好的高中英语阅读训练材料
初中时期光是英语课本就够我们忙的了，哪里有高中时期英语词汇那么多呢?高中所学习到的英语单词足以让我们可以尝试阅读课外的一些英语阅读材料。这里与大家分享高中英语阅读，有时间我们不妨学习一下，看看自己能够做到何种程度。
高中英语阅读(一)
Safina makes it to No.1
ABOUT a year ago, if you had asked who Dinara Safina was, the answer would have been: "She is Marat Safin's younger sister." Back then she was overshadowed by her wonder brother. But now she has made a name for herself: the world No 1 player in women's tennis.
The 22-year-old Russian will overtake Serena Williams of the US for top ranking on April 20. "Before, every place I go, I am Marat's sister. Nothing else," she told The New York Times. "I always wanted to be myself, and now finally the results are coming, and people can know me as Dinara Safina."
Safina has made it to two Grand Slam event finals, in the 2008 French and in this year's Australian Open, and won a silver medal in the Beijing Olympic Games.
Clearly, family isn't the only connection Safina and her brother share. Both of their DNA burns with competitive fire. Safin has held the distinction for years of being a hot-tempered player on court. When he lost his temper, he would smash (摔) a racket. Safina is as emotionally explosive (强烈情绪化) as her brother. A headline in the newspaper The Australian once described her as "mad as a snake". The Sydney Morning Herald, during the Australian Open, summed up Safina's volatile (不稳定的) emotional state with the headline: "Safina goes from basket case to top of the world."
It's not rare for a family to have two top tennis players. Safina's father owns a tennis academy and her mother worked as a coach (教练). "I had no choice but to become a tennis player, but I don't mind being a tennis player," Safina said.
From this talented family she also inherited (继承) one of her best weapons (武器) on court, her size. She is 1.82 meters tall and weighs 70 kg. But it is hard work that led her to her recent success.
"I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I deserve the honor of being world No 1," she said.
高中英语阅读(二)
Winning thought
Center: champion Xu Jiru from Nanjing Foreign Language School
Left: first runner-up Xu Xinwei from Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to Shanghai International Studies University
Right: second runner-up and special prize winner Wu Ke from Ningbo Wanli International School
PHOTO BY LIU WEI
BEING a good English learner does not necessarily make you a good English speaker. Successful speakers need perfect pronunciation, a rich vocabulary, strong grammar skills, and a sharp mind to help them go further.
The Seventh "21st Century Cup" National High School English Speaking Competition was held in Hangzhou on April 18 and 19. The 46 talented finalists (决赛选手) excited the audience (观众) with their good command of the English language when they were talking about the topic It's a Small World.
It was no surprise that the Wenchuan earthquake, the Beijing Olympics and the current financial crisis (金融危机) were often referred to in their speeches. A lot of students suggested the world was shrinking (变小) because of modern transportation and advanced technology such as the Internet and mobile phones.
However, those who formed arguments based on their personal experiences tended to win.
The 16-year-old champion Xu Jiru from Nanjing Foreign Language School told a story about working as a delegate (代表) of different countries in a Model United Nations society. And the 17-year-old first runner-up (亚军) Xu Xinwei from Shanghai Foreign Language School Affiliated to Shanghai International Studies University referred to his voluntary (义务的) job during the 2007 Shanghai Special Olympics World Summer Games.
Good speakers also showed sharp and creative insight (领悟) when they answered different questions thrown at them in the impromptu (即兴的) part of the contest.
For example, the champion Xu was asked to say who she would choose if she could talk to a famous person. She chose Liu Xiang and said she hoped she would be bold (大胆的) enough to find out the real reason for his missing out on the Olympics.
However, the first runner-up Xu had to decide whether he agreed to ban (禁止) Spanish bullfighting (斗牛) because it's cruel. Xu supported bullfighting as part of the Spanish culture but suggested excluding the killing from the sport.
"We are not looking for black and white, yes and no answers. We want students to think further and create something that is not obvious," said Joyce Slayton Mitchell, one of the judges.
