In the United States, when one becomes rich, he wants people to know it. And even if he does not become very rich, he wants people to think that he is. That is what “keeping up with the Joneses” is about. It is the story of someone who tried to look as rich as his neighbors.
The expression was first used in 1913 by a young American called Arthur Momand. He told this story about himself. He began earning $ 125 a week at the age of 23. That was a lot of money in those days. He got married and moved with his wife to a very wealthy neighborhood. When he saw that rich people rode horses, Momand went horseback riding every day. When he saw that rich people had servants. Momand and his wife also hired a servant and gave big parties for their new neighbors.
It was like a race, but one could never finish this race because one was always trying to keep up. The race ended for Momand and his wife when they could no longer pay for their new way of life. They had to move back to an apartment in New York City.
Momand looked around him and noticed that many people do things just to keep up with rich lifestyle of their neighbors. He saw the funny side of it and started to write a series of short stories. He called it “Keeping up with the Joneses” because “Jones” is a very common name in the United States. “Keeping up with the Joneses” came to mean keeping up with rich lifestyle of the people around you. Momand’s series appeared in different newspapers across the country for over 28 years.
People never seem to get tired of keeping up with the Joneses. And there are “Joneses” in every city of the world. But one must get tired of trying to keep up with the Joneses because no matter what one does, Mr. Jones always seems to be ahead.
Some people want to keep up with the Joneses because they ______.
A. want to be as rich as their neighbors
B. want others to know or to think that they are rich
C. don’t want others to know they are rich
D. want to be happy
It can be inferred from the story that rich people like to ________.
A. live outside New York City B. live in New York City
C. live in apartments D. live with many neighbors
What’s the author’s attitude to keeping up with the Joneses?
A. Negative. B. Positive. C. Supportive. D. Objective.
科目：高中英语 来源：天津市蓟县下营中学2010届高三下学期第一次月考试题（英语） 题型：阅读理解
第二部分：阅读理解(共15小题：每小题2分, 满分30分)
阅读下列短文, 从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中, 选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The ability to do several things at once has become one of the great measures of self-worth for 21-century Americans. It is called multitasking, and it takes many forms. As one example, why go out to lunch when you can eat at your desk, talk to a client on the phone, scroll through your e-mail, and scan a memo simultaneously? And why simply work out on treadmill (单调的工作) when you could be watching television and talking on a portable phone at the same time? What a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment --- three activities for the time commitment of one! Ah, such efficiency. No wonder those who turn “to do” lists into a time-management art form tend to boast (自夸): “Look, me, how many things I can accomplish at once. If I’m this busy, I must be important.”
Yet last week the New York Assembly struck a blow against multitasking, at least behind the wheel, when it approved a bill banning drivers in the state from using handheld cellular phones. Too dangerous, the assembly said, citing research showing that drivers are four times more likely to have a collision when they are talking on a cellphone.
No one can argue against using time effectively. But accompanying the supposed gains are losses. Consider the woman out for an early-morning walk in a suburban neighborhood. She strides briskly, head down, cellphone clamped to her ear, chattering (喋喋不休) away, oblivious of the birds and flowers and glorious sunshine. Did the walk have any value?
More than a decade ago, long before multi-tasking became a word in everyday use, a retired professor of theology(神学) in Indiana with whom I corresponded (通信) made a case for what might be called uni-tasking — the old-fashioned practice of doing one thing at a time.
Offering the simplest example, he said, “When you wash the dishes, wash the dishes.” Good advice, I’ve found, whatever the task.
Perhaps, too, the ban on phoning-on-the-road will even spark a move away from other forms of dual activity. Who can tell? It could mark the first step in a welcome reconsideration of what really constitutes productivity and accomplishment.
1. The author thinks that multitasking has become one of the great measures of self-worth because ________.
A. it helps people to use time effectively
B. it makes people feel they are important
C. it means the ability to do several things at once
D. people worship speed and desire
2. The bill approved by the New York Assembly is mentioned in the second paragraph in order to ________.
A. demonstrate the danger of multitasking
B. show the high efficiency of multitasking
C. introduce the legislation system in America
D. argue against using time effectively
3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “oblivious” in the third paragraph?
A. serious B. absorbed deeply
C. not noticing D. forgetting
4. We learn from the passage that uni-tasking is ________.
A. the new fashion for 21-century Americans
B. accepted by most residents in Indiana
C. created by a retired professor of theology
D. the traditional act of doing one thing at once
5. In the eyes of the author, multi-tasking ________.
A. could not be avoided in this fast-changing age
B. should be taken the place of by uni-tasking
C. robs people of time to focus and reflect
D. should not become a word in everyday use
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科目：高中英语 来源：福建省厦门大学附属科技中学2009-2010学年度高二第二学期期中考试英语试卷 题型：阅读理解
.
What do you see from a handful of seeds? Some see green plants, some see blooming flowers, or just seeds. But one group of Shanghai students saw an opportunity to make money.
Eight students from No 2 Secondary School Attached to East China Normal University started a virtual company selling different seeds and seed products. They successfully sold 28 pictures pasted with different seeds at a campus auction a week ago. The company, which has recruited around 20 student staff members, has earned over 2000 yuan in the past three months.
"We donated part of the money to a poor school in the countryside of Anhui Province. It's great to realize our ideal of ‘spreading love and culture with seeds’ after many tests and lots of hard work," said Senior 2 Shi Chen, CEO of the company.
Just like any other company, Shi's didn't develop smoothly. Shi and her young colleagues used to sell fresh flowers and old books, and later found seeds might be something that their company could engage in. They bought seeds of various plants and flowers at low prices from a local farm and sold them in schools or on streets. The creative students also made accessories and pictures with different seeds.
With little business knowledge, the students had to learn new skills as the leaders of different departments, such as public relations (PR), sales and marketing. They persuaded a joint Sino-French company near their school to give them training in business management. They also asked some local businessmen to act as their consultants.
"They helped us overcome our shyness. We also learned quite a lot of business theory. I found communication skills and teamwork are very important for my job," said Senior 1 Qian Yifei.
The 16-year-old was elected as PR manager thanks to her talent for speaking. She is also in charge of after sales service, dealing with complaints and providing suggestions.
As the head of the company, CEO Shi has a lot more to think about. First of all, she has to learn how to make her colleagues work efficiently as the company only opens at weekends due to all their studies. So she established a system to evaluate every one's performance, in terms of punctuality, efficiency, profits knowledge and so on.
"It makes the company more formal," she said.
59. What is the purpose of opening the company?
A. To earn money for their education fees.
B. To spread love and culture with seeds.
C. To see whether they can open a company.
D. To collect money to open a Hope School.
60. At a campus auction a week ago, they ________ .
A. sold 28 green plants with different flowers
B. sold 28 seeds pasted with different pictures
C. sold 28 pictures pasted with different seeds
D. sold 28 flowers pasted with different pictures
61. According to Qian Yifei, what matters most in dealing with public relations?
A. Communication skills and teamwork.
B. Creative and critical thinking.
C. Educational background.
D. Business theories.
62. What does the word "it" (in the last paragraph) refer to?
A. Selling seeds.
B. To have a person as CEO.
C. Every colleague’s performance.
D. To make her colleagues work efficiently.
63. What can we learn from the passage?
A. The company is owned by 8 students.
B. The company is over-night successful.
C. The company gets a lot of help from others.
D. The company sells old books and fresh flowers.
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科目：高中英语 来源：2013届辽宁省五校协作体高三上学期联合竞赛英语试卷（带解析） 题型：阅读理解
Even a small reduction in salt in the diet can be a big help to the heart. A new study used a computer model to predict how just three grams less a day would affect heart disease in the United States.
The result：10％ fewer heart attacks. 8％ fewer strokes. 4％ fewer deaths. 11％ fewer new cases of heart disease. And 240 billion dollars in health care savings.
Researchers found it could prevent 10，000 heart attacks and 9。200 deaths every year.
The study is in the New England Journal of Medicine. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo at the University of California San Francisco was the lead author. She says people would not even notice a difference in taste with three grams， or one-half teaspoon，less salt per day. The team also included researchers at Stanford and Columbia Uni versity.
Each gram of salt contains four hundred milligrams of sodium（钠），which is how foods may list their salt content.
The government says the average American man eats ten grams of salt a day. The American Heart Association advises no more than three grams for healthy people. It says salt in the American diet has increased fifty percent since the nineteen seventies， while blood pressures have also risen. Less salt can mean a lower blood pressure.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading an effort called the National Salt Reduction Initiative. The idea is to put pressure on food companies and restaurants. Critics call it government interference.
Mayor Bloomberg has already succeeded in other areas， like requiring fast food places in the city to list calorie information. Now a study by the Seattle Children’s Research Institute shows that the calorie information on the menu can influence what parents order for their children.
【小题1】We can tell from the passage that now heart attacks occur in the US every year.
| A．240，000 | B．900，000 | C．100，000 | D．92，000 |
| A．all the heart diseases result from eating too much salt |
| B．the American Heart Association suggests less than 3 grams of salt a day for everyone |
| C．Americans ate no more than 5 grams of salt per day in the 1970s |
| D．the less salt one eats， the healthier he will be |
| A．Bloomberg has made some other efforts to improve people’s health |
| B．Bloomberg is very successful in his career |
| C．parents must pay great attention to calorie information |
| D．a new study is being done about calorie information |
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科目：高中英语 来源：2012-2013学年辽宁省五校协作体高三上学期联合竞赛英语试卷（解析版） 题型：阅读理解
Even a small reduction in salt in the diet can be a big help to the heart. A new study used a computer model to predict how just three grams less a day would affect heart disease in the United States.
The result：10％ fewer heart attacks. 8％ fewer strokes. 4％ fewer deaths. 11％ fewer new cases of heart disease. And 240 billion dollars in health care savings.
Researchers found it could prevent 10，000 heart attacks and 9。200 deaths every year.
The study is in the New England Journal of Medicine. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo at the University of California San Francisco was the lead author. She says people would not even notice a difference in taste with three grams， or one-half teaspoon，less salt per day. The team also included researchers at Stanford and Columbia Uni versity.
Each gram of salt contains four hundred milligrams of sodium（钠），which is how foods may list their salt content.
The government says the average American man eats ten grams of salt a day. The American Heart Association advises no more than three grams for healthy people. It says salt in the American diet has increased fifty percent since the nineteen seventies， while blood pressures have also risen. Less salt can mean a lower blood pressure.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading an effort called the National Salt Reduction Initiative. The idea is to put pressure on food companies and restaurants. Critics call it government interference.
Mayor Bloomberg has already succeeded in other areas， like requiring fast food places in the city to list calorie information. Now a study by the Seattle Children’s Research Institute shows that the calorie information on the menu can influence what parents order for their children.
1.We can tell from the passage that now heart attacks occur in the US every year.
|
A．240，000 |
B．900，000 |
C．100，000 |
D．92，000 |
2.It can be inferred from the passage that .
|
A．all the heart diseases result from eating too much salt |
|
B．the American Heart Association suggests less than 3 grams of salt a day for everyone |
|
C．Americans ate no more than 5 grams of salt per day in the 1970s |
|
D．the less salt one eats， the healthier he will be |
3.The last paragraph mainly tells us .
|
A．Bloomberg has made some other efforts to improve people’s health |
|
B．Bloomberg is very successful in his career |
|
C．parents must pay great attention to calorie information |
|
D．a new study is being done about calorie information |
查看答案和解析>>
科目：高中英语 来源：天津市2010届高三下学期第一次月考试题（英语） 题型：阅读理解
第二部分：阅读理解(共15小题：每小题2分, 满分30分)
阅读下列短文, 从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中, 选出最佳选项, 并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
The ability to do several things at once has become one of the great measures of self-worth for 21-century Americans. It is called multitasking, and it takes many forms. As one example, why go out to lunch when you can eat at your desk, talk to a client on the phone, scroll through your e-mail, and scan a memo simultaneously? And why simply work out on treadmill (单调的工作) when you could be watching television and talking on a portable phone at the same time? What a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment --- three activities for the time commitment of one! Ah, such efficiency. No wonder those who turn “to do” lists into a time-management art form tend to boast (自夸): “Look, me, how many things I can accomplish at once. If I’m this busy, I must be important.”
Yet last week the New York Assembly struck a blow against multitasking, at least behind the wheel, when it approved a bill banning drivers in the state from using handheld cellular phones. Too dangerous, the assembly said, citing research showing that drivers are four times more likely to have a collision when they are talking on a cellphone.
No one can argue against using time effectively. But accompanying the supposed gains are losses. Consider the woman out for an early-morning walk in a suburban neighborhood. She strides briskly, head down, cellphone clamped to her ear, chattering (喋喋不休) away, oblivious of the birds and flowers and glorious sunshine. Did the walk have any value?
More than a decade ago, long before multi-tasking became a word in everyday use, a retired professor of theology(神学) in Indiana with whom I corresponded (通信) made a case for what might be called uni-tasking — the old-fashioned practice of doing one thing at a time.
Offering the simplest example, he said, “When you wash the dishes, wash the dishes.” Good advice, I’ve found, whatever the task.
Perhaps, too, the ban on phoning-on-the-road will even spark a move away from other forms of dual activity. Who can tell? It could mark the first step in a welcome reconsideration of what really constitutes productivity and accomplishment.
1. The author thinks that multitasking has become one of the great measures of self-worth because ________.
A. it helps people to use time effectively
B. it makes people feel they are important
C. it means the ability to do several things at once
D. people worship speed and desire
2. The bill approved by the New York Assembly is mentioned in the second paragraph in order to ________.
A. demonstrate the danger of multitasking
B. show the high efficiency of multitasking
C. introduce the legislation system in America
D. argue against using time effectively
3. Which of the following is closest in meaning to the word “oblivious” in the third paragraph?
A. serious B. absorbed deeply
C. not noticing D. forgetting
4. We learn from the passage that uni-tasking is ________.
A. the new fashion for 21-century Americans
B. accepted by most residents in Indiana
C. created by a retired professor of theology
D. the traditional act of doing one thing at once
5. In the eyes of the author, multi-tasking ________.
A. could not be avoided in this fast-changing age
B. should be taken the place of by uni-tasking
C. robs people of time to focus and reflect
D. should not become a word in everyday use
查看答案和解析>>
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