新课标最新版新课标最新版 2014 届高考英语三轮阅读理解精编冲刺模拟卷届高考英语三轮阅读理解精编冲刺模拟卷AFor a long time now, Ive been fascinated by common phrases and their origins- and just why we say what we say. I decided to consult the experts, sort through all the research and compile (编写) the answers. Here are a few of the standouts.Q: Why do we“tie the knot (结)”when we get married?A: Knots have been a common metaphor in marriage ceremonies all over the world and through time. The expression means“to unite in manage”. In the Hindu marriage ceremony, the groom ties a ribbon around the brides neck. In ancient Rome, the bride wore a belt that was tied in a knot. The groom would then unfasten it on their first night together as husband and wife.Q: Why do we say“Many happy returns”?A: The phrase is short for“Many happy returns of the day”, which is to say,“May this day return many times”or“May you have many more birthdays. ”Q: How about“Its not over till the fat lady sings”? Where does that come from?A: This expression is usually phrased as“The opera isnt over till the fat lady sings. ”It got its start as a popular saying when it was used by the San Antonio Express-News sportswriter Dan Cook in 1976 to indicate that a sporting contest wouldnt end until time was called.Q: Whats the story of“under the weather,”especially when the weathers just fine?A: Theres probably a nautical (航海的) explanation. In days gone by, when people felt seasick, they were told to go below-decks and find a spot in the middle of the ship where the motion would be less noticeable. In that way, they literally took themselves“under the weather.”56. The phrase“Its not over till the fat lady sings”was first used _. A. sport B. opera C. movie D. music 57. According to the passage, which of the following phrases is related to the sea? A. Tie the knot. B. Many happy returns. C. Its not over till the fat lady sings. D. Under the weather. 58. What can we learn from the passage? A.“Tie the knot”has different meanings in different cultures. B.“Many happy returns”is often used when people celebrate birthdays. C.“Its not over till the fat lady sings”got its start in 1976. D.“Under the weather”means the weather is bad. 59. The purpose of the passage is to_.A. tell us some funny stories B. tell us the origins of some phrases C. tell us some interesting experiences D. tell us the history of the English languageBIn 1900, English archaeologist Arthur Evans discovered the ruins of a royal palace at Knossos on the north coast of Crete. He linked the palace to the ancient Cretan King Minos, from whose name he invented the term“Minoan”. We dont know what these people called themselves. We know of the Minoans only through their ruins. What we know of Minoan history is nothing more than a good guess, and good guesses are, I should warn, likely to be wrong. The archaeological evidence points to only a few reasonable facts about Minoan civilization. Around 3,000 BC, Crete was settled by a people who probably came from Asia Minor (小亚 细亚), who, by 2,000 BC, was already living in cities, trading with other nations around the Mediterranean and using pictographs. They built magnificent palace centers at Knossos, Phaistos and Kato Zakros. We have no idea what language they spoke exactly, but they certainly spoke a non-Hellenic language (that is a language not closely related to Greek) and probably spoke a non-Indo- European language.The Minoans were a great commercial people and their trade was widespread. The Egyptians were highly familiar with the Cretans, who even appeared in Egyptian art. Cretan artifacts, the objects that were made in the past and are historically important, turned up all over Asia Minor, and they seemed to have been involved in trade with the tribes living on the Greek mainland.All of these trade activities produced great wealth for the Cretans, which went into magnificent building projects and technological development. The Cretans seemed to be the only people in the ancient world that would make multi-room buildings. The Cretans were the first to build plumbing system (管路系统) in their buildings. And Cretan society seems to be the first“leisure (休闲)”society in existence, in which a large part of human activities focused on leisure activities, such as sports. The most popular sports were boxing and bull- jumping. Women actively took part in both of these sports.60. According to the passage, the Minoans _ . A. came to Crete around 2,000 BC B. didnt trade with other tribes C. led a city life about 4,000 years ago D. spoke a language similar to Creek 61. The last paragraph is developed by _. A. space B. example C. time D. comparison 62. We can infer from the passage that _. A. Minoan culture borrowed much from Egyptian