The three biggest lies in America are:(1) “ The check is in the mail.” (2) “ Of course I’ll respect you in the morning. ”(3) “ It was a computer error.”
Of these three little white lies, the worst of the lot by far is the third. It’s the only one that can never be true. Today, if a bank statement cheats you out of $ 900 that way, you know what the clerk is sure to say:“ It was a computer error.” Nonsense. The computer is reporting nothing more than what the clerk typed into it.
The most annoying case of all is when the computerized cash register in the grocery store shows that an item costs more than it actually does. If the innocent buyer points out the mistake, the checker, bagger and manager all come together and offer the familiar explanation:“ It was a computer error.”
It wasn’t , of course. That high-tech cash register is really nothing more than an electric eye. The eye reads the Universal Product Code-that ribbon of black and white lines on the package-and then checks the code against a price list stored in memory. If the price list is right, you’ll be charged accurately.
Grocery stores update the price list each day-that is, somebody sits at a keyboard and types in the prices. If the price they type in is too high, there are only two explanations: carelessness or dishonesty. But somehow“ a computer error”is supposed to excuse everything.
One reason we let people hide behind a computer is the common misunderstanding that huge, modern computers are “ electric brains” with “ artificial intelligence.” At some point there might be a machine with intelligence, but none exists today. The smartest computer on earth right now is no more “ intelligent” than your average screwdriver (螺絲刀) . at this point in the development of computers the only thing any machine can do is what a human has instructed it to do .
68. According to the author, a high-tech cash register is really just
A. a simply adding machine
B. an electric instrument of sight
C. a way to keep employees honest
D. an expensive piece of window dressing
69. Grocery store price lists are updated by .
A. an employee B. a telephone receiver
C. an adding machine D. a typewriter
70. According to he author, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.that high-tech cash register is anything but an electric eye
B. The grocery stores update the price list every other day.
C. There is no machine with intelligence today.
D. There are three lies in
71. What’s the main idea of the passage?
A. Computers are stupid and inefficient
B. Computer errors are basically human errors
C. Computers can help department stores update the price list
D. Supermarket price errors are often made by computers
科目:高中英語 來源:2015屆甘肅省高一9月月考英語試卷(解析版) 題型:單項填空
After the long journey, the three of them went back home, ______ .
A.hungry and tiredly |
B.hungry and tired |
C.hungrily and tiredly |
D.hungrily and tired |
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科目:高中英語 來源:河南省0910學(xué)年高二下學(xué)期期中考試(英語) 題型:閱讀理解
How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes (糖尿病). Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it – the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn’t finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way. ”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success – you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological (心理的) tool.”
67. What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?
A. Difficulties influenced his career. B. Specialists offered him medical advice.
Training helped him defeat his disease. D. He overcame the shadow of illness to win.
68. What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?
A. Her training schedule. B. Her daily happenings.
Her achievements. D. Her sports career.
69. What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to?
A. Ways that help one to focus. B. Words that help one to feel less tense.
Activities that turn one’s attention away. D. Habits that make it hard for one to relax.
70. According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?
A. Courage. B. Devotion. Hard work. D. Self-confidence.
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科目:高中英語 來源:河南省20092010學(xué)年度高一下學(xué)期必修4單元檢測試題(英語) 題型:閱讀理解
The gigantic dam of the multi-function water control facility would be finished nine months ahead of schedule, said an engineer who is in charge of the Three Gorges Project. He said by June, the workers would have built the half-done dam from the southern bank of the river to the height of 185 meters. The Three Gorges Project will be capable of controlling the floods on the Yangtze by then and generating more electricity. And the level of the water stored in the reservoir will rise from 135 meters at present to 156 meters.
Situated near the Xiling Gorge, the easternmost gorge of the Three Gorges on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, the Three Gorges Dam is designed to have a length of 2,309 meters and a height of 185 meters.
It will also have the functions for flood control, power generation and navigation. It will be built from northern and southern banks of the Yangtze, which has been troubled by floods for hundreds of years.
Launched in 1993, the Three Gorges Project, including the 185-meter-high dam and 26 generators on both banks of the Yangtze, is being built in three phases. The preparations and construction of the first phase were carried out between 1993 and 1997. The Yangtze was dammed at the Three Gorges area for the first time on November 8, 1997.
The entire Three Gorges Project is expected to be completed in 2009 and by then, it will be able to generate 84.7 billion kwh of electricity every year.
63. The underlined word in the fourth paragraph might mean ____.
A. places B. periods C. gorges D. dams
64. According to the passage, we know _______.
the construction will be completed ahead of time
the biggest function of the dam is used to control flood
the Three Gorges Dam will be finished in ten years
the dam will be 156 meters tall when it is finished
65. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The Yangtze River was first dammed in the year 1993.
B. The water level in the reservoir will remain at 135 meters.
C. The Three Gorges Dam is on the easternmost part of the river.
D. The first phase of this project is finished in 1997.
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科目:高中英語 來源:四川省武勝縣2010屆高三下學(xué)期第一次聯(lián)考 題型:閱讀理解
第二部分閱讀理解(共兩節(jié),滿分50分)
第一節(jié):閱讀下面短文,從短文后各題所給的A、B、C、D四個選項中,選出最佳選項,并將答案寫在答題卡上。(共20小題,每小題2分,滿分40分)
A
O. Henry was a pen name used by an American writer of short stories. His real name was William Sydney Porter. He was born in North Carolina in 1862. As a young boy he lived an exciting life. He did not go to school for very long, but he managed to teach himself everything he needed to know. When he was about 20 years old, O. Henry went to Texas, where he tried different jobs. He first worked on a newspaper, and then had a job in a bank, when some money went missing from the bank O. Henry was believed to have stolen it. Because of that, he was sent to prison. During the three years in prison, he learned to write short stories. After he got out of prison, he went to New York and continued writing. He wrote mostly about New York and the life of the poor there. People liked his stories, because simple as the tales were, they would finish with a sudden change at the end, to the reader’s surprise.
41. In which order did O. Henry do the following things?
a. Lived in New York. b. Worked in a bank. c. Travelled to Texas.
d. Was put in prison. e. Had a newspaper job. f. Learned to write stories.
A. e. c. f. b. d. a B. e. b. d. c. a. f. C. c. e. b. d. f. a D. c. b. e. d. a f.
42. O. Henry went to prison because ___________.
A. people thought he had stolen money from the newspaper
B. people thought he had taken money that was not his
C. he wanted to write stories about prisoners
D. he broke the law by not using his own name
43. What do we know about O. Henry before he began writing?
A. He was very good at learning. B. He was not serious about his work.
C. He was devoted to the poor. D. He was well-educated.
44. Where did O. Henry get most material for his short stories?
A. His life inside the prison. B. The newspaper articles he wrote.
C. His exciting early life as a boy. D. The city and people of New York.
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科目:高中英語 來源:2011-2012學(xué)年安徽省高三第一次月考英語試題 題型:完型填空
During the years of depression(蕭條), food and money were very hard to find and people had to trade things with each other.
One day I was 36 some potatoes from Mr Miller. I noticed a small poor boy hungrily 37 a full basket of freshly picked green peas. Then I was 38 to see that Mr Miller sold the boy a bag of peas for just a marble (彈球).
Mrs Miller, who had been standing nearby, 39_ and told me that Mr Miller loved to trade with the three boys in the village for peas, tomatoes, and other things 40 he didn’t really need any marbles. I left the stand, smiling to myself, 41 by this man.
Several years went by. One day I learned that Mr Miller had died. I took part in the funeral(葬禮), 42_ three young men . They came over to Mrs Miller, hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke with her and moved on, _43_ their eyes.
Our _44_ came to meet Mrs Miller. I mentioned _45 she had told me about the _46. She told me, “Those three young men above were the boys I told you about. They just told me 47 they appreciated the things Jim ‘traded ’with them. Now, at last, they came to pay their debt.”
“We’ve _48 had a great deal of the wealth in this world,” she _49_, “but right now, Jim wouldW#W$W%.K**S*&5︿U consider himself to be the _50_ man.”
Then she gently lifted the 51 fingers of her husband. Resting underneath were three red marbles.
At that time I realized that we would not be 52 by our words, but by our kind 53 . It is said that it takes a minute to find a 54 person, an hour to appreciate him, a day to love him, but an entire life to 55 him.
1.A.buying B. selling C. borrowing D. hunting
2.A.reaching for B. glancing at C. staring at D. picking up
3.A. astonished B. amazed C. annoyed D. worried
4.A.turned over B. going over C. came over D. coming over
5.A.but B. otherwise C. or D. although
6.A.suspected B. impressed C. regretted D. embarrassed
7.A.discovering B. watching C. finding D. seeing
8.A.closing B. rolling C. cleaning D. wiping
9.A. time B. chance C. turn D. decision
10.A. the story B. the proverb C. the legend D. the joke
11.A. marbles B. men C. debt D. life
12.A.why B. how C. when D. what
13.A. ever B. always C. never D. seldom
14.A.laughed B. cried C. sighed D. added
15.A. honest B. happiest C. coldest D. richest
16.A. lifeless B. regretless C. useless D. hopeless
17.A. thought B. touched C. remembered D. affected
18.A.deeds B. things C. remarks D. rewards
19.A. strict B. honest C. special D. learned
20.A.ignore B. forget C. recognize D. remind
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