高三英语第二次半月考阅读理解:AWhereToGoOnSpringBreak,BasedOnYourZodiacSign(星座)Springbreakisjustaroundthecorner.It'stimetogetyourtravelplansinorder.Hereisasimpleguidethattellsyouexactlywheretogoonspringbreakthisyear,allbasedonyourzodiacsign.Pisces,YouLoveToBeByTheWaterGotoPisces—thewater!Youcansimplysit,relax,andenjoythesaltyairandsomedeliciousMediterraneanfood.Elafonisos,anislandoffthecoastofGreecewithunbelievablebeaches,isyouridealdestination.Thepopulationissmall,butitgetsverycrowdedduringthesummermonths,sospringisyourbestopportunitytotakeitallin.Taurus,TruthOrConsequences,NewMexicoWillBeYourJamYes,TruthorConsequencesistherealnameofthisridiculouslyaffordablespatown.Indulgeinyourloveofallthingsluxurybysimplyspendingafewdaysbeingpampered.RoomsatBlackstoneHotSpringsbeginataveryreasonable$85anight.That'srelaxinginandofitself.Gemini,NairobiLiterallyHasItAllGemini,whenitcomestoplanningatrip,youoftenhaveadifficulttimechoosingbetweenacityandsomewildlife.Well,ifyouheadtocapitalcityNairobi,Kenya,youwon'thavetodecide.Alongwitharichnightlife,youcanheadtoNairobiNationalPark,abreedinggroundforblackrhinosthatalsohappenstobeknownasAfrica'ssafaricapital.PlanYourWayToParis,VirgoYourunatightship,Virgo,butthegorgeouscityofPariswillhaveenoughhistoryandarttokeepyouwalkingandshoppinguntilyourheart'scontent.Sitbackanddelightinthedelectablecuisineforwhich“thecityoflights”isknown.Enjoyyourtrips,myfriends!1.WhyisspringthebesttimetovisitElafonisos?A.Itiswarmthen. B.Itistheleastcrowdedthen.C.Therearespotsforrelaxationthen. D.Therearen'ttoomanyvisitorsthen.2.WhatcanvisitorsenjoyatTaurus?A.Spainthesprings. B.Theviewofwildlife.C.Freshaironthebeach. D.DeliciousMediterraneanfood.3.WhatmakesNairobispecial?A.Acitywithenoughhistoryandart. B.Anidealdestinationforspringtrips.C.Themixtureofcitylifeandwildlife. D.Thepopularityas“thecityoflights”.BElianaYidreamedofpursuingpianoperformanceincollege,nevermindthatherfingerscouldbarelyreachthelengthofanoctave(八度音阶).UnabletofullyplaymanyworksbyRomantic-eracomposers,includingBeethovenandBrahms,shetriedanyway—andinherdeterminationtospendhourspracticingoneofChopin’scompositionswhichisknownforbeing“stretchy”,woundupinjuringherself.“Iwouldjustgotopieces,”theSouthernMethodistUniversityjuniorrecalled.“Therewerejusttoomanyoctaves.IwonderedwhetherIwasjustgoingtoplayBachandMozartfortherestofmylife.”TheeffortsofSMUkeyboardstudieschairCarolLeonearechangingallthat.Twentyyearsago,theschoolbecamethefirstmajoruniversityintheU.S.toincorporatesmallerkeyboardsintoitsmusicprogram,levelingtheplayingfieldforYiandotherpianomajors.Yireflectedonthefirsttimeshetriedoneofthesmallerkeyboards:“Irememberbeingreallyexcitedbecausemyhandscouldactuallyreachandplayalltherightnotes,”shesaid.Eversince,“Ihaven’thadasingleinjury,andIcanpracticeaslongasIwant.”Fordecades,fewquestionedthesizeoftheconventionalpiano.Ifsomeone’shandspanwaslessthan8.5inches—thedistanceconsideredidealtocomfortablyplayanoctave—well,that’sjusthowitwas.Thosewhoattempt“stretchy”passageseithergetusedtoomittingnotesorrisktendon(腱)injurywithrepeatedplay.Leoneisfamiliarwithsuchchallenges.Bornintoafamilyofjazzmusicians,sheinsteadfavoredclassicalmusicandpursuedpianodespitehersmallhandspanandearnedadoctorateinmusicalarts.AfewyearsafterjoiningSMU’smusicfacultyin1996,thedecoratedpianistreadanarticleinPianoandKeyboardmagazineaboutthesmallerkeyboards.AsLeonewouldlaterwrite,thediscoverywouldcompletelyrenewherlifeandcareer.In2000,shereceivedagranttoretrofitadepartmentSteinwaytoaccommodateasmallerkeyboard,andthebenefitswereimmediate.Inadditiontorelievinginjurycausedbyoverextendedfingers,shesaid,itgavethosewithsmallerspanstheabilitytoplayclassiccompositionstakenforgrantedbylarger-handedcounterparts.Smallerkeyboardsinstillmanywithnewconfidence.It’snottheirownlimitationsthathaveheldthemback,theyrealize;it’sthelimitationsoftheinstrumentsthemselves.Forthosedevotedtoalifeofmakingmusic,it’sasifacloudhassuddenlylifted.4.WhatisthesimilaritybetweenElianaYiandCarolLeone?A.Theirinterestinjazzextendedtoclassicalmusic.B.Shorthandspanusedtorestricttheirmusiccareer.C.TheybothjoinedSMU’smusicfacultyyearsago.D.Romantic-eracomposers’musicwaseasyforthem.5.WhydidSMUinitiateanefforttoscaledownthepiano?A.Toreducethenumberofoctaves.B.ToincorporateBachintoitsmusicprogram.C.Toprovidefairopportunitiesforpianomajors.D.Toencouragepianiststospendmorehourspracticing.6.HowdidYiprobablyfeelwhensheplayedtheretrofittedpiano?A.Confident. B.Frustrated. C.Challenging. D.Determined.7.Whichofthefollowingisthebesttitleofthepassage?A.WhoQualifiesasanIdealPianist? B.TraditionalorInnovativePiano?C.Hard-workingPianistsPaysoff D.TheStorybehindRetrofittedPianosCAfteraday’slabor,AndreasFichtnerandhiscolleagueshavespliced(绞接)togetherthreesegmentsoffibers,creatinga12.5-kilometer-longfiber-optic(光学的)cable.ItwillstayburiedinthesnowtospyontheactivityofGrfmsvotn,adangerous,glacier-coveredvolcano.Fichtner,ageophysicistattheSwissFederalInstituteofTechnology,inZurich,isoneoftheresearchersusingfiberopticstotakethepulseofourplanet.Muchoftheirworki