【小题4】What does the text mainly talk about?

A.How to get on well with westerners.

B.How to start conversations with Britons.

C.Ruth Margolis’ tips on public behavior.

D.Some American habits that annoy Britons.

12、Amazon. com has received a patent(专利) right to send its products to customers by drone planes. The company is the largest US-based online seller of products by mail and other services. Now, the company has received a patent for its planned drone delivery system.

In March, federal officials allowed Amazon to test its drone delivery plan. But even with a patent and the ability of drones to make deliveries, it does not appear the company will put its new delivery system in place any time soon.

The US Patent Office published the document, which describes Amazon’s plans to use GPS to deliver products to homes and to wherever people are. The drone will use a customer’s mobile device --- usually a smartphone ---to avoid hitting people or buildings and to find a secure area to land. The company wants to deliver products within 30 minutes after people order them on its website.

However, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is worried about the safety. Although it allowed Amazon to test the system, the agency said the operators must be able to see the planes. That greatly limits the delivery area.

Loretta Alkalay is a professor at the Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in New York. Although Amazon is not yet offering drone delivery, Professor Alkalay says it will not be long before it does. She says there are worries that the drones will hit buildings or people, or that the products and drones will be stolen or damaged by people on purpose. But she says that is because many people believe the drones would only deliver the products to the front door of a house. “However, it is possible that homes will one day have special area on their roofs designed to receive product deliveries,” she adds.

【小题1】What is special about the new delivery system?

A.It can deliver heavy products by plane.

B.It uses planes without human operators.

C.It can delivery many products at a time.

D.It is much safer than other delivery ways.

【小题2】The underlined word “secure” in Paragraph 3 means “__________”.

A.safe B.large C.special D.empty

【小题3】After reading the passage, we can infer that FAA__________

A.doesn’t really like Amazon

B.totally support the drone delivery system

C.doesn’t think Amazon should get the patent

D.doubts about the drone delivery system

13、With all the wars, fighting and sadness in the world today, it's not only necessary, but also essential to have a good sense of humor just to help us get through each and every day of our lives. Putting a smile on someone's face when you know they are feeling down in the dumps ( 处于沮丧中), as the saying goes, makes me feel good and warms my heart.

How would you feel if you could not joke around with your wife, husband, child, co-worker, neighbor, close friend, or even just someone that you are standing in line with at your corner store? I am always saying things that make others smile or laugh, even if I don't know the person I'm joking around with. My Grandma always found humor in everything she did, even if it was the hardest job anyone could imagine. This not only relieves stress in any situation, but also is common courtesy (礼貌) to speak to others that are around you.

I know of a few people that don’t have a funny bone in their bodies, as they say. Everyone around them could be rolling on the floor after hearing a great joke and they would sit there without the slightest smile on their face. They don't get the joke that makes others laugh. I am busting a gut while they just sit there, looking at me as if I were from outer space. How can people not get a really funny joke?

Laughing is essential to keep your stress levels under control. Without humor we would find ourselves with a lot of psychological problems, or on a lot of medications to keep us from going crazy. There is too much sadness in this present world. It drives people crazy. We all need to find a way to bypass the sadness and bring a little light into our lives. So, I believe our best medicine is to get together and tell some jokes and have some fun laughing together.

【小题1】According to the author, humor is useful in the aspect that ____________.

A.it makes people more confident

B.it can pick up people' s spirits

C.it can help rid the cruelty in the world

D.it can help people get on well with others

【小题2】The phrase “busting a gut" in the third paragraph can be replaced by __________.

A.explaining carefully B.speaking loud

C.keeping silent D.laughing hard

【小题3】In writing the passage, the author mainly intends to __________.

A.talk about his own understanding of humor

B.encourage people to be humorous in daily life

C.introduce a practical way to get through daily life

D.convince people of the power of being optimistic about life

【小题4】What is the author' s attitude towards the present world?

A.Positive. B.Critical.

C.Satisfied. D.Indifferent.

14、CANYOUMAGINEHOWHARDITWOULDBETOREADSENTENCESLIKES?

Every one of us gets so used to punctuation marks that not many of us give them a secondthought.Actually，the ancient Greeks wrote this way.The lack of punctuation marks probably didn’t bother good readers，though.As they read，they just put pauses where they fit best. Also at this time，sentences switched directions.A sentence read from leftto right.The next one read right to left，and then left to right again，etc.The ancient Romans sometimes punctuatedlike this：They put somethingthat can separate words in a sentence.The wordpunctuationactually comes from this idea andthe Latin word“punctum”which means a lot.

When the 5th century arrived，there were just twopunctuation marks：spaces and points.The spaces separated words while the points showed pauses in reading.Then in the 13th century，a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation.He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence.He used a slash(/)toindicate a short pause.Over time.that slash was shortened and curled，and it became the modern comma(逗号).

Since that time，other marks have enlarged the punctuation family.The exclamation mark(感叹号)comes from the Latin word“io”.It means “exclamation of joy”.The question mark originally started out as the Latin word“questio”，meaning“question”.Eventually，scholars put it attheend of a sentence to show a question.

Punctuation even keeps changing nowadays.New marks are coming into existence，and old punctuation marks are used in new ways.Take for example the“interrobang”.This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both.For example.“She did what?!”or“How much did you pay for that dress?!”Obviously,the interrobang is not widelyused or recognized yet，but its invention shows that English is not yet finishedwith its punctuation.

【小题1】From the first paragraph，we can know that__________.

A.good readers had trouble reading without punctuation marks

B.a sentence always read from left to right in ancient Greece

C.ancient Greeks switched the direction of punctuation marks

D.the use of punctuation marks can date back to ancient times

【小题2】We can learn from the passage that___________.

A.ancient Romans didn’t use any punctuation marks

B.exclamation and question marks came from Latin

C.spaces and slashes were already used before the 5th century

D.Aldus Manutiusfast started to use commas

【小题3】What can be concluded from the last paragraph?

A.The combinationoftwo marks will not work.

B.It takes time for people to accept new punctuation marks.

C.Old punctuation marks need to be standardized.

D.Punctuation marks are still changing today.

15、B

On behalf of the Obama family，I want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving.

Like many of you. we'll spend the day with family and friends，catching up，eating some good food and watching a little football.Before we lift a fork，we lend a hand by going out in the community to serve some of our neighbors in need.And we give thanks for each other， and for all of God's blessings.We all share this day，united by the gratitude for the bounty(慷慨) of this nation.

And we welcome the contributions of all people-no matter their origin or color or beliefs-who call America home， and who enrich the life of our nation.  It is a belief as old as our founding：“Epluribus unum” -- that out of many，we are one. We are reminded that this creed， and America itself was never an inevitability， but the result of ordinary people in every generation doing their part to uphold our founding ideals-by taking the blessings of freedom， and multiplying them for those who would follow.

As President Kennedy once wrote， even as we give thanks for all that we've inherited from those who came before us-“the decency(庄重，正派) of purpose， steadfastness(坚定)of resolve and strength of will， for the courage and the humility， which they possessed.” we must also remember that “the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”

Today，we are grateful to all Americans who do their part to live by those ideals， including our brave men and women in uniform overseas and their families， who sacrifice so much to keep America safe.We are grateful to the countless Americans who serve their communities in soup kitchens and shelters，looking out for those who are less fortunate，and lifting up those who have fallen on hard times.

This generosity， this compassion， this belief that we are each other's keepers， is essential to who we are， not just on this day，but every day.It's easy to focus on what separates us.But as we gather with loved ones on this Thanksgiving， let's remember and be grateful for what ties us together.

Our love of country.Our commitment to justice and equality.Our belief that America's best days are ahead，and that her destiny is ours to shape-and that our inherited ideals must be the birthright of all of our children.

That's what today is all about：that out of many，we are one.Thank you， God bless you.

【小题1】What makes America as it is today?

A.The blessings of God.

B.The persistent efforts of all Americans.

C.The contributions of people from different origin.

D.The bonus of World War II.

【小题2】As is mentioned several times in the passage， the sentence “out of many， we are one” implies

A.although we come from different places， now we share the same culture.

B.onjy if we unite as one can we make a better world.

C.we are unique ones picked out by God.

D.among the many countries in the world， America is the best one to live in.

【小题3】What's the purpose by referring to President Kennedy's saying?

A.To testify what we have today is inherited from our ancestors.

B.To emphasis the importance of giving thanks to our forefathers and fellows.

C.To remind people to share happiness with others.

D.To encourage every American to do their own part in building the country.

【小题4】President Obama's speech is made to          .

①call on Americans to unite together and help each other

② raise money to help the people in need

③clarify how the Thanksgiving comes into being

④express thanks to those who serve people at home or abroad

A.①② B.③④ C.②③ D.①④

16、阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。

Sunny countries are often poor. A shame, then, that solar power is still quite expensive. Eight19, a British company by Cambridge University, has, however, invented a novel way to get round this. In return for a deposit of around $10 it is supplying poor Kenyan families with a solar cell able to generate 2.5 watts of electricity, a battery that can deliver a three amp(安培) current to store this electricity, and a lamp whose bulb is a light-emitting diode(二极管). The firm thinks that this system, once the battery is fully charged, is enough to light two small rooms and to power a mobile-phone charger for seven hours. Then, next day, it can be put outside and charged back up again.

The trick is that, to be able to use the electricity, the system's keeper must buy a scratch card—for as little as a dollar—on which is printed a reference number. The keeper sends this reference, plus the serial number of the household solar unit, by SMS to Eight19. The company's server will respond automatically with an access code to the unit.

Users may consider that they are paying an hourly rate for their electricity. In fact, they are paying off the cost of the unit. After buying around $80 worth of scratch cards—which Eight19 expects would take the average family around 18 months—the user will own it. He will then have the option of continuing to use it for nothing, or of trading it in for a bigger one, perhaps driven by a 10-watt solar cell.

In that case, he would go then through the same process again, paying off the additional cost of the upgraded kit at a slightly higher rate. Users would therefore increase their electricity supply steadily and afford ably.

According to Eight19's figures, this looks like a good deal for customers.  The firm believes the average energy-starved Kenyan spends around $10 a month on oil—enough to fuel a couple of smoky lamps—plus $2 on charging his mobile phone in the market-place. Regular users of one of Eight19's basic solar units will spend around half that, before owning it completely. Meanwhile, as the cost of solar technology falls, it should get even cheaper.

【小题1】The underlined word “get round” in the first paragraph can be replaced by _______ .

A.make use of B.come up with

C.look into D.deal with

【小题2】How much would users pay for the cell and scratch cards before they own a 2.5-watt solar cell?

A.Around $10. B.Around $80.

C.Around $90. D.Around $180.

【小题3】It can be inferred from the last paragraph that  ____________.

A.Kenyan families would find it difficult to afford the solar cell

B.using the solar cell would help Kenyan families save money

C.few Kenyan families use mobile phones for lack of electricity

D.the company will make a great profit from selling solar cells

【小题4】What might be the most suitable title for the passage?

A.Solar Energy: Starting from Scratch.

B.Eight19: a creative British Company.

C.Kenyan Families: Using Solar Energy for Free.

D.Poor Countries: Beginning to Use Solar Energy.

17、阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。

Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers conclude that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.

According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.

After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.

In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity — or  extreme overweight — among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% — and is growing.

【小题1】 In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr. Joseph Mercola?

A.They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently.

B.They squeeze eating between the other daily activities.

C.They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles.

D.They usually eat too much canned and frozen food.

【小题2】This text is mainly about the relationship between _________.

A.Americans and the French B.life style and obesity

C.children and adults D.fast food and overweight

【小题3】This text is mainly developed _____________

A. by contrast B.by space

C.by process D.by classification(分类)

【小题4】 Where does this text probably come from?

A. A TV interview B. A food advertisement

C.A health report D.A book review

18、Americans get some of their news and entertainment from public television and radio. These public media receive money to operate from private citizens, organizations and government. Many of their programs are educational. But most of the American media are run by businesses for profit. These privately owned media have changed greatly in recent years. Newspapers, magazines and traditional broadcast television organizations have lost some of their popularity. At the same time, online, cable and satellite media have increased in numbers and strength. So have media that serve racial groups and those communicating in foreign languages.

In general, more media than ever now provide Americans with news and entertainment. At the same time, fewer owners control them. Huge companies have many holdings(股份). In some areas, one company controls much of the media. One dramatic change in American media is the increased success of cable television. It comes into most homes over wires. It does not use the public airwaves to present programs, as broadcast television does. Like broadcast television, most cable television programs perform advertisements. This is true although people must pay to see cable television in their homes. Thirty years ago, few people had cable. Today, about sixty-eight percent of American homes have cable television. Television by satellite also is gaining popularity.

Over the years, traditional broadcast organizations have tried to appeal to as many watchers as possible. Many cable companies, however, present programs for one special group of viewers. For example, there are cable stations for people who like books, cooking, travel, golf or comedy.

【小题1】Which of the following is true about American public media?

A.They depend on the government.

B.They are controlled by the government

C.They are free

D.They can earn money.

【小题2】Which of the following properly shows the change in these privately owned media?

A.Newspapers are getting more popular.

B.Satellite media is getting more popular.

C.Traditional media also serve racial groups.

D.Some media make their programs in foreign languages

【小题3】From the second paragraph, we learn that          .

A.broadcast TV and cable TV programs include sales messages

B.more media are out of control

C.American media is dramatic

D.cable TV is free

【小题4】What would be the best title for the text?

A.American news and entertainment

B.Public television and radio media

C.media in the United States

D.Cable programs in the United States

19、请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Wind turbines are efficient sources of cheap energy but also a source of concern as their huge spinning blades (叶片) frequently kill birds and bats. A new type of wind generator developed in Spain offers a creative solution to that problem.

In 2002, Spanish inventor David Yanez saw a short film about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in the U.S., collapsing in strong wind. It was a vivid example of the powerful vibrations wind can create when it blows past a long pole, such as a car antenna or even a stick of bamboo. It gave him the idea for a new type of wind-energy generator.

“The initial philosophy or spirit was to create a generator of dreams that had all the qualities one would want: It should be as cheap as possible, need as little maintenance as possible, the setup as simple as possible,” he said.

Yanez and his friend Raoul Martin took the idea to an engineering firm, where they were told it would never work. Undiscouraged, they started experimenting on their own in a small wind tunnel they built.

Good initial results were repeated by a larger working model called Vortex (涡旋) installed in a nearby field. “What we have is a mast (桅杆), which is the top piece and acts as a blade,” Yanez said. “It’s constructed from the same material as a conventional generator, and what it does is it oscillates (振荡), transmitting the oscillation to a conventional alternator, which by its own oscillation converts the wind’s energy into electric energy.”

Yanez said the output of the 6-meter-tall generator, and even that of smaller models, was better than expected. The Vortex creates about 30 percent less energy than a comparable bladed wind turbine, but it is lighter and cheaper to build and maintain. It is made mostly of reinforced plastic and has very few moving parts. Also, it does not create noise and—even more important for many environmentalists—it does not present a threat to passing birds.

The current prototype works at wind speeds ranging from 1.5 to 7 meters per second. The inventors say the next step is building a 12.5-meter tall bladeless generator with a 4-kilowatt capacity that could power small businesses or individual homes, or provide supplemental power to a main grid. The commercial version of the Vortex Bladeless generator should be ready for the market by 2017.

【小题1】The author mentions a short film about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge to show ________.

A.what the initial philosophy or spirit was

B.what inspired Yanez to create the generator

C.how the bridge was destroyed in strong wind

D.how wind creates powerful vibrations

【小题2】What do we know from the passage?

A.The original idea was considered as practical in an engineering firm.

B.Yanez and Martin’s initial tests by themselves proved to be successful.

C.The material for constructing the mast is different from that of the past.

D.The new generator is better at creating energy than a comparable bladed one.

【小题3】 What would be the best title for the passage?

A.Bladeless wind-power generator is friendly to birds.

B.Wind turbines are efficient sources of cheap energy.

C.A new generator will come onto the market by 2017.

D.Yanez has made a generator for the benefit of people.

20、请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Heading to Seattle? What’s New in Washington’s Seaside City?

Advice to visit Seattle’s Pike Place Market may border on cliché—but for a good reason.

“Whether you’re visiting Washington’s seaside city for vacation or just stopping by en route to and from the coming Sasquatch music festival, Pike Place is an easy catch-all destination for shopping, eating and just plain walking around,” said Kirk Johnson, The New York Times’s Seattle bureau chief for the past three years.

The Seattle Great Wheel is one of many stops to consider in Washington’s seaside city.

“Almost any day of the week, especially on the weekend, it’s a crazy fun scene of people shopping,” Mr. Johnson said. “There’s also pretty good food.” He recommends wandering into whatever place—especially a hole in the wall—catches your eye.

There is one specific restaurant Mr. Johnson likes: the Pink Door, which has no signage and can be found only by its rosy entrance. “It’s creative, interesting Italian,” he said. “In the summer they get a lot of great fresh vegetables and probably have the best tomato bruschetta I’ve had.”

He also recommends the nearby Pioneer Square, the oldest neighborhood in Seattle. Its historic architecture has charm, and the area isn’t bad for a lunch break, he said. The clear favorite here is Salumi—which, as the name suggests, is known for its cured meats. Mr. Johnson did warn, however, that it’s necessary to plan for the fact that the restaurant has a long line as soon as it opens.

Pioneer Square is also a portal to Seattle’s maritime world that remains alive and well. Ferry rides are a short walk away. Mr. Johnson said the ferry ride to Bainbridge Island provides “a great view of the city,” and it’s not a long ride back to the mainland.

At some point, you may see sculptures emerging on the horizon—that would be the Olympic Sculpture Park, which is operated by the Seattle Art Museum, Mr. Johnson said, and that’s worth a visit itself.

People who want to experience Seattle’s nearby charms can easily do so with a bicycle, Mr. Johnson said, if they want to get away from depending on a car. He takes a ride to Chateau Ste. Michelle, a famous winery outside the city. Starting in June, he said, Chateau Ste. Michelle hosts a summer concert series on its lawn.

【小题1】If you are a music lover, you are advised to go to ________.

A.the Seattle Art Museum

B.the Seattle Great Wheel

C.the Olympic Sculpture Park

D.Chateau Ste. Michelle

【小题2】According to Kirk Johnson, we know that ________.

A.people often have a good time shopping happily in Bainbridge Island

B.it is a great challenge to find the busy and popular restaurant Salumi

C.Pioneer Square is famous for its fascinating historic architecture

D.cycling is far from a good way to experience Seattle’s nearby charms

【小题3】What are you encouraged to do if you are going to visit Seattle?

A.Try the tomato bruschetta in the Pink Door.

B.Go there in groups during the winter holidays.

C.Depend on cars for the sake of convenience.

D.Enjoy the sculptures in Pike Place Market.

高三英语二轮复习政治经济文化类阅读题就为大家介绍到这里，希望对你有所帮助。

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