When I first told people I was going to work in Cameroon, the most common reaction was: “Why?” The second was: “It’s in Africa; you’ll die!” The third: “Where is that?”
So let me give some answers. I was offered a job that looked interesting in a part of the world I’d never been to before. I’d also long had an interest in Africa, so I decided it was time to find out the reality.
A small amount of research showed that in more than 40 years since gaining independence, Cameroon has been a peaceful country with no wars. Not only are there no wars, but Cameroon is a food exporter to the region.
Now, after three years, I can say that these have been the healthiest years of my life! No malaria or any of the other frightening diseases you read about when Africa is mentioned. The worst thing that ever happened to me was a bout of food poisoning — once.
So what is it like to teach here? Well surprisingly not so different from teaching anywhere else.
Most students come to us with a bit of English in their heads. Cameroon is a bilingual country with French and English as official languages, while there are also close to 200 local ethnic languages in a country of 16 million people. French is the dominant language, spoken by about 80% of the population.
The local school system is very traditional and somewhat strict. Perhaps not surprisingly when there can be up to 150 students in the classroom (of which maybe 30 have the books, and there are probably seats for 70).
Like anywhere else, students appreciate it if you know a bit about their country, and not just Roger Milla (the top scorer of the 1990 World Cup, in case you’re wondering). It helps if you know the names of the ten provinces, know who the first president was, or can say a word in a local language.
So in conclusion: Cameroon isn’t just football. Not is it war, poverty and disease. It’s just life and people, like anywhere else.
【小题1】 On hearing the writer’s decision, most people _____.
| A．didn’t understand him | B．considered it as a joke |
| C．admired him | D．laughed at him |
| A．a country full of diseases | B．peaceful after liberation |
| C．a poor country, especially lack of food | D．quite different from others in education |
| A．Food export may lead to many frightening diseases. |
| B．Most students in Cameroon do not need books |
| C．Cameroon is not as bad as people commonly believed |
| D．There must be a lot of people suffering from food poisoning. |
| A．leading | B．easy | C．only | D．wonderful |
【小题1】A
【小题2】B
【小题3】C
【小题4】A
解析试题分析：文章介绍作者决定去喀麦隆，但是很多人不理解他，作者到了喀麦隆后，发现喀麦隆不像很多人想的那样糟糕，喀麦隆在解放后是个自由的国家，还是粮食的出口国，作者还提到喀麦隆的教育，当地人的生活情况。
【小题1】细节题：从第一段的句子：When I first told people I was going to work in Cameroon, the most common reaction was: “Why?” The second was: “It’s in Africa; you’ll die!” The third: “Where is that?”可知作者刚刚说了自己的决定，很多人不理解他，选A
【小题2】细节题：从第三段的句子：A small amount of research showed that in more than 40 years since gaining independence, Cameroon has been a peaceful country with no wars. 可知喀麦隆在解放后是个自由的国家，选B
【小题3】推理题：从第四段的句子：Now, after three years, I can say that these have been the healthiest years of my life! No malaria or any of the other frightening diseases you read about when Africa is mentioned.可知喀麦隆不像很多人想的那样糟糕，选C
【小题4】猜词题：从后面的句子：spoken by about 80% of the population.可知由人口的80%说的法语应该是主要的语言，dominant =leading，选A
考点：考查社会生活类短文
科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
ASK LASKAS
YOU'VE GOT QUESTIONS. SHE'S GOT ANSWERS
Q: My problem is computer gaming. I do it day and night, averaging four hours of sleep. I can't control of this, and I don't know where to go for help. Do you? —Player
A: Dear Player,
You have an addiction. For some people playing video games releases dopamine, a powerful brain chemical that makes you feel good. You'd toss your cigarettes if you were ready to quit, right? To kick the habit, get help from a health professional. And don't look for help on line; that would be like an alcoholic going to the bar for advice.
Q: My brother's wife just had triplets(三胞胎). This is such a joy! Yet every time I share the news with co-workers, they ask me if she was on fertility pills. I think this is rude—or has society just become so talk-show numbed (麻木的)that you can ask anyone anything? —No Show Host
A: Dear Host,
Yes. Our society has become increasingly disrespectful of privacy. But don't blame it all on the talk-shows. Continue to celebrate and greet impolite questions with stony silence. Their fertility history is nobody's business but their own.
Q: I work at an amusement park, and my manager steals supplies. She has a catering business on the side, and we've seen her load up her van at the back gates. The big bosses think she is the best thing since buttered bread, and we're all afraid that if we say anything, we'll lose our jobs. What can we do? —Righteous
A: Dear Righteous,
Be sure you're right. You must have evidence about what and why things are going out the back gates. Once you know for certain, it's time to go to the bosses and report what you have seen.
Q: My stepson's wife sometimes leaves their eight-year-old home alone for "a short run to the store." That may be an hour or so. I believe by law we should report it. What do you think?
—The In-laws
A: Dear Laws,
I don't know what the child-protection laws in your state are, but I do know that children need care and attention. This child may be able and unafraid, but kids aren't always careful. It also sounds like there is stress in your family relationship. One thing you can do to help this situation is offer to baby-sit when Mom needs to step out.
【小题1】Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Dopamine is a powerful brain chemical good to our health. |
| B．Looking for help on line is like getting help from a health professional. |
| C．Player is a video game addict who smokes and sleeps few hours. |
| D．Player is advised to stay clear of the screen. |
| A．Host's colleagues are insensitive |
| B．The talk-show is to blame |
| C．Somebody's business is everybody's |
| D．Host's sister-in-law was on fertility pills |
| A．The Mom is not to blame because she needs a short run to the store |
| B．Children need care and attention, though not for all of them |
| C．Laws, the old lady, wants to report what she sees to the child's father |
| D．Laskas doesn't seem to approve of Laws' trying to report what she sees |
| A．The first | B．The second. | C．The third. | D．None. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Sure, it’s good to get along with your teacher because it makes the time you spend in the classroom more pleasant.
And yes, it’s good to get along with your teacher because, in general, it’s smart to learn how to relate to (理解)the different types of people you’ll meet throughout your life.
But really, there’s one super-important reason why you should get along with your teacher. When you do, “learning bursts right open,” says Evelyn Vuko, a longtime teacher who writes an education column（专栏） called “Teacher Says” for the Washington Post newspaper.
In fact, kids who get along with their teachers not only learn more, but they’re more comfortable asking questions and getting extra help. This makes it easier to understand new material and do your best on tests. When you have this kind of relationship with a teacher, he or she can be someone to turn to with problems, such as problems with learning or school issues, such as bullying(欺负人).
As a kid in a primary or middle school, you’re at a wonderful stage in your life. You’re like a sponge(海绵), able to soak up lots of new and exciting information. On top of that, you’re able to think about all this information in new ways. Your teacher knows that, and in most cases, is very excited to be the person who’s giving you all that material and helping you put it together. Remember, teachers are people, too, and they feel great if you’re open to what they’re teaching you. That’s why they wanted to be teachers in the first place --- to teach!
Some kids may be able to learn in any situation, whether they like the teacher or not. But most kids are sensitive to the way they get along with the teacher, and if things aren’t going well, they won’t learn as well and won’t enjoy being in class.
【小题1】The passage mainly talks about _____.
| A．how to get along well with teachers |
| B．the importance of a good relation with teachers |
| C．how much the students are expected of to get along with teachers |
| D．how to make the time in the classroom more pleasant |
| A．learning becomes easier for you at once |
| B．you find an opening to learning |
| C．there’ll be more problems with learning |
| D．there’ll be no problems with learning. |
| A．You are getting on well with your teachers, so you have more questions than others. |
| B．You find it comfortable to ask questions, so you can build a good relationship with teachers. |
| C．You have a good relationship with teacher, so you can turn to him/ her when in trouble. |
| D．You are in trouble, so you can build a good relationship with teachers. |
| A．Teachers are excited even if you wouldn’t like to accept their teaching. |
| B．Teachers sometimes have the same feelings as students do. |
| C．Though few there are still some students who can learn even if they don’t like the teacher. |
| D．Having a bad relationship with your teachers does more or less harm to your studies. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
A Charlotte N.C. man was charged with first-degree murder of a 79-year-old woman whom police said he scared to death. Can the guy be held responsible for the woman’s death? Prosecutors (公诉人) said that he can under the state’s murder rule, which allows someone to be charged with murder if he or she causes another person’s death while committing or fleeing from a severe crime—even if he or she doesn’t kill someone on purpose.
But, medically speaking, can someone actually be frightened to death? We asked Martin Samuels, chairman of the neurology department at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Absolutely, no question about it.
The body has a natural protective method called the fight-or-flight response, which was originally described by Walter Cannon，chairman of Harvard University’s physiology department from 1906 to 1942. If, in the wild, an animal is faced with a life-threatening situation, the automatic nervous system responds by increasing heart rate, increasing blood flow to the muscles, and slowing digestion, among other things. All of this increases the chances of succeeding in a fight or running away from an aggressive beast. This process certainly would be of help to early humans. However, in the modern world there is obvious decline of the fight-or-flight response.
The autonomic nervous system uses the chemical messenger to send signals to various parts of the body to activate the fight-or-flight response. This chemical is poisonous in large amounts; it damages the organs such as the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. It is believed that almost all sudden deaths are caused by damage to the heart. There is almost no other organ that would fail so fast as to cause sudden death.
By the way, any strong positive or negative emotions such as happiness or sadness can cause the same result. There are people who have died in excitement or in religious passion. There was a case of a golfer who hit a hole in one, turned to his partner and said, “I can die now”, and then he dropped dead.
【小题1】What is Martin Samuels’ attitude to the possibility of being frightened to death?
| A．Approval. | B．Disapproval. | C．Doubtful. | D．Indifferent. |
| A．The fight-or-flight response was raised and proved by Martin Samuels. |
| B．It is a natural protective method that can’t be found in all creatures but humans. |
| C．The ancient humans had a better fight-or-flight response than modern ones. |
| D．The fight-or-flight response is beneficial to both our actions and organs. |
| A．Winning an unexpected fortune. |
| B．Missing a dead family member. |
| C．Watching a horror movie. |
| D．Listening to a sweet song. |
| A．to explain why people will die of a heart attack |
| B．to offer some advice on protecting us from heart failure |
| C．to compare different kinds of feelings to cause a death |
| D．to show strong emotions can cause a sudden death |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
In a generous display of maturity and sympathy, one Jewish boy made his first deed as a man in his faith a great act of charity. Joshua Neidorf, a 13-year-old boy from Los Angeles, donated most of his birthday money to Operation Mend, a program that reconstructs the faces of severely burned U. S. veterans（退伍老兵）.
The young man decided to donate his money after getting to know Army Sgt. Louis Dahlman, who was undergoing a series of reconstruction surgeries（手术）at UCLA（University of California at Los Angeles）thanks to Operation Mend. The Neidorfs had signed up to be Dahlman’s “buddy family”, spending time with him whenever he visited Los Angeles for a surgery.
“I just love knowing that it’s going somewhere...to help the people who save our lives and keep us safe every day,” said Neidorf. His mother added, “It makes me feel like our world is going in a good direction with this next generation.”
In all, Neidorf gave $13,000 to Operation Mend. He also encouraged his friends to donate to the cause. He is the organization’s youngest donor so far.
Operation Mend is a privately funded program that works in partnership with the UCLA Medical Center. Ron Katz, a board member at the hospital, started the program in 2006 after seeing a TV programme about Aaron Mankin, a veteran who had gone through dozens of surgeries after a fight in Iraq which completely burned off his face.
Mankin ended up being Operation Mend’s first patient, starting the first of 20 reconstructive facial surgeries at UCLA in Sept. 2007. In a 2011 interview, Katz shared how his experience of helping Mankin made him realize the need to establish a more permanent program. “My wife and I soon realized that there were dozens of Aarons out there,” Katz said. “They deserve the best that we offer them.”
【小题1】Neidorf decided to help veterans because ________.
| A．he benefited from Operation Mend | B．he was afraid of burned faces |
| C．he thought they deserved help | D．he didn’t know how to spend money |
| A．Neidorf donated part of his birthday money |
| B．the Neidorfs signed up to be Dahlman’s “buddy family” |
| C．Ron Katz saw a TV programme about a veteran |
| D．Mankin was successfully operated on at UCLA |
| A．the process of Mankin’s surgery | B．how Operation Mend was set up |
| C．how Katz became famous | D．veterans are respected by people |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
In the United States you will find yourself being urged from every page of every newspaper and every television station to buy all kinds of goods.
Not only is there a wide range of prices for goods in America, there is also a wide range in the quality of goods offered for sale. Unlike some countries, Americans generally pay the price of a product without question, instead of trying to get a lower price by bargaining. However, there are many “sales” in the United States, during which time stores will lower their normal prices. This may all be very confusing to visitors. How are you going to know how to “get your money’s worth” when you shop? Perhaps the best advice is: Don’t hurry. Visit various stores and determine the quality of goods. Read the advertisements so that you can compare prices.
There is a great variety of shops in the United States, ranging from very large stores called “department stores” to very small shops. There are “discount houses” offering goods at low prices, and “dime stores” specializing in a wide range of inexpensive items.
Most department stores in large cities carry better quality products at higher prices. However, they offer the shoppers great convenience since they contain such a wide variety of products.
If convenience isn’t as important to you as price, you may want to shop in discount houses. These stores have nearly as great a variety of goods as department stores, but offer lower prices. They can do so for several reasons. They don’t offer the same services to buyers that department stores do; there may be fewer sales people; and the store probably doesn’t deliver purchases.
Another popular shop is the “dime store”. No longer selling many things for five or ten cents, these stores got their name in the last century when it was decided that a small profit on a great quantity of goods would be better than a large profit on fewer sales. Dime stores specialize in a wide variety of inexpensive items and today, prices range from a quarter or 50 cents up to several dollars.
【小题1】Where can we most probably read this passage?
| A．In a research paper. | B．In a science report. |
| C．In a geography book. | D．In a travel magazine. |
| A．a b c | B．a b d | C．a c d | D．b c d |
| A．They sell lots of goods at a small profit. |
| B．They make big profits by selling some goods. |
| C．They provide goods with a price lower than 50 cents. |
| D．They provide goods ranging from bargains to expensive ones. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
People are different. Some are extrovert. These people are outgoing, confident, and know the “gift of the gab”. They also feel very comfortable when in groups of people.
Unfortunately we have the other extreme. This is the introvert. The introvert feels sick in crowds, and does not like them. These people feel awkward in the crowds, when placed in this type of situation. Many introverts are shy and lack confidence. They need to get used to people, and want to run away when questioned by people.
The introvert feels very lonely in a crowd, but this could happen to the outgoing as well.
I think that I fall into the middle of the two kinds. Sometimes if I am comfortable about the type of people in the crowds, I feel welcome. If for some reason the crowd consists of different types of people, then I do not feel very comfortable in the crowd.
So what do I do when I suddenly feel lost and alone in the crowd? I try to calm my mind by taking deep breath and telling myself that even this will pass. I then try, and get away from the crowd by making excuses or even trying to get to my car and go home. This, of course, is a poor excuse and doesn’t often work well. These are excuses that are employed. The ones that I am not so proud of are acting like I have an emergency to go to. This is a very good lie, but I feel really bad afterwards.
I have tried this one, and have succeeded. I try and find someone who feels just like I do. I then try and make a new friend. Sometimes this works and sometimes it does not. This is quite a noble way of staying in the crowd.
【小题1】What is the best title of the passage?
| A．What is the character of the introvert? |
| B．Why do people feel lonely in a crowd? |
| C．How can we make ourselves calm down in a crowd? |
| D．What do you do when you suddenly feel lonely in a crowd? |
| A．serious | B．excited | C．outgoing | D．nervous |
| A．the writer is good at getting along with others |
| B．the writer does not like to deal with people from other regions |
| C．the writer sometimes does not feel very comfortable in the crowd |
| D．the writer has double personality when faced with different types of people |
| A．making a call | B．making excuses |
| C．holding his breath | D．deep breathing |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
Minimalism (简约主义) is a term that describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is reduced to its most basic features.
As for me, minimalism functions well not in art or design, but in my daily life.
When I was packing for university, I found it extremely difficult to let go of some of the things I owned. I knew I couldn’t take everything with me, but I kept asking myself “how could I possibly throw this away?”, “what if I need it one day?”, and “what about all of the memories?” Now that I’ve moved, and left that stuff behind, I don’t even miss it. Whether or not I got rid of it, it barely makes a bit of difference to me now.
I’ve learned that over time people forget, or their need for a particular object eventually disappears. Either they store it away or they get rid of it.
You might think nostalgically（怀旧的） about the toys you cared about when you were a child, but what is making you smile now is not the thing itself but the memory of it. I’ve heard it a hundred times, “you don’t need things to make you happy.” It takes something life-changing like moving across the country to realize how true this is.
Speaking of which, for a lot of people, minimalism is about able to move. It’s about being able to go almost anywhere at any time because you don’t have many possessions to carry. When you keep things you don’t need they become a burden that ties you to a place. Moving to university was a good time to let go of a lot of stuff. And when I visit for the holidays, I’ll probably get rid of even more, to lighten the burden.
Of course there are exceptions. There are some things that are irreplaceable, very rare or expensive or we simply love and cherish for some reason or another, since we are humans. But after we keep those, how much is left that we don’t really need?
Hence, minimalism. And why does minimalism bring happiness? That was a bit of a roundabout way of saying that, it’s because what really makes me happy is freedom. And the key to freedom is minimalism because minimalism reduces our attachment to things.
Attachment to too many objects creates a great mess and can severely hold back our freedom to do whatever we want, while minimalism helps us start new projects, move, travel, learn new things, work, expand, be debt-free, be healthy – really living life to our full potential.
I left the nest to fly onwards and upwards, I can’t do it with old things weighing me down. And that is why I have adopted minimalism with open arms.
【小题1】 In paragraph l, the writer gives the definition of minimalism to
| A．introduce a topic | B．present his own background |
| C．describe a scene | D．offer an argument |
| A．they haven’t had any life-changing experiences |
| B．they fear their memories will be gone with the thrown-away stuff |
| C．they hope to live life to their full potential by storing things away |
| D．they may have to change their lifestyle because of the loss of them |
| A．It takes the burden off her while she is moving. |
| B．It reduces her attachment to her personal things. |
| C．It enables her to gain the freedom that she desires. |
| D．It helps her to realize how true life is. |
| A．Minimalism brings happiness. |
| B．Minimalism is applied in many fields. |
| C．Minimalism makes people think nostalgically. |
| D．Minimalism is about able to move. |
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科目：高中英语 来源： 题型：阅读理解
For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the ground or the sewer(下水道) system. But if you want to save a little water and reuse it on your lawns or plants --- or even use it for laundry, dishes, or other needs --- collecting rainwater from your gutter’s downspouts(檐槽的水落管) is a no-brainer.
According to John C. Davis, writing in E / The Environmental Magazine, just about any homeowner can collect rainwater, given that the roof and gutters do most of the work. And since an inch of rain falling on a 2,000-square-foot roof produces some 1,200 gallons of water, you can harvest enough to water your lawn or garden.
Plants and grass actually do better when fed rainwater instead of tap water, which is usually treated with substances that can hold back plant growth. Using rainwater can also extend the life of pipes, since the salts added to tap water may gradually damage the pipes. However, homeowners should set up a water purification system if they do plan to use rainwater for inside needs.
Rainwater harvesting can also be good for the local community, as it reduces the erosion, flooding, and pollution associated with heavy rainfall, and reduces dependence on public water supplies. So some states fund rainwater collection systems in their local communities.
Many varieties of rain barrel(桶) systems, starting at just $100, are available for home use. A typical setup is simply a rain barrel positioned under a gutter’s downspout. Skillful homeowners can make their own water harvesting systems, but buying one is a lot easier. Most garden centres offer a range of choices as well as tips.
【小题1】The underlined word “no-brainer” in Para. 1 probably means something that ______.
| A．is hard to deal with | B．is very easy |
| C．is of no real value | D．deserves more attention |
| A．how to set up a water harvesting system |
| B．how a rain barrel system works |
| C．some advice on saving tap water |
| D．the benefits of using rainwater |
| A．Basic gardening skills. | B．Water-saving techniques. |
| C．Wastewater treatment systems. | D．Roof rainwater collection. |
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