牛津高中英语模块3 Reading Project课文.docx

1、牛津高中英语模块3 Reading Project课文13. M3U1. ReadingFogFog warningWhen Polly left home that morning, the city was already covered in a grey mist. At lunch, the radio forecast that the mist would become a thick fog in the afternoon. At four oclock, Polly left work and stepped out into the fog. She wondered i

2、f the buses would still be running.No buses to King Street Once out in the street, she walked quickly towards her usual bus stop.How far are you going? the bus conductor asked her before he took her fare.King Street, said Polly.Sorry, Miss, replied the man, the truth is that it is too foggy for the

3、bus to run that far. Take the Underground to Green Park. The weather might be better there and you might be able to get a taxi.A tall manAs Polly observed the passengers on the train, she had a feeling that she was being watched by a tall man in a dark overcoat. At last the train arrived at Green Pa

4、rk station. While the rest of the passengers were getting out, she glanced at the faces around her. The tall man was nowhere to be seen.FootstepsWhen Polly got to the station entrance, it was empty. Outside, wherever she looked the fog lay like a thick, grey cloud. There was no one in sight. Polly s

5、et off towards Park Street. As she walked along the narrow street, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching, but by the time she reached the corner of the street, the footsteps were gone. Suddenly Polly felt a rough hand brush her cheek, and she heard a mans voice in her ear saying Sorry. The ma

6、n moved away. She could feel her heart beating with fear.The helpful strangerThen she heard the sound again - soft footsteps behind her. A minute before, she had wished for someone to come along. Now she wanted to run, but fear held her still. The footsteps seemed close now. Then a mans voice came o

7、ut of the darkness. Is anybody there?Polly hesitated. At last she answered, Hello, I think Im lost.A few seconds later, a hand reached out and grasped her arm. Polly found herself staring up at the face of an old man with a beard.Maybe I can help you. Which road do you want? He asked.I live at 86 Ki

8、ng Street, Poly replied.Just take my hand, said the man. Come with me. Youll be all right. He took Pollys hand. Watch out for the step here.In his other hand the man carried a stick. Polly heard it hit the step. I can remember some terrible fogs, but maybe that was before your time. I cant see your

9、face, but you sound young. How old are you?Just twenty, answered Polly.Ah, twenty! A nice age to be! I was young once. Now were at the crossroads. Turn left here.Im quite lost now. Are you sure you know the way? Polly was beginning to feel frightened again.Of course. You really shouldnt feel anxious

10、. He held her hand more firmly.The grateful helperHere we are. King Street. He stopped.Thank you so much for coming to my aid, said Polly in relief. Would you like to come in and rest for a while?Its very nice of you, said the man, but Ill be off. There may be more people lost today, and Id like to

11、help them. You see, a fog this bad is rare. It gives me the chance to pay back the help that people give me when its sunny. A blind person like me cant get across the road without help, except in a fog like this.14. M3U1. Project (1)Shark attacksThere are nearly 400 different types of sharks, but on

12、ly about 30 types are known to have attacked human beings. Many people know that the most dangerous shark is the great white shark, mainly because they have seen the movie Jaws. However, two other sharks are also rather dangerous: the tiger shark and the bull shark.Contrary to what many people might

13、 assume, evidence shows that sharks seldom attack humans. There are three types of shark attacks. In the main type, the shark attacks you because it mistakes you for a fish, but when it tastes human flesh it decides to give up and swim away. In the second type, the shark pushes you with its nose to

14、find out if you are fit to be eaten, and then bites you if it thinks you are. In the third type, the shark waits for you to swim by, and then attacks you suddenly. The last two types of attack more often result in the death of humans.To reduce the risk of a shark attack, you should follow these sugg

15、estions. Do not swim in the dark. Sharks can still see you but you cannot see them. Do not go swimming in the ocean if you have a fresh wound. Sharks can smell blood over a long distance. Do not wear bright clothing or jewellery, because sharks are attracted to the flash of colors and bright objects

16、. Stay in groups, as sharks usually avoid large numbers of people. Recently, shark attacks have been increasing as water sports are becoming more popular. If a shark attacks you, follow the advice below. Keep calm. Do not panic. Hit the shark on the nose with your fist. Stick your finger in the shar

17、ks eye.Dont be frightened by sharks: you are 30 times more likely to be hit by lightning than be attacked by a shark.15. M3U1. Project (2)The wonderful world of pigeonsIt is night. All is quiet. The soldiers are asleep while a guard watches for the enemy. There is a flash, and the sound of guns! The

18、y are being attacked! Hundreds of enemy soldiers rush towards them. They are all going to be killed unless they get help. What should they do?An officer writes a short message quickly on a small piece of paper: Being attacked! Hurry!He rolls up the paper and puts it into a small case, and then reach

19、es into a cage and gets a bird. Attaching the message to its leg, he sets the bird loose. It immediately flies into the air and disappears in the dark.Will the bird arrive in time? Will they be saved?Though it may seem hard to believe, the bird the officer uses is the same bird often seen in public

20、parksthe pigeon. Pigeons have a wonderful sense of direction and can find their way home over long distances. Indeed, pigeons have been known to fly home from as far away as 1,800 kilometres. That is why pigeons have been used since ancient times to carry the news or even the mail. However, it was i

21、n war that they found their greatest use. During both World War I and II, pigeons were employed by armies to carry messages to and from the front lines, saving the lives of many soldiers and even helping win some important victories.How do pigeons find their way? Pigeons appear to have a compass ins

22、ide them that tells them which way is north. How this compass works remains a mystery. Of course, since a compass alone is not enough to find ones way, they also appear to use their sight and even their sense of smell to tell them which way they should go. Unlike humans, they never get lost and can

23、always find their way home.16. M3U2. ReadingEnglish and its historyAll through history, people from many different countries and cultures have lived together in Britain. The English language is made up of the grammar and vocabulary these people brought to Britain. That is why English has so many dif

24、ficult rules that confuse people.Old EnglishOld English is very different from the English we speak nowadays .In fact, we would not be able to understand it if we heard it today. Before the middle of the 5th century, people in Britain all spoke a language called Celtic. Then two Germanic groups from

25、 the European mainlandthe angles and the Saxonsoccupied Britain. Old English consisted of a mixture of their languages. (Both the English language and the English people are named after the angles; the word Angle was spelt Engle in old English.) Aside from place names such as London, very few Celtic

26、 words became part of old English. At the end of the 9th century, the Vikings, people from Northern European countries such as Denmark and Norway, began to move to Britain. They brought with them their languages, which also mixed with Old English. By the 10th century, Old English had become the offi

27、cial language of England.When we speak English today, we sometimes feel puzzled about which words or phrases to use. This is because English has many words and phrases from different languages, but with similar meanings. For example, the word sick came from a word once used by the Angles and the Sax

28、ons, while ill came from a word once used by the Norwegians.Middle EnglishMiddle English is the name given to the English used from around the 12th to the 15th centuries. Many things played a part in the development of this new type of English. The most important contribution was from the Normans, a

29、 French-speaking people who defeated England and took control of the country in 1066. However, the Norman Conquest did not affect English as much as the Angles and the Saxons victory about 600 years earlier, which led to old English replacing Celtic. Even though the Normans spoke French for the enti

30、re 250 years they ruled English, French did not replace English as the first language. On the other hand, the English language did borrow many words from French. This resulted in even more words with similar meanings, such as answer (from Old English) and reply (from Old French). It is interesting t

31、o learn how the words for animals and meat developed. After the Norman Conquest, many English people worked as servants who raised animals. Therefore, the words we use for most animals raised for food such as cow, sheep and pig, came from Old English. However, the words for the meat of these animals

32、, which was served to the Normans, came from Old French: beef, mutton, pork and bacon. Old French made other contributions to Middle English as well. In Old English, the Germanic way of making words plural was used. For example, they said housen instead of houses, and shoen instead of shoes. After the Normans took control they began using the French way of making plurals, adding an s to house and shoe. Only a few words kept their Germanic plural forms, such as man/men and child/children. After