英语阅读材料40篇

Surtsey was born in 1963.Scientists saw the birth of this island. It began at 7.30 a.m. on 14th November. A fishing boat was near Iceland. The boat moved under the captain’s（船长）feet. He noticed a strange smell. He saw some black smoke. A volcano（火山）was breaking out. Red-hot rocks, fire and smoke were rushing up from the bottom（底部）of the sea. The island grew quickly. It was 10 meters high the next day and 60 meters high on 18th November. Scientists flew there to watch. It was exciting. Smoke and fire were still rushing up. Pieces of red-hot rock were flying into the air and falling into the sea. The sea was boiling and there was a strange light in the sky. Surtsey grew and grew. Then it stopped in June 1967.It was 175 meters high and 2 kilometers long. And life was already coming to Surtsey. Plants grew. Birds came. Some scientists built a house. They want to learn about this young island. A new island is like a new world. 1. Surtsey is ______. A. an island not far from Iceland B. a new volcano C. a fishing boat D. a place in Iceland 2. Scientists flew there ______. A. to watch the birth of the island B. to save the fishing boat C. to learn about the island D. to build a house 3. When did scientist fly there to watch? A. Before the volcano broke out. B. As soon as the volcano broke out. C. About four days after the volcano broke out. D. After the volcano stopped rushing up. 4. Put the following sentences in correct order. a. The captain found the boat was moving. b. A new island appeared in the sea. c. Fire, smoke and rocks were seen rushing up. d. A fishing boat was near Iceland. e. The island grew quickly. A. d-a-c-b-e B. a-b-c-d-e C .a-b-e-c-d D. b-e-d-a-c 5. The best title of this article is ________. A. A new island B. The birth of an island C. A new world D. Scientists discovered Surtsey 答案：1.A 2.A 3.C 4.A 5.B On Nov.18th,1908,three men went up in a balloon（气球）.They started early in London. The headman was Augusta Gaudron, and the other two men were Tannar and Maitland. They had a big balloon and they were ready for a long way. Soon they heard the sea. They were carrying the usual rope（绳子）,and it was hanging down from the basket of the balloon. At the end of the rope they had tied a metal box. This could hold water, or it could be empty. So they were able to change its weight（重量）.It was for use over the sea. They were also carrying some bags of sand. After the sun rose, the balloon went higher. It went up to 3,000 metres, and the air was very cold. The water in the balloon became ice. Snow fell past the men’s basket, and they could see more snow on the ground. The men tried to throw out some more sand; but it was hard. They tried to break the icy sand with their knives, but it was not easy. The work was slow and they were still falling, so they had to drop some whole bags of sand. One of them fell on an icy lake and made a black hole in the ice. At last they pulled the box into the basket. It was still snowing; so they climbed to get away from the snow. They rose to 5,100 metres! Everything became icy. They were so cold that they decided to land. They came down in Poland heavily but safely. They had travelled 1,797 kilometers from London! 21. Three men flew in balloon ________. A. for nearly 1,800 kilometers B. to another city C. to visit Poland D. more than a century ago 22. The metal box was used for ________. A. carrying the bags of sand B. keeping drinking-water C. carrying ropes of the basket D. changing weight 23. When the balloon went up higher, ________. A. the temperature of the balloon began to fall B. They saw the sun go down C. They made a hole in the basket with their knives D. They could see a black hole on the ground 24. The balloon landed ________. A. in London B. on the sea C. on a lake D. in a foreign country 25. Which of the following is NOT true?________ A. The three men started their journey before the sun rose. B. The balloon began to go up when they threw bags of sand out of the basket. C. When they pulled the box into the basket, the balloon began to climb up. D. The three men had to land because they felt cold. 答案：1.A 2.D 3.A 4.D 5.B School officials want to change class time from 7:30 in the evening to 7:30 in the morning. What do you think? Hilim Askin---“I think it’s a terrible idea! I usually get up at 9:00 and even that is difficult for me. At night, I like to watch TV and relax. I go to bed around 1:00 in the morning. Besides, I can’t catch a bus at that time of the morning.” Isabel Lopez---“I think it’s a great idea. I’m always up at 5:00 in the morning. It’s the best time of the day. First I go jogging.. Then I take a shower, have breakfast and watch TV. A 7:30 class would be perfect for me.” Hwa-Jeong Lim---“I never get up before 9:00. I always have several cups of coffee. Then I walk the dog, check my e-mail, take a shower, call my parents, finish my homework and have breakfast. A morning class would be no good for me.” 36. From the passage we know the students used to have the class ____. A. from 9:00 in the morning till it ended. B. from 7:30 in the evening till it ended. C. from 7:30 in the evening to 7:30 in the morning. D. from 7:30 in the morning to 7:30 in the afternoon. 37. Why do the school officials want to change class time? A. Some students want to change it. B. Some teachers want to change it. C. The school officials don’t want to tell the students. D. We don’t know the reason for it’s not told in the passage. 38. ____ agreed on the time change of the class while ____ didn’t. A. Hilmi, Isabel and Hwa-Jeong B. Hilmi and Isabel, Hwa-Jeong C. Isabel, Hwa-Jeong and Hilmi D. Isabel and Hwa-Jeong, Hilmi 39. Arrange some of the things Miss Lim usually does in the morning: a.walk the dog b.have breakfast c.does her homework d.drink coffee A. a-b-d-c B. b-a-d-c C. c-d-a-b D.d-a-c-b 40. Which statement is TRUE? A. Everyone likes the idea of early morning classes. B. Hilmi says there are no buses early in the morning. C. Isabel likes to watch TV in the morning. D. Hilim phones family members every morning. 答案：BDCDCThe Farmer, His Horse, and His sonOnce there was an old farmer, with a horse which was almost as old as himself.He set out one morning with his son to sell the horse before it died. Fatherand son walked, because the farmer did not want the horse to be too tired.They met two men on the road who said, "Why are you walking, farmer? You havea horse, It's a long way to market(市场). "The farmer know that this was true,so he rode on the horse, while his son walked.Then they met two old women, "What are you doing up there, farmer? Can't yousee how tired boy is?" So the farmer got down, and his son rode instead.\$Next, three old men stopped them, one said, "Why are you walking, farmer?Get up, It's too hot for an old man like you to walk today," So the farmer gotup behind his son, and they rode on.Some time later, a young woman passed them, "Why aren't you walking?" sheasked, "It isn't far to the market. Give your poor horse a rest."So the farmer, and his son, got down once again. It is a fact that you cannotplease all the people all the time.1. The farmer wanted to sell the horse ____.A. before it was deadB. before it become too tiredC. before it market was overD. before it was as old as he was#A2. The two men on the road ____.A. asked how far it was to the marketB. said they thought the horse looked very tiredC. asked why the farmer was not riding on his horseD. told the farmer's son to get off the horse and walk#C3. The two old women said it was wrong for ____.A. the farmer to ride such a tired horseB. the farmer to ride while his young son walkedC. the boy to ride instead of his fatherD. only one person to ride such a long way4. The farmer got up behind his son because ____.A. the old man said it was too hot for him to walkB. the three old men stopped them on the roadC. he did not know why he was walkingD. his son could not ride the horse by himselfI am a girl.My English name is Linda.I am eleven years old.I have eight subjects at school.They are Chinese,math,English,P.E.,music,art,science and history.My favorite subject is Chinese.I think it is interesting.I also like English.But it's a little difficult for me.I can speak only a little English.History is interesting ,too.I like it.Math is difficult.Mr Wang is our math teacher.He is very strict.I'm usually tired after his class.But I work hard.I think I can study it well.⒈Linda is ______.(A)A.11 B.12 C.13⒉Linda has ______subjects at school.(C)A.six B.seven C.eight⒊Linda's favorite subject is ______.(A)A.Chinese B.English C.math⒋Linda thinks English is ______.(C)A.difficult B.interesting C.a little difficult⒌______ is NOT true.(B)A.Linda can speak a little English.B.Mr Wang is Linda's history teacher.C.Linda thinks she can study math well.