Christmas bird – watching is popular in the U.S.A. When the holiday season comes, some Americans are likely to watch and count birds in the sky with great interest every day. This activity began in the early part of the last century. It has a one-hundred-year history. At that time, there was a so-called “holiday hunting” custom. In order to celebrate the holiday, the hunters went out to kill birds and beasts. By 1900, there were 27 bird lovers who decided to count birds instead of killing birds. Since then, Christmas bird-watching was held every year. It has been continued to the present.
There were 42000 people who took part in the bird-watching last Christmas, from December 16 the year before to January 3 next year. They were in the United States and Canada, central America, south America and the Caribbean, watching and counting birds in the sky. The whole viewing area was divided into 1600 points. Each birdwatcher was responsible for 25 meters, and was required to write down the types and quantities of birds within 24 hours.
A birdwatcher described what he had watched vividly in his diary—“ When I looked up, I saw a beautiful ‘landscape’ in the sky: Red-crowned cranes(丹頂鶴) were driving up in cunning wedges that split the air. They were so neatly arranged, coordinating their movements. I was excited and breathtaking. Interestingly, the “human” shape(人字行) always maintains 110° ” .
“Why do red-crowned cranes choose to use ‘human’ shape when flying in formation?” He continued, “In my opinion, there are four reasons: first, the ‘human’ shape can make red-crowned cranes use increasing air which is produced by each other’s wings when they are swinging in the sky. It can increase the glide time and save physical ability. Second, the ‘human’ shape will enhance communication among the birds. The orders and the relevant information issued by the lead bird can be conveyed to each member in this migratory group unimpeded, accurately, rapidly and conveniently. Third, such a formation will help to find the birds left behind because of feeling run down as fast as possible, so that the young, the weak, the sick birds can get everyone’s help and encouragement. Finally, the ‘human’ shape shows not only beauty but also unity. It can give enemies a deterrent.They will be terrified and did not dare to attack the birds.The migration security of the birds will be ensured.”
Environmental experts admired and evaluated Christmas bird-watching highly. They pointed out that it made perfect sense. On the one hand it could enhance the human awareness of environmental protection. On the other hand it could provide first-hand information on birds.
49．When did Christmas bird – watching begin?
A．Sometime during Christmas holiday. B．At the beginning of 20th century.
C．In the early 19 th century. D．Since there was Christmas Day
50．What do bird – watchers do when they are bird – watching?
A．They kill birds and beasts. B．They watch birds and beasts.
C．They watch and count birds. D．They look at the sky and write diaries.
51．The following are all reasons for red – crowned cranes flying in “human” shape except .
A．they can help each other and ensure their safety
B．they can communicate with each other in order to reduce tiredness.
C．they can make use of the air produced by each other’s wings.
D．they can look stronger in case they come across enemies
52．This passage consists of five paragraphs. Please arrange the five main ideas of the paragraphs in order of their appearance in the passage.
a. How the bird – watchers divided their watching task and what was done.
b. How Christmas bird – watching came into being.
c. Christmas bird – watching is of great importance environmentally and scientifically.
d. A Christmas bird – watcher watched and was amazed by red – crowned cranes.
e. Red – crowned cranes fly in “human” formation for quite good reasons.
A．a – b – c – d – e B．b – c – e – d – a C．b- a – d – e – c D．b – d – e – a – c
科目：高中英語 來源：上海市金山中學2009-2010學年度高一下學期階段質量檢測英語試題 題型：閱讀理解
| | National Geographic Museum | The Newseum |
| Where: | At 1145 17th St. NW. The nearest Metro stops are Archives (Yellow and Green lines) and Judiciary Square (Red line). | At 555 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The nearest Metro stops are Archives (Yellow and Green lines) and Judiciary Square (Red line). |
| When: | Open from 10 am to 6 pm daily and till 8 pm on Wednesdays. Closed Dec 25. The warriors exhibition is on until March 31. | Open from 9 am to 5 pm daily but closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. |
| How much: | Timed tickets are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students and the military; $6 for ages 2 to 12. | Adults (19 to 64): $19.95 Youth (7 to 18): $12.95 Children (6 and younger): free |
| For more information: | call 202-857-7700 or visit http://www.warriorsdc.org | http:// www.newseum.org or 888-639-7386 |
n Thanksgiving day, Christmas and New Year’s Day.查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英語 來源：2013屆河南省沁陽市高三一模考前訓練英語試卷（一）（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解
Zoe Chambers was a successful PR(Public Relations) consultant and life was going well — she had a great job, beautiful flat and a busy social life in London. Then one evening in June last year, she received a text message telling her she was out of work. “The first two weeks were the most difficult to live through.” she said. “After everything I’d done for the company, they dismissed me by text! I was so angry and I just didn’t feel like looking for another job. I hate everything about the city and my life.”
Then, Zoe received an invitation from an old school friend, Kathy, to come and stay. Kathy and her husband, Huw, had just bought a farm in north-west Wales. Zoe jumped at the chance to spend a weekend away from London, and now, ten months later she is still on the farm.
"The moment I arrived at Kathy's farm, I loved it and I knew I wanted to stay." said Zoe. "Everything about my past life suddenly seemed meaningless."
Zoe has been working on the farm since October of last year and says she has no regrets. "It's a hard life, physically very tiring." she says. "In London 1 was stressed and often mentally exhausted. But this is a good, healthy tiredness. Here, all I need to put me in a good mood is a hot bath and one of Kathy's wonderful dinners."
Zoe says she has never felt bored on the farm. Every day brings a new experience. Kathy has been teaching her how to ride a horse and she has learnt to drive a tractor. Since Christmas, she has been helping with the lambing — watching a lamb being born is unbelievable, she says, "It's one of the most moving experiences I've ever had. I could never go back to city life now."
【小題1】When working as a PR consultant in London, Zoe thought she lived a ______life.
| A．satisfying | B．tough | C．meaningless | D．boring |
| A．Zoe lost her job as a PR consultant |
| B．Kathy persuaded her to do so |
| C．Zoe got tired of the city life |
| D．Zoe loved Wales more than London |
| A．Tiresome and troublesome. |
| B．Romantic and peaceful |
| C．Mentally exhausting but healthy |
| D．Physically tiring but rewarding. |
| A．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C．A misfortune may turn out a blessing. |
| D．Kill two birds with one stone. |
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科目：高中英語 來源：2013屆吉林省吉林市普通中學高三上學期期末考試英語試卷（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解
The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper．Money was tight and he became infuriated（憤怒的） when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree．Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.”
The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty．He yelled at her, stating, “Don't you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside?” The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty at all．I blew kisses into the box. They’re all for you, Daddy.”
The father was crushed．He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness．
Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child．It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there．
In a very real sense, each one of us, as humans beings, have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family members, friends, and God．There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this．
【小題1】The 3-year-old girl was punished by her father for ________．
| A．decorating a box |
| B．wasting wrapping paper |
| C．putting the box under the Christmas tree |
| D．bringing the gift to her father |
| A．kissing the gold box |
| B．putting gold into the box． |
| C．taking out an imaginary kiss from the box． |
| D．keeping the little girl’s ash box by his bed． |
| A．The kisses in the box |
| B．A girl and his father |
| C．A love story |
| D．The box under the Christmas tree |
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科目：高中英語 來源：2013屆湖北省武漢市武昌區高三上學期期末調研測試英語試卷（帶解析） 題型：閱讀理解
Nicole Delian, 17, suffers from a condition that makes her sleep up to 19 hours a day and as much as 64 days in a row． Nicole Delian is tired of sleeping．
This 17-year-old teenager from North Fayette, Pa．, has a rare condition called Kleine-Levin Syndrome -- or "Sleeping Beauty Syndrome" -- that makes her sleep 18 to 19 hours a day．
And when she does wake up, she is often so tired out that she is in a sleepwalking state and doesn't remember doing basic things like eating, according to KDKA-TV．
Nicole's sleepwalking state has been so severe that she once slept through the holidays, awaking one day in January when she finally opened Christmas gifts alongside her family, according to ChartiersValley．Patch．com． ．
"She's never really adjusted to it," her mother, Vicki Delien told the website． "She's 17 now and it really upsets her． She's missed out on a lot．"
Delien told talk show host Jeff Probst that the teen has at times slept 32 to 64 days in a row, waking only in sleepwalking mode to eat．
Kleine-Levin Syndrome is incredibly rare, only affecting about l,000 people worldwide, and very hard to diagnose．
In Nicole's' case, it took 25 months for doctors to diagnose her, according to ChartiersValley．Patch．com, and everything from a virus, to epilepsy（癲癇） to West Nile was mentioned, including, unfortunately, the possibility she was faking it for attention．．
When a typical episode of Sleeping Beauty Syndrome begins, the patient becomes progressively drowsy（昏昏欲睡的） and sleeps for most of the day and night, waking only to eat or go to the bathroom, according to the Klein-Levin Syndrome Foundation website． "When awake, the patient's whole behavior is changed, often appearing “stupid" or childlike． When awake he experiences confusion, complete lack of energy, and lack of emotions．"
Patients also report that everything seems out of focus, and that they are hypersensitive to noise and light． Some patients also have intense food cravings（渴望）．
The Delians did not say whether Nicole has experienced these symptoms．
There is no known cure, but Nicole's family is using a combination of epilepsy and narcolepsy（發作性嗜睡病）medication to minimize the incidents to just two a year．
【小題1】What's the reflection of Nicole's sleepwalking state?
| A．Being forgetful． | B．Missing Christmas． |
| C．Sleeping around the clock． | D．Being exhausted and bad-tempered． |
| A．is not impossible for doctors to diagnose |
| B．affects approximately l,000 people all round the country |
| C．is also known as Sleeping Beauty Syndrome which only affects females |
| D．makes those suffering this condition sleep as much as 64 days in a row without eating |
| A．the disease will change the patients' behavior for good |
| B．the case of Nicole has been covered several times by different media |
| C．the．patients of this kind are more and more sleepy when the syndrome begins |
| D．the patients of this kind become too sensitive to being exposed to any noise and light |
| A．was once suspected of lying about her condition |
| B．has a good appetite for food because of the disease |
| C．has adapted to the condition and can well cope with it |
| D．will be cured of the disease by using the combined medication |
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科目：高中英語 來源：2013-2014學年江蘇省蘇州市高三1月調研測試英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解
Cliff House
Top of the world
Near the North Pole
Christmas, 1925
My dear boys,
??? I am dreadfully busy this year一it makes my hand more shaky than ever when I think of it一and not very rich; in fact awful things have been happening, and some of the presents have got spoilt, and I haven't got the North Polar Bear to help me, and I have had to move house just before Christmas, so you can imagine what a state everything is in, and you will see why I have a new address, and why I can only write one letter between you both．
??? |K] It all happened like this: one very windy day last November my hood blew off and went and stuck on the top of the North Pole. I told him not to, but the North Polar Bear climbed up to the thin top to get it down一and he did. The pole broke in the middle and fell on the roof of my house, and the North Polar Bear fell through the hole it made into the dining room with my hood over his nose, and all the snow fell off the roof into the house and melted and put out all the fires and ran down into the cellars where I was collecting this year's presents, and the North Polar
Bear's leg got broken.
??? He is well again now, but I was so cross with him that he says he won't try to help me again一I expect his temper is hurt, and will be mended by next Christmas.
??? I send you a picture of the accident and of my new house on the cliffs above the North Pole(with beautiful cellars in the cliffs).
??? That's all. Good Bye！
1.Why can the writer only write one letter to the two boys?
A. His hand is more shaky than ever.
B. He is extremely busy.
C. He has got a new address.
D. He has to help the North Polar Bear.
2.Which of the following is most likely to be the picture of the accident?
3.The underlined "him'，refers to
A. the hood B．the pole C. the hale D. the bear
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