Although it might have happened anywhere, my encounter with the green banana started on a steep
mountain road in the central area of Brazil. I was driving up through beautiful countryside when the radiator
(水箱) began to leak. I stopped at the next village, which consisted of a small store and a few houses. People
came over to look. "That's easy to fix," a man said. He sent a boy running for some green bananas. He patted
me on the shoulder, assuring me that everything would work out. "Green bananas," he smiled. Everyone agreed.
We chatted casually while all the time I was wondering what they could possibly do to my radiator with
their green bananas. I did not ask them, though, as that would show my ignorance, so I talked about the beauty
of the land that lay before our eyes. Huge rock formations, like Sugar Loaf in Rio,rose up all around us. "Do
you see that tall one right over there?" asked the man, pointing to a particularly tall, slender pinnacle (尖端) of
dark rock. "That rock marks the center of the world."
I looked to see if he was teasing me, but his face was serious. He, in turn, inspected me carefully, as if to
make sure I grasped the significance of his statement. The occasion called for some show of recognition on
my part. "The center of the World?" I repeated, trying to show interest. He nodded, "The absolute center.
Everyone around here knows it."
At that moment the boy returned with an armful of green bananas. The man cut one in half and pressed
the cut end against the radiator jacket. The banana melted into a glue against the hot metal, stopping the leaks
instantly. I was so astonished at this that I mush have looked rather foolish and everyone laughed. They then
refilled my radiator and gave me extra bananas to take along. An hour later, after using the green banana once
more, my radiator and I reached our destination.
It took me a little longer to fully grasp the importance of the rock which the villagers believed marked the
center of the world. I had at first doubted their claim, as I knew for a fact that the center was located
somewhere else in New England. After all, my grandfather had come from there. But gradually I realized the
village people had a very reasonable belief and I agreed with them. We all tend to regard as the center that
special place where we are known, where we know others, where things mean much to us, and where we
ourselves have both identity and meaning: family, school, town and local region could all be our center of the
world.
The lesson which gradually dawned on me was actually very simple. Every place has special meanings for
the people in it, and in a certain sense every place represents the center of the world. The world has numerous
such centers, and no one student or traveler can experience all of them. But once a conscious breakthrough
to a second center is made, a life-long perspective and collection can begin.
The cultures of the world are full of unexpected green bananas with special value and meaning. They have
been there for ages, ripening slowly, perhaps waiting patiently for people to come along to encounter them. In
fact, a green banana is waiting for all of us if we would leave our own centers of the world in order to
experience other places.
科目:高中英语 来源:英语教研室 题型:050
As a teenager in 1972, Bill Gates boasted that he would be a millionaire by the time he was 20. While he did not quite achieve that goal, only 15 years later, he was a millionaire. And by 1992, as head of the Microsoft company, he became the richest man in America with assets (资产) of approximately US $ 6. 3 billion.
Born in Seattle, Washington on 28, October, 1956, Gates was named William Henry after his father and grandfather. From the beginning, he was an extremely energetic and intelligent child. He had read the entire world book encyclopedia (百科全书) by the age of nine. His favorite subjects at school were science and math and his favorite pastime was “thinking”.
Gates first started to play with computers at the age of 13, when one was installed at his school. At that time, computers were large, awkward (笨重的) machines. Operators were required to learn complex (复杂的) computer languages before the machines could be used. Even then a great deal of time and effort was needed to perform the simplest functions. Before long Gates was an expert at working the school's computer. After his graduation from secondary school, Gates was accepted by the three top universities in the USA Princeton, Harvard and Yale. He chose Harvard and began classes there the next autumn, majoring math. But he was still obsessed (占据心思) with computers and spent as much time in the computer laboratories as he did in the lecture halls.
By 1975, Gates and a partner, Paul Allen, had developed a software program called BASIC. This was not the first program ever created, but its inventors were the first to decide that people who wanted to use it should pay for it.
BASIC was a success because until it came along, there had been no efficient way of getting computers to carry out instructions. Although he had not completed his degree, Gates left university and went to work full time for the new company he had formed called Microsoft.
His next project was the software program that made him famous and very rich. It was called DOS, short for Disk Operating System, and it was purchased (购买) by 113M in 1980. Today it is the operating system used in more than 14 million personal computers around the world.
As chief executive office of Microsoft, Gates is known as a bright man, but one who is not easily satisfied. He is quick to criticize (批评) his staff and hates to be questioned about decisions he has made. He was regarded as a loner and unfashionable boring computer nut until his marriage to Microsoft manager Melinda French on New Year's Day 1994. Yet to most people now, Gates is a person who is, in spite of his great wealth, humble (谦恭) and ordinary. He spends his money carefully. He eats in fast food restaurants and flies economy class. And when praised for Microsoft's great success, he has been heard to say. “All we do is put software in a box and if people see it in the stores and like it, they buy it. “
1.When he was a teenager, Bill Gates wanted to be a ________.
A. teacher
B. doctor
C. businessman
D. professor
2.When Gates went to Harvard, he ________.
A. was interested only in math
B. spent most of his time in computer laboratories
C. developed the first computer software program
D. divided his time between his math studies and the computer laboratories
3.Before the development of BASIC, ________.
A. no one was interested in computer software
B. software programs were not considered commercial projects
C. software programs were very expensive
D. no one wanted to pay for computer software
4.When the writer says, “Bill was regarded as an unfashionable boring computer nut”, he means ________.
A. Bill was so strong-minded that no one could change his mind
B. the only thing that could interests Bill on his life was computer
C. Bill was such a boring young man that nobody would like to talk to him
D. Bill couldn't work out the boring computer problems
5.Most people think Gates is ________.
A. a crazy person
B. a person obsessed with making money
C. someone who spends money freely
D. a quite common, normal person
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源:训练必修二英语北师版 北师版 题型:050
|
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源:湖南省长郡中学09-10学年度高一下学期4月月考 题型:阅读理解
B.阅读理解:(30分)
A
Now we can see a man and his wife at the breakfast table. They are not speaking to each other.
They haven’t spoken to each other at the breakfast table for years. The husband is reading his newspaper. We can’t see his face. The wife looks very worried as she gets a cup of tea ready for him. Today she is using a new kind of tea for the first time. The husband picks up his cup. He isn’t interested. He tastes his tea. Suddenly he puts down his newspaper. Something is different! Can it be the tea? He takes another taste. It’s wonderful. He smiles. He looks at his wife and says in surprise, “Doris, when did you cut your hair?” Doris is pleased. She answers, “Two months ago.” Doris asks, “Herbie, when did your hair begin to become white?” He answers, “A long time ago.” Doris says, “We have been together for many years, but we never cared about each other.” Now they aren’t worried any longer. Breakfast is different. Has a new kind of tea changed their lives?
36. This story happens______________________.
A. before breakfast B. after breakfast
C. at home D. in a teahouse
37. In the passage, we can see ________________________.
A. Doris is drinking tea B. Herbie likes the new kind of tea
C. Doris is reading a newspaper D. Herbie is very young and good-looking
38. Herbie and Doris lived ______________ before this day.
A. a wonderful B. an unhappy
C. an enjoyable D. a friendly
39. Which of the following statements is true?
A. They are good friends. B. They have just got married.
C. They like to talk about their hair. D. They are no longer young.
40. From the passage, we think it may be ______________.
A. a radio programme B. a short film
C. a computer game D. a beautiful painting
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源:浙江省富阳市场口中学2009-2010学年高一5月教学质量检测试题(英语) 题型:阅读理解
三. 阅读理解(30分)
Einstein, a great scientist of the age, was almost as strange as his Theory of Relativity.
Once, while riding a street car in Berlin, he told the conductor that he had not given him the right change. The conductor counted the change again and found it to be correct, so he handed it to Einstein, saying, “The trouble with you is that you don’t know your figures.”
Einstein said that there were only twelve people living who understood his Theory of Relativity although a good many books had been written to explain it.
He had nothing but contempt(蔑视) for the things most people set their hearts on --- for fame and riches(财富) and luxury(奢华).
He didn’t want money or praise. He made his own happiness out of such simple things as his work and playing the violin and sailing his boat. Einstein’s violin brought him more joy than anything else in life. He said that he often thought in music.
1.The conductor thought Einstein _____ .
A. wasn’t good at maths B.had good memory
C. was either mad or strange D.liked to make trouble
2.Einstein meant that many people _____ .
A. knew his Theory of Relativity well because they could explain it
B.had written to have grasped his theory correctly
C.pretended to have grasped his abstract theory
D.admired him very much
3.Which of the following statements is true?
A. Einstein care little for fame or wealth.
B. Einstein had nothing but enough fame and riches and luxury.
C. Einstein was eager for the things most people set their hearts to.
D. In the eyes of Einstein, most people had a strong wish to publish book on the theory.
4. The underline part “set their hearts on” means _____.
A. believe B. have C. love D. hate
查看答案和解析>>
科目:高中英语 来源:浙江省富阳市2009-2010学年高一5月教学质量检测试题(英语) 题型:阅读理解
三. 阅读理解(30分)
Einstein, a great scientist of the age, was almost as strange as his Theory of Relativity.
Once, while riding a street car in Berlin, he told the conductor that he had not given him the right change. The conductor counted the change again and found it to be correct, so he handed it to Einstein, saying, “The trouble with you is that you don’t know your figures.”
Einstein said that there were only twelve people living who understood his Theory of Relativity although a good many books had been written to explain it.
He had nothing but contempt(蔑视) for the things most people set their hearts on --- for fame and riches(财富) and luxury(奢华).
He didn’t want money or praise. He made his own happiness out of such simple things as his work and playing the violin and sailing his boat. Einstein’s violin brought him more joy than anything else in life. He said that he often thought in music.
1.The conductor thought Einstein _____ .
A. wasn’t good at maths B.had good memory
C. was either mad or strange D.liked to make trouble
2.Einstein meant that many people _____ .
A. knew his Theory of Relativity well because they could explain it
B.had written to have grasped his theory correctly
C.pretended to have grasped his abstract theory
D.admired him very much
3.Which of the following statements is true?
A. Einstein care little for fame or wealth.
B. Einstein had nothing but enough fame and riches and luxury.
C. Einstein was eager for the things most people set their hearts to.
D. In the eyes of Einstein, most people had a strong wish to publish book on the theory.
4. The underline part “set their hearts on” means _____.
A. believe B. have C. love D. hate
查看答案和解析>>
湖北省互联网违法和不良信息举报平台 | 网上有害信息举报专区 | 电信诈骗举报专区 | 涉历史虚无主义有害信息举报专区 | 涉企侵权举报专区
违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com