高三英语 完形填空、阅读题限时对口练习十四
高三英语限时练习十四
完形填空（时间：10分钟）
Mr Smith was a wealthy industrialist, but he was not satisfied with life. He did not sleep well and his food did not 21 with him. The situation lasted for some time. Finally, after a 22 of sleepless nights, he decided to consult his doctor. The doctor advised a change of 23 . “Go abroad,” he said, “But I’m not good at foreign languages,” said Mr Smith. “It doesn’t matter,” said the doctor. “It won’t 24 you to talk a little less. Go on a voyage. Take plenty of exercise. Try to reduce your weight, 25 rich food.”
Mr Smith went to Switzerland. He did not know French or German, and had to communicate through gestures. He attended a physical training course. The instructor made him bend his knees, swing his arms, stretch his neck and shake his head rapidly. He had to lie on the ground and raise his right and left legs 26 . After a time his muscles grew hard and firm. The life suited him; he almost put aside his financial 27 and nearly forgot the importance of making more money. He even began to 28 individual trees and individual birds. He ate and slept well. Finally he returned home. But unfortunately his improvement was temporary. Soon he was a 29 businessman again, worried about his property, his profits, his savings, his success in a 30 society, and things in general.
21. A. agree B. taste C. suit D. fit
22. A. series B. course C. number D. few
23. A. situations B. surroundings C. weather D. life
24. A. stop B. hurt C. help D. prevent
25. A. eat B. prepare C. avoid D. try
26. A. highly B. widely C. alternately D. regularly
27. A. hardship B. debts C. worries D. success
28. A. see B. notice C. glance D. consider
29. A. rich B. happy C. normal D. successful
30. A. struggle B. business C. miserable D.
competitive
语法填空（时间：10分钟）
A recent study conducted by the Pine Street Foundation showed that a dog’s nose may have the ability to detect cancer. A dog’s nose, 31 was the “medical device” used as part of the research, 32 (believe) to be among the world’s 33 powerful olfactory(嗅觉的) sensors. The study was conducted with 169 subjects, 55 of which had been diagnosed as having lung cancer, 31 have breast cancer and 83 control subjects—people 34 cancer. During the study, five 35 (profession) trained scent dogs were used to distinguish between the breath samples of cancer patients and those who were healthy. With 36 average of 90% accuracy, the research was considered a success.
The Pine Street Foundation conducted its research on the belief 37 cancer cells give off a different type of metabolic(新陈代谢) waste product. According to the study, the difference is 38 great that 39 can be detected by a dog’s sense of smell, 40 (include) both early and late stages of the disease.
阅读理解（时间：20分钟）
A
Without most people realizing it, there has been a revolution in office
work over the last ten years. Before that time, large computers were only used by large, rich companies that could afford the investment. With the advancement of technology, small computers have come onto the market, which are capable of doing the work that used to be done by much larger and expensive computers, so now most smaller companies can use them.
The main development in small computers has been in the field of word processors (处理器) , or WPS as they are often called. 40% of British offices are now estimated to have a word processor and this percentage is growing fast.
There are many advantages in using a word processor for both secretary and manager. The secretary is freed from a lot of daily work, such as re-typing letters and storing papers. He or she can use this time to do other more interesting work for the boss. From a manager’s point of view, secretarial time is being made better use of and money can be saved by doing daily jobs automatically outside office hours.
But is it all good? If a lot of daily secretarial work can be done automatically, surely this will mean that fewer secretaries will be needed. Another worry is the increasing medical problems related to work with visual display units (显示器). The case of a slow loss of sight among people using word processors seems to have risen greatly. It is also feared that if a woman works at a VDU for long hours, the unborn child in her body might be killed. Safety screens to put over a VDU have been invented but few companies in England bother to buy them.
Whatever the arguments for and against word processor are, they are a key feature (特征) of this revolution in office practice.
41. Ten years ago, smaller companies did not use large computers because_________.
A. these companies had not enough money to buy such expensive computers
B. these computers could not do the work that small computers can do today
C. these computers did not come onto the market
D. these companies did not need to use this new technology
42. According to the writer, the main feature of the revolution in office
work over the last ten years is __________.
A. the saving of time and money
B. the use of computers in small companies
C. the wide use of word processors
D. the decreasing number of secretaries
43. It is implied but not directly stated in the passage that with the use
of word processors _________.
A. some secretaries will lose their jobs
B. daily jobs can be done automatically outside office hours
C. medical problems related to work with a VDU have increased greatly
D. the British companies will make less money
44. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. There are both advantages and disadvantages in using a word processor.
B. The British companies care much for the health of the people using word
processors.
C. The technology in the field of computers has been greatly advanced over
the last ten years.
D. Using word processors, secretaries can get more time to do more interesting
work for their bosses.
45. It can be concluded from the passage that ________.
A. safety screens are of poor quality
B. working at a VDU for a long time is good for one’s health
C. more and more British offices will use word processors
D. British companies will need fewer and fewer managers
B
Although April did not bring us the rains we all hoped for, and although the Central Valley doesn’t generally experience the sound and lightning that can go with those rains, it’s still important for parents to be able to answer the youthful questions about thunder and lightning.
The reason these two wonders of nature are so difficult for many adults to explain to children is that they are not very well understood by adults themselves. For example, did you know that the lightning we see flashing down to the earth from a cloud is actually flashing up to a cloud from the earth? Our eyes trick us into thinking we see a downward motion when it’s actually the other way around. But then, if we believed only what we think and we see, we’d st ill insist that the sun rises in the monring and sets at night.
Most lightning flashes take place inside a cloud, and only a relative few can be seen jumping between two clouds or between earth and a cloud. But, with about 2,000 thunderstorms taking place above the earth every minute of the day and night, there’s enough activity to produce about 100 lightning strikes on earth every second.
Parents can use thunder and lightning to help their children learn more about the world around them. When children understand that the light of the lightning flashing reaches their eyes almost at the same moment, but the sound of the thunder takes about 5 seconds to travel just one mile, they can begin to time the interval(间隔) between the flash and the crash to learn how close they were to the actual spark(闪光).
46. Accodring to the author, in the area of the Central Valley____.
A. rains usually come without thunder and lightning.
B. it is usually dry in April
C. children pay no attention to the two natural wonders.
D. parents are not interested in thunder an lightning.
47. We believe that lightning is a downward motion because_______.
A. we were taught so by our parents from our childhood.
B. we are taken in by our sense of vision.
C. it is a common natural sight.
D. it is a truth proved by science.
48. What is TRUE about lightning according to the passage?
A. Only a small number of lightning flashes occur on earth.
B. Lightning flashes usually jump from one cloud to another.
C. Lightning travels 5 times faster than thunder.
D. There are far more lightning strikes occurring on earth than we can imagine.
49. The underlined word “activity” is most closely related to the word(s) _____.
A. cloud
B. lightning strikes
C. lightning flashes
D. thunderstorms
50. It can be concluded from the passage that _______.
A. we should not believe what we see or hear.
B. things moving downward are more noticeable.
C. people sometimes may have wrong ideas about ordinary phenomena.
D. adults are not as good as children in observing certain natural phenomena.
C
TOKYO, Japan (AP) –Japan is very serious about robotics (机器人技术).
If the droids are going to fit in, they probably need to learn the Japanese custom of serving tea. Fortunately, researchers at the University of Tokyo are exploring just that. In a show this week, a humanoid（有人特点的）with camera eyes made by Kawada Industries Inc. poured tea from a bottle into a cup.Then another robot on wheels delivered the cup of tea in an experimental room that has sensors embedded in the floor and sofa as well as cameras on the ceiling, to simulate（模仿）life with robot technology.
“A human being may be faster, but you’d have to say ‘Thank you,’” said University of Tokyo professor Tomomasa Sato. “That’s the best part about a robot. You don’t have to feel bad about asking it to do things.”
Sato believes Japan, a rapidly aging society where more than a fifth of the population is 65 or older, will lead the world in designing robots to care for the elderly, sick and bedridden（卧床不起的）.
Already, monitoring technologies, such as sensors that automatically turn on lights when people enter a room, are becoming widespread in Japan.
The walking, child–size Asimo from Honda Motor Co. greets people at showrooms. NEC Corp. has developed a smaller companion robot–on –wheels called Papero. A seal robot available since 2020 can entertain the elderly and others in need of fuzzy companionship.
Sato says his experimental room is raising awareness about privacy questions that may arise when electronic devices（设备）monitor a person’s movements down to the smallest detail.
On the bright side, the tea – pouring humanoid has been programmed to do the dishes.
51. What is the best title of this passage?
A. “Thank You” Will Never Be Needed in Japan
B. Monitoring Technologies Are Widespread in Japan
C. Robot Is Designed to Care for the Elderly.
D. Robot technologies are widespread in Japanese daily life.
52. The underlined word “embedded” in the first paragraph probably
means .
A. fixed
B. established
C. settled
D. rooted
53. According to Professor Sato, .
A. the robot serves tea much faster than a human being
B. the robot does anything like human beings
C. tea – serving robot helps to form laziness of the aging society
D. tea – serving robot doe sn’t need any reward for the service
54. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. A robot can imitate people to complete complicated tasks
B. A robot has been programmed to clean the dishes
C. All the problems in the aging society can be solved by robots.
D. The number of aging people is increasing rapidly in Japan.
55. We can infer from the passage that .
A. people are afraid of being monitored by robots.
B. the technology of robots has been highlighted in Japan.
C. robots can completely take the place of human beings.
D. people’s privacy should be strictly protected
参考答案
完形填空
21-25 ACBBC 26-30 CCBCD
答案与解析
导读：Mr Smith是一位富有的工业家，由于整天担忧他的事业，生活陷入一团糟，健康状况日益下降，在医生的建议下，他到瑞士疗养，疗养期间由于没有担忧的事，身体健康日益恢复，但是，回到家里，恢复往日的生活，他的故疾重发了。事情又回到原来的样子了。
21. A。考查动词词意辨析和语境的理解。agree with①一致；相符合agree with sb.同意某人的话；②适宜健康；与…相宜The liquor did not agree with me.这酒不适合我喝。从语境知道食物不适合他。
22. C。考查语境的理解。表示经过许多个不眠的夜晚，他决定向医生咨询。
23. B。考查名词词意辨析和语境的理解。医生建议他进行一个环境的改变来治疗他的疾病。Surroundings复数形式表示环境。
24. B。考查动词词意辨析和语境的理解。医生告诉他，在一个语言不通的国家，不擅长于讲话没有什么关系。
25. C。考查动词词意辨析和语境的理解。这里是医生对他的建议，进行减肥，避免吃油腻的事物。
26. C。考查副词词意辨析和语境的理解。他在教练的要求下，做运动，其中的一项就是躺在地上，两腿交替上举。alternately交替地, 隔一个地。
27. C。考查名词词意辨析和语境的理解。从上下文知道他放下了他对财务的担忧。
28. B。考查语境的理解。从上文知道他放下了他对财务的担忧，忘记赚钱的重要性，甚至开始注意到身边的树和鸟。
29. C。考查形容词词意辨析和语境的理解。从语境知道，回到家，他又像以前一样成了一个标准的商人。
30. D。考查形容词词意辨析和语境的理解。和前面的his property, his profits, his savings并列，表示在竞争的社会中他的成功。
语法填空
31. which 32. is believed 33. most 34. without 35. professionally 36. an 37. that 38. so 39.it 40. including
阅读理解
41-45 ACABC 46-50 ABDDC 51-55 DADCB
高三英语30分钟限时训练2
高三英语限时训练二（30分钟，满分100分） 一．（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）(2018全国III卷) 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。 I’m not sure 1 is more frightened, me or the female gorilla (大猩猩) that suddenly appears out of nowhere. I’m walking on a path in the forest in the Central African Republic. Unexpectedly, I’m face-to-face with the gorilla, who begins screaming at 2 top of her lungs. That makes her baby scream, and then a 400-pound male appears. He screams the 3 (loud) of all. The noise shakes the trees as the male beats his chest and charges toward me. I quickly lower myself, ducking my head to avoid 4 (look) directly into his eyes so he doesn’t feel 5 (challenge). My name is Mireya Mayor. I’m a 6 (science) who studies animals such as apes and monkeys. I was searching 7 these three western lowland gorillas I’d been observing. No one had seen them for hours, and my colleagues and I were worried. When the gorillas and I frightened each other, I was just glad to find 8 (they) alive. True to a gorilla’s unaggressive nature, the huge animal 9 (mean) me no real harm. He was just saying: “I’m king of this forest, and here is your reminder!” Once his message was delivered, he allowed me 10 (stay) and watch. 1.____________ 2.____________ 3.____________ 4.____________ 5.____________ 6.____________ 7.____________ 8.____________ 9.____________ 10.____________ 二．（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分）(2018年6月浙江卷) Few people I know seem to have much desire or time to cook. Making Chinese 1 (dish) is seen as especially troublesome. Many westerners 2 come to China cook much less than in their own countries once they realize how cheap 3 can be to eat out. I still remember 4 (visit) a friend who’d lived here for five years and I 5 (shock) when I learnt she hadn’t cooked once in all that time. While regularly eating out seems to 6 (become) common for many young people in recent years, it’s not without a cost. The obvious one is money; eating out once or twice a week may be 7 (afford) but doing this most days adds up. There could be an even 8 (high) cost on your health. Researchers have found that there is a direct link between the increase in food eaten outside the home and the rise in 9 (weigh) problems. If you are not going to suffer this problem, then I suggest that the next time you go to your mum’s home 10 dinner, get a few cooking tips from her. Cooking food can be fun. You might also begin to notice the effects not only on your health but in your pocket. 1.____________ 2.____________ 3.____________ 4.____________ 5.____________ 6.____________ 7.____________ 8.____________ 9.____________ 10.____________
高考英语阅读理解三篇
(A ) A coal-fire stove(炉灶)provided heating for Zhao Yaoqin's courtyard bungalow in a Beijing hutong all her life. This winter, however, the stove has disappeared from the 66-year-old's life, and an electric radiator takes its place beside her bed, a product of a government to use clean energy in the national capital. With the Olympics to be staged in Beijing next August, the city is determined to eliminate the use of coal within the Third Ring Road that circles the city before the Games. The project to replace the stoves with electric radiators has been part of the effort. When the city's four-month long heating season started on Thursday, coal-fired stoves, known as a big source of pollution in the big city, have disappeared from some 20,000 local households like Zhao's bungalow in the inner city "hutong" -- traditional alleyways(小巷) that date back centuries. "We used to boil water or bake bread on the stove," said Zhao, sounding sentimental(伤感) to the disappearance of the coal furnace from her life. Late in the 1990s, Beijing's air quality monitoring office found that the emissions(排放) of sulphur dioxide and carbon monoxide from the hutong areas have been higher than the city's average in winter, mainly because of the coal stoves. With the project to switch to clean energy for heating launched in 1999, the emission level of the two poisonous substances decreased by 42 percent and 44 percent, respectively, this year from 2001 levels. Zhao said the fee for electrical heat for the entire winter was usually around 2,400 yuan (US$323) per household. With the government's subsidy（补贴）, however, she only needed to pay about 500 yuan, nearly the same price as that for coal. 1．Zhao Yaoqin’ example in the passage is to tell us that_______. A.people in Beijing using electric radiators to welcome the Olympics. B.people in Beijing are doing something to protect the environment. C.hutongs in Beijing have a long history. D.People pay more money to use electric radiators than before. 2. The underlined word eliminate probably means________ A. cut down. B. increase. C. get rid of. D. replace 3. We can infer from the passage that ______ A. Zhao Yaoqin has a strong and deep emotion with the use of coal-fire stove. B. The government will pay most of the fee. C. The air of Beijing has been badly polluted since 1990s. D. The people do not use coal eight months in one year. 4. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage? A. The clean air is important when the Olympics Games is held in Beijing. B. The success of the Olympics Games depends on the clean air. C. The government spare no effort to make the environment better. D. The emission level of poisonous substances will be low in 2008.
高三英语限时练4(40分钟)
高三英语限时练（40分钟） （四） 一、语篇填空（共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分） 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。 If you’re a grandparent, shaking a leg with your grandchild might benefit both of you. That’s the conclusion of a new study from Israel, where researchers examined how dancing together 1 (positive) affected 16 grandmas and granddaughters. They’ve discovered it can encourage exercise and can also 2 (deep) ties between the two generations. Dancing “promoted physical activity even when the body was tired and weak,” said the study author. “This emphasizes the significance of the close and familiar relationship as 3 means to promote new experiences, 4 can occasionally seem impossible for the older person.” The granddaughters teamed 5 their grandmas for three free-form dance sessions. They danced once a week for 10 to 15 minutes in their grandmother’s home. Granddaughters 6 (tell) to mirror their grandmas’ movements, encourage their abilities and let them rest when 7 (need). Videos of the dance sessions, 8 (person) diaries and interviews showed that the sessions led to positive feelings and better mood for the grandmothers. The granddaughters, meanwhile, got a new view on 9 (age). Both groups were grateful and said the dance sessions strengthened 10 (they) bonds, according to the study published recently in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. 1. ______________ 2. ______________ 3. ______________ 4. ______________ 5. ______________ 6. ______________ 7. ______________ 8. ______________ 9. ______________ 10. ______________ 二、读后续写(25分) 阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。 Kevin had been eagerly waiting for the holidays to arrive. His mother had kept on hinting that there would be a big surprise for him during the vacation. Kevin took out his scrapbook (剪贴簿). The exams had just finished, and summer vacation had just started. Now he was free as a bird — free to draw, paint, play basketball, and watch television…anything he wanted to do. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, startling (使惊吓) him. It was his pain of a cousin, Max. “Hi!” screamed Max as he jumped on Kevin’s bed. “I have come to stay here for the holidays.” Kevin had never expected his mother’s surprise to be this bad. If this was the start of his vacation, then the next few weeks were going to be the worst experience of his life. The next few days were horrible for Kevin. After breakfast, Kevin decided to make a painting. Luckily, Max was not around. Kevin spread out all his art supplies and started painting some beautiful scenery. When he was doing the finishing touches, Max entered the room with a Pepsi bottle. He slipped on some water, spilling Pepsi all over the painting and totally ruining it. The next day was even worse. Everything was peaceful until the evening. It all started when Max put the dirty clothes in the washing machine. After some time, Kevin heard some strange sounds from the washing machine. He went to check and found that Max had put his best pair of shoes into the machine, along with the clothes. One day, Kevin was looking through the newspaper when some interesting news caught his attention. He read it aloud: “The world famous philatelist (集邮家) Dick Brown’s stamps were stolen last week from his house. Several other stamp robberies also have taken place, and police suspect that all the robberies are linked.” This piece of news concluded by warning all stamp collectors to keep their stamps safe.
高三英语二轮复习完形+阅读限时训练
限时完形+阅读套题训练 第二节完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，共30分） 阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的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。 One Bite at a Time Stephen was on campus（校园）to register when I first met him. One summer day 36 I was headed over to the administration building, I heard someone call my name. I 37 around and saw Philip, one of my colleagues standing with another young man. As Philip introduced me to the young man, named Stephen, he reminded him that he would be taking one of my 38 , Introduction to Literature. With a somewhat 39 expression, Stephen asked if my class was going to be “hard”. Would he be able to pass? I 40 he was concerned about failing before the 41 day of classes. We talked about what the class would 42 and I saw Stephen’s eyes getting b ig with 43 . Then I remembered a bit of classical dialog: Question: “How do you eat an elephant?” Answer: “One bite at a time.” I told him to 44 his work that way. To do his assignment（作业）, all of them, and to get them in on time. I added that most 45 students I knew made a timetable of all the assignment so they could 46 their workload. As time went on, I learned more of Stephen’s story. He had 47 in middle school. It had taken him longer to finish than most young people. Family members, including his mother, kept reminding him that he was a 48 . Now, in the face of their negative-saying he had been admitted into college. He told me that before coming to our campus no one had believed he had much 49 . S tephen didn’t become an “A”student. He didn’t make any honor rolls. Still, he managed to 50 most of his courses by being in class every day, turning in all of his assignment on time and breaking down his studying into 51 digestible parts. By passing course after course he began to gain a measure of self-respect. He was a great singer and he was 52 the school’s cross-country team. Every time I saw him on campus, he would brighten up and say, “O ne bite at a time.”Whenever he introduced me to his friends, he would tell them that he was 53 when he was supposed to be failing. His 54 , he said, was that he was 55 what I taught him before classes ever started: “Take it one bite at a time.” 36. A. after B. when C. until D. once 37. A. turned B. sat C. moved D. went 38. A. jobs B. tests C. classes D. projects
(英语)高三英语阅读理解专项训练及答案
（英语）高三英语阅读理解专项训练及答案 一、高中英语阅读理解 1．阅读理解 The setting was a packed gymnasium just before the start of a game against another school. There were five girls who were members of the Danville High School basketball team—all of them starters. They were not in uniform to play that night and would not be on the team for the rest of this season. They were there to admit their breaking of team rules. They were there to support their coach's decision to take them off the team. They were there to let the town know there was a problem in their little community that needed to be addressed. And they did it with sincere regret rather than defensiveness. While the school had been out for the New Year's holiday, the five girls had gone to the party with several of their friends. There was alcohol there. And they all drank some. Coach Rainville has a zero tolerance rule on drugs and alcohol for her members though it was a hard decision to make. When classes resumed and accounts of holiday parties were shared, rumors about the five girls began closing in on them. The coach said she couldn't back down on her rules. And the players—two junior students and three senior students—agreed. That night in the gym was part of their public support of the coach's decision. “We hope you will understand that we are not bad kids. What we did was definitely not worth it. We hope this event will make everyone realize that there is a big drug and alcohol problem in our community,” one of the senior students said, “And if you work with us to try to solve this problem, you will help us feel that we have not been thrown off our basketball team for nothing.” The five left the floor to deafening applause. The team may not win another game this year. But they've learnt something about personal responsibility, the effect of one's action on others, and honesty that will serve them well throughout life. （1）It can be inferred from the passage that the five girls who were kicked off the team were ________. A. very good players on the team B. addicted to alcohol and drugs C. three junior students and two senior students D. scolded by their parents for drinking alcohol （2）What did the girls do to support their coach's decision? A. They didn't fight for Danville High School any more. B. They all gave speeches to apologize in the local press. C. They admitted their mistake in public in the gymnasium. D. They would never drink any alcohol throughout their life. （3）Which word best describes the coach Rainville? A. Indifferent. B. Strict. C. Stubborn. D. Cruel. （4）Which would be the best title for the passage? A. Growing up with pain B. A bad mistake C. Team rules are everything D. Basketball girls in high school 【答案】（1）A
高三英语限时练习九(含答案)
高三英语限时练习九 完形填空（时间：10分钟） A seeker asks, “I want to make a difference in the world, but there are so many causes crying for attention that I feel deeply confused. I don't know where to put my energy to have the greatest 21 . Where do I begin?” Lynn Answers: There is no one “ 22 ” place to begin. Each of us has a different 23 place, and the place where we will be of greatest service has to do with where we most want to 24 . If we want to have an effect on the world around us, it's important to 25 what I think of as our "Area of Power." Our Area of Power is where we feel the most passion to act and have the most 26 that results are 27 . If we pray for world peace, but have no vision of what this would look like and no faith that our 28 will help, our effect is less than if we pray for peace and harmony in our own 29 with a clear picture of what this means and excitement that healing is possible. Without faith that we can 30 , our power to help is decreased. 21. A. power B. ease C. effect D. result 22. A. right B. real C. similar D. exact 23. A. amusing B. ending C. starting D. finishing 24. A. give B. live C. act D. dream 25. A. work B. regard C. consider D. identify 26. A. power B. peace C. faith D. energy 27. A. visible B. possible C. reasonable D. accessible 28. A. prayers B. players C. seekers D. watchers 29. A. language B. way C. world D. family 30. A. make an effort B. make it C. make a difference D. make ends meet
浙江省杭州市萧山区第三高级中学高三英语限时训练1月日 含答案
A Famous centenarians (百岁老人) still active in arts, science are in no mood to retire. "Those who stand still, die," is one of Oliveira's favorite phrases. He knows from experience what it means, as the Portuguese film director has reached the age of 102 and is still active in his profession. Every year, Oliveira shoots a film and is currently working on his next project. "You have to work, work, work in order to forget that death is not far away," he said. When asked about his age, Oliveira said with some humility: "It's down to mother nature. It gave to me what it took from others." Being both mentally and physically fit in old age is partly a matter of luck, but it also has something to do with character. Not every white-haired person is wise and social skills, openness and the ability to train the brain are essential for senior citizens. Along with the architect Oscar Niemeyer (103), Nobel laureate Montalcini (101) and director Kurt Maetzig (100), Oliveira is one of those people of whom it would be very wrong to think as members of a listless elderly generation. Another master in his profession is the architect Oscar Niemeyer. The 103-year-old Brazilian is best known for his futuristic-looking（未来派的）buildings in Brasilia, but he also speaks out on behalf of the poor. "The role of the architect is to struggle for a better world where we can develop a form of architecture that serves everyone and not just a privileged few," said Niemeyer recently. He spends almost every day working in his office in Copacabana, and even when he falls ill he keeps working on ideas: After a gallbladder (胆囊) operation he composed a samba tune (桑巴舞曲) in the clinic. Another man who could sing a song about age is 107-year-old Heesters. The Dutch-born opera singer spent most of his life performing in Germany, where he still works. Recently Heesters said: "I want to be at least 108-years-old." He also plans to keep performing. "Should I just sit at home and wait until they come and pick me up?" Heesters has not given up trying to add to his tally of awards and is looking for a "good stage role". Italian scientist Rita Levi-Montalcini, who is 101-year-old and is still active in medical science, has described the force that keeps driving her on: "Progress is created through imperfection." In 1986 she and her lab colleague were awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work on nerve growth factor. She's convinced that humans grow on challenges.
高三英语阅读理解(带详解)
I watched from a distance as the homeless man quarreled with those who did not leave money for him – the majority. I walked up to him and right on queue he asked me for a quarter. “I’ll give you a quarter if you tell me your story.” He laughed, “You’ll give me a quarter for my story?” I lay the qu front of him and corrected myself –“Nah, here’s the quarter but it would be nice to hear your story.” I followed his eyes to the quarter and for a brief moment I saw a glimmer of reflection. I sat down next to him and waited. I was a sniper(狙击手)and was supposed to shoot down the “I was in the army,” he said. “ carefully to his grizzly voice as he went deeper into the story. enemy from the distance.” I listened He wore dirty old torn clothes and smelled like a dead rat left in a mouse trap. He told me how he used to hunt with his family and was really good at it. He had his own way of respecting animals by not wasting what he killed for food and not killing more than he needed. When the army came knocking on his door, he felt pride and joined up. All those years of polishing his hunting skills could now serve a larger purpose—to defend us from the bad guys. He set out to fight in Iraq. It wasn’t long before he realized his ideals and expectations were just a shadow of the truth. He became disillusioned with the killings, which he felt were of innocent people. “I was a sniper but I never really killed anyone,” he said. “One day I had to do it. They asked me to shoot this lady from the distance. I saw kids near that lady and my hands were on the trigger (扳机). Man, I was tearing up ... I couldn’t do it. She wasn’t doing anything to anyone and she was with the kids—I couldn’t see through my tears. It just didn’t make any sense to me.” The story goes on as he describes eventually being put into prison for 180 days for refusing to follow orders. He told me how he was black listed so that he couldn’t get a job. All the rights we take for granted were taken away from him. Why? Here was a man who was being punished—and for what? For refusing to kill the lady? For being a hero? “I have no regrets,” anyone the homeless man said. “I may be homeless now, but I never killed that lady. I never killed He in the army. It didn’t feel right. I didn’t go there to do that. I went there to save people.” okay. But I wouldn’t be able to live with continued, “I can live with being homeless—that’s killing innocent people.” On that lonely Friday night, I met a hero. It just never occurred to me that a hero could be a smelly old man left on streets. 1. It can be learned from the passage that the homeless man_______. （） A. never killed animals B. had a strong respect for life C. deserved the punishment he received D. felt guilty about disobeying the order