In her new book, “The Smartest Kids in the World,” Amanda Ripley, an investigative journalist, tells the story of Tom, a high-school student from Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, who decides to spend his senior year in Wroclaw, Poland. Poland is a surprising educational success story: in the past decade, the country raised students’ test scores from significantly below average to well above it. Polish kids have now outscored American kids in math and science, even though Poland spends, on average, less than half as much per student as the United States does. One of the most striking differences between the high school Tom attended in Gettysburg and the one he ends up at in Wroclaw is that the latter has no football team, or, for that matter, teams of any kind.
That American high schools lavish more time and money on sports than on math is an old complaint. This is not a matter of how any given student who plays sports does in school, but of the culture and its priorities. This December, when the latest Program for International Student Assessment(PISA) results are announced, it’s safe to predict that American high-school students will once again display their limited skills in math and reading, outscored not just by students in Poland but also by students in places like South Korea, Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland, Singapore, and Japan. Meanwhile, they will have played some very exciting football games, which will have been breathlessly written up in their hometown papers.
Why does this situation continue? Well, for one thing, kids like it. And for another, according to Ripley, parents seem to like the arrangement, too. She describes a tour she took of a school in Washington D.C., which costs thirty thousand dollars a year. The tour leader—a mother with three children in the school—was asked about the school’s flaws. When she said that the math program was weak, none of the parents taking the tour reacted. When she said that the football program was weak, the parents suddenly became concerned. “Really?” one of them asked worriedly, “What do you mean?”
One of the ironies of the situation is that sports reveal what is possible. American kids’ performance on the field shows just how well they can do when expectations are high. It’s too bad that their test scores show the same thing. 
小題1:Tom decides to spend his senior year in Poland because _______.
A．he intends to improve his scores
B．Polish kids are better at learning
C．sports are not supported at schools in Gettysburg
D．there are striking differences between the 2 countries
小題2:According to Paragraph 2, we know that _______.
A．PISA plays a very important role in America
B．little time is spent on sports in Japanese schools
C．American high schools complain about sports time
D．too much importance is placed on sports in America
小題3:The underlined sentence in the last paragraph means _______.
A．low expectations result in American students’ poor PISA performance
B．high expectations push up American students’ academic performance
C．American students’ academic performance worries their parents a lot
D．lacking practice contributes to American students’ average performance
小題4:The purpose of this article is to _______.
A．compare Polish schools with those in America
B．call on American schools to learn from the Polish model
C．draw public attention to a weakness in American school tradition
D．explain what is wrong with American schools and provide solutions

小題1:A
小題2:D
小題3:A
小題4:C

試題分析：文章介紹了美國學(xué)生在學(xué)業(yè)上比其他國家的學(xué)生平均要低，這是因為美國人傳統(tǒng)上就重視運動，學(xué)生包括家長都把注意力更多的放在體育上，作者是想引起人們對美國傳統(tǒng)的弱點的關(guān)注。
小題1:推理題：從第一段的句子：Poland is a surprising educational success story: in the past decade, the country raised students’ test scores from significantly below average to well above it.可知波蘭的學(xué)生的學(xué)習(xí)成績提高很快，所以可以推斷出湯姆要到波蘭學(xué)習(xí)是為了提高學(xué)習(xí)成績，選A
小題2:細節(jié)題：從第二段的句子：That American high schools lavish more time and money on sports than on math is an old complaint.可知美國的學(xué)校更加重視運動，選 D
小題3:句意理解題：從前面的句子：American kids’ performance on the field shows just how well they can do when expectations are high.可知美國孩子在球場的表現(xiàn)好是因為期望值高，同樣的事情發(fā)生在學(xué)習(xí)成績上，就是說對他們學(xué)習(xí)成績的期望值低，選A
小題4:寫作意圖題：文章介紹了美國學(xué)生在學(xué)業(yè)上比其他國家的學(xué)生平均要低，這是因為美國人傳統(tǒng)上就重視運動，所以作者是想引起人們對美國傳統(tǒng)的弱點的關(guān)注，選C
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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

This winter, the air quality over the north China plain was so bad that it was actually off the standard scale. The air pollution reached levels that the World Health Organization describes as dangerous. On Thursday, heavy smog blanketed most of northern and eastern China again. 
It is reasonable to ask why the air pollution is so bad this winter. Weather conditions and topographic(地形學(xué)的) factors have been given as reasons, but, although contributing factors, these are not to blame. The worsening air pollution is linked to an energy mix that relies heavily on coal and to motor vehicle emissions(排放). But despite the astonishing growth of motor vehicles in our cities, it is the burning of coal that is the biggest cause of air pollution. More than half of the country's power plants are located in the eastern region and China's coal consumption has more than doubled in the past decade, reaching 3.8 billion tons last year, accounting for almost half the world's total coal consumption. And with coal occupying nearly 70 percent of the country's primary energy consumption, it has become critical to reduce the use of coal if we are to solve the nation's overall air pollution problem.
In the face of the poisonous air recently, one citizen said, "we have nothing but hot air to purify the skies". In fact, the government plans to have 350 billion yuan ($55.67 billion) investment in improving coal-fired facilities and limiting the use of yellow-label cars that do not meet the Euro I emissions standard and so on.
However, it would be far more effective to reduce emissions at the source, which means that the biggest challenge currently facing government departments is saying "no" to the country's air polluting offenders. According to the Joint Prevention and Control Plan on Air Pollution in Key Regions released recently by the State Council, the amount of coal the nation consumes is set to rise by 30 percent during the period of the 12th Five-Year Plan. This is not going to let anyone breathe easier. 
This highlights a key problem when it comes to environmental issues in this country - economic development comes first. The fundamental cause of the worsening air pollution is the idea of economic growth at any cost, which has resulted in ever-worsening pollution. And the priority(優(yōu)先權(quán))given to economic growth presents another problem, namely the failure of existing environmental protection policies and regulations to control pollution. For instance, the current weak regulations covering emissions would suggest there has been a significant reduction in emissions when clearly this is not the case. Also those enterprises found breaking the regulations are still far lower than the cost of treating the pollution they produce. This means even if many large-scale enterprises with lagging production capacity(能力) fail to meet the requirements for environmental protection, the environmental protection department is incapable of shutting these enterprises down or forcing their relocation. 
Dealing with air pollution requires taking action at the local level to reduce vehicle emissions and at the regional level to reduce industrial emissions. But it also requires giving more priority to environmental issues in policymaking. Our hope is that the environmental protection department will be truly capable of saying "no" to pollution, and it will raise standards and effectively enforce them, and that governments at all levels will prioritize quality of life not just economic growth.
小題1:The writer mentions the heavy smog in parts of China in Paragraph1 in order to_____.
A．remind people to stay in doors because of the bad air quality
B．show people’s concern about the priority to economic growth
C．introduce the issue about the serious air pollution
D．highlight the importance of government’s policies and regulations
小題2:Why is it a big challenge for the government to say “no” to the air polluting offenders in China?
A．Because enterprises are encouraged to develop economy at the cost of the environment.
B．Because much emphasis has been laid on economic growth regardless of the cost.
C．Because it’s impossible to relocate the enterprises for lack of money.
D．Because the production capacity of enterprises falls behind the required speed.
小題3:It can be learned from the passage that the essential reason for the worsening air conditions in China is_______.
A．the sharp growth of coal consumption in recent years
B．the rapid increase of motor vehicles in cities
C．the building of power plants in northern China
D．the poor weather conditions caused by complex geographical factors
小題4:According to the writer, which of the following is the key to solving the air pollution problem?
A．Giving priority to economic development in policymaking.
B．Making environment-friendly policies and carrying them out effectively.
C．Increasing investment in the construction of coal-fired facilities.
D．Limiting the use of cars not meeting the required emission standard
小題5:Which best describes the writer’s tone in the passage?
A．Pessimistic.B．Convincing.C．Doubtful.D．Concerned.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

People have always been dreaming of going to the moon. As long as the year 1901, H. G. Wells, an English writer, wrote a book vividly describing a trip to the moon. On landing there, the explorers discovered that the moon was full of underground cities. Words failed to express their surprise when they spotted so many “moon people”. The “moon people” felt even more surprised. “Why,” they asked, “are you traveling to outer space when you don’t even use your inner space?”
H. G. Wells could only imagine a travel to the moon. In 1969, human beings really left their footsteps on the moon. People today know that there are no underground cities on the moon. However, the question that the “moon people” asked is still an interesting one. A growing number of scientists are seriously thinking about it.
Underground systems are already in place. Many cities have underground car parks. In some cities, such as Tokyo, Seoul and Montreal, there are large underground shopping areas. The “Channel”, a tunnel connecting England and France, is now complete.
But what about underground cities? Japan’s Taisei Corporation is designing a network of underground systems, called “Alice Cities”. The designers imagine using surface space for public parks and using underground space for flats, offices, shopping, and so on. A solar dome (太陽能穹頂) would cover the whole city.
Supporters of underground development argue that building down rather than building up is a good way to use the earth’s space. The space, they say, can be used for farms, parks, gardens, and wilderness. H. G. Wells’ “moon people” would second it. Would you?
小題1:The explorers in H. G. Well’s story were surprised to find that the “moon people”     .
A．knew so much about the earth
B．understood their language
C．lived in underground cities
D．were advanced in technology
小題2:What does the underlined word “it” (paragraph 2) refer to?
A．Discovering the moon’s inner space
B．Using the earth’s inner space
C．Meeting the “moon people” again
D．Traveling to outer space
小題3:What sort of underground systems are already in place?
A．Offices, shopping areas, power stations.
B．Tunnels, car parks, shopping areas.
C．Gardens, car parks, power stations.
D．Tunnels, gardens, offices.
小題4: We can learn from the text that     .
A．H. G. Wells once went to moon himself.
B．Underground cities are more comfortable.
C．The solar dome is a necessary part of underground cities.
D．More underground systems will be in place in 2013.
小題5:What would be the best title of the text?
A．Alice Cities — cities of the future
B．Space travel with H. G. Wells
C．Enjoy living underground
D．Building down, not up

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

All over the world people enjoy sports, Sports help to keep people healthy and happy, and to live longer.
Many people like to watch others play games. They buy tickets or turn on their TVs to watch the games. Often they get very excited when “their” player or team wins.
Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for(參加) them. Football, for example, has spread(展開)around the world. Swimming is popular in all countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy! And think of people in cold countries. Think how many love to skate or ski (滑雪) in Japan, Norway or Canada.
Some sports or games go back thousands of years, like running or jumping. Chinese wushu, for example, has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new. Neither one is a hundred years old yet. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water-skiing is one of the newest in the family of sports.
People from different countries may not be able to understand each other, but after a game together they often become good friends. Sports help to train a person’s character. One learns to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace(勝不驕，敗不餒).
小題1:Why do people all over the world enjoy sports?
A．Because they are healthy.
B．Because they are happy.
C．Because they want to live longer.
D．All the above.
小題2:Why do some people get excited when they watch a game? Because  ___________. 
A．their favourite team winsB．they win the game
C．they get the good newsD．they can’t help themselves
小題3:Why do people from different countries often become friends after a game together? Because ____________.
A．they train their character in the game
B．they understand each other
C．they are friendly to each other
D．they help each other

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Think about the different ways that people use the wind. You can use it to fly a kite or to sail a boat. Wind is one of our cleanest and richest power sources, as well as one of the oldest. Evidence shows that windmills(風(fēng)車) began to be used in ancient Iran back in the seventh century BC. They were first introduced to Europe during the 1100s, when armies returned from the Middle East with knowledge of using wind power.
For many centuries, people used windmills to grind(碾碎) wheat into flour or pump water from deep underground. When electricity was discovered in the late 1800s, people living in remote areas began to use them to produce electricity. This allowed them to have electric lights and radios. However, by the 1940s when electricity was available to people in almost all areas of the United States, windmills were rarely used.
During the 1970s, people started becoming concerned about the pollution that is created when coal and gas are burned to produce electricity. People also realized that the supply of coal and gas would not last forever. Then, wind was rediscovered, though it means higher cost. Today, there is a global movement to supply more and more of our electricity through the use of wind.
小題1:From the text we know that windmills________.
A．were invented by European armies
B．have a history of more than 2,800 years
C．used to supply power to radio in remote areas
D．have rarely been used since electricity was discovered
小題2:What was a new use for wind power in the late 19th century?
A．Sailing a boat.
B．Producing electricity.
C．Grinding wheat into flour.
D．Pumping water from underground.
小題3:One of the reasons wind was rediscovered in the 1970s is that_______.
A．wind power is cleaner
B．it is one of the oldest power sources.
C．it was cheaper to create energy from wind
D．the supply of coal and gas failed to meet needs
小題4:What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?
A．The advantages of wind power.
B．The design of wind power plants.
C．The worldwide movement to save energy.
D．The global trend towards producing power from wind.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Have you dreamed of building your own machine? Do you wish you could invent something new? Here we look at a few British inventions of recent times.
Adaptable glasses
Do you wear glasses? If so, can you imagine life without them? In 1985, Joshua Silver, a professor at Oxford University, asked himself, “Can I invent a pair of glasses that could be changed by the wearer?” He designed two plastic lenses（透鏡）that are filled with a special liquid. Using syringes（注射器）you change the liquid between the lenses until you can see clearly. The glasses are not beautiful but they are easy to use and cheap to make.
The wind-up radio
When you switch your TV on tonight, think about all those people without electricity. Thinking about this, Trevor Baylis came up with the idea of designing a radio that could be powered by hand. In common with Joshua Silver he wanted his invention to be cheap and easy to use. He wanted even the poorest people in developing countries, who don’t have electricity and cannot afford batteries, to use it. The radio has a generator (發(fā)電機) which is powered by turning a handle. In 1996 it won a BBC Design Award for Best Protect and Best Design.
The Dyson cleaner
In many homes around the world you can see a cleaner that looks like a spaceship. This is the Dyson vacuum (真空) cleaner which uses something called “cyclonic separation” to separate the dirt. You do not need a bag for your cleaner and it does not get blocked so it is very practical. The idea came to Sir James Dyson after he kept having problems with his vacuum cleaner. He decided he could design a better one and in 1993 he opened his own factory. The Dyson is now one of the best-selling cleaners in the UK and Dyson is believed to have earned over a billion pounds.
The Zapata fly-board
Ever dreamed of zooming through the water and leaping in the air like a dolphin? Now you can thanks to a fly-board, built by water sports enthusiast Frank Zapata. With it you can dive back in the water and out again. It’s possible to jump to incredible heights out of the water — over 30 feet. The basic fly-board model comes in at ￡4,200.
So keep dreaming and inventing. One day you might get it right.
小題1:What can we learn about Adaptable glasses?
A．They are very expensive.B．The inventor is a student.
C．The glasses are fragile.D．They don’t look very nice.
小題2:Which invention won an award?
A．Adaptable glasses.B．The wind-up radio.
C．The Dyson cleaner.D．The Zapata fly-board.
小題3:The Dyson cleaner was invented with the purpose of _________.
A．helping people use cleaners more easily
B．making Dyson a rich businessman
C．keeping the house cleaner than before
D．taking the place of human cleaners

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

A victim of climate change
A polar bear's dead body found on the Arctic island of Svalbard, the northernmost part of Norway, has shocked experts who say climate change may be to blame for the death. The starved polar bear in Norway was said to be in good bones by the time a group of explorers came across its body in July．
The bear is thought to have been heading north in a desperate search for sea ice that would allow it to hunt for seals．"From his lying position in death, the bear appears to simply have starved to health in April when the Norwegian Polar Institute examined and labeled it． However, the animal was reduced to skin and bones and died where he dropped," polar bear expert Dr. Ian Stirling, a professor at the University of Alberta said, "He had external suggestion of any remaining fat, having been reduced to little more than skin and bone．"
Stirling believes the bear starved to death as a result of a lack of sea ice which the animals use as a platform for hunting seals． That may also explain why the 16-year-old male bear was found about 155 miles north of where it was seen in April．
Arctic sea ice reached a record low in 2012, according to a report released this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that pointed to continued signs of climate change．
The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently classifies polar bears as vulnerable on its Red List of Threatened Species．
小題1:How did Stirling know the reason for the death of the polar bear?
A．By the food he ate．B．By doing further experiments．
C．By observing other polar bears．D．By his lying position in death．
小題2:The underlined word "vulnerable" probably means _____．
A．easily hurtB．difficult to hunt
C．dangerousD．a(chǎn)mazing
小題3:What is the author's attitude to the incident?
A．Favorable．B．Uncaring．
C．Doubtful．D．Concerned．
小題4:Where does this text probably come from?
A．A novel．B．A guidebook．
C．A news report．D．An advertisement．

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Unknown to most Facebook users, the social network actually offers a lot of privacy controls and security features which can help you lock your account, so you can speak freely. If it’s used properly, you’ll never have to worry about whether you will have to “friend” your boss or your mom. You can friend anyone you want while staying comfortable in the knowledge that not everyone gets to see everything you post.
The problem with carrying out these privacy options is that they’re just too confusing for most non-tech clever people to handle. And often, most people don’t want to bother to take the time to learn. To simplify the process, we’re offering one easy step you can take today to help make your Facebook experience safer, more secure, and more private.
Just make “Friend Lists”. Yes, it will take some time, especially if you’re connected to a couple of hundred friends already. But this step, while not the quickest, is fairly simple. And it will be one of the most useful things you can do on Facebook.
Friend lists, as the name suggests, are lists for classifying your friends into various groups. The nice thing about this feature is that once you set these lists up, you won’t have to do it again. We suggest that you put your work colleagues and professional acquaintances into a friend list named “Work”, personal friends you’re not very close with into a list called “Acquaintances”, and people you’re related to into a list called “Family”. Those three main categories will separate out the groups of “friends” who you may want to hide some information from.
To create a friend list, click on “Friends” at the top of the Facebook homepage. In the left-hand column, click “Friends” again under the “Lists” section. Now you’ll see a button at the top that says “Create New List”. Click it. In the pop-up that appears, you can name your list and pick members. If you’ve ever shared an application with your friends, the process of doing this will be very familiar.
When you’ve finished making lists, you’ll be able to use them when selecting who can see what (or who can’t!) when configuring (配置) the security settings described below.
小題1:What function isn’t understood by most people on Facebook?
A．Surfing the Internet.
B．Setting safety protection.
C．Sharing personal information.
D．Making foreign friends.
小題2:What can we learn about Facebook according to the text?
A．Its process of privacy-setting is too complex.
B．It displays everything people post.
C．It lacks privacy controls and security features.
D．Its post is designed for technical people.
小題3:What advantage can we get from making friend lists?
A．We can avoid our bosses adding us as friends.
B．We can share applications with friends.
C．We can separate acquaintances from family.
D．We can hide different information from different friends.

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科目：高中英語 來源：不詳 題型：閱讀理解

Last week, President Barack Obama gave a back- to-school speech to students at the Julia R. Masterman Laboratory and Demonstration School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students in schools across the country al­so tuned in to watch the President's speech on TV. He stressed the importance of trying new things, working hard and believing in yourself.
While admitting that times are tough for families across the country, Obama reminded students that hard work now can mean big success later. “Nobody gets to write your destiny(命運）but you,” he said. “Your future is in your hands. Your life is what you make of it. And nothing—absolutely nothing—is beyond your reach."
Obama spoke about his own life, and lessons he learned from his mother, who had to remind him to stay focused on his studies. He told students the recipe (訣竅) for success: “Showing up to school on time. Paying attention in class. Doing your homework. Studying for exams. Staying out of trouble. ”
Obama encouraged students to embrace(欣然接受)what makes them different. “We shouldn't be em­barrassed by the things that make us different,” he said. “We should be proud of them.”
He also suggested taking advantage of all of the opportunities at your school, and always being open to trying new things. “Just because you’re not the best at something today doesn't mean you can't be tomorrow,” he said. “Even if you don't think of yourself as a math person or as a science person—you can still excel in those subjects if you're willing to make the effort. And you may find out you have talents you’d never dreamed of.”
小題1:What does Obama mainly want to tell the students in Paragraph 2?
A．Some families are experiencing a hard time.
B．Different people have different destinies.
C．They can create their own future.
D．Those who don't study hard will achieve nothing.
小題2:In Paragraph 3, Obama tried to encourage the students by _______.
A．telling an interesting story
B．sharing the secret to success
C．telling his own life experience
D．referring to some famous people
小題3:Obama suggested the students should    _________ .
A．not study hard for high marks
B．a(chǎn)ccept things that make them different
C．do what they are really interested in
D．not do things which are difficult for them
小題4:The underlined phrase “excel in” in the last para­graph means “_________”.
A．be careful with B．be attracted to
C．be interested in D．be good at

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