Few in the West seemed to notice when the International Olympic Committee(lOC) decided to award the 2014 Winter Games to the Russian town of Sochi. Yet this choice is full of geopolitical meaning.

President Vladimir Putin flew to Guatemala City to address IOC delegates before they voted, and surprised them by speaking in French and for the first time ever in public­-----English. Later he declared that Sochi’s victory was "not only a recognition of Russia’s achievements in sports" but also "an assessment of our country".

Sochi, located between the Caucasus and the Black Sea, has poor roads, one old ski resort(勝地) and out-of-date facilities. In the next five years it will be transformed by a burst of construction unprecedented(前所未有的) in the history of Russia. Winning the Olympic bid has given Russian politicians a focus, a $12 billion project they can use to showcase their power and .that of their country. Several have already announced big investments in Sochi.

Olympic planners will have to assure that the Sochi project does not collapse under the weight of corruption(腐敗), which Russian officials are famous for. With many eyes watching, they will also have to develop the green landscape around Sochi, where some of Europe's last wild bears roam in primitive mountain forests, with more care for the environment than.Russia has traditionally shown.

Sochi also sits on the edge of a region that has been boiling with ethnic(民族的) and political tension since the collapse of the Soviet Union.  In past centuries it was ruled by both Georgia and Abkhaia, which is now a breakaway region of Georgia. Russia backs the rebel regime in Abkhazia, but as the Olympics approach it may feel it needs to be careful.

The president of Georgia, Mikhail Saakashvili, might have bitterly protested the Olympic Committee's decision to award the Winter Games to a country that actively supports rebels within Georgia. Instead he was wise enough to realize that this event could push Russia toward compromise （妥協(xié)） solutions in Abkhazia and perhaps even in Ossetia, Nagorno－Karabakh and Chechnya.

1．We can infer from the second paragraph that President Vladimir Putin often speaks in public in         .

A．Russian            B．French            C．English             D．Spanish

2．Although Sochi has poor transportation and unsatisfying facilities, holding the 2014 Winter Olympic Games there obviously gives it a chance         .

A．to ask the IOC for more money          B．to break away from Georgia

C．to challenge the world                  D．to develop

3．From the fourth paragraph we can infer that the writer is concerned about    .

A．how to protect the environment from damage while large scale construction is going on

B．the capability of Russian government to hold the Olympic Games

C．the corruption of some Russian government officials

D．how to do away with the mountain forests around Sochi

4．What does the underlined word "it" in the fifth paragraph refer to?         .

A．The rebel regime in Abkhazia.             B．Georgia.

C．Sochi.                              D．Russia.

5．From the last paragraph we know that         .

A．the president of Georgia strongly protested the IOC's decision

B．the Olympic Games might be a chance to ease regional tensions

C．the IOC backs the rebels in Georgia

D．Georgia wants to break away from Russia

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科目：高中英語 來源： 題型：閱讀理解

When 47-year-old volunteer Susan Boyle stepped onto the stage of Britain’s Got Talent and announced she was unemployed, had never been married and “never been kissed, actually”, few in the audience would have wondered why. This Ms Boyle, looking unfashionable, from a village in Scotland, shocked the three judges and the audience with the song I dreamed a dream from the musical Les Miserables on a show of Britain’s Got Talent, one of the hottest reality shows in Britain.

She couldn’t hide the awkwardness when walking to the center of the stage in a housedress, and everyone — including the judges — seemed laughing at her when she said she wanted to be as successful as Elaine Paige. As soon as she began singing, however, everyone in the auditorium fell silent, then rose within seconds to applaud her incredible voice as the celebrity judges sat open-mouthed, and remained standing to the end.

After her performance, one of the judges Piers Morgan said, “Without doubt that was the biggest surprise I’ve had in three years of this show. When you stood there everyone was laughing at you. No one is laughing now. That was amazing.” Actress Amanda Holden followed, “I’m so thrilled because I know that we everybody were against you. I honestly think that we were all being very cynical (憤世嫉俗的) and I think that’s the biggest wake up call ever.”

Susan obviously won over the hearts of millions around the world with sensation spreading across the Atlantic. Hollywood actors Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore — who between them have nearly 1.5 million followers — speak highly of her. Kutcher posted a link to the video clip (片段). The Scottish talent made her live American debut via satellite connection on CBS’s The Early Show, doing an interview and singing live from her room. And she already accepted an invitation from talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

Now Boyle has become one of the world’s hottest celebrities. The video clip of her performance has been viewed more than 50 million times on Youtube, becoming a hit on the Internet.

We learn from the passage that Susan Boyle ______.

A. rose from a low social class

B. had an unhappy marriage

C. lived with a dog alone on a farm

D. won the championship in the Britain’s Got Talent show

At the beginning of the show, almost everybody ______.

A. looked forward to her wonderful performance

B. was attracted by her beautiful dress

C. looked down upon her

D. placed great hope on her

We can infer that ______ contributed most to her global popularity.

A. the judges   B. the Internet   C. the newspaper   D. the advertisement

The 4th paragraph intends to tell us ______.

A. how Susan Boyle achieved her success

B. the comment made by American actor Ashton Kutcher

C. Susan Boyle’s influence in the USA

D. Oprah Winfrey’s invitation to Susan Boyle

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科目：高中英語 來源：2013屆山西省忻州實(shí)驗(yàn)中學(xué)高三第一次模擬考試英語試卷（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解

The Donkey Mobile Library

It is a bright morning in the Ethiopian countryside. Yohannes walks beside a pair of donkeys that are pulling a two-wheeled cart. They arrive at the agricultural town of Awassa where Yohannes opens the sides of the cart to display, not the usual vegetables or tools, but children’s books. This is the Donkey Mobile Library, the first of its kind in Ethiopia and one of only a few in the world.
Yohannes was born in Ethiopia, North Africa, but trained to be a librarian in the USA and returned to Ethiopia years ago. The cart is full of picture books donated by American libraries, teachers and school children.
Yohannes arranges small painted benches in the shade of the trees, and suddenly Ethiopian children come shouting and racing down every road and path. It’s mobile library day! They circle the bookshelves with great excitement. Until the Donkey Mobile Library began its regular two-monthly visits, many of these children had never seen a book.
“Without books, education is very dull, like food without salt. You can survive but you can’t really come alive,” says Yohannes. “The ability to read is the basis for greater productivity, better health and longer life. Even though the children lack material goods, with books they can imagine a world of possibilities.”
Yohannes first worked in the children’s section of the main library in America. Surrounded by books he had never seen before, he realized how joyful and imaginative children’s literature is. He says, “I always thought of Ethiopia. But how could I bring children’s books to my home country when it had almost no libraries to keep the books in?”
He contacted Jane Kurtz, a writer born in America but brought up in Ethiopia, and together they created the Donkey Mobile Library. The children say that the Library has given them ideas about what they might do in the future. A child called Dareje wants to be a scientist and find a cure for life-threatening diseases. An eleven year-old girl, Fikerte, wants to do research about the moon and discover new facts about outer space. Tamrat, aged 10, comes every time.
“What brings you back here time and time again?” the librarian asks him.
“The stories,” Tamrat replies instantly. 
【小題1】How do the children feel when they see the Donkey Mobile Library?

A．Excited.B．Surprised.C．Interested.D．Curious
【小題2】We can conclude from the passage that      .
A．Ethiopian children have no idea about their future
B．Yohannes and Kurtz share similar life experiences
C．most books in the Donkey Mobile Library were bought in America
D．donkey carts in Awassa usually carry vegetables and tools
【小題3】According to the passage, the Donkey Mobile Library      .
A．visits the countryside every day B．was created by Yohannes himself
C．benefits Ethiopian children a lotD．was the first of its kind in the world
【小題4】Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?
A．A book review..B．A news reportC．A historical story.D．An advertisement.

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科目：高中英語 來源：2013屆河北衡水中學(xué)高三第一次模擬考試英語試卷（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解

The Donkey Mobile Library

It is a bright morning in the Ethiopian countryside. Yohannes walks beside a pair of donkeys that are pulling a two-wheeled cart. They arrive at the agricultural town of Awassa where Yohannes opens the sides of the cart to display, not the usual vegetables or tools, but children’s books. This is the Donkey Mobile Library, the first of its kind in Ethiopia and one of only a few in the world.
Yohannes was born in Ethiopia, North Africa, but trained to be a librarian in the USA and returned to Ethiopia years ago. The cart is full of picture books donated by American libraries, teachers and school children.
Yohannes arranges small painted benches in the shade of the trees, and suddenly Ethiopian children come shouting and racing down every road and path. It’s mobile library day! They circle the bookshelves with great excitement. Until the Donkey Mobile Library began its regular two-monthly visits, many of these children had never seen a book.
“Without books, education is very dull, like food without salt. You can survive but you can’t really come alive,” says Yohannes. “The ability to read is the basis for greater productivity, better health and longer life. Even though the children lack material goods, with books they can imagine a world of possibilities.”
Yohannes first worked in the children’s section of the main library in America. Surrounded by books he had never seen before, he realized how joyful and imaginative children’s literature is. He says, “I always thought of Ethiopia. But how could I bring children’s books to my home country when it had almost no libraries to keep the books in?”
He contacted Jane Kurtz, a writer born in America but brought up in Ethiopia, and together they created the Donkey Mobile Library. The children say that the Library has given them ideas about what they might do in the future. A child called Dareje wants to be a scientist and find a cure for life-threatening diseases. An eleven year-old girl, Fikerte, wants to do research about the moon and discover new facts about outer space. Tamrat, aged 10, comes every time.
“What brings you back here time and time again?” the librarian asks him.
“The stories,” Tamrat replies instantly. 
【小題1】How do the children feel when they see the Donkey Mobile Library?

A．Curious.B．Surprised.C．Interested.D．Excited.
【小題2】We can conclude from the passage that      .
A．Ethiopian children have no idea about their future
B．Yohannes and Kurtz share similar life experiences
C．donkey carts in Awassa usually carry vegetables and tools
D．most books in the Donkey Mobile Library were bought in America
【小題3】According to the passage, the Donkey Mobile Library      .
A．visits the countryside every day B．benefits Ethiopian children a lot
C．was created by Yohannes himselfD．was the first of its kind in the world
【小題4】Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?
A．A news report.B．A book review.C．A historical story.D．An advertisement.

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科目：高中英語 來源：2012-2013學(xué)年山西省高三第一次模擬考試英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

The Donkey Mobile Library

It is a bright morning in the Ethiopian countryside. Yohannes walks beside a pair of donkeys that are pulling a two-wheeled cart. They arrive at the agricultural town of Awassa where Yohannes opens the sides of the cart to display, not the usual vegetables or tools, but children’s books. This is the Donkey Mobile Library, the first of its kind in Ethiopia and one of only a few in the world.

Yohannes was born in Ethiopia, North Africa, but trained to be a librarian in the USA and returned to Ethiopia years ago. The cart is full of picture books donated by American libraries, teachers and school children.

Yohannes arranges small painted benches in the shade of the trees, and suddenly Ethiopian children come shouting and racing down every road and path. It’s mobile library day! They circle the bookshelves with great excitement. Until the Donkey Mobile Library began its regular two-monthly visits, many of these children had never seen a book.

“Without books, education is very dull, like food without salt. You can survive but you can’t really come alive,” says Yohannes. “The ability to read is the basis for greater productivity, better health and longer life. Even though the children lack material goods, with books they can imagine a world of possibilities.”

Yohannes first worked in the children’s section of the main library in America. Surrounded by books he had never seen before, he realized how joyful and imaginative children’s literature is. He says, “I always thought of Ethiopia. But how could I bring children’s books to my home country when it had almost no libraries to keep the books in?”

He contacted Jane Kurtz, a writer born in America but brought up in Ethiopia, and together they created the Donkey Mobile Library. The children say that the Library has given them ideas about what they might do in the future. A child called Dareje wants to be a scientist and find a cure for life-threatening diseases. An eleven year-old girl, Fikerte, wants to do research about the moon and discover new facts about outer space. Tamrat, aged 10, comes every time.

“What brings you back here time and time again?” the librarian asks him.

“The stories,” Tamrat replies instantly. 

1.How do the children feel when they see the Donkey Mobile Library?

A．Excited.           B．Surprised.         C．Interested.        D．Curious

2.We can conclude from the passage that      .

A．Ethiopian children have no idea about their future

B．Yohannes and Kurtz share similar life experiences

C．most books in the Donkey Mobile Library were bought in America

D．donkey carts in Awassa usually carry vegetables and tools

3.According to the passage, the Donkey Mobile Library      .

A．visits the countryside every day            B．was created by Yohannes himself

C．benefits Ethiopian children a lot            D．was the first of its kind in the world

4.Where is the passage most likely to have been taken from?

A．A book review..     B．A news report      C．A historical story.    D．An advertisement.

 

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科目：高中英語 來源：2010年黑龍江省高三10月月考英語卷 題型：閱讀理解

When 47-year-old volunteer Susan Boyle stepped onto the stage of Britain’s Got Talent and announced she was unemployed, had never been married and “never been kissed, actually”, few in the audience would have wondered why. This Ms Boyle, looking unfashionable, from a village in Scotland, shocked the three judges and the audience with the song I dreamed a dream from the musical Les Miserables on a show of Britain’s Got Talent, one of the hottest reality shows in Britain.

She couldn’t hide the awkwardness when walking to the center of the stage in a housedress, and everyone — including the judges — seemed laughing at her when she said she wanted to be as successful as Elaine Paige. As soon as she began singing, however, everyone in the auditorium fell silent, then rose within seconds to applaud her incredible voice as the celebrity judges sat open-mouthed, and remained standing to the end.

After her performance, one of the judges Piers Morgan said, “Without doubt that was the biggest surprise I’ve had in three years of this show. When you stood there everyone was laughing at you. No one is laughing now. That was amazing.” Actress Amanda Holden followed, “I’m so thrilled because I know that we everybody were against you. I honestly think that we were all being very cynical (憤世嫉俗的) and I think that’s the biggest wake up call ever.”

Susan obviously won over the hearts of millions around the world with sensation spreading across the Atlantic. Hollywood actors Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore — who between them have nearly 1.5 million followers — speak highly of her. Kutcher posted a link to the video clip (片段). The Scottish talent made her live American debut via satellite connection on CBS’s The Early Show, doing an interview and singing live from her room. And she already accepted an invitation from talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

Now Boyle has become one of the world’s hottest celebrities. The video clip of her performance has been viewed more than 50 million times on Youtube, becoming a hit on the Internet.

1. We learn from the passage that Susan Boyle ______.

A. rose from a low social class

B. had an unhappy marriage

C. lived with a dog alone on a farm

D. won the championship in the Britain’s Got Talent show

2. At the beginning of the show, almost everybody ______.

A. looked forward to her wonderful performance

B. was attracted by her beautiful dress

C. looked down upon her

D. placed great hope on her

3.We can infer that ______ contributed most to her global popularity.

A. the judges   B. the Internet   C. the newspaper   D. the advertisement

4.The 4th paragraph intends to tell us ______.

A. how Susan Boyle achieved her success

B. the comment made by American actor Ashton Kutcher

C. Susan Boyle’s influence in the USA

D. Oprah Winfrey’s invitation to Susan Boyle

 

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