高中英语阅读拓展.doc

堡镇中学高中英语校本教材ContentsChapter one charactersPassage1 Picasso （4）Passage2 Houdini（6）Passage3 Florence Nightingale（8）Passage4 O. Henery（10）Passage5 Ronaldo back in spotlight, still in Manchester（13）Chapter two Events Passage 1 Green revolution（16）Passage 2 Birth of the Broadway musical （17）Passage 3 A trip away from the Earth（19）Passage 4 Hiking to five continents（21）Passage 5 News （24）Chapter three Science & Technology Passage 1 X-Rays（27）Passage 2 wonders of wireless（29）Passage 3 Do dogs understand us ? （30）Passage 4 Hackers. （33）Passage 5 good tool design （37）Chapter four Medicine & Health Passage 1 Odor and Ageing （39）Passage 2 Vaccination （41）Passage 3 Repair damaged corneas （43）Passage 4 A strange disease （45）Passage 5 TV affects dreams（48）Chapter five culture Passage 1 human nose and culture（52）Passage 2 Fathers Day（54）Passage 3 many languages are quickly disappearing（56）Passage 4 Two worlds come together （59）Passage 5 Long time rivalry turns to the Internet（62）Chapter six societyPassage 1 Tradition （65）Passage 2 How to be a wise consumer（67）Passage 3 NBA players（70）Passage 4 Taking time off（73）Passage 5 Girls do as well as boys in science （75）Chapter one Character1. PicassoPablo Picasso was the first artist to enjoy the attention of the mass media. No artist, not even Michelangelo, was as famous in his own lifetime as Picasso was. More than famous, Picasso was the most influential artist of the twentieth century.As a boy in Spain, Picasso was regarded as a genius. But it wasnt until 1906, when he was twenty-five years old that he created a work that would revolutionize painting“Les Demoiselles d Avingon”. In the painting, Picasso fragments (打碎，分裂) his subject matter into planes (平面图形) that appear as sharp, geometric shapes, applying principles he would continue to explore with Georges Braque for several years. Critics derided (嘲笑，愚弄) the angular images and dubbed Picasso and Braque “Cubists”. Today, Cubism (立体派) is considered the most influential art movement of the early twentieth century.Picasso considered painting “an instrument of war against brutality and darkness.” He used that instrument most famously in “Guernica”, which expresses the artists revulsion (反感) at the bombing of the Basque capitol (议会大厦) during the Spanish civil war.As a sculptor, Picasso was one of the first artists to recycle junk into art. His “Head of Bull, Metamorphosis” was created from the seat and handlebars of a bicycle.When Picasso died in 1973, the world lost an artistic genius whose like will never been seen again.Choose the best answer.1. Picasso was born in _.A. 1873B. 1879C. 1881D. 19062.Picasso revolutionize painting at the age of _.A. 20B. 25C. 26D. 353.According to the passage, “Cubism” is _.A.a special way of painting in which fragments of the subject are put together in a random wayB.a special way of painting in which solid bodies with six equal square sides are presentedC.a special style of painting in which geometrical shapes are presentedD.a style of painting in which objects are presented so that they appear to be largely of geometrical shapes4.Which of the following is TRUE of Picassos opinion on painting?A.He thought painting was an instrument to make life better.B.He believed painting was a tool for realizing ones goals.C.He considered painting an instrument to fight against brutality and darkness.D.He reckoned painting as a way to express his feelings towards the bombing of the Basque in the Spanish civil war.2. HoudiniThe Man of Many Secretsharry Houdini was one of the greatest American entertainers in the theater this century. He was a man famous for his escapes form prison cells, from wooden boxes floating in rivers, from locked tanks full of water. He appeared in theaters all over Europe and America. Crowds came to see the great Houdini and his “magic” tricks. Of course, his secret was not magic, or supernatural powers. It was simply strength. He had the ability to move his toes as well as he moved his fingers. He could move his body into almost any position he wanted. Houdini started working in the entertainment world when he was 17, in 1891. He and his brother Theo performed card tricks in a club in New York. they called themselves the Houdini Brothers. When Harry married in 1894, he and his wife Bess worked together as magician and assistant. But for a long time they were not very successful. Then Harry performed his first prison escape, in Chicago in 1898. harry persuaded a detective to let him try to escape from the prison, and he invited the local newspapermen to watch. It was the publicity that came from this the started Hayyr Houdinis success. Harry had fingers trained to escape from handcuffs and toes trained to escape from ankle chains. But his biggest secret was how he unlocked the prison doors. Every time he went into the prison cell, Bess gave him a kiss for good luckand a small skeleton key, which is a key that fits many locks, passed quickly from her mouth to his. Harry used these prison escapes to build his fame. he arranged to escape from the local jail of every town he visited. In the afternoon, the people of the town would read about it in their local newspapers, and in the evening every seat in the local theater would be full. What was the result? World-wide fame, and a name remembered today. Choose the best answer.1.According to the passage, houdinis success in prison escapes depends on_.A.his magic tricks and unhuman powers B.his special tricks and a skeleton key C.his unusual ability and a skeleton key D.his unhuman talents and magic tricks 2.In the fourth paragraph, the world “this” refers to _. A.the previous sentence B.“the publicity”C.the place, ChicagoD.the time, 1898 3. According to the passage, how did Houdini get the key which helped him unlock prison doors?A.He took the key from his wifes mouth. B.His wife passed it to his hand while kissing him. C.His wife gave it to him by a magic trick. D.He got it in his mouth through a kiss by the wife. 4. It can be inferred from the passage that Houdini became famous _.A.when he was about 24 B.when he was about 17 C.after the year 1894 D.before the year 1898 5. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true? A.Houdini used to be a famous magician in the USA. B.Houdini was first recognized widely in Chicago. C.Houdini entered the entertainment world together with his wife. D.Houdini owed his great success to his small skeleton key. 3.Florence Nightingale Seventeen-year-old Florence Nightingale was having a bitter argument with her parents. She said that she had heard the voice of God telling her she had a special mission in life - that God wanted her to nurse the sick. They said, forget about it.In England, in 1837, her wealthy and well-educated parents were still in a position to tell her what to do. They wanted her to get marriedto somebody of her social station not just a profession made up mostly of drunken prostitutes - which it was at the time.But Florence Nightingale was adamant (坚韧的). After years of parental meddling (干涉), and two years of a nursing school in Germany, at age 33, she landed a job reorganizing a London hospital. Then in 1854, things started to happen quickly: Britain and Russia went to war in the Crimea. British casualities included about five thousand wounded. The hospital at the front was in terrible condition: unsanitary (不卫生的), disorganized, and lacking basic medical equipment. The ear department sent Florence Nightingale and 38 other nurses, who brought humane treatment to each and every soldier. The men adored her and called her “the lady with the lamp” because she inspected the hospital late at night every ward, personally. “The lady with the lamp” would thereafter be the new, positive image of nursing in the modem era.Choose the best answer.1. What was the attitude Nightingales parents took toward her decision of taking on nursing?A. They strongly opposed the decision.B. They left the decision on her own.C. They believed in what she told them about the special mission.D. They encouraged her to take the nursing job.2. Nightingales parents wanted her to _.A. Study medicineB. get richC. get married to somebody against her willD. get well-educated3. Nightingale studied nursing for two years in _.A. EnglandB. SwitzerlandC. FranceD. Germany4. Why did the soldiers call Nightingale “the lady with the lamp”?A. Because she liked lampsB. Because she always held a lamp.C. Because they wanted her to take the lamp.D. Because she always went to take care of them late in the night4. O. HenryO. Henry was an American short-story writer, a master of surprising endings, who wrote about the life of ordinary people in New York City. A twist of plot, which turns on an ironic or coincidental circumstance, is typical of O. Henrys stories. William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) was born in North Carolina. His father was a physician. When William was three, his mother died, and he was raised by his grandmother and aunt. At the age of fifteen he left school, and then worked in a drug store. He moved to Houston, where he had a number of jobs, including that of bank clerk. After moving to Austin, Texas, in 1882, he married. In 1884 he started a humorous weekly The Rolling Stone. When the weekly failed, he joined the Houston Post as a reporter and columnist. In 1897 hw was convicted of embezzling money, although there has been much debate over his actual guilt. While in prison O. Henry started to write short stories to earn money to support his daughter Margaret. His first work, Whistling Dicks Christmas Stocking (1899), appeared in McClures Magazine. After doing three years of the five years sentence, Porter emerged from the prison in 1901 and changed his name to O. Henry. O. Henry moved to New York city in 1902 and from December 1903 to January 1906 he wrote a story a week for the New York World, also publishing in other magazines. Henrys first collection, Cabbages And Kings appeared in 1904. The second, The Four Million, was published two years later and included his well-know stories The Gift of the Magi and The Furnished Room. O. Henry published 10 collections and over 600 short stories during his lifetime.O. Henrys last years were shadowed by ill health and financial problems. He married Sara Lindsay Coleman in 1907, but the marriage was not happy, and they separated one year later. O. Henry died on June 5, 1910, in New York.Choose the best answer.1. The following statements are the characteristics of O. Henrys stories except _A. the s stories often end with surprising endings.B. there are a lot of coincidences in his stories.C. the stories are mainly about common people.D. his own experiences are main subjects in his stories.2. We can infer from the text that _.A. O. Henrys mothers death resulted in his leaving school.B. O. Henry earned much money by starting the Weekly.C. some people believed O. Henry was put in prison for no good reason.D. his daughter asked O. Henry to write short stories.3. One of O. Henrys most famous story The Gift of the Magi came out in _.A. 1902 B. 1904 C. 1906 D. 19074. What do you think of O. Henrys life?A. Rough B. Smooth. C. Rich. D. Happy.5.Ronaldo back in spotlight, still in Manchester THE last time Cristiano Ronaldo was seen in a Manchester United shirt, he lay down in the center circle to hug the spotlight. It was at the end of last seasons Champions League final in Moscow in May.The 23-year-old forward resumed (重新开始) his United career last Wednesday night at Old Trafford in Group E of the Champions League. And from that moment on, he has been the focus of attention again.He didnt start against Villarreal and only played as a second-half substitute in Uniteds 0-0 draw with the Spanish club. Nevertheless (然而), he was already the story.A summer of discontent (不满) began with Ronaldo begging to leave for Spanish number one club Real Madrid. But he was forced into submission (服从) by the iron will of his manager Sir Alex Ferguson.“The young man was tempted (诱惑) by the lure of the money. But since we gave him our decision he has accepted it well,” said Ferguson. “Hes shown fantastic maturity (成熟) in the last few weeks. He has just accepted the situation and got on with it. There has been no throwing the toys out of the pram (发泄不满).”One big challenge facing Ronaldo, however, is to win back the hearts of fans. A poll on one supporters website has 40 percent of fans admitting that they “dislike him Ronaldo more” as a result of his attempt to force a transfer (转会) to Madrid.While Ronaldos inflating ego (膨胀的自我) angered lots of his teammates in the dressing room last season, Ronaldo has already been missed this season.United played poorly in losing 2-1 at Liverpool on September 13 and had taken only four points from their first three Premier League games.Choose the best answer:1. The purpose of the text is to _.A. tell us about Cristiano Ronaldos attempt to transfer and the resultB. show that the spotlight follows Cristiano Ronaldo whatever he doesC. tell us what kind of person Cristiano Ronaldo isD. keep us informed about Cristiano Ronaldo2. The sentence he was already the story (Paragraph 3) means that _.A. people doubt whether he could play as well as beforeB. his comeback was not as exciting as expectedC. peoples attention were fixed on himD. many reporters came to interview him3. According to the text, Ronaldos attempt to get transferred to Real Madrid _.A. failed and has upset him until nowB. led to a decrease in his popularityC. got support from his club managerD. resulted from quarrels with his teammates4. From the last two paragraphs we can see that _.A. his teammates are still mad at RonaldoB. his teammates have forgiven RonaldoC. hopes are placed on Ronaldo to pick up the teams performance D. the team havent played well due to bad relationships among the teammatesChapter 2 Events1. Green RevolutionAs famine (饥荒) loomed over South Asia in the mid 1960s, an international team of plant breeders stepped forward with a dramatic solution. Led by Norman Borlaug of the United States, the crop scientists offered farmers in India and Pakistan the seeds of new, high-yielding (高产的) varieties of rice and wheat. The seeds were the product of nearly two decades of selective breeding research. The new, shorter-stalked crops stood straighter and produced more grain than older varieties. In 1966, they were planted widely across the South Asian continent. Within two seasons, they had transformed the regions agriculture. Average wheat and rice yields more than tripled. The food crisis was averted.The stunning breakthrough brought Norman Borlaug the Nobel Prize in 1970 and launched a global network of plant research centers. It was the opening shot in what came to be called the “Green Revolution” the development of high-yielding, disease-resistant crops, which, over the past thirty years, have greatly enhanced global food security.Today, efforts are focused on developing food crops for the poor soils and arid climes(具有某种气候的地区) of famine-prone (易发) Africathe one continent untouched, till now, by the Green Revolution.Choose the best answer.1. A famine looked over South Asia _.A. in the 1960sB. in 1960C. in the mind-1960sD. in 19662. In which two countries did the team of plant breeders first carry cut their plan?A. India and Pakistan.B. India and Bangladesh.C. India and Burma.D. Pakistan and Bangladesh.3. Which two new crops did they offer?A. Wheat and corn.B. Rice and corn.C. Wheat and rice.D. Corn and bean.4. Which of the following is NOT the character of the new crops?A. They were shorter-stalked.B. They stood straighter.C. They were higher yielding.D. They were pest- resistant.2.Birth of the Broadway MusicalThe Broadway musical or musical comedy is an original American art form that emerged from the children of European immigrants and African-American traditions of the early 20th century. Most scholars believe that The Black Crook in 1866 marked the beginning of the musical comedy, integrating music, dance and comedy, with an emphasis on beautiful women and spectacular scenery. But it was during World War One and after, that the musical developed as a uniquely American idiom. Song-and-dance man George M. Cohan exploited Americans sense of patriotism, moving away from European influences. In the 1920s, songwriters that included Jerome Kern, George and Ira Gershwin, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, brought the musical to maturity with their meticulous crafting of music and lyrics to create the American Popular song.The modern musical was born in 1943 with Rodgers and Hammersteins Oklahoma, which revolutionized the way dance, music and dialogue was used to develop the plot and characters. Other songwriters of the 1940s, 50s and 60s, including Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen and Leonard Bernstein, capitalized on (利用) that winning formula to write so many hit musicals, that that era is now referred to as “Broadways golden age.” Since then, American musicals h