英语短文阅读

英语短文阅读 天天阅读 1 Foreign drivers will have to pay on-the-spot fines of up to ,900 for breaking the traffic law to be carried our next month. If they do not have enough cash or a working credit card, their vehicles will clamped(扣留)until they pay---and they will face an additional fee of ,80 for getting back their vehicles. The law will also apply to British citizens. The fines will be described officially as” deposits” when the traffic law takes effect ,because the money would be returned if the driver went to court and was found not guilty , In practice, very few foreign drivers are likely to return to Britain to deal with their cases. Foreign drivers are rarely charged because police cannot take action against them if they fail to appear in court, Instead, officers often merely give warnings. Three million foreign-registered vehicles enter Britain each year. Polish vehicles s make up 36 percent, French vehicles 10 percent and German vehicles 9 percent. Foreign vehicles are 30 percent more likely to be in a crash than British-registered vehicles . The number of crashes caused by foreign vehicle rose by 47 percent between 2003 and 2008. There were almost 400 deaths and serious injuries and 3,000 slight injuries form accidents caused by foreign vehicles in 2008. The new Law is partly intended to settle the problem of foreign lorry divers ignoring limits to weight and hours at the wheel. Foreign Lorries are three times more likely to be in a crash than British Lorries. Recent spot checks found that three quarters of Lorries that failed safety tests were registered overseas. The standard deposit for a careless driving offence —such as driving too close to the vehicle in front or reading a map at the wheel—will be ,300. Deposits for speeding offences and using mobile phones will be ,60. Foreign drivers will not get points as punishment added to their licenses, while British drivers will. 60. The first paragraph serves as a(n)__________ A. explanation B. introduction C. comment D. background. 61. The foreign drivers who break the traffic law and do not pay on the spot are likely to be fined up to . A. ,60 B. ,300 C. ,900 D. ,980 62. We can learn from the passage that . A. many foreign drivers have been fined by British police B. 300,000German vehicles enter Britain every year C. 25percent of foreign vehicles entering Britain have failed safety tests D. British drivers will be punished with points and fines for breaking the traffic law 63. The new traffic law is mainly intended to . A. limit the number of foreign vehicles entering Britain B. increase the British government?s additional income C. lower the rate of traffic accidents and injuries D. get foreign drivers to appear in count 翻译句子: 1. 众所周知。中国是一个历史悠久的国家。 2. 家务事做完后他们坐在那儿和年长的人聊天。 2 The surprising experiment I am about to describe proves that air is all around you and that it proves down upon you. Air pressure is a powerful force. When you swim underwater, you can feel water pushing on your body. The air all around you does the same. However, your body is so used to it that you do not notice this. The pressure is caused by a layer of air called the atmosphere. This layer surrounds the Earth, extending to about five kilometers above the Earth?s surface. The following experiment is an easy one that you can do at home. But make sure that you are supervised, because you will need to use matches. Now foe the experiment～ What you need ?A hard-boiled egg without the shell ?A bottle with a neck slightly smaller than the egg ?A piece of paper ?A match Method 1) Check that the egg will sit firmly on the neck of the bottle. 2) Tear the paper into strips and put the strips into the bottle. 3) Light the paper by dropping a burning match into the bottle. 4) Quickly sit the egg on the neck of the bottle. Result Astonishingly, the egg will be sucked into the bottle. Your friends will be amazed when you show them the experiment. But be careful when you handle matches. Why it happened As the paper burns, it needs oxygen and uses up the oxygen (air) in the bottle. The egg acts as a seal in the neck of the bottle, so no more air can get inside. This reduces the air pressure inside the bottle. The air pressure must equalize, so more air from outside must enter the bottle. The outside air presses against the egg and then the egg is pushed into the bottle! This proves that air is all around and that it is pressing down on us. 60. Why is there the need to take care when you are doing the experiment? A. The bottle could break. B. You need to light the paper with a match. C. The egg needs to be shelled. D. The egg has to be perfectly placed on the neck of the bottle. 61. In the experiment, the burning inside the bottle can___. A. equalize the air pressure inside and outside B. make a seal in the neck of the bottle C. finish up the oxygen inside the bottle D. produce more oxygen inside the bottle 62. How did the egg put into the bottle, A. The oxygen inside the bottle sucked the egg in. B. It became soft without the shell. C. The neck of the bottle was wide enough. D. The outside air pressure forced it into the bottle. 63. The experiment is carried out to prove ______. A. water pushes on your body when you swim underwater. B. the Earth is surrounded by a layer of air called the atmosphere. C. the pressure of air around us has a powerful force. D. the air pressure is not equalized around us. 翻译句子: 1. 我对你所取得的进步感到吃惊。 2.我叫李华，18岁，性格外向，擅长英语。 3 An increase in students applying to study at university is being attributed to (归 因于)the global economic crisis awakening a public thirst for knowledge about how the financial system works. Applications for degree courses beginning this autumn were up by 15% this January, according to UCAS, the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service. A spokesman for the Royal Economic Society said applications to do economics at A-level were also up. Professor John Beath, the president of the society and a leading lecturer at St Andrews University, said his first-year lectures---which are open to students from all departments---were drawing crowds of 400, rather than the usual 250. “There are a large number of students who are not economics majors, who would like to learn something about it. One of the things I have done this year is to relate my teaching to contemporary events in a way that one hasn?t traditionally done,” he added. University applications rose 7% last year. But there were rises above average in several subjects. Nursing saw a 15% jump, with people?s renewed interest in careers in the public sector(部门), which are seen as more secure in economic crisis. A recent study showed almost two thirds of parents believed schools should do more to teach pupils about financial matters, and almost half said their children had asked them what was going on, although a minority of parents felt they did not understand it themselves well enough to explain. Zack Hocking, the head of child trust funds, said, “it?s possible that one good thing to arise from the downturn will be a generation that?s financially wiser and better equipped to manage their money through times of economic uncertainty. ” 71. Professor John Beath?s lectures are_______ . A. given in a traditional way B. connected with the present situation C. open to both students and their parents D. warmly received by economics 72. Careers in the public sector are more attractive because of their________ . A. greater stability B. higher pay C. fewer applications D. better reputation 73.In the opinion of most parents, __________. A. economics should be the focus of school teaching B. more students should be admittded to universities C. the teaching of financial matters should be strengthened. D. children should solve financial problems themselves 74. According to Hocking ,the global economic crisis might make the youngsters ________. A. wiser in money management B. have access to better equipment C. confident about their future careers D. get jobs in Child Trust Funds 75. What?s the main idea of the text? A. Universities have received more applications. B. Economics is attracting an increasing numbers of students C. College students benefit a lot from economic uncertainty D.Parents are concerned with children?s subject selection. 翻译句子: 1. 早上我们骑自行车去山上种树，一路上谈笑风生。 2. 我希望今年的考试取得成功。 4 Having a husband means an extra seven hours of housework each week for women, according to a new study. For men, getting married saves an hour of housework a week. “It?s a well-known pattern,” said lead researcher Frank Stafford at University of Michigan?s Institute for Social Research. “Men usually work more outside the home, while women take on more of the housework.” He points out that differences among households(家庭)exist. But in general, marriage means more housework for women and less for men. “And the situation gets worse for women when they have children,” Stafford said. Overall, times are changing in the American home. In 1976, women busied themselves with 26 weekly hours of sweeping-and-dusting work, compared with 17 hours in 2005. Men are taking on more housework, more than doubling their housework hours from six in 1976 to 13 in 2005. Single women in their 20s and 30s did the least housework, about 12 weekly hours, while married women in their 60s and 70s did the most---about 21 hours a week. Men showed a somewhat different pattern, with older men picking up the broom more often than younger men. Single men worked the hardest around the house, more than that of all other age groups of married men. Having children increases housework even further. With more than three children, for example, wives took on more of the extra work, clocking about 28 hours a week compared with husbands?10 hours. 45. According to the “well-known pattern” in Paragraph 1, a married man___________. A. takes on heavier work B. does more housework C. is the main breadwinner D. is the master of the house 46. How many hours of housework did men do every week in the 1970s? A. About 28. B. About 26. C. About 13. D. About 6. 47. What kind of man is doing most housework according to the text? A. An unmarried man. B. An older married man. C. A younger married man. D. A married man with children. 48. What can we conclude from Stafford?s research? A. Marriage gives men more freedom. B. Marriage has effects on job choices. C. Housework sharing changes over time. D. Having children means doubled housework. 翻译句子: 1. 当演讲时，你不允许参阅笔记或念演讲稿。 2.我认为学会和谐相处是很有教育意义的。(instructive) 5 A year ago August , Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan . His wife , Gerrie , was still working in the local school cafeteria , but work for Dave was scarce , and the price of everything was rising . The Fusses were at risk of joining the millions of Americans who have lost their homes in recent years . Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely gift——$7,000，a legacy (遗产) from their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch , who died in an accident . “It really made a difference when we were going under financially. ”says Dave . But the Fusses weren?t the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to receive unexpected legacy from the Hatches. Dozens of other families were touched by the Hatches? generosity. In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars; in other, it was more than $100,000. It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than $3 million—they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm. Children of the Great Depression , Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of saving , They thrived on (喜欢) comparison shopping and would routinely go from store to store , checking prices before making a new purchase . Through the years, the Hatches paid for local children to attend summer camp when their parents couldn?t afford it. “Ish and Arlene never asked if you needed anything,” says their friend Sand Van Weelden, “They could see things they could do to make you happier, and they would do them. Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches had their farmland distributed. It was the Hatches? wish that their legacy——a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents ——should enrich the whole community (社区) and last for generation to come. Neighbors helping neighbors ——that was Ish and Arlene Hatch?s story . 56. According go the text , the Fusses . A. were employed by a truck company B. were in financial difficulty C .worked in a school cafeteria D lost their home 57 Which of the following is true of the Hatches? A They had their children during the Great Depression B They left the family farm to live in an old house C They gave away their possessions to their neighbors D They helped their neighbors to find jobs 58 Why would the Hatches routinely go from store to store? A They decided to open a store B They wanted to save money C They could „t afford expensive things D They wanted to buy gifts for local kids 59 According to Sand Van Weelden , the Hatches were________. A. understanding B. optimistic C. childlike D. curious 60 What can we learn from the text ? A The community of Alto was poor B The summer camp was attractive to the parents C Sandy Van Weelden got a legacy form the Hatches D The Hatches would like the neighbors to follow their example. 翻译句子: 1.他刚做完作业妈妈就让他练琴。 2.有志者事竟成。 6 Sunday, October 5 Clear, 69?F My wife, Eleanor , and I took the train from Paris to Strasbourg, where we were met by our driver and guide, and the minibus which goes along with the boat. We stopped off in Barn for an hour on the way. Then we were taken to Nancy where the boat was kept. After the other passengers arrived, we had our first dinner on the boat. After dinner we walked into downtown Nancy, a village with a large square and wooden houses. Monday, October 5 Rained last night, cloudy in the morning, 69?F We spent about two hours in Nancy, then sailed on the Canal de la Marne au Rhine. Kind of a lazy day. Eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner. After dinner we watched a tape on Baccarat, where we will visit tomorrow. It was pleasant to sit out on deck (甲板)and watch the scenery go by at about 3 mph. Tuesday, October 7 Light rain, 64?F This morning we drove over to Baccarat and toured its museum and the church , which has this unbelievable lamp that is going on a world tour the next day. We did lost of shopping , then walked across the bridge to see a very , very modern Catholic church with special Baccarat windows. We drove to the top of the Voges Mountains and started down the eastern side. thLater we drove to Sorrenbourg to see the 13 century church at the Cordeliers. It contains the largest window by Marc Chagall----24 feet wide by 40 feet high. Wednesday, Ocrober8 Cloudy, 65 ?F Today we sailed from Schneckenbush to Saverne. We went though two caves, an extremely unusual part of the journey. This river scenery is very different. We were in a mountain valley with grassland on one side and a forest beginning to show some color on the other. Thursday, Ocrober9 Cloudy, 66?F Our dependable minibus was waiting to load the luggage and take us to the hotel where everyone went their separate ways. Our boating days are over until next time. 72. Where did the author get off the train? A. Paris B. Strasbourg C. Nancy D. Barn 73. On which days did the tourists spend most of their time on the boat? A. Monday and Tuesday B. Tuesday and Wednesday C. Wednesday and Thursday D. Monday and Wednesday 74. From the text, we learn that Baccarat and Sorrenbourg are the names of_______. A. towns B. churches C. museums D. mountains 75. What does the author think of the tour? A. Tiring B. Expensive C. Enjoyable D. Quick 翻译句子: 1.当面对困难的时候要保持冷静。 2.然而，计划进展不如预期的顺利。 7 When people hear a president speak ,they seldom think about others helping to shape the presentation(报告). Today, however, presidents depend on writers such as J. Terry Edmonds to help them communicate (交流)effectively. Edmonds is the first African American ever to work as a full-time speechwriter for a U.S. president; he is also the first African American to serve as director of speechwriting for the White House .His is an all-American story of success. Edmonds grew up in Baltimore ,Maryland ; his father drove a truck ,and his mother worked as a waitress. A great reader ,Edmonds showed a gift for writing at his high School , BaItimore City College .After graduating in 1967 Edmonds went on to Morgan State University. Edmonds began his career in business , with jobs in public relations and communications. He joined the world of politics as news secretary for his congressman (国会议员)from Baltimore .During Bill Clinton?s presidency , he wrote speeches for Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala and worked in a number of jobs in the White House and in governmental departments. President Clinton then appointed (任命)him to the office of director of speechwriting . Following the 2000 elections, Edmonds returned to Morgan State University as the school?s special assistant to the president for 2001--2002. 45(Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text? A. Edmonds proved himself to be good at writing at high school. B. Edmonds graduated from Morgan State University in 1967 C. Edmonds was the first full-time speechwriter D. Edmonds served the White House after 2000. 46. Edmonds entered the world of politics first as _________. A. news secretary for a congressman B. a speechwriter for President Clinton C .news secretary in the White House D. a speechwriter for Secretary Donna Shalala 47. The text is most likely to be found in a book about_________. A. popular science B. historical events C. successful people D, political systems 翻译句子: 1(这种布摸起来很柔软。 2.万一明天下雨，足球赛将被取消。 8 We once had a poster competition in our fifth grade art class. “You could win prizes，??our teacher told US as she wrote the poster information on the blackboard. She passed out sheets of construction paper while continuing，“The first prize is ten dollars. You just have to make sure that the words on the blackboard appear somewhere on your poster. ” We studied the board critically. Some of US looked with one eye and held up certain colors against the blackboard，rocking the sheets to the right or left while we conjured up our designs. Others twisted their hair around their fingers or chewed their erasers while deep in thought. We had plans for that ten--dollar grand prize，each and every one of us. I'm going to spend mine on candies，one hopeful would announce， while another practiced looking serious，wise and rich. Everyone in the class made a poster. Some of us used parts of those fancy paper napkins while others used nothing but colored construction paper. Some of US used big designs，and some of us preferred to gather our art tidily down in one comer of our poster and let the space draw the viewer's attention to it. Some of us would wander past the good students? desks and then return to our own projects with a growing sense of hopelessness. It was yet another grown-up trick of the sort they seemed especially fond of, making all of us believe we had a fair chance，and then always—always--rewarding the same old winners. I believe I drew a sailboat，but I can?t say that with any certainty. I made it. I admired it. I determined it to be the very best of all of the posters I had seen，and then I turned it in. Minutes passed. No one came along to give me the grand prize，and then someone distracted me， and I probably never would have thought about that poster again. I was still sitting at my desk，thinking，What poster? When the teacher gave me an envelope with a ten-dollar bill in it and everyone in the class applauded for me. 46. What was the teacher's requirement for the poster? A. It must appear in time. B. It must be done in class. C. It must be done on a construction sheet. D. It must include the words on the blackboard. 47. The underlined phrase in paragraph 3 most probably means _____________. A. formed an idea for B. made an outline for C. made some space for D. chose some colors for 48. After the teacher?s words，all the students in the class _________. A. looked very serious B. thought they would be rich C. began to think about their designs D. began to play games 49. After seeing the good students? designs，some students _________. A. loved their own designs more B. thought they had a fair chance C. put their own designs in a comer D. thought they would not win the prize 50. We can infer from the passage that the author ______________. A. enjoyed grown-up tricks very much B. loved poster competitions very much C. felt surprised to win the competition D. became wise and rich after the competition 翻译句子: 1.他有两个儿子，都指望不住。 2.我认为提高人们的环保意识很重要。 9 People diet to look more attractive. Fish diet to avoid being beaten up, thrown out of their social group, and getting eaten as a result. That is the fascinating conclusion of the latest research into fish behavior by a team of Australian scientists. The research team have discovered that subordinate fish voluntarily diet to avoid challenging their larger competitors. “In studying gobies we noticed that only the largest two individuals, a male and female, had breeding (繁殖) rights within the group,” explains Marian Wong. “All other group members are nonbreeding females, each being 5-10% smaller than its next largest competitor. We wanted to find out how they maintain this precise size separation.” The reason for the size difference was easy to see. Once a subordinate fish grows to within 5-10% of the size of its larger competitor, it causes a fight which usually ends in the smaller goby being driven away from the group. More often than not, the evicted fish is then eaten up. It appeared that the smaller fish were keeping themselves small in order to avoid challenging the boss fish. Whether they did so voluntarily, by restraining how much they ate, was not clear. The research team decided to do an experiment. They tried to fatten up some of the subordinate gobies to see what happened. To their surprise, the gobies simply refused the extra food they were offered, clearly preferring to remain small and avoid fights, over having a feast. The discovery challenges the traditional scientific view of how boss individuals keep their position in a group. Previously it was thought that large individuals simply used their weight and size to threaten their subordinates and take more of the food for themselves, so keeping their competitors small. While the habits of gobies may seem a little mysterious, Dr. Wong explains that understanding the relationships between boss and subordinate animals is important to understanding how hierarchical (等级的) societies remain stable. The research has proved the fact that voluntary dieting is a habit far from exclusive to humans. “As yet, we lack a complete understanding of how widespread the voluntary reduction of food intake is in nature,” the researchers comment. “Data on human dieting suggests that, while humans generally diet to improve health or increase attractiveness, rarely does it improve long-term health and males regularly prefer females that are fatter than the females? own ideal.” 65. When a goby grows to within 5-10% of the size of its larger competitor, it . A. faces danger B. has breeding rights C. eats its competitor D. leaves the group itself 66. The underlined words “the evicted fish” in Paragraph 3 refer to . A. the fish beaten up B. the fish found out C. the fish fattened up D. the fish driven away 67. The experiment showed that the smaller fish . A. fought over a feast B. went on diet willingly C. preferred some extra food D. challenged the boss fish 68. What is the text mainly about? A. Fish dieting and human dieting. B. Dieting and health. C. Human dieting. D. Fish dieting. 翻译句子: 1. 如果天不下雨的话，他的天天浇花园里的花儿。(unless) 2. 不管他回来多晚，妈妈都会等他。 10 “Old wives tales” are beliefs passed down from one generation to another , For example ,most of us remember our patents? telling us to eat more of certain foods or not to do certain things . Is there any truth in these teachings? Some of them agree with present medical thinking, but others have not passed the test of time. Did your mother ever tell you to eat your carrots because they are good for your eyes? Scientists now report that eating carrots can help prevent a serious eye disease called macular degeneration Eating just one carrot a day can reduce the possibility of getting this disease by 40%. Garlic(蒜)is good for you ，too. It can kill the type of virus that causes colds Unfortunately, not all of Mom?s advice passed the test of medical studies. For example, generations of children have been told not to go swimming within an hour after eating. But research suggests that there is no danger in doing so. Do sweets cause tooth problems? Well, yes and no. Sticky sweets made with grains tend to cause more problems than sweets made with simple sugars. Even though science can tell us that some of our traditional beliefs don?t hold water, there is still a lot of truth in the old wives? tales. After all, much of this knowledge has been accumulated (积累)from thousands of years of experience in family health care. We should respect this body of knowledge even as we search for clear scientific support to prove it true or false. 48. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? A. Eating garlic is good for our eyes B. Sticky sweets are damaging to our teeth C. Swimming after a meal is dangerous。 D. Carrots prevent people from catching colds 49 The author develops the third paragraph mainly_________。 A. by cause and effects B. by order in space C by order in time D by examples 50 The phrase “hold water” in the last paragraph most probably means__________。 A. to be believable B. to be valuable C. to be admirable D. to be suitable 51 What is the author?s attitude toward “old wives? tales” in the text? A. Subjective B. Objective C .Dissatisfied D. Curious 翻译句子: 1.山顶上有座寺庙。(全倒装) 2. 再给多点时间，工作就能够完成。 3.一听到这个坏消息，她就大哭起来。