a big effect on our health, doctors say.
Wang Xiaoyu, a Senior 2 girl from Xichang, Sichuan Province, fainted (暈倒) in class when she heard her classmates quarrel at the top of their voices. Quarrels between her parents also put the girl into a coma. It is because she is suffering from depression (抑郁癥), caused by bad relations at home, doctors explained.
“We don’t get sick or stay well by ourselves,” says Dr Robert Ferrer from the US. Ferrer shows that family forces may explain up to a quarter of health problems, in his recent research. The genes you get from your family may cause illness. If one of your parents has a heart attack, your risk of being affected may double. But effects on health are not only written in our DNA.
Unrelated people who live under the same roof also get similar problems. Diet, lifestyle and environment affect our health, too. Ferrer’s research also found that if teenagers feel they are ignored or unimportant at home they are more likely to get sick.
We may never fully understand all the effects that families have on our health. But just as individual (個(gè)別的) problems can have effects on others, a small improvement can have big benefits, Ferrer said.
小題1: Which of the following can best explain why Wang Xiaoyu fainted in class?
A．Because her classmates often quarreled in class.
B．Because her parents used to quarrel.
C．Because of her depression caused by bad family relations.
D．Because her classmates shouted loudly at her.
小題2: According to Dr Ferrer, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．We get sick or stay well by ourselves.
B．Only the genes we get from our family have a big effect on our health.
C．Our health has nothing to do with diet, lifestyle and environment.
D．Teenagers who are ignored at home get sick more easily than those who are not.
小題3: The underlined word “coma” in Paragraph2 probably means ________.
A．surpriseB．faintC．tirednessD．sadness
小題4:The best title for this passage is ________.
A．Family relations.B．The reasons why we get sick.
C．Family---- another cause to healthD．A research about health.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet fighter pilot in Viet Nam. After 75 missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb parachuted down into enemy hands. He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist Vietnamese prison.
One day, Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant when a man from another table came up and said “You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Viet Nam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!”
“How in the world did you know that?” asked Plumb.
“I packed your parachute,” the man replied. “I guess it worked”. Plumb assured him, “It sure did. If your chute（降落傘） hadn’t worked, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Plumb couldn’t sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, “I kept wondering what he looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat, a bib in the back, and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said ‘Good morning. How are you?’ or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was ‘just a sailor’”.
Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds(傘罩) and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn’t know.
Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please, thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize people who pack your parachutes.
小題1:Why didn’t Plumb say hello to the sailor each time he passed him on the Kitty Hawk?
A．He thought the sailor was just an unimportant man.
B．He didn’t like him at that time.
C．He was very busy then.
D．He didn’t know him well then.
小題2: What did the sailor do on the Kitty Hawk at the Viet Nam War?
A．weaved clothes for the pilots.B．repaired the wooden table in the ship.
C．helped the jets start.D．packed the parachutes for the fighter pilots.
小題3: What does the writer think we should do?
A．We should help each other if they are in trouble.
B．We shouldn’t look down upon the sailors.
C．We should be thankful to others’ help.
D．We should be honest to our friends.
小題4: Which is the best title for the passage?
A．A story about a sailor.B．Who pack your parachutes?
C．Don’t forget your past!D．Never forget your friends!

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

I was very disappointed not to be able to go to the jazz concert last Friday. The announcement in the paper said that you could buy tickets at the theater box office in Richland Hills any day between 10:00 and 4:00. Since I work from 9 o’clock to 5:30, the only time I could go to the theater was during my 45-minute lunch break. Unfortunately, the theater is on the other side of the town, and the bus service between my office and Richland Hills is not very good. But if you are lucky, you can make the round trip in 45 minutes. Last Monday, I stood at the bus stop for fifteen minutes waiting for a bus. By the time I saw one come around the corner, there was not enough time left to make the trip—so I gave up and went back to the office. The same thing happened on Tuesday, and again on Wednesday. On Thursday, my luck changed, I got on a bus right away and arrived at the theatre in exactly twenty minutes. When I got there, however, I found a long line of people at the box office. I heard one man say he had been waiting in line for over an hour. Realizing I would not have enough time to wait in line, I caught the next bus and headed back across the town. By Friday I realized my only hope was to make the trip by taxi. It was expensive, but I felt it would be worth hearing the concert. The trip by taxi only took 10 minutes, but it felt like an hour to me. When I got to the theatre, I was relieved to see that nobody was waiting in line. The reason, I quickly discovered, was that they had already sold all the tickets.
小題1:The writer is probably ______.
A．workerB．a(chǎn) college teacher
C．manager of a companyD．a(chǎn) clerk
小題2:He learned ______ that there would be a concert last Friday.
A．from his friendsB．from one of his colleagues
C．over the radioD．from the newspaper
小題3:He could go and buy the ticket ______.
A．a(chǎn)ny day before work hoursB．both before and after work hours
C．only during lunch timeD．on Saturday and Sunday
小題4:The word “relieved” in the last two sentences may best be replaced by “______”.
A．surprisedB．pleasedC．puzzledD．sorry
小題5:The story is about ______.
A．a(chǎn) good concert
B．someone enjoying a good concert
C．someone trying to buy concert tickets for his friends
D．someone’s disappointment at not being able to go to the concert

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

There is famous story about British poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge．He was writing a poem when he was interrupted by a knock at the door．
This was an age before telephones．Someone was delivering a message．When Colcridge got back to his poem, he had lost his inspiration．His poetic mood had been broken by the knock on his
door．His unfinished poem, which could otherwise have been a masterpiece, would now never be more than a fragment(碎片,片段)．
This story tells how unexpected communication can destroy an important thought, which brings us to the cell phone．
The most common complaint about cell phones is that people talk on them to the annoyance of people around them．But marc damaging may be the cell phone’s disruption of our thoughts．
We have already entered a golden age of little white lies about our call phones, and this is by and large a healthy, productive development．" I didn't hear it ring" or " I didn't realize my cell phone had shut off" arc among the lies we tell to give ourselves space where we’re beyond reach．
The notion or idea of being unreachable is not a new concept-we havoc "Do Not Disturb" signs on the doors of hotel rooms． So why must we feel guilty when it comes to cell phones? Why must we apologize if we decide to shut off the phone for a while?
The problem is that we come from a long-established tradition of difficulty with distance communication．Until the recent mass deployment of cell phones, it was easy to communicate with someone next to us or a few feet away, but difficult with someone across town, the country or the
globe．We came to take it for granted．
But cell phones make long-distance communication common, and endanger our time by ourselves．Now time alone, or conversation with someone next to us which cannot be interrupted by a phone, is something to be cherished．Even cell phone devotees, myself usually included, can't help at times wanting to throw their cell phone away, or curse the day they were invented．
But we don't and won't, and there really is no need．All that's required to take back our private time is a general social recognition that we have the right to it．
In other words, we have to develop a healthy contempt for the rings of our phones．Given the case of making and receiving cell phone calls, if we don-t talk to the caller right now, we surely will shortly later．
A cell phone call deserves no greater priority than a random word from a person next to us．Though the call on my cell phone may be the one-in-a-million from Steven Spielberg-who has  finally read my novel and wants to make it his next movie．But most likely it is not, and I'm better
off thinking about the idea I just had for a new story, or the pizza I’ll eat for lunch．
小題1:What's the point of the anecdote about poet Coleridge in the first three paragraphs?
A．To direct readers' attention to the main topic．
B．To show how important inspiration is to a poet．
C．To emphasize the disadvantage of not having a cell phone．
D．To encourage readers to read the works of this poet．
小題2:What does the writer thinks about people telling "white lies" about their cell phones?
A．It is a way of signaling that you don-t like the caller．
B．It is natural to tell lies about small things．
C．It is basically a good way to protect one's privacy．
D．We should feel guilty when we can't tell the truth．
小題3:According to the author, what is the most annoying problem caused by cell phones?
A．People get so bothered by the cell phone rings that they fail to notice anything else.
B．People feel guilty when they are not able to answer their cell phones.
C．Cell phones interrupt people’s private time.
D．With cell phones it is no longer possible to be unreachable.
小題4:What does the underlined word “contempt” probably mean?
A．Habit.B．Disrespect.C．Like.D．Value.
小題5:What does last paragraph suggest?
A．A person who calls us from afar deserves more of our attention.
B．Steven Spielberg once called the author to talk about the author’s novel.
C．You should always finish your lunch before you answer a call on the cell phone.
D．Never let cell phones interfere too much with your life.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

   Will it matter if you don't have your breakfast? A short time ago, a test was given in the United States. People of different ages, from 12 to 83, were asked to have a test. During the test, these people were given all kinds of breakfasts, and sometimes they got no breakfast at all. Scientists wanted to see how well their bodies worked when they had different kinds of breakfasts.
The rules show that if a person eats a right breakfast, he or she will work better than if he or she has no breakfast. If a student has fruit , eggs, bread and milk before going to school ,he or she will learn more quickly and listen more carefully in class.
The result is opposite to what some people think. Having no breakfast will not help them lose weight. This is because they are so hungry at noon that eat too much for lunch. They will gain weight instead of losing it. You will lose weight if you reduce your other meals.
小題1:During the test, the people were given _________.
A．no breakfast at allB．different breakfast or sometimes none
C．very rich breakfastD．little food for breakfast
小題2:Scientists wanted to know whether __________
A．breakfast had any effect on work and studies. B．people were interested in breakfast
C．breakfast did harm to people’s healthD．people would work better without breakfast
小題3: According to the passage, some people think without breakfast they will ____
A．lose weightB．get a good result in their work
C．gain weightD．not be hungry at all.
小題4: Which of the following sciences is not right?
A．It is bad for your health to have no breakfast.
B．No breakfast and more lunch may make you fatter.
C．The more breakfast you have, the more quickly you will learn in class.
D．If you don't eat much for lunch and supper, you may lose weight.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的A、B、C和D項(xiàng)中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。
Michael, a typical American, stays home on workdays. He plugs into his personal computer terminal in order to connect with the office. After work, he puts on his headphones, watches a movie on his home video recorder, or plays baseball on the computer. On many days, Michael doesn’t talk to any other human beings, and he doesn’t see any people except the ones on television. Michael is imaginary, but his life style is very possible. The inventions of modern technology seem to be cutting us off from contact with our fellow human beings.
The world of business is one area in which technology is isolating us. Experts say, for example, that many people will soon be able to work at home. With access to a large central computer, employees such as office clerks, insurance agents, and accountants could do their jobs at display terminals in their own homes. They would never have to actually see the people they’re dealing with. In addition, the way employees are paid will change. Workers’ salaries will be automatically paid into their
bank accounts, making paper checks unnecessary. No workers will stand in line to receive their pay or cash their check. Personal banking will change, too. Customers will deal with machines to put in or take out money from their accounts. Another area that technology is changing is entertainment. Music, for instance, was once a group experience. People listened to music at concert halls or in small social gatherings. For many people now, however, music is an individual experience. Walking along the street or sitting in their living rooms, they wear headphones to build a wall of music around them. Movie entertainment is changing, too. Movies used to be social events. Now fewer people are going out to see a movie. Many more are choosing to wait for a film to appear on television or are borrowing videotapes to watch at home. Instead of laughing with others, viewers watch movies in their own living rooms.
小題1:After work, Michael likes to ________.
A．listen to music at the concert hall
B．watch a movie in his living room
C．run a program on his computer in his office
D．play baseball with his workmates
小題2:Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A．Clerks will be able to work at home.
B．One can play baseball on the computer.
C．One can listen to music without disturbing others.
D．One can borrow books from libraries at home.
小題3:The sentence “Michael is imaginary, but his lifestyle is very possible” means ________.
A．Michael is a person full of imagination and he can make his dreams come true
B．Michael is not a real person but the lifestyle does exist
C．Michael has ambitions but he can’t make his dreams come true
D．Michael is a person full of imagination and his lifestyle is common nowadays
小題4:What will the author most probably discuss after the last paragraph?
A．Games and sports.B．Personal banking.
C．Music and films.D．International business.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Time magazine named Russian President Vladimir Putin its  "Person of the Year" for 2007 on Wednesday, saying he had returned his country from chaos（混亂）to "the table of world power" though at a cost of democratic principles.
He doesn't care about civil liberties; he doesn't care about free speech; he cares about stability. But Putin, 55, is enormously popular in Russia, presiding over a resurgent economy based on income from oil and natural gas. On the other hand, stability is what Russia needed and that's why Russians adore（愛(ài)戴）him.
Time magazine said on its Web site that Putin, the son of a factory worker had led Russia with persistence, a sharp vision and a sense that he showed the spirit of "Mother Russia".
The selection came days after Putin announced a plan to hold onto power after his term ends next year. Putin said on Monday that if his close ally(盟友），Dmitry Medvedev, won the presidency, he would serve as Medvedev’s prime minister. "Putin has put his country back on the map.  And he intends to redraw it himself,"Time said. "He will continue to lead his country as its prime minister and attempt to transform it into a new kind of nation, beholden to neither East nor West."
Time said the person of the year distinction, which it has awarded since 1927, is not an endorsement（支持）or a popularity prize but a recognition of the individuals and forces that shape the world. "At significant cost of, the principles and ideas that free nations prize, (Putin) has performed an extraordinary feat of leadership in placing stability on a nation that has rarely known it and brought Russia back to the table of world power. For that reason, Vladimir Putin is Time's 2007 Person of the Year," the magazine said.
Time had earlier selected four other Kremlin leaders for the distinction:  Stalin, who was chosen twice, Nikita Khrushchev, Yuri Andropov and Mikhail Gorbachev.
小題1:What does the underlined word "feat" in Para 5 probably mean?
A．Style.B．Level.C．Standard.D．Achievement.
小題2:What's the major reason why Putin becomes popular in Russia?
A．His successful economy policy
B．His outstanding ability of politics
C．His great contributions to Russian economy and social stability.
D．His wisdom of changing the world.
小題3:What may be the best title of the passage?
A．Putin－Time magazine’s person of the year 2007
B．Putin－a world power leader
C．Putin－a beloved Russian president
D．Putin－an honorable Russian president
小題4:What can we inter from the passage?
A．Russia, including the former Soviet Union, has been one of the major countries named person of the Year so far.
B．Only an individual can be named Person of the Year nowadays.
C．Putin played an important role in Russian social and economic troubles.
D．Medvedev will certainly be elected Russian President on March 3.

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