A
IT’S fitting that the uniform suburban (郊区的) houses loom (若隐若现) over the little red barn (畜舍) at the farm off Narrow Lane near Lexington, Kentucky, the US.
The farm is mostly empty now. Jim Mahan and his family, who lived there for generations, have moved to a different plot of land in northern Fayette County. As land is sold, houses go up where there once were fields.
But during the summer, the barn bustles (熙攘) with a bunch (群) of city kids who have come to love the farm. They’re members of the Fayette County Livestock Club, which showcases skills as varied as proper shearing (剪羊毛) and showmanship (表演技巧). The barn is where they look after the animals.
“A lot of Lexington kids don’t know anything about farm life,” said Adria Meier, 17, who has looked after goats and sheep for three years. “There is so much to learn.”
The dozen or so children who take care of their goats and sheep at the little red barn must do a six-hour class before they get an animal. They pay for their own animals but get special club programs, such as one that provides veterinary (兽医的) care.
Mahan lets the group use the barn for free, and the kids spend up to three hours a day there during the summer. But as his land gets sold, he doesn’t know whether the club can definitely (一定) continue.
What makes the Fayette County Livestock Club special is that most of the kids can’t just walk out their door and take care of their animals. Most are driven to the barn by their mothers, who usually hang around and chat as their kids feed the animals and exercise them to get the most muscle (肌肉) on their lambs.
There are valuable lessons learned along the way. For instance, don’t shear your goat when there is wind, and sheep are social animals who like to stick together and will protest (抗议) loudly when separated.
“Tending to animals helps teach us responsibility. Unlike learning to shoot an arrow, caring for an animal isn’t something you can simply abandon (遗弃),” said Carly Playforth, 16, of Lexington.
1. The article is mainly about ______.
A. life on a farm near Lexington
B. how to look after goats and sheep
C. Mahan’s concern about the land to be sold
D. The Fayette County Livestock Club’s programme
2. Before getting their own animals, the kids have to ______.
A. find a home for them B. pay for a barn to use
C. take a six-hour class D. pay for veterinary care
3. The Fayette County Livestock Club is special in that ______.
A. the kids don’t have to pay for anything
B. most of its members live a long way from the farm
C. both parents and kids can take part in the program
D. the kids have to teach their parents what they learned
4. Carly Playforth has a(n) ______ attitude towards the activity.
A. negative B. Critical C. indifferent D. positive
B
WHEN you research in English on the Internet, new words and phrases often pop up. One choice is, of course, to look them up in the dictionary that sits on your desk. But by just clicking (点击) your mouse, you will have access to other useful resources – online dictionaries.
Online dictionaries are more convenient and have more information than most physical dictionaries. For example, log on to http://dictionary.cambridge.org. Just type a word in the search box and choose from the list of words and phrases displayed. With each entry comes an example written in very simple language.
“The electronic (电子的) dictionary is more than a reference tool (参考工具) for looking up new words. It also functions as a study book in which users can practice how to use the new words,” said Patrick Gillard, senior commissioning editor (责任编辑) of Cambridge University Press.
Another good online dictionary is http://dictionary.reference.com. Apart from providing word explanations, you can click the “Thesaurus” section on its homepage. It will give you the synonyms (同义词) and antonyms (反义词) of a word. It is a useful way to expand your vocabulary.
阅读下面短文，根据以下提示：1）汉语提示，2）首字母提示，3）语境提示，在每个空格内填入一个适当的英语单词，并将该词完整地写在短文后相对应的横线上。所填单词要求意义准确，拼写正确。
When you do certain research in English on the Internet, new words and phrases often pop up. One choice is, of course, to look them ________ (5) in the dictionary sitting on your desk. But by just clicking your mouse, you will have access ________ (6) other useful ________ (7) (资源) – the online dictionaries.
Online dictionaries are more ________ (8) (方便的) and have more information. For example, log on to http://dictionary.cambridge.org. Just t________ (9) a word in the search box and choose ________ (10) the list of words and phrases ________ (11) (显示). With each entry comes an example written in very simple language.
“The electronic dictionary is more than a reference tool for looking up new words. It also functions as a study book in which users can ________ (12) (练习) how to use the new words,” Patrick Gillard, senior commissioning editor of Cambridge University Press.
Another good online dictionary is http://dictionary.reference.com. A________ (13) from providing word explanations, you can click the “Thesaurus” section on its homepage. It will give you the synonyms and antonyms of a word. It is a useful way to expand your v________ (14).
C
TANYA Ferguson lives in Sydney. On September 23, she woke up to a big gust (阵风) of wind blowing through her window. She then saw that the room was completely orange.
“I could not believe my eyes,” she told BBC news.
She thought there was a bush fire. But when she went outside, the entire city was covered in a film of orange dust.
“It was like being in the outback (澳大利亚内陆), but it was right here in the city,”she said.
On that day, a big dust storm swept through Sydney. It covered the city in orange dust for about eight hours, making landmarks (标志性建筑) such as the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge invisible.
The storm affected the transportation system. Flights were delayed. Roads were busy as drivers struggled in the difficult conditions.
Children and the elderly were told to stay indoors until the dust had cleared. Later strong winds blew it out to sea and up the coast.
No one was hurt in the storm, though health officials answered hundreds of calls from people with breathing difficulties. Emergency services responded to hundreds of calls about tree branches brought down by strong winds.
Dust storms are common in the Australian outback, where the land is arid (贫瘠的). But the storms rarely reach the coastal regions.
Officials said it was the worst dust storm of the past 70 years. Air pollution levels were 15,500 micrograms of pollutants per cubic meter.
“On a clear day the pollutants are around 10-20 micrograms per cubic meter,” said Chris Eiser of the NSW department of the environment.
Experts said that dry conditions in the outback and strong winds caused the sandstorm.
“Ten very dry years over inland southern Australia and very strong winds have conspired (协同促成) to produce the storm,” said Nigel Tapper, an environmental scientist at Monash University, Australia.
BONUS:
outback可以做名词和形容词，意思是“内地，内地的” eg: outback life, outback farm。做名词时，也可特指澳大利亚偏僻而人口稀少的内地。
高考词汇:
entire
adj. 整个的，全部的 It was the most memorable day in my entire life.
delay
vt.& n. 延迟，耽搁 He delayed his decision on whether to call an election.
bring down 击落，降低 The house was brought down in a thunderstorm.
考点看台:
It ... eight hours, making landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge invisible.
本句使用动词-ing形式引导结果状语。动词-ing形式引导的状语可以表示原因、方式、伴随、条件、时间等。
真题演练
1. A small plane crashed into a hillside five miles east of the city, ______ all four people on board. （2009上海卷）
A. killed B. killing C. kills D. to kill
2. The glass doors have taken the place of the wooden ones at the entrance, _______ in the natural light during the day.（07天津卷）
A. to let B. letting C. let D. having let
15. The article is about ______.
A. the causes of the major dust storm B. different reactions to a dust storm
C. the damage caused by the big dust storm D. the worst dust storm in Australia in the past 70 year
16. Which of the following is TRUE?
A. The dust storm didn’t blow up to the coastal regions of Australia.
B. The level of air pollution was very high due to the dust storm.
C. Sydney Opera House and Harbor Bridge could still be seen on September 23.
D. Children and elderly people were told to stay indoors because the transportation system had been affected.
17. The article tells us that ______.
A. Tanya Ferguson lives in the Australian outback
B. a bush fire may have brought the orange dust
C. the sandstorm in the city lasted about 24 hour
D. it has been dry for ten years in the southern Australia hinterland.
18. The tone of the article is ______.
A. worried B. sympathetic C. objective D. angry
D
Don't sell your soul to fit in
IT was my first day to Miss Hargrove''s seventh grade class. Past “newcomer” experiences had been difficult, so I was very anxious to fit in. After being introduced to the class, I bravely put on a smile and took my seat.
Lunchtime was a pleasant surprise when the girls all crowded around my table. They were friendly, so I began to relax. My new classmates told me about the school, the teachers and the other kids. They pointed out the class nerd (书呆子): Mary Lou. She was a pretty girl with dark eyes and olive skin, but she wore a long woolen skirt and an old-fashioned blouse. She looked like a dork (呆瓜). The girls whispered and giggled (咯咯笑) as Mary Lou walked by. She ate alone.
After school, the girls invited me to join them in front of the school. I was thrilled to be a member of the club. We waited. Then Mary Lou came down the school steps. The girls started making fun of her, shouting rude, biting comments. I paused, then joined right in. Mean remarks (话语) fell from my lips. No one could tell I''d never done this before. The other girls stepped back and started cheering for me. Feeling strong, I pulled on her backpack and then pushed her. Her backpack broke, Mary Lou fell and I backed off. Everyone was laughing. I fit in. I was a leader.
I was not proud. If you''ve ever picked a wing off a butterfly, you know how I felt.
Mary Lou got up, gathered her books and left without crying or saying anything. She held her head high as blood ran down from her knee. I watched her limp (蹒跚而行) away.
I turned to leave with my laughing friends and noticed a man standing beside his car. He must have been Mary Lou''s father – he had the same olive skin, dark hair and handsome features (容貌). He remained still and watched the lonely girl walk toward him. Only his eyes – shining with sadness and pride – followed. As I passed, he looked at me in silence with burning tears that reminded me of my shame.
Mary Lou''s father''s eyes taught me a lesson that day. I never again hurt someone for my own gain.
Words in focus:
anxious adj. worried about something 焦虑的 She gave me an anxious look.
fit in be suited to, belong 适应，适合 I wasn''t sure if she would fit in with my friends.
biting adj. sharply painful to the body or mind 刺痛的；尖刻的（bite v. 咬）
She loves to make biting remarks.
back off move backwards from a certain position 后退，撤退
She backed off, then turned and ran away.
19. The writer felt she fit in when ______.
A. she smiled and joked with her classmate
B. she went to sit with a group of students at the lunch table
C. she became a leader of a student club
D. others cheered for her after she treated Mary Lou badly
20. The writer never again hurt someone for her own gain because she ______.
A. realized it was shameful to make fun of Mary Lou
B. was afraid to be beaten by Mary Lou’s father
C. was impressed by Mary Lou’s calmne
D. was sorry that she had hurt Mary Lou’s knee
21. After he saw what happened to his daughter, Mary Lou’s father _______.
A. felt shame and anger because she was treated unfairly
B. felt sad and proud because she faced it bravely
C. felt it necessary to teach the writer a lesson
D. felt it a pity that his daughter didn’t fight back
22. From the text, we can see that the writer is probably ______.
A. a rude girl who enjoys treating others badly
B. a shy girl who has trouble communicating with other
C. a brave girl who is willing to admit and correct her mistake
D. a cold girl who doesn’t care about others’ feeling
E
What's this film selling?
IF you've ever seen a James Bond movie you'll know that the hero gets around in a smart Aston Martin car. Even if you know full well that you could never afford (买得起) such an expensive vehicle (车), you don't forget the name, or the car.
Why? You have been subjected to product placement.
Companies pay a film to place their products in the movie. Product placement took off in the West in the 1980s and is now catching on in China. Two Hunan Satellite TV dramas are recent examples: Ugly Wudi and Let's Go Watch the Meteor Shower (《一起去看流星雨》).
Shampoo, mobile phones, cars and fitness centers (健身中心) – anything can be product-placed. Advertisers (广告商) value the mass appeal (吸引力) of the movies, knowing that a successful film can showcase their goods to hundreds of thousands of viewers. But when product placement takes over, artistic considerations can take a back seat.
Cai Zhiyong has been product-placing for years. The Beijing-based advertiser admits there is a conflict between art and business. He explains the way one ad works. In If You are the One (《非诚勿扰》), the actress Shu Qi plays a flight attendant (空姐). The movie contains product placement for airline companies.
Cash-strapped filmmakers often have to sacrifice the quality of their work because they need money from advertisers. In the original story for Meteor Shower, the heroine's (女主角的) mother owned an ice cream shop. But no ice cream company wanted to sponsor (赞助) the film. For this reason, the story was changed. In the film the man drinks 20 cups of milk tea where it was originally intended that he would eat ice cream.
Even here though, you may see the power of business over the movies, since the script was perhaps written so a product could be placed – whether it was ice cream or milk tea.
1. James Bond movies are mentioned in the first paragraph to show ______.
A. how popular James Bond is B. how great the Aston Martin car is
C. how to make a movie more artistic D. how effectively product placement work
2. Product placement can have a bad effect on the ______ of a movie.
A. atmosphere B. mass appeal C. commercial success D. artistic value
3. What does the underlined word "cash-strapped" in Paragraph 6 probably mean?
A. Short of money. B. Self-financed.
C. With abundant cash. D. Intending to earn money.
4. We can learn from the adaptation of Meteor Shower that ______.
A. business has a big say in the movie
B. the original story was not suitable for a movie
C. filmmakers are more concerned about making money
D. milk tea companies are more successful than ice cream companies
F
Do young Britons choose the wrong models?
THE British have many in their history the young could look up to and learn from. Shakespeare and Darwin surely have a lot to teach everyone, let alone children.
Yet according to research by the Children's Society in the UK, British youngsters are more impressed by footballers and pop stars than achievers in the arts and sciences. But just what is wrong with celebrities like David Beckham and Cheryl Cole?
The problem is that the young simply copy stars like Beckham. If the star gets a tattoo (纹身), the young person will want to get a tattoo; if the star gets a strange new haircut, the youngster will be clamoring (强烈要求) for the same style.
It's not just the famous writers and scientists that do not inspire the UK's youngsters. They look past their own parents, too.
Just one in seven UK children admires their fathers; three in 10 their mothers.
Significantly, young British people interviewed for the research had the least time for Homer Simpson, the couch potato (终日懒散在家的) father of Bart and Lisa.
Some will argue though, that it is the parentsh fault for not providing good role models (榜样). Rashid Iqbal, head of the Children's Society tends to agree. “If children are not looking up to adults this is not the children's fault,” he said. “Adults have a collective (共同的) responsibility to make childhood better for all children.”
根据短文内容，从选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。有两项为多余选项。
The British have many in their history the young could look up to and learn from. Shakespeare and Darwin surely have a lot to teach anyone, let alone children.
Yet according to a research by the Children's Society in the UK, ______(5) But just what is wrong with celebrities like David Beckham?
______(6) If the star gets a tattoo, the child will want to get a tattoo; ______(7)
It's not just the famous writers and scientists that do not inspire the UK's youngsters. ______(8) One in seven children in the UK admire their fathers and just three in 10 their mothers. Significantly, British youngsters interviewed for the research had the least time for Homer Simpson, the couch potato father of Bart and Lisa.
Some will argue though that it is the parents' fault for not providing good role models. Rashid Iqbal, head of the Children's Society tends to agree. "If children are not looking up to adults this is not the children's fault," he said. "______"(9)
A. They look past their own parents, too.
B. The problem is that the young simply copy stars like Beckham.
C. Adults have a collective responsibility to make childhood better for all children.
D. If the star gets a strange new haircut, the child will be clamoring for the same style.
E. Many youngsters still take the time to think twice before they copy what their icons do.
F. Modern life moves at such a fast pace that youngsters no longer have time for traditional role models.
G. British youngsters are more impressed by footballers and pop stars than achievers in the arts and sciences.
G
MOST of us think that when we step under a shower we're getting clean. We are, but we're also giving a home to lots of tiny little creatures we didn't even know about.
A showerhead carries thousands of bacteria (细菌) called Mycobacterium. These can cause problems like coughs and tiredness, and a general feeling of poorliness (身体不舒服). When you turn on the water, the bacteria go from the showerhead onto and into your body.
This is a finding of Norman R. Pace and his team at the University of Colorado, in the US. The scientists investigated bacteria in all kinds of human environment, including showers.
Pace's team looked at 45 showerheads in nine American cities. They discovered that 30 percent of them had large amounts of flying Mycobacterium.
But Pace said that they pose few threats to the health. Only those with a frail (脆弱的) immune (免疫的) system might need to worry.
He told the New York Times that the bactertia are not as unpleasant as might be thought. He said that having a shower is no more dangerous than anything else we do in the morning.
But for those who feel sick about the idea of all those microorganisms (微生物), he had some advice.
Let the water run for 30 seconds before getting into the shower. Why? The number of bacteria is smaller than when the water is just turned on. If that seems like a waste of water, he added that you could also change your showerhead every few months.
But Pace had good news too. He has also been testing the air in US subways. Apart from iron particles (粒子), which are ground off the track by the wheels of trains, subway air is fresh. The reason is that a train's movement pumps fresh outdoor air into the tunnels (隧道).
Pace explained that he wanted to understand the natural microbial (微生物的) environments of public places. This kind of knowledge might help detect the microbes to be used in a bioterrorist (生物恐怖分子) attack.
高考词汇:
investigate vt & vi. 调查，研究 investigation n.
The state police are investigating the incident.
pose a threat to 对……构成威胁 Water pollution poses a threat to fish.
track n. 轨道，足迹 The track led through a thick forest.
考点看台:
This ...the microbes to be used in a bioterrorist attack.
本句中不定式to be used作microbes的后置定语。注意考题中经常考查不定式的语态变化。
真题演练:
We are invited to a party ______ in our club next Friday. （09山东卷）
A. to be held B. held C. being held D. holding
10. According to a finding of Norman R. Pace, after taking a shower, we might ______.
A. get much dirtier B. be covered by bacteria
C. catch a cough or feel tired D. get a frail immune system
11. Pace's research into showers shows that ______.
A. there is no reason to fear microorganism
B. having a shower in the morning is more dangerous than at other time
C. shower water contains much less bacteria after being left to run for 30 second
D. of 45 showerheads surveyed in nine cities, 30 carried large amounts of Mycobacterium
12. According to Pace's team's research, which of the following contributes to fresh air in US subways?
A. Train wheels. B. Iron particles.
C. The movement of the trains. D. Air conditioners on the trains.
13. The word "detect" in the last paragraph probably means "______".
A. to discover B. to protect C. to make D. to prevent
H
Saying 'yes' to life
I WAS the "I can't" child — the poster child for the word "can't".
Whatever my mother told or asked me to do was always followed by the words, "I caaaaan't." Very few tasks or goals that I set out to do were ever completed.
"I want you to read this article," Mother began. "It's about Marlo Thomas. She tells how a simple poem that she was forced to learn by her father changed her life. She went from saying ‘I can't' to ‘I can! ' According to this article, she was able to change her life, and her career, by learning the lessons of the poem."
I thought it must be great to be Marlo! Beside her photo was the poem my mother had spoken of, a simple poem entitled "I Can".
"I want you to memorize (记住) that poem," Mother said firmly.
"Mamaaaaa," I complained. "I can't learn that poem. It's too loooong."
"It's not too long and yes, you can learn it. I want you to know it perfectly by this time tomorrow."
I dropped my shoulders, turned and made my way back to my bedroom with the magazine in my small right hand. With a heavy heart, I lay on my bed and began my task.
"Can't is a word that is the enemy of ambition (雄心)," I began. I repeated the line. I repeated it again and again until it held firm in my heart. "An enemy waiting to jump on your strength of will..." I continued until the following evening, when I proudly recited the poem that has continued to be my motto.
Ms Thomas did not know me, but her story forever changed my life.
Saying "I can" helped me to survive the worst moments of my life. Saying "I can" helped me to do things I would otherwise have thought out of my reach. A simple poem learned at seven will sustain (支持) me to seventy-seven. Maybe even longer.
Sentence bank:
作者是如何描述自己不自信的?
1. the poster child for the word "I can't"
poster child或poster boy/girl意思是"典型代表、模范人物"。
2. Whatever my mother told or asked me to do was always followed by my words, "I caaaaan't."
句中caaaaan't与下文的loooong的元音都延长了，在此表达了作者由于对要做的事情底气不足，而产生的抱怨情绪。
3. I dropped my shoulders, …
4. With a heavy heart, I lay on my bed and began my task.
"I can"这首诗产生了什么样的影响？
1. …her story forever changed my life…
2. Saying "I can" helped me to survive the worst moments of my life. Saying "I can" helped me to do things I would otherwise have thought out of my reach. A simple poem learned at seven will sustain me to seventy-seven. Maybe even longer.
otherwise意思是"要不然，否则"，在此表达一种虚拟语气，表示实际情况并非如此。句意为：说"我行"帮助我成功地完成了那些我原以为自己做不到的事情。
14. When the writer said she was "the poster child", she meant that ______.
A. her picture often appeared on the poster B. she once advertised for a certain product
C. nothing could be finished by her alone D. she was a typical example of some kind
15. What helped the writer to change her life?
A. A simple poem by Marlo Thomas. B. An article by Marlo Thomas.
C. Her experience of reciting a poem. D. Her mother being a good example.
16. How did the words "I can" take root in the writer's heart?
A. By repeating the line over and over.
B. By telling people "I can" whenever there is a problem.
C. By analyzing the meaning behind the poem.
D. By following her mother's advice to believe in that.
17. From the text we can learn that ______ is important.
A. learning B. confidence C. example D. ambition
I
It's just too hard
AMERICAN high school senior Jordan Wight may be what we in China call a "Supergirl".
Wright is student body president at Alhambra High School in California. She is a top school sportswoman and homecoming (返校节) queen. Her schedule (日程) is so busy there''s little time, she says, for "scheduling errors".
"Society is more expecting of girls to be better than boys to compete for jobs, schools, and honors, especially with the pressure (压力) to get into the top universities," she says.
Wight seems to be surviving because she knows how to organize her time and has good focus.
But others are not so lucky. Teen suicide (自杀), depression (抑郁) and other problems are on the rise. Many experts think the cause of this is the great demands placed on teenage girls.
"Let''s look at what we ask of our teenage daughters," says Stephen Hinshaw, a psychologist (心理学家), and the author of Saving our Teenage Girls from Today''s Pressures.
It''s no longer enough to do well in school and be a caring friend. Today''s young women must be good at school work and sports. They must fill their out-of-school hours with community work. And it seems they must have the style and looks of Serena van der Woodsen from Gossip Girl.
Hinshaw says that girls are under orders to "Be pretty, sweet and nice. Be athletic, competitive and get straight A''s. Be impossibly perfect."
And it''s all proving too much for some of them.
Everywhere girls look, Hinshaw argues, they see images (形象) of female perfection. Take the tennis sisters Venus and Serena Williams. It''s not enough that they are sports champions; they have to be fashion designers too.
Hinshaw says it''s not about social class or race. It''s happening all over the country, in every town.
"Have women''s genes mutated (变异) in the last generation?" Hinshaw says. "I don''t think so. Something in the culture is pushing the genetic envelope (超越极限)."
And twice as difficult here
If it''s difficult for American girls to get ahead, it''s even more so for their Chinese peers. The super-girl phenomenon seems to have overtaken (来袭) China in recent years. This may be due to the competitive college admissions (招生) policy. Teenage girls have to work harder at school, be better leaders, in fact be better at everything than boys, if they are to have a chance getting into a top college. All this so they can secure a good job in a male-dominated society!
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A. Jordan Wight is doing perfectly in every field and never makes mistakes.
B. Jordan Wight is so talented that she doesn''t feel the pressure other teenage girls do.
C. The demands placed on teenage girls are believed by some to cause teen suicide and depression.
D. Teenage boys are lucky not to have to bear the same pressures girls do.
2. According to Hinshaw, teenage girls ______.
A. should stand up and fight against this trend
B. have been pushed to their “genetic limit”
C. are good at school work and sport
D. pay more attention to fashion and their look
3. What is the main idea of the article?
A. Girls suffer unfair treatment.
B. Nowadays, girls lead tougher lives than boys.
C. Teenage girls are better at school work and sports.
D. Teenage girls are under pressure to be perfect.
J
A bilingual future ahead
WHEN I was in school in the United States, we only had three options if we wanted to learn a foreign language: Spanish, French, or Latin. We couldn’t start language lessons until junior high school, and once we finally had the classes, they were sometimes optional. After a few years of study, we could switch from a language class to something with less homework, like art.
Learning a foreign language was encouraged, because it would make us more cultured. But we never felt like we needed to learn another language. We spoke English, and English was the international language! Everyone else in the world was learning how to speak it, so why should we bother learning something else?
Now that attitude is changing. So are the foreign language classes available for students in the US and UK. For every native English speaker in the world today, there are close to three Mandarin Chinese speakers. China's economy (经济) is growing quickly, becoming more and more important to the international community. People interested in business are starting to realize that if they want to get ahead, they should be learning Mandarin Chinese, not English.
Recognizing this, schools in the US and the UK have started offering Chinese classes to their students, along with lessons in Arabic, Russian, and Japanese. Foreign language classes are introduced as early as primary school. Once optional, these classes are now required.
"I think kids are seeing a lot about Asia in the news," said one foreign language director at an American school. "They’re seeing Asia is a big power in the world."
Today, learning a foreign language isn’t just another way to fill the school day. It is the key to the future. Students know that if they can speak one of these "critical (重要的) foreign languages" when they are older, they will have opportunities for better, more exciting jobs and lives. It isn't enough just to speak English anymore.
高考词汇:
Cautiously adv. 谨慎地 caution n. 小心，谨慎；警告
The government is cautiously optimistic about this year’s GDP growth rate.
Promote vt. 促进，发扬；提拔，晋升 promotion n.
These meetings are held to promote trade between China and Europe.
Accurate adj. 准确的，精确的 accuracy n.
It is very difficult to get accurate figures on population numbers.
考点看台:
Watching the new movie The Founding of a Republic will be a little like stepping into an elevator crowded with people.
本句使用动名词结构做主语。动名词可以做句子的主语、宾语、表语、定语等，其作用相当于一个名词。
真题演练:
– They are quiet, aren’t they?
– Yes. They are accustomed _____ at meals.（08江苏卷）
A. to talk B. to not talk C. to talking D. to not talking
根据短文内容，从选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。有两项为多余选项。
Learning a foreign language was encouraged (in the US), because it would make us more cultured. ______(4) We spoke English, and English was the international language! Everyone else in the world was learning how to speak it, so why should we bother learning something else?
______ (5) So are the foreign language classes available for students in the US and UK. For every native English speaker in the world today, there are close to three Mandarin Chinese speakers. China''s economy is growing quickly, becoming more and more important to the international community. People interested in business are starting to realize that if they want to get ahead, they should be learning Mandarin Chinese, not English.
Recognizing this, schools in the US and the UK have started offering Chinese classes to their students, along with lessons in Arabic, Russian, and Japanese. Foreign language classes are introduced as early as primary school. ______ (6)
“I think kids are seeing a lot about Asia in the news,” said one foreign language director at an American school. “They''re seeing Asia is a big power in the world.”
______ (7) It is the key to the future. Students know that if they can speak one of these “critical foreign languages” when they are older, they will have opportunities for better, more exciting jobs and lives. ______ (8)
A. Now that attitude is changing.
B. But some of us may not like the trend.
C. It isn''t enough just to speak English anymore.
D. Once optional, these classes are now required.
E. But we never felt like we needed to learn another language.
F. English will remain as popular as it has ever been.
G. Today, learning a foreign language isn''t just another way to fill the school day.
K
Still a big mystery
THROUGHOUT his life, Charles Darwin surrounded himself with flowers. When he was 10, he took notes each time a peony (牡丹) flowered in his father's garden. He studied the flowers in the grounds of his house until his death. Although he knew a great deal about flowers, Darwin once wrote that their evolution was "a mystery".
Darwin could see that flowering plants were very successful. Most living plant species (种类) are flowering ones. They dominate many of the world's ecosystems (生态系统), from rain forests to grasslands and farms. From flowers come most of the foods we eat, like corn, rice and wheat. Flowers also grow in many forms and colors.
Long after Darwin's death in 1882, the history of flowers continues to puzzle scientists. Experts today are optimistic about solving the mystery. "There's an energy that I haven't seen in my lifetime," William Friedman, a biologist at the University of Colorado, US told The New York Times.
Fossil (化石) discoveries are one reason scientists are excited. Today we have fossil records of flowers that date back 136 million years. Experts have found fossils of extinct (灭绝的) plants, some of which look like flowers.
Scientists also find number of clues (线索) in living flowers and their genes by studying the DNA of different kinds of flowers.
It is now clear, for example, that the closest living relatives to flowers are the plants that produce seeds, a group that includes pine trees and gingkos (银杏). But scientists are divided over which of them might be more closely related. They haven't reached an agreement.
There is agreement, however, when it comes to the early evolution of flowers themselves. By studying the DNA of many flowering plants, scientists have found that a few species represent the oldest branch alive today. A shrub (灌木) called Amborella represents the oldest branch of all. It is found only on the island of New Caledonia in the South Pacific.
If you could travel back 130 million years, you might not be impressed with the flowers. "They didn't look like they were going anywhere," Doyle said.
Those early flowers were small, and lived in the shadows of far more successful non-flowering plants. It took many millions of years for flowers to develop into the ways they look today.
一些常见的花的英文名称
百合 lily 郁金香 tulip 康乃馨 carnation 梅花 plum blossom
高考词汇
Dominate vt. & vi. 占优势，支配，控制 dominance n.
Her loud voice dominated the conversation.
Puzzle v. (使)迷惑；(使)为难 n. 难题；谜
What puzzles me is why his books are so popular.
in the shadow(s) of sb/sth 在……的阴影笼罩下；在……的影响或控制下
Kate grew up in the shadow of her film star sister.
考点看台
Although he knew a great deal about flowers, Darwin once wrote that their evolution was "a mystery".
本句中although引导让步状语从句，意思是"虽然，尽管"。引导让步状语从句的连词还有though, as, even if, even though, whether...or..., no matter what, whatever等。
真题演练
We had to wait half an hour _____ we had already booked a table.（07辽宁卷）
A. since B. although C. until D. Before
9. Charles Darwin is mentioned in the first paragraph ______.
A. because the article will be about evolutionary theory
B. because Darwin did research on flower
C. because Darwin had no idea about flower
D. because the article is about Darwin''s life
10. Today''s experts are ______ about the possibility of solving the mystery of flowers.
A. pessimistic B. confident C. divided D. unconcerned
11. Scientists agree ______.
A. on the whole evolutionary path of flower
B. on the origins of the earliest flower
C. that flowers are more closely related to pine tree
D. that the closest living relatives to flowers are flowerless plants that produce seed
12. The article tells us that ______.
A. flowers are the main human food
B. scientists have created new flower species by studying flower DNA
C. Amborella represents the oldest branch of flowering plants today
D. early flowers were more successful than non-flowering plant
L
What really matters
WE lived in a very quiet neighborhood. One evening I heard a loud crash in the street. Earlier that evening my wife had asked me to go to the store to get some soft drinks. It seemed like this would be a good time to let my teenage daughter Holly practice her driving, so I sent her to the store in my truck.
At dinner my son talked about how much he liked my truck. I enjoyed having it, but I said: "Guy, my heart is not set on that truck. I like it but it is just metal and won''t last forever. Never set your heart on anything that won''t last."
After hearing the loud noise, the whole family ran outside. My son shouted: "Dad! Dad, Holly crashed your truck."
My heart sank and my mind was flooded with conflicting thoughts. Was anyone hurt? Who else was involved? As I ran to the door, I heard a voice in my heart say: "Here is a chance to show Holly what you really love. She''ll never forget it."
The accident had occurred in my own driveway. Holly had crashed my truck into our other vehicle, the family van (搬运车). In her inexperience, she had confused the brakes and the gas pedal. Holly was unhurt physically, but when I reached her, she was crying and saying: "Oh, Dad, I''m sorry. I know how much you love this truck." I held her in my arms as she cried.
Later that week a friend stopped by and asked what had happened to my truck. I told her the whole story. Her eyes moistened (湿润) and she said: "That happened to me when I was a girl. I borrowed my dad''s car and ran into a log that had fallen across the road. I ruined the car. When I got home my Dad knocked me to the ground and began to kick me."
Over 40 years later, she still felt the pain of that night. It was a deep wound on her soul.
I remember how sad Holly was the night she crashed our truck, and how I comforted her. One day, when Holly thinks back on her life, I want her to know that I love her a thousand times more than any piece of property.
I repaired the van, but the dent (凹痕) in my truck is still there today. Every day it reminds me of what really matters in my life.
Words in focus:
crash n. loud noise made by a violent fall, blow or break. etc. 撞击声，坠落声
用法：作动词表示"（使）猛撞；（使）撞毁"。
The tree fell with a great crash.
He crashed his car into a wall.
flood v. arrive in large numbers (大量地)涌向某处
用法：flood...with...
The office was flooded with complaints.
involve v. include or affect sb/sth 牵连，涉及
The accident involved a bus and a truck.
pain n. suffering; great discomfort of the body or mind （身体或精神上的）痛苦
同根词：painful adj.
His behavior caused his parents a great deal of pain.
13. What caused the crash?
A. The brakes weren''t working.
B. Holly stepped on the gas pedal instead of the brakes.
C. Holly was drinking a soft drink while driving.
D. The car got a flat tire and Holly lost control.
14. Which of the following descriptions is TRUE?
A. When the author first learned about the crash, he regretted sending her daughter to the store.
B. The author allowed his daughter to use his truck because his son was too young to drive.
C. When the author saw the crash, he was very sorry for the damage to his beloved truck.
D. By comforting his daughter, the author showed how much more he loved her than his truck.
15. What happened to the author''s friend after she ruined her dad''s car?
A. She suffered physical pain for a long time. B. She lost the courage to drive.
C. Her father kicked her out of the house. D. Her father was violent toward her.
16. What insight does the writer want to share with readers?
A. That love is more important than possessions.
B. That parents should never let a teenager drive.
C. That there''s no point blaming someone after an accident.
D. That we should always forgive others'' mistakes.
答案：
A: DCBD
B: up, to, resources, convenient, type, from, displayed, practice, Apart, vocabulary.
C: BB; DBDC
D: DABC
E: DDAA
F: GBDAC
G: A; CCCA
H: DCAB
I: CBD
J: D; EADGC
K: B; BBDC
L: BDDA