高考科普文阅读专题专项训练-2025届高三英语二轮复习

科普文阅读专题 (1) 一、科普文的特点 科普文的特点是生词多、术语生僻或长、难句特别多。大多数学生对于科普类的阅读 不是望而生畏就是为完成阅读任务而粗略阅读或被迫阅读。有时候会因为一些生词、术语或长、难句而没有耐心将文章完整地阅读，只是断章取义地完成阅读任务，甚至有的学生只是阅读题干，单凭借自己的主观猜测而错选答案。 二、科普文的对策——解题三步曲 第一步：了解文本特征：科普文章的体裁通常为说明文。了解题材：通常为Popular Science and Modern Technology（前沿科技、医学、生物、化学、 地质、环境、文学等方面）。 第二步：了解文本结构。科普文结构严谨、逻辑性强。通常由Introduction（导语）、background （背景）、Main body （主体）和 End （结尾）四部分组成。往往首段是主题段（主题明确）， when，where，who，what and how（什么时间，在哪里，谁做了什么样的研究，研究的结果或开展情况，如何展开）。在以后的段落中论证主题的事实逻辑结构严谨、层次分明、段落清晰。但是，在文本中通常句子结构较为复杂、长难句偏多。 第三步：词汇的特点及应对策略，科普文中的词汇具有单一性和准确性。词汇的意义比较稳定、单一，不带感情色彩。因此，依据文本特点，认真理解某种科学现象、科学道理或研究发现，树立信心，大胆判断。 三、实战演练 A Petrol and diesel cars may still dominate our roads, but their days are numbered. A recent university study found that current electric cars could be used for 87 percent of daily car journeys in the US. That figure could rise to 98 per cent by 2020. One hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric cars has been “range anxiety” — drivers' concerns about running out of juice on a journey. While petrol stations are conveniently located across national road systems, the necessary network of electric charging stations is still being developed. That said, charging points are becoming increasingly common throughout the USA. Attitudes towards electric vehicles have changed quite considerably over the last few years. Not that long ago, electric cars were met with distrust, and their large price tags drove customers away. Thanks to improvements in battery capacity, recharging times, performance and price, the current generation of electric cars is starting to persuade critics. Plug­in cars will soon give internal combustion engine models a run for their money. As well as advancements on the road, electric vehicles are taking to the seas and skies. Electric boats are among the oldest methods of electric travel, having enjoyed several decades of popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th century before petrol­powered outboard motors took over. Now, the global drive for renewable energy sources is bringing electric boats back. Steps towards electric air travel are also being made, with Airbus and NASA among the organizations developing and testing battery powered planes. The experiments could soon make commercial electric flight a reality. Electric vehicles do not produce any emissions. Were the US to act on the study's findings and replace 87 per cent of its cars with electric vehicles, it would reduce the national demand for petrol by 61 percent. However, because of the production processes and the generation of electricity required to charge these vehicles, they cannot claim to be completely emission­free. That said, as many countries continue to increase their use of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles will become even cleaner. 1．Which is the best title for this passage? A．My Dream Car B．History of Electric Cars C．Problems with Petrol Cars D．Driving into the Future 2．As used in Paragraph 2, the underlined word “hurdle” means________. A．aim B．barrier C．consequence D．step 3．In the past, why did many people refuse to buy the electric cars? A．They were not good value. B．They were very poorly made. C．They were not widely promoted. D．They couldn't travel at a high speed. 4．What is the function of Paragraph 4? A．To introduce the history of electric travel. B．To explain why the world needs more electric cars. C．To show why more people have interest in electric cars. D．To describe different ways electric vehicles can be used. 阅读得失总 结 词汇积累 1．dominate 2． capacity n. _____________ 3.combustion n. _____________ 4. emission-free 长难句：（Para2 中间句）1. While petrol stations are conveniently located across national road systems, the necessary network of electric charging stations is still being developed. （Para4 第二句）2. Electric boats are among the oldest methods of electric travel, having enjoyed several decades of popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th century before petrol­powered outboard motors took over. B On a college camping trip, curiosity about waves and sand caused Rob Thieler to study shorelines around the world. Thirty years later and now a U．S. Geological Survey research geologist, Thieler, is combining science and smartphone technology to help study an endangered bird, the Atlantic coast piping plover. The piping plover is a shorebird that breeds (繁殖) along the Atlantic coast, the Great Lakes and the Great Plains. Rising sea level associated with climate change, as well as increased development in their beach habitats (栖息地), threatens the species．To help track changes in piping plover habitats, Thieler developed a free app called iPlover in 2012. This is a marked change from the typical way scientists collect data, which involves gathering information by using specialized equipment or writing in notebooks and then putting it into spreadsheets. Since releasing iPlover, scientists have gathered data across 1,500 km of breeding range. That equals about a third of the distance across the U. S. , which is a large area to cover for only two thousand breeding pairs of piping plovers on the east coast. Instead of having to travel and spend days at each site, a number of cooperators in the field use the app to collect and send data, allowing scientists to gather data more efficiently. It also allows them to collect data at the same time during each breeding season, providing a better picture of changes that happen over longer periods of time. And fast, centralized access means scientists can look at data quickly to get a real­time idea of where and how piping plovers are using their habitats. While iPlover is used by trained field staff, other apps like the U．S. Geological Survey's web­based “iCoast — Did the Coast Change？” invite citizen scientists to identify coastal changes by comparing bird's­eye­view photographs taken before and after storms. All the information scientists and citizen scientists alike collect helps federal and state agencies create policy plans for addressing climate change impacts (影响) worldwide. 5．What can we know about the piping plover? A．Its behaviour is changing. B．Its habitat is growing bigger. C．Its living environment is becoming worse. D．Its breeding is limited to the Atlantic coast. 6．Why did Thieler develop iPlover? A．To study shorelines across America. B．To advance information technology. C．To find out global climate change. D．To monitor changes of piping plover habitats. 7．Which of the following benefits the piping plover? A．The camping equipment. B．Research on smartphones. C．The changeable coast. D．Progress in technology. 8．What would be the best title for the text? A．Protecting Endangered Shorebirds B．Rob Thieler, a Creative Scientist C．iPlover, a Tool for Training Field Staff D．Differences Between iPlover and iCoast 阅读得失总 结 词汇积累 1．associate 2. breeding 3. efficiently 4. access 长难句：（Para3 段首句）Since releasing iPlover, scientists have gathered data across 1,500 km of breeding range. That equals about a third of the distance across the U. S. , which is a large area to cover for only two thousand breeding pairs of piping plovers on the east coast. C When a mathematics student was examined in the hospital, Dr. John Lorber discovered that he had almost no brain at all. Normally, the condition is quite severe in the first months of babyhood. Even when someone survives he or she is usually seriously disabled. Somehow, though, the student had lived a perfectly normal life and went on to gain a degree in mathematics. This case is by no means as rare as it seems. Lorber has identified (确认) several hundred people who have very small brains but who appear to be normally intelligent people. He describes some of them as having “no detectable brain”， yet they have scored up to 120 in IQ tests. No one knows how people with “no detectable brain” are able to function at all, let alone graduate in mathematics. One suggestion is the old idea that we only use a small percentage of our brains anyway — perhaps as little as 10 per cent. But more recent research shows this idea is a misunderstanding dating from research in the 1930s in which the functions of large areas of the brain could not be determined and were named “silent”，while in fact they are linked with important functions like speech and abstract thinking. The other interesting thing about Lorber's findings is that they remind us of the secret of memory. At first it was thought that there is a part in the brain for memory, like the memory chips in a PC. But further research of the brain has turned up the surprising fact that memory does not depend on any particular area in the brain. As one scientist put it, “Memory is everywhere in the brain and nowhere. ” But if the brain is not a place for classifying and storing experiences and analyzing them to enable us to live our lives, then what on earth is the brain for？And where is the seat of human intelligence? Where is the mind? 9．What will usually happen to a very young baby without brain? A．It will die. 　　　　 B．It will survive. C．It will be intelligent. D．It will become disabled. 10．What is the new finding of the functions of the brain? A．Much of the brain is useful. B．The brain is in fact of no use. C．The brain determines one's IQ. D．Only a small part of the brain is used. 11．What do we know about the existence of memory? A．We use all of our brain. B．We have memory chips. C．We are fully aware of it. D．We are still confused about it. D By trying to tickle (使发痒) rats and recording how their nerve cells respond, Shimpei Ishiyama and his adviser are discovering a mystery that has puzzled thinkers since Aristotle expected that humans, given their thin skin and unique ability to laugh, were the only ticklish animals. It turns out that Aristotle was wrong. In their study published on Thursday, Ishiyama and his adviser Michael Brecht found that rats squeaked and jumped with pleasure when tickled on their backs and bellies. These signs of joy changed according to their moods. And for the first time, they discovered a special group of nerve cells. These nerve cells made this feeling so powerful that it causes a rat being tickled to lose control. To make sure that he had indeed found a place in the brain where tickling was processed, Ishiyama then stimulated (刺激) that area with electrical currents. The rats began to jump like rabbits and sing like birds. “It's truly ground­breaking,”said Jeffrey Burgdorf, a neuroscientist at Northwestern University who reviewed the paper. “It takes the study of emotion to a new level. Burgdorf has played a central role in our understanding of animal tickling. He was part of a team that first noticed, in the late 1990s, that rats made special noises when they were experiencing social pleasure. Others had already noted that rats repeatedly made short and high sounds during meals. But the lab where Burgdorf worked noticed that they emitted similar sounds while playing. And so one day, the senior scientist in the lab said，“Let's go and tickle some rats. ” They quickly found that those cries of pleasure doubled. “The authors have been very adventurous,” said Daniel O'Connor, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University. To him, that finding was very surprising. “Why does the world literally feel different when you are stressed out？” he said. “This is the first step towards answering that question. It gives us a way to approach it with experimental rigor (严谨)．” 12．What contributed to humans' being ticklish according to Aristotle? A．Their special skin. 　　 B．Their social pleasure. C．Their nervous system. D．Their willingness to touch. 13．Which of the following statements will Jeffrey Burgdorf agree with? A．The research process is full of risks. B．The finding of the study is surprising and unbelievable. C．The new discovery is beneficial for the study of emotion. D．The finding of the study actually contradicts modern science. 14．The underlined word “squeaked” in Paragraph 2 may be replaced by “________”． A．gave a smile　　　　　 B．made a noise C．burst into tears D．watched with staring eyes 15．What is the best title for the text? A．The Life of Rats B．How Rats Laugh C．A Wonderful Scientist D．A New Discovery about Rats 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$ 科普文阅读专题1 A Petrol and diesel cars may still dominate our roads, but their days are numbered. A recent university study found that current electric cars could be used for 87 per cent of daily car journeys in the US. That figure could rise to 98 per cent by 2020. One hurdle to the widespread adoption of electric cars has been “range anxiety” — drivers' concerns about running out of juice on a journey. While petrol stations are conveniently located across national road systems, the necessary network of electric charging stations is still being developed. That said, charging points are becoming increasingly common throughout the USA. Attitudes towards electric vehicles have changed quite considerably over the last few years. Not that long ago, electric cars were met with distrust, and their large price tags drove customers away. Thanks to improvements in battery capacity, recharging times, performance and price, the current generation of electric cars is starting to persuade critics. Plug­in cars will soon give internal combustion engine models a run for their money. As well as advancements on the road, electric vehicles are taking to the seas and skies. Electric boats are among the oldest methods of electric travel, having enjoyed several decades of popularity from the late 19th to the early 20th century before petrol­powered outboard motors took over. Now, the global drive for renewable energy sources is bringing electric boats back. Steps towards electric air travel are also being made, with Airbus and NASA among the organizations developing and testing battery powered planes. The experiments could soon make commercial electric flight a reality. Electric vehicles do not produce any emissions. Were the US to act on the study's findings and replace 87 per cent of its cars with electric vehicles, it would reduce the national demand for petrol by 61 per cent. However, because of the production processes and the generation of electricity required to charge these vehicles, they cannot claim to be completely emission­free. That said, as many countries continue to increase their use of renewable energy sources, electric vehicles will become even cleaner. 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了汽油和柴油车将逐步被电动汽车代替以及电动交通工具在未来的发展。 1．Which is the best title for this passage? A．My Dream Car B．History of Electric Cars C．Problems with Petrol Cars D．Driving into the Future 解析：选D　主旨大意题。通读全文可知，本文介绍了汽油和柴油车将逐步被电动汽车代替以及电动交通工具在未来的发展。D项“驶向未来”形象地概括了文章的主旨，故选D项。 2．As used in Paragraph 2, the underlined word “hurdle” means________. A．aim B．barrier C．consequence D．step 解析：选B　词义猜测题。根据第二段中的“drivers' concerns about running out of juice on a journey”可知，司机担心在路上没电的问题。因此，这是电动汽车普及的一个障碍，故选B项。 3．In the past, why did many people refuse to buy the electric cars? A．They were not good value. B．They were very poorly made. C．They were not widely promoted. D．They couldn't travel at a high speed. 解析：选A　细节理解题。根据第三段可知，人们是被当时这种电动汽车的价格吓跑的；随着电池容量、可充电次数的增加、汽车性能的改善和价格的优化，这一代电动汽车已经开始吸引消费者购买了。这说明以前的电动汽车在各方面还不够完善，人们认为不值那个价钱。故选A项。 4．What is the function of Paragraph 4? A．To introduce the history of electric travel. B．To explain why the world needs more electric cars. C．To show why more people have interest in electric cars. D．To describe different ways electric vehicles can be used. 解析：选D　段落大意题。根据第四段第一句中的“electric vehicles are taking to the seas and skies”可知，除了在公路上，其他地方也可以使用电动交通工具。故选D项。 B On a college camping trip, curiosity about waves and sand caused Rob Thieler to study shorelines around the world. Thirty years later and now a U．S. Geological Survey research geologist, Thieler, is combining science and smartphone technology to help study an endangered bird, the Atlantic coast piping plover. The piping plover is a shorebird that breeds (繁殖) along the Atlantic coast, the Great Lakes and the Great Plains. Rising sea level associated with climate change, as well as increased development in their beach habitats (栖息地), threatens the species (物种)．To help track changes in piping plover habitats, Thieler developed a free app called iPlover in 2012. This is a marked change from the typical way scientists collect data, which involves gathering information by using specialized equipment or writing in notebooks and then putting it into spreadsheets. Since releasing iPlover, scientists have gathered data across 1,500 km of breeding range. That equals about a third of the distance across the U．S. , which is a large area to cover for only two thousand breeding pairs of piping plovers on the east coast. Instead of having to travel and spend days at each site, a number of cooperators in the field use the app to collect and send data, allowing scientists to gather data more efficiently. It also allows them to collect data at the same time during each breeding season, providing a better picture of changes that happen over longer periods of time. And fast, centralized access means scientists can look at data quickly to get a real­time idea of where and how piping plovers are using their habitats. While iPlover is used by trained field staff, other apps like the U．S. Geological Survey's web­based “iCoast — Did the Coast Change？” invite citizen scientists to identify coastal changes by comparing bird's­eye­view photographs taken before and after storms. All the information scientists and citizen scientists alike collect helps federal and state agencies create policy plans for addressing climate change impacts (影响) worldwide. 语篇解读：本文是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了美国的地质学家将科学和智能手机技术结合起来，研制出一款app监测笛鸻栖息地的变化，从而帮助保护这种濒危动物。 5．What can we know about the piping plover? A．Its behaviour is changing. B．Its habitat is growing bigger. C．Its living environment is becoming worse. D．Its breeding is limited to the Atlantic coast. 解析：选C　推理判断题。根据第二段第二句可知，与气候变化有关的海平面的上升和对笛鸻的海滩栖息地越来越多的开发威胁到了这种物种，故推断出笛鸻的生存环境日益糟糕，故选C项。 6．Why did Thieler develop iPlover? A．To study shorelines across America. B．To advance information technology. C．To find out global climate change. D．To monitor changes of piping plover habitats. 解析：选D　细节理解题。根据第二段第三句“To help track changes in piping plover habitats, Thieler developed a free app called iPlover in 2012. ”可知， Thieler研制iPlover的目的是监测笛鸻栖息地的变化，故选D项。 7．Which of the following benefits the piping plover? A．The camping equipment. B．Research on smartphones. C．The changeable coast. D．Progress in technology. 解析：选D　推理判断题。根据第三段内容可知，免费的应用程序发行之后，科学家们的监测范围更广，并能更有效地收集数据，这些对于采取措施保护笛鸻很有好处，技术的进步给笛鸻带来很多好处，故选D项。 8．What would be the best title for the text? A．Protecting Endangered Shorebirds B．Rob Thieler, a Creative Scientist C．iPlover, a Tool for Training Field Staff D．Differences Between iPlover and iCoast 解析：选A　标题归纳题。根据文章大意可知，美国的地质学家将科学和智能手机技术结合起来，研制出一款app来监测笛鸻栖息地的变化，从而帮助保护这种濒危动物。故选A项。 C When a mathematics student was examined in the hospital, Dr. John Lorber discovered that he had almost no brain at all. Normally, the condition is quite severe in the first months of babyhood. Even when someone survives he or she is usually seriously disabled. Somehow, though, the student had lived a perfectly normal life and went on to gain a degree in mathematics. This case is by no means as rare as it seems. Lorber has identified (确认) several hundred people who have very small brains but who appear to be normally intelligent people. He describes some of them as having “no detectable brain”， yet they have scored up to 120 in IQ tests. No one knows how people with “no detectable brain” are able to function at all, let alone graduate in mathematics. One suggestion is the old idea that we only use a small percentage of our brains anyway — perhaps as little as 10 per cent. But more recent research shows this idea is a misunderstanding dating from research in the 1930s in which the functions of large areas of the brain could not be determined and were named “silent”， while in fact they are linked with important functions like speech and abstract thinking. The other interesting thing about Lorber's findings is that they remind us of the secret of memory. At first it was thought that there is a part in the brain for memory, like the memory chips in a PC. But further research of the brain has turned up the surprising fact that memory does not depend on any particular area in the brain. As one scientist put it, “Memory is everywhere in the brain and nowhere. ” But if the brain is not a place for classifying and storing experiences and analyzing them to enable us to live our lives, then what on earth is the brain for？And where is the seat of human intelligence? Where is the mind? 语篇解读：本文是一篇科普类说明文。作者从一个“无脑人”案例入手，分析了人类大脑的功能问题。 9．What will usually happen to a very young baby without brain? A．It will die. 　　　　 B．It will survive. C．It will be intelligent. D．It will become disabled. 解析：选A　推理判断题。根据第一段中的第二句和第三句可知，通常情况下，在出生的前几个月里，(无脑)这种情况是非常严重的，有人即使存活下来，通常也会有严重的残疾。由此可知，这种情况的死亡率很高，故选A项。 10．What is the new finding of the functions of the brain? A．Much of the brain is useful. B．The brain is in fact of no use. C．The brain determines one's IQ. D．Only a small part of the brain is used. 解析：选A　细节理解题。根据第三段中的第二句可知，旧的观点是我们仅仅用了大脑很小的一部分；但下文对这一观点进行了否定。“But more recent research shows this idea is a misunderstanding. . . abstract thinking. ”，即这种旧观点是一种误解。由此可知，我们并非只使用大脑中很小的一部分，而是大脑的大部分区域都跟重要的功能相关联，都是有用的，故选A项。 11．What do we know about the existence of memory? A．We use all of our brain. B．We have memory chips. C．We are fully aware of it. D．We are still confused about it. 解析：选D　推理判断题。根据题干中的关键词memory 定位到最后两段。作者在指出关于人类记忆的两种截然不同的观点之后，连续提出了三个疑问，因此可知我们对于记忆的存在依然是很困惑的，故选D项。 D By trying to tickle (使发痒) rats and recording how their nerve cells respond, Shimpei Ishiyama and his adviser are discovering a mystery that has puzzled thinkers since Aristotle expected that humans, given their thin skin and unique ability to laugh, were the only ticklish animals. It turns out that Aristotle was wrong. In their study published on Thursday, Ishiyama and his adviser Michael Brecht found that rats squeaked and jumped with pleasure when tickled on their backs and bellies. These signs of joy changed according to their moods. And for the first time, they discovered a special group of nerve cells. These nerve cells made this feeling so powerful that it causes a rat being tickled to lose control. To make sure that he had indeed found a place in the brain where tickling was processed, Ishiyama then stimulated (刺激) that area with electrical currents. The rats began to jump like rabbits and sing like birds. “It's truly ground­breaking，”said Jeffrey Burgdorf, a neuroscientist at Northwestern University who reviewed the paper. “It takes the study of emotion to a new level. ” Burgdorf has played a central role in our understanding of animal tickling. He was part of a team that first noticed, in the late 1990s, that rats made special noises when they were experiencing social pleasure. Others had already noted that rats repeatedly made short and high sounds during meals. But the lab where Burgdorf worked noticed that they emitted similar sounds while playing. And so one day, the senior scientist in the lab said，“Let's go and tickle some rats. ” They quickly found that those cries of pleasure doubled. “The authors have been very adventurous，” said Daniel O'Connor, a neuroscientist at Johns Hopkins University. To him, that finding was very surprising. “Why does the world literally feel different when you are stressed out？” he said. “This is the first step towards answering that question. It gives us a way to approach it with experimental rigor (严谨)．” 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文中科学家通过刺激老鼠来记录它们的神经细胞的反应，所得出的结论将对情绪的研究提升到了一个全新的高度。 12．What contributed to humans' being ticklish according to Aristotle? A．Their special skin. 　　 B．Their social pleasure. C．Their nervous system. D．Their willingness to touch. 解析：选A　细节理解题。根据第一段中的“since Aristotle expected that humans, given their thin skin and unique ability to laugh, were the only ticklish animals”可知，亚里士多德认为人类由于其皮肤薄，而且有独特的笑的能力而成为唯一怕痒的动物，故选A项。 13．Which of the following statements will Jeffrey Burgdorf agree with? A．The research process is full of risks. B．The finding of the study is surprising and unbelievable. C．The new discovery is beneficial for the study of emotion. D．The finding of the study actually contradicts modern science. 解析：选C　推理判断题。根据第四段中的“It takes the study of emotion to a new level. ”可知，这项研究成果把对情绪的研究提升到了一个全新的高度，显然，这对情绪的研究是有益处的。故选C项。 14．The underlined word “squeaked” in Paragraph 2 may be replaced by “________”． A．gave a smile　　　　　 B．made a noise C．burst into tears D．watched with staring eyes 解析：选B　词义猜测题。根据该词后面的“jumped with pleasure when tickled on their backs and bellies”可知，当在老鼠的背部和腹部挠痒痒的时候，它们会高兴地跳起来，再结合第三段中的“The rats began to jump like rabbits and sing like birds. ”可知，此处是“发出声音”，故选B项。 15．What is the best title for the text? A．The Life of Rats B．How Rats Laugh C．A Wonderful Scientist D．A New Discovery about Rats 解析：选D　标题归纳题。根据全文内容可知，文章主要讲述了一项关于老鼠的新发现。故选D项。 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$ 科普文阅读专题 (2) 1、 科普文词汇积累（第一套阅读材料所见） 1. renewable 2. dominate 3. capacity 4. emission 5. efficiently 6. access accessible 7. detect 8. abstract 9. specific 10. classify 11. analyze 12. latter adj. 13. process 14. approach 15. be stressed out 16. except 17. expect 18. expand 19. decade 20. associate 21. threaten 2、 实战演练 A Shanghai leads the mainland in an international standardized (标准化的) test of English language level, according to the British Council's white paper on mainland test takers' IELTS performance. The white paper shows people on Chinese mainland have been making progress in their ability to listen, read, write and speak English in the past five years. People who took the IELTS Academic test showed the least progress in speaking English. The test takers' total score from the four­part test is below the world average, with the largest gap in the speaking test. The white paper also showed mixed development of English skills in various areas on the mainland. Shanghai, which achieved respective (分别的) average scores of 5. 87 points and 5. 95 points in the academic and training tests, led the mainland in the listening, speaking, reading and writing tests. Shanghai's universities and high schools also had the best results. Barry O'Sullivan, head of assessment research and development at the British Council, said Shanghai stood out against the other provinces because it is an international city, where students have a better environment and stronger motivation to learn and use English. The average score of Shanghai test takers in reading is higher than the world average, and their listening and writing scores are equal to the world average. But Shanghai test takers' speaking score is not so good as the other three. The city's Fudan University topped other universities on the mainland with the highest average IELTS scores. Fudan students' reading, listening and writing scores exceeded (超过) the world average but their speaking scores were below it. According to the white paper, all test takers said self­motivation was the most important factor for them, while those with IELTS scores higher than 7 points thought their high school teachers played an important role. The white paper also found that the English educators on the mainland who had mixed abilities in reading, writing, listening and speaking were weakest in speaking English. Chinese authorities are working to deal with these issues. For example, they have released the Chinese Standards of English which outlines English students' abilities at nine levels. 1．Which kind of ability of the mainland students needs to be improved urgently? A．The ability of listening. B．The ability of speaking. C．The ability of reading. D．The ability of writing. 2．Which of the situations of the IELTS test on the mainland is correct? A．The highest average score of the academic test among all provinces is 5. 87 points. B．Test takers in Shanghai have the best scores in the world. C．There is no big gap between Shanghai and other provinces in IELTS test scores. D．Mainland test takers score higher than most countries' in the world. 3．According to the passage, English skills might be greatly affected by________. A．one's motivation to go abroad B．one's attitude to the test C．the level of education one receives D．the overall social environment one lives in 4．It can be inferred from the passage that________. A．students in Fudan University have the best self­motivation B．the speaking test is the most difficult one among the four tests in IELTS C．the scores of IELTS are much influenced by high school education D．the level of Chinese students' English ability is above the world average 阅读得失总 结 词汇积累 1．academic 2．assessment n. _____________ 3. self­motivation 4. authority B Futurologists (未来学家) predict that life will probably be very different in 2050 in all the fields of activity, from entertainment to technology. First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. Instead, people will choose a programme from a “menu” (菜单) and a computer will send the programme directly to the television. Today, we can use the World Wide Web to read newspaper stories and see pictures on a computer thousands of kilometers away. By 2050, music, films, programmes, newspapers and books will come to us by computer. We will also be able to see, smell and touch the things that we see on television. In transport, cars will run on new, clean “gas” and they will go very fast. Cars will have computers to control the speed of the car and there won't be any accidents. Today, many cars have computers that tell drivers exactly where they are. By 2050, the computer will control the car and drive it to where you want to go. Space planes will fly all over the world and people will fly from Los Angels to Tokyo in just two hours. In technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. Many factories already use robots. Big companies prefer robots — they do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere — in factories, schools, offices, hospitals, shops and homes. Last but not least, medicine technology will have conquered many diseases. By 2050, we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again. Scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. 5．What is NOT true about television by 2050 according to this passage? A．One will be able to smell the food on television. B．One can have a try of the food you see on television. C．There will be no channels for us to choose programmes. D．Televisions will be completely controlled by computers. 6．What can be the development of transport that benefits people most by 2050? A．Cars will go at a very high speed on their own. B．Space planes will fly all over the world in a short time. C．There will be less pollution and no car accidents. D．Computers will tell people where they are going. 7．It can be implied in the passage that by 2050 ________. A．people will live more healthily and longer B．computer will control the speed of cars C．people can read newspapers through a computer D．there will be no people working in factories 8．What is the author's attitude towards people's life in future? A．Doubtful. B．Sad. C．Happy. D．Worried. 阅读得失总 结 词汇积累 1．entertainment 2．conquer 3.replace 4. intelligence C Experts believe that the best time to teach kids language skills is when they are babies. Most time the task is easily accomplished with parents reading or talking to their babies. However, in some cases that is not possible due to busy work schedules or when kids are born deaf. Now, an adorable blue­eyed robot, a human avatar, and some high­tech neuroscience may be able to assist parents with this important developmental task. The Robot AVatar thermal­Enhanced system, or RAVE, is the brainchild of a team of researchers led by Laura­Ann Petitto, an educational neuroscientist, at Washington, D．C. 's Gallaudet University. The learning process begins when the robot's camera, which is focused on the baby's face, detects tiny changes in his/her body temperature. This, combined with the baby's facial expression, causes the robot to turn its head and guide the baby's attention to a computer screen, on which a human avatar starts to communicate with the baby, much like a parent would. For example, if the baby points towards the screen, the avatar might respond, “Are you pointing to me？” and follow that up with a nursery rhyme, fairy tale, or some essential social communication, all in American Sign Language (ASL)．The “conversation” continues until the kid loses interest. The researchers, who have been testing the system for three years, found that babies as young as 6 to 8 months old began to move their hands in a rhythm similar to ASL after interacting with RAVE for just a few minutes. Petitto says natural language, whether communicated through speech or sign, activates the same parts of the brain and believes the rhythmic motions prove the babies are learning the essential elements of communication. What sets this technique apart from other methods, such as showing educational videos or television shows, is its interactive nature and real­time response to the baby's actions. The researchers say that while it is too early to determine the system's long­term influence on baby communication, the initial response has been very encouraging. Next, they plan to introduce an avatar that can both sign and speak to babies. 9．What can the RAVE system help parents do? A．Improve babies' health condition. B．Take good care of babies. C．Develop babies' language skills. D．Keep babies company. 10．What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about? A．How babies learn ASL effectively. B．How parents educate their babies. C．How robots talk and read to babies. D．How the RAVE system works. 11．What indicates babies are learning with the help of the RAVE system? A．Interest in videos and TV shows. B．Changes in their body temperature. C．Improvement in their natural language. D．Hand movements in a rhythm like ASL. 12．What do the researchers think of the RAVE system? A．Promising. B．Impractical. C．Satisfactory. D．Disappointing. 阅读得失总 结 词汇积累 1. adorable 2．accomplish 3. activate 4. essential 难句分析： 1.The learning process begins when the robot's camera, which is focused on the baby's face, detects tiny changes in his/her body temperature. 2.Petitto says natural language, whether communicated through speech or sign, activates the same parts of the brain and believes the rhythmic motions prove the babies are learning the essential elements of communication. D Ireland's Achill Island has always been a popular European tourist destination. However, since April, the small island of just 2,600 residents (居民) has gained worldwide fame thanks to the magical return of a beach that was washed away over three decades ago. The chain of events began in 1984 when residents of Dooagh, one of the five settlements on the island, awoke to a surprising sight: their beautiful sandy beach had been washed away by strong Atlantic storms. There were only rocks and rock pools left. For about 34 years, only small amounts of sand returned to the once unspoiled shores. The area's tourism industry slowly declined, and the handful of beachside hotels, pubs, and restaurants gradually closed as well. Then, around Easter last year, something magical happened — an unusual ten­day tide blanketed the barren 300­meter long rock beach with hundreds of tons of soft golden sand. Scientists suspect that the sand had been gathering offshore for months and was transported to the beach by the high winds and powerful waves. The locals are delighted to have their beach back, especially as it is attracting thousands of visitors wishing to witness the power of nature, with their own eyes. However, Sean Molloy, manager of Achill Tourism, cautions against going into the cold waters just yet, saying, “Because of the sand coming in, we don't know how safe the beach is now because currents (洋流) could be changed and it'll take a little bit of time. ” He instead recommends visitors enjoy the soft sand and leave the swimming to the dolphins that frequent the area. Interestingly, this is not the first time Dooagh Beach has pulled a disappearing and reappearing act. It disappeared in the 1890s, for over 30 years, before returning in 1927. However, the locals are optimistic that this time around, the beautiful sand is here to stay. 13．What has brought Achill Island worldwide attention recently? A．An unusual storm. B．The decrease in the number of residents. C．The return of its beach. D．The building of a new tourist destination. 14．What happened to Dooagh in the past three decades? A．Tourism went down gradually. B．Restaurant developed slowly. C．Storms attacked frequently. D．Rock pools disappeared completely. 15．What does the underlined word “barren” in Paragraph 3 probably mean? A．Noisy. 　　　 B．Soft. C．Bare. D．Golden. 16．What should tourists avoid according to Sean Molloy? A．Spoiling the shores. B．Getting into the rock pools. C．Playing with dolphins. D．Swimming near the beaches. 阅读得失总 结 词汇积累 1．gain fame 2． be washed away 3.decline 4. recommend 句意理解：He instead recommends visitors enjoy the soft sand and leave the swimming to the dolphins that frequent the area. frequent的一词多义： adj. v. 走进高考 A Across Britain, burnt toast will be served to mothers in bed this morning as older sons and daughters rush to deliver their supermarket bunches of flowers. But, according to a new study, we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year. Mothers have long known that their home workload was just as heavy as paid work. Now, the new study has shown that if they were paid for their parental labours, they would earn as much as £172,000 a year. The study looked at the range of jobs mothers do, as well as the hours they are working, to determine the figure. This would make their yearly income £30,000 more than the Prime Minister earns. By analysing the numbers, it found the average mother works 119 hours a week, 40 of which would usually be paid at a standard rate and 79 hours as overtime. After questioning 1,000 mothers with children under 18, it found that, on most days, mums started their routine work at 7am and finished at around 11pm. To calculate just how much mothers would earn from that labour, it suggested some of the roles that mums could take on, including housekeeper, part-time lawyer, personal trainer and entertainer. Being a part-time lawyer, at £48.98 an hour, would prove to be the most profitable of the “mum jobs”, with psychologist (心理学家) a close second. It also asked mothers about the challenges they face, with 80 per cent making emotional (情感的) demand as the hardest thing about motherhood. Over a third of mums felt they needed more training and around half said they missed going out with friends. The study shows mothers matter all year long and not just on Mother's Day. The emotional, physical and mental energy mothers devote to their children can be never-ending, but children are also sources of great joy and happiness. Investing (投入) in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent. 38. How much would a mother earn a year if working as the Prime Minister? A. £30,000. B. £142,000. C. £172,000. D. £202,000. 39. The biggest challenge for most mothers is from _____. A. emotional demand B. low pay for work C. heavy workload D. lack of training 40. What is stressed in the last paragraph? A. Mothers' importance shows in family all year long. B. The sacrifices mothers make are huge but worthwhile. C. Mothers' devotion to children can hardly be calculated. D. Investing time in parenting would bring a financial return. 41. What can we conclude from the study? A. Mothers' working hours should be largely reduced. B. Mothers should balance their time for work and rest. C. Mothers' labour is of a higher value than it is realized. D. Mothers should be freed from housework for social life. B Their cheery song brightens many a winter's day. But robins are in danger of wearing themselves out by singing too much. Robins are singing all night — as well as during the day, British-based researchers say. David Dominoni, of Glasgow University, said that light from street lamps, takeaway signs and homes is affecting the birds' biological clocks, leading to them being wide awake when they should be asleep. Dr Dominoni, who is putting cameras inside nesting boxes to track sleeping patterns, said lack of sleep could put the birds' health at risk. His study shows that when robins are exposed to light at night in the lab, it leads to some genes being active at the wrong time of day. And the more birds are exposed to light, the more active they are at night. He told people at a conference, “There have been a couple of studies suggesting they are increasing their song output at night and during the day they are still singing. Singing is a costly behaviour and it takes energy. So by increasing their song output, there might be some costs of energy.” And it is not just robins that are being kept awake by artificial light. Blackbirds and seagulls are also being more nocturnal. Dr.Dominoni said, “In Glasgow where I live, gulls are a serious problem. I have people coming to me saying ‘You are the bird expert. Can you help us kill these gulls?’. During the breeding (繁殖) season, between April and June, they are very active at night and very noisy and people can't sleep.” Although Dr.Dominoni has only studied light pollution, other research concluded that robins living in noisy cities have started to sing at night to make themselves heard over loud noise. However, some birds thrive (兴旺) in noisy environments. A study from California Polytechnic University found more hummingbirds in areas with heavy industrial machinery. It is thought that they are capitalising on their predators (天敌) fleeing to quieter areas. 42. According to Dr Dominoni's study, what causes robins to sing so much? A. The breeding season. B. The light in modern life C. The dangerous environment. D. The noise from heavy machinery. 43. What is the researchers' concern over the increase of birds’ song output? A. The environment might be polluted. B. The birds’ health might be damaged. C. The industry cost might be increased. D. The people’s hearing might be affected. 44. What does the underlined word “nocturnal” in Paragraph 5 mean? A. Active at night. B. Inactive at night. C. Active during the day. D. Inactive during the day. 45. Why do some birds thrive in noisy environments? A. Because there are fewer dangers. B. Because there is more food to eat. C. Because there is less light pollution D. Because there are more places to take shelter. C No one is sure how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids near Cairo. But a new study suggests they used a little rock ‘n’ roll. Long-ago builders could have attached wooden poles to the stones and rolled them across the sand, the scientists say. “Technically, I think what they’re proposing is possible,” physicist Daniel Bonn said. People have long puzzled over how the Egyptians moved such huge rocks. And there’s no obvious answer. On average, each of the two million big stones weighed about as much as a large pickup truck. The Egyptians somehow moved the stone blocks to the pyramid site from about one kilometer away. The most popular view is that Egyptian workers slid the blocks along smooth paths. Many scientists suspect workers first would have put the blocks on sleds (滑板). Then they would have dragged them along paths. To make the work easier, workers may have lubricated the paths either with wet clay or with the fat from cattle. Bonn has now tested this idea by building small sleds and dragging heavy objects over sand. Evidence from the sand supports this idea. Researchers found small amounts of fat, as well as a large amount of stone and the remains of paths. However, physicist Joseph West think there might have been a simpler way, who led the new study. West said, “I was inspired while watching a television program showing how sleds might have helped with pyramid construction. I thought, ‘Why don’t they just try rolling the things?’” A square could be turned into a rough sort of wheel by attaching wooden poles to its sides, he realized. That, he notes, should make a block of stone “a lot easier to roll than a square”. So he tried it. He and his students tied some poles to each of four sides of a 30-kilogram stone block. That action turned the block into somewhat a wheel. Then they placed the block on the ground. They wrapped one end of a rope around the block and pulled. The researchers found they could easily roll the block along different kinds of paths. They calculated that rolling the block required about as much force as moving it along a slippery (滑的) path. West hasn't tested his idea on larger blocks, but he thinks rolling has clear advantages over sliding. At least, workers wouldn’t have needed to carry cattle fat or water to smooth the paths. 46. It’s widely believed that the stone blocks were moved to the pyramid site by ____________. A. rolling them on roads B. pushing them over the sand C. sliding them on smooth paths D. dragging them on some poles 47. The underlined part “lubricated the paths” in Paragraph 4 means _________. A. made the path wet B. made the path hard C. made the path wide D. made the path slippery 48. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 7 refer to? A. Rolling the blocks with poles attached. B. Rolling the blocks on wooden wheels. C. Rolling poles to move the blocks. D. Rolling the blocks with fat. 49. Why is rolling better than sliding according to West? A. Because more force is needed for sliding. B. Because rolling work can be done by fewer cattle. C. Because sliding on smooth road is more dangerous. D. Because less preparation on paths is needed for rolling. 50. What is the text mainly about? A. An experiment on ways of moving blocks to the pyramid site. B. An application of the method of moving blocks to the pyramid site. C. An argument about different methods of moving blocks to the pyramid site. D. An introduction to a possible new way of moving blocks to the pyramid site. 阅读得失总 结 词汇积累 1．propose 2． drag 3. construction n. _____________ 4. attach…to … 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$ 科普文阅读专题 (2) 1、 科普文词汇积累（第一套阅读材料所见） 1. renewable 2. dominate 3. capacity 4. emission 5. efficiently 6. access accessible 7. detect 8. abstract 9. specific 10. classify 11. analyze 12. latter adj. 13. process 14. approach 15. be stressed out 16. except 17. expect 18. expand 19. decade 20. associate 21. threaten 2、 实战演练 A Shanghai leads the mainland in an international standardized (标准化的) test of English language level, according to the British Council's white paper on mainland test takers' IELTS performance. The white paper shows people on Chinese mainland have been making progress in their ability to listen, read, write and speak English in the past five years. People who took the IELTS Academic test showed the least progress in speaking English. The test takers' total score from the four­part test is below the world average, with the largest gap in the speaking test. The white paper also showed mixed development of English skills in various areas on the mainland. Shanghai, which achieved respective (分别的) average scores of 5. 87 points and 5. 95 points in the academic and training tests, led the mainland in the listening, speaking, reading and writing tests. Shanghai's universities and high schools also had the best results. Barry O'Sullivan, head of assessment research and development at the British Council, said Shanghai stood out against the other provinces because it is an international city, where students have a better environment and stronger motivation (动力) to learn and use English. The average score of Shanghai test takers in reading is higher than the world average, and their listening and writing scores are equal to the world average. But Shanghai test takers' speaking score is not so good as the other three. The city's Fudan University topped other universities on the mainland with the highest average IELTS scores. Fudan students' reading, listening and writing scores exceeded (超过) the world average but their speaking scores were below it. According to the white paper, all test takers said self­motivation was the most important factor for them, while those with IELTS scores higher than 7 points thought their high school teachers played an important role. The white paper also found that the English educators on the mainland who had mixed abilities in reading, writing, listening and speaking were weakest in speaking English. Chinese authorities are working to deal with these issues. For example, they have released the Chinese Standards of English which outlines English students' abilities at nine levels. 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。英国文化教育协会发布全球首部中国内地地区雅思考试官方白皮书，上海市雅思考生听说读写能力均居中国内地之首。 1．Which kind of ability of the mainland students needs to be improved urgently? A．The ability of listening. B．The ability of speaking. C．The ability of reading. D．The ability of writing. 解析：选B　细节理解题。根据第二段中的“People who took the IELTS Academic test showed . . . with the largest gap in the speaking test. ”可知，参加雅思学术考试的人在口语考试中的进步最小。考生在四项考试中的总成绩低于世界平均水平，口语考试与世界平均分的差距最大。由此可知，中国内地考生在口语能力方面急需加强。 2．Which of the situations of the IELTS test on the mainland is correct? A．The highest average score of the academic test among all provinces is 5. 87 points. B．Test takers in Shanghai have the best scores in the world. C．There is no big gap between Shanghai and other provinces in IELTS test scores. D．Mainland test takers score higher than most countries' in the world. 解析：选A　细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Shanghai, which achieved . . . and writing tests. ”可知，上海市的学术类雅思分数是5. 87分，培训类雅思分数是5. 95，在听说读写四项考试中领先全国。由此可知，上海市的雅思平均分数是全国最高的，因此5. 87分是全国各省中学术类雅思考试的最高的平均分数。 3．According to the passage, English skills might be greatly affected by________. A．one's motivation to go abroad B．one's attitude to the test C．the level of education one receives D．the overall social environment one lives in 解析：选D　推理判断题。根据第三段中的“Shanghai stood out against the other provinces . . . to learn and use English. ”可知，上海市领先于其他省份是因为它是一座国际化都市，那里的学生有更好的语言环境和更强的动力去学习和使用英语。由此可推知，社会环境对于一个人的英语能力有很大影响。 4．It can be inferred from the passage that________. A．students in Fudan University have the best self­motivation B．the speaking test is the most difficult one among the four tests in IELTS C．the scores of IELTS are much influenced by high school education D．the level of Chinese students' English ability is above the world average 解析：选C　推理判断题。根据第四段中的“According to the white paper . . . played an important role. ”可知，根据白皮书中的信息，所有考生都说自我鼓励对他们来说是最重要的因素，而那些雅思成绩高于7分的考生认为他们的高中老师扮演了很重要的角色。由此可推知，高中教育对雅思成绩影响很大。 B Futurologists (未来学家) predict that life will probably be very different in 2050 in all the fields of activity, from entertainment to technology. First of all, it seems that TV channels will have disappeared by 2050. Instead, people will choose a programme from a “menu” (菜单) and a computer will send the programme directly to the television. Today, we can use the World Wide Web to read newspaper stories and see pictures on a computer thousands of kilometers away. By 2050, music, films, programmes, newspapers and books will come to us by computer. We will also be able to see, smell and touch the things that we see on television. In transport, cars will run on new, clean “gas” and they will go very fast. Cars will have computers to control the speed of the car and there won't be any accidents. Today, many cars have computers that tell drivers exactly where they are. By 2050, the computer will control the car and drive it to where you want to go. Space planes will fly all over the world and people will fly from Los Angels to Tokyo in just two hours. In technology, robots will have replaced people in factories. Many factories already use robots. Big companies prefer robots — they do not ask for pay rises or go on strike, and they work 24 hours a day. By 2050, we will see robots everywhere — in factories, schools, offices, hospitals, shops and homes. Last but not least, medicine technology will have conquered many diseases. By 2050, we will be able to help blind and deaf people see again and hear again. Scientists will be able to produce clones of people and decide how they look, how they behave and how much intelligence they have. 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章从娱乐、交通、机器人、医药学等角度对2050年时人类生活的变化进行了展望。 5．What is NOT true about television by 2050 according to this passage? A．One will be able to smell the food on television. B．One can have a try of the food you see on television. C．There will be no channels for us to choose programmes. D．Televisions will be completely controlled by computers. 解析：选B　细节理解题。第一段最后一句提及未来人们可以看、闻、触摸电视上的东西，但没有提及可以品尝。故B项表述与文章不符。 6．What can be the development of transport that benefits people most by 2050? A．Cars will go at a very high speed on their own. B．Space planes will fly all over the world in a short time. C．There will be less pollution and no car accidents. D．Computers will tell people where they are going. 解析：选C　细节理解题。第二段前两句提及“clean ‘gas’”与“there won't be any accidents”，因此C项正确。 7．It can be implied in the passage that by 2050 ________. A．people will live more healthily and longer B．computer will control the speed of cars C．people can read newspapers through a computer D．there will be no people working in factories 解析：选A　推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“medicine technology will have conquered many diseases”判断，未来人们会更健康、更长寿。 8．What is the author's attitude towards people's life in future? A．Doubtful. B．Sad. C．Happy. D．Worried. 解析：选C　观点态度题。作者在叙述未来生活各个领域的变化时，给予了积极评价，如clean, in just two hours, prefer, conquer等词汇的应用，体现了作者积极乐观的态度。因此选C。 C (2019·石家庄市高中毕业班模拟)Experts believe that the best time to teach kids language skills is when they are babies. Most time the task is easily accomplished with parents reading or talking to their babies. However, in some cases that is not possible due to busy work schedules or when kids are born deaf. Now, an adorable blue­eyed robot, a human avatar, and some high­tech neuroscience may be able to assist parents with this important developmental task. The Robot AVatar thermal­Enhanced system, or RAVE, is the brainchild of a team of researchers led by Laura­Ann Petitto, an educational neuroscientist, at Washington, D．C. 's Gallaudet University. The learning process begins when the robot's camera, which is focused on the baby's face, detects tiny changes in his/her body temperature. This, combined with the baby's facial expression, causes the robot to turn its head and guide the baby's attention to a computer screen, on which a human avatar starts to communicate with the baby, much like a parent would. For example, if the baby points towards the screen, the avatar might respond, “Are you pointing to me？” and follow that up with a nursery rhyme, fairy tale, or some essential social communication, all in American Sign Language (ASL)．The “conversation” continues until the kid loses interest. The researchers, who have been testing the system for three years, found that babies as young as 6 to 8 months old began to move their hands in a rhythm similar to ASL after interacting with RAVE for just a few minutes. Petitto says natural language, whether communicated through speech or sign, activates the same parts of the brain and believes the rhythmic motions prove the babies are learning the essential elements of communication. What sets this technique apart from other methods, such as showing educational videos or television shows, is its interactive nature and real­time response to the baby's actions. The researchers say that while it is too early to determine the system's long­term influence on baby communication, the initial response has been very encouraging. Next, they plan to introduce an avatar that can both sign and speak to babies. 语篇解读：本文是一篇科普说明文。文章主要介绍了一种可以帮助父母教婴儿学习语言的系统，以及该系统的工作原理、效果评价和研究人员对这种技术的前景展望。 9．What can the RAVE system help parents do? A．Improve babies' health condition. B．Take good care of babies. C．Develop babies' language skills. D．Keep babies company. 解析：选C　细节理解题。根据第一段第一句可知，专家认为教孩子语言技能的最佳时间是孩子的婴儿时期；结合第一段最后一句以及第二段第一句可知， RAVE系统可以帮助父母完成教婴儿学习语言的任务，故C项正确。 10．What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about? A．How babies learn ASL effectively. B．How parents educate their babies. C．How robots talk and read to babies. D．How the RAVE system works. 解析：选D　段落大意题。根据第二段第二、第三句“The learning process . . . much like a parent would. ”可知，机器人的摄像头可以检测到婴儿细微的体温变化并与婴儿的面部表情相结合，使机器人转动头部，引导婴儿注意电脑屏幕，在电脑屏幕上，一个人类的形象开始与婴儿交流，就像父母一样；结合全段内容可知，该段主要介绍了RAVE系统的工作原理．故D项正确。 11．What indicates babies are learning with the help of the RAVE system? A．Interest in videos and TV shows. B．Changes in their body temperature. C．Improvement in their natural language. D．Hand movements in a rhythm like ASL. 解析：选D　细节理解题。根据第三段中的“babies as young . . . a few minutes”可知，在和这种系统交流互动之后，婴儿就会开始以类似于ASL的节奏晃动他们的手，故D项正确。 12．What do the researchers think of the RAVE system? A．Promising. B．Impractical. C．Satisfactory. D．Disappointing. 解析：选A　观点态度题。根据最后一段中的第二、第三句“The researchers say . . . can both sign and speak to babies. ”可知，尽管对这种系统培养婴儿交流技能的长期影响进行评价为时过早，但是其初期的表现令人鼓舞。研究人员将在下一步推出可以用手语和口语与婴儿交流的形象。据此可知，研究人员对这种系统的发展是充满着希望的，A项意为“有前途的，有希望的”，符合语境，故A项正确。 D Ireland's Achill Island has always been a popular European tourist destination. However, since April, the small island of just 2,600 residents (居民) has gained worldwide fame thanks to the magical return of a beach that was washed away over three decades ago. The chain of events began in 1984 when residents of Dooagh, one of the five settlements on the island, awoke to a surprising sight: their beautiful sandy beach had been washed away by strong Atlantic storms. There were only rocks and rock pools left. For about 34 years, only small amounts of sand returned to the once unspoiled shores. The area's tourism industry slowly declined, and the handful of beachside hotels, pubs, and restaurants gradually closed as well. Then, around Easter last year, something magical happened — an unusual ten­day tide blanketed the barren 300­meter long rock beach with hundreds of tons of soft golden sand. Scientists suspect that the sand had been gathering offshore for months and was transported to the beach by the high winds and powerful waves. The locals are delighted to have their beach back, especially as it is attracting thousands of visitors wishing to witness the power of nature, with their own eyes. However, Sean Molloy, manager of Achill Tourism, cautions against going into the cold waters just yet, saying, “Because of the sand coming in, we don't know how safe the beach is now because currents (洋流) could be changed and it'll take a little bit of time. ” He instead recommends visitors enjoy the soft sand and leave the swimming to the dolphins that frequent the area. Interestingly, this is not the first time Dooagh Beach has pulled a disappearing and reappearing act. It disappeared in the 1890s, for over 30 years, before returning in 1927. However, the locals are optimistic that this time around, the beautiful sand is here to stay. 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了爱尔兰阿基尔岛消失的海滩时隔三十多年再次出现的事件。 13．What has brought Achill Island worldwide attention recently? A．An unusual storm. B．The decrease in the number of residents. C．The return of its beach. D．The building of a new tourist destination. 解析：选C　细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句可知，阿基尔岛引起世界关注的原因是三十年前被水冲走的沙滩又神奇地回来了，故选择C项。 14．What happened to Dooagh in the past three decades? A．Tourism went down gradually. B．Restaurant developed slowly. C．Storms attacked frequently. D．Rock pools disappeared completely. 解析：选A　细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句“The area's tourism industry slowly declined, and the handful of beachside hotels, pubs, and restaurants gradually closed as well. ”可知，当地的旅游业逐渐下降，一些海边旅馆和饭店逐渐关门，故选择A项。 15．What does the underlined word “barren” in Paragraph 3 probably mean? A．Noisy. 　　　　　 B．Soft. C．Bare. D．Golden. 解析：选C　词义猜测题。根据第二段中“their beautiful sandy beach had been washed away by strong Atlantic storms. There were only rocks and rock pools left”可知，三十年前沙滩被大西洋强风暴冲走，只剩下岩石和岩石池，沙滩上肯定是光秃秃的，三十年后奇迹般回归的沙滩又重新覆盖了这片光秃秃的区域，故选择C项。 16．What should tourists avoid according to Sean Molloy? A．Spoiling the shores. B．Getting into the rock pools. C．Playing with dolphins. D．Swimming near the beaches. 解析：选D　推理判断题。根据第四段最后一句可知，Sean Molloy建议游客们不要在海滩附近游泳，故选择D项。 走进高考 A Across Britain, burnt toast will be served to mothers in bed this morning as older sons and daughters rush to deliver their supermarket bunches of flowers. But, according to a new study, we should be placing a higher value on motherhood all year. Mothers have long known that their home workload was just as heavy as paid work. Now, the new study has shown that if they were paid for their parental labours, they would earn as much as £172,000 a year. The study looked at the range of jobs mothers do, as well as the hours they are working, to determine the figure. This would make their yearly income £30,000 more than the Prime Minister earns. By analysing the numbers, it found the average mother works 119 hours a week, 40 of which would usually be paid at a standard rate and 79 hours as overtime. After questioning 1,000 mothers with children under 18, it found that, on most days, mums started their routine work at 7am and finished at around 11pm. To calculate just how much mothers would earn from that labour, it suggested some of the roles that mums could take on, including housekeeper, part-time lawyer, personal trainer and entertainer. Being a part-time lawyer, at £48.98 an hour, would prove to be the most profitable of the “mum jobs”, with psychologist (心理学家) a close second. It also asked mothers about the challenges they face, with 80 per cent making emotional (情感的) demand as the hardest thing about motherhood. Over a third of mums felt they needed more training and around half said they missed going out with friends. The study shows mothers matter all year long and not just on Mother's Day. The emotional, physical and mental energy mothers devote to their children can be never-ending, but children are also sources of great joy and happiness. Investing (投入) in time for parenting and raising relationships is money well spent. 38. How much would a mother earn a year if working as the Prime Minister? A. £30,000. B. £142,000. C. £172,000. D. £202,000. 39. The biggest challenge for most mothers is from _____. A. emotional demand B. low pay for work C. heavy workload D. lack of training 40. What is stressed in the last paragraph? A. Mothers' importance shows in family all year long. B. The sacrifices mothers make are huge but worthwhile. C. Mothers' devotion to children can hardly be calculated. D. Investing time in parenting would bring a financial return. 41. What can we conclude from the study? A. Mothers' working hours should be largely reduced. B. Mothers should balance their time for work and rest. C. Mothers' labour is of a higher value than it is realized. D. Mothers should be freed from housework for social life. B Their cheery song brightens many a winter's day. But robins are in danger of wearing themselves out by singing too much. Robins are singing all night — as well as during the day, British-based researchers say. David Dominoni, of Glasgow University, said that light from street lamps, takeaway signs and homes is affecting the birds' biological clocks, leading to them being wide awake when they should be asleep. Dr Dominoni, who is putting cameras inside nesting boxes to track sleeping patterns, said lack of sleep could put the birds' health at risk. His study shows that when robins are exposed to light at night in the lab, it leads to some genes being active at the wrong time of day. And the more birds are exposed to light, the more active they are at night. He told people at a conference, “There have been a couple of studies suggesting they are increasing their song output at night and during the day they are still singing. Singing is a costly behaviour and it takes energy. So by increasing their song output, there might be some costs of energy.” And it is not just robins that are being kept awake by artificial light. Blackbirds and seagulls are also being more nocturnal. Dr.Dominoni said, “In Glasgow where I live, gulls are a serious problem. I have people coming to me saying ‘You are the bird expert. Can you help us kill these gulls?’. During the breeding (繁殖) season, between April and June, they are very active at night and very noisy and people can't sleep.” Although Dr.Dominoni has only studied light pollution, other research concluded that robins living in noisy cities have started to sing at night to make themselves heard over loud noise. However, some birds thrive (兴旺) in noisy environments. A study from California Polytechnic University found more hummingbirds in areas with heavy industrial machinery. It is thought that they are capitalising on their predators (天敌) fleeing to quieter areas. 42. According to Dr Dominoni's study, what causes robins to sing so much? A. The breeding season. B. The light in modern life C. The dangerous environment. D. The noise from heavy machinery. 43. What is the researchers' concern over the increase of birds’ song output? A. The environment might be polluted. B. The birds’ health might be damaged. C. The industry cost might be increased. D. The people’s hearing might be affected. 44. What does the underlined word “nocturnal” in Paragraph 5 mean? A. Active at night. B. Inactive at night. C. Active during the day. D. Inactive during the day. 45. Why do some birds thrive in noisy environments? A. Because there are fewer dangers. B. Because there is more food to eat. C. Because there is less light pollution D. Because there are more places to take shelter. C No one is sure how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids near Cairo. But a new study suggests they used a little rock ‘n’ roll. Long-ago builders could have attached wooden poles to the stones and rolled them across the sand, the scientists say. “Technically, I think what they’re proposing is possible,” physicist Daniel Bonn said. People have long puzzled over how the Egyptians moved such huge rocks. And there’s no obvious answer. On average, each of the two million big stones weighed about as much as a large pickup truck. The Egyptians somehow moved the stone blocks to the pyramid site from about one kilometer away. The most popular view is that Egyptian workers slid the blocks along smooth paths. Many scientists suspect workers first would have put the blocks on sleds (滑板). Then they would have dragged them along paths. To make the work easier, workers may have lubricated the paths either with wet clay or with the fat from cattle. Bonn has now tested this idea by building small sleds and dragging heavy objects over sand. Evidence from the sand supports this idea. Researchers found small amounts of fat, as well as a large amount of stone and the remains of paths. However, physicist Joseph West think there might have been a simpler way, who led the new study. West said, “I was inspired while watching a television program showing how sleds might have helped with pyramid construction. I thought, ‘Why don’t they just try rolling the things?’” A square could be turned into a rough sort of wheel by attaching wooden poles to its sides, he realized. That, he notes, should make a block of stone “a lot easier to roll than a square”. So he tried it. He and his students tied some poles to each of four sides of a 30-kilogram stone block. That action turned the block into somewhat a wheel. Then they placed the block on the ground. They wrapped one end of a rope around the block and pulled. The researchers found they could easily roll the block along different kinds of paths. They calculated that rolling the block required about as much force as moving it along a slippery (滑的) path. West hasn't tested his idea on larger blocks, but he thinks rolling has clear advantages over sliding. At least, workers wouldn’t have needed to carry cattle fat or water to smooth the paths. 46. It’s widely believed that the stone blocks were moved to the pyramid site by ____________. A. rolling them on roads B. pushing them over the sand C. sliding them on smooth paths D. dragging them on some poles 47. The underlined part “lubricated the paths” in Paragraph 4 means _________. A. made the path wet B. made the path hard C. made the path wide D. made the path slippery 48. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 7 refer to? A. Rolling the blocks with poles attached. B. Rolling the blocks on wooden wheels. C. Rolling poles to move the blocks. D. Rolling the blocks with fat. 49. Why is rolling better than sliding according to West? A. Because more force is needed for sliding. B. Because rolling work can be done by fewer cattle. C. Because sliding on smooth road is more dangerous. D. Because less preparation on paths is needed for rolling. 50. What is the text mainly about? A. An experiment on ways of moving blocks to the pyramid site. B. An application of the method of moving blocks to the pyramid site. C. An argument about different methods of moving blocks to the pyramid site. D. An introduction to a possible new way of moving blocks to the pyramid site. 38. B 39. A 40. B 参考解析：通读最后一段，母亲给孩子投入的一切是无止境的，但是投入的时间和与孩子关系的 培养是值得付出的，故正确答案选B。 41. C参考解析：通读全文可知，母亲在的工作比我们意识到的要重，故答案选C。 42. B参考解析：定位到文章第三段。由第二三句可知选B。 43. B参考解析：由song output定位到第四段。由二三句话可知选B。 44. A参考解析：根据第五段第一句话”不仅知更鸟在人工光照下会一直醒着。画眉鸟和海鸥也正在变 得. . . 。所以这里的nocturnal与前面的awake是近义词，是”夜间活动的”意思。 45. A参考解析：根据文章最后一句话可知。 46. C参考解析：由文中三段第一句话最受欢迎的观点是埃及人通过光滑的路径移动石块故答案为C。 47. D参考解析：由该词出现的后半句可知他们使用湿润的粘土或是动物的脂肪使这个路径变的光滑才 能更轻松的滑动石块。故答案为D。 48. A参考解析：由文中第六段内容的后半部分可知物理学家West提出把正方形的木头顶端系到石块 上从而滚动石块，故答案为A 49. D参考解析：根据最后一段最后一句可知答案选D 50. C 参考解析：文中针对移动金字塔巨大石块的方法提出了不同的方法。故选C。 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$