第二学期高一期中考试英语试卷

　　“Do you know in parts of China, in autumn, farmers build shelters for spiders and put them all over their fields? They are like little cone-shaped (锥形的) tents made of straw and spiders can survive the winter in them. When spring comes, they come out, healthy and hungry, at the same time as millions of insects arrive to attack the farmers’ crops.”

　　“So the spiders fill their empty stomachs, and the farmers whose fields are protected are happy. They’ve saved their crops and their money. Because of the spiders, their cost on insecticides (杀虫剂) is zero.”http://www.xiezuoyi.com/

　　“So everyone is happy except insects.” she said.

　　“Right, and now this natural method of pest control is being copied all over the world.”

　　“Interesting,” she said, “But now I really must go and ……”

　　“Wait,” he cried. “There’s more.Do you know what is stronger than steel, lighter than a feather, and as elastic (弹性的) as a rubber band?”

　　“No. What is it?”

　　“It’s the silk that spiders make their webs with. And scientists are trying to develop a material with similar properties. They plan to use it in spacecraft, artificial organs like hearts and to make really bullet-proof vests. Doctor think spiders’ poison might be used to treat brain disorders in humans.” k*s*5u

　　“That’s good news for you then,” she laughed, “But seriously, I get your point.”

　　55. Cone-shaped tents are built and put over the fields for spiders to ________.

　　A. go through the winter safely B. protect farmers’ crops from being eaten

　　C. attack their enemies in nature D. become very healthy and hungry

　　56. From the passage we learn that without spiders, the farmers _________.

　　A. would also save their crops

　　B. could do nothing to protect their crops

　　C. would spend more money on insecticide

　　D. could control insects in the fields without difficulty

　　57. Which is the best way to kill insects according to this passage?

　　A. Spraying (喷射) insecticides over fields. B. Making use of their enemy in nature.

　　C. Building shelters for spiders. D. Making more artificial webs.

　　C

　　There are plenty of possible reasons why you don’t have any flowers near you. Perhaps, you just don’t like them. Or maybe someone nearby doesn’t. Maybe you’re at work, and flowers are not allowed. Assuming(假定) the problem is simply that you don’t have time to go out and get flowers, you may be surprised to learn just how easy it actually is.

　　It’s good to get flowers for yourself, but even better to be given them. I’m sure you know this, just as I’m sure there’s someone special in your life who feels the same way. So why not take the chance to make someone happy, and get them some flowers? I know, you would, but it’s just too much trouble. Well, that’s where you’re wrong!

　　It’s a good excuse, and while it might have worked in the past, I’m afraid it doesn’t work any more. Perhaps you are really too busy to go into town and get some flowers. On the other hand, the fact that you are reading this clearly shows that you have enough time to go online. Nowadays, you can buy pretty well anything online, and yes that includes flowers.

　　By the way, there’s another point to consider here.

　　Price. I’m sure you’ve noticed that you can usually get things cheaper if you buy online, and flowers are no exception. For the same price as a few roses, you could have a full bouquet of flowers picked and arranged by an expert.

　　So why are you still here? Go online, and hunt down some flowers! There are plenty of flower shops available, and you should have no trouble finding one that delivers near you, especially if you live in a city or large town. Then you’re just a few clicks away from a beautiful bouquet.

　　58. From the third paragraph, we can know that ________.

　　A. we can get flowers with the help of the Internet

　　B. it is very difficult for us to get more flowers

　　C. everyone used to be very busy with their work

　　D. we are too busy to surf the Net

　　59. The underlined work “delivers” in the last paragraph refers to ________.

　　A. buys sth. for you B. brings sth. to you

　　C. books sth. for you D. teaches sth. to you

　　60. What’s the purpose of the author’s writing this passage?

　　A. To advise people to buy flowers online.

　　B. To explain why people don’t buy flowers.

　　C. To list the advantages of buying flowers online.

　　D. To share some information about a flower shop.

　　D

　　Recently, a professor of philosophy (哲学) in the United States has written a book called Money and the Meaning of Life. He has discovered that how we deal with money in our day-to-day life has more meanings than we usually think. One of the exercises he asked his students to do is to keep a record of every penny they spend for a week. From the way they spend their money, they often see what they really value in life.

　　He says our relation with others often becomes clearly defined (限定于) when money enters the picture. You might have wonderful friendship with somebody and you think that you are very good friends. But you will know him only when you ask him to lend you some money. If he does, it brings something to the relationship that seems stronger than ever before. Or it can suddenly weaken the relationship if he doesn’t. This person may say that he has a certain feeling, but if it is not carried out in the money world, there is something less real about it.

　　Since money is so important to us, we just have an idea of making more and more money, but what is it for? How much do I need for any given purposes in my life? In his book, the professor uncovered an important need in modern society: to bring back the idea that money is an instrument rather than the end. Money plays an important role in the material world, but expecting money to give happiness may be missing the meaning of life.

《第二学期高一期中考试英语试卷》阅读地址：http://xiezuoyi.com/63876/