迎新年九姑中学高三英语阅读竞赛试题
命题人：石恒明 审题人： 邓胜荣
一、完形填空（共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分）
Historians tend to tell the same joke when they are describing history education in America. It’s the one ---1---the teacher standing in the schoolroom door ----2----goodbye to students for the summer and calling ----3---them, By the way, we won World War II.
The problem with the joke, of course, is that it’s ---4---funny. The recent surveys on ---5--- illiteracy (无知) are beginning to numb(令人震惊): nearly one third of American 17-year-olds cannot even ----6--- which countries the United States ---7---- against in that war. One third have no ---8---- when the Declaration of Independence was ----9--. One third thought Columbus reached the New World after 1750. Two thirds cannot correctly ---10--- the Civil War between 1850 and 1900. -----11----- when they get the answers right, some are -----12---- guessing.
Unlike math or science, ignorance of history cannot be --13----- connected to loss of international ---14---. But it does affect our future -----15---- a democratic nation and as individuals. The ------16------ news is that there is growing agreement ----17----- what is wrong with the ----18----of history and what needs to be ----19----to fix it. The steps are tentative (尝试性的)---20---- yet to be felt in most classrooms.
1. A. about B. in C. for D. by
2. A. shaking B. waving C. nodding D. speaking
3. A. in B. after C. for D. up
4. A. rarely B. so C. too D. not
5. A. historical B. educational C. cultural D. political
6. A. distinguish B. acknowledge C. identify D. convey
7. A. defeated B. attacked C. fought D. struck
8. A. sense B. doubt C. reason D. idea
9. A. printed B. signed C. marked D. edited
10. A. place B. judge C. get D. lock
11. A. Even B. Though C. Thus D. So
12. A. hardly B. just C. still D. ever
13. A. exclusively B. practically C. shortly D. directly
14. A. competitiveness B. comprehension C. community D. commitment
15. A. of B. for C. with D. as
16. A. fine B. nice C. surprising D. good
17. A. to B. with C. on D. of
18. A. consulting B. coaching C. teaching D. instructing
19. A. done B. dealt C. met D. reached
20. A. therefore B. or C. and D. as
二、阅读理解（共35小题；每小题2分，满分70分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C、D）中，选出最佳选项。
1
When families gather for Christmas dinner, some will stick to formal traditions dating back to
grandma's generation. Their tables will be set with the good dishes and silver, and the dress code
will be Sunday best.
But in many other homes, this china-and-silver elegance has given way to a stoneware (粗
陶) and stainless informality, with dresses assuming an equally casual-Friday look. For hosts and guests, the change means greater simplicity and comfort. For makers of fine china in Britain, it spells economic hard times.
Last week Royal Doulton, the largest employer in Stoke-on-Trent, announced that it is eliminating 1,000 jobs -- one-fifth of its total workforce. That brings to more than 4, 000 the number
of positions lost in 18 months in the pottery (陶瓷) region. Wedgwood and other pottery factories made cuts earlier.
Although a strong pound and weak markets in Asia play a role in the downsizing, the layoffs in
Stoke have their roots in earthshaking social shifts. A spokesman for Royal Doulton admitted that the company has been somewhat slow in catching up with the trend toward casual dining. Families eat together less often, he explained, and more people eat alone, either becau