Everyone has heard of the San Andreas fault （断层）, which constantly threatens Cal
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Everyone has heard of the San Andreas fault （断层）, which constantly threatens California and the West Coast with earthquakes. But how many people know about the equally serious New Madrid fault in Missouri?
Between December of 1811 and February of 1812, three major earthquakes occurred, all centered around the town of New Madrid, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. Property damage was severe. Buildings in the area were almost destroyed. Whole forests fell at once, and huge cracks opened in the ground, releasing some strong smell chemicals.
The Mississippi River itself completely changed character, developing sudden rapids and whirlpools (激流和漩涡). Several times it changed its course, and once, according to some observers, it actually appeared to run backwards. Few people were killed in the New Marid earthquakes, probably simply because few people lived in the area in 1811; but the severity of the earthquakes are shown by the fact that the shock waves rang bells in church towers in Charleston, South Carolina, on the coast. Buildings shook in New York City, and clocks were stopped in Washington, D.C.
Scientists now know that America"s two major faults are essentially different. The San Andreas is a horizontal boundary between two major land masses that are slowly moving in opposite directions. California earthquakes result when the two masses make a sudden move.
The New Madrid fault, on the other hand, is a vertical fault; at some points, possibly hundreds of millions of years ago, rock was pushed up toward the surface, probably by volcanoes under the surface. Suddenly, the volcanoes cooled and the rock collapsed, leaving huge cracks. Even now, the rock continues to settle downwards, and sudden sinking motions cause earthquakes in the region. The fault itself, a large crack in this layer of rock, with dozens of other cracks that split off from it, extends from northeast Arkansas through Missouri and into southern Illinois.
Scientists who have studied the New Madrid fault say there have been numerous smaller quakes in the area since 1811; these smaller quakes indicate that larger ones are probably coming, but the scientists say they have no method of predicting when a large earthquake will occur.
小题1:This passage is mainly about ___________.| A．current scientific knowledge about faults | | B．the San Andreas and the New Madrid faults | | C．the causes of faults | | D．the New Madrid fault in Missouri |
小题2:The New Madrid fault is __________.| A．a vertical fault | | B．a horizontal fault | | C．a more serious fault than the San Andreas fault | | D．responsible for forming the Mississippi River |
小题3:This passage implies that _________. .| A．horizontal faults are more dangerous than vertical faults | | B．Vertical faults are more dangerous than horizontal faults | | C．The volcanoes that caused the New Madrid fault are still alive | | D．A lot of people would die if the 1811 New Madrid earthquakes happened today |
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答案
小题1:D
小题2:A
小题3:D |
解析
试题分析：本文通过历史回顾和科学分析，提醒人们多关注New Madrid地区频繁的地震。
小题1:主旨大意题。由本文第一段的最后一句话“But how many people know about the equally serious New Madrid fault in Missouri? ”可知这篇文章讲的是New Madrid地区的断层。选D
小题2:细节理解题。本文第四段和第五段内容可以判断The San Andreas fault是水平地震，而The New Madrid fault是垂直地震，所以A项正确。
小题3:推理判断题。根据第五段中第二句“Suddenly, the volcanoes cooled and the rock collapsed, leaving huge cracks. Even now, the rock continues to settle downwards”可以排除D项；根据第三段第三句“Few people were killed in the New Madrid earthquakes, probably simply because few people lived in the area in 1811”可以如果1811年的地震在今天发生很多人就会死了，推测答案为D |
举一反三
In Greek mythology(神话), fire is a gift form God, stolen from Zeus(宙斯) by Prometheus and handed over to humans suffering from cold. What could be more natural than sitting around a beautiful fire on a winter night, at a campsite in the Berkshires?
Hard as it may be to believe, the fireplace—long considered a trophy(奖杯), particularly in a city like New York—is acquiring a social shame. Among those who desire to be environmentally responsible, it is joining the ranks of bottled water and big houses.
Sally Treadwell, a 51-year-old public relations executive in Boone, N.C., said nothing makes her happier than building a fire on a cold winter night. But most of the time she doesn’t, because she feels too guilty about the damage it may do to the environment. Every time she builds a fire, it causes “inner conflict,” she said. “It’s a guilty pleasure”.
“The smoke from a fire smells very nice,” said Diane Bailey, a senior scientist with the Natural Resources Defense Council in San Francisco. “But it can cause a lot of harm. The tiny particles(颗粒) can cause illness, and can cross into the bloodstream, causing heart attacks as well as worsening other conditions.”
Growing concerns about the air pollution and health problems caused by smoke from wood fires are urging a number of areas across the country to pass laws regulating them. Idaho offers a tax cut to people who replace uncertified(不合格的)wood stoves with “greener” ones; San Joaquin County in California forbids selling a home unless its wood stove is replaced with an E.P.A. certified one；and Palo Alto and other governments in California forbid wood-burning fireplaces in new construction.
Certainly, many think otherwise. In any case, most fireplaces are used far too infrequently to cause any real damage to the environment, said Stephen Sears, the vice president of the Brick Industry Association, voicing an opinion shared by some.
Perhaps not coincidentally, sales of wood-burning equipment dropped to 235,000 in 2009 from 800,000 in 1999, according to the Brick Industry Association. It also reports that approximately 35,000 fireplaces were installed in the United States in 2009, compared to 80,000 in 2005. Certainly those numbers reflect the economic slowdown, but the may also be affected by growing mixed feelings to wood fries.
小题1:We can infer from the 2nd paragraph that ________.| A．big houses are not considered environmentally friendly | | B．bottle water is a good companion for a fire place | | C．a fireplace is viewed as a sign of success | | D．people in New York are laughed at for their tradition |
小题2:Sally’s “inner conflict” in the 3rd paragraph resulted from ________.| A．her love for the fireplace | | B．the damage to the environment | | C．the concern about her health | | D．her mixed emotion fro the fireplace |
小题3: In terms of the regulations about wood fires we can learn from the passage that_______.| A．uncertified fireplaces are forbidden in Idaho | | B．some people are against the woodfire controlling regulations | | C．only energy-efficient wood stoves can be used in the US | | D．all the people support measures taken to control the use of fireplaces |
小题4:What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?| A．To urge people to burn less wood | | B．To discuss wood-burning’s impact | | C．To throw light on the causes of the fireplace’s decline | | D．To indicate the cooling love for the fireplace |
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Welcome to your future life!
You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and young-looking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people at your age could live to be 150, so at 40, you’re not old at all. And your parents just had an anti-aging (抗衰老的) treatment. Now, all three of you look the same age!
You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” contain particles (粒子) much smaller than the cells in your body. The particles can be programmed to change your clothes’ color or pattern.
You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but a voice says, “You shouldn’t drink that!” Your fridge has read the chip (芯片) that contains information about the milk, and it knows the milk is old. In 2035, every article of food in the grocery store has such a chip.
It’s time to go to work. In 2025, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve. Such “smart technology” is all around you.
So will all these things come true? “For new technology to succeed,” says scientist Andrew Zolli, “it has to be so much better that it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example—what will be the next?
小题1:We can learn from the text that in the future ________. | A．people will never get old | | B．everyone will look the same | | C．red will be the most popular color | | D．clothes will be able to change their pattern |
小题2:What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?| A．Milk will be harmful to health. | | B．More drinks will be available for sale. | | C．Food in the grocery store will carry electronic information. | | D．Milk in the grocery store will stay fresh much longer. |
小题3:Which of the following is mentioned in the text?| A．Nothing can replace the Internet. | | B．Fridges will know what people need. | | C．Jacket sleeves can be used as a guide. | | D．Cars will be able to drive automatically (自动的). |
小题4:What is the text mainly about?| A．Food and clothing in 2035. | | B．Future technology in everyday life. | | C．Medical treatments of the future. | | D．The reason for the success of new technology. |
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I am a strong believer that if a child is raised with approval, he will learn to love himself and will be successful in his own way.
Several weeks ago, I was doing homework with my son in the third grade and he kept standing up from his chair to go over the math lines. I kept asking him to sit down, telling him that he would concentrate better. He sat but seconds later, as if he didn’t even notice he was doing it, he got up again. I was getting frustrated, but then it hit me. I started noticing his answers were much quicker and accurate (准确的) when he stood up. Could he be more intent (专心的) while standing up?
This made me start questioning myself and what I had been raised to believe. I was raised to believe that a quiet, calm child was a sure way to success. This child would have the discipline (纪律) to study hard, get good grades and become someone important in life.
Now those same people perhaps come to realize that their kids are born with their own sets of DNA and personality traits (特点) and all you can do is loving and accepting them. As parents, throughout their growing years and beyond that, we need to be our kids’ best cheer leaders, guiding them and helping them find their way.
I have stopped asking my son to sit down and concentrate. Obviously, he is concentrating just in his own way and not mine. We need to learn to accept our kids’ ways of doing things. Some way may have worked for me but doesn’t mean we need to carry it through generations. There is nothing sweeter than being individual (个人的) and unique (独一无二的). It makes us free and happy and that’s just the way I want my kids to live their own life.
小题1:At the beginning, the author tried to keep his son seated in order to make him _____.| A．pay more attention to his study | B．keep silent in the room | | C．finish his homework on time | D．get right answers |
小题2:Inspired by the case of his son, the author began to doubt ________.| A．the importance of parents | | B．the old form of education | | C．the relationship between kids and their parents | | D．the good grades of some kids |
小题3:According to the passage, which of the following statements is right?
A. We should help kids correct their wrong ways.
B. Parents should study their kids’ DNA.
C. Kids should be taught to behave themselves.
D. Parents should love and accept their kids.
小题4:Which of the following would be the best title of the passage?| A．Study hard and you’ll be successful | | B．Be friendly to your children | | C．Children’s success in their own style | | D．Parents’ help with their children’s study |
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Most students try to learn English grammar using grammar textbooks. They study grammar rules and take grammar tests. They use an analytical（分析的） approach, attempting to memorize, and then apply, a great number of rules.
However, research has proved this method inefficient and ineffective. The truth is, the human brain simply cannot consciously remember process and use hundreds of or thousands of grammar rules. Real speech is too fast.
Native speakers do not learn grammar in this way, but rather intuitively (凭直觉地) and unconsciously. They learn in a complete way, not by attempting to memorize individual grammar rules. As a result, native speakers use correct grammar fluently and easily.
Fortunately, it is possible for English learners to learn grammar this way. Language teacher Blaine Ray has developed a unique "intuitive" approach to teach English grammar. Her system uses "point of view" stories to teach the patterns of English grammar, allowing students unconsciously to acquire correct grammar without ever studying grammar rules.
In this system, the teacher first tells a simple story from one point of view. It may be told about the past, then repeated, but beginning with "since he was a child"; then repeated again, but this time about the future.
Listening to these stories allows students intuitively and effortlessly to learn English grammar and makes them be able to use it correctly when they speak.
Point of View Stories is a creative new way to study English grammar, and offers hope to millions of frustrated English learners.
小题1:Which of the following ways is approved by the author?| A．Remembering grammar rules. | | B．Taking grammar tests. | | C．Analyzing grammatical structure. | | D．Applying language to situations. |
小题2: What does the underlined part "this way" in the fourth paragraph refer to?| A．Talking to native speakers when learning. | | B．Learning English grammar in a complete way. | | C．Using correct English grammar. | | D．Learning English grammar from a teacher. |
小题3:From this passage we learn that ______.| A．native speakers learn English grammar by listening to stories | | B．Blaine Ray’s method gets students to grasp correct grammar unconsciously | | C．Blaine Ray teaches grammar rules by asking students to tell stories | | D．it’s hard for students to speak correct English in the new system |
小题4:This passage wants to ______.| A．criticize the traditional way of learning grammar | | B．introduce a new way to study English grammar | | C．ask students to learn English grammar by listening to stories | | D．tell us how the native speakers learn English grammar |
小题5:Why shouldn’t the English learners use an analytical approach?| A．because the analytical approach can let them learn English grammar effortlessly | | B．because the analytical approach makes them be able to use English correctly when they speak. | | C．because the analytical approach can’t let them memorize and then apply a great number of rules. | | D．because Real speech is too fast. |
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The January fashion show, called Future Fashion, exemplified how far green design has come. Organized by the New York-based nonprofit Earth Pledge, the show inspired many top designers to work with sustainable fabrics for the first time. Several have since made pledges to include organic fabrics in their lines.
The designers who undertake green fashion still face many challenges. Scott Hahn, a cofounder with Gregory of Rogan and Loomstate, which uses all-organic cotton, says high-quality sustainable materials can still be tough to find. “Most designers with existing labels are finding there aren’t comparable materials that can just replace what you’re doing and what your customers are used to,” he says. For example, organic cotton and non-organic cotton are virtually indistinguishable once woven into a dress. But some popular synthetics, like stretch nylon, still have few eco-friendly equivalents(等同物).
Those who do make the switch are finding they have more support. Last year the influential trade show Designers & Agents stopped charging its participation fee for young green entrepreneurs who attend its two springtime shows in Los Angeles and New York and gave special recognition to designers whose collections are at least 25% sustainable. It now counts more than 50 green designers, up from fewer than a dozen two years ago. This week Wal-Mart is set to announce a major initiative aimed at helping cotton farmers go organic: it will buy transitional cotton at higher prices, thus helping to expand the supply of a key sustainable material. “Main-stream is about to occur,” says Hahn.
Some analysts are less sure. Among consumers, only 18% are even aware that eco-fashion exists, up from 6% four years ago. Natalie Hormilla, a fashion writer, is an example of the unconverted consumer. When asked if she owned any sustainable clothes, she replied, “Not that I’m aware of.” Like most consumers, she finds little time to shop, and when she does, she’s on the hunt for “cute stuff that isn’t too expensive.” By her own admission, green just isn’t yet on her mind. But thanks to the combined efforts of designers, retailers and suppliers—one day it will be.
小题1:What is said about Future Fashion?| A．It inspired leading designers to start going green. | | B．It showed that designers using organic fabrics would go far. | | C．It served as an example of how fashion shows should be organized. | | D．It convinced the public that fashionable clothes should be made durable. |
小题2:According to Scott Hahn, one big challenge to designers who will go organic is that ________.| A．much more time is needed to finish a dress using sustainable materials | | B．they have to create new brands for clothes made of organic materials | | C．customers have difficulty telling organic from non-organic materials | | D．quality organic replacements for synthetics are not readily available |
小题3:We learn from Paragraph 3 that designers who undertake green fashion ________.| A．can attend various trade shows for free | | B．are readily recognized by the fashion world | | C．can buy organic cotton at favorable prices | | D．are gaining more and more support |
小题4:What is Natalie Hormilla’s attitude toward eco-fashion?| A．She doesn’t seem to care about it. | | B．She doesn’t think it is sustainable. | | C．She is doubtful of its practical value. | | D．She is opposed to the idea very much. |
小题5:What does the author think of green fashion?| A．Green products will soon go main stream. | | B．It has a very promising future. | | C．Consumers have the final say. | | D．It will appeal more to young people. |
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