高考英语课外阅读材料.doc

高考英语课外阅读材料Unit One: How to Improve Your Study HabitsTEXTWant to know how to improve your grades without having to spend more time studying? Sounds too good to be true? Well, read on.How to Improve Your Study HabitsPerhaps you are an average student with average intelligence. You do well enough in school, but you probably think you will never be a top student. This is not necessarily the case, however. You can receive better grades if you want to. Yes, even students of average intelligence can be top students without additional work. Heres how: 1. Plan your time carefully. Make a list of your weekly tasks. Then make a schedule or chart of your time. Fill in committed time such as eating, sleeping, meetings, classes, etc. Then decide on good, regular times for studying. Be sure to set aside enough time to complete your normal reading and work assignments. Of course, studying shouldnt occupy all of the free time on the schedule. Its important to set aside time for relaxation, hobbies, and entertainment as well. This weekly schedule may not solve all of your problems, but it will make you more aware of how you spend your time. Furthermore, it will enable you to plan your activities so that you have adequate time for both work and play. 2. Find a good place to study. Choose one place for your study area. It may be a desk or a chair at home or in the school library, but it should be comfortable, and it should not have distractions. When you begin to work, you should be able to concentrate on the subject. 3. Skim before you read. This means looking over a passage quickly before you begin to read it more carefully. As you preview the material, you get some idea of the content and how it is organized. Later when you begin to read you will recognize less important material and you may skip some of these portions. Skimming helps double your reading speed and improves your comprehension as well. 4. Make good use of your time in class. Listening to what the teacher says in class means less work later. Sit where you can see and hear well. Take notes to help you remember what the teacher says. 5. Study regularly. Go over your notes as soon as you can after class. Review important points mentioned in class as well as points you remain confused about. Read about these points in your textbook. If you know what the teacher will discuss the next day, skim and read that material too. This will help you understand the next class. If you review your notes and textbook regularly, the material will become more meaningful and you will remember it longer. Regular review leads to improved performance on test. 6. Develop a good attitude about tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. The world wont end if you dont pass a test, so dont worry excessively about a single test. Tests provide grades, but they also let you know what you need to spend more time studying, and they help make your knowledge permanent. There are other techniques that might help you with your studying. Only a few have been mentioned here. You will probably discover many others after you have tried these. Talk with your classmates about their study techniques. Share with them some of the techniques you have found to be helpful. Improving your study habits will improve your grades.NEW WORDS average n. ordinary 普通的；中等的intelligence n. ability to learn and understand 智力necessarily ad. inevitably 必定case n. what has really happened; actual condition 实情 additional a. added 附加的，额外的 n. additionweekly a. done or happening every week 每周的；一周一次的 schedule n. timetable 时间表chart n. (sheet of paper with) information written or drawn in the form of a picture 图（表）commit vt. 指定.用于aside ad. to the side在旁边；到（向）一边 etc (Latin, shortened form for et cetera) and other things等等 normal a. usual正常的 reading n. the act or practice of reading阅读 assignment n. sth. given out as a task(布置的)作业occupy n. take up占用relaxation n. (sth. done for) rest and amusement休息，娱乐 relax v. hobby n. what one likes to do in ones free time业余爱好entertainment n. show, party, etc. that people enjoy娱乐 entertain vt.solve vt. find an answer to (a problem)解决（问题）aware a. having knowledge or understanding知道的；意识到的furthermore ad. moreover; in addition而且；此外enable vt. make (sb.) able (to do sth.)使（某人）能（做某事）activity n. sth. (to be) done 活动adequate a. as much as one needs; enough充分的；足够的distraction n. sth. that draws away the mind or attention分心（或分散注意力）的事物concentrate (on or upon) vi. pay close attention (to)全神贯注（于）skim vt. read quickly to get the main ideas (of)略读preview vt. have a general view of (sth.) beforehand预习content n. what is written in a book, etc.内容organize vt. form into a whole组织later ad. 后来；以后skip vt. pass over略过portion n. part; share一部分；一份double v. make or become twice as great or as many（使）增加一倍comprehension n. the act of understanding or ability to understand理解（力）mention vt. speak or write about (sth.) in a few words提及confused a. mixed up in ones mind迷惑的，混淆的 confuse vt.textbook n. a standard book for the study of a subject教科书；课本performance n. achievement成绩meaningful a. having important meaning or value富有意义的attitude n. what one thinks about sth.态度，看法purpose n. aim目的，意图excessively ad. too much过多地，过分地 excessive a.permanent a. lasting for a long time; never changing持久的；永久的technique n. way of doing sth.技巧，方法helpful a. useful; providing help or wiling to help有益的；给予帮助的，肯帮忙的PHRASES & EXPRSSIONSfill in write in填写，填充decide on make a choice or decision about选定，决定 set aside save for a special purpose留出as well also; too; in addition也，还；同样be aware (of) know (sth.); know (what is happening)知道，意识到concentrate on direct ones attention, efforts, etc. to全神贯注于look over examine (quickly)把.看一遍，过目go over review 复习lead to result in 导致Unit Two: Sailing Round the WorldTEXT At sixty-five Francis Chichester set out to sail single-handed round the world. This is the story of that adventure.Sailing Round the WorldBefore he sailed round the world single-handed, Francis Chichester had already surprised his friends several times. He had tried to fly round the world but failed. That was in 1931. The years passed. He gave up flying and began sailing. He enjoyed it greatly. Chichester was already 58 years old when he won the first solo transatlantic sailing race. His old dream of going round the world came back, but this time he would sail. His friends and doctors did not think he could do it, as he had lung cancer. But Chichester was determined to carry out his plan. In August, 1963, at the age of nearly sixty-five, an age when many men retire, he began the greatest voyage of his life. Soon, he was away in this new 16-metre boat, Gipsy Moth. Chichester followed the route of the great nineteenth century clipper ships. But the clippers had had plenty of crew. Chicheater did it all by himself, even after the main steering device had been damaged by gales. Chichester covered 14, 100 miles before stopping in Sydney, Australia. This was more than twice the distance anyone had previously sailed alone. He arrived in Australia on 12 December, just 107 days out from England. He received a warm welcome from the Australians and from his family who had flown there to meet him. On shore, Chichester could not walk without help. Everybody said the same thing: he had done enough; he must not go any further. But he did not listen. After resting in Sydney for a few weeks, Chichester set off once more in spite of his friends attempts to dissuade him. The second half of his voyage was by far the more dangerous part, during which he sailed round the treacherous Cape Horn. On 29 January he left Australia. The next night, the blackest he had ever known, the sea became so rough that the boat almost turned over. Food, clothes, and broken glass were all mixed together. Fortunately, bed and went to sleep. When he woke up, the sea had become calm the nearest person he could contact by radio, unless there was a ship nearby, Wild be on an island 885 miles away.After succeeding in sailing round Cape Horn, Chichester sent the following radio message to London: I feel as if I had wakened from a nightmare. Wild horses could not drag me down to Cape Horn and that sinister Southern Ocean again. Just before 9 oclock on Sunday evening 28 May, 1967, he arrived back in England, where a quarter of a million people were waiting to welcome him. Queen Elizabeth II knighted him with the very sword that Queen Elizabeth I had sailed round the world for the first time. The whole voyage from England and back had covered 28, 500 miles. It had taken him nine months , of which the sailing time was 226 days. He had done what he wanted to accomplish. Like many other adventurers, Chichester had experienced fear and conquered it. In doing so, he had undoubtedly learnt something about himself. Moreover, in the modern age when human beings depend so much on machines, he had given men throughout the world new pride.NEW WORDSsingle-handed a & ad. (done) by one person alone 单独的（地）adventure n. 冒险（活动）solo a. single-handed 单独的transatlantic a. crossing the Atlantic Ocean 横度大西洋lung n. part of the body with which one breathes 肺cancer n. 癌determined a. with ones mind firmly made up下定了决心的 determine v. determination n.retire vi. stop working at ones job(because of age) 退休voyage n. sea journey 航海；航行route n. way from one place to another 路线clipper n. 快速帆船crew n. group of people who work together on a ship or aeroplane 全体船员；全体乘务员steer vt. make (esp. a boat or road vehicle) go in a particular direction 为.撑舵device n. a piece of equipment设备；装置steering device n. 操舵装置damage vt. cause harm or injury to 损坏 gale n. very strong wind大风cover vt. travel (a certain distance)行过（一段距离）previously ad. before 以前 previous a.attempt n. try 试图，尝试dissuade vt. prevent (sb.) from doing sth. by reasoning 劝阻treacherous a. more dangerous than it seems 暗藏危险的；奸诈的cape n. 海角rough a. (of weather or the sea) stormy; not calm （气候）有暴风雨的；（海）波涛汹涌的fortunately ad. luckily 幸运地；幸亏 fortunate a.contact vt. get in touch with 联系，接触nearby ad. close by 在附近following a. next; to be mentioned immediately 接着的；下列的waken v. (cause to) wake 唤醒；醒来nightmare n. terrible dream 恶梦drag vt. pull along with great effort 拖，拉sinister a. 凶恶的，邪恶的knight n. 爵士 vt. 封. 为爵士 sword n. 剑，刀 accomplish vt. finish successfully完成 conquer vt. overcome征服undoubtedly ad. certainly无疑地moreover ad. in addition此外，而且human a. of or concerning people人们being n. a living thing, esp. a person生物；人PHRASES & EXPRESSIOMSset out begin a course if action着手，开始give up atop doing放弃be determined to (do) have a strong will to (do)决心（做）(all) by oneself (completely) alonein spite of not taking notice of; not caring about 尽管；虽然by far by a large amount or degree.得多turn over (cause to) fall over, upset（使）翻倒，（使）倾覆can not help can not keep oneself from禁不住NAMESFrancis Chichester 弗朗西斯. 奇切斯特Gipsy Moth吉普赛. 莫斯Sydney 悉尼（澳大利亚城市）Cape Horn 合恩角（智利）London 伦敦Elizabeth 伊丽莎白（女子名）Drake 德雷克（姓氏）UNIT three: The PresentTEXTThey say that blood is thicker than water, that our relatives are more important to us than others. Everyone was so kind to the old lady on her birthday. Surely her daughter would make an even bigger effort to please he?The PresentIt was the old ladys birthday.She got up early to be ready for the post. From the second floor flat she could see the postman when he came down the street, and the little boy from the ground floor brought up her letters on the rare occasions when anything came. Today she was sure the would be something. Myra wouldnt forget her mothers birthday, even if she seldom wrote at other times. Of course Myra was busy. Her husband had been made Mayor, and Myra herself had got a medal for her work the aged. The old lady was proud of Myra, but Enid was the daughter she loved. Enid had never married, but had seemed content to live with her mother, and teach in a primary school round the corner.One evening, however, Enid said, Ive arranged for Mrs. Morrison to look after you for a few days, Mother. Tomorrow I have to go into hospital-just a minor operation, Ill soon be home. In the morning she went, but never came back-she died on the operating table. Myra came to the funeral, and in her efficient way arranged for Mrs. Morrison to come in and light the fire and give the old lady her breakfast. Two years ago that was, and since then Myra had been to see her mother three times, but her husband never. The old lady was eight today. She had put on her best dress. Perhaps-perhaps Myra might come. After all, eighty was a special birthday, another decade lined or endured just as you chose to look at it.Even if Myra did not come, she would send a present. The old lady was sure of that. Two spots of colour brightened her cheeks. She was excited-like a child. She would enjoy her day. Yesterday Mrs. Morrison had given the flat an extra clean, and today she had brought a card and a bunch of marigolds when she came to do the breakfast. Mrs. Grant downstairs had made a cake, and in the afternoon she was going down there to tea. The little boy, Johnnie, had been up with a packet of mints, and said he wouldnt go out to play until the post had come. I guess youll get lots and lots of presents, he said, I did last were when I was six.What would she like? A pair of slippers perhaps. Or a new cardigan. A cardigan would be lovely. Blues such a pretty colour. Jim had always liked her in blue. Or a table lamp. Or a book, a travel book, with pictures, or a little clock, with clear black numbers. So many lovely things. She stood by the window, watching. The postman turned round the corner on his bicycle. Her heart beat fast. Johnnie had seen him too and ran to the gate. Then clatter, clatter up the stairs. Johnnie knocked at her door. Granny, granny, he shouted, Ive got your post. He gave her four envelopes. Three were unsealed cards from old friends. The fourth was sealed, in Myras writing. The old lady felt a pang of disappointment. No parcel, Johnnie? No, granny. Maybe the parcel was too large to come by letter post. That was it. It would come later by parcel post. She must be patient. Almost reluctantly she tore the envelope open. Folded in the card was a piece of paper. Written on the card was a message under the printed Happy Birthday - Buy yourself something nice with the chequ