专题07 阅读理解说明文、议论文-2021年高考真题和模拟题英语分项汇编（原卷版）

这是一份专题07 阅读理解说明文、议论文-2021年高考真题和模拟题英语分项汇编（原卷版），共39页。试卷主要包含了 【2021·全国甲卷，B】， 【2021·全国乙卷·A】， Opened等内容，欢迎下载使用。
2021年高考真题和模拟题英语分项汇编
专题07 阅读理解说明文、议论文
说明文
1. 【2021·全国甲卷，B】
Port Lympne Reserve, which runs a breeding (繁育) programme, has welcomed the arrival of a rare black rhino calf (犀牛幼崽). When the tiny creature arrived on January 31, she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve. And officials at Port Lympne were delighted with the new arrival, especially as black rhinos are known for being difficult to breed in captivity (圈养).
Paul Beer, head of rhino section at Port Lympne, said: “Obviously we're all absolutely delighted to welcome another calf to our black rhino family. She's healthy, strong and already eager to play and explore. Her mother, Solio, is a first-time mum and she is doing a fantastic job. It's still a little too cold for them to go out into the open, but as soon as the weather warms up, I have no doubt that the little one will be out and about exploring and playing every day.”
The adorable female calf is the second black rhino born this year at the reserve, but it is too early to tell if the calves will make good candidates to be returned to protected areas of the wild. The first rhino to be born at Port Lympne arrived on January 5 to first-time mother Kisima and weighed about 32kg. His mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all born at the reserve and still live there.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, the global black rhino population has dropped as low as 5500, giving the rhinos a “critically endangered” status.
4. Which of the following best describes the breeding programme?
A. Costly. B. Controversial. C. Ambitious. D. Successful.
5. What does Paul Beer say about the new-born rhino?
A. She loves staying with her mother. B. She dislikes outdoor activities.
C. She is in good condition D. She is sensitive to heat.
6. What similar experience do Solio and Kisima have?
A. They had their first born in January. B. They enjoyed exploring new places
C. They lived with their grandmothers. D. They were brought to the reserve young
7. What can be inferred about Porn Lympne Reserve?
A. The rhino section will be open to the public.
B. It aims to control the number of the animals.
C. It will continue to work with the World Wildlife Fund.
D. Some of its rhinos may be sent to the protected wild areas.
2. 【2021·全国乙卷·A】
The Biggest Stadiums in the World
People have been pouring into stadiums since the days of ancient Greece. In around 80 A.D., the Romans built the Colosseum, which remains the world’s best known stadium and continues to inform contemporary design. Rome’s Colosseum was 157 feet tall and had 80 entrances, seating 50,000 people. However, that was small fry compared with the city’s Circus Maximus, which accommodated around 250,000 people.
These days, safety regulations-not to mention the modern sports fan’s desire for a good view and comfortable seat—tend to keep stadium capacities（容量） slightly lower. Even soccer fans tend to have a seat each; gone are the days of thousands standing to watch the match.
For the biggest stadiums in the world, we have used data supplied by the World Atlas list so far, which ranks them by their stated permanent capacity, as well as updated information from official stadium websites.
All these stadiums are still funtiona1, still open and still hosting the biggest events in world sport.
·Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang D.P.R. Korea. Capacity: 150,000. Opened: May 1,1989.
·Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan, U. S. Capacity: 107,601. Opened: October 1, 1927.
·Beaver Stadium, State College, Pennsylvania, U. S. Capacity: 106,572. Opened: September 17, 1960.
·Ohio Stadium, Columbus, Ohio, U. S. Capacity: 104,944. Opened: October 7,1922.
·Kyle Field, College Station, Texas, U. S. Capacity: 102,512. Opened: September 24, 1927.
21. How many people could the Circus Maximus hold?
A. 104,944. B. 107,601. C. About 150,000. D. About 250,000.
22. Of the following stadiums, which is the oldest?
A. Michigan Stadium. B. Beaver Stadium. C. Ohio Stadium. D. Kyle Field.
23. What do the listed stadiums have in common?
A. They host big games. B. They have become tourist attractions.
C. They were built by Americans. D. They are favored by architects.
3. 【2021·全国乙卷·B】
When almost everyone has a mobile phone, why are more than half of Australian homes still paying for a landline（座机）?
These days you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in Australia over the age of 15 who doesn’t own a mobile phone. In fact plenty of younger kids have one in their pocket. Practically everyone can make and receive calls anywhere, anytime.
Still, 55 percent of Australians have a landline phone at home and only just over a quarter （29%） rely only on their smartphones according to a survey （调查）. Of those Australians who still have a landline, a third concede that it’s not really necessary and they’re keeping it as a security blanket — 19 percent say they never use it while a further 13 percent keep it in case of emergencies. I think my home falls into that category.
More than half of Australian homes are still choosing to stick with their home phone. Age is naturally a factor（因素）— only 58 percent of Generation Ys still use landlines now and then, compared to 84 percent of Baby Boomers who’ve perhaps had the same home number for 50 years. Age isn’t the only factor; I’d say it’s also to do with the makeup of your household.
Generation Xers with young families, like my wife and I, can still find it convenient to have a home phone rather than providing a mobile phone for every family member. That said, to be honest the only people who ever ring our home phone are our Baby Boomers parents, to the point where we play a game and guess who is calling before we pick up the phone（using Caller ID would take the fun out of it）.
How attached are you to your landline? How long until they go the way of gas street lamps and morning milk deliveries?
24. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about mobile phones?
A. Their target users. B. Their wide popularity.
C. Their major functions. D. Their complex design.
25. What does the underlined word “concede” in paragraph 3 mean?
A. Admit. B. Argue.
C. Remember. D. Remark.
26. What can we say about Baby Boomers?
A. They like smartphone games. B. They enjoy guessing callers’ identity.
C. They keep using landline phones. D. They are attached to their family.
27. What can be inferred about the landline from the last paragraph?
A. It remains a family necessity.
B. It will fall out of use some day.
C. It may increase daily expenses.
D. It is as important as the gas light.
4. 【2021·全国乙卷·C】
You’ve heard that plastic is polluting the oceans — between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes enter ocean ecosystems every year. But does one plastic straw or cup really make a difference? Artist Benjamin Von Wong wants you to know that it does. He builds massive sculptures out of plastic garbage, forcing viewers to re-examine their relationship to single-use plastic products.
At the beginning of the year, the artist built a piece called “Strawpocalypse,” a pair of 10-foot-tall plastic waves, frozen mid-crash. Made of 168,000 plastic straws collected from several volunteer beach cleanups, the sculpture made its first appearance at the Estella Place shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Just 9% of global plastic waste is recycled. Plastic straws are by no means the biggest source（来源）of plastic pollution, but they’ve recently come under fire because most people don’t need them to drink with and, because of their small size and weight, they cannot be recycled. Every straw that’s part of Von Wong’s artwork likely came from a drink that someone used for only a few minutes. Once the drink is gone, the straw will take centuries to disappear.
In a piece from 2018, Von Wong wanted to illustrate（说明） a specific statistic: Every 60 seconds, a truckload’s worth of plastic enters the ocean. For this work, titled “Truckload of Plastic,” Von Wong and a group of volunteers collected more than 10,000 pieces of plastic, which were then tied together to look like they’d been dumped（倾倒） from a truck all at once.
Von Wong hopes that his work will also help pressure big companies to reduce their plastic footprint.
28. What are Von Wong’s artworks intended for?
A. Beautifying the city he lives in. B. Introducing eco-friendly products.
C. Drawing public attention to plastic waste. D. Reducing garbage on the beach.
29. Why does the author discuss plastic straws in paragraph 3?
A. To show the difficulty of their recycling.
B. To explain why they are useful.
C. To voice his views on modern art.
D. To find a substitute for them.
30. What effect would “Truckload of Plastic” have on viewers?
A. Calming. B. Disturbing.
C. Refreshing. D. Challenging.
31 Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A. Artists’ Opinions on Plastic Safety
B. Media Interest in Contemporary Art
C. Responsibility Demanded of Big Companies
D. Ocean Plastics Transformed into Sculptures
5. 【2021·全国乙卷·D】
During an interview for one of my books, my interviewer said something I still think about often. Annoyed by the level of distraction（干扰）in his open office, he said, “That’s why I have a membership at the coworking space across the street — so I can focus”. His comment struck me as strange. After all, coworking spaces also typically use an open office layout（布局）. But I recently came across a study that shows why his approach works.
The researchers examined various levels of noise on participants as they completed tests of creative thinking. They were randomly divided into four groups and exposed to various noise levels in the background, from total silence to 50 decibels（分贝）, 70 decibels, and 85 decibels. The differences between most of the groups were statistically insignificant; however, the participants in the 70 decibels group — those exposed to a level of noise similar to background chatter in a coffee shop — significantly outperformed the other groups. Since the effects were small, this may suggest that our creative thinking does not differ that much in response to total silence and 85 decibels of background noise.
But since the results at 70 decibels were significant, the study also suggests that the right level of background noise — not too loud and not total silence — may actually improve one’s creative thinking ability. The right level of background noise may interrupt our normal patterns of thinking just enough to allow our imaginations to wander, without making it impossible to focus. This kind of “distracted focus” appears to be the best state for working on creative tasks.
So why do so many of us hate our open offices? The problem may be that, in our offices, we can’t stop ourselves from getting drawn into others’ conversations while we’re trying to focus. Indeed, the researchers found that face-to-face interactions and conversations affect the creative process, and yet a coworking space or a coffee shop provides a certain level of noise while also providing freedom from interruptions.
32. Why does the interviewer prefer a coworking space?
A. It helps him concentrate. B. It blocks out background noise.
C. It has a pleasant atmosphere. D. It encourages face-to-face interactions.
33. Which level of background noise may promote creative thinking ability?
A. Total silence. B. 50 decibels C. 70 decibels. D. 8 5 decibels.
34. What makes an open office unwelcome to many people?
A. Personal privacy unprotected. B. Limited working space.
C. Restrictions on group discussion. D. Constant interruptions.
35. What can we infer about the author from the text?
A. He’s a news reporter.
B. He’s an office manager.
C. He’s a professional designer.
D. He’s a published writer.
6. 【2021·新高考 I 卷·C】
When the explorers first set foot upon the continent of North America, the skies and lands were alive with an astonishing variety of wildlife. Native Americans had taken care of these precious natural resources wisely. Unfortunately, it took the explorers and the settlers who followed only a few decades to decimate a large part of these resources. Millions of waterfowl ( 水 禽 ) were killed at the hands of market hunters and a handful of overly ambitious sportsmen. Millions of acres of wetlands were dried to feed and house the ever-increasing populations, greatly reducing waterfowl habitat.
In 1934, with the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act (Act), an increasingly concerned nation took firm action to stop the destruction of migratory ( 迁徙的) waterfowl and the wetlands so vital to their survival. Under this Act, all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and over must annually purchase and carry a Federal Duck Stamp. The very first Federal Duck Stamp was designed by J.N. “Ding” Darling, a political cartoonist from Des Moines, lowa, who at that time was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as Director of the Bureau of Biological Survey. Hunters willingly pay the stamp price to ensure the survival of our natural resources.
About 98 cents of every duck stamp dollar goes directly into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to purchase wetlands and wildlife habitat for inclusion into the National Wildlife Refuge System — a fact that ensures this land will be protected and available for all generations to come. Since 1934 better than half a billion dollars has gone into that Fund to purchase more than 5 million acres of habitat. Little wonder the Federal Duck Stamp Program has been called one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated.
28. What was a cause of the waterfowl population decline in North America?
A. Loss of wetlands. B. Popularity of water sports.
C. Pollution of rivers. D. Arrival of other wild animals.
29. What does the underlined word “decimate” mean in the first paragraph?
A. Acquire. B. Export.
C. Destroy. D. Distribute.
30. What is a direct result of the Act passed in 1934?
A. The stamp price has gone down. B. The migratory birds have flown away.
C. The hunters have stopped hunting. D. The government has collected money.
31. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A. The Federal Duck Stamp Story B. The National Wildlife Refuge System
C. The Benefits of Saving Waterfowl D. The History of Migratory Bird Hunting
7. 【2021·新高考 I 卷·D】
Popularization has in some cases changed the original meaning of emotional (情感的) intellingence. Many people now misunderstand emotional intelligence as almost everything desirable in a person's makeup that cannot be measured by an IQ test, such as character, motivation, confidence, mental stability, optimism and “people skills.” Research has shown that emotional skills may contribute to some of these qualities, but most of them move far beyond skill-based emotional intelligence.
We prefer to describe emotional intelligence as a specific set of skills that can be used for either good or bad purposes. The ability to accurately understand how others are feeling may be used by a doctor to find how best to help her patients, while a cheater might use it to control potential victims. Being emotionally intelligent does not necessarily make one a moral person.
Although popular beliefs regarding emotional intelligence run far ahead of what research can reasonably support, the overall effects of the publicity have been more beneficial than harmful. The most positive aspect of this popularization is a new and much needed emphasis (重视) on emotion by employers, educators and others interested in promoting social well-being. The popularization of emotional intelligence has helped both the public and researchers re-evaluate the functionality of emotions and how they serve people adaptively in everyday life.
Although the continuing popular appeal of emotional intelligence is desirable, we hope that such attention will excite a greater interest in the scientific and scholarly study of emotion. It is our hope that in coming decades, advances in science will offer new perspectives (视角) from which to study how people manage their lives. Emotional intelligence, with its focus on both head and heart, may serve to point us in the right direction.
32. What is a common misunderstanding of emotional intelligence?
A. It can be measured by an IQ test. B. It helps to exercise a person’s mind.
C. It includes a set of emotional skills. D. It refers to a person’s positive qualities.
33. Why does the author mention “doctor” and “cheater” in paragraph 2?
A. To explain a rule. B. To clarify a concept.
C. To present a fact. D. To make a prediction.
34. What is the author’s attitude to the popularization of emotional intelligence?
A. Favorable. B. Intolerant.
C. Doubtful. D. Unclear.
35. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about concerning emotional intelligence?
A. Its appeal to the public. B. Expectations for future studies.
C. Its practical application. D. Scientists with new perspectives.
4. 【2021·浙江卷·C】
If you ever get the impression that your dog can "tell" whether you look content or annoyed, you may be onto something. Dogs may indeed be able to distinguish between happy and angry human faces, according to a new study
Researchers trained a group of 11 dogs to distinguish between images(图像)of the same person making either a happy or an angry face. During the training stage, each dog was shown only the upper half or the lower half of the person's face. The researchers then tested the dogs' ability to distinguish between human facial expressions by showing them the other half of the person's face on images totally different from the ones used in training. The researchers found that the dogs were able to pick the angry or happy face by touching a picture of it with their noses more often than one would expect by random chance.
The study showed the animals had figured out how to apply what they learned about human faces during training to new faces in the testing stage. "We can rule out that the dogs simply distinguish between the pictures based on a simple cue, such as the sight of teeth," said study author Corsin Muller. "Instead, our results suggest that the successful dogs realized that a smiling mouth means the same thing as smiling eyes, and the same rule applies to an angry mouth having the same meaning as angry eyes."
"With our study, we think we can now confidently conclude that at least some dogs can distinguish human facial expressions," Muller told Live Science.
At this point, it is not clear why dogs seem to be equipped with the ability to recognize different facial expressions in humans. "To us, the most likely explanation appears to be that the basis lies in their living with humans, which gives them a lot of exposure to human facial expressions," and this exposure has provided them with many chances to learn to distinguish between them, Muller said.
8. The new study focused on whether dogs can_________.
A. distinguish shapes B. make sense of human faces
C. feel happy or angry D. communicate with each other
9. What can we learn about the study from paragraph 2?
A. Researchers tested the dogs in random order.
B. Diverse methods were adopted during training.
C. Pictures used in the two stages were different
D. The dogs were photographed before the lest.
10. What is the last paragraph mainly about?
A. A suggestion for future studies. B. A possible reason for the study findings.
C. A major limitation of the study D. An explanation of the research method.
5. 【2021·浙江卷（1月）·B】
At the start of the 20th century, an American engineer named John Elfreth Watkins made predictions about life today. His predictions about slowing population growth, mobile phones and increasing height were close to the mark. But he was wrong in one prediction: that everybody would walk 10 miles a day.
Today, in Australia, most children on average fall 2, 000 steps short of the physical activity they need to avoid being overweight. In the early 1970s, 40 per cent of children walked to school, while in 2010, it was as low as 15 per cent.
The decline is not because we have all become lazy. Families are pressed for time, many with both parents working to pay for their house, often working hours not of their choosing, living in car-dependent neighborhoods with limited public transport.
The other side of the coin is equally a deprivation: for health and well-being, as well as lost opportunities（机会）for children to get to know their local surroundings. And for parents there are lost opportunities to walk and talk with their young scholar about their day.
Most parents will have eagerly asked their child about their day, only to meet with a “good”, quickly followed by "I'm hungry". This is also my experience as a mother. But somewhere over the daily walk more about my son's day comes out. I hear him making sense of friendship and its limits. This is the unexpected and rare parental opportunity to hear more.
Many primary schools support walking school-bus routes（路线）, with days of regular, parent-accompanied walks. Doing just one of these a few times a week is better than nothing. It can be tough to begin and takes a little planning-running shoes by the front door, lunches made the night before, umbrellas on rainy days and hats on hot ones-but it's certainly worth trying.
4．Why does the author mention Watkins' predictions in the first paragraph?
A．To make comparisons. B．To introduce the topic.
C．To support her argument. D．To provide examples.
5．What has caused the decrease in Australian children's physical activity?
A．Plain laziness. B．Health problems.
C．Lack of time. D．Security concerns.
6．Why does the author find walking with her son worthwhile?
A．She can get relaxed after work. B．She can keep physically fit.
C．She can help with her son's study. D．She can know her son better.
6. 【2021·浙江卷（1月）·C】
Researchers say they have translated the meaning of gestures that wild chimpanzees (黑猩猩) use to communicate. They say wild chimps communicate 19 specific messages to one another with a "vocabulary" of 66 gestures. The scientists discovered this by following and filming groups of chimps in Uganda, and examining more than 5,000 incidents of these meaningful exchanges.
Dr Catherine Hobaiter, who led the research, said that this was the only form of intentional communication to be recorded in the animal kingdom. Only humans and chimps, she said, had a system of communication where they deliberately sent a message to another group member.
"That's what's so amazing about chimp gestures," she said. "They're the only thing that looks like human language in that respect. ”
Although previous research has shown that apes and monkeys can understand complex information from another animal's call, the animals do not appear to use their voices intentionally to communicate messages. This was a significant difference between calls and gestures, Dr Hobaiter said.
Chimps will check to see if they have the attention of the animal with which they wish to communicate. In one case, a mother presents her foot to her crying baby, signaling:" Climb on me. " The youngster immediately jumps on to its mothers back and they travel off together. "The big message from this study is that there is another species (物种) out there. that is meaningful in its communication, so that's not unique to humans," said Dr Hobaiter.
Dr Susanne Shultz, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Manchester, said the study was praiseworthy in seeking to enrich our knowledge of the evolution of human language. But, she added, the results were "a little disappointing".
"The vagueness of the gesture meanings suggests either that the chimps have little to communicate, or we are still missing a lot of the information contained in their gestures and actions," she said. "Moreover, the meanings seem to not go beyond what other animal convey with non-verbal communication. So, it seems the gulf remains. "
7．What do chimps and humans have in common according to Dr Hobaiter?
A．Memorizing specific words. B．Understanding complex information.
C．Using voices to communicate. D．Communicating messages on purpose.
8．What did Dr Shultz think of the study?
A．It was well designed but poorly conducted.
B．It was a good try but the findings were limited.
C．It was inspiring but the evidence was unreliable.
D．It was a failure but the methods deserved praise.
9．What does the underlined word "gulf" in the last paragraph mean?
A．Difference. B．Conflict. C．Balance. D．Connection.
10．Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A．Chimpanzee behaviour study achieved a breakthrough
B．Chimpanzees developed specific communication skills
C．Chimpanzees: the smartest species in the animal kingdom
D．Chimpanzee language: communication gestures translated
7. 【2021·天津卷·C】
A trial project by the Montreal Children's Hospital suggested that the use of medical hypnosis(催眠)can reduce pain and anxiety in patients. The project also resulted in a reduction in the amount of medicines used to perform medical-imaging imaging(医学影像) procedures.
“During the examination children don't move. It works perfectly. It's amazing,“ said Johanne L'Ecuyer, a medical-imaging technologist at the hospital.
The project was inspired by a French team from Rouen University Hospital Centre where examinations are done under hypnosis instead of general anesthesia(麻醉）.
A French medical-imaging technologist-also a hypnotist — was invited to train a few members in the medical-imaging department of the children's hospital. In all, 80 examinations were conducted for the project between January and September, 2019, focusing on the imaging procedures that would cause anxiety.
Hypnosis is not a state of sleep: It is rather a modified(改变的)state of consciousness. The technologist will guide the patient to this modified state—an imaginary world that will disassociate itself more and more from the procedure that follows.
“The technologist must build up a story with the patient," Ms. L'Ecuyer said. "The patient is left with the power to choose what he wants to talk about. Do you play sports? Do you like going to the beach? We establish a subject that we will discuss throughout the procedure."
Everything that happens next during the procedure must be related to this story — an injection （注射）becomes the bite of an insect; the heat on the skin becomes the sensation of the sun and a machine that rings becomes a police car passing nearby.
“The important thing is that the technologist associates what is happening outside the patient's body with what the patient sees in his head," Ms. L'Ecuyer said. "It requires creativity on the part of the technologist, imagination, a lot of patience and kindness."
The procedure appealed to the staff a lot when it was introduced in January. It spread like wildfire that someone from France was here to train the technologists," Ms. L'Ecuyer said. She added that she had a line of staff at her door wanting to take the training.
45．One of the results produced by the trial project is ________ .
A．a better understanding of children
B．less use of certain medicines
C．new medical-imaging technology
D．an improved reputation of the hospital
46．The French technologist came to the children's hospital to ________.
A．assist in treating a patient
B．carry out hypnosis training
C．start up a new department
D．learn about the procedure
47．According to Paragraph 5, hypnosis works by ________.
A．creating a perfect world for patients
B．forcing patients into a state of deep sleep
C．putting patients into an unconscious state
D．leading patients' consciousness away from reality
48．What can we learn about the story used in the procedure?
A．It should keep pace with the procedure.
B．It reflects the patient's creativity.
C．It is selected by the technologist.
D．It tells what doctors are doing to the patient.
49．The procedure was received among the staff with ________.
A．uncertainty
B．enthusiasm
C．worry
D．criticism
50．What is the passage mainly about?
A．An easy way to communicate with patients.
B．The standard method of conducting hypnosis.
C．An introduction of medical-imaging technology.
D．The use of hypnosis in medical-imaging procedures.
议论文
1. 【2021·全国甲卷，D】
Who is a genius? This question has greatly interested humankind for centuries.
Let's state clearly: Einstein was a genius. His face is almost the international symbol for genius. But we want to go beyond one man and explore the nature of genius itself. Why is it that some people are so much more intelligent or creative than the rest of us? And who are they?
In the sciences and arts, those praised as geniuses were most often white men, of European origin. Perhaps this is not a surprise. It's said that history is written by the victors, and those victors set the standards for admission to the genius club. When contributions were made by geniuses outside the club—women, or people of a different color or belief—they were unacknowledged and rejected by others.
A study recently published by Science found that as young as age six, girls are less likely than boys to say that members of their gender(性别)are “really, really smart.” Even worse, the study found that girls act on that belief: Around age six they start to avoid activities said to be for children who are “really, really smart.” Can our planet afford to have any great thinkers become discouraged and give up? It doesn't take a genius to know the answer: absolutely not.
Here's the good news. In a wired world with constant global communication, we're all positioned to see flashes of genius wherever they appear. And the more we look, the more we will see that social factors(因素)like gender, race, and class do not determine the appearance of genius. As a writer says, future geniuses come from those with “intelligence, creativity, perseverance(毅力), and simple good fortune, who are able to change the world.”
12. What does the author think of victors' standards for joining the genius club?
A. They're unfair. B. They're conservative.
C. They're objective. D. They're strict.
13. What can we infer about girls from the study in Science?
A. They think themselves smart.
B. They look up to great thinkers.
C. They see gender differences earlier than boys.
D. They are likely to be influenced by social beliefs
14. Why are more geniuses known to the public?
A. Improved global communication.
B. Less discrimination against women.
C. Acceptance of victors' concepts.
D. Changes in people's social positions.
15. What is the best title for the text?
A. Geniuses Think Alike B. Genius Takes Many Forms
C. Genius and Intelligence D. Genius and Luck
2. 【2021·天津卷·D】
There is something to be said for being a generalist, even if you are a specialist. Knowing a little about a lot of things that interest you can add to the richness of a whole, well-lived life.
Society pushes us to specialize, to become experts. This requires commitment to a particular occupation, branch of study or research. The drawback to being specialists is we often come to know more and more about less and less. There is a great deal of pressure to master one's field. You may pursue training, degrees, or increasing levels of responsibility at work. Then you discover the pressure of having to keep up.
Some people seem willing to work around the clock in their narrow specialty. But such commitment can also weaken a sense of freedom. These specialists could work at the office until ten each night, then look back and realize they would have loved to have gone home and enjoyed the sweetness of their family and friends, or traveled to exciting places, meeting interesting people. Mastering one thing to the exclusion （排 除）of others can hold back your true spirit.
Generalists, on the other hand, know a lot about a wide range of subjects and view the whole with all its connections. They are people of ability, talent, and enthusiasm who can bring their broad perspective （视角）into specific fields of expertise （专长）.The doctor who is also a poet and philosopher is a superior doctor, one who can give so much more to his patients than just good medical skills.
Things are connected. Let your expertise in one field fuel your passions in all related areas. Some of your interests may not appear to be connected but, once you explore their depths, you discover that they are. My editor Toni, who is also a writer, has edited several history books. She has decided to study Chinese history. Fascinated by the structural beauty of the Forbidden City as a painter, she is equally interested to learn more about Chinese philosophy. "I don't know where it will lead, but I'm excited I'm on this pursuit."
These expansions into new worlds help us by giving us new perspectives. We begin to see the interconnectedness of one thing to another in all aspects of our life, of ourselves and the universe. Develop broad, general knowledge and experience. The universe is all yours to explore and enjoy.
51．To become a specialist, one may have to_____.
A．narrow his range of knowledge
B．avoid responsibilities at work
C．know more about the society
D．broaden his perspective on life
52．The specialists mentioned in Paragraph 3 tend to______.
A．treasure their freedom
B．travel around the world
C．spend most time working
D．enjoy meeting funny people
53．According to the author, a superior doctor is one who_____.
A．is fully aware of his talent and ability
B．is a pure specialist in medicine
C．should love poetry and philosophy
D．brings knowledge of other fields to work
54．What does the author intend to show with the example of Toni?
A．Passion alone does not ensure a person's success.
B．In-depth exploration makes discoveries possible.
C．Everyone has a chance to succeed in their pursuit.
D．Seemingly unrelated interests are in a way connected.
55．What could be the best title for the passage?
A．Be More a Generalist Than a Specialist
B．Specialist or Generalist: Hard to Decide
C．Turn a Generalist into a Specialist
D．Ways to Become a Generalist
二、2021届模拟题
说明文
一、（2021·吉林长春市·高三期末）
Why do we like drinking water from plastic bottles（塑料瓶）? Some people think it is healthy and clean. Others drink bottled water because it’s easy — you can carry it around with you. In hot countries, like Greece, we often buy bottles of cold water in the summer.
However, making lots of plastic is not a good idea for many reasons. First of all, we need a lot of oil for plastic products. We usually use oil as a source of energy. If we reduced the number of bottles we made, we wouldn’t need so much oil. Plastic bottles also pollute the environment. If we reused all our plastic bottles, we wouldn’t need so much space for rubbish dumps. But in Greece, we don’t reuse much of the plastic we use. In 2006, Greeks reused only about 10% of plastic waste. The rest became rubbish on land and in rivers and seas.
So next time you want to throw away a plastic bottle in the litter bin, stop and think. If you reuse it, you would help the environment. But what can you do when there isn’t a bin near you? Well, there are lots of useful ways that you can use your bottles again. For example, an empty bottle makes a great piggy bank for your pocket money, and if you cut a bottle in half, you will have a plant pot. Go green! You can make a difference.
12．What is not mentioned about bottled water in this passage?
A．It’s healthy. B．It’s clean.
C．It’s easy. D．It’s expensive.
13．Plastic products are made from ________.
A．energy B．oil
C．rubbish D．plants
14．Which is the best way to deal with used plastic bottles?
A．To reuse them. B．To make a piggy bank.
C．To make a plant pot. D．To drop them into the river.
15．The underlined part in this passage tells us “________”.
A．To make a different life, you’d better go outside.
B．To look different, you’d better wear green clothes.
C．To protect the environment, you can do something.
D．To go green, you should use plastic products.
二、（2021·南昌市第三中学）
Fou Ts'ong, a Chinese-born pianist known for his sensitive interpretations of Chopin, Debussy and Mozart.died on Monday at a hospital in London, where he had lived for many years. He was 86.
A lover of classical music from a young age, Mr. Fou began taking piano lessons when he was 7. Mr. Fou made his first stage appearance in 1952. The concert caught the attention of officials in Beijing, who selected him to compete and tour in Eastern Europe. Mr. Fou soon moved to Poland, where he studied at the Warsaw Conservatory(音乐学校)on a scholarship. To prepare for the fifth Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1955.he practiced so diligently that he hurt his fingers and was nearly cut from the first round of the competition.
Mr. Fou was one of the first Chinese pianists to achieve global prominence when he took the third place in the International Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw in 1955. He also won a special prize for his performance of Chopin's mazurkas(马祖卜舞曲). Almost overnight, he became a national hero. To China, Mr. Fou's recognition in a well-known international competition was proof that the country could stand on its own artistically in the West. Chinese reporters flocked to interview Mr. Fou, while many others sought out his father, Fu Lei, for advice on child-rearing.
In 1981, a volume of letters written by his father, primarily to Mr. Fou, was published in China. Full of advice, encouragement, life teachings and strict paternal love, the book Fu Lei's Family, Letters became a best-seller in China. Besides influencing a generation of Chinese, Mr. Fu's words resonated(共鸣)long after his death with the person for whom they were intended.
"My father had a saying that 'First you must be a person, then an artist, and then a musician, and only then can you be a pianist.'" Mr. Fou once recalled in an interview. "Even now, I believe in this order-that it should be this way and that I am this way."
9．What can be learned from Paragraph 2?
A．Fou Ts'ong competed and toured in Beijing.
B．Fou Ts'ong first performed on the stage at 7.
C．Fou Ts'ong made great efforts for competitions.
D．Fou Ts'ong started learning music in Eastern Europe.
10．Why does Fou Ts'ong's global recognition mean a lot to China?
A．It earns Chinese art a place in the West.
B．It promotes the spread of Chinese culture.
C．It proves Chinese people's talent for music.
D．It enables Chinese art education to be recognized.
11．What does the underlined word "they" in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A．Mr. Fu's words. B．Young Chinese.
C．Fou Ts'ong and his family. D．Readers of Fu Lei's Family Letters.
12．Which of the following agrees with Fu Lei's ideas in the last paragraph?
A．Pursuing art is a long and painful process.
B．It requires various qualities to be a pianist.
C．Everyone should develop an interest in art.
D．Talent is of the greatest importance for a pianist.
三、（2021·山西晋城市·高三二模）
Most of us have something about us that we’re not 100% in love with, such as an impulsive streak or a short temper. What if those personality traits (个性特征) could be improved with daily use of a smartphone app? That was the focus of a new study from an international research team led by the University of Zurich.
“Personality traits predict several important aspects of life such as success at work, health and even a long.” says first author Mirjam Stieger. PhD．of Brandeis University in Waltham. Massachusetts. “So we wanted to test whether people can actively shape their personality traits with the help of a digital intervention (干预) within a relatively short period of time.”
Around 1.500 participants were provided with a specially developed smartphone app called PEACH for three months. On the app, a virtual companion communicated with the participants daily and provided support to help them make the changes they desired. And participants were divided into two groups — an intervention group and a waitlist control group. Participants in the waitlist control group selected and indicated their change goals before a one-month waiting period, and then they received the same three-month intervention as the intervention group.
The researchers found that participants in the waitlist control group didn't change their personality traits during the one-month waiting period. but participants who received the intervention reported changes in the desired direction. “We also found that friends and family members were able to detect personality changes,” Stieger says. “Another surprising finding was that most participants were able to maintain (维持) their personality trait changes until three months after the end of the intervention.”
While apps could be used to promote personality change, mental health expert Karen Peters warns, it's important to remember they are there for support and not as a substitute for an individual's change. “The use of an app itself isn't going to influence change — change is influenced by internal motivation.” she says. “The new study demonstrates this point by determining that change outcomes were in agreement with the individual's desire to change.”
5．Why does the author ask the question in paragraph 1?
A．To put forward a problem. B．To recommend a method.
C．To lead in the recent study. D．To come up with a new concept.
6．What were participants asked to do in the new study?
A．Set their change goals. B．Detect others' changes.
C．Help their companions. D．Get rid of daily apps.
7．What is the finding of the new study?
A．Most of the participants' personalities were unstable.
B．Digital intervention made no difference to personalities.
C．The use of an app alone could shape personality traits.
D．The participants, personality changes were noticeable.
8．What can be a suitable title for the text?
A．Are Your Personality Traits Out of Control?
B．Are You in Love With Your Personality Traits?
C．Can a Smartphone App Change Your Personality?
D．Can Digital Intervention Determine Personal Desire?
四、（河北省保定市2021届高三下学期第一次模拟考试）
On paper, hydrogen（H2）looks like a dream fuel. Coal, oil, and natural gas produce carbon dioxide, which warms the earth when burned, Hydrogen produces pure water. Hydrogen packs more energy into less space than a battery（but certainly less than petrol）. Also, empty tanks（燃料箱）can be refilled with hydrogen much faster than refilling empty batteries with electricity.
While in practice, things are trickier. Storing a meaningful amount of hydrogen gas requires pressing it several hundred-fold. Changing it into the liquid form is another option, but it should be cooled to-253C．Both processes require a heavy and strong tank. While a 700 bar tank is acceptable for a city bus or a truck, adapting it for use in small vehicles is very difficult because the pressure during refilling would be too great.
The solution? Powerpaste.
A German team of researchers, led by Marcus Vogt, have come up with an interesting "powerpaste", which can store hydrogen energy at atmospheric pressure, ready for release when needed. It is so named because it comes in tubes and looks like toothpaste（牙膏）, not in its traditional form of gas.
The main ingredient（原料）of the paste is magnesium hydride, a substance that reacts with water to form hydrogen. The escaped hydrogen can then be directed into a fuel cell, where it reacts with oxygen from the air to produce electric power.
Refueling is very simple, as instead of going to a filling station, drivers and riders can simply replace an empty tube with a new one and refill the water tank.
Given that powerpaste only begins to break down at temperatures of around 250℃ it remains safe even when a vehicle stands in the baking sun for hours.
However, we will have to be patient. Just because researchers have succeeded in developing a new fueling way does not mean that we can expect to see such vehicles on the road anytime soon. It will indeed be several years before this concept is turned into reality.
8．As a fuel, what is the advantage of hydrogen over oil?
A．Refilling empty tanks will be more convenient.
B．It is less likely to worsen global warming
C．More energy can be packed in the same space.
D．It will produce pure water for people to drink.
9．What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
A．The practical difficulties to use hydrogen as fuel in small vehicles.
B．The detailed processes of adapting a strong tank in small vehicles.
C．The differences in fueling between large vehicles and small ones.
D．The tricks of building strong tanks in small vehicles.
10．The author mentions the refueling process to show that powerpaste is______________.
A．inexpensive B．powerful C．convenient D．environment-friendly
11．Why does the author call on the readers to be patient?
A．Powerpaste-driven vehicles sometimes move very slowly on the road.
B．Practical use of powerpaste-driven vehicles will not come very soon.
C．Powerpaste-driven vehicles can only work after being in the sun for hours
D．It will be years before the researchers work out the concept of powerpaste.
五、（安徽安庆市示范高中2021届高三4月联考）
Well, to pick up where we left off last time, I believe all of you know now how plastics developed. But a piece of sad news, every year about 8 million metric tons of plastic is thrown into our oceans. That's as much as a truckload of plastic waste every minute. As you may know, plastic waste chokes and hooks turtles and seabirds. Worse still, plastic pieces are often mistaken for food by marine (海洋的)animals. Tiny pieces of plastic are even blocking the stomachs of marine creatures and fish.
According to Plastic Oceans, packaging accounts for just over 40% of total plastic usage. Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. More than 1 million bags are used every minute. 14% of all litter comes from beverage containers (plastic bottles). Sadly, a plastic bag has an average “working life” of 15 minutes. Over the last 10 years we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century. Plastic takes 500 years to break down. Once it enters our environment, it stays there.
This is why it is important to stop using plastic items that we use for about 15 minutes before we dispose of it. Hopefully, we can help put an end to plastic pollution by choosing not to use single use plastic items, such as plastic bags and straws. And this July, people around the world will take a pledge(请愿)to live a plastic free life. You can either give up the top four ——straws, bottles, bags and coffee cups or you can refuse as much single use plastic as you can every day. Another way to help reduce the problem is to take part in beach clean-ups. On the first Saturday of every month Clean C, an initiative that gets volunteers to clean up our beaches, hosts beach clean-ups on beaches across Cape Town. You can find details of upcoming events on their website.
8．What was probably talked about last time?
A．The history of plastics. B．The creation of plastics.
C．When plastics was made. D．How plastics was created.
9．What can be inferred from the second paragraph?
A．Plastic packaging is still on the rise.
B．Plastic bottles are the most serious global problems.
C．Plastics can break down within centuries.
D．Single-used plastics contributes to ocean pollution.
10．The underlined phrase “dispose of” can be replaced by ________.
A．take control of B．go in for C．get rid of D．watch out for
11．What is the writing purpose of the text?
A．To appeal to factories to stop making plastics.
B．To call on people to refuse plastic pollution.
C．To organize activities to clean up the beaches.
D．To gather volunteers to protect the marine animals.
六、（江苏省淮安市2021届高三4月适应性联考）
Physical activity is important in preventing cardiovascular(心血管的) disease in young people so long as they don’t undertake very intense activity on days when air pollution levels are high, according to a recently released study.
Until now, little has been known about the relationships between the health benefits of physical activity taking place outdoors and the potentially harmful effects of air pollution. Previous research by the authors of the current study had investigated the question in middle-aged people at a single point in time, but this is the first time that it has been investigated in young adults aged between 20—30 years over a period of several years. In addition, the researchers wanted to see what happens when people increase or decrease their physical activity over time.
At each health check-up, the participants completed a questionnaire asking about their physical activity in the past seven days and this information was changed into units of metabolic equivalent task(MET, 代谢当量任务) minutes per week(MET-mins/week). The participants were divided into four groups: 0, 1—499, 500—999 and 1000 or more MET-mins/week. People are recommended to do 500—999 MET-mins/week and this can be achieved by; for example, running, cycling or hiking for 15—30 minutes five times a week, or brisk walking, doubles tennis or slow cycling for 30—60 minutes five times a week.
The researchers used data to calculate annual average levels of air pollution, in particular the levels of small particulate matter that are less than or equal to 10 or 2.5 microns in diameter, known a PM10 and PM25.
Overall, the results show that physical activity is associated with a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease among young adults. However, when air pollution levels are high, exercising beyond the recommended amount may offset or even reverse the beneficial effects. The study cannot show that air pollution causes the increased cardiovascular risk, only that it is associated with it.
12．What can we know from Paragraph 2?
A．Outdoor physical activity harms our health.
B．Exercising isn’t advised on serious air pollution days.
C．A first in-depth survey has been done on young adults.
D．Middle-aged people have been the ideal research target.
13．How do the results come out?
A．By doing research on young adults.
B．By collecting PM10 and PM2.5 data.
C．By making experiments on middle-aged people.
D．By studying a questionnaire on physical activity.
14．What do we know about the result?
A．Air pollution leads to cardiovascular disease.
B．Cardiovascular disease relates to air pollution.
C．More physical exercise benefits young people.
D．Young adults seldom develop cardiovascular disease.
15．What would be the best title for the passage?
A．Physical activity & air pollution: when to do more or less physical activity.
B．Physical activity & health benefit: how to prevent cardiovascular disease
C．Physical activity & air pollution: what to do with high air pollution levels
D．Physical activity & health benefit: how to maximize the health benefits of exercising
七、（辽宁省“决胜新高考�名校交流“2021届高三3月联考）
Men hunted. Women gathered. That has long been the common view of our prehistoric ancestors. But the discovery of a woman buried 9000 years ago in the Andes Mountains with weapons and hunting tools, and an analysis of other burial sites in the Americas challenges this widely accepted division of labor in hunter-gatherer society.
“Labor practices among recent hunter-gatherer societies are highly gendered, which might lead some to believe that sexist inequalities in things like pay or rank are somehow 'natural' , ”said lead study author Randy Haas, an assistant professor of anthropology (人类学) at University of California, Davis, in a news release. "But it's now clear that sexual division of labor was fundamentally different-likely more equal and reasonable-in our species deep hunter-gatherer past."
The burial site was discovered in 2018 during excavations (发掘) at a high-altitude site called Wilamaya Patjxa in what is now Peru. The woman, thought to be between 17 and 19 years old when she died, was buried with items that suggested she hunted big-game animals.
Although some scholars have suggested a role for women in ancient hunting, others have dismissed this idea even when hunting tools were uncovered in female burials. To examine whether this woman found at this site was an outlier, the researchers examined 429 skeletons (骷髅) at 107 burials sites in North and South America around 8000 to 14000 years ago. Of those, 27 individuals were buried with hunting tools—11 were female and 15 were male. The sample was sufficient to "support the conclusion that female participation in early big-game hunting was likely not unusual".
The findings add to doubts about man — the hunter assumption that informed much thinking about early humans since the mid-20th century. “They suggest hunting was very much a community-based activity, needing the participation of all able-bodied individuals to drive large animals”, the paper said. The weapon of choice at that time had low accuracy, encouraging broad participation, and using it was a skill learned from childhood.
8．What does the recent burial site at Andes Mountains show?
A．The origin of sexual inequality.
B．Hunting skills of ancient times.
C．The social system of prehistoric hunters.
D．Job division of hunter-gatherer society.
9．Which of the following might Randy Haas agree with?
A．Gender plays no part in recent hunter-gatherer society.
B．Sexist inequality is a natural result of prehistoric society.
C．Ancient division of labor might be fairer than we'd thought.
D．Public ideas of women's role will be changed abruptly.
10．What does the underlined word "outlier" in Paragraph 4 mean?
A．Exception. B．Failure.
C．Role model. D．Easy target.
11．What might make prehistoric hunting a community-based activity?
A．Lack of able-bodied individuals.
B．Imperfection in hunting weapons.
C．Better accuracy of females in hunting.
D．Need for large animals as food source.
八、（江苏省高考基地学校2021届高三第二次大联考）
A living robot has been created out of frog skin cells. Xenobots, named after the frog species Xenopus laevis that the cells come from, were first described last year. Now the team behind the robots has improved their design and demonstrated new capabilities.
To create the xenobots, Michael Levin at Tufts University in Massachusetts and his colleagues obtained tissue from 24-hour-old frog embryos after very small physical operation. Where the previous version relied on the contraction of heart muscle cells to move them forward by pushing off surfaces, these new xenobots swim around faster. They also live between three and seven days longer than their previous generation, which only lasted about seven days, and have the ability to sense their surroundings to some extent, turning red when exposed to blue light.
“The fundamental finding here is that when you free skin cells from their normal context, and you give them a chance to build other things than what they normally build,” says Levin. “To me, one of the most exciting things here is that they are plastic. This idea that even normal cells, not genetically modified, are in fact capable of building something completely different.”
Because they are created from cells, the xenobots eventually break apart and are totally biodegradable, says team member Douglas Blackiston, also at Tufts University. He therefore hopes that they can be used for biomedical and environmental applications.
Previous attempts at creating living robots, such as a wirelessly controlled cockroach, have involved dealing with live animals, raising ethical concerns. Xenobots differ from these because they are made entirely of living cells. “The approach here is maybe ethically the least problematic because everything starts with cells. They have no neurons, so it's not an animal,” says Auke ljspeert at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne, who wasn't involved in the research. “It's really cells, so I find it maybe the cleanest way."
12．How were the new xenobots created?
A．By making use of frog embryos. B．By relying on heart muscle cells.
C．By sensing similar surroundings. D．By exposing them to blue light.
13．Which has the similar meaning to the underlined word “plastic” in Paragraph 3?
A．Fragile. B．Stable. C．Flexible. D．Active.
14．What can be inferred from Douglas Blackiston's words?
A．The xenobots can't break down easily. B．The xenobots need to be further perfected.
C．The xenobots can be applied in other fields. D．The xenobots have already been widely used.
15．What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A．The new approach starts with some neurons.
B．Xenobots have raised least ethical concerns.
C．The wireless controlled cockroach is a failure.
D．Previous living robots involve few living animals.
九、（江苏省2021届高三4月第三次百校联考）
Forests in countries like Brazil and the Congo get a lot of attention from environmentalists, and it is easy to see why South America and sub-Saharan Africa are experiencing a loss of forest on a large scale: every year almost 5 million hectares （公顷） are lost. But forests are also changing in rich Western countries. They are growing larger, both in the sense that they occupy more and that the trees in them and bigger. What is going on?
Forests are spreading in almost all Western countries, with fastest growth in places that historically had rather few trees. In 1990 28% of Spain was forests; now the proportion is 37%. In both Greece and Italy, the growth was from 26% to 32% over the same period. Forests are gradually taking more and in America and Australia. Perhaps most astonishing is the trend in Ireland. Roughly 1% of that country was forested when it became independent in 1922. Forests cover 11% of the land, and the government wants to push the proportion to 18% by the 2040s.
Two things are fertilizing this growth. The first is the abandonment of farmland,especially in high, dry places where nothing grows terribly well. When farmers give up trying to earn a living from farming or herding trees simply move in. The second is government policy and subsidy（补贴）. Throughout history,governments have protected and promoted forests for diverse reasons, ranging from the need for wooden warships to a desire to promote suburban house-building. Nowadays forests are increasingly welcome because they suck in carbon pollution from the air. The justification change; desire for more trees remains constant.
The greening of the West does not delight everyone. Farmers complain that land is being taken out of use by generously subsidized tree plantations. Parts of Spain and Portugal suffer from terrible forest fires. Others simply dislike the appearance of forests planted in neat rows. They will have to get used to the trees, however. The growth of Western forests seems almost as unstoppable as deforestation elsewhere.
8．What is catching environmentalist's attention nowadays?
A．Rich countries are robbing poor ones of their resources.
B．Forests are fast shrinking in many developing countries.
C．Forests are eating away the fertile farmland worldwide.
D．Rich countries are doing little to address deforestation.
9．Which countries have the fastest forest growth?
A．Those that have newly achieved independence.
B．Those that have the greatest demand for timber.
C．Those that used to have the lowest forest coverage.
D．Those that provide enormous government subsidies.
10．What account for our increasing desire for forests?
A．Their unique scenic beauty.
B．Their use as fruit plantation.
C．Their capability of improving air quality.
D．Their stable supply of building materials.
11．What does the author conclude about the future of forestation?
A．Deserts in sub-Saharan Africa will decrease gradually.
B．It will play a more and more important role in people's lives.
C．Forests destruction in the developing world will quickly slow down.
D．Developed and developing countries are moving in opposite direction.
十、（浙江省金华十校2021届高三4月模拟考试）
Earthworms don’t move fast. But humans can accelerate the worms’ spread. Fishermen often use invasive(蔓延性的) earthworms to catch fish. Many have introduced invasive earthworms to rivers, streams and lakes previously unexposed to these animals. Gardeners who use earthworms to make their soil rich may unknowingly introduce invasive ones. The worms even give rides in the mud on wheels, potted plants and road materials shipped around the nation.
But they’re not everywhere yet. In the Great Lakes region, “20 percent of the land is earthworm-free,” says Cindy Hale, a research biologist. Of the remaining 80 percent of land, half of the land has fewer than two earthworm species-meaning there isn’t yet too much impact on the ecosystem, she explains. For these regions, she says, now is the time to take action. According to Hale, educating the public, especially fishermen, is one approach to stopping the spread of invasive earthworms. Identifying which lands are currently earthworm-free is another.
Ryan Huefimeier, a program coordinator for Great Lakes Wom Watch, has been working on a model that will help create large maps of areas with minimal(最小的) or no damage from earthworms. Ultimately, landowners can use it to identify earthworm activity on their property. once identified, lands with minimal or no earthworm damage should be protected.
But scientists suspect that once invasive earthworms arrive they can’t be removed. And even if all could be, affected forests might never return to the way they were. “It’s very much a story of learning to live with them,” concludes Lee Frelich of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Forest Ecology.
Forest ecologists have called earthworms “ecosystem engineers” because they can change or create habitats that otherwise would not be present. Whether this is a good thing depends on the situation.
“What the earthworms do and how we value it is what really matters.” said Hale. “In one place-farm fields or gardens-we really like European earthworms and what they do, so we consider them good. In native hardwood forests, we really don’t like what they do-so we consider them bad. You really have to understand how an organism(微生物) affects an ecosystem. Things aren’t black and white.”
12．Why are fishermen and gardeners mentioned in the first paragraph?
A．To attract more people to fishing and gardening.
B．To introduce different uses of invasive earthworms.
C．To stress the importance of invasive earthworms to humans.
D．To show humans’ effect on the spread of invasive earthworms.
13．What is Hale’s advice on protecting the Great Lakes region from invasive earthworms?
A．Finding out areas free of earthworms.
B．Extending a ban on the fishing industry.
C．Making maps of areas with most earthworms.
D．Informing the public of different earthworm species.
14．What is Hale’s attitude towards invasive earthworms?
A．Objective. B．Positive.
C．Ambiguous. D．Doubtful.
15．Where is the text probably from?
A．A biology textbook. B．An official report.
C．A science magazine. D．A research paper.
十一、(山东省济南市十一校2021届高三下学期4月（联考）阶段性检测)
After Scott Kelly spent a year in space, his genetic expression changed, according to a NASA study that compared the bodily changes between the astronaut and his identical twin, who stayed on Earth while Kelly was aboard the International Space Station. About 7 percent of Kelly’s gene activity has yet to “return to normal” — almost two years after his yearlong spaceflight mission came to an end. Kelly has since retired from NASA．
The Twins Study，as it’s been called，looked at what happened to Kelly — both physiologically and psychologically :— before，during and after his trip in space，and then compared that data to Kelly’s twin brother，Mark Kelly，also a retired NASA astronaut.
Unlike his brother who spent months at a time in space，Mark’s missions were on the shorter side. His last — and longest — mission，which took place in 2011，lasted 15 days.
“By measuring large numbers of the brother’s metabolites，cytokines (代谢物、细胞活素）and proteins，researchers learned that spaceflight is associated with oxygen deprivation (匮乏）stress， increased inflammation (炎症），and nutrient changes that affect gene expression，” NASA said.
Although most of the biological changes Kelly experienced in space disappeared in the hours and days (and in some cases? weeks) after his return to Earthy, NASA said some changes appear to have continued. While 93 percent of his genetic expression has returned to normal, several hundred “space genes” still have changed activity levels，the data suggests， which, NASA said, could indicate “longer-term changes” in genetic expression caused by the stresses of spaceflight.
NASA said the research could provide important knowledge of the effects of long-term spaceflight on the human body, and that it will influence its planning for a mission to Mars, which would see astronauts spending some three years in space.
Reacting to the news of the study results, Kelly expressed amazement at his body’s changes， and also used the opportunity to make fun of his brother. “This could be good news,” he joked on Twitter. “I no longer have to call Mark my identical twin brother anymore.”
8．What can be learnt about Mark Kelly?
A．He’s still working for NASA．
B．He has only been to space once.
C．He hasn’t gone on a spaceflight mission yet.
D．He never stayed in space for a whole month.
9．What does NASA’s research show about genetic expression changes?
A．They’re dangerous to astronaunts.
B．Most of them won’t last very long.
C．They’re mainly caused by psychological stress.
D．Some can occur during short-term spaceflight.
10．What can we know about the Twins Study?
A．It involved many twin participants.
B．It ended soon after Scott Kelly’s last spaceflight.
C．It only studied Scott Kelly’s physical changes.
D．It will be valuable to NASA’s Mars mission.
11．What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A．Mark Kelly will lose his twin brother soon.
B．Scott Kelly always looks on the bright side.
C．Scott Kelly doesn’t like his twin brother.
D．Scott Kelly seems to have a sense of humor.
十二、(四川省成都市2021届（2018级）高中毕业班第二次诊断性检测)
A robot with a sense of touch may one day feel “pain”, both its own physical pain and sympathy for the pain of its human companions. Such touchy-feely robots are still far off, but advances in robotic touch-sensing are bringing that possibility closer to reality.
Sensors set in soft, artificial skin that can detect both a gentle touch and a painful strike have been hooked up to a robot that can then signal emotions, Asada reported February 15 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This artificial “pain nervous system,” as Asada calls it, may be a small building block for a machine that could ultimately experience pain. Such a feeling might also allow a robot to “sympathize” with a human companion’s suffering.
Asada, an engineer at Osaka University, and his colleagues have designed touch sensors that reliably pick up a range of touches. In a robot system named Affetto, a realistic looking child’s head, these touch and pain signals can be converted to emotional facial expressions.
A touch-sensitive, soft material, as opposed to a rigid metal surface, allows richer interactions between a machine and the world, says neuroscientist Kingson Man of the University of Southern California. Artificial skin “allows the possibility of engagement in truly intelligent ways”.
Such a system, Asada says, might ultimately lead to robots that can recognize the pain of others, a valuable skill for robots designed to help care for people in need, the elderly, for instance.
But there is an important distinction between a robot that responds in a predictable way to a painful strike and a robot that’s able to compute an internal feeling accurately, says Damasio, a neuroscientist also at the University of Southern California. A robot with sensors that can detect touch and pain is “along the lines of having a robot, for example, that smiles when you talk to it,” Damasio says. ‘It’s a device for communication of the machine to a human.” While that’s an interesting development, “it’s not the same thing” as a robot designed to compute some sort of internal experience, he says.
12．What do we know about the “pain nervous system”?
A．It is named Affetto by scientists. B．It is a set of complicated sensors.
C．It is able to signal different emotions. D．It combines sensors and artificial skin.
13．What does the underlined word “converted” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A．Delivered. B．Translated. C．Attached. D．Adapted.
14．What does Damasio consider as an interesting development?
A．Robots can smile when talked to.
B．Robots can talk to human beings.
C．Robots can compute internal feelings
D．Robots can detect pains and respond accordingly.
15．What can be the best title of the text?
A．Machines Become Emotional B．Robots Inch to Feeling Pain
C．Human Feelings Can Be Felt D．New Devices Touch Your Heart
议论文
一、（2021·广西柳州市·高三三模）
Tommy, a 26-year-old chimp(猩猩),lives in a small cage in a used truck sales lot in New York. Retired from movie work and whatever else once occupied him, he has no chimp friends to keep him company — just a TV. He is worlds away from the rainforest of Western Africa, where chimps spend most of their lives in trees, hunting, and socializing together.
His owner hasn't broken any laws, but an animal rights group called the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP) is trying to change the view. The group says chimps have such a humanlike intelligence that they should be recognized as “legal persons" and be placed in an animal shelter and wander free.
You've probably heard the term “animal rights”, but animals don't actually have rights in many countries. Animal-welfare laws punish people who mistreat animals, but that's not the same as chimps having a right to liberty or anything else.
NhRP's first step is to ask a judge to end people's unjust arrest on behalf of Tommy and other privately owned chimps. If the court decides to recognize chimps as legal persons, NhRP's next step will be arguing for what rights the chimps should be granted. "The right that we believe they should have most of all is the right to bodily liberty," says Wise, a NhRP group member. "They should be able to choose how to live their lives.”
Tommy's owner, Pat Lavery, says he rescued Tommy from a careless owner about a decade ago and denies the chimp is mistreated or unhappy. "He likes being by himself," he says.
“There's a danger in making a jump to say they're just like people," says Richard Cupp, a professor who writes about animals and the law. "If we' re really focused on chimps being very, very smart, then who knows if maybe someday we might …say, ‘Hey, here's a particular human being that's not very smart at all, maybe the chimps have higher status than this person.’”
1．What can we know about Tommy?
A．He is living a very lonely life.
B．He dislikes living in the rainforest.
C．He likes watching movies very much,
D．He was illegally bought by Pat Lavery.
2．What can we infer from the text?
A．Great progress has been made on improving animal rights.
B．Pat Lavery is thought to mistreat Tommy by NhRP.
C．Animal rights are going from bad to worse.
D．Animal rights have been admitted in western countries.
3．What's the final goal NhRP wants to achieve?
A．To ensure chimps' bodily safety. B．To stop illegal hunting of chimps.
C．To help chimps find their families. D．To help chimps enjoy their freedom.
4．What's Richard Cupp's attitude towards NhRP's efforts to win rights for chimps?
A．Hopeful, B．Uncaring.
C．Worried. D．Supportive.
二、（2021·咸阳市教育教学研究室高三三模）
For much of human history and in many places, girls were considered property, or required to obey their fathers until the day they had to start obeying their husbands. In most of the world that vision of girlhood now seems not merely old-fashioned but unimaginably remote. In field after field girls have caught up with boys. Globally, young women now outnumber (数量超过) young men at university. Girl babies are more wanted than ever before. Even in places, such as China, where the sex-selective abortion of girls has been common, it is becoming less so. Girls are also less likely to be married off in childhood. In 1995 almost six in ten girls in South Asia were married before reaching 18; that has fallen by half.
When societies handle girlhood well, the knock-on effects are astonishing. A girl who finishes secondary school is less likely to become a child bride or a teenage mother. Education boosts earning power and widens choices, so she is less likely to be poor or to suffer domestic abuse. She will have fewer children, and invest more in them. They will be less likely to die in babyhood, or to grow up stunted physically or mentally. She will read to them more and help them with their homework. All this means they will learn more, and earn more as adults. A recent study estimated that, if 100% of their girls completing secondary school is ensured, it could lead to a lasting boost to GDP.
Despite the benefits of nurturing girls, some countries have still failed to grasp them. Only one girl in three south of the Sahara finishes her secondary education. The COVID-19 pandemic could disturb progress for girls in poor countries, or even reverse it. When Ebola forced west African schools to close in 2014, many girls dropped out, never went back and ended up pregnant or as child laborers. UNICEF warns that something similar could happen with COVID-19—but on a larger scale.
1．What's the main idea of the first paragraph?
A．Girls suffer a lot in human history.
B．Girls' situation has improved a lot globally.
C．Girl babies are more welcomed than ever before.
D．Girls do much better than boys in many fields.
2．What can we infer from the passage?
A．There are more young women than young men at university in China.
B．A girl who completes secondary school will have more children.
C．Children of the girls with schooling may end up earning more as adults.
D．Economy of countries is largely determined by the education level of girls.
3．What does the underlined word “stunted” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A．Healthy. B．Confident. C．Underdeveloped. D．Unstable.
4．Why is Ebola mentioned in the last paragraph?
A．To prove COVID-19 is more serious than Ebola.
B．To warn that girls may suffer a lot in COVID-19.
C．To appeal to all to pay attention to the poor countries.
D．To stress the importance of controlling the disasters.
三、（江苏省南京师范大学附属中学2021届高三下期第二次月考）
We lead very busy lives and we too easily forget how hard it was for us to focus on homework when we were in school. Now that we have jobs to do, food to buy and cook and other errands(差事) to run, even I sometimes think it would be a welcome change to have to sit down and quietly read and write with no distractions. But, in case you don’t remember - homework is pretty much every child’s least favorite thing to do. In the age of Netflix, Snapchat and wifi, the distractions are almost endless. It can sometimes almost be too hard to even keep up with all the new tech advances our kids are using, so how can we make sure that those advances take a back seat to our children’s education? Here are some ideas.
There’s no point in stopping the reality that young people are going to focus on their phones and tablets instead of other things at times. Your best way is to accept, actually the tech sector continues to be the most profitable and fast-growing industries and that’s unlikely to change fast. There are ways to use technology to help your kid do homework. Ask your teacher and school staff what apps and websites they’re using to teach lessons and supplements(补充) them with at-home activities as well.
Even though technology has changed, the basics haven’t. If you want to read, write and think properly, you need to have peace and quiet and the ability to focus, right? Well, your kids are just the same.Try and find a space in your home to enable your kids to do work away from televisions, the Internet or other distractions. Let me be clear: this shouldn’t be a prison.I feel like I’m my most productive working alone in an office or at a busy cafe with my headphones on. Getting lost in other realities helps my creativity grow. Placing kids in isolation(独处) can often have a harmful effect and doesn’t always equal being more productive.
I feel like “getting engaged( 参 与 )” is always a big part of my advice for parents on just about everything. How can you make sure your children are being successful if you have no idea what they’re doing? How can you be sure they’re doing it right if you don’t know what is the correct answer? What do they need? You should be in touch with their teachers, have a sense of where the lessons are going, what kinds of tasks are being given and what success looks like in the classroom.
Knowing all of that is key to your child’s success, especially when matched with some encouraging praise and helpful tips on how he can keep going. Thinking about how your child is best motivated(激励) by other things and using those methods here reasonably isn’t a bad idea.
And if by chance you’re having trouble solving that Math problems or understanding a sentence, don’t fear – you’re not alone. Use the school staff, other parents or friends as your support. Better to seek help than do nothing.
We all know that homework isn’t exactly the most entertaining way anyone spends their time. And sometimes we can’t help but feel that since we left school, we’re done with homework forever. But the circle of life plays out in all times and it’s up to us to make sure that we pass on the lessons we’ve picked up and that while homework might seem dull, it’s how we build skills, learn real lessons and get on the road to greatness. That greatness is on the inside, it’s up to us as adults to enable the young people to bring it out. The key to achieving greatness is to take a lifelong learning.
4．What is the author’s attitude towards new tech?
A．It affects parents’ everyday life.
B．It should be kept out of children’s reach.
C．It can benefit student’s education.
D．It makes homework easier.
5．Which of the following ideas might the author agree with?
A．Homework should be made entertaining.
B．Parents should know what motivates their children best.
C．Students should do their homework independently.
D．School staff should help parents on new tech.
6．While parents engaged in their children’s homework, they________.
A．must be better at all the lessons
B．needn’t make sure that their children are being successful
C．can teach their children by themselves
D．should know as much as possible about it
7．What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A．Children should achieve greatness on their own.
B．Parents and their children should learn from each other.
C．Children can hardly succeed without parents’ efforts.
D．Parents can only obtain skills by helping their children.
四、（浙江新东方370）
The Impossible Burger is entirely free of meat. But it looks, smells, feels and-most importantly-tastes so much like real hamburger beef. In fact, plant-based burger alternatives have set off a strong resistance from the beef industry. The Center for Consumer Freedom, a nonprofit that advocates on behalf of the fast food and meat industries has launched an "informational" campaign targeting plant-based meats. The campaign has included TV and online ads, as well as print ads in newspapers. The ads seem to imply that not only is an artificial burger too processed, but that it might be even less healthy than the average beef burger.
While it's true that a plant-based meat alternative is processed and it's true that eating one is not as healthy as a pile of raw vegetables, it's best to take the ads with a generous pinch of salt.
For instance, the additives and preservatives in plant-based meat highlighted in one ad sure sound scary. Who wants something called titanium dioxide(二氧化钛)in their meal? But the truth is that additives such as those listed in the ads are regularly used in all sorts of packaged foods. And if methylcellulose, a food thickener, sounds unpleasant, it's really nothing compared with salmonella(沙门菌)poisoning you can get from regular meat.
Also, the ad campaign misses the bigger point. Choosing an Impossible or Beyond burger isn't just about healthy eating Burgers, whether they are made from processed pea protein or processed meat, will never be as healthy as organic raw vegetables.
What's appealing is the prospect or enjoying a juicy burger without the bitter aftertaste of guilt.
Let's face it, there are huge environmental costs to eating cows. Cattle raising is contributing to climate. change, and not just because methane(甲烷)from cows and cattle is responsible for about 14.5% of greenhouse gas. More broadly, our global food production system releases more than a third of the world's greenhouse gases. Yet we can't seem to control our meat appetite even knowing that large areas of the Amazon forest have been ruined, and continue to be cut down to make room for more cattle to feed the growing demand for beef. Humans also know full well that many animals live short, cruel lives in awful conditions for the purpose of becoming foods for humans to enjoy at dinner.
A plant-based meat that satisfies meat desires and delivers protein but with a smaller climate footprint is a potential environmental game changer and the reason Impossible Foods was one of those receiving the UN, Global Climate Action Award in 2019. No wonder the meat industry is on guard.
12．What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?
A．These ads deserve little consideration.
B．We should spread the message of these ads.
C．These ads tell people a lot about plant-based burgers.
D．We'd better be cautious when reading these ads
13．What do we know about additives and preservatives in plant-based burgers?
A．Their use is within the normal range.
B．They are likely to cause poisoning.
C．They are used to ensure burgers taste good
D．Some have not been used in hamburgers.
14．What is the author's attitude/towards plant-based burgers?
A．Doubtful B．Supportive C．Disapproving. D．Neutral
15．Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage?
I: Introduction P: Point Sp: Sub-point(次要点) C: Conclusion
A． B．
C． D．
五、（2020·江西宜春市·上高二中高二月考）
Comedy and Psychology
Earlier this year I did a part-time comedy course. The class was taught by Ryan, a professional comedian.I had performed a show, which wasn’t originally meant to be a comedy. However, the audience laughed at my first joke, then continued to laugh throughout the routines that were meant to be serious. So it was the audience who told me I was funny, but I didn’ t understand why or how to control the comic (滑稽的) moments. So, I joined the course to learn.
“Turn off your editor that makes you say the right thing and remember how to be a child,” explained Ryan. “Don’t try to be clever. Don’t try too hard to be funny…and knowing all about the theory of humor is unlikely to help you much. Just behave in a silly way. That’s what people want to see on stage.”Ryan would help us loosen up by saying things like, “Wander around talking to others, but make sure that you’re the lowest status person here.”
I’ d say that understanding the psychology of humor has actually helped. Recently I came across the book Inside Jokes: Using Humor to Reverse-Engineer the Mind. Its main idea is that any self-directed intelligent system will need to correct its own fault. There’s a risk that the occasional error will be made. If this was boring or burdensome, we’d be less willing to do it. However, evolution has made the process fun.
Here’s a joke in the book: Two fish are in a tank. One says to the other, “Do you know how to drive this thing?” It works on the principle that we have started to imagine one thing—that the tank is the typical container people keep fish in—and, just in time, the following words tell us that our first assumption was wrong—it’s a heavy vehicle. For correctly figuring out the error, we are rewarded with a pleasurable feeling. The joke is an efficient way of encouraging this natural reaction, and comedians have become experts in slightly touching this mental funny-bone in order to make us laugh.
Ryan was right when he said that knowing the theory of humor wouldn’t help us that much as a comedy.During one exercise in the course, four of us were told to perform an opera. Susan and Caroline sang earnestly on either side of the stage, and I brought Henry to the floor, where we wrestled (摔跤) each other like out-of-control teenagers. The rest of the group was in uncontrollable fits of laughter. As a performer, I’ ll never appreciate just why it seemed so funny. But the point is that I would never have written this on the paper. It was a joyous, found moment.
5．Why did the author attend the comedy course?
A．He wanted to see how the theories worked in practice.
B．He discovered he had some natural ability in comedy.
C．He worried about how other performers would find him.
D．He got unpleasant experiences when performing a comedy.
6．Ryan required the people on the comedy course to______.
A．copy their favorite performance
B．imagine other people’ s reactions
C．help themselves feel comfortable
D．behave in a more playful manner
7．What is the purpose of the joke mentioned in Paragraph 4?
A．To discuss what humor brings about exactly.
B．To give an example of another kind of humor.
C．To prove the point about psychology of humor.
D．To show why some people are funnier than others.
8．What view does the author put forward in the end?
A．Visual humor is what appeals to people most.
B．What people find funny is often unpredictable.
C．Theories explaining humor tend to be mistaken.
D．Learning comic skills proves to be a difficult task.