高三英语星级阶梯阅读练习三星级44.docxVIP

高三英语星级阶梯阅读练习三星级44A Within the space of a month, two of the greatest were born: Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel.Handelination today, but back then those occupations went hand in hand. Even though Handel was very interested in music, his father didnt think that was a good way to earn a living, so he wanted his son to be a lawyer. The story goes that Handel smuggled a quiet piano into the house so that he could practice in secret.One day, Handel went along when his father went to shave a duke. While his father was working, Handel sat down and played the dukes organ. The duke was so impressed that he convinced Handels fatHandel soon discovered that what he liked most was opera. In fact, he was so passionate about opera that he even fought a duel (决斗) over it with one of his friends. Since ItalyHaving landed such a wonderful job, Handel immediately asked his boss for time off. He wanted to go to England, where hed heard that there werenIf you ever go to London, look for Handels grave in Westminster Abbey, where theres a wonderful monument to him.26.A. His father was sure of his future success.B. His performance impressed a duke.C. He begged his father to send him to Italy. D. He practiced hard and taught himself music.27. What does the underlined word “smuggled” mean in the passage? A. bought secretly B. took secretly C. carried in advance D. possessed personally28. Why did Handel later settle down in Britain instead of Germany?A. Because he could find better jobs in London.B. Because he enjoyed greater fame in London.C. Because his boss became King of Britain and brought him along.D. Because London was a wonderful place to learn about opera.29. Which of the following words can NOT be used to describe Handel, as shown in the passage?A. bad-tempered B. talented C. enthusiastic D. optimistic30. Which of the following statements is WRONG according to the passage?A. Handel was born in the same year with Bach.B. Many people worked both as a barber and a surgeon.C. Handel quit his job to learn about opera in Italy. D. Handel was buried in London and was built a monument.BConcern with money, and then more money, in order to buy the conveniences and luxuries of modern life, has brought great changes to the lives of most Frenchmen. “typical”Some say that France has been Americanized. This is because the United States is a world symbol of the technological society and its consumer products. The so called Americanization of France has its critics. They fear that “assembly line life” will lead to the disappearance of the pleasures of the more graceful and leisurely (but less productive) old French style. What will happen, they ask, to taste, elegance, and the cultivation of the good things in life to joy in the smell of a freshly picked apple, a stroll by the river, or just happy hours of conversation in a local caf?31. Which of the following is a feature of the old French way of life?A. Leisure, elegance, and efficiencyB. Elegance, efficiency, and tasteC. Leisure, elegance, and tasteD. Elegance, efficiency, and leisure32. Which of the following is NOT true about Frenchmen?A. Many of them prefer the modern life style.B. They actually enjoy working at the assembly line.C. They are more concerned with money than before.D.33. The passage suggests that _.A. in pursuing material gains the French are suffering losses elsewhereB. its now unlikely to see a Frenchman enjoying a stroll by the riverC. the French are fed up with the smell of freshly picked applesD. great changes have occurred in the life style of all Frenchmen34. Which of the following is true about the critics?A. Critics are greater in number than people enjoying the new way of life.B. Students critics are greater in number than critics in other fields.C. Students critics have, on occasion, resorted to violent means against the trend.D. Critics are concerned solely with the present and not the future.35. Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?A. Changes in the French Way of LifeB. Criticism of the New Life StyleC. The Americanization of FranceD. Features of the New Way of Life CAgainst the supposition that forest fires in Alaska, Canada and Siberia warm the climate, scientists have discovered that cooling may occur in areas where burnt trees allow more snow to mirror more sunlight into space. This finding suggests that taking steps to prevent northern forest fires to limit the release of greenhouse gases may warm the climate in northern regions. Usually large fires destroyed forests in these areas over the past decade. Scientists predict that with climate warming, fires may occur more frequently over the next several centuries as a result of a longer fire season. Sunlight taken in by the earth tends to cause warming, while heat mirrored back into space tends to cause cooling. This is the first study to analyze all aspects of how northern fires influence climate. Earlier studies by other scientists have suggested that fire in northern regions speed up climate warming because greenhouse gases from burning trees and plants are released into the atmosphere and thus trap heat. Scientists found that right after the fire, large amounts of greenhouse gases entered the atmosphere and caused warming. Ozone（臭氧） levels increased, and ash from the fire fell on far-off sea ice, darkening the surface and causing more radiation from the sun to be taken in. The following spring, however, the land within the area of the fire was brighter than before the fire, because fewer trees covered the ground. Snow on the ground mirrored more sunlight back into space, leading to cooling. “We need to find out all possible ways to reduce the growth of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.” Scientists tracked the change in the amount of radiation entering and leaving the climate system as a result of the fire, and found a measurement closely related to the global air temperature. Typically, fire in northern regions occurs in the same area every 80 to 150 years. Scientists, however, found that when fire occurs more frequently, more radiation is lost from the earth and cooling results. Specifically, they determined when fire returns 20 years earlier than predicted, 0.5 watts per square meter of area burned are soaked up by the earth from greenhouse gases, but 0.9 watts per square meter will be sent back into space. The net effect is cooling. Watts are used to measure the rate at which energy is gained or lost from the earth.36According to the new findings, taking steps to prevent northern forest fires may _.Aresult in a warming climate Bcause the forest fires to occur more frequentlyClead to a longer fire season Dprotect the forests and the environment there37The following are all the immediate effects after a forest fire EXCEPT _.Alarge amounts of greenhouse gases enter the atmosphereBthe levels of ozone which is a type of oxygen increase Csnow on the ground mirrors more sunlight back into spaceDashes from the fire fall on the ice surface and take in more radiation from the sun38Earlier studies about northern forest fires _.Aanalyze all aspects of how northern fires influence climateBindicate that forest fires will pollute the atmosphereCsuggest that people should take measures to protect environmentDsuggest that the fires will speed up climate warming39The underlined phrase “soak up” in the last paragraph most probably means _.Areleased Babsorbed Ccreated Ddistributed40From the passage we can draw a conclusion that forest fires in Alaska, Canada and Siberia may _.Awarm the climate as the supposition goesBallow more snow to reflect more sunlight into space and thus cool the climateCdestroy large areas of forests and pollute the far-off sea iceDhelp to gain more energy rather than release more energyDMy newly-rented small apartment drive a car but thought that I could probably guard a train, and perhaps continue to write my poems between stations. The writers Keats and Chekhov had been doctors. T.S. Eliot had worked in a bank and WalId be a subway guard. I could see myself being cheerful, useful, a good man in a crisis（危机）. Obviously I The next day I sat down, with almost a hundred other candidates, for the intelligence test. I must have done all right because after about half an hours wait I was sent into another room for a psychological test. This time there were only about fifty candidates. The interviewer sat at a desk. Candidates were signaled forward to occupy the seat opposite him when the previous occupant had been dismissed, after a greater or shorter time. Obviously the long interviews were the more successful ones. Some of the interviews were as short as five minutes. Mine was the only one that lasted a minute and a half.I can remember the questions now: “Why did you leave your last job?” “Why did you leave your job before that?” “And the one before that?” I cant recall my answers, except that they were short at first and grew progressively shorter. His closing statement, I thought, revealed（显示） a lack of sensitivity which helped to explain why as a psychologist, he had risen no higher than the underground railway. “Youve failed the psychological test and we are unable to offer you a position.”Failing to get that job was my low point. Or so I thought, believing that the work was easy. Actually, such jobs being a postman is another one I still desire demand exactly the sort of elementary yet responsible awareness that the habitual dreamer is least qualified to give. But I was still far short of full self-understandi