It is easier to start to learn a new language than to become good at it. I’ve started to learn many new languages, such as French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Afrikaans (南非荷蘭語(yǔ)), and so on. I can’t speak them yet, but I’ve started picking up a few words and phrases that help me when I’m visiting. Most importantly, I’ve had fun doing this.
I’ve started to learn Italian, but I haven’t learned any Italian grammar, and when I visit Italy I’m not able to speak Italian correctly. My aim is just to communicate at a very basic level when I visit a country, to make an effort, and to show appreciation of the language and culture. I’m not trying to talk about politics or explain my views on life. I pick key or useful words and phrases that I want to learn. For example, as a visitor to another country, the key words in a foreign language are the words which will be of the most use to you and which you will use most often. These key words and phrases will vary from visitor to visitor, depending on the purpose of their trip.
It is worth remembering that it is easier to start a task than to finish it, and the same goes for learning a new language. The better you are at it, the slower your rate of progress will be, as you have to learn grammar, words and so on. If you are only trying to learn a few foreign words and phrases, you will make faster progress, have more fun, and won’t have to spend too much time on any given language.

  1. 1.

    From the second paragraph, we can infer that ______.

    1. A.
      the writer is good at Italian, although it is rather difficult
    2. B.
      the writer doesn’t like learning Italian because it is no fun
    3. C.
      discussing politics or explaining one’s view requires an advanced language level
    4. D.
      it is great fun to communicate with the local people in another country
  2. 2.

    Which of the following does the writer prefer to learn?

    1. A.
      Sentence structure.        
    2. B.
      Important words and phrases.
    3. C.
      Complicated sentences.       
    4. D.
      Grammar.
  3. 3.

    You can make faster progress ______.

    1. A.
      if your language level is advanced 
    2. B.
      if you only try to learn some basic words
    3. C.
      once you speak the language well 
    4. D.
      once you have mastered several other languages
  4. 4.

    Which of the following would be the best title of this passage?

    1. A.
      Starting Learning a New Language Is Easier than Becoming Good at It
    2. B.
      How to Visit a Foreign Country
    3. C.
      The Importance of Learning a Foreign Language
    4. D.
      Why You Should Learn Several Foreign Languages
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

Dear Abby,

I am a very conservative woman. I don’t drink, dance, wear makeups or pants. I enjoy the company of friends despite（盡管）our differences and thought they enjoyed mine.

On our most recent outing, however, they laughed at my religious jewelry, commented on my “l(fā)ack of fashion,” and made me feel guilty for not wanting to stay out late.

Despite this, they are great friends and would help me at the drop of a hat. I don’t bring up their being overweight, or that I think some of the clothes they wear are ugly. I don’t criticize them for sleeping around. I wish they would accept me for who I am.

I am considering not going out with them the next time they ask, but I don’t really want it to come to that. Any suggestions?

—Just an Old-Fashioned Girl

??????????????????????????????_____________________________________________________________________

Dear Old-Fashioned Girl,

Just this: It’s time for you to start cultivating relationships with people whose values are more like your own. The friends you have described may be lovely, but their comments were out of line and folks are known by the company they keep. If you spend a lot of time with the women you have described, people will begin to make assumptions(臆斷) about you.

                                                       —Abby

The underlined word “conservative” is closest in meaning to ________.

   A. beautiful    

B. old-fashioned       

C. overweight  

D. ordinary-looking

When did Old-fashioned Girl feel guilty?

   A. When her friends stayed out late.

   B. When she stayed out late with her friends. 

C. When she refused her friends’ request to stay out late.

   D. When her friends refused her to stay out late with them.

Which of the following could Old-fashioned Girl most possibly agree to?

   A. It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.

   B. Only your real friends will tell you when your face is dirty.

   C. The friend is the one who knows all about you, and still likes you. 

   D. True friendship comes when silence between two people is comfortable. 

According to Abby, it’s a good idea for Old-fashioned Girl to ________.

   A. talk with her friends                

B. understand her friends

   C. forgive her friends                  

D. break up with her friends

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源： 題型：閱讀理解

For a clearer picture of what the student knows, most teachers use another kind of examination in addition to objective tests. They use “essay” tests, which require students to write long answers to broad, general questions such as the following: “Mention several ways in which Benjamin Franklin has influenced thinking of people in his own country and in other parts of the world.”

One advantage of the essay test is that it reduces the element of luck. The student cannot get a high score just by making a lucky guess. Another advantage is that it shows the examiner more cares about the student’s ability to put facts together into a meaningful whole. It should show how deeply he has thought about the subject. Sometimes, though, essay tests have disadvantages, too. Some students are able to write rather good answers without really knowing much about the subject, while other students who actually know the material have trouble expressing their ideas in the essay form.

Besides, in an essay test the student’s score may depend upon the examiner’s feelings at the time of reading the answer. If he is feeling tired or bored, the student may receive a lower score than he should. Another examiner reading the same answer might give it a much higher mark. Because of this, the objective test gives each student a fairer chance, and of course it is easier and quicker to score.

Whether an objective test or an essay test is used, problems arise. When some objective questions are used along with some essay questions, however, a fairly clear picture of the student’s knowledge can usually be gotten.

What may have been discussed in the previous paragraphs?

A. The essay test.                    B. How teachers test their students.

C. How students write their essays.      D. The objective test.

The essay test is preferred because ______.

A. it shows more about the student’s understanding of the subject

B. it tests the student’s knowledge of the material as well as his expression of ideas

C. it gives each student a fairer chance

D. its scoring may be influenced by the examiner’s feelings

The underlined word “this” refers to the fact that ______.

A. students may receive a lower score in an essay test

B. another examiner usually gives the answer a higher mark

C. different examiners may give the same essay different scores

D. the objective test gives each student a fairer chance

According to the passage, which of the following statements about the objective test is NOT true?

    A. It is more objective than the essay test in terms of scoring.

    B. It allows the student to guess the correct answer without really knowing the material.

    C. It shows the student’s ability to think about difficult problems.

    D. It is easy and quick to score.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2013屆浙江省慈溪中學(xué)高三第一次月考英語(yǔ)試題（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解

Mom was right! If you say thank you, for even the smallest gift or slightest show of kindness, you’ll feel happy.
Gratitude, says Robert A. Emmons, a professor or psychology at the University of California, is an important element of happiness. In his recent took, Thanks!, Emmons uses the first major study on gratitude to prove mom’s point. In acknowledging and developing this much-ignored expression of thankfulness, he explains how people have benefited---- even improved their health.
As one of the leading scholars of the positive psychology movement, he admits gratitude may be difficult to express. He advises you to begin by admitting that life is good and full of events and elements that make daily existence a wonder. Second, recognize that the source of life’s goodness is more than just you. That source may be your mom, a friend, partner, child, colleague at work or play, or any combination of these.
Gratitude is always other-directed, notes Emmons. You can be pleased or angry with yourself and feel guilty about doing something wrong, but you can never be grateful to or for yourself.
Expressing gratitude shouldn’t be a reaction; it should be a state of mind. To feel grateful when life is a breeze and you have more than you need is easy. To feel grateful in time of crisis---- anger, hatred and bitterness----is easier. Also, too many people are aware of life’s blessings only after these are lost.
It’s crisis and chaos ---- danger, disease, disability and death ---- that bring many individuals to realize just how dependent they are on others. Yet it’s the way each of us begins life and ends it. It’s too bad that so many people waste those decades in between labouring under the illusion they are self-sufficient, says Emmons.
The abundance of voices expressing gratitude from his studies of individuals with chronic health problems is many. But Emmons goes beyond his “groundbreaking” science to make his case for gratitude by including the inspirational writings of philosophers, novelists and saints, as well as the beliefs of various religions and their respective scriptures. Taken together, these observations are summed up quite nicely by famous humanist Albert Schweitzer, who said the secret of life is “giving thanks for everything.”
To enable and embrace gratitude, Emmons encourages the readers of Thanks! To keep a gratitude diary. He even provides easy-to-follow directions on how to practice and develop gratitude.
I’m not a reader or advocate of self-help books, but I am thankful for the reference I found in a newspaper article to the research Emmons was conducting on gratitude involving organ donors and recipients. The chance discovery led me to this book.
Mom implied that kindness seems to find its way back to the giver because life really is all about giving, receiving and repaying. So I’ll pay attention to her professional advice and say: Thank you, professor Emmons.
【小題1】What is the text mainly discussed?

A．There are many ways of being thankful.
B．Gratitude is important to happiness.
C．Mom is great for her being thankful.
D．Being thankful will keep you fit.
【小題2】The author mentions Robert A. Emmons’ book Thanks! In order to prove that ___.
A. Professor Emmons supports mom’s study on psychology.
B. mom is as great a psychologist as Professor Emmons.
C. Professor Emmons is a famous psychologist.
D. mom is right about her viewpoint on gratitude.
【小題3】It will be easier for you to feel grateful when ___________.
A．you live a comfortable life
B．you receive gifts on your birthday
C．you get help during your hard times
D．you are congratulated on your success
【小題4】What is the opinion of Professor Emmons?
A．It is enough to thank others orally.
B．Whether you are thankful is always up to you.
C．Remember to be thankful anytime and anywhere.
D．It is easier to be thankful for yourself than for others.
【小題5】In the writer’s opinion, Emmons’ book Thanks! On gratitude is _______.
A．one-sidedB．reasonableC．puzzlingD．helpful

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2010屆高考二輪復(fù)習(xí)英語(yǔ)閱讀理解二十篇精讀 題型：閱讀理解


Passage five(Meditation in Indonesian Business)
It looked like a typical business meeting. Six men, neatly dressed in white shirts and ties filed into the boardroom of a small Jakarta company and sat down at a long table. But instead of consulting files or hearing reports, they closed their eyes and began to meditate, consulting the spirits of ancient Javanese kings. Mysticism touches almost every aspect of life in Indonesia and business is no exception. One of the meditators said his weekly meditation sessions are aimed mainly at bringing the peace of mind that makes for good decision-making. But the insight gained from mystic communication with spirits of wise kings has also helped boost the profits of his five companies.
Mysticism and profits have come together since the 13th century introduction of Islam to Indonesia by Indian Moslem merchants. Those devout traders, called ‘Wali Ullah’ or ‘those close to God, ’ energetically spread both trade and religion by adapting their appeals to the native mysticism of Java. Legends attribute magic power of foreknowledge to the Wali Ullah. These powers were believed to be gained through meditation and fasting.
Businessman Hadisiko said his group fasts and meditates all night every Thursday to become closer to God and to contact the spirits of the great men of the past. ‘If we want to employ someone at the managerial level, we meditate together and often the message comes that this man can’t hole onto money or he is untrustworthy. Or maybe the spirits will tell us he should be hired.’  Hadiziko hastened to add that his companies also hold modern personnel management systems and that formal qualifications are essential for a candidate even to be considered. Perspective investments also are considered through mystic meditation. ‘With the mind relaxed and open, it is easier to be objective in judging the risk of a new venture. Meditation and contact with the wisdom of the old leaders sharpens your own insight and intuition. Then you have to apply that intuition to the information you have and work hard to be successful. ’ Mystic meditation helped reverse a business slide his companies experienced in the mid-1980. Operating with normal business procedures, he lost more than $ 3 millions in that year alone. Meditation brought back his peace of mind. Putting the right persons in the right jobs and gaining confidence in his business decisions were the keys to a turning around that has brought expansion and profitability. The mysticism in Handspike’s boardroom is part of a growing movement in Indonesia called Kebatinan – the ‘search for the inner self.’
One of his managers, Yusuf Soemado, who studied business administration at Harvard University, compared the idea of mystic management to western system of positive thinking. ‘Willpower and subconscious mind are recognized as important factors in business. Such approaches as psycho-cybernetics, Carnegie’s think and growth rates, or the power of positive thinking are western attempts to tap the same higher intelligence that we contact through meditation,’ he said.
1.What is the most important factor in their doing business?
A.Mysticism.     B.Religion.        C.Meditation.    D.Investment.
2.Whom do they consult?
A.The spirits of ancient Javanese kings.
B.Wali Ullah.
C.Old Kings.
D.Carnegie.
3.Why did Hadisike hasten to add ‘his companies also hold modern personnel management systems…’?
A.He thought Mysticism was not so good as expected.
To show they too focused on qualifications.
C.To show they hired qualified persons.
D.To show the possibility of combination of the scientific management with religion.
4.According to the passage, the function of the meditation is
A.to gain profit from the god.
[N]to gain peace of mind to make decision.
C.to gain foreknowledge.
D.to gain objective conclusion.
5.What does ‘operating with normal business procedures’ refer to?
A.Adopting the western way of doing business.
B.Ordinary way of doing business without meditation and fasting.
C.Contact with God.
D.Putting right persons in the right jobs.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：2011-2012學(xué)年廣東省梅州市葉塘中學(xué)高三英語(yǔ)第一次月考試卷 題型：閱讀理解

Traffic jam and cities, it seems, go hand in hand. Everyone complains about being stuck in traffic; but, like the weather, no one seems to do anything about it. In particular, traffic engineers, transportation planners, and public officials responsible for transportation systems in large cities are frequently criticized for failing to solve traffic jam.
But is traffic jam a sign of failure? Long queues at restaurants or theater box offices are seen as signs of success. Should transportation systems be viewed any differently? I think we should recognize that traffic jam is an unpreventable by-product of successful cities, and view the “traffic problem” in a different light.
Cities exist because they promote social interactions and economic transactions.
Traffic jam occurs where there are lots of people but limited spaces. Culturally and economically successful cities have the worst traffic problems, while decaying cities don’t have much traffic. New York and Los Angeles are America’s most crowded cities. But if you want access to major brokerage houses (經(jīng)紀(jì)行), you will find them easier to reach in crowded New York than in any other large cities. And if your firm needs access to post-production film editors or satellite-guidance engineers, you will reach them more quickly through the crowded freeways of LA than through less crowded roads elsewhere.
Despite traffic jam, a larger number and wider variety of social interactions and economic transactions can be made perfect in large, crowded cities than elsewhere. Seen in this light, traffic jam is an unfortunate consequence of prosperity, not a cause of economic decline and urban decay.
So while we can consider traffic jam as increasing costs on the areas of big cities, the costs of inaccessibility (交通不便) in uncrowded places are almost certainly greater.
There is no doubt that traffic jam brings the terrible economic and environmental damage in places like Bangkok, Jakarta, and Lagos. But mobility is far higher and traffic jam levels are far lower here in the US, even in our most crowded cities. That’s why, for now, we don’t see people and capital streaming out of San Francisco and Chicago, heading for cities like California, and Illinois.
【小題1】 We can conclude from the first paragraph that_______.

A．traffic jam and weather are the two factors preventing the development of the big city
B．traffic jam seems to be very difficult to deal with
C．if traffic engineers try their best, traffic jam can be solved
D．public officials are always criticized for misusing their power
【小題2】According to the passage, what’s the author’s opinion towards traffic jam？_____
A．In cities, traffic jam is unavoidable.
B．Traffic jam is both a sign of failure and a sign of success.
C．Traffic jam is the consequence of successful cities.
D．For a successful city, traffic jam is not unpreventable.
【小題3】By saying “decaying” (in Para. 4), the writer probably means_______.
A．decliningB．developing
C．rich and successfulD．strong and healthy
【小題4】 According to this article, which statement about “New York” and “Los Angeles” is true? _____
A. The traffic jam in the two cities has been worsened.
B. New York and Los Angeles are the most successful cities in the USA.
C. It is easier to reach major brokerage houses in the two cities than in other cities.
D. Despite the traffic jam in LA, you’ll find a satellite-guidance engineer more quickly there.
【小題5】What can we learn from the last paragraph? _______
A．California is as crowded and successful as San Francisco.
B．The traffic jam in San Francisco has resulted in the capital becoming empty.
C．The traffic jam level in Jakarta is lower than that in the US.
D．Traffic jam has caused terrible bad effects in cities such as Bangkok and Lagos.

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