高二英语阅读理解强化训练附解析Day 33.docx

1、高二英语阅读理解强化训练附解析Day 33高二英语阅读理解强化训练附解析Day 33Passage 1Van Gogh painted sunflowers for the first time in the summer of 1886.Two years later, his interest appeared again after he settled in Arles. After he had invited the French artist Paul Gauguin, whom he admired, to join his Studio of the South, he be

2、gan painting sunflowers to brighten up the whitewashed walls of the yellow house he was living in, not far from the towns railway station.Gauguin accepted Van Goghs invitation. When he began dragging his heels(脚后跟), Van Gogh painted the last two of the four original Sunflowers for the modest bedroom

3、 where his guest would sleep following his arrival that autumn, “Van Gogh saw the Sunflowers for Gauguins bedroom as a way of attracting his friend to come from Brittany, “says Bailey.According to Martin Gayford, “Gauguin was very surprised by the Sunflowers, which he repeatedly praised and asked fo

4、r as a gift. Years later, Gauguin himself painted some sunflower pictures.”Van Goghs Sunflowers stand for (代表)his relationship with Gauguin. “I think he painted them for the joy of it,” says Jansen. “Van Gogh was at the height of his powers in the summer of 1888,”explains Bailey. “He painted the Sun

5、flowers quickly and with great energy and confidence.” Van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo in late August, “Im painting quickly now, which wont surprise you when its a question of painting large Sunflowers.”Van Gogh recognized at once that he had created something important and that his sunflowers we

6、re so different. As he told Theo in January 1889, while other artists were known for painting other flowers, “The sunflower is mine.” This, in fact, explains the reason for the popularity of Van Goghs Sunflowers today.1. Van Gogh painted sunflowers in 1888 in order to _.A. give them to Gauguin B. ma

7、ke his livingC. decorate his house D. show his artistic talent to others2. Where were the last two Sunflowers placed by Van Gogh? _.A. In the British museum B. In Gauguins bedroomC. In the towns railway station D. In a rich businessmans house3. How did Gauguin feel about Van Goghs paintingthe Sunflo

8、wers? _.A. Very bad B. Just sosoC. Rather worried D. Quite surprised4. From the last two paragraphs we can learn that _.A. Van Gogh was not good at painting large SunflowersB. Van Gogh had much trouble in painting the SunflowersC. Van Gogh didnt like his Sunflowers at all at that timeD. Van Gogh rea

9、lized the Sunflowers would make him knownPassage 2When going through major life changes, like changing careers, I would change the people with whom I spent the most time. Weve all gone through periods when the people in our lives have changedgraduation, moving to a new city, getting a new job, joini

10、ng a new club, etc. I dont think I need to convince you just how much influence other people can have over your identity. If youve ever experienced a major switch in your people environment, then you know that you change as well.Most people dont make these choices consciously though. You might consc

11、iously decide to spend more time with a certain friend, or you may ask someone out on a date to begin a new relationship. But few people choose their existing friendships deliberately.Theres no “getting rid of people”. People are always dropping into and out of each others lives. Associations grow i

12、nto friendships, and friendships fade into associations. You dont get rid of anyone. The truth is that in order to make room for new people and new experiences, you may need to loosen up some of your existing connections.What about loyalty? Shouldnt you always be loyal to your friends? Once you have

13、 a close friend, even if their influence on you is slightly harmful, shouldnt you stick by them?Loyalty to a friend sometimes means having to let go. It means being loyal to their highest and best as well. If someone is destroying his health by smoking, for example, you arent showing loyalty by smok

14、ing right along with him. True loyally sometimes requires that you break damaging connections, get yourself back on solid ground, and then decide what you can really do to help your friend.It can take a lot of courage to tell someone, “Im sorry, but I cant have you in my life anymore. But even thoug

15、h this might seem like a selfish act at times, its often the best thing for the other person too. If a relationship is holding you back in some way, understand that it is also hurting the other person. For example, if you work for a violent boss, your acceptance of that situation is considered to be

16、 silent approval, encouraging your boss to continue to behave violently.1. When experiencing major life changes, people may _.A. join a new social community B. influence their friends aroundC. choose their friendships purposely D. have their people environment changed2. What can be concluded from Pa

17、ragraph 3 in the passage?A. Everyone has at least one friend.B. Friendship still exists though theres less connection.C. It is unnecessary to make new friends.D. You ought to treat your old and new friend equally.3. What is the authors opinion on the loyalty to friends?A. Never betray your close fri

18、ends whatever happens.B. Correct their mistakes while you guard their goodness.C. Stick by your friends even though they do harm lo you.D. Break up with your friends immediately if they smoke.4. How should we behave when employed by a violent boss?A. We should accept what we are told to do.B. We sho

19、uld stay silent and be in favor of it.C. We should bravely disobey him if he is wrong.D. We should give our boss courage to continue.Passage 3It was a bitter cold evening in northern Virginia many years ago. The old mans beard was glazed by winters frost while he waited for a ride across the river.

20、The wait seemed endless. His body became numb and stiff from the frigid north wind.It was long before he heard the faint, steady rhythm of hooves (马蹄) along the frozen path. Anxiously watching several horsemen coming up, he let the first one pass by without any effort to get his attention, then anot

21、her passed by, and another. Finally, the last rider drew near where the old man sat like a snow statue when old man caught his eyes and said, “Sir, would you mind giving an old man a ride to the other side?”Stopping his horse, the rider replied, “Sure! Jump aboard.” Seeing the old man unable to lift

22、 his half-frozen body from the ground, the horseman got down to help him. The horseman took him not just across the river, but to his destination just a few miles away.As they approached the tiny but cozy cottage, the horsemans curiosity caused him to inquire, “Sir, I noticed you let several other r

23、iders pass by without making an effort to secure a ride. Then I came up and you immediately asked me for a ride. I am curious why, on such a bitter night, you would wait and ask the last rider. What if I had refused and left you here?”The old man looked the rider straight in the eyes and replied, “I

24、 reckon I know people pretty good. I looked into the eyes of the other riders and immediately found no concern for my situation. It would have been useless even to ask them for a ride. But when I looked into your eyes, your gentle spirit would welcome the opportunity to give me assistance in my time

25、 of need.”Those heart-warming comments touched the horseman deeply. “Im so grateful for what you have said,” he told the old man. “May I never get too busy in my own affairs that I fail to respond to the needs of others with kindness and compassion.”With that, Thomas Jefferson turned his horse aroun

26、d and made his way back to the White House.1. Why didnt the old man ask the previous riders for a ride?A. Because he was waiting for the last rider.B. Because his efforts failed to get their attention.C. Because he assumed they had no concern for him.D. Because he was too numb to lift his half-froze

27、n body.2. What caused the last rider to stop and help the old man?A. the old mans poor situationB. kindness and sympathyC. his own affairsD. The old mans warm comments3. What do you know about the old man?A. He gave the last rider an opportunity to help.B. He lived in a cozy cottage a few miles away

28、.C. He judged people by looking into their eyes.D. He recognized the president at first sight.4. Which can be the best title of this text?A. look into your eyes B. compassion of a great manC. the last rider to help D. return to the White HousePassage 4A team of Japanese scientists has discovered gen

29、es that enable rice to survive high water, providing hope for better rice production in lowland areas that are affected by flooding. The genes, called SNORKEL genes, help rice grow longer stems to deal with higher water levels. Deepwater rice generally produces low-yield rice plants. But the researc

30、hers report they have succeeded in introducing the genes to rice varieties that are higher-yield. According to the report, as water levels rise, accumulation of the plant hormone makes the SNORKEL genes start working, making stem growth more rapid. When the researchers introduced the genes into rice

31、 that does not normally survive in deep water, they were able to rescue the plants from drowning. Motoyuki Ashikari, who headed the project, said his team is hoping to use the gene on long grain rice widely used in Southeast Asian to help stabilize production in flood areas where rice with the flood

32、-resistant gene is low in productionabout one-third to one-quarter that of regular rice. Scientifically, the gene that we found is rare but clear proof of a biological ability to adapt to a difficult environment, he said. Its a genetic strategy specifically to survive flooding. High water levels in rice field can be a serious problem. In some areas, rains can cause water levels to rise dangerously high during the growing season and flash flooding