Christmas is a time for eating great food, gi...

Christmas is a time for eating great food, giving and receiving presents, and most importantly spending time with your family watching some classic Christmas movies.

The Grinch (2000)

This is a Christmas must-watch and one of Jim Carrey's best performances. It was also originally a nursery tale book written by Dr Seuss. It's the story of a green monster who wants to ruin Christmas but who in the end discovers the power of love and generosity. I promise it's a great film with plenty of laughs along the way.

Love Actually (2003)

While this is not a personal favourite of mine, people in the UK absolutely love this film. It has many featuring actors and actresses. It might be a little difficult to follow as there are complex plots, so I recommend watching a translated version or enabling subtitles (字幕) in your native language. However, the heart-warming elements of the film make it worth watching.

Home Alone (1990)

This amusing masterwork is one of my favourite films of all time. It tells the story of a boy, Kevin, who is left alone in his house when his large family forgets to take him on vacation with them. While the families are away, burglars try to rob the house and Kevin must protect his home by setting traps. The trips, falls and traps will have you laughing out loud as you watch a 10-year-old boy beat two grown men.

Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

You can't have Christmas in an English-speaking country without watching this movie. It's not funny like Home Alone or The Grinch, but it is incredibly touching. It's about a man who claims to be Santa, but nobody believes him except a lawyer and a little girl. The story-line may seem a little childish but you can enjoy it at any age.

1.Which film is adapted from a fairy tale?

A. The Grinch.

B. Home Alone.

C. Love Actually.

D. Miracle on 34th Street.

2.What is Home Alone mainly about?

A. An unsuccessful family vacation.

B. A boy protecting home by himself.

C. A terrible suffering to a little boy.

D. A 10-year-old boy's practical jokes.

3.Why is Miracle on 34th Street so popular?

A. Owing to its moving plots.

B. Because of its funny story.

C. Due to its childish storyline.

D. For its famous actors and actresses.

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Christmas may be the time of year for giving and spending time with loved ones, but not everyone feels an overwhelming sense of joy when festivities begin. Thousands of Reddit users have revealed the things they hate about Christmas.

PETER: It causes a heavy financial burden.

“Having to spend a substantial (大量的、实质的) amount of money on family members. I have to buy gifts for my grandparents, my parents, my siblings, my wife’s parents and her siblings, the dogs...and one cousin, because we do Secret Santa amongst the cousins. I love Christmas, but it costs me too much!”

MCCAIN: Exams ruin everything.

“In the UK we have our exams in January so that your Christmas holiday can be used to study. I didn’t have an enjoyable break until I finished university.”

SUSAN: Awkward family gatherings.

“Having everyone point out that I’m still single at family gatherings as if I’m unaware.”

JANET: Choosing presents.

“I don’t really want items anymore, so I don’t expect anything on Christmas, but I am expected to give gifts, but I usually just don’t know what to give.”

ELIZABATH: Shopping hell.

“I hate the way people act when shopping for Christmas. It’s almost like Black Friday every weekend at the big stores.”

JACKSON: Feeling like you have to buy presents.

“The pressure of buying gifts. Can’t we just enjoy each other’s company without comparing who bought the better stuff?”

Mr Green: Christmas jingles.

“I pretty much can’t stand most Christmas music.”

Prof Smith: It’s too commercial.

“The commercialization of it. Even as an atheist (无神论者), I think the Christ part has been taken out of it.”

Dr Martin: Putting up decorations too early.

“People put up Christmas decorations way before Christmas.”

CAROL: The office Christmas party.

“My office Christmas party. We have to pay to go and it’s so boring. Saying that you don’t want to attend is like pulling teeth.”

1.Who is possibly forced into a marriage?

A.Dr. Martin. B.JACKSON.

C.SUSAN. D.PETER.

2.What do JACKSON and JANET have in common?

A.They hate to spend much money on Christmas gifts.

B.They have to give gifts to everyone in the family.

C.They are happy to compare gifts while purchasing.

D.They are faced with the problems caused by gift giving.

3.What do we know from the passage?

A.Exams follow the Christmas holiday in Britain.

B.Christmas music makes too much noise.

C.People are clear about what Christmas gifts to buy.

D.Colleagues enjoy their office Christmas parties a lot.

高三英语阅读理解简单题查看答案及解析

Christmas in the United States is traditionally a time of gift-giving and family gatherings. But small towns across the country have their own traditions.

Middleburg，a small town in the state of Virginia，is known for its horses. For more than 50 years, Middleburg has organized a yearly Christmas parade(游行). Men and women ride horses through the woods and fields．They follow hunting dogs as they search for a wild fox．But first，these hunters ride in the yearly parade, wearing their bright red hunting clothes and hats．

John Hale, a citizen of Middleburg says many city people visit his town. “We have a lot of people from an urban area that come to visit，but it involves a lot of the old traditions.” The nighttime hay ride is one such tradition．Small groups gather under the moonlight on an open wagon filled with hay. The passengers sing as farm horses pull the wagon slowly across the fields．

There are some newer traditions, too. Trey Matheu works at the nearby Salamander Resort. He says a visit to Middleburg is a chance to slow down for a day. He says Middleburg can be a calming, peaceful place without tension．

“Middleburg is an opportunity to take a step back, to take a deep breath, and understand that even though life is moving on at a very fast pace, there’s really an opportunity where you’re allowed to step off for a little bit.”

Parade organizers say more than 13,000 people attend even in below-freezing weather. But if you ask，you will hear many different reasons why people come to watch the parade：

“I come here because I’m from a small town. I like how everybody comes together.”“I live right down that street; right there. And that’s my dog.”

Middleburg looks its best at Christmastime. That may be why so many people return each year．

1.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A. Middleburg Christmas parade

B. A small town known for horses

C. Christmas traditions in Middleburg

D. Newer traditions at Christmastime

2.At Christmas, people in Middleburg usually ___________．

A. visit friends and families

B. feed farm horses with hay

C. hunt for dogs in the woods

D. ride in the yearly parade

3.According to Trey Matheu, why do people visit Middleburg?

A. To relax themselves．

B. To enjoy the fresh air．

C. To escape competition．

D. To challenge themselves．

4.What do we know about the small town Middleburg?

A. It makes a large profit from tourism．

B. It attracts many people each year．

C. It is a good place for family gatherings．

D. It doesn’t respect Christmas traditions．

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

For most people, Christmas is a time to relax in the company of family and friends. But for Santa Claus, and the thousands of fake Santas who impersonate（模仿） him every year, the Christmas season is time to get to work.

Although　 Santa Claus waits until Christmas Eve to take his famous sleigh (雪橇) ride, Santa impersonators can be found at shopping malls around America throughout the six weeks leading up to December 25. "When you see Santa talking with kids at your local mall, that's when you know Christmas really is on the way," says Mary Lewine of New York City.

With the excitement of Christmas, people often forget about the real people behind the red robes （长袍) and white beards, but being a mall Santa. is a tough job. "There is more to it than just sitting in a chair. There is more to it than just a red suit," said Timothy Connaghan, who has worked as a Santa for.38 years. "Children can really put the wear and tear on you.”

A recent survey showed some of the challenges that mall Santas face every year. About 90 percent of Santas claimed that children pulled their beards to see if they were real, and 60 percent said that up to ten kids cough or sneeze on them every day. Even more disturbing, one-third of the Santas admit to having children wet themselves while sitting on their laps.

So why would anyone take this job? For Ben Brauch, a retired high school teacher who has worked as a Santa for the last six years, the answer is simple-the children. "I see maybe 12,000 kids in a six-week period.

It's hard work, but it's worth it because you get to play with kids." In fact, Brauch loves his job so much that he keeps his white beard long all year.

1.According to Timothy Connaghan, we can conclude that _　　　　　　　　　　

A. all children are moved to tears when seeing Santa

B. a mall Santa is always sitting in a chair

C. a mall Santa tolerates a lot during Christmas

D. Santa impersonators are greatly admired

2.The underlined word "claimed" in the 4th paragraph probably means “　　　　　　　　　　 ”

A.hesitated　　　　　　 B. stated　　　　　 C. worried　　　　　　 D. insisted

3.Why does Ben Brauch love his job of Santa impersonator?

A. Because he can keep his white beard long all year.

B. Because he　　 as nothing else to do after retiring.

C. Because he can earn a large sum of money.

D. Because he enjoys playing with children.

4.What is the best title of the text?

A. Santa impersonators during Christmas

B. The coming Christmas

C. Shopping malls in America

D. A disturbing job

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

Christmas is long gone. and Valentine’s Day is a distant memory. That means it's a slow time for jewelers, and a good time for you to make a purchase. Whether you’re out shopping for gold, or silver, here fife a few things you need to know:

What determines price?

The purity of the metal is one of the elements that determines the price. Gold purity is indicated with a stamp of 10K, 14K, 18K, or 24K. And different countries have their own standards. For example, for a piece to be considered gold in the US, it must be at least 10K. In Britain and Canada: 9K. In Italy and France: l 8K. Anything over l 8K is really too soft for everyday wear. That’s why jewelry stores in the US sell mostly 14K.

How much can you expect to pay?

That depends on the weight of the metal and the gemstone(宝石). So keep that in mind, especially when buying online. To keep yourself from getting ripped off, ask yourself the following:

●How long has the company been around?

●What is its return policy?

● Is the jewelry featured on the website visible from all directions?

● Is the company transparent with the gram weights and the size of the gemstones?

Yellow gold? White? Rose?

Yes, it's confusing, and while this is largely a personal decision, there fife a few things to keep in mind. For starters. white or rose gold costs about l 0% more than yellow gold. If you want the “look for less”, consider gold. plated jewelry. “Gold plated” and “gold overlay” mean the same thing and guarantee a thicker layer of finish than “vermeil” which is a flash finish that is thinner and less consistent, but more affordable. Buy vermeil finished pieces you want for a season or two just to follow the fashion. For pieces you want to wear for a lifetime, solid gold is best.

What about sterling silver(标准纯银)?

Sterling silver has been。an alternative for white gold during the difficult economy, and while it used to be more popular with just the younger these days it has much more mass appeal. So much so that retailers are now offering fine gemstones with silver--something you used to see only with gold.

Keep in mind that in the US. the sterling silver standard is 92.5% real silver. Don’t buy it if there isn’t a “925” stamp on it. And keep in mind that the lower price you’re paying for silver means more maintenance. To keep silver jewelry from becoming less shiny, consider keeping a piece of chalk in your jewelry box.

1.According to the passage, the underlined phrase “getting ripped off” in Paragraph 3 probably means “_______”.

A．being charged      B．being cheated      C．being affected      D．being attracted

2.Which of the following is relatively good for only wearing a short time?

A．A 14K necklace.                        B．A gold-plated ring.

C．A vermeil ear ring.                       D．A gemstone necklace.

3.We call infer from the last paragraph that silver jewelry should be kept ________

A．in a dry place      B．in a cold place      C．in a wet place      D．in a hot place

4.The author writes the passage mainly to ________.

A．encourage young people to buy fashionable jewelry

B．tell people the best time to purchase gold and silver

C．introduce the real value and popularity of gold and silver

D．inform people of the factors to consider in buying jewelry

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

All these gifts must be mailed immediately _______ in time for Christmas.

A. in order to have received             B. in order to receive

C. so as to be received                  D. so as to be receiving

高三英语单项填空中等难度题查看答案及解析

Great white sharks, the world’s largest predatory(食肉的) fish, eat three to four times more food than previously thought, an Australian study shows.

The U. S. research from the 1980s estimated a meal of 30 kilograms could make a one-tonshark continue living for more than six weeks.

That made assumptions that large sharks could survive long periods without eating.

However, a University of Tasmania-led study published this week in Scientific Reports found that 30kg was only enough for 12-15days.

Researchers tagged(给……附上标签) a dozen great white sharks at Neptune Islands off South Australia and calculated their metabolic(新陈代谢的) rate based on swimming speeds. They worked out how much energy the sharks burned and how much food they required.

“Their metabolic rate is faster than we assumed.”

Jayson Semmens was the lead author on the study. He said, ”They (U. S. researchers)picked a shark that probably wasn’t working very hard at the time when they did it . At the time it was a new study. They did some metabolic work similar to us but on one shark.”

“The white sharks, which we tagged, are working pretty hard … they’re coming up to some pretty high speed to catch the seals.” he said, ”Their metabolic rate is much faster than what we had assumed. These animals are probably going to be feeding every day, rather than several weeks.”

The research also sought to improve understanding of how sharks fit into the ocean ecosystem.

“We don’t have a good handle on the population sizes of white sharks. We know that sharks in general are under pressure around the world from overfishing.” Semmens said, “Furthermore, they’re long -lived. They reproduce late in their life and they produce a small number of babies.”

Semmens said the effects of removing white sharks from the ocean were thus far more important than realized. “They’re keeping under control a lot more animals than we thought,” he said.

1.The U.S. research made people believe that 　　　　 .

A. large sharks could live without eating meat

B. sharks gained several kilograms in six weeks

C. a one-ton shark needed to eat 30 kg every meal

D. large sharks could live without eating for several weeks

2.What is Semmens’ attitude towards U.S. researchers’ job?

A. Uninterested　　 B. Surprised

C. Objective　　 D. Satisfied

3.The sharks’ metabolic rate calculated by the two research groups is different probably because 　　　　 .

A. they used different research methods

B. they studied sharks of different sizes

C. the sharks they used for research were of different species

D. the sharks they used for research swam at different speeds

4.What do you know about white sharks? 　　　　 .

A. They play an important role in ocean ecosystem

B. They can produce a large number of babies

C. They swim more slowly than seals

D. They live a short life

5.The author’s purpose of writing the text is most likely to 　　　　 .

A. inform　　 B. persuade

C. describe　　 D. entertain

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

111. Trees are cut down merely for fuel and wildlife is killed simply for food. It is time to ____ an end to waste.

高三英语单项填空简单题查看答案及解析

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for family, health, and life in general. However, Black Friday has turned it into a business.

Traditionally, the true value of Thanksgiving lies at home not the shopping centers. However, Black Friday has nowadays allowed society to ignore this as individuals long for something that they do not need or even truly want. Shopping on Black Friday becomes a sign of a shift into a culture that values material wealth over spending time with loved ones. People are willing to force their way through the crowds in their desperate search for marked-down sweaters and necklaces.

In recent years, Thanksgiving has become a pre-Black Friday holiday for many families. They are devoted to mapping out shopping routes and making organized schedules for which stores to hit first. By drawing individuals out to shopping centers with “matchless savings”, businesses encourage this behavior of ignoring Thanksgiving. Many families take their home-cooked meals while camping out at the door of shopping centers. With each new year, Thanksgiving is becoming victim to over commercialization—switching from a meaningful time of thanks and family to a day dedicated to products and profit.

Black Friday has shown that with current common standards, people cannot even set aside a single day to appreciate what they already have without immediately buying more. Families have lost sight of what is truly important in life, and have found reasons in debating between a low cost HD television and an appreciation for what they already have. Remember that Thanksgiving should be a day in which people are grateful for all that they have.

1.What does the underlined word “this” in paragraph 2 probably refer to?

A. The sign of a shift .　 B. The material wealth.

C. The shopping crowd.　　 D. The true value of Thanksgiving.

2. In recent years, what will many families do when thanksgiving comes?

A. They’ll make full preparations for the Black Friday shopping.

B. They’ll choose a big store for their first visit.

C. They’ll visit some newly-opened shopping centers.

D. They’ll go camping at the gate of shopping center for a good deal.

3.In the last paragraph the author mainly intends to tell us that we should _________.

A. set aside a single day to buy more

B. stay with our families as long as we can

C. try to spend less to get low cost products

D. appreciate what we’ve possessed with our families

4.The author is __________ about the present ways people celebrate Thanksgiving.

A. puzzled　　 B. worried

C. supportive　　　 D. unconcerned

高三英语阅读理解中等难度题查看答案及解析

To Track What You Eat and Drink

Keeping a food diary helps give you an accurate picture of what you eat every day.1. Here are some suggestions to track what you eat and drink.

Set up your diary. The simplest way to track what you eat and drink is by setting up your diary in a notebook or downloading a food journal app on your phone. You'll need to be able to keep track of the date, time, place, item eaten, quantity consumed, and extra notes.

2.The most accurate food journal will most likely be the most helpful as well. Try to jot down or take note of everything that goes into your mouth. Include all meals, drinks, snacks and even nibbles of food you eat while you cook.

Write down accurate quantities. If you're concerned about how many calories you consume, writing down the quantities you eat is important data to include in your diary.3.

4. Whether you're keeping a food diary to help you lose weight or you're trying to pinpoint a potential food allergy, your mood matters. Jot down notes on how a food or meal makes you feel. 5. For example, you might feel anxious and have an upset stomach after eating dairy-based foods.

A.Record all beverages.

B.Record everything you eat and drink.

C.Record how you feel after eating each item.

D.It also helps you manage or lose weight or help you eat healthier.

E.Don’t forget to include any physical symptoms or side effects after eating.

F.You might want to buy measuring cups to help ensure your quantities are correct.

G.Start taking down a few notes about your diet and you may be surprised at what you learn.

高三英语七选五中等难度题查看答案及解析