英语时文阅读

初三英语时文阅读（一）

（材料一）“美国第一家庭”迎来“白宫第一狗”！早在竞选总统的时候，奥巴马就承诺送给两个女儿一条宠物狗，无论成败。

Meet the First Pet: Bo, the Portuguese Water Dog!

Last Tuesday, the U.S. first family officially welcomed their first pet—Bo, a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog*. The selection was one of the White House?s most tightly kept secrets.

They’ll love the dog!

President Barack Obama?s daughters, 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha, never had pets before. The black and white puppy is a gift from Sen. Edward Kennedy (爱德华·肯尼迪参议员), who owns three Portuguese water dogs himself.

“We couldn?t be happier to see the joy that Bo is bringing to Malia and Sasha,” Kennedy said in a statement. “We love our Portuguese water dogs and know that the girls—and their parents—will love theirs, too.”

Why Bo?

Malia and Sasha have named the dog Bo, after a cousin?s cat and in honor of Michelle Obama?s grandfather, who was nicknamed Diddley. The name for the dog was an apparent (明显的) reference (参考) to the singer “Bo” Diddley.

White House aides (助手) told the AP (美联社) that the office of the first lady arranged an exclusive (排他的,独家的) deal (交易) on the dog story with the Washington Post (《华盛顿邮报》).

That’s top secret!

Before the official announcement, many websites were abuzz with* rumors (谣言，流言) of the first famil y?s selection; one website even claimed it had pictures of the first pet. Hearing the rumors, Obama joked to reporters: “Oh, man, now, that?s top secret.”

“That was a campaign promise,” Obama said in a talk show last month. The president made a lot of promises during his election campaign, but none more important than (没有比…更重要的) this one to his young daughters; he vowed to buy them a dog, win or lose.

Now, he has fulfilled the promise.

*water dog: 会游水的狗, (俚语) 老练的水手

be abuzz with 热烈…(讨论)

（材料二）假期在即，手头却有数不清的作业？试试“留在家里的假期”吧！最美的风景就在身边！Getting Away by Staying Home

What will you be doing for the Labor Day holiday? For many, the extra days off provide an ideal opportunity to go and see new places. This is a great way to spend your vacation. However, more and more people are starting to take a “staycation.” That is, instead of traveling, many people are opting (选择) to stay at home and enjoy local recreational activities.

Conveniently termed in 2003 as “staycation,”this modern word is shorthand(简略表达) for “st ay-at-home vacation.” Opting for a staycation during your break is a great way to save money because there are no lodging costs (住宿费用) and minimal travel expenses. In addition, it is a great way to take the time to connect with your community and support local businesses. By taking the time to explore and admire the beauty and fun in your immediate (附近的) environment, you can discover cool places that you never knew before. As a result, your experience as a “staycationer” will cause you to have a greater appreciation (了解，欣赏) for your local area.

Another attractive reason for going with a staycation during your break owes to (归功于) the lack of stress. As a busy student, it is important to have some time to rest, clear your mind, and “breathe” a little. Traveling, however, is full of packing (整理行装), long-distance travel, waiting in long lines, and tiresome navigation through unfamiliar territory(地域). As a result, traveling “vacations”become another energy-drainer (耗费精力的), piling on (累积) stress during a time when you should be free from it.

So, as you contemplate(计划) what you would like to do for the Labor Day holiday, consider a staycation to relax, save money, and refresh yourself! Make sure that you are not tempted to* work at home due to (由于) easy access to e-mail and related materials. Remind yourself that this is YOUR personal time and make the best of (充分利用) it by exploring Shanghai, meeting up with friends, and taking your mind off (忘却) your busy schedule.

* be tempted to do sth. 某人被诱惑做某事(被动)

（材料三）被功课压得喘不过气，因为父母吵架感到害怕，或是和好朋友吵架了……这些问题应该去和谁聊聊呢？

Talk to Your School Counselor

If you study in America or other western countries, a school counselor (顾问，辅导员) plays a very important role in your life.

Counselors help you cope*

School counselors know how to listen and help. They?ll take your problem seriously and work with you to find a good solution. A counselor can help you deal with sadness when someone has died, as well as advise you on taking the right classes to get into your dream college. Whatever problem you have, your counselor has seen it before — and has lots of good advice on how to help you work through it.

Student-Counselor Meetings

Counselors meet with students individually or in small groups. The most common setting is a private meeting just between the student and the counselor. Most school counselors have their own offices where you can sit and talk.

School counselors probably ask you to visit him or her even if you don?t have a problem. This helps you feel comfortable with the counselor in case you ever need to meet in a time of crisis. It?s usually easier to talk about a tough issue or a problem when you already feel comfortable with the counselor.

Sometimes counselors also meet students in groups. Group meetings can really help people who are dealing with similar issues. In these group settings, people can share their feelings and learn coping skills. Not only do you get great ideas in a group, but it can also help to know that other students are going through the same thing.

It?s just not possible to sort* through tough times alone. Problems can build up and you may lose sleep, find you can?t concentrate on(集中于) homework, or even become depressed(抑郁的，消沉的). When you need to talk to someone, your school counselor can be a great place to start.

*cope 对付(困难)，竞争/抗衡/对抗词组：cope with

sort 分类；整顿，整理；分选，拣(sort out)

（材料四）奥巴马欧洲之行“小试牛刀”，抛出橄榄枝，改善美国形象。

President Obama’s First Official Trip to Europe

President Obama returned to the United States two weeks ago after his first visit to Europe since taking office (就职) in January.

Throughout his marathon of speeches, meetings, summits, and one-on-one(一对一的) talks with leaders, he received massive (大规模的) media coverage (报道范围).

It’s time to go home

On his way back, the president made an unannounced* stop in Iraq. He met with the Iraqi prime minister (总理) and president. He also visited American military troops (军事部队) at a camp near Baghdad (巴格达).

Obama offered his thanks and support to a group of cheering troops. He said it is time for the Iraqis to take responsibility for their country, and that the United States will remove most American fighting forces (作战部队) from Iraq by the end of 2010.

Not at war with Islam

Earlier, Obama traveled to Turkey for his first official visit to a mostly Muslim country. He met with university students and with Turkish president. He promised to rebuild relations between the United States and the Islamic world: “Let me say this a s clearly as I can: The United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam.”

A world without nuclear weapons

Before visiting Iraq and Turkey, the president was in Prague(布拉格), the capital of the Czech Republic (捷克共和国). He met with European Union leaders and spoke to a crowd of about 20,000 people. He urged other nations to join in an effort to free the world of nuclear weapons.

“Today I state clearly and with conviction America?s commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. As the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral (道义上的) responsibility to act.

“We cannot succeed in this endeavor (竭力) alone, but we can lead it, we can start it.”

*unannounced 未经宣布的；未经通报的

（材料五）“天生我才必有用”，只有懂得欣赏自己，才能得到别人的赞赏与肯定。

I Am Somebody!

“I am somebody,”is a phrase that America?s Rev. Jesse Jackson and others use to encourage young students. He used the phrase as part of a poem that tells students that they are bright, capable and worthwhile. It?s a phrase that encourages students to have“self-esteem.”

Self-esteem is a big word but it just means the way we think and feel about ourselves. When you “esteem” someone, you think well of them. So when you have self-esteem，you think well of yourself.

Having self-esteem gives you a positive outlook on life. It gives you the confidence to meet new people and to try new things. Having self-esteem also lets you keep your positive outlook even when you meet with failure and disappointment.

Most of you probably have good self-esteem. You have families who love you, friends who support you and teachers who encourage you. But some students may suffer from poor self-esteem. They may have problems at home, they may be too shy to make friends or they may have difficulties at school with their studies.

Students with poor self-esteem have more negative thoughts. They think the future is dark instead of bright. They think that they are less worthwhile than other people. Having these negative thoughts can be rea lly harmful. They can affect your studies and your relationships. So it?s important to build your self-esteem.

So, how can you build self-esteem?

●Make a list of things that you are good at. It can be simple things like flying a kite or cooking food.

●Give yourself compliments: “Hey, I finished my homework! Good job!”

●Accept the things about yourself you can?t change: tall/short, thin/fat... big ears!

●Stop thinking negatively: think of something positive or nice, instead.

And if you feel that low self-esteem creeping (爬行的) back, just keep repeating Rev. Jackson?s phrase,“I am somebody,”... because you are!

初三英语时文阅读（二）

（材料一）你第一次见一对夫妻时，最先闪入脑海的是什么？相信大多数人都会琢磨一下这两个人有没有夫妻相。

Do elderly couples really look alike?

You?ve probably seen it before---two elderly people walking hand in hand down the street and looking very much like each other. They look so much alike that they could be brother and sister.

Do you believe that people who live together for many years would look alike? It?s strange, bu t scientists say it?s true.

How scientists proved it?

In a study, scientists found young couples only showed similarity by chance. However, elder couples were very likely to look like each other. The similarity could be very subtle and could be found in wrinkles, furrows, etc. Besides, some couples look far more alike than other couples.

The reason behind it

The scientists thought of several possible reasons:

1. Diet.“We are what we eat.”As couples usually share the same diet, will they probably l ook alike? For example, if both partners eat a high fat diet, their faces will tend to look fat. However, the scientists ruled this out using another small study.

2. Environment. Will elderly couples show similarity because they live together in the same area for a long time? The environmental factors such as sunshine and wind affect the skin in similar ways. The scientists ruled this possibility out as well.

3. Empathy. This is the theory the scientists believe in. Couples grow to look similar because they are empathizing with each other. They copy each other?s facial expressions. For example, if one partner often smiles in a certain way, the other is likely to copy it. In this way, their faces share similar wrinkles and furrows.

A look into the future

Some people still don?t believe in the“empathy”theory. And, some think growing to look more like your partner is a horrific idea. Others, though, think there?s something very sweet and romantic about it. （材料二）请相信，音乐是有魔力的！

Magic Music

What can music do? As a personal expression? To increase patriotism? Or as a way to pass on traditions?

Sweet music for milking

Scientists believe farmers could get more milk from their cows by playing classical music in the cowshed.

In 2001, a group of UK psych ologists played music of different tempos to some cows. Beethoven?s Pastoral Symphony* was a big hit in the milking shed. But when noisy music was played, there was no increase in milk yield. According to research, calming music can improve milk yield, probably because it reduces stress.

Music can help plants grow faster as well. In 2007, South Korean scientists proved that playing music, especially classical pieces, to plants really helps plants grow more quickly.

Muzak*, more than music

Today, you hear muzak almost everywhere. Muzak is functional music rather than entertainment; it affects those who hear it.

Music is art, but Muzak is science. And when you use the science of Muzak: In an office, workers tend to work more efficiently, and feel happier. In a factory, people feel better and, with less fatigue and tension, their jobs seem less monotonous. In a store, people seem to shop in a more relaxed and leisurely manner. That?s why we say Muzak is much more than music.

Music as symbol

At the mention of the 1988 Seoul Olympics (汉城奥运会), what comes into your mind first? The theme song Hand in Hand (汉城奥运会主题曲《手拉手》), of course! It is one of the most favorite songs in Olympic history. As a successful Olympic song, Hand in Hand is easy but not simple. The song conveys the common dream of people around the world—peace and the spirit of the Olympics. Anyone, who saw the moment when 18,000 spectators sang Hand in Hand together with the singers on the stage, would feel the power of music.

（材料三）谁是这几周最火的人物？非苏珊·波伊尔莫属。

Susan Boyle: A Dream Come True

Her appearance on the reality show Britain?s Got Talent (真人秀节目“英国达人”) l asted just a few minutes, but that was enough to bring 47-year-old Scottish church volunteer Susan Boyle to instant fame.

Stunning performance

On the show, viewers saw the plain and plump (胖胖的) Boyle step onto the stage and say that her dream is to be a professional singer like Elaine Page*.

The judges snickered. There was laughter from the audience, and viewers, both live (在现场) and at home, were ready to see another hopeless loser. But when Boyle opened her mouth and sang I Dreamed A Dream (《我曾有梦》) from Les Misérables (《悲惨世界》), the judges were shocked, the crowd went wild, and—Boyle became a star.

A global phenomenon

The rise of Susan Boyle has been a global phenomenon.

From Japan to Denmark to the U.S., the clip of Boyle?s performance has fa scinated viewers. Her clip was the most watched video on global network YouTube the week before last (上上周), attracting over 12 million hits (点击). Boyle?s face has appeared on the front pages of newspapers in Britain and other countries. She has been offere d a seat on Oprah?s sofa*, and it has been predicted that she will have a worldwide number one album.

An underdog

Boyle has shattered the prejudices surrounding age, appearance, and talent in the entertainment industry (娱乐业). She has proved that you d on?t have to be young and attractive to be talented, and recognized as such.

“This is completely unprecedented,”says Andrew Llinares, executive producer (监制) of Britain?s Got Talent.“We have had big responses in the past, but we have never seen anything like this before. People love an underdog and she is the ultimate underdog.”

（材料四）地球需要“休息”：不仅仅是每年一小时的演示，更是我们365天的努力。

Electric Heroes

On March 28, where were you when the lights went out? Well, if you were like the millions of people around the world who were celebrating Earth Hour*, you were... in the dark! On that day, at that hour (8:30 to 9:30 p.m.),“electric heroes” in 4,000 cities in 88 countries chose darkness over the lights to show their concern for global warming (全球变暖).

An electric hero is someone (like you!) who limits their energy use whenever possible. It can be a simple thing such as turning off the lights when you leave a room, or just spending less time on the computer or watching television. These small energy savings can add up to big energy savings when done by millions of people. And that?s important for a country like China.

China?s economy has been growing rapidly, and its energy consumption has been growing even faster. Most of the energy China uses comes from fossil fuels: coal, oil and natural gas. They are called fossil fuels because they come from living (有生命的) material that died millions of years ago. All living things are made of carbon, and when they are burned as fossil fuels, the carbon is released into the air in the form of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases (导致“温室效应”的气体). It is these greenhouse gases that scientists say are the cause of global warming.

As part of the five-year plan announced in 2006, China has promised to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent by the year 2010. So far, they are on track to achieve that goal; mostly by making industry more efficient. But more can be done, and that?s where you come in(我们还可以做更多，而这正是你可以参与其中的).

By being more aware of the energy you use and by using less energy whenever possible, you can help reduce greenhouse gases. It?s so simple to do... and so heroic, too!

（材料五）在这个什么产品都讲求环保的时代，作为废气排放“大户”的汽车当然也要顺应潮流。Green Car Technology

Climate change is one of the biggest threats facing the world. Vehicle emissions add to greenhouse gases linked to climate change. Car manufacturers all over the world have spent a lot of time and money making“greener”cars, which do less harm to the environment. There are various types of green cars, and different technology is used.

Electric cars

Electric vehicles have been around for a number of years, but now their numbers are increasing with popularity. An electric car is powered by an electric motor that draws its power from an on-board battery pack (电池组), which acts as an energy store (能量储备). Batteries, usually Nickel metal-hydride (镍氢) or

Lithium-ion (锂), are charged by simply connecting the vehicle to a main power supply. One feature of most modern electric cars is the braking system (刹车系统) which allows the battery to be topped up when the brakes are applied.

Hybrid cars

Hybrid cars generally use a combination of two power sources. The most common hybrid cars currently available on the market use both electric motors and petrol engines (汽油发动机). Batteries charge and act as a storage device to power an electric motor, usually working when the vehicle is travelling at low speed or stuck in traffic, therefore hybrid cars are ideal for city driving. The petrol engine, usually a small efficient unit, then powers the car when more power is needed, such as at higher speed. This allows the engine to operate only at its most suitable speed.

Biodiesel cars

Biodiesel is produced from renewable energy sources such as rapeseed (油菜籽), sunflower, or soybean oil. Biodiesel is green as it has the potential to be carbon-neutral. In other words, the carbon dioxide emitted from the vehicle is balanced by the absorption of it from the atmosphere during the fuel crop?s (燃料作物) growth.

（材料六）富豪大亨们并非都像“Green Orchids”中的富翁Harry Saleem那样贪婪成性。世界上最富有的一些人正在用自己的财富为拯救这个星球出力。

Eco Barons: Save the Earth

Scientists and environmentalists have reached a growing consensus that time is running out for Planet Earth. The polar ice caps (极地冰盖) are melting. One in eight bird species is vanishing. Air, water, and ground pollutants are poisoning major population centers…

But according to a recently published book, there is“a secret plan to save the Earth.”This plan is being carried out by a group of“eco barons.”

Who are“eco barons”then? They are a band of vision aries—some of the world?s wealthiest tycoons and entrepreneurs—who are using their wealth, their energy, their fame, and their knowledge of law and science to persuade the world to take a new direction to save the Earth. These people, both men and women, are the modern-day heroic counterparts to the evil 19th century robber barons who originally set the world on the path to environmental destruction.

Bill Gates and Warren Buffet (“股神”沃伦·巴菲特) are among the eco barons. These two canny investors, who regula rly swap places at the top of Forbes magazine?s annual list of world billionaires (福布斯年度亿万富豪榜), have spent some of their financial power on different areas. Gates has backed alternative fuels such as oil from algae (藻类), while in Buffet?s case, it?s wind p ower and electric cars.

Douglas Tompkins, the founder of the North Face and Esprit clothing lines, has also embraced environmentalism. He was always an outdoor adventurer—he would regularly disappear for months-long trips to the forests of South America—so when he burned out in the business world, Tompkins took his fortune, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and began steadily buying acre after acre of threatened virgin forest (原始森林) in Chile (智利). Tompkins and his wife have obtained more than two million acres for conservation in Chile.

（材料七）经济危机使许多职场人士遭遇了“饭碗危机”，于是不少人为保工作，使出浑身解数。

“Sucking Up”in the Workplace on the Rise

Whether it?s called“buttering up the boss,”“sucking up”or“managing up*,”experts say ingratiating behavior in the workplace is certain to be on the rise as workers worry about keeping their jobs in tough economic times.

“People who tend to…manage up?anyway are managing up more. They really want to make sure people are noticing what they?re doing,”says Max Caldwell, a workforce expert.“It?s a mentality of…I not only want to do a good job, but I want to be seen as doing a good job.?”

According to Jennifer Chatman, professor of organizational behavior (组织行为学) at the University of California at Berkeley (加州大学伯克利分校), that behavior i ncreases when stakes are high.“It?s what we do when we feel ourselves vulnerable to the decisions of others,”she says.

“In such an environment, underlings may be more likely to praise bad decisions or excuse poor judgment by a boss and avoid being frank,”says Chatman.“It can be bad for business, keeping the yea-sayers (应声虫) around.”

But according to some researchers,“sucking up”works.

A study by the University of Texas (德克萨斯大学) found: challenging a chief executive less, complimenting the CEO more and doing the CEO a personal favor increased the likelihood of being appointed to a corporate board (公司董事会) by 64 percent.

Stephen Viscusi, a writer, suggests a simple change in work habits.“If you come in five minutes earlier than the boss and stay five mi nutes later, the boss doesn?t know how long you?re there. He just knows that you?re always working.”

Others like writer Bill Hanover rule out ingratiating behavior altogether. “If you value self-respect, the respect of your peers and leaders, then suckin g up your way to a promotion will leave you ashamed.”

（材料八）我们取得进步时总希望听到别人的赞美，但让我们取得进步的往往是别人的批评。

The Value of Truth

I feel good when people I trust say good things about me. It helps me to have positive thoughts about my abilities, and it brings a smile to my face. Most of us know people who always emphasize our best characteristics and who make us feel good about ourselves. People like that are important in our life. They are valued friends who make us feel warm and loved.

I also know people who always have negative opinions about life and the world in general. They never have anything positive to say about anything. Most of the time, I try not to pay much attention to this type of person or their negative comments. However, there are also many people in my life whose opinions I value and trust very much. When they offer objective criticism of me, I try my best to listen very carefully to this type of advice. There is a saying that the truth is not always pleasant, but it is almost always the truth.

As we progress through life, it is good to push ourselves, and to test our limits. The phrase,“You can do better”is most valuable when we believe it to be the truth. No matter how difficult the task, it becomes just a little bit easier when we know that improvement is still within our grasp.

Some of us possess the desire to work hard and to improve without outside motivation. However, most of us require the prodding of a trusted person to help us move forward with our lives. We should be happy when we have people around who care enough about us to tell us the truth, and to offer the encouragement that allows each of us to be all that we can be.