2021届高考英语通用版一轮复习考点专讲：考点43阅读理解词义猜测题学案

考点43 阅读理解词义猜测题
高考频度：★★★★★

历年来高考试题中的生词量有增无减。《教学大纲》要求学生“读懂生词率不超过3%的传记、故事、记叙文、科普小品文和有关社会文史知识等不同题材的材料。”在英语阅读训练和测试中的生词障碍往往会成为学生理解的“绊脚石”，这些“绊脚石”的出现大致分五类：1．旧词新义，考查词汇表中未出现的词义；如：Nearby is the Indianapolis race course, where the nation’s most famous car race is held each year on May 30th.我们学过 course的意思是“过程，课程”等，在此显然不符句意。根据上下文 course是汽车赛举行的地方，可推断 course在该句是“车道”或“跑道”的意思。2．合成词、转化词与派生词，如shoplifting，heartbroken，computer-literate，decision-thinking，imperfect等；3．“灵活”的常用词增多，这些词必须根据具体的上下文语境才能正确理解；4．“新鲜”的外国人名、地名、专有名称增多，这些词有些带有一定的文化背景5．超纲生词。
有的学生在阅读训练和测试中存在着“生词恐惧心理”，一遇到生词就有读不下去的感觉。那么阅读理解时遇到大量生词该怎么办? 查词典当然是排除词义障碍的一种方法，当然这只有在平常的阅读训练中才可以使用。但是，频繁的查阅词典既影响阅读速度，又容易破坏学生阅读的思路和兴趣。况且，一词多义是英语词汇的主要特点，词典不一定能为学生提供单词在特定的上下文中的具体或确切的含义。平时的练习中遇到生词不要马上查词典，可以通过一定的方法来猜测理解。猜测词义不仅是一项阅读技巧，也是高考阅读能力考查的一个方面，每年在高考阅读中都有猜测词义的试题。掌握正确方法快速而又准确地猜测出生词的含义，对提高阅读速度和答题效率相当重要。
该类题常见的考查形式有：
1. The phrase “…”in the sentence could be replaced by ____.
2. The word “…” in the paragraph refers to ____.
3. What is the meaning of the underlined word in the paragraph? / What does the unlined word mean?
4. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the phrase “…”?
5. The word “…” most nearly means ____.
对此类试题，考生应该进行大胆猜测，但这种猜测不是胡乱的，盲目的，而是有一定的方法和技巧。下面介绍几种常见的猜测词义的方法供同学们加以运用。
1．构词法猜词
阅读中常常会遇到一些由熟悉的单词派生或合成的新词。掌握构词法对猜测词义很有帮助。如：unforeseeable.这个词，可以根据构词法把它拆成un, fore, see , able；其中 see 是词根，fore是“先，前，预”的含义，un是否定，able是“能……的，可……的”，因此unforeseeable是“未能预见到的”意思。

…Baker concludes that people do not have the ability to sense when they’re being stared at. If people doubt the outcome of his two experiments, said Baker, “I suggest they repeat the experiments and see for themselves.” …
70. The underlined word “outcome” in the last paragraph most probably means .
A. value B. result
C. performance D. connection
【答案】B
【解析】运用“构词法”进行猜测。动词词组come out 的意义为“露出、出现、显露出”。再根据句子的语境，可猜测出其意义是：(实验的)结果。
2．利用同义近义词猜词
在生词所出现的上下文中，有时会出现与之同义或近义的词语或结构，这时可从熟悉的词语中推知生词的含义。统称在词或短语之间有并列连词and或or，这些词语或短语在句中作相同的成分，并且and或or连接的两项内容在含义上是接近的或递进的，由此确定同等关系中的某个生词所属的义域，甚至推出它的大致词义。

…Fermat’s Last Theorem（定理）, first put forward by the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat in the seventeenth century, the theorem had baffled and beaten the finest mathematical minds, including a French woman scientists who made a major advance in working out the problem, and who had to dress like a man in order to be able to study at the Ecole Polytechnique. …
65. Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “baffle” as it is used in the text?
A. To encourage people to raise questions.
B. To cause difficulty in understanding.
C. To provide a person with an explanation.
D. To limit people’s imagination.
【答案】B
【解析】由句中不难看出Fermat的定理使得最具有数学头脑的科学家绞尽脑汁（beat），并且在句中beaten和baffled处于同等的并列关系，根据这一信息可以推出baffle表示“使困惑、难倒、难以理解”的意思。
3．利用反义词猜词
对比是描述，说明事物的常用方式。在对比中，对比的事物是互为相反的，因此根据反义或对比关系可从已知推出未知。利用反义词来说明生词的意义，如反义词hot and cold, perfect and imperfect，甚至前、后句为肯定与否定或是与不是等，在句内词与词之间，在段内句与句之间的关系上起着互为线索的作用。

…A child’s birthday party doesn’t have to be a hassle ; it can be a basket of fun, according to Beth Anaclerio, an Evaston mother of two, ages 4 and 18 months. …
74.What does the underlined word “hassle” probably mean?
A. A party designed by specialists.
B. A plan requiring careful thought.
C. A situation causing difficulty or trouble.
D. A demand made by guests.
【答案】C
【解析】根据前句的否定doesn’t与后句的肯定can be这一对比关系，可以判断出，为了庆祝孩子的生日，又不至于麻烦，可以买一个生日开心包。Hassle的意思应该与fun相反，而与difficulty, trouble相近。答案为C。
4．利用上下文语境猜词
任何一篇文章中的句子在内容上都不是绝对孤立的，都跟句子所在的段落及整整篇文章有关。利用上下文提供的情景和线索，进行合乎逻辑的综合分析进而推测词义，是阅读过程中的一大关键，这也是近年来高考考查的热点。

【2019·天津卷，D】
Would you BET on the future of this man？He is 53 years old. Most of his adult life has been a losing struggle against debt and misfortune. A war injury has made his left hand stop functioning，and he has often been in prison. Driven by heaven-knows-what motives，he determines to write a book.
The book turns out to be one that has appealed to the world for more than 350 years. That former prisoner was Cervantes，and the book was Don Quixote（《堂吉诃德》）. And the story poses an interesting question: why do some people discover new vitality and creativity to the end of their days，while others go to seed long before？
We've all known people who run out of steam before they reach life's halfway mark. I'm not talking about those who fail to get to the top. We can't all get there. I'm talking about people who have stopped learning on growing because they have adopted the fixed attitudes and opinions that all too often come with passing years.
……
52. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 3 probably mean？
A. End one's struggle for liberty.
B. Waste one's energy taking risks.
C. Miss the opportunity to succeed.
D. Lose the interest to continue learning.
【语篇解读】本文属于议论文，讲述要成功，就需要不断的学习，这样的生活才会有意义。
52.D
【解析】词义猜测题。根据第三段I’m talking about people who have stopped learning on growing because they have adopted the fixed attitudes and opinions that all too often come with passing years.故可知，作者谈论的不是那些没有到达巅峰的人，而是谈论那些不再学习成长的人，故可知run out of steam可知，停止学习，故选D。
5．利用定义和解释猜词
有些文章，特别是科技文章，通常会对一些关键词给予定义，我们可以利用定义来猜测这些词的意思。释义法就是根据文章中的字里行间，对生词以定语（从句）、表语甚至用逗号、破折号等标点符号引出并加以解释说明的方式。

“Organic produce is always better, ” Gold said. “The food is free of pesticides (农药), and you are generally supporting family farms instead of large farms. And more often than not it is locally (本地)grown and seasonal, so it is more tasty.” Gold is one of a growing number of shoppers buying into the organic trend, and supermarkets across Britain are counting on more like him as they grow their organic food business.
62. What is the meaning of “the organic trend” as the words are used in the text?
A. Growing interest in organic food.
B. Better quality of organic food.
C. Rising market for organic food.
D. Higher prices of organic food.
【答案】A
【解析】由Gold is one of a growing number of shoppers buying something可以推断出，越来越多的顾客像Gold一样开始购买有机食物，其实也就是对这类食物产生了越来越浓厚的兴趣。答案为A。
6．根据语义转折猜词
有时文章的作者为了增强表达效果，会用一些含有表示意思转折的连词，副词或短语。如：though, although, still, but, yet, instead, instead of, however, while, on the contrary, on the other hand, unlike, rather than, for one thing, for another等，我们可以根据转折意思猜测词义。

…However obvious these facts may appear at first glance, they are actually not so obvious as they seem except when we take special pains to think about the subject.
…
71. In Paragraph 3, “take special pains” probably means “_____”.
A. try very hard B. take our time
C. are very unhappy D. feel especially painful
【答案析】A
【解析】由However从句当中的at first glance（乍一眼看上去），与下文中的take special pains进行对比，既然不是一眼就看出那么简单，那么自然要费力去想了。由此可以推断出A项为最佳选项。
7．利用经验和常识猜词

…“I was on the way to a personal-injury accident in West Nashville. As I got onto Highway 40, blue lights and sirens(警笛) going, I fell in behind a gold Pontiac Firebird that suddenly seemed to take off quickly down the highway. The driver somehow panicked at the sight of me. He was going more than a hundred miles an hour and began passing cars on the shoulder.”
63. The meaning of “panicked” in Paragraph 2 is related to ___________ .
A. shame B. hate C. anger D. fear
【答案】D
【解析】根据本段内容描述，可以知道panicked 意思是“惊慌”，相当于fear。


题组一（2019年高考真题）
Passage1(2019·新课标卷II，B)
“You can use me as a last resort(选择), and if nobody else volunteers，then I will do it.” This was an actual reply from a parent after I put out a request for volunteers for my kids lacrosse(长曲棍球)club.
I guess that there's probably some demanding work schedule, or social anxiety around stepping up to help for an unknown sport. She may just need a little persuading. So I try again and tug at the heartstrings. I mention the single parent with four kids running the show and I talk about the dad coaching a team that his kids aren’t even on … At this point the unwilling parent speaks up,“Alright. Yes, I’ll do it.”
I’m secretly relieved because I know there’s real power in sharing volunteer responsibilities among many. The unwilling parent organizes the meal schedule, sends out emails, and collects money for end-of-season gifts. Somewhere along the way, the same parent ends up becoming an invaluable member of the team. The coach is able to focus on the kids while the other parents are relieved to be off the hook for another season. Handing out sliced oranges to bloodthirsty kids can be as exciting as watching your own kid score a goal.
Still, most of us volunteers breathe a sigh of relief when the season comes to a close. That relief is coupled with a deep understanding of why the same people keep coming back for more: Connecting to the community(社区)as you freely give your time, money, skills, or services provides a real joy. Volunteering just feels so good.
In that sense, I’m pretty sure volunteering is more of a selfish act than I’d freely like to admit. However, if others benefit in the process, and I get some reward too, does it really matter where my motivation lies?
24. What can we infer about the parent from her reply in paragraph l？
A. She knows little about the club.
B. She isn't good at sports.
C. She just doesn't want to volunteer.
D. She's unable to meet her schedule.
25. What does the underlined phrase“tug at the heartstrings”in paragraph 2 mean ?
A. Encourage team work.
B. Appeal to feeling.
C. Promote good deeds.
D. Provide advice.
26. What can we learn about the parent from paragraph 3?
A. She gets interested in lacrosse.
B. She is proud of her kids.
C. She’ll work for another season.
D. She becomes a good helper.
27. Why does the author like doing volunteer work?
A. It gives her a sense of duty.
B. It makes her very happy.
C. It enables her to work hard.
D. It brings her material rewards.
Passage2(2019·北京卷，B)
Alice Moore is a teenager entrepreneur(创业者), who in May 2015 set up her business AilieCandy. By the time she was 13，her company was worth millions of dollars with the invention of a super-sweet treat that could save kids' teeth，instead of destroying them.
It all began when Moore visited a bank with her dad. On the outing, she was offered a candy bar. However, her dad reminded her that sugary treats were bad for her teeth. But Moore was sick of missing out on candies. So she desired to get round the warning, "Why can't I make a healthy candy that's good for my teeth so that my parents can't say no to it?" With that in mind, Moore asked her dad if she could start her own candy company. He recommended that she do some research and talk to dentists about what a healthier candy would contain.
With her dad's permission, she spent the next two years researching online and conducting trials to get a recipe that was both tasty and tooth-friendly. She also approached dentists to learn more about teeth cleaning. Consequently, she succeeded in making a kind of candy only using natural sweeteners, which can reduce oral bacteria.
Moore then used her savings to get her business of the ground. Afterwards, she and her father secured their first business meeting with a supermarket owner, who finally agreed to sell Moore's product-Cancandy.
As CanCandy's success grows, so does Moore's credibility as a young entrepreneur. Moore is enthusiastic about the candy she created, and she's also positive about what the future might bring. She hopes that every kid can have a clean mouth and a broad smile.
Meanwhile, with her parents' help, Moore is generally able to live a normal teenage life. Although she founded her company early on in life, she wasn't driven primarily by profit. Moore wants to use her unique talent to help others find their smiles. She donates 10% of AilicCandy's profits to Big Smiles. With her talent and determination, it appears that the sky could be the limit for Alice Moore.
34. How did Moore react to her dad's warning?
A. She argued with him. B. She tried to find a way out.
C. She paid no attention. D. She chose to consult dentists.
35. What is special about CanCandy?
A. It is beneficial to dental health. B. It is free of sweeteners.
C. It is sweeter than other candies. D. It is produced to a dentists' recipe.
36. What does Moore expect from her business?
A. To earn more money. B. To help others find smiles.
C. To make herself stand out. D. To beat other candy companies.
37. What can we learn from Alice Moore's story?
A. Fame is a great thirst of the young.
B. A youth is to be regarded with respect.
C. Positive thinking and action result in success.
D. Success means getting personal desires satisfied
Passage3(2019·浙江卷，B)
Money with no strings attached. It’s not something you see every day. But at Union Station in Los Angeles last month, a board went up with dollar bills attached to it with pins and a sign that read, "Give What You Can, Take What You Need."
People quickly caught on. And while many took dollars, many others pinned their own cash to the board. “People of all ages, races, and socio-economic(社会经济的)backgrounds gave and took, ”said Tyler Bridges of The Toolbox, which created the project. "We even had a bride in her wedding dress come up to the board and take a few dollars." Most of the bills on the board were singles, but a few people left fives, tens and even twenties. The video clip(片段)shows one man who had found a $ 20 bill pinning it to the board.
“What I can say for the folks that gave the most, is that they were full of smiles,” Bridges said. “There’s a certain feeling that giving can do for you and that was apparent in those that gave the most." Most people who took dollars took only a few, but Bridges said a very small number took as much as they could.
While the clip might look like part of a new ad campaign, Bridges said the only goal was to show generosity and sympathy. He added that he hopes people in other cities might try similar projects and post their own videos on the Internet.
“After all, everyone has bad days and good days," he said. “Some days you need a helping hand and some days you can be the one giving the helping hand.”
24. What does the expression "money with no strings attached" in paragraph 1 mean?
A. Money spent without hesitation.
B. Money not legally made.
C. Money offered without conditions.
D. Money not tied together.
25. What did Bridges want to show by mentioning the bride?
A. Women tended to be more sociable.
B. The activity attracted various people.
C. Economic problems were getting worse.
D. Young couples needed financial assistance.
26. Why did Bridges carry out the project?
A. To do a test on people’s morals.
B. To raise money for his company.
C. To earn himself a good reputation.
D. To promote kindness and sympathy.
Passage4(2019·北京卷，D)
By the end of the century，if not sooner，the world's oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate，according to a new study.
At the heart of the phenomenon lie tiny marine microorganisms(海洋微生物)called phytoplankton. Because of the way light reflects off the organisms，these phytoplankton create colourful patterns at the ocean surface. Ocean colour varies from green to blue，depending on the type and concentration of phytoplankton. Climate change will fuel the growth of phytoplankton in some areas，while reducing it in other spots，leading to changes in the ocean's appearance.
Phytoplankton live at the ocean surface，where they pull carbon dioxide(二氧化碳)into the ocean while giving off oxygen. When these organisms die，they bury carbon in the deep ocean，an important process that helps to regulate the global climate. But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean's warming trend. Warming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth，since they need not only sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow，but also nutrients.
Stephanie Dutkiewicz，a scientist in MIT's Center for Global Change Science，built a climate model that projects changes to the oceans throughout the century. In a world that warms up by 3℃，it found that multiple changes to the colour of the oceans would occur. The model projects that currently blue areas with little phytoplankton could become even bluer. But in some waters，such as those of the Arctic，a warming will make conditions riper for phytoplankton，and these areas will turn greener. “Not only are the quantities of phytoplankton in the ocean changing. ”she said，“but the type of phytoplankton is changing. ”
42. What are the first two paragraphs mainly about?
A. The various patterns at the ocean surface.
B. The cause of the changes in ocean colour.
C. The way light reflects off marine organisms.
D. The efforts to fuel the growth of phytoplankton.
43. What does the underlined word“vulnerable”in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Sensitive. B. Beneficial C. Significant D. Unnoticeable
44. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Phytoplankton play a declining role in the marine ecosystem.
B. Dutkiewicz's model aims to project phytoplankton changes
C. Phytoplankton have been used to control global climate
D. Oceans with more phytoplankton may appear greener.
45. What is the main purpose of the passage？
A. To assess the consequences of ocean colour changes
B. To analyse the composition of the ocean food chain
C. To explain the effects of climate change on oceans
D. To introduce a new method to study phytoplankton
题组二（2018年高考真题）
Passage1(2018·新课标卷I，C)
Languages have been coming and going for thousands of years, but in recent times there has been less coming and a lot more going. When the world was still populated by hunter-gatherers, small, tightly knit (联系)groups developed their own patterns of speech independent of each other.Some language experts believe that 10,000 years ago, when the world had just five to ten million people, they spoke perhaps 12,000 languages between them.
Soon afterwards, many of those people started settling down to become farmers, and their languages too became more settled and fewer in number. In recent centuries, trade, industrialization, the development of the nation-state and the spread of universal compulsory education, especially globalisation and better communications in the past few decades, all have caused many languages to disappear, and dominant languages such as English, Spanish and Chinese are increasingly taking over.
At present, the world has about 6,800 languages. The distribution of these languages is hugely uneven. The general rule is that mild zones have relatively few languages, often spoken by many people, while hot, wet zones have lots, often spoken by small numbers. Europe has only around 200 languages; the Americas about 1,000; Africa 2 400; and Asia and the Pacific perhaps 3,200, of which Papua New Guinea alone accounts for well over 800. The median number (中位数)of speakers is a mere 6,000, which means that half the world’s languages are spoken by fewer people than that.
Already well over 400 of the total of, 6,800 languages are close to extinction(消亡), with only a few elderly speakers left. Pick, at random, Busuu in Cameroon (eight remaining speakers),Chiapaneco in Mexico(150), Lipan Apache in the United States(two or three)or Wadjigu in Australia (one, with a question-mark): none of these seems to have much chance of survival.
28. What can we infer about languages in hunter-gatherer times?
A. They developed very fast. B. They were large in number.
C. They had similar patterns. D. They were closely connected.
29. Which of the following best explains "dominant " underlined in paragraph 2？
A. Complex. B. Advanced.
C. Powerful. D. Modern.
30. How many languages are spoken by less than 6, 000 people at present?
A. About 6,800 B. About 3,400
C. About 2,400 D. About 1,200
31. What is the main idea of the text?
A. New languages will be created.
B. People’s lifestyles are reflected in languages.
C. Human development results in fewer languages.
D. Geography determines language evolution.
Passage2(2018·新课标卷II，)
Steven Stein likes to follow garbage trucks. His strange habit makes sense when you consider that he’s an environmental scientist who studies how to reduce litter, including things that fall off garbage trucks as they drive down the road. What is even more interesting is that one of Stein's jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.
Americans use more than 100 billion thin film plastic bags every year. So many end up in tree branches or along highways that a growing number of cities do not allow them at checkouts(收银台) . The bags are prohibited in some 90 cities in California, including Los Angeles. Eyeing these headwinds, plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like Stein to make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.
Among the bag makers' argument: many cities with bans still allow shoppers to purchase paper bags, which are easily recycled but require more energy to produce and transport. And while plastic bags may be ugly to look at, they represent a small percentage of all garbage on the ground today.
The industry has also taken aim at the product that has appeared as its replacement: reusable shopping bags. The stronger a reusable bag is, the longer its life and the more plastic-bag use it cancels out. However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy to make. One study found that a cotton bag must be used at least 131 times to be better for the planet than plastic.
Environmentalists don't dispute（质疑） these points. They hope paper bags will be banned someday too and want shoppers to use the same reusable bags for years.
24. What has Steven Stein been hired to do?
A. Help increase grocery sales. B. Recycle the waste material.
C. Stop things falling off trucks. D. Argue for the use of plastic bags.
25. What does the word “headwinds”in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Bans on plastic bags. B. Effects of city development.
C. Headaches caused by garbage. D. Plastic bags hung in trees.
26. What is a disadvantage of reusable bags according to plastic-bag makers?
A. They are quite expensive. B. Replacing them can be difficult.
C. They are less strong than plastic bags. D. Producing them requires more energy.
27. What is the best title for the text?
A. Plastic, Paper or Neither B. Industry, Pollution and Environment
C. Recycle or Throw Away D. Garbage Collection and Waste Control
Passage3(2018·浙江卷，B)
Steven Stein likes to follow garbage trucks. His strange habit makes sense when you consider that he’s an environmental scientist who studies how to reduce litter, including things that fall off garbage trucks as they drive down the road. What is even more interesting is that one of Stein's jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.
Americans use more than 100 billion thin film plastic bags every year. So many end up in tree branches or along highways that a growing number of cities do not allow them at checkouts(收银台) . The bags are prohibited in some 90 cities in California, including Los Angeles. Eyeing these headwinds, plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like Stein to make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.
Among the bag makers' argument: many cities with bans still allow shoppers to purchase paper bags, which are easily recycled but require more energy to produce and transport. And while plastic bags may be ugly to look at, they represent a small percentage of all garbage on the ground today.
The industry has also taken aim at the product that has appeared as its replacement: reusable shopping bags. The stronger a reusable bag is, the longer its life and the more plastic-bag use it cancels out. However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy to make. One study found that a cotton bag must be used at least 131 times to be better for the planet than plastic.
Environmentalists don't dispute（质疑） these points. They hope paper bags will be banned someday too and want shoppers to use the same reusable bags for years.
24. What has Steven Stein been hired to do?
A. Help increase grocery sales. B. Recycle the waste material.
C. Stop things falling off trucks. D. Argue for the use of plastic bags.
25. What does the word “headwinds”in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Bans on plastic bags. B. Effects of city development.
C. Headaches caused by garbage. D. Plastic bags hung in trees.
26. What is a disadvantage of reusable bags according to plastic-bag makers?
A. They are quite expensive. B. Replacing them can be difficult.
C. They are less strong than plastic bags. D. Producing them requires more energy.
27. What is the best title for the text?
A. Plastic, Paper or Neither B. Industry, Pollution and Environment
C. Recycle or Throw Away D. Garbage Collection and Waste Control
Passage4(2018·北京卷，D)
Preparing Cities for Robot Cars
The possibility of self-driving robot cars has often seemed like a futurist’s dream, years away from materializing in the real world. Well, the future is apparently now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles began giving permits in April for companies to test truly self-driving cars on public roads. The state also cleared the way for companies to sell or rent out self-driving cars, and for companies to operate driverless taxi services. California, it should be noted, isn’t leading the way here. Companies have been testing their vehicles in cities across the country. It’s hard to predict when driverless cars will be everywhere on our roads. But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated.
While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars(and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions(排放) and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options. The arrival of driverless vehicles is a chance to make sure that those vehicles are environmentally friendly and more shared.
Do we want to copy — or even worsen — the traffic of today with driverless cars? Imagine a future where most adults own individual self-driving vehicles. They tolerate long, slow journeys to and from work on packed highways because they can work, entertain themselves or sleep on the ride, which encourages urban spread. They take their driverless car to an appointment and set the empty vehicle to circle the building to avoid paying for parking. Instead of walking a few blocks to pick up a child or the dry cleaning, they send the self-driving minibus. The convenience even leads fewer people to take public transport — an unwelcome side effect researchers have already found in ride-hailing(叫车) services.
A study from the University of California at Davis suggested that replacing petrol-powered private cars worldwide with electric, self-driving and shared systems could reduce carbon emissions from transportation 80% and cut the cost of transportation infrastructure(基础设施) and operations 40% by 2050. Fewer emissions and cheaper travel sound pretty appealing. The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues(责任与维护问题). But driverless car ownership could increase as the prices drop and more people become comfortable with the technology.
Policymakers should start thinking now about how to make sure the appearance of driverless vehicles doesn’t extend the worst aspects of the car-controlled transportation system we have today. The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.
47. According to the author, attention should be paid to how driverless cars can __________.
A. help deal with transportation-related problems
B. provide better services to customers
C. cause damage to our environment
D. make some people lose jobs
48. As for driverless cars, what is the author’s major concern?
A. Safety. B. Side effects.
C. Affordability. D. Management.
49. What does the underlined word ＂fielded＂ in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Employed. B. Replaced.
C. Shared. D. Reduced.
50. What is the author’s attitude to the future of self-driving cars?
A. Doubtful. B. Positive.
C. Disapproving. D. Sympathetic.

题组三（2017年高考真题）
Passage1(2017·新课标卷II，D)
When a leafy plant is under attack, it doesn’t sit quietly. Back in 1983, two scientists, Jack Schultz and Ian Baldwin, reported that young maple trees getting bitten by insects send out a particular smell that neighboring plants can get. These chemicals come from the injured parts of the plant and seem to be an alarm. What the plants pump through the air is a mixture of chemicals known as volatile organic compounds, VOCs for short.
Scientists have found that all kinds of plants give out VOCs when being attacked .It’s a plant’s way of crying out. But is anyone listening? Apparently. Because we can watch the neighbours react.
Some plants pump out smelly chemicals to keep insects away. But others do double duty. They pump out perfumes designed to attract different insects who are natural enemies to the attackers. Once they arrive, the tables are turned. The attacker who was lunching now becomes lunch.
In study after study, it appears that these chemical conversations help the neighbors .The damage is usually more serious on the first plant, but the neighbors, relatively speaking, stay safer because they heard the alarm and knew what to do.
Does this mean that plants talk to each other? Scientists don’t know. Maybe the first plant just made a cry of pain or was sending a message to its own branches, and so, in effect, was talking to itself. Perhaps the neighbors just happened to “overhear” the cry. So information was exchanged, but it wasn’t a true, intentional back and forth.
Charles Darwin, over 150 years ago, imagined a world far busier, noisier and more intimate(亲密的)
 than the world we can see and hear. Our senses are weak. There’s a whole lot going on.
32. What does a plant do when it is under attack?
A. It makes noises.      B. It gets help from other plants.
C. It stands quietly     D. It sends out certain chemicals.
33. What does the author mean by “the tables are turned” in paragraph 3?
A. The attackers get attacked.
B. The insects gather under the table.
C. The plants get ready to fight back.
D. The perfumes attract natural enemies.
34.Scientists find from their studies that plants can .
A. predict natural disasters
B. protect themselves against insects
C. talk to one another intentionally
D. help their neighbors when necessary
35.what can we infer from the last paragraph?
A. The world is changing faster than ever.
B. People have stronger senses than before
C. The world is more complex than it seems
D. People in Darwin’s time were imaginative.
Passage2(2017·新课标III卷，C)
After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
28. What is the text mainly about?
A. Wildlife research in the United States.
B. Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area.
C. The conflict between farmers and gray wolves.
D. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park.
29. What does the underlined word ＂displaced＂ in paragraph 2 mean?
A. Tested. B. Separated.
C. Forced out. D. Tracked down.
30. What did the disappearance of gray wolves bring about?
A. Damage to local ecology.
B. A decline in the park’s income.
C. Preservation of vegetation.
D. An increase in the variety of animals.
31. What is the author’s attitude towards the Yellowstone wolf project?
A. Doubtful. B. Positive.
C. Disapproving. D. Uncaring.
Passage3(2017·天津卷)
This month, Germany’s transport minister, Alexander Dobrindt, proposed the first set of rules for autonomous vehicles(自主驾驶车辆). They would define the driver’s role in such cars and govern how such cars perform in crashes where lives might be lost.
The proposal attempts to deal with what some call the “death valley” of autonomous vehicles: the grey area between semi-autonomous and fully driverless cars that could delay the driverless future.
Dobrindt wants three things: that a car always chooses property(财产) damage over personal injury; that it never distinguishes between humans based on age or race; and that if a human removes his or her hands from the driving wheel — to check email, say — the car’s maker is responsible if there is a crash.
“The change to the road traffic law will permit fully automatic driving,” says Dobrindt. It will put fully driverless cars on an equal legal footing to human drivers, he says.
Who is responsible for the operation of such vehicles is not clear among car makers, consumers and lawyers. “The liability(法律责任) issue is the biggest one of them all,” says Natasha Merat at the University of Leeds, UK.
An assumption behind UK insurance for driverless cars, introduced earlier this year, insists that a human “be watchful and monitoring the road” at every moment.
But that is not what many people have in mind when thinking of driverless cars. “When you say ‘driverless cars’, people expect driverless cars.” Merat says. “You know — no driver.”
Because of the confusion, Merat thinks some car makers will wait until vehicles can be fully automated without operation.
Driverless cars may end up being a form of public transport rather than vehicles you own, says Ryan Calo at Stanford University, California. That is happening in the UK and Singapore, where government-provided driverless vehicles are being launched.
That would go down poorly in the US, however. “The idea that the government would take over driverless cars and treat them as a public good would get absolutely nowhere here,” says Calo.
46. What does the phrase “death valley” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. A place where cars often break down.
B. A case where passing a law is impossible.
C. An area where no driving is permitted.
D. A situation where drivers’ role is not clear.
47. The proposal put forward by Dobrindt aims to __________.
A. stop people from breaking traffic rules
B. help promote fully automatic driving
C. protect drivers of all ages and races
D. prevent serious property damage
48. What do consumers think of the operation of driverless cars?
A. It should get the attention of insurance companies.
B. It should be the main concern of law makers.
C. It should not cause deadly traffic accidents.
D. It should involve no human responsibility.
49. Driverless vehicles in public transport see no bright future in _________.
A. Singapore B. the UK
C. the US D. Germany
50. What could be the best title for the passage?
A. Autonomous Driving: Whose Liability?
B. Fully Automatic Cars: A New Breakthrough
C. Autonomous Vehicles: Driver Removed!
D. Driverless Cars: Root of Road Accidents
Passage4(2017·江苏卷)
Before birth, babies can tell the difference between loud sounds and voices. They can even distinguish their mother’s voice from that of a female stranger. But when it comes to embryonic learning (胎教), birds could rule the roost. As recently reported in The Auk: Ornithological Advances, some mother birds may teach their young to sing even before they hatch (孵化). New-born chicks can then imitate their mom’s call within a few days of entering the world.
This educational method was first observed in 2012 by Sonia Kleindorfer, a biologist at Flinders University in South Australia, and her colleagues. Female Australian superb fairy wrens were found to repeat one sound over and over again while hatching their eggs. When the eggs were hatched, the baby birds made the similar chirp to their mothers—a sound that served as their regular ＂feed me!＂ call.
To find out if the special quality was more widespread in birds, the researchers sought the red-backed fairy wren, another species of Australian songbird. First they collected sound data from 67 nests in four sites in Queensland before and after hatching. Then they identified begging calls by analyzing the order and number of notes. A computer analysis blindly compared calls produced by mothers and chicks, ranking them by similarity.
It turns out that baby red-backed fairy wrens also emerge chirping like their moms. And the more frequently mothers had called to their eggs, the more similar were the babies’ begging calls. In addition, the team set up a separate experiment that suggested that the baby birds that most closely imitated their mom’s voice were rewarded with the most food.
This observation hints that effective embryonic learning could signal neurological (神经系统的) strengths of children to parents. An evolutionary inference can then be drawn. ＂As a parent, do you invest in quality children, or do you invest in children that are in need?＂ Kleindorfer asks. ＂Our results suggest that they might be going for quality.＂
58.The underlined phrase in Paragraph 1 means＂____________＂.
A. be the worst B. be the best
C. be the as bad D. be just as good
59. What are Kleindorfer’s findings based on?
A. Similarities between the calls of moms and chicks.
B. The observation of fairy wrens across Australia.
C. The data collected from Queensland’s locals.
D. Controlled experiments on wrens and other birds.
60. Embryonic learning helps mother birds to identify the baby birds which ____________.
A. can receive quality signals
B. are in need of training
C. fit the environment better
D. make the loudest call
题组四（名校模拟题）
Passage 1(天津市红桥区2019届高三下学期第一次模拟考试)
Your next Saturday night takeaway could be brought to you by a robot after a major food delivery company announced plans to use automated vehicles to transport meals. Europe’s biggest online takeaway food company Just Eat has partnered with Starship Technologies to deliver food with robots on the streets of London later this month. “Nobody has ever done deliveries with land-based robots,” said Allan Martinson, the chief operating officer of Starship.
The robot courier can travel up to 4 miles per hour for about 10 miles. It uses a GPS signal and nine cameras to navigate (确定方向). Instead of a person arriving at their door, customers could find themselves receiving a notification on their phone that says a robot is on its way and a code to unlock the automated courier. “Put the code in, the robot opens up, and there’s your food,” said David Buttress, chief manager of Just Eat.
The robot, which has so far been tested in Greenwich, Milton Keynes and Glastonbury, costs £ 1 to transport within 3 miles, compared with the £3 to £6 it costs for a human courier. To date 30 robots have driven nearly 5,000 miles without getting into an accident or finding themselves picked on by passers-by. They have driven in more than 40 cities around the world, including London and Tallinn, Estonia.
An initial worry was how the public would react to robots. But Martinson said the public has been calm when passing the delivery machine on the streets. “The most surprising reaction has been the lack of reaction,” said Martinson.
Another significant fear was that people would disrupt (扰乱) the robots, or try to steal them and their contents. To prevent this, the robot is fitted with nine cameras, two way audio, and movement sensors that send a warning if it is lifted off the ground. And it opens only with a passcode provided to the customer via a notification. “It’s much easier to shoplift than it is to steal a robot,” said Martinson.
1. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “courier” in Paragraph 2?
A. deliverer B. collector
C. provider D. guide
2. According to the text, the Starship robot ________.
A. opens up upon hearing the code
B. travels 10 miles per hour at most
C. finds its way by means of GPS and cameras
D. sends a message to the customer upon arrival
3. The test of Starship robots shows that ________.
A. they are easy to operate
B. the robot delivery is appreciated in big cities
C. the robot delivery is cheaper than human delivery
D. they can travel for 10 hours continuously
4. Which of the following is one of the worries about Starship robots?
A. Safety of the robot delivery.
B. Accuracy of the robot delivery
C. Peoples indifference to the robots.
D. People’s concern about public traffic.
5. Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
A. Great Improvement of Just Eat
B. Global Trend of Food Companies
C. New Robots to Move on the road
D. Delivery Robots to Replace Takeaway Drivers
Passage 2(湖南省长沙市雅礼中学2019届高三一模)
Laughter is part of the universal human vocabulary. All members of the human species understand it. Unlike English or French or Swahili, we don’t have to learn to speak it. We re born with the capacity to laugh.
Very little is known about the specific brain mechanisms responsible for laughter. Contrary to folk wisdom, most laughter is not about humor; it is about relationships. To find out when and why people laugh, I went with several assistants to local malls and recorded what happened just before people laughed. Over a 10-year period, we studied over 2,000 cases of naturally occurring laughter.
We found that most laughter does not necessarily follow jokes. People may laugh after a variety of statements, such as, “Here comes Mary,” “How did you do on the test?” or “Do you have a rubber band?” These certainly aren’t jokes.
We believe laughter evolved from the panting (喘气的) behavior of our ancient ancestors. Today, if we tickle (使发痒) chimps, they don’t laugh. But, instead, they produce a panting sound. That’s the sound of ape laughter, and it’s the root of human laughter.
Apes laugh in the kinds of situations that lead to human laughter, like games that involve chasing. Other animals produce sounds during play, but they are so different from laughter. Rats, for example, produce high sounds during play and when tickled, but these are very different in sound from human laughter.
Laughter is often positive, but it can be negative too. There’s a difference between “laughing with” and “laughing at”. People who laugh at others may be trying to drive them out of the group.
No one has actually counted how much people of different ages laugh, but young children probably laugh the most. At ages 5 and 6 we probably laugh more than at any other times. Adults laugh less than children, probably because they play less.
Work now underway will tell us more about the brain mechanisms behind laughter, how it has evolved, and why we’re so susceptible to tickling.
1. What was the purpose of the decade’s research?
A. To prove that people laugh because of humour.
B. To find out the real reason for people s laughter.
C. To research people s different reaction on jokes.
D. To record conversations among shoppers in malls.
2. What can we learn from the text?
A. People who play more tend to laugh more.
B. Apes produce high sounds when tickled.
C. Scientists know the brain mechanisms responsible for laughter well.
D. The situations in which apes laugh are very different from those in which humans laugh.
3. What does the underlined word “susceptible” in the last paragraph probably mean?
A. Sensitive. B. Flexible.
C. Addictive. D. Reliable.
4. Which of the following might be the best title for the text?
A. The Impact of Laughter
B. The Meaning of Laughter
C. A Big Mystery: Why Do We Laugh?
D. Laughter: The Most Beautiful Words

Passage 3(2018届福建省百所重点校高三年联合考试)
The story of Sir Nicholas Winton is the one that you would imagine could only happen on the silver screen. Sir Nicholas Winton was a British man who went to heroic efforts, potentially putting himself at risk, during World War II. Sir Winton was responsible for ensuring the safety of six hundred and sixty-nine Jewish children by aiding their escape from countries occupied by Nazis. Finally, the Jewish children were brought to England where he worked to make sure families in his native country would help the kids by taking them into their homes.
Recently, this unbelievable story has again been making the rounds on the Internet, particularly after a rerun of the BBC show called “That’s Life”, which featured Sir Winton. People around the world were moved at the details of the story, with saying it to be the best story they’ve ever seen.
Sir Winton kept his entire plan completely secret, even his wife had no idea about his planning until fifty years later. After the war, years passed and many people remained in the dark about Sir Winton’s extraordinary achievement. Some fifty years later, his wife Greta was searching in their house and discovered a Winton’s notebook which documented the names of all the children. She worked with BBC and they produced a TV episode (插曲) of their program “That’s Life” that served as an honor for Sir Winton’s work.
In 2003, Sir Winton was knighted by the Queen of England for his work. He also was even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. He also had a small planet named after him by Czech astronomers. Sir Winton died peacefully in his sleep at the old age of one hundred and six, in 2015. Leaders around the world paid tribute (悼念). Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Daniel Taub, said, “He was a hero of our time, having saved 669 Jewish children from Nazis. His story, as a point of light in a period of darkness, will forever be remembered.”
1.What happened to the 669 Jewish children?
A. They were killed by Nazis.
B. They returned to their own homes.
C. They fled to their native countries.
D. They were raised by English families.
2.What made Winton’s story spread widely?
A. People’s chatting online. B. The program “That’s Life”.
C. His wife’s promotion. D. Praises from some leaders.
3.Which of the following can replace the underlined expression “remained in the dark’, in Paragraph 3?
A. felt doubtful B. remained moved
C. knew nothing D. criticized something
4.What do we know about Winton?
A. He was born in 1909. B. Nazis tried to arrest him.
C. He named a small planet. D. Many children paid tribute to him.
Passage 4((2018届河南省中原名校高三质量考评)
A ROBOT companion for older people aims to promote activity and deal with loneliness by urging them to take part in digital and physical activities.
The ElliQ robot, made by Israel-based start-up Intuition Robotics, will be published at the Design Museum in London this week. ElliQ is a small desktop device that consists of a domed (拱形的) “body” and a separate detachable (可拆卸的) screen.
Created in collaboration with Swiss designer Yves Behar, the robot is able to encourage a degree of social engagement. Similar to home assistants like the Amazon Echo, people can simply talk to it, and there are visual clues that could be particularly helpful for those with hearing difficulties.
A key purpose of ElliQ is to act as an easy platform to access existing services such as social media, and messaging programs. For example, the device could alert the users that their grandchild has posted a new photo on Facebook, show it to them on the screen.
ElliQ can recommend activities voluntarily. It might ask if you’re interested in watching a video, for instance, or suggest a walk. It can also act as reminder to take medication.
Having a robot constantly offer suggestions could obviously get annoying, so the device uses machine learning to tailor these suggestions to individual preferences. If a suggestion is met with a positive response once, ElliQ might try it again. If not, it might change for a different tack.
1.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A.A robot companion for older people will strongly advise them to participate in digital and physical activities to be healthy.
B. The ElliQ robot is published at the Design Museum in London.
C. The screen of the ElliQ robot can be removed if necessary.
D. The ElliQ robot is created by Swiss designer Yves Behar and Israel-based start-up Intuition Robotics.
2.The underlined word “alert” is closest m meaning to ________ .
A. declare B. announce C. remind D. say
3.ElliQ can serve the following purposes EXCEPT________.
A. when the user’s friend updates his moments (朋友圈), it can show it to the user on the screen.
B.it can recommend some activities even the user doesn’t ask.
C.it will constantly give suggestions regardless of the user’s individual preference.
D.it can help those with hearing difficulties by offering visual clues.
4.In which column we are most likely to find the passage?
A. News & Technology B. People
C. Health D. International Affairs



题组一
Passage 1
【语篇解读】本文是一篇记叙文。文中讲述了作者成功说服了一个家长参加志愿者团队，作为一名志愿者作者发挥了自己的作用，并获得了快乐。
24.C
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章第一段中的 You can use me as a last resort（选择）, and if nobody else volunteers，then I will do it.可知，你可以当我是最后的候选人，如果没有其他的志愿者，那么我就做。由此可推断出，她不想做自愿者。故选C。
25.B
【解析】词义猜测题。根据划线前句she may just need a little persuading.和下面的一句话I mention the single parent with four kids running the show and I talk about the dad coaching a team that his kids aren't even on ...可知，作者为了劝服这位家长，举了两个例子。故可知，划线句此处应是“煽情”之意。故选B。
26.D
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段中这位家长作出的贡献及the same parent ends up becoming an invaluable member of the team可知，她最终成为了志愿者队伍中的重要的一员，也即是说，她成了一个好帮手。故选D。
27.B
【解析】细节理解题。题干问作者为什么喜欢做志愿者工作。根据第四最两句Connecting to the community（社区）as you freely give your time, money, skills, or services provides a real joy. Volunteering just feels so good.可知，为社区做贡献可以带来真正的快乐， 参加志愿者活动活动能让人感觉快乐。故选B。
Passage2
【文章大意】这是一篇记叙文。主要讲述了Alice Moore，一个年轻有为的创业者的故事，故事告诉我们：积极的思考和行动会带来成功。
34.B
【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段的But Moore was sick of missing out on candies. So she desired to get round the warning, "Why can’t I make a healthy candy that's good for my teeth so that my parents can't say no to it? "及下文她想方设法最终制作出了叫CanCandy的糖果可知，她对父亲的警告的反应是：她试图找到一条出路。故选B。
35.A
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段的Consequently, she succeeded in making a kind of candy only using natural sweeteners, which can reduce oral bacteria.可知，因此，这种糖只使用天然甜味剂，可以减少口腔细菌，因此它对牙齿有利。故选A。
36.B
【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段的Moore wants to use her unique talent to help others find their smiles.可知，Moor想用她独特的才能帮助别人找到他们的笑容。故选B。
37.C
【解析】推理判断题。文章主要讲述了Moor的创业故事，她之所以能成功源于面对问题和困难时，她乐观的看待问题，积极的想方设法去解决问题。因此，通过她的故事让我们懂得积极的思考和行动会带来成功。故选C。
Passage3
【语篇解读】这是一篇新闻报道。短文报道了上个月在洛杉矶的联合车站,一块牌子上别针别满了美元，上面写着“给予你所能给与的，拿走你所需要的”。这样的活动吸引了各种各样的人，组织者希望通过这样的活动来提倡仁慈和同情。
24.C
【解析】词义猜测题。由第一段“But at Union Station in Los Angeles last month, a board went up with dollar bills attached to it with pins and a sign that read, "Give What You Can, Take What You Need.”可知，但是上个月在洛杉矶的联合车站，一块牌子上别针别满了美元，上面写着“给予你所能给与的，拿走你所需要的”。所以通过下文的语境，判断出第1段中的money with no strings attached是“无条件提供的钱”的意思。故B选项正确。
25.B
【解析】推理判断题。由第二段““People of all ages, races, and socio-economic（社会经济的）backgrounds gave and took, ”said Tyler Bridges of The Toolbox, which created the project. "We even had a bride in her wedding dress come up to the board and take a few dollars.”可知，发起该项活动的泰勒·布里奇斯说:“所有年龄、种族和社会经济背景的人都会付出和索取。”甚至有一位穿着婚纱的新娘来到了牌子前，拿走了一些钱。所以通过泰勒·布里奇斯所说的，可以判断出，他提到新娘就是想说明这项活动吸引了各种各样的人。故B选项正确。
26.D
【解析】细节理解题。由倒数第二段“While the clip might look like part of a new ad campaign, Bridges said the only goal was to show generosity and sympathy”可知，尽管这段视频看起来像是一项新的广告活动的一部分，但是布里奇斯说这次活动唯一的目标是表现出慷慨和同情。所以布里奇斯实施这个活动是为了提倡仁慈和同情。故D选项正确。
Passage4
【语篇解读】本文为说明文。一项最新研究表明，由于气候变暖，世界海洋将会变得更蓝、更绿。这一现象是因为一种叫做浮游植物的微小海洋微生物，因为光线反射的作用，它们在海洋表面形成了五颜六色的图案。但是浮游植物很容易受到海洋变暖趋势的影响。气候变暖会改变海洋的主要特征，并影响浮游植物的生长。
42. B
【解析】段落大意题。第一段“By the end of the century. If not sooner, the world's oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate, according to a new study.”可知，到本世纪末，一项新的研究表明，由于气候变暖，如果不尽快的话，世界上的海洋将会变得更蓝、更绿。结合第二段“At the heart phenomenon lie tiny marine microorganisms called phytoplankton. Becaust of the way light reflects off the organisms ,these phytoplanktons create colourful patterns at the ocean surface. Ocean colour varies from green to blue, depending on the type and concentration”可知，这种现象的核心是一种叫做浮游植物的微小海洋微生物，在光线的作用下在海洋表面形成了五颜六色的图案。海洋的颜色从绿色到蓝色不等，这取决于海洋的类型和浮游植物浓度。由此可推断出这两段主要叙述了海洋生物是海洋颜色变化的原因。分析选项可知B符合题意，故选B。
43. A
【解析】词义猜测题。根据划线词后的“Warming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth, since they need not only sunshine and carbon dioxide to grow, but also nutrients.”可知，气候变暖会改变海洋的主要特征，并会影响浮游植物的生长。由此可判断“But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean’s wamning trend”可知，浮游植物很容易受到海洋变暖趋势的影响。可知A项正确。
44. D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第四段“The model projects that currently blue areas with little phytoplankton could become even bluer. But in some waters ,such as those of the Arctic, a warming will make conditions riper for phytoplankton, and these areas will turn greener”,可知Dutkiewicz的模型预测，目前只有少量浮游植物的蓝色区域可能会变得更蓝。但是在一些水域，比如北极，气候变暖会使浮游植物的生长条件更加成熟，而这些水域会变得更绿了”。由此可推断，浮游植物的生长条件更加成熟，浮游动植物就更多了，这些水域会变得更绿了。分析选项可知D项符合题意。
45. C
【解析】目的意图题。第一段提出文章的主旨“By the end of the century. If not sooner, the world's oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate, according to a new study.”可知到本世纪末。一项新的研究表明，由于气候变暖，如果不尽快的话，世界上的海洋将会变得更蓝、更绿。再结合第三段“But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean’s warning trendWarming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth, …”可知，“浮游植物很容易受到海洋警告趋势的影响，变暖改变了海洋的关键特征，并能影响浮游植物的生长”。可知本文主要解释气候变化对海洋的影响。故选C。
题组二
Passage1
【文章大意】本文是一篇议论文。文章讲述了随着社会的发展人类语言越来越少及其原因。
28.B 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章第一段中的When the world was still populated by hunter-gatherers, small, tightly knit (联系) groups developed their own patterns of speech independent of each other... when the world had just five to ten million people, they spoke perhaps 12,000 languages between them.可知，当世界以依靠狩猎为生的人居住的时候，小而联系紧密的群落形成了他们彼此之间独立的讲话模式。当世界上的人口数量不到一千万时，语言种类达到了12000种。由此推知，当时的语言种类很多。故选B。
29.C 【解析】猜测词义题。根据文章第二段中的dominant languages such as English, Spanish and Chinese are increasingly taking over.可知，英语、西班牙语和汉语正在替代其他语言。由此推知dominant languages意为：强有力的语言。故选C。
30.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第三段中的At present, the world has about 6,800 languages.和The median number (中位数) of speakers is a mere 6,000, which means that half the world’s languages are spoken by fewer people than that. 可知，目前世界上大约有6800种语言，但是讲的人数少于6000人的占一半即3400.故选B。
31.C 【解析】主旨要义题。根据文章第一段中的主题句Languages have been coming and going for thousands of years, but in recent times there has been less coming and a lot more going.可知，语言的产生和消失进行了几千年，但最近时代语言产生的少，消失的太多。故选C。
Passage2
【文章大意】文章分析了几种购物袋的使用情况，塑料袋造成了环境问题，尽管纸袋容易回收，但生产和运输需要更多的能源，希望消费者使用耐用可重复使用的袋子。
24.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段one of Stein's jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.和第二段plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like Stein to make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.可知塑料袋生产商雇用Steven Stein是为了证明他们的产品并不像大多数人想象的那样对地球有害，是对塑料袋被禁用的解释和争论。故选D。
25.A 【解析】词义猜测题。上文介绍在许多美国大城市塑料袋被禁用，看到这种现状，塑料袋生产商雇用Steven Stein等科学家是为了证明他们的产品并不像大多数人想象的那样对地球有害。headwinds“逆风”，此处指塑料袋被禁用的现状，即Bans on plastic bags，故选A。
26.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据第四段However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy to make.可知塑料袋生产商认为生产耐用且能重复使用的袋子需要更多的能量，故选D。
27.A 【解析】标题归纳题。文章讲述了使用塑料袋造成的环境问题，纸袋容易回收，但生产和运输需要更多的能源，希望消费者使用耐用可重复使用的袋子。对这三种方式进行了对比，Plastic, Paper or Neither既能概括全文，又能吸引读者，最适合作为标题。故选A。
Passage3
【文章大意】文章分析了几种购物袋的使用情况，塑料袋造成了环境问题，尽管纸袋容易回收，但生产和运输需要更多的能源，希望消费者使用耐用可重复使用的袋子。
24.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段one of Stein's jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.和第二段plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like Stein to make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.可知塑料袋生产商雇用Steven Stein是为了证明他们的产品并不像大多数人想象的那样对地球有害，是对塑料袋被禁用的解释和争论。故选D。
25.A 【解析】词义猜测题。上文介绍在许多美国大城市塑料袋被禁用，看到这种现状，塑料袋生产商雇用Steven Stein等科学家是为了证明他们的产品并不像大多数人想象的那样对地球有害。headwinds“逆风”，此处指塑料袋被禁用的现状，即Bans on plastic bags，故选A。
26.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据第四段However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy to make.可知塑料袋生产商认为生产耐用且能重复使用的袋子需要更多的能量，故选D。
27.A 【解析】标题归纳题。文章讲述了使用塑料袋造成的环境问题，纸袋容易回收，但生产和运输需要更多的能源，希望消费者使用耐用可重复使用的袋子。对这三种方式进行了对比，Plastic, Paper or Neither既能概括全文，又能吸引读者，最适合作为标题。故选A。
Passage4
【文章大意】本文为议论文。文章主要讨论有关无人驾驶汽车的发展前景和面临的问题。
47.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars(and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions(排放) and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options. 可知，政策制定者应该讨论无人驾驶车怎么帮助削减交通阻塞，减少尾气排放，提供更方便、更便宜的出行选择，由此可见人们应该多关注无人驾驶车怎么帮助处理与交通有关的问题。故选A。
48.D 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章第一段But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated. 可知，不管花多长时间，这项技术都有可能改变我们的交通系统和我们的城市，不管是好是坏，这取决于如何这种转变如何被规范，再根据文章最后一句话The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it. 可知，我们需要为其做好计划，故作者的主要关注点是对这种转变的管理规范，故选D。
49.A 【解析】词义猜测题。根据第四段The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues(责任与维护问题). 可知，鉴于自主驾驶的费用以及责任和维护问题，无人驾驶车几乎可以肯定将会被打车服务使用。故划线词是“被应用”的意思。A. Employed被应用；B. Replaced被取代；C. Shared被分享；D. Reduced被减少。故选A。
50.B 【解析】观点态度题。根据文章最后一段The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it. 中的 advancement，move more people, and more affordably. 以及plan for it可推知，作者是积极的态度。故选B。
题组三
Passage1
【文章大意】本文是一篇科普说明文。研究发现，当植物受到攻击时，会发出VOCs，以此来保护自己或者与周围的植物通过化学物质进行交流。
32.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据“reported that young maple trees getting bitten by insects send out a particular
smell that neighboring plants can get. These chemicals come from the injured parts of the plant and seem to be an alarm”可知，当植物受到伤害时，会分泌一种特殊的化学物质。
33.A 【解析】词义推测题。根据“Once they arrive,the tables are turned.The attacker who was lunching now
becomes lunch”，一旦它们到达这里，这些攻击者就会受到植物的攻击，故选A。
34.B 【解析】细节理解题，根据“Scientists have found that all kinds of plants give out VOCs when being
attacked” 及“Some plants pump out smelly chemicals to keep insects away... ”可知答案选B。
35.C 【解析】推理判断题。根据“imagined a world far busier, noisier and more intimate(亲密的) than the world
we can see and hear. Our senses are weak. There’s a whole lot going on”可知，这个世界远比我们看到或听到的更热闹、更亲密，我们认知能力有限，有很多事仍在继续发生，远比我们想象的要复杂。故选C。
Passage2
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文，介绍了美国黄石公园重新引进灰狼的事情。人类活动的影响使灰狼的数量逐渐减少，鹿群数量逐渐增加，从而导致植被被大量破坏。
28.D 【解析】主旨大意题。文章开门见山地提出黄石公园引进灰狼的举措，然后在下文中详细介绍其原因以及带来的良好的转机，由此判断本文的中心话题是美国黄石公园对灰狼的引进。
29.C 【解析】词义猜测题。根据本段后两句可知，因为人类的发展，侵占了灰狼的领域，灰狼逐渐向北迁徙，由此推断灰狼被人类排挤走了。
30.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段的内容可知，灰狼的减少造成了鹿群的增多，从而植被遭到了破坏；造成了土狼数量的快速增长，它们猎杀了大量的赤狐，赶走了海狸，由此可推断出灰狼的消失导致了当地生态平衡被破坏。
31.B 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章末段的最后一句可知，作者认为引进灰狼的项目是很有价值的实验，因此可推知作者对这一举措持肯定的态度。
Passage3
【文章大意】这是一篇新闻报道。文章记叙了德国交通部长的对于自主驾驶车辆的规章制度的一个提议，引出说明了位于科技前沿的无人驾驶的自动化车辆在英国、新加坡和美国的不同前景。
46.D 【解析】考查词义猜测。根据第二段的句子the grey area between semi-autonomous and fully driverless cars that could delay the driverless future可知选D。
47.B 【解析】考查推理判断。根据第二段内容The proposal attempts to deal with what some call the “death valley” of autonomous vehicles…可知选B。
48.D【解析】考查细节理解。根据第六、七、八段内容可知选D。
49.C 【解析】考查细节理解。根据最后一段That would go down poorly in the US, however. “The idea that the government would take over driverless cars and treat them as a public good would get absolutely nowhere here,” says Calo.可知选C。
50.A 【解析】通读全文可以知道，本文主要讲述了谁来对无人驾驶的机动车辆负责。故选A。
Passage4
【文章大意】文章介绍了鸟类在胎教方面的超凡本领。实验发现鸟儿在孵化时不停地鸣叫是为了教会以后出生的雏鸟歌唱的本领，从而挑选出能够适应环境的雏鸟。
58.B【解析】根据第二段＂when the errs were hatched, the baby birds made the similar chirp to their mothers＂可知，鸟儿在孵化小鸟的时候，鸣叫对未出生的小鸟有很大影响，它们被孵化后也能发出类似的声音，说明鸟儿很擅长胎教。
59.A【解析】根据第三段＂the researchers sought the red-backed fairy wren, another species of Australian songbird.＂可知，研究人员并未在全澳洲范围展开调查，排除B项；未对其它鸟类进行记录研究，排除D项。根据倒数第三段中的＂A computer analysis blindly compared calls produced by mothers and chicks, ranking them by similarity.＂可知，A项正确。
60.C【解析】根据倒数第二段中的＂the baby birds that most closely imitated their mom’s voice were rewarded with the most food＂和最后一段＂Our results suggest that they might be going for quality.＂可知，模仿母鸟模仿得最好的雏鸟得到最多的食物，研究结果表明，母亲会选择质量好的雏鸟。由此可知，胎教帮助母鸟辨别出那些适应环境较好的孩子。
题组四
Passage1
【语篇解读】本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了伦敦一家食品速递公司宣布未来会使用自动驾驶机器人送餐，目前该公司在几个城市都测试了陆地快递机器人送餐服务。未来送货机器人可能会取代人类送快递。
1.A 【解析】词义猜测题。根据第一段Your next Saturday night takeaway could be brought to you by a robot after a major food delivery company announced plans to use automated vehicles to transport meals.可知，一家食品速递公司宣布计划使用自动驾驶机器人送餐，你下周六晚上点的外卖，说不定就由机器人送达。所以这个词是“投递”的意思，故选A。
2.C 【解析】细节理解题 。根据第二段It uses a GPS signal and nine cameras to navigate(确定方向). Instead of a person arriving at their door, customers could find themselves receiving a notification(通知) on their phone that says a robot is on its way and a code to unlock the automated courier.可知，Starship机器人依靠全球定位系统和照相机找到路。故选C。
3.C 【解析】细节理解题 。根据第三段The robot, which has so far been tested in Greenwich, Milton Keynes and Glastonbury, costs ￡1 to transport within 3 miles, compared with the ￡3 to ￡6 it costs for a human courier.可知，机器人送餐要比人送餐更便宜。故选C。
4.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据第五段第一句Another significant fear was that people would disrupt(扰乱) the robots, or try to steal them and their contents.（另一重大担忧就是担心人们干扰机器人，或是想把机器人及其所运物品偷走）可以推断出，担忧机器人运送的安全问题。故选A。
5.D 【解析】主旨大意题。纵观全文，特别是第一段第一句Your next Saturday night takeaway could be brought to you by a robot after a major food delivery company announced plans to use automated vehicles to transport meals.（一家食品速递公司宣布计划使用自动驾驶机器人送餐，你下周六晚上点的外卖，说不定就由机器人送达。）可知，D项Delivery Robots to Replace Takeaway Drivers作为标题最合适。
Passage 2
【语篇解读】本文是一篇议论文。笑容是世上最通用的语言，笑容是世上最温暖的语言。本文探讨了人类为什么笑这个话题。
1.B
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章第二段的To find out when and why people laugh可知本文写作目的是弄清楚人类什么时候以及为什么会笑。故B项正确。
2.A
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段的At ages 5 and 6 we probably laugh more than at any other times. Adults laugh less than children, probably because they play less.可知，玩得多的人笑得多。A项正确。
3.A
词义猜测题。联系上下文可知susceptible（易受……影响的）与sensitive的意思最为接近。故选A。
4.C
【解析】主旨大意题。笑容是世上最通用的语言，笑容是世上最温暖的语言，本文探讨了人类为什么而笑这个问题。故C项为最佳标题。
Passage3
【文章大意】文章主要讲述Sir Nicholas Winton在纳粹期间帮助669个犹太孩子逃到英国的故事。如今而且BBC把这一故事搬上荧幕，让大众知道在黑暗时期还有这样一个英雄给人们带来光明。
1.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第一段中的“Finally, the Jewish children were brought to England where he worked to make sure families in his native country would help the kids by taking them into their homes.”可知，669个犹太人孩子被带到了英国，并由英国家庭收养。故选D。
2.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第二段的第一句“Recently, this unbelievable story has again been making the rounds on the Internet, particularly after a rerun of the BBC show called “That’s Life””可知，这个故事被BBC做成电视节目，重新出现在人们的视野中，使这个故事被人们所熟知。故选Ｂ。
3.C 【解析】词义猜测题。根据前面的句意可知，Sir Nicholas Winton一直对自己的英雄事迹保密，甚至是他的妻子。所以，此处应为不为人们所知道。故选C。
4.A 【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段中“Sir Winton died peacefully in his sleep at the old age of one hundred and six, in 2015.”可知，Sir Winton 生于1909年。故选A。
Passage4
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文，介绍了一款能够帮助老年人处理孤独的机器人伴侣。
1.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段中的“The ElliQ robot, made by Israel-based start-up Intuition Robotics, will be published at the Design Museum in London this week.”可知，ElliQ在伦敦的设计博物馆发布，故B项正确。
2.C 【解析】词义猜测题。根据画线词后的“the users that their grandchild has posted a new photo on Facebook, show it to them on the screen.”可知，这个设备能提醒老年人他们的孙子或孙女在Facebook发布新照片并展示给他们看，故C项正确。
3.C 【解析】细节理解题。根据第三、四段对ElliQ功能的介绍可知，ElliQ会提醒老年人朋友圈有新动态，为他们推荐一些活动以及通过提供视觉线索帮助听力有困难的老年人，但并没有说不管个人喜好如何它都会不断地提出建议，故C项正确。
4.A 【解析】推理判断题。本文介绍的是一款能够帮助老年人处理孤独的机器人伴侣，属于科技范畴，最有可能出现在科技新闻中，故A 项正确。