Watching some children trying to catch butterflies one hot August afternoon, I was reminded of an incident in my own childhooD．When I was a boy of 12 in South Carolina, something happened to me that cured me forever of wanting to put any wild creature in a cage.
We lived on the edge of a wood, and every evening at dusk the mockingbirds would come and rest in the trees and sing. There isn’t a musical instrument made by man that can produce a more beautiful sound than the song of the mockingbird.
I decided that I would catch a young bird and keep it in a cage and in that way would have my own private musician.
I finally succeeded in catching one and put it in a cage. At first, in its fright at being captured, the bird fluttered about the cage, but eventually it settled down in its new home. I felt very pleased with myself and looked forward to some beautiful singing from my tiny musician.
I had left the cage out on our back porch, and on the second day of the bird’s captivity my new pet’s mother flew to the cage with food in her mouth. The baby bird ate everything she brought to it. I was pleased to see this. Certainly the mother knew better than I how to feed her baby.
The following morning when I went to see how my captive was doing, I discovered it on the floor of the cage, dead. I was shocked! What had happened! I had taken excellent care of my little bird, or so I thought.
Arthur Wayne, the famous ornithologist, happened to be visiting my father at the time, hearing me crying over the death of my bird, explained what had occurred. “A mother mockingbird, finding her young in a cage, will sometimes bring it poison berries. She thinks it better for her young to die than to live in captivity.”
Never since then have I caught any living creature and put it in a cage. All living creatures have a right to live free.
64．Why did the writer catch a mockingbird when he was a boy of 12?
A．He had just got a new cage. B．He liked its beautiful feather.
C．He wanted it to sing for him. D．He wanted a pet for a companion.
65．The mockingbird died because it ______.
A．was frightened to death B．ate the poisonous food its mother gave it
C．refused to eat anything D．drank the poisonous water by mistake
66．An ornithologist probably means ______.
A．a religious person B．a kind person
C．a schoolmaster D．a expert in birds
67．What is the most important lesson the writer learned from the incident?
A．Freedom is very valuable to all creatures.
B．All birds put in a cage won’t live long.
C．You should keep the birds from their mother.
D．Be careful about food you give to baby birds.
科目：高中英语 来源：山东省青岛市2010届高三下学期第二次模拟考试（英语） 题型：阅读理解
The world of the science-fiction 3-D film Avatar is so perfect that the line between fact and fiction has become somewhat blurred (模糊) .
Movie-goers have admitted being annoyed by depression at not being able to visit the planet Pandora. Set in the future when Earth's resources have been used up, director James Cameron's film tells the story of a company trying to exploit a rare mineral on a new planet. The humans clash with the natives — a peace-loving race of 7-foot-tall, blue-skinned creatures called the Na'vi, who exist in perfect harmony with nature.
Fans have flooded the Internet with their confused feelings. On the site Avatar Forums (论坛), the topic "Ways to deal with the depression of the dream of Pandora not being able to come true" has more than 1,000 posts. In a similar forum, Louis, one user, wrote: "When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed grey. It just seems so meaningless. I still don't really see any reason to keep doing things at all. I live in a dying world." On the Avatar site Naviblue, a fan calling himself Jorba has even asked others to join him in starting a real Na'vi tribe.
This fantasy world, with its wonderful plants and animal life, is brought to life by using impressive special effects. Many people believe that 2010 is the breakthrough year for the technology helped by 3-D movies such as Avatar. "It has taken the best of our technology to create this virtual world and real life will never be as perfect as it seems on screen. It makes real life seem more imperfect."
66. What is the best title of the text?
A. A blockbuster movie: Avatar
B. The Avatar effect: movie-goers feel depressed after watching Avatar
C. 2010: a breakthrough year for. 3-D movies
D. Pandora: a perfect world
67. We can infer that Louis___________after watching the film Avatar.
A. will cherish his present life more
B. feels disappointed about the real world
C. will intend to create a real Na'vi tribe
D. is proud of living on the earth
68. Thanks to the success of Av'atar, ___________.
A. 3-D technology will probably develop quickly in 2010
B. most people look forward to living on another planet
C. many more science-fiction films will be made in the coming years
D. people have become more realistic about life
69. The underlined word "virtual" probably means___________.
A. unreal C. true B. perfect D. practical
70. According to the passage the natives on the planet are___________
A. not harmony with the nature B. blue-haired race
C. peace-loving creatures D. fond of fighting with human race
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科目：高中英语 来源：2011年山东省青岛市高考模拟练习题（一）英语卷 题型：阅读理解
Today's Britain is full of TV shows like Fame Academy, which claim to offer young hopefuls an instant passport to fame and riches. But a very different kind of academy may provide a new generation of Brits with a slower, steadier path to wealth.
A 'pig academy' in the east of England is aiming to train up new pig farmers to help promote local agriculture and meet the UK's growing demand for pork. Last year consumption of pork products increased by 6,000 tonnes. But British farmers have not benefited from this rise in demand. A combination of increasing feed prices, competition from cheaper imports and an outbreak of foot and mouth disease have all eaten into their profits. Pig numbers in the UK have actually almost halved in the last decade.
Now, Fresh Start Pig Academy in Lincolnshire is launching a course which intends to redress (修复) the balance. They say pig husbandry (养猪业) is a growth industry and newcomers are welcome. For those of you who fancy getting your hands dirty, the course will teach you everything you need to know, from keeping pigs healthy to raising the capital needed to start up.
Pig farmer Anne Longthorp followed her father into the industry and believes that farming pigs is very rewarding work: "They're great, curious animals to work with. Just watching their behaviour – it's really interesting work. There is a lot more to pig farming than people give us credit for. It's very scientific."
So, while most of Britain's young people may continue to dream of overnight stardom, others will hope a more traditional career will help them bring home the bacon.
【小题1】The second paragraph is mainly about the pig academy come into being.
| A．why | B．how | C．when | D．where |
| A．growing demand for pork |
| B．increasing feed prices |
| C．competition from cheaper imports |
| D．outbreak of foot and mouth disease |
| A．lead the youth to riches faster than the Fame Academy |
| B．provide geilivable help for whoever attends the course |
| C．be more popular with young people than other academies |
| D．make some young people overnight star |
| A．making your hands dirty by raising pigs |
| B．taking up the job as a pig farmer |
| C．avoiding the pig bed dirty to keep them fit |
| D．collecting enough money to raise pigs |
| A．Anne Longthorp loves the job of farming pigs. |
| B．Anne Longthorp’s family all like raising pigs.[来源:Z*xx*k.Com] |
| C．Most young people in Britain will like the career of farming pigs. |
| D．People who farm pigs are allowed to bring home many bacons. |
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科目：高中英语 来源：2010—2011学年江苏省金湖一中高二下学期期末考试（英语） 题型：阅读理解
Kenya wants to organize a major international conference to discuss how to fight piracy(海盗) off the coast of Somalia. The conference may also deal with ways to rescue Somalia from seventeen years of civil war. More than forty percent of its people depend on food aid.
Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula says the world cannot end piracy and civil war without dealing with Somalia’s political problems.
Somali pirates operate in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. The Gulf of Aden connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean by way of the Suez Canal. The pirates have fast boats, modern weapons and equipment like satellite phones and global positioning systems.
Pirates hijacked the Sirius Star off the coast of Kenya and moved it to waters off Somalia.
The tanker Sirius Star, at three hundred thirty meters long, is the biggest ship ever known to have been captured by pirates. It also happened farther south than most attacks, and farther out at sea ---- more than eight hundred kilometers from land.
The ship was headed for the United States with two million karrels of oil, worth an estimated one hundred million dollars. A Saudi Arabian company owns the tanker. The pirates have reportedly demanded twenty-five million dollars in negotiations to release the ship and its crew of twenty-five.
Somali pirates generally do not steal goods or kill hostages. They are believed to be holding seventeen ships with about three hundred crew members. Among the ships is a Ukrainian vessel hijacked(劫持) in September with a load of military weapons including tanks.
The increase in piracy is raising the cost of insuring ships. Also, oil from the Middle East and exports from East Asia could take longer to arrive.
Some of the world’s heaviest shipping traffic passes the Somali coast. But major shipping companies have begun to consider new routes. One of the world’s biggest shippers, A.P, Moeller Maersk, says it will avoid the Gulf of Aden. A move away from the Suez Canal could hurt Egypt’s economy.
American and other foreign navy ships are now watching for pirates. This week the Indian Navy destroyed a heavily armed “mother ship” in the Gulf of Aden. But the area to protect covers more than one hundred sixty million square kilometers.
【小题1】 According to the passage, which of the following is the key to solving the piracy in Somalia?
| A．Providing lots of money. | B．Ending Civil war. |
| C．Supplying enough food. | D．Handling Somalia’s political problems. |
| A．they demand money | B．they hold the ships with crew |
| C．they kill some of the hostages | D．they hijack ships with military weapons |
A．The cost of ship  transport is decreasing. |
| B．The routes of some ships might change. |
| C．Nothing has been done to fight against the piracy. |
| D．The Suez Canal is of no importance to Egypt’s economy. |
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科目：高中英语 来源：江西省南昌市2010届高三下学期第二次模拟测试英语试卷 题型：阅读理解
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Here’s an unusual story: a diamond right was recently found in an egg. The magician, Liu Qian, discovered it, in front of an audience of rail lions at CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala. Liu’s magic tricks have made the centuries-old art of magic fashionable once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.
As a seasoned young magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the United States, Japan, South Korea and the UK.
Witnessing something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people’s love for magic.
Liu is known for his interaction (acting together) with his audiences. He has a unique understanding of showmanship (演出技巧).
“It’s actually thinking, rather than one’s operation skills, that is more important to achieving a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively, to make them appear more interesting. ” Liu said.
Liu Qian’s success dates back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan’s Youth Magic Contest, which was judged by the great American magician, David Copperfield.
Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a proper job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.
To improve his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields, for passers-by, policemen and farmers.
“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough crowds,” Liu said.
68．The story is about________.
A．how Liu Qian became China’s hottest magician
B．why people love magic
C．what magic tricks are
D．how fashionable magic is
69．People love to watch magic because________.
A．they can’t figure out the secret of magic
B．it arouses their curiosity
C．they love watching magicians make the impossible happen
D．it is a centuries-old art
70．Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?
A．He was interested in magic when he was young
B．He had won Taiwan’s Youth Magic Contest.
C．He became an amateur magician in his spare time.
D．He couldn’t find an acceptable job after graduation.
71．From the story we know that________.
A．Liu Qian competed in many magic competitions
B．Liu Qian often invites audiences to be in his magic show
C．Liu Qian performs on streets in order to increase his fame
D．Liu Qian does street show to make money
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科目：高中英语 来源：2011届湖北省部分重点中学高三上学期第二次联考英语卷 题型：阅读理解
I live in Hollywood. You may think people in such an attractive, fun-filled place are happier than others. If so, you have some mistaken ideas about the nature of happiness.
Many intelligent people still equate happiness with fun. The truth is that fun and happiness have little or nothing in common. Fun is what we experience during an act. Happiness is what we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more abiding emotion.
Going to an amusement park or ball game, watching a movie or television, are fun activities that help us relax, temporarily forget our problems and maybe even laugh. But they do not bring happiness, because their positive effects end when the fun ends.
I have often thought that if Hollywood stars have a role to play, it is to teach us that happiness has nothing to do with fun. These rich, beautiful individuals have constant access to glamorous parties, fancy cars, expensive homes, everything that spells “happiness”.
But in memoir（回忆录） after memoir, celebrities reveal the unhappiness hidden beneath all their fun: depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, broken marriages, troubled children and profound loneliness.
The way people stick to the belief that a fun-filled, pain-free life equates happiness actually reduces their chances of ever obtaining real happiness. If fun and pleasure are equated with happiness, then pain must be equated with unhappiness. But, in fact, the opposite is true: More times than not, things that lead to happiness involve some pain.
As a result, many people avoid the very endeavors that are the source of true happiness. They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage, raising children, professional achievement, religious commitment, civic or charitable work, and self-improvement.
【小题1】What does the author want to tell us? He wants to tell us .
| A．he lives in Hollywood, so he feels not happy |
| B．the true meaning of happiness |
| C．in fact, famous people are not very happy |
| D．happiness is not equal to fun |
| A．Happiness just means having fun. | B．Happiness is not equal to fun. |
| C．Happiness means doing what you like. | D．Happiness means being rich. |
| A．compare | B．think |
| C．similar or connected | D．match |
| A．amusement park can bring us happiness |
| B．fun will bring some happiness to us |
| C．pain will bring us happiness |
| D．efforts can bring us happiness |
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