2019-2020年高二英語話題閱讀訓(xùn)練 Week Eleven歷史地理一、閱讀理解（共7小題；共14.0分）A This is a story that happened in Europe in the 17th century. Tulips(郁金香) were introduced into Holland before the 17th century but it did not take long for the flowers to gain popularity among the upper classes. Flowers of such beauty soon became symbols of power and the rich tried their best to lay their hands on some to display them in their gardens. When more people learned of the prices that the rich were willing to pay for tulips, they knew they just found a “get-rich-quick” gold mine. By 1634, the whole country was so attracted by tulips that all other activities almost came to a stop. People were trading in tulips and even buying and selling bulbs(球莖). At that time, one rare bulb cost as much as ten tons of cheese. Many made a fortune in the beginning. As the prices moved in one direction, they only needed to buy low and sell high, buy high and sell higher. After the gains, confidence rose and many sold away all their property in order to invest more money in tulips, hoping to make more money. The desire was so strong that those who were watching also rushed to the tulip market. Everyone thought that the high demand for tulips would continue forever and prices could only go up because more and more people from all over the world would start to like tulips. When the prices of tulips was much higher than it should be, few people bought them for planting in their gardens. The real demand for the flowers seemed greater than it really was. Many people were buying them for speculation(投機(jī)), not appreciation. In 1637, for some unknown reasons, a group of people suddenly realized the danger. The prices of tulips began to fall and the market crashed. When confidence was destroyed, it could not be recovered and prices kept falling. Soon the nobles and the rich became poor. Cries of suffering were heard everywhere in Holland. 1. Why did the upper classes buy tulips in the beginning? A. Because the prices of tulips were low. B. Because they wanted to make a fortune. C. Because tulips were introduced from abroad. D. Because tulips were beautiful and represented power. 2. It can be inferred from the passage that . A. greed(貪婪) was the reason why so many people were mad about tulips B. tulips became popular among the upper classes very slowly C. people who were mad about tulips bought them for appreciation D. when the prices were extremely high, most people planted tulips in their gardens 3. The passage is mainly about . A. Europe in the 17th century B. buying and selling tulips C. being mad about tulips D. the life of the nobles and the richB The most mon symbol of a nation in the modern world is also one of the most ancient. With a clear symbolic meaning, the flag in the traditional form is still used today to mark buildings, ships and other vehicles related to a country. The national flag as we know it today is in no way a primitive (原始的) artifact. It is, rather, the product of thousands of years development. Historians believe that it had two major ancestors, of which the earlier served to show wind direction. Early human beings used very fragile (脆弱的) houses and boats. Often strong winds would tear roofs from houses or cause high waves that endangered travelers. Peoples food supplies were similarly vulnerable. Even after they had learned how to plant grains, they still needed help from nature to ensure good harvests. Therefore they feared and depended on the power of the wind, which could bring warmth from one direction and cold from another. Using a simple piece of cloth tied to the top of a post to tell the direction of the wind was more dependable than earlier methods, such as watching the rising of smoke from a fire. The connection of the flag with heavenly power was therefore reasonable. Early human societies began to fix long pieces of cloth to the tops of totems(圖騰) before carrying them into battle. They believed that the power of the wind would be added to the good wishes of gods and ancestors represented by the totems themselves. These flags developed very slowly into modern flags. The first known flag of a nation or a ruler was unmarked: The king of China around 1000 BC was known to have a white flag carried ahead of him. This practice might have been learned from Egyptians even further in the past, but it was from China that it spread over trade routes through India, then across Arab Lands, and finally to Europe, where it met up with the other ancestor of the national flag. 4. The best title for the passage would be . A. Development of the National Flag B. Power of the National Flag C. Type of Flags D. Uses of flags 5. The underlined word "vulnerable" in paragraph 3 means . A. impossible to make sure ofB. likely to be protected C. easy to damageD. difficult to find 6. What does the author know of the first national flag? A. He knows when it was sent to Europe. B. He believes it was made in China. C. He thinks it came from China. D. He doubts where it started. 7. What will the author most probably talk about next? A. The role of China in the spread of the national flag. B. The second ancestor of the national flag. C. The use of modern flags in Europe. D. The importance of modern flags.二、閱讀理解（共4小題；共8.0分） New archaeological discoveries suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road probably began many centuries earlier than once thought. The findings, coupled with a range of scientific and historical research, could add a fascinating new page to the epic of the Silk Road. The latest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy from about 1,000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt. The official origin of East-West merce along the road is usually placed in the late 2nd century BC when an agent of the Chinese Emperor Wudi returned from a dangerous secret mission(使命) across the western desert into the remote Central Asia. The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan and brought back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijien, perhaps Rome. Historians have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times. His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient worlds two superpowers, China and Rome. Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Persia in exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets of Rome. But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road. The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and wonder the mystery of just when and how Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture. 8. The underlined word "coupled" in the first paragraph could best be replaced by . A. producedB. continuedC. doubledD. bined 9. The silk thread found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy suggests that . A. Egyptians had probably travelled to China to buy silk B. trade along the Silk Road began earlier than once thought C. historical research often achieves fascinating results D. new light can now be thrown on ancient trading practices10. Until recently most historians officially believed that trade along the Silk Road . A. originated in the 2nd century BC B. extended human migration into eastern Asia C. began a million years ago D. primarily benefited the Egyptians11. Historians have always considered Zhang Qians journey important because they believe . A. he brought back knowledge of Rome to the emperor B. he discovered the Silk Road C. he helped establish East-West trade D. he travelled as far as Afghanistan三、閱讀理解（共5小題；共10.0分） AIDS-related illnesses have killed more than 30 million people since 1981. Thats half as many deaths as in World War II. And its not over. An estimated 1.1 million Americans are among the 33 million people worldwide who are now living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Between 1884 and 1924, somewhere near modern-day Kinshasa in West Central Africa, a hunter kills a chimpanzee. Some of the animals blood enters the hunters body, possibly through an open wound. The blood carries a virus harmless to the chimp but deadly to humans: HIV. In June, 1981, the CDC publishes a report from Los Angeles of five young homosexual men with fatal or life-threatening PCP pneumonia. First cases recognized. In 1985, Rock Hudson dies of AIDS. Larry Kramers AIDS play, "The Normal Heart." shocks New York audiences. In 1986, for the first time, President Reagan publicly utters the word "AIDS." In 1987, Princess Diana is photographed hugging people with AIDS. Reagan makes his first speech on AIDS. Liberace dies of AIDS. Three years later, Photographer Robert Mapplethorpe dies of AIDS. In 1988, the first World AIDS DAY is held on Dec. 1. During 1991-1992, the red ribbon is introduced as a symbol of AIDS solidarity(團(tuán)結(jié)一致). But AIDS bees the leading cause of death in U.S. men aged 25-44 and ten years later, AIDS bees the leading cause of death worldwide for people aged 15 to 59. In xx, for the first time, global AIDS deaths decline. UNAIDS calculates that the global spread of AIDS peaked in 1996 at 3.5 million new infections. Deaths peaked in xx, at 2.2 million. Yet AIDS Day xx brings surprising figures: 2.7 million new HIV infections and 2 million AIDS deaths in the previous year. Researchers have discovered more than a dozen antibodies that target the HIV virus. They hope that these discoveries will lead to a vaccine that offers long-term protection against AIDS. One antibody in particular, PGT 128, is considered among the most potent and promisingpreventing about 70% of viruses from infecting cells in laboratory tests.12. Why does the author mention the year 1981 in the first paragraph? A. Because there is no recorder before 1981. B. Because the author thinks 1981 is the first year of a decade. C. Because in 1981, the first case of AIDS was confirmed. D. Because there was fewer AIDS before 1981, even none.13. What is the second paragraph mainly about? A. HIV: from monkeys to humans. B. A hunters killing caused HIV. C. HIV is harmless to the chimpanzee. D. HIV is deadly to humans.14. How many famous people died of AIDS mentioned in the passage between 1985 and 1991? A. 2.B. 3.C. 4.D. 5.15. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A. The red ribbon and the World AIDS Day are both the symbols of AIDS solidarity. B. In xx, AIDS caused most deaths since 1981 and the death began to go down. C. In 1986, President Reagan used the word "AIDS" and made a speech on it. D. During xx, AIDS is the leading cause of death in the world aged 15 to 59.16. What attitude does the author have towards the treatment to AIDS in the future? A. Pessimistic.B. Optimistic.C. Objective.D. Uncertain.四、完形填空（共20小題；共30.0分） Steven Ward of Brunel University, London, wrote to say that "The Historical Origin of the Middle Finger Gesture (MFG) is a bit confused, you need the middle 17 and index finger to fire a bow. The MFG is known in the UK, but we 18 the victory sign made popular by Churchill, in a similar way." 19 struck me that the French might well consider it sufficient to 20 just the middle finger. But what is really needed here is the time machine historian with a video camera to nail down the 21 . Before the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the French, anticipating(預(yù)期) victory over the 22 , proposed to 23 the middle finger of all 24 English soldiers. Without the middle finger, it would be 25 to draw the well-known English longbow and therefore be incapable of fighting 26 . This famous 27 was made of the native English Yew tree and the act of 28 the longbow was known as "plucking the yew". Much to the 29 of the French, the English won a major upset and began mocking(嘲弄) the French by 30 their middle fingers at the 31 French, saying, "See, we can still pluck(拉) yew! PLUCK YEW!" Over the years, some "folk etymologies(詞源學(xué))" have grown up around this symbolic 32 . Since "pluck yew" is rather 33 to say (like "pleasant mother, pheasant plucker", which is who you had to go to for the feathers used on the arrows for the longbow), the difficult consonant(輔音的) group at the beginning has gradually changed to an "F", and thus the 34 often used in conjunction with the one-finger-salute are 35 thought to have something to do with an intimate encounter. It is also because of the pheasant feathers on the 36 that the symbolic gesture is known as "giving the bird".17.A. handB. footC. headD. finger18.A. useB. makeC. createD. take19.A. WhatB. ItC. ThatD. Which20.A. haveB. moveC. removeD. shake21.A. historyB. storyC. experienceD. truth22.A. JapaneseB. SpanishC. EnglishD. Swiss23.A. cut offB. put onC. take offD. hold on24.A. lostB. killedC. blamedD. captured25.A. necessaryB. impossibleC. possibleD. pulsory26.A. in the pastB. at presentC. in the futureD. nowadays27.A. weaponB. battleC. predictionD. story28.A. pullingB. pushingC. paintingD. drawing29.A. joyB. amusementC. surpriseD. delight30.A. wavingB. playingC. windingD. drawing31.A. delightedB. defeatedC. confusedD. puzzled32.A. wordB. sentenceC. eventD. gesture33.A. easyB. difficultC. convenientD. different34.A. consonantB. yewC. wordsD. people35.A. mistakenlyB. suddenlyC. eventuallyD. usually36.A. longbowsB. pronunciations C. fingersD. arrows答案一、閱讀理解 1. D 2. A 3. C 4. A 5. C 6. D 7. B二、閱讀理解 8. D 9. B10. A11. C三、閱讀理解12. C13. A14. B15. D16. B四、完形填空17. D18 (暫無答案)19. B20. C21. B22. C23. A24. D25. B26 (暫無答案)27. A28. D29. C30. A31. B32. D33. B34. C35. A36. D