It is nice to know what the weather will be like when we plan a trip. Do you know anything about the history of weather? Don’t look at the sky. Don’t look for old weather reports. Looking at the tree rings is more important. Correct weather reports date back only one century, but some trees can provide an exact record of weather even further back.
It is natural that a tree would grow best in a climate with plenty of sunlight and rainfall. It is also expected that little sunlight or rainfall would reduce the growth of a tree. The change from a favorable to an unfavorable climate can be found out by the reading pattern of rings in a tree trunk. To find out the weather of ten years ago, you can count the rings of a tree trunk from the outside to the inside. If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred. If the rings are close together, then the climate was bad for the tree.
Studying trees is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man. In an area of New Mexico you can find only sand — no trees or people. However, many centuries ago a large population lived there. They left suddenly. Why?
A scientist studied the pattern of the rings of dead trees that had grown there. He made up his mind that the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees. Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings. So, after the people destroyed the trees, they had to move.
In this example studying tree rings uncovered an exciting fact about the history of man.
小題1:We can find out the weather of five years ago by counting the rings of a tree trunk ____.
A．from the left to the right
B．from the right to the left
C．from the inside to the outside
D．from the outside to the inside
小題2:If the ring was far from the others, we can conclude that the weather of that year was ______.
A．badB．sunnyC．favorableD．rainy
小題3:By studying the rings of dead trees in an area of New Mexico, the scientist found _______.
A．why the people had to leave
B．where the people had to go
C．what the people had to eat
D．how the people left
小題4:The ancient people usually lived where there were plenty of trees mainly because ______.
A．trees provided an exact record of weather for research
B．trees could supply them with fruit and food to live on
C．trees could supply them with shades
D．trees were materials for fires and buildings
小題5:By giving the example of an area of New Mexico, the author tries to prove        .
A．trees can’t live in the area without population
B．that studying trees is important for the history of man and weather.
C．what the real relation is between tree rings and the history of man and weather
D．the history of man is important for the history of trees

小題1:D
小題2:C
小題3:A
小題4:D
小題5:B

試題分析：你知道天氣的歷史嗎？由于樹(shù)木的生長(zhǎng)依靠陽(yáng)光和水分，通過(guò)觀察樹(shù)木的年輪，我們可以了解到當(dāng)?shù)氐奶崽鞖鉅顩r。而且，觀察樹(shù)木的年輪不僅可以了解天氣，還可以了解人類的歷史。
小題1:根據(jù)第二段“To find out the weather of ten years ago, you can count the rings of a tree trunk from the outside to the inside.”可知，從外向里觀察樹(shù)木的年輪，如果年輪之間間隔較大，說(shuō)明陽(yáng)光、水分充足，故選D。
小題2:根據(jù)第二段“The change from a favorable to an unfavorable climate can be found out by the reading pattern of rings in a tree trunk. ...If the tenth ring is far from the other rings, then it is certain that plenty of sunny and rainy weather occurred.”可知，年輪之間間隔距離較大，說(shuō)明樹(shù)木生長(zhǎng)環(huán)境較好，陽(yáng)光、水分充足，故選C。
小題3:根據(jù)第四段“the people had to leave because they had cut down all the trees. ...So, after the people destroyed the trees, they had to move.”可知，通過(guò)研究樹(shù)木，科學(xué)家找到了當(dāng)?shù)厝穗x開(kāi)那里的原因，故選A。
小題4:根據(jù)第三地“Trees were necessary to make fires and buildings.”可知，樹(shù)木是生活和建造房屋的原材料，古時(shí)候的人們通常生活在又很多樹(shù)木的地方，故選D。
小題5:根據(jù)第三段“Studying trees is important not only for the history of weather, but also for the history of man.”可知，研究樹(shù)木不僅可以了解當(dāng)時(shí)的天氣狀況，還能了解人類的歷史，作者通過(guò)舉例來(lái)驗(yàn)證這個(gè)道理，故選B。
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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Different Kinds of Birds
Avocets
There are 4 different species of Avocet found around the world-Pied Avocet , Red-necked Avocet, Andean Avocet, and American Avocet. This bird is found in North and South America, Europe, and even Australia. This long-legged bird has webbed feet and an upturned, thin bill.
Bald Eagles
The bald eagle is found in wetlands and near coastlines. They have very large and broad wings, with a broad tail. The head and tail are white in color, which is the major distinguishable factor of the bald eagle. The long, hooked bill is yellow in color. They feed on fish, ducks, rabbits, geese, etc.
Eastern Bluebirds
These are around 61／2 inches in length .Such birds are found mainly in gardens woodlands, and orchards with the arrival of spring. Male Eastern Bluebirds are bright blue on the upper half and have a white belly. Female Eastern Bluebirds have a grayish head with shades of blue as well. New York and Missouri have named this creature as their state bird.
Flamingos
These pink-bodied birds with a unique beak, are generally found in large groups. The beaks are capable of removing mud before they can eat their food. Flamingos can be found in many African countries, areas of Florida, and one particular type of species is found only in the Andean highlands.
Kingfishers
There are over 90 various species of Kingfishers found in the woodland areas as well as wetlands across the world. They are excellent divers when it comes to catching fish in the rivers. Their pointed bills are what help them bag the catch. Kingfishers have good eyesight whether they are in air or underwater.
小題1:____ most probably mean the same.
A．Bill and beakB．Head and beakC．Bill and bellyD．Leg and feet
小題2:Which of the following is true?
A．Eastern Bluebirds are all blue in color.
B．Avocets can be found around the world.
C．The white head and tail make Bald Eagles distinguishable.
D．More Kingfishers can be found in wetlands than in the woodland areas.
小題3:Birds that can be found only in the Andean highlands are ________.
A．Bald Eagles
B．Female Eastern Bluebirds
C．Andean Avocets
D．one special type of Flamingos
小題4:It can be inferred from the passage that what Bald Eagles and Kingfishers have in common is their____.
A．habitatsB．shapesC．a(chǎn)bility to catch fishD．eyesight in air or under water

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

EVERYONE has those nights – you lie in your bed for hours, tossing and turning, totally unable to fall asleep. You wish you could just turn your brain off as if it were a light. That would make things much easier, wouldn’t it?
Now it looks like you are one step closer to this wild dream of yours – scientists from Oxford University, UK have just discovered the “switch” that tells the brain to go to sleep, reported Forbes.
To understand the study, you first need to know that there are two mechanisms (機(jī)能) that regulate sleep. There’s one that we’re already familiar with – our body clock, which works in a 24-hour cycle based on the light changes throughout the day.
The other one is what scientists call the sleep “homeostat (動(dòng)態(tài)平衡系統(tǒng))”. This mechanism has nothing to do with daylight. Instead, it keeps track of the brain’s waking hours and urges it to rest if it has been awake for a long time. “It is similar to the thermostat (自動(dòng)調(diào)溫器) in your home. A thermostat measures temperature and switches on the heating if it’s too cold,” Professor Gero Miesenböck, who led the study, told The Telegraph.
Our bodies use both of the mechanisms to regulate sleep. “The body clock says it’s the right time, and the sleep thermostat has built up pressure during a long waking day,” explained Miesenböck.
There is no way that scientists can trick the body clock. But with the sleep homeostat, there might be something they can do.
The researchers found that the sleep homeostat works by activating a specific group of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain. They tested their theory on fruit flies by removing the neurons from the insects’ brains. And as expected, they found that the flies without the homeostat neurons did not keep a regular sleep pattern anymore.
Now that scientists have pinpointed (定位) the exact place in the brain – or, the “switch” – that regulates sleep, they can begin investigating (研究) how to activate these cells at any given time so that people can be sent to sleep instantly.
More importantly, figuring out how sleep mechanisms work may also help us to one day unravel one of the oldest mysteries of all: why do we need to sleep in the first place?
小題1:What is the article mainly about?
A．A new way to treat sleep disorders.
B．The discovery of the sleep “homeostat”.
C．Advice on what to do when you fail to fall asleep.
D．A comparison of the two mechanisms that regulate sleep.
小題2:How does the author explain the function of the sleep homeostat?
A．Through examples.
B．With comparisons.
C．Through cause and effect analysis.
D．By presenting research findings.
小題3:What can we conclude from the article?
A．Generally, the sleep homeostat has less effect on people during the day than at night.
B．There is little scientists can do to affect the way the sleep homeostat works.
C．What makes us go to sleep at night is probably a combination of the two mechanisms.
D．The more homeostat neurons there are in one’s brain, the more easily one can fall asleep.
小題4:The underlined word “unravel” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to ______.
A．put up withB．figure outC．keep track ofD．take notice of

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A recent study, published in last week’s Journal of the American Medical Association, offers a picture of how risky(冒險(xiǎn)的) it is to get a lift from a teenage driver. Indeed, a 16-year-old driver with three or more passengers is three times as likely to have a deadly accident as a teenager driving alone, while the risk of death for drivers between 30 and 59 decreases with each additional passenger.
The authors also found that the death rates for teenage drivers increased sharply after 10 p.m., and especially after midnight. With passengers in the car, the driver was even more likely to die in a late-night accident.
Robert Foss, a scientist at the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center, says the higher death rates for teenage drivers have less to do with “really stupid behavior” than with just a lack of driving experience. “The basic issue,” he says, “is that adults who are responsible for issuing licenses fail to recognize how complex and skilled a task driving is.”
Both he and the author of the study believe that the way to mitigate (使……緩解)the problem is to have states set up so-called graduated licensing systems, in which getting a license is a multistage process. A graduated license requires that a teenager first prove himself capable of driving in the presence of an adult, followed by a period of driving with night or passenger limits, before graduating to full driving licenses.
Graduated licensing systems have reduced teenage driver crashes, according to recent studies. About half of the states now have some sort of graduated licensing system in place, but only 10 of those states have limits on passengers. California is the strictest, with a new driver under 20 forbidden to carry any passenger (without the presence of an adult over 25) for the first six months.
小題1:Which of the following situations can we infer is most dangerous according to the passage?
A．A teenager driving after midnight with passengers in the car.
B．Adults giving a lift to teenagers on the highway after 10 p.m.
C．Adults driving with three or more teenage passengers late at night.
D．A teenager getting a lift from a stranger on the highway at midnight.
小題2:According to Robert Foss, the high death rate of teenage drivers is mainly because of _______.  
A．their frequent driving at night
B．their improper ways of driving
C．their driving with passengers
D．their lack of driving experience
小題3:According to Paragraph 3, which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．The licensing departments are partly responsible for teenagers' driving accidents.
B．Driving is too complex a skill for teenagers to learn.
C．Teenagers should be forbidden to apply to take driving lessons.
D．Teenagers should spend more time learning to drive.
小題4:A suggested measure to be taken to reduce teenagers' driving accidents is that_______.
A．driving in the presence of an adult should be made a rule
B．the licensing system should be improved
C．they should not be allowed to drive after 10 p.m.
D．they should be forbidden to take on passengers

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Many parents take on the role of being their children’s preschool teacher and the responsibility of readying them for kindergarten. To achieve this goal, it is important for parents to introduce a variety of subjects in a positive and playful manner.
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“You want a child to be a lifelong learner, so you want to show them learning is everywhere,”she says.“If parents take the time to lay a strong educational foundation, their children will keep building on it.”
Introduce children to science with hands-on activities that interest them, such as growing plants from seeds, discussing animals and how to care for pets, and observing the chemical changes that occur during cooking”, she says.
“Sorting activities, simple patterns and counting games are a great way to teach children the basics of math, and taking them on field trips, singing songs and reciting rhymes also are ways to prepare them for the first day of school”, she says.
“I think children are naturals when it comes to computers,” she says.“Let them play educational games on the computer and teach them how to type their first names using the keyboard. When they are more familiar with using the computer, let them find pictures of animals and places on the web. ”
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小題1:Marion Godwin tells us that we should teach the children according to their_____        .
A．subjects and needs
B．level and interest
C．teachable moments
D．strong educational foundation
小題2:According to Godwin, children should ____________________       .
A．keep a pet each and care for it
B．do some cooking every day
C．learn science with interesting hand-on activities
D．learn from the farmers and grow plants from seeds
小題3:In Godwin’s opinion, children should be encouraged to_________        .
A．learn all by themselves
B．play more computer games
C．learn to type their first names
D．learn online under instructions
小題4:What’s the best title of the passage?
A．How to prepare your children for kindergarten
B．Learning should not be forced
C．How to be a lifelong learner
D．Learning is everywhere

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Butterflies are some of the most fascinating and beautiful insects in the world. Adult butterflies will live about 2 to 4 weeks. They use their senses of sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste to survive in the world, find food and mates, lay eggs in an appropriate place, migrate, and avoid hungry enemies.
Butterflies have large compound eyes, which allow them to see in all directions without turning their heads. Like most insects, butterflies are very near­sighted, so they are more attracted to a sea of flowers than individual plants. Butterflies do not “see” colors such as red, green, and yellow, but they can sense sunlight, which indicates the direction the sun is shining, as well as ultraviolet light, which is present on many flowers and guides butterflies to honey sources.
Butterflies have a very well-developed sense of smell, but it is not in their nose, since they don't have one. Sense receptors are located in their antennae, feet, and many other parts of the body. They can help butterflies find their favorite flower honey food, and mates.
Butterflies' feet have sense organs that can taste the sugar in flower honey, letting the butterflies know if something is good to eat or not. Some females also carefully choose host plants by tasting to find appropriate places to lay their eggs. Adult butterflies feed their babies using a long tube. Butterflies force blood into the tube to straighten it out, allowing them to feed. Butterflies get all their food from this tube.
Butterflies don't have ears. Instead they “hear” sounds through their wings by sensing changes in sound vibrations.
Butterflies may possess senses we don't even know about yet, because their body structure is very different from ours, and therefore difficult to understand, when observed through our own human senses.
小題1:The text mainly focuses on ________.
A．butterflies' living habitsB．butterflies' beauty
C．butterflies' sensesD．butterflies' daily activities
小題2:What can we learn from the 2nd paragraph?
A．Butterflies can see in all directions and don't need to turn heads.
B．Butterflies have good eyesight.
C．Butterflies are sensitive to bright colors including red and yellow.
D．Butterflies cannot sense the ultraviolet light.
小題3:Why do female adult butterflies carefully choose the host plants?
A．To find high­qualified honey.
B．To have a good place for living.
C．To make it easier for them to hide from the enemies.
D．To find a proper place for their eggs.

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Some weight­loss camps, which are rare in China just a few years ago，have multiplied in Beijing, Qingdao, Shenzhen，and other cities. Today about 15 percent of adults, or 200 million Chinese, are reportedly overweight.Of these, 90 million—about 7 percent—are obese(極肥胖的)．
Experts say the obesity epidemic(流行病) is spreading to children, though more slowly than in adults. The obesity, they say, will do harm to the health of China’ s citizens and economy.“We're seeing a very large number of teenagers who are quite heavy and aren't moving much，” said Barry Popkin, a nutrition(營(yíng)養(yǎng)) professor. Popkin carries out an ongoing health­and­nutrition survey of 16,000 households in China. He says more kids today are overeating and putting on weight “quite quickly.” In just ten years China‘s childhood obesity rate has doubled，with the greatest gains coming in urban areas.“In big cities it's a big problem.”
Some experts blame the extra fat on a range of factors, many of them tied to China’ s rapidly changing economy and culture. The diets of Chinese adults and children are far higher in meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, fats and sugars than ever before. In addition，kids—especially city dwellers—are more sedentary today and spend more time indoors in front of homework, television，computer games, and the Internet.
Shuwen Ng，a health economist, says that kids in China now have pocket money, and they spend a portion of it on junk food. Ng adds that advertising and peer groups influence kids' food choices. Certain foods, such as new candies or fast food, have attractive features.
China’ s childhood obesity rate stillfall behind that of the United States, where some 15 percent of kids are said to be obese. But the long­term effects are equally serious.
小題1:According to the passage we know________.
A．weight­loss camps have been very popular in China six years ago
B．a(chǎn)bout 290 million Chinese are overweight in China in all
C．in China childhood obesity rate in rural areas is lower than that in major cities
D．America’ s childhood obesity rate is lower than China’s
小題2:Which of the following reasons of China’s childhood obesity is NOT mentioned?
A．Advertising on some new candies.
B．ignorance of weight-control.
C．Playing computer games for long time.
D．Having pocket money.
小題3:The underlined word “sedentary” in the third paragraph probably means________.
A．confidentB．patientC．energeticD．inactive
小題4:According to the passage we can infer________.
A．obesity explosion in China will affect the United States
B．there are great difference in kids' food choices now
C．junk food leads to childhood obesity
D．city children eat more than rural children
小題5:What's the best title for the passage?
A．Chinese Childhood Obesity problem
B．Weight­loss Camps in China
C．Obesity problem's influence on Chinese Economy
D．Obesity problem in China and America

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

You might not know it, but there is something wonderful at your fingertips. You can make people happier, healthier and more hard-working just by touching their arms or holding their hands.
Doctors say that body contact is a kind of medicine that can work wonders. When people are touched, the quantity of hemoglobin (血紅蛋白)－a type of matter that produces the red color in blood increases greatly. This results in more oxygen reaching every part of the body and the whole body benefits. In experiments, bottle-fed baby monkeys were separated from their mothers for the first ten days of life. They became sad and negative. Studies showed the monkeys were more probable to become ill than other babies that were allowed to stay with their mothers.
Human babies react in much the same way. Some years ago, a scientist noticed that some well-fed babies in a clean nursery became weak. Yet babies in another nursery were growing healthily, even though they ate less well and were not kept as clean. The reason, he concluded, was that they often had touches from nurses.         
Experiments show that most people like being touched. And nearly all doctors believe touch helps to reduce patients' fear of treatment. Of course there is time when a touch is not welcome. But even if we don't like being touched, a smile can make us feel better. Smiling increases blood flow and starts the production of "happy brain" chemicals. So let's have a big smile and don't forget to keep in touch.
小題1:Which of the following is NOT true?
A．Everyone knows that body contact can make people happier.
B．People may work harder because of body contact.
C．Your fingertips can do something.
D．People may not understand the importance of touching.
小題2:According to the passage _____.
A．human brains need oxygen and blood supply now and then
B．touches from doctors and nurses have nothing to do with treatment
C．new-born baby monkeys should stay away from their mothers
D．not all the people like being touched
小題3:The word "benefits" in the second paragraph probably means _____.
A．to be useful or helpful
B．to get something useful or helpful
C．to be ill
D．to be hurt
小題4:The best title for the passage might be _____.
A．Why People TouchB．Smile and Touch
C．Wonders of TouchD．Touch or Not

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科目：高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

How to deal successfully  with a child showing outstanding musical ability? It’s not always clear how best to develop and encourage his gift. Many parents may even fail to recognize and respond to their children′s need until discouragement explodes into uncooperative(不合作的)behavior. And while most schools are equipped to deal with children who are especially able in academic subjects，the musically gifted require special understanding which may not always be available in an ordinary school. Such children may well benefit from the education offered by a specialist music school.
The five music schools in Britain aim to provide all environment where gifted children can develop their skills under the guidance of professional musicians. Children here spend about half of a day on musical activities，for example，individual lessons，orchestras，chamber(室內(nèi)音樂(lè)的)groups，voice training，conducting and theory. They also spend several hours a day practicing in private rooms .The rest of their time is taken up with the subjects：English，maths and basic sciences.
What are the disadvantages? An obvious problem is that the fees are high .However, each school will often scholarships and other forms of financial aid. Secondly, not all parents want to send their children to boarding school, especially at an early age .Almost all the directors of the specialist schools express doubts about the wisdom of admitting children as young as seven into such a tense and disciplined（守紀(jì)律的)environment. They stress，however, that their main aim is to turn out “well-rounded and well—balanced individual.”
小題1:If a child’s musical ability is not recognized___________.
A．the child may behave badly
B．the ability may fade away
C．the child may lose interest
D．the parents may become anxious
小題2:What probably may musically gifted children face in ordinary schools?
A．Their academic work may suffer．
B．Schools lack musical equipment
C．Music is not seen as an important subject
D．Parents and teachers don’t work together．
小題3:What makes specialist music schools different from other schools?
A．Their working day is longer．
B．A range of musical training is offered
C．More than half the day is spent on music
D．The children have mostly one-to-one lessons
小題4:According to school directors，what is a possible disadvantage for pupils?
A．Poor children may not be included
B．They may lose their individuality
C．There may be a discipline problem
D．They may be too small on arrival
小題5:The passage mainly talks about__________.
A．education and development about children
B．disadvantages of music schools
C．music schools for children with music gift
D．how to deal with music talented children

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