Fifty-five years ago Barbie Millicent Roberts first came out in the world of toys. Since then, Barbie doll, as everyone called her, has become the most famous toy doll in history. Her parent, the Mattel Company, said that 90% of all American girls between 3 and 10 have at least one Barbie at home.
However, Barbie is facing some trouble at present, There are many similar (相似的) dolls on the market in competition with her. Another doll named Bratz, for example, came to life fifteen years ago. She looks more like today’s pop stars with heavy makeup (浓妆) and miniskirts.
It seems that Barbie has lost her magic (魔力) among older girls. “For young girls, playing with a Barbie is much fun. But when you get older, you want something smarter and more modern,” Says Vera Shepherd, a shopkeeper in a New York toy shop.
It is good news that on the international market Barbie is still No. 1. Although Mattel is selling fewer Barbies in the United States these years, sales in other countries are still going up. In January 2009, Mattel opened its first Barbie store in Shanghai, where girls can shop, eat, drink or even become fashion designers for their own Barbies.
Mattel is planning big celebrations for Barbie’s 55th birthday. Fashion designers from all over the world will make new dresses for Barbie. How long will Barbie stay popular in the world of toy dolls? It is hard to say, but 55 is surely not the age to retire (退休). Girls can do the following things in the first Barbie shop in Shanghai except (除了)________.
| A．shopping | B．having food |
| C．drinking juice | D．taking photos |
What’s the meaning of the underlined words “fashion designers” in the passage?
| A．发型设计师 | B．服装设计师 |
| C．舞台设计师 | D．珠宝设计师 |
Barbie’s trouble is that_________.
| A．it wears heavy makeup and miniskirts. |
| B．other dolls are more popular with little girls. |
| C．other dolls are trying to beat her in the market. |
| D．it is more expensive than the other dolls. |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Barbie’s Past and Present |
| B．First Barbie Shop in the World |
| C．Barbie’s 55th Birthday Party |
| D．Barbie Lost Her Magic Now |
【上海市2015年中考英语试题】Reading comprehension (阅读理解) （共50分）
A. Choose the best answer （根据以下内容，选择最恰当的答案）
| Monday |
|
| 8—10 a. m |
TECHNOLOGYInformation Technology (IT )—Using the Internet In this lesson, students learn how to surf the internet safely and effectively. There will also be information about using different search engines. Finally, this lesson teaches students about the best websites to use to continue their education online. |
| 10—12 a. m |
ARTS |
| 10:00 a. m |
DRAMA Students learn the play that the teacher gave before class. During this lesson, students will have the chance to act out roles with other students. |
| 11:00 a. m |
PAINTING WITH WATERCOLOURS For most of this term, students learn how to use watercolours properly to make pictures. If the weather is good, the lesson may take place outdoors. |
| LUNCH |
|
| 1—2 p. m |
SCIENCES Biology/Chemistry Students can choose which class to attend In biology this week, the topic is Human Body. Students will learn about how it works. Alternatively, students can study chemistry. This class takes place in the science lab, and this week students learn about H2and O2 |
| 2—4 p. m |
SPORTS |
| 2:00 p. m |
SIKLLS Students learn about the skills in a certain sport. We use video to see real action from past games. |
| 3:00 p. m |
PRACTICE After we have picked teams, students will play a short match lasting 45 minutes. This week, the sports are football(for boys) and tennis (for girls) |
| HOMEWORK IT— the teacher will give students websites to look up at home (about 30minutes) Drama –students have to learn a part for the next lesson (about 40 minutes) Biology/ Chemistry—students have to write a short report of the lesson (about 20 minutes) |
At ______ , students are having a painting lesson.
| A． 9:30 a. m | B． 11:35 a. m |
| C． 1:30 p. m | D．2:15 p. m |
The underlined word “Alternatively” in closest in meaning to “______ ”.
| A．As another choice | B．For this reason |
| C．At the same time | D．In other words |
Students should prepare a new part of _____ ahead of time as their homework.
| A．Technology | B．Biology | C．Drama | D．Chemistry |
Students can learn how to ______ according to the information in the table.
| A．make a video | B．write a report on Drama |
| C．play basketball | D．surf the internet safely |
An average student need about ______ minutes to finish his homework.
| A．30 | B．40 | C．90 | D．110 |
The information in the table is mainly for students to ______
| A．take classes | B．do their homework |
| C．choose teachers | D．organize hobby group |
【浙江省台州市2015年中考英语试题】阅读理解（本题有15小题，每小题2分，共计30分）
阅读下面材料，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
The Vine That Ate the South
Kudzu is a fast-growing vine(蔓生植物) that covers a large area in the southern United States. It is so common that one might think it is a native plant, but it is not. Kudzu was brought to the United States from Japan in 1876. Many Americans thought it was beautiful, and they began to plant it. They didn’t know it could grow up to a foot a day during the summer months. Nor did they know it would grow up and over anything in its path(路径).
In Japan, kudzu experienced cold winters and a short growing season. But in the United States, it has a very long growing season with warm and wet southern weather. It is fine weather for the vine to grow fast.
In the 1920s, people used the vine to feed farm animals. Ten years later, the government supported to plant kudzu because it kept soil(土壤) from washing away. However, by the 1950s, the government no longer wanted people to plant the vine. Twenty years after that, the government said it was a harmful plant.
The vine grows up trees and buildings, making some beautiful shapes. However, trees die after kudzu covers them because they can not get enough light. Scientists are looking for ways to kill the vine. They used poisons(毒药) to kill the vine. However, some of the poisons made it grow even better. Scientists also find it difficult to dig up Kudzu. The plant is really tough.
Because kudzu is so hard to kill, some people are making the best of it. So they try to find different uses for the vine. They find the vine can be used to make paper and baskets, it can be used to feed the goats, and it can even be eaten by people. Scientists are studying it in the hope that the vine can be used as a medicine. At the very least, kudzu serves as an example of the unexpected results that can come from non-native plants. We can learn from the passage that .
| A．kudzu mostly grows in the northern America |
| B．kudzu was brought to Japan from America |
| C．kudzu grows very fast in warm and wet weather |
| D．American government has never supported to plant kudzu |
The underlined word “tough” in Paragraph 4 probably means “ ”.
| A． not easily broken | B．widely used |
| C．hard to grow | D．important to one’s health |
The last paragraph is mostly about .
| A． how quickly the vine grows |
| B．how people use the vine |
| C．why people want to kill the vine |
| D．why people eat the vine |
The writer uses the title “The Vine That Ate the South” most probably to .
| A．let readers know kudzu is a vine |
| B．interest readers in a way |
| C．tell readers the vine is a kind of food |
| D．get readers to realize the passage is serious |
【浙江省台州市2015年中考英语试题】阅读理解（本题有15小题，每小题2分，共计30分）
阅读下面材料，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” The question comes from the Bible(圣经). In the Bible, Cain kills his brother Abel. When God asks Cain where Abel is, he replies, “I don’t know. Am I my brother’s keeper?” by which he means, “Am I responsible (有责任心的) for my brother—his safety and health?” The answer, of course, is “Yes, you are.”
This sense of responsibility for others is basic to all good societies. And also it is basic to what we call “civil(文明的) society”. China is now working on building a civil society and the high schools in Shanghai want students to take part in that through volunteering. They are supposed to do sixty class hours of volunteer work before graduation. This is something new in China, but it is not new in other countries.
In the Canadian province of Ontario, high school students are required to do forty hours of volunteering. In some American states, the volunteering requirement is one hundred hours. These students spend about an hour a week during the school year and summer vacations, helping the poor, the sick and the old. They also teach young children to read and help to clean up the environment. And studies have shown that this volunteering experience influences students a lot after graduation.
Some of you may be thinking, “Gee, sixty class hours is a lot. How can I find the time?” In fact, if you finish it in three years, you only need to do the work about three class hours a month. And the time is well spent if it helps you realize that “being your brother’s keeper” makes you a better person and makes society a better place for everyone. A Shanghai high school student should finish class hours of volunteer work before graduation.
| A．thirty | B．forty | C．sixty | D．one hundred |
The underlined word “that” in Paragraph 2 refers to “ ”.
| A．building a civil society | B．reading the Bible |
| C．doing the volunteer work | D．playing more sports |
According to the writer, “being your brother’s keeper” means “ ”.
| A．being a good school student |
| B．being responsible for others |
| C．taking good care of your brother |
| D．doing volunteer work with your brother |
The main purpose of the writing is to .
| A．tell students where to do volunteer work |
| B．give advice on how to be a good volunteer |
| C．encourage students to do more volunteer work |
| D．introduce volunteer work in different countries |
【浙江省台州市2015年中考英语试题】阅读理解（本题有15小题，每小题2分，共计30分）
阅读下面材料，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
A
The World with Its Countries
The world with its countries,
Mountains and seas,
People and creatures(动物)
Flowers and trees,
The fish in the waters,
The birds in the air
Are calling to ask us
All to take care.
These are our treasures,
A gift from above,
We should say thank you
With a care that shows love
For the blue of the ocean,
The clearness of the ,
The wonders of the forests
And the valleys(山谷) so fair.
The song of the sky bird,
The warmth of the sun,
The rushing of clear streams(溪流)
And new life begun
Are gifts we should cherish(珍惜)
So join in the call
To try to protect them
For the future of all.The writing is a (an) .
| A．ad | B．letter | C．diary | D．poem |
The writing tells us we need to .
| A．protect our earth | B．save the time |
| C．look after ourselves | D．help each other |
The following word “ ” is the best for .
| A．hair | B．air | C．fun | D．sun |
【山东省菏泽市2015年中考英语试题】阅读理解（共两节，满分40分）
第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
C
Parents can be very important teachers in our lives. However, they are not always the best teachers. Parents may be too close to their children emotionally (感情上). Sometimes they can only see their children through the eyes of a protector. For example, a teacher might see a trip to a big city as a valuable experience. However, it might seem too dangerous to a parent.
Another problem is that parents may expect their children’s interests to be similar to their own. If they love science, they may try to force (强迫) their child to love science too. But what if (要是……又怎样) their child’s true love is art, or writing, or car repair?
Parents usually want to pass on their values to their children. But should children always believe what their parents do? When children are young, they believe that their parents are always right. But when they get older, they will have different ways of thinking.
The most important thing to realize is that we all have many teachers in our lives. Our parents teach us, our teachers teach us, and our friends teach us. Books and newspapers and televisions also teach us. All of them are valuable. ________ might see a trip to a big city as a valuable experience, according to the passage.
| A．A parent |
| B．A teacher |
| C．Either a teacher or a parent |
| D．Neither a teacher nor a parent |
Parents may hope that their children have the same ________ as their own, according to the passage.
| A．looks | B．interests | C．habits | D．jobs in the future |
The underlined phrase “pass on” in the 4th paragraph means “________” .
| A．路过 | B．继承 | C．传递 | D．领悟 |
When children get older, they ________.
| A．don’t believe their parents any more |
| B．should always believe what their parents do |
| C．believe that their parents are always right |
| D．begin to have their own ways of thinking |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Never grow up! |
| B．Believe your parents forever. |
| C．Are parents always the best teachers? |
| D．How many teachers can we have in our lives? |