2012学年中考阅读提升练习(10).doc

九年级英语中考2012学年中考阅读提升练习（10）American cities are similar to other cities around the world: In every country, cities reflect（反映）the values of the culture. American cities are changing, just as American society is changing.After World War , the population of most large American cities became smaller; however, the population shifts（转移）to and from the city reflect the changing values of American society. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, city residents（居民）became richer. They had more children so they needed more space. They moved out of their flats in the city to buy their own homes. They bought houses in the suburbs（郊区）.Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults. Many, unlike their parents, want to live in the cities. They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest. Many young people are moving back into the city. They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there; or they just enjoy the excitement and what the city offers.This population shift is bringing problems as well as some advantages. Countless poor people must leave their flats in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make flats for sale instead of for rent. In the 1950s, many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs; now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities.Only a few years ago, people thought that the older American cities were dying. Some city residents now see a bright, new future. Others see only problems. One thing is sure: many dying cities are alive again.1. The main idea of the passage is _.A. cities around the worldB. the dying citiesC. the changing American citiesD. the changing of the American culture2. Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War ?A. Because older American cities were dying.B. Because they were richer and needed more space.C. Because cities included the worst parts of society.D. Because they could hardly afford to live in the city.3. According to the 4th paragraph, a great many poor people in American cities _.A. are faced with housing problems B. are made to move to the suburbsC. want to sell their buildings D. need more money for daily costs4. We can know from the passage that _.A. American cities are changing for the worseB. the population is getting smaller in older American citiesC. many people are now moving from American citiesD. people have different views on American cities At two oclock a bank robber stole in. “This is a hold-up,” the man said loudly. He took a gun from under his jacket, pointing to George. “Hand it over!” George reached into his money-box and took all the bills from the top part - close to six thousand dollars. The robber took them and turned to leave. Then, while everyone watched the robber, George calmly lifted the top part of the money-box, took bills from the bottom part and put them into his own pocket secretly. The door was shut and the bank robber was gone. George fainted（晕倒）. As soon as he was safely behind his bedroom door, George counted the money. He had eight thousand dollars. He was very happy.The next morning, while the others were checking the banks records, George was asked to go to Mr. Burrows office and was introduced to Mr. Carruthers, who used to be president of the bank.“Good morning, George, I was sorry to give you a hard time yesterday, but with all the banks being robbed these days I thought it would be a good idea to prove that our small bank can be robbed, too. I have retired, but I am always thinking of our bank. Thats why I played my little game yesterday, just to keep everyone on his toes（趾）. Now, I have put the money back in your money-box all six thousand.”1. Which of the following do you think is TRUE?A. George wanted to protect the money for the bank.B. George had been thinking of taking money away.C. This bank had been robbed several times.D. Nobody knew the bank would be robbed that day.2. Why was George asked to go to Mr. Burrows office?A. His stealing money was known to all.B. Mr. Burrow wanted to say sorry to him.C. Mr. Carruthers wanted to explain the whole thing to him.D. Mr. Burrow wanted to tell him the money had been put back.3. In this article “to keep everyone on his toes” means _.A. to make everyone work hardB. to keep everyone standing straightC. to make everyone do a kind of exerciseD. to keep everyone preparing for the coming danger4. Which sentence can be used to end this story?A. George turned cold with fear.B. George turned red with anger.C. George was pleased with the end.D. George was excited with the end.Have you ever wondered?1. Why do airplanes take longer to fly west than east?It can take five hours to go west-east from New York (NY) to London but seven hours to travel east-west from London to NY. The reason for the difference is an atmospheric phenomenon (大气现象) known as the jet stream (气流). The jet stream is a very high altitude (= above sea level) wind which always blows from the west to the east across the Atlantic. So the planes moving at a constant air speed go faster from the west to the east when they are moving with the wind than in the opposite.2. What would happen if the gravity on Earth was suddenly turned off?Supposing we could magically turn off gravity. Would buildings and other structures（建筑物）float away? What happened would depend on (依靠) how strongly the things were attached (吸附) to the earth. The earth is moving at quite a speed, moving at over a thousand miles per hour. If you turn something around your head on a string, it goes around in a circle until you let go of the string. Then it flies off in a straight line. Turning off gravity would be like letting go of the string. Things not attached to the earth would fly off in a straight line. People in buildings would suddenly shoot upwards at a great speed until they hit the ceiling (= top surface of a room). Most things outside would fly off into space.1. What information can we get from the first passage?A. It is the jet stream that affects how fast airplanes fly.B. Planes go slower when they are moving with the wind.C. It takes more time to fly from NY to London than from London to NY.D. The jet stream always blows from the east to the west across the Atlantic.2. The underlined word “shoot” in the 2nd paragraph means “_”.A. send for B. move quicklyC. come out D. grow quickly3. It can be known that without gravity _.A. buildings and other structures would float away B. trees and buildings would not so easily fly off C. something around your head would not float awayD. everything outside buildings would fly off into space4. Where can we read this passage?A. In a research paper. B. In a short story.C. In a travel magazine. D. In a students bookI was walking down the road one day when my cell phone rang. 1 voice on the other end spoke to me, “Dad, please come back soon. I miss you so much!” I thought that it was a wrong number. A short while later, the call came once again, so I 2 rudely, “Youve dialed the wrong number!” and then hung up.During the 3 days, I often got the 4 call. But I didnt care much about it.Then one day she kept calling me, 5 I didnt answer. Finally I answered the phone and heard a weak voice, “Dad, please come back. I miss you so much! Dad, Im in so much 6 ! Mom said you were too busy to take care of me. But, dad, please 7 me again, OK?” It was 8 to refuse the innocent(天真的, 无邪的) ask. I made a 9 kiss on the phone and heard the weak voice say, “Thank youDad, I am sohappy, sohappy” Shortly after this, I became curious(好奇）about 10 had been on the other end of my phone. So I called back, and a woman answered, “Sorry, sir. I am really sorry to have 11 you. My daughter has had bone cancer since she was born. And her fatherdied in a car 12 two weeks ago. I didnt