专题06 说明文或议论文类（精选名校试题12篇）【考题猜想】-2024-2025学年高二英语上学期期末考点大串讲（上海）

高二上学期期末考点大串讲（上海） 专题06 说明文或议论文类精选12篇 （解析版） 01 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市上海中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期末考试英语试卷 Our culture has caused most Americans to assume not only that our language is universal, but that the gestures we use are understood by everyone. We do not realize that waving good-bye is the way to ask a person from the Philippines to one’s side, or that in Italy and some Latin-American countries, curling the finger to oneself is a sign of farewell. Those private citizens who sent packages to our troops occupying Germany after World War II and marked them GIFT to escape duty payments did not bother to find out that “Gift” means poison in German. Moreover, we like to think of ourselves as friendly, yet we prefer to be at least 3 feet or an arm’s length away from others. Latins and Middle Easterners like to come closer and touch, which makes Americans uncomfortable. Our linguistic and cultural blindness and the informality with which we take notice of the developed tastes, gestures, customs and languages of other countries, are losing us friends, business and respect in the world. Even here in the United States, we make few compromises to the needs of foreign visitors. There are no information signs in four languages on our public buildings or monuments; we do not have multilingual guided tours. Very few restaurant menus have translations, and multilingual waiters, bank clerks and policemen are rare. Our transportation systems have maps in English only and often we ourselves have difficulty understanding them. When we go abroad, we tend to cluster in hotels and restaurants where English is spoken. The attitudes and information we pick up are conditioned by those natives—usually the richer—who speak English. Our business dealings, as well as the nation’s diplomacy, are conducted through interpreters. For many years, America and Americans could get by with cultural blindness and linguistic ignorance. After all, America was the most powerful country of the free world, the distributor of needed funds and goods. But all that is past. American dollars no longer buy all good things, and we are slowly beginning to realize that our proper role in the world is changing. A l979 Harris poll reported that 55 percent of Americans want this country to play a more significant role in world affairs; we want to have a hand in the important decisions of the next century, even though it may not always be the upper hand. 1．It can be inferred that Americans being approached too closely by Middle Easterners would most probably________. A．stand still B．scream out C．step forward D．draw back 2．The author gives many examples to criticize Americans for their ________. A．cultural self-centeredness B．casual manners C．indifference towards foreign visitors D．blindness to native culture 3．In countries other than their own, most Americans ________. A．are isolated by the local people B．are not well informed due to the language barrier C．tend to get along well with the natives D．need interpreters in hotels and restaurants 4．The author’s intention in writing this article is to make Americans realize that ________. A．it is dangerous to ignore their foreign friends B．it is important to maintain their leading role in world affairs C．it is necessary to use several languages in public places D．it is time to get acquainted with other cultures 【答案】1．D 2．A 3．B 4．D 【导语】本文为一篇说明文。作者通过对美国以自我文化为中心的一些例子来证明以美国为中心的时代已经过去，美国应该要接受文化多元性，故提醒美国人应该要熟悉其他国家的文化。 1．推理判断题。根据文章第二段“Latins and Middle Easterners like to come closer and touch, which makes Americans uncomfortable.(拉丁人和中东人喜欢走近接触，但这会让美国人不舒服。)”可知，中东人喜欢走近接触，而这会让美国人不舒服，因此可推断如果一个中东人靠美国人太近的话，美国人会感到不舒适，从而往后退缩，故选D。 2．推理判断题。根据文章第四段“Even here in the United States, we make few compromises to the needs of foreign visitors. There are no information signs in four languages on our public buildings or monuments; we do not have multilingual guided tours. Very few restaurant menus have translations, and multilingual waiters, bank clerks and policemen are rare. (甚至在美国，我们也很少对外国游客的需求做出妥协。我们在公共建筑或纪念碑上没有四种语言的信息标志；我们没有多语言的导游。很少有餐厅的菜单有翻译，也很少会有说多种语言的服务员、银行职员和警察。)”可知，作者提到的这些例子都是在表达美国很少对外国游客的需求做出妥协，这是一种文化自我中心的表现，故选A。 3．推理判断题。根据文章倒数第三段“When we go abroad, we tend to cluster in hotels and restaurants where English is spoken. The attitudes and information we pick up are conditioned by those natives—usually the richer—who speak English. Our business dealings, as well as the nation’s diplomacy, are conducted through interpreters. (当我们出国时，我们往往会聚集在讲英语的酒店和餐馆里。因此我们所获得的态度和信息是由那些说英语的当地人决定的。我们的商业往来和国家外交都是通过口译员进行的。)”可推知，当美国人在国外的时候，获取的信息都是由口译员传达的，因此他们因为语言障碍，未能获取到真正有效的信息，故选B。 4．推理判断题。根据文章最后一段“But all that is past. American dollars no longer buy all good things, and we are slowly beginning to realize that our proper role in the world is changing. (但这一切都已经过去了。美元不再能买所有好东西，我们慢慢开始意识到，我们在这个世界上的角色正在个改变。)”可知，作者通过对美国以自我文化为中心的一些例子来证明以美国为中心的时代已经过去，美国应该要接受文化多元性，故提醒美国人应该要熟悉其他国家的文化，故选D。 02 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市交大附中2023-2024学年高二上学期期末考试英语试卷 In the idealized version of how science is done, facts about the world are waiting to be observed and collected by objective researchers who use the scientific method to carry out their work. But in the everyday practice of science, discovery frequently follows an unclear and complicated route. We aim to be objective, but we cannot escape the context of our unique life experience. Prior knowledge and interest influence what we experience. Opportunities for misinterpretation are everywhere. Consequently, discovery claims should be thought of as early forms of science and are full of potential. But it takes collective inspection and acceptance to transform a discovery claim into a mature discovery. This is the credibility process, through which the individual researcher’s me, here, now becomes the community’s anyone, anywhere, anytime. Objective knowledge is the goal, not the starting point. Once a discovery claim becomes public, the discoverer receives intellectual credit. But the community takes control of what happens next. Within the complex social structure of the scientific community, researchers make discoveries; editors and reviewers act as gatekeepers by controlling the publication process; other scientists use the new finding to suit their own purposes; and finally, the public (including other scientists) receives the new discovery and possibly accompanying technology. As a discovery claim works it through the community, the interaction and battle between shared and competing beliefs about the science and the technology involved transforms an individual’s discovery claim into the community’s credible discovery. Two problems exist throughout this credibility process. First, scientific work tends to focus on some aspect of current knowledge that is viewed as incomplete or incorrect. Little reward accompanies repetition and confirmation of what is already known and believed. The goal is new-search, not re-search. Not surprisingly, newly published discovery claims and credible discoveries that appear to be important and convincing will always be open to challenge and potential modification or contradiction by future researchers. Second, novelty itself frequently provokes disbelief. Nobel Laureate and physiologist Albert Azent-Gyorgyi once described discovery as “seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” But thinking what nobody else has thought and telling others what they have missed may not change their views. Sometimes years are required for truly novel discovery claims to be accepted and appreciated. In the end, credibility “happens” to a discovery claim — a process that corresponds to what philosopher Annette Baier has described as the commons of the mind. “We reason together, challenge, revise, and complete each other’s reasoning and each other’s conceptions of reason.” 5．According to the first paragraph, the process of discovery is characterized by its ________. A．uncertainty and complexity B．misconception and falsehood C．logicality and objectivity D．systematicness and regularity 6．It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that credibility process requires ________. A．strict inspection B．shared efforts C．individual wisdom D．persistent innovation 7．Albert Szent-Gyorgyi would most likely agree that ________. A．scientific claims will survive challenges B．discoveries today inspire future research C．efforts to make discoveries are justified D．scientific work calls for a critical mind 8．Which of the following would be the best title of the test? A．Novelty as an Engine of Scientific Discovery B．Collective Inspection in Scientific Discovery C．Evolution of Credibility in Doing Science D．Challenge to Credibility at the Gate to Science 【答案】5．A 6．B 7．D 8．C 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了科学研究实际上充满了不确定性和复杂性，科学发现的主张应被视为科学的早期形式，需要经过可信度的验证才能变为成熟的科学发现，这一验证的过程需要集体的努力，并且伴随着相应的两个问题。 5．细节理解题。根据第一段中“In the idealized version of how science is done, facts about the world are waiting to be observed and collected by objective researchers who use the scientific method to carry out their work. But in the everyday practice of science, discovery frequently follows an unclear and complicated route. (在科学如何进行的理想版本中，关于世界的事实等待着客观的研究人员观察和收集，他们使用科学的方法来开展工作。但在日常的科学实践中，科学发现往往遵循一条不明确而复杂的路线。)”可知，科学发现的过程实际上和理想版本不同，它的特点是具有不确定性和复杂性。故选A项。 6．推理判断题。根据第二段中“But it takes collective inspection and acceptance to transform a discovery claim into a mature discovery. This is the credibility process, through which the individual researcher’s me, here, now becomes the community’s anyone, anywhere, anytime. (但是，要把一项科学发现的主张转变为一项成熟的发现，需要集体的审视和认可。这是一个验证可信度的过程，通过这个过程，此时此地研究者个人的“我”变成了社群中随时随地的“任何人”。)”可知，科学发现的主张需要经过集体的审视和认可才能被证实是可信的，变为成熟的发现。由此可知，验证可信度的过程需要集体的努力。故选B项。 7．推理判断题。根据第四段中“Nobel Laureate and physiologist Albert Azent-Gyorgyi once described discovery as “seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” (诺贝尔奖得主、生理学家Albert Azent-Gyorgyi曾将科学发现描述为“看到所有人都看到的，思考没有人想到的。”)”可知，Albert Azent-Gyorgyi认为科学发现意味着在了解所有人都知道的东西的基础上，拥有创新性的思考。由此可知，他应该会同意“科学工作需要有批判性思维”的观点。故选D项。 8．主旨大意题。通读全文可知，文章的第一段指出科学研究实际上充满了不确定性和复杂性；第二段指出鉴于上述特点，科学发现的主张需要经过可信度验证的过程才能变为成熟的科学发现；第三段介绍了验证可信度的常规过程，第四段说明了验证可信度过程中存在的两个问题；第五段引用哲学家Annette Baier的话对科学的可信度验证过程进行了总结。综上所述，文章主要是在介绍科学研究中可信度的验证过程，即科学发现的主张如何变为成熟的科学发现。因此，C项“科学研究中可信度的演变”准确地概括了文章的主旨，适合作为文章标题。故选C项。 03 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市进才中学2023-2024学年高二上学期1月期末英语试题 In the fog of uncertainty about how new technology will change the way we work, policymakers around the world say confidently that we will need to upskill the workforce in order to cope. The view sounds reassuringly sensible: if computers are growing smarter, humans will need to learn to use them or be replaced by them. But the truth is, the people who are being “upskilled” in today’s economy are the ones who need it the least. Research shows that workers with degrees are over three times more likely to participate in training as adults than workers with no qualifications. That creates a virtuous circle for those who did well at school, and a vicious circle for those who did not. If the robots are coming for both the accountants and the taxi drivers, you can bet it is those working with money that will be more able to retrain themselves out of danger, because the better educated tend to have more confidence and money to pay for their own training. Employers also invest in these workers more. In the UK, a surprising number of employers send their senior managers to business schools. It is no good blaming employers for directing investments at their highly-skilled workers. They are simply aiming for the highest return they can get. And, for some types of lower-paid work, it is not always true that technological progress requires more skills. Sometimes, technology can de-skill a job. Just look at Uber drivers who follow the driving routes set by their app, rather than expanding their own knowledge of the streets. The UK’s latest Employment and Skills Survey suggests the use of literacy and numeracy skills at work has fallen since 2012, even as the use of computers has increased. However, the trouble is, when the computer makes your job easier one day, it might make it redundant the next. Many of those affected by automation will need to switch occupations, or even industries. But a retailer or warehouse company is not going to retrain its staff to help them move to a different sector. It is time to revisit older ideas. The UK once had a vibrant culture of night schools, for adults to attend after their day jobs. A revival of it could be exactly what the 21st century needs. Rather than just “upskilling” in a narrow way, people could choose to learn an entirely new skill or trade, or explore interests they never had a chance to nurture before. It is still not clear whether the impact of new technology on the labour market will come in a trickle or a flood. But in an already unequal world, continuing to reserve all the lifeboats for the better-off would be a dangerous mistake. 9．According to the writer, policymakers’ belief in upskilling the workforce __________. A．is contrary to popular belief B．is helpful in coping with new technology C．is too difficult to put it into practice D．is not beneficial to those who need it most 10．It can be inferred that workers without qualifications are less likely to __________. A．have confidence in outperforming those with degrees at school B．persuade their employers to make an investment in them C．minimize the risk of job loss caused by new technology D．assess how new technology will change the way they work 11．The word “redundant” (Para. 3) probably means __________. A．unnecessary B．undesirable C．unskilled D．unrewarding 12．According to the passage, which of the following conclusion is True? A．Workers’ literacy and numeracy skills should be enhanced without delay. B．Night schools can help to eliminate skill gaps among workers. C．Companies should attach much importance to retraining of workers. D．Those lower-skilled workers deserve giving more chances of retraining. 【答案】9．D 10．C 11．A 12．D 【导语】本文为一篇说明文。文章针对通常看法“需提升劳动人口技能以应对自动化浪潮”指出，现实中技能提升的机会往往向高学历者倾斜，应为真正面临危机的低学历者提供再培训机会。 9．细节理解题。根据第一段“In the fog of uncertainty about how new technology will change the way we work, policymakers around the world say confidently that we will need to upskill the workforce in order to cope. The view sounds reassuringly sensible: if computers are growing smarter, humans will need to learn to use them or be replaced by them. But the truth is, the people who are being “upskilled” in today’s economy are the ones who need it the least.(在新技术将如何改变我们工作方式的不确定性迷雾中，世界各地的政策制定者自信地表示，我们需要提高劳动力的技能，以应对这一挑战。这种观点听起来合情合理，令人放心：如果计算机变得越来越智能，人类将需要学会使用它们，否则就会被它们取代。但事实是，在当今的经济环境下，那些“技能提升”的人恰恰是最不需要技能提升的人)”可知，作者认为，政策制定者对提高劳动力技能的信念不利于那些最需要技能的人。故选D项。 10．推理判断题。根据第二段“Research shows that workers with degrees are over three times more likely to participate in training as adults than workers with no qualifications. That creates a virtuous circle for those who did well at school, and a vicious circle for those who did not. If the robots are coming for both the accountants and the taxi drivers, you can bet it is those working with money that will be more able to retrain themselves out of danger, because the better educated tend to have more confidence and money to pay for their own training.(研究表明，有学历的工人成年后参加培训的可能性是没有学历的工人的三倍多。这为那些在学校表现好的人创造了一个良性循环，而为那些表现不好的人创造了一个恶性循环。如果机器人正在取代会计和出租车司机，你可以打赌，那些有钱的人将更有能力重新培训自己以摆脱危险，因为受过更好教育的人往往更有信心，也更有钱来支付自己的培训费用)”可推知，没有资格的工人不太可能将新技术带来的失业风险降到最低。故选C项。 11．词句猜测题。根据后文“Many of those affected by automation will need to switch occupations, or even industries.(许多受自动化影响的人将需要转换职业，甚至行业)”可知，科技进步让工作变的更容易的同时，也可能会让人失去工作，推知redundant意为“不需要的”之意，和A项意思相近。故选A项。 12．推理判断题。根据最后一段“It is still not clear whether the impact of new technology on the labour market will come in a trickle or a flood. But in an already unequal world, continuing to reserve all the lifeboats for the better-off would be a dangerous mistake.(目前尚不清楚新技术对劳动力市场的影响是涓涓细流还是洪流。但在一个已经不平等的世界里，继续把所有的救生艇都留给富人将是一个危险的错误)”可知，作者认为把所有的救生艇都留给富人将是一个危险的错误，所以是那些低技能工人应该得到更多再培训的机会。故选D项。 04 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市格致中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期末英语试题 Is It Worth Buying Organic Food? Organic food, grown without artificial chemicals, is increasingly popular nowadays. Consumers have been willing to pay up to twice as much for goods with organic labels (标签). However, if you think paying a little more for organic food gets you a more nutritious (有营养的) and safer product, you might want to save your money. A study led by researchers at Stanford University says that organic products aren’t necessarily more nutritious, and they’re no less likely to suffer from disease-causing bacteria, either. The latest results, published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine, suggest that buyers may be wasting their money. “We did not find strong evidence that organic food is more nutritious or healthier,” says Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler from Stanford. “So consumers shouldn’t assume that one type of food has a lower risk or is safer.” For their new study, Smith-Spangler and her colleagues conducted a review of two categories of research, including 17 studies that compared health outcomes between consumers of organic against traditional food products, and 223 studies that analyzed the nutritional content of the foods, including key vitamins, minerals and fats. While the researchers found little difference in nutritional content, they did find that organic fruit and vegetables were 20% less likely to have chemicals remaining on the surfaces. Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards. And both organic and traditional meats, such as chicken and pork, were equally likely to be harmed by bacteria at very low rates. The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, these nutritional differences were too small, and the researchers were unwilling to make much of them until further studies confirm the trends. Organic food is produced with fewer chemicals and more natural-growing practices, but that doesn’t always translate into a more nutritious or healthier product. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that “Whether you buy organic or not, finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest effect on taste.” Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic. 13．The new research questions whether organic food ________. A．should replace traditional food B．has been overpriced by farmers C．is grown with less harmful chemicals D．is really more nutritious and healthier 14．Smith Spangler and her colleagues found that ________. A．organic food could reduce the risk of heart disease B．traditional food was grown with more natural methods C．both organic and traditional food they examined were safe D．there was not a presence of any forms of bacteria in organic food 15．Which of the following is relatively healthier according to the passage? A．Organic chicken and pork. B．Organic milk and chicken. C．Traditional chicken and pork. D．Traditional fruit and vegetables. 16．What is the author’s attitude toward organic food? A．Doubtful. B．Positive. C．Unconcerned. D．Approving. 【答案】13．D 14．C 15．B 16．A 【导语】这是一篇说明文。作者主要介绍说明了有机食品不一定是更有营养、更健康这一事实，告诉人们没有必要一定要多花钱购买有机食物。 13．细节理解题。由第二段““We did not find strong evidence that organic food is more nutritious or healthier,” says Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler from Stanford.(“我们没有发现强有力的证据表明有机食品更有营养或更健康，”斯坦福大学的Crystal Smith-Spangler说。)”可知，这项研究质疑有机食品更有营养更健康，故选D。 14．细节理解题。由第四段“Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards.(有机食品和传统食品的化学物质含量都没有高到超出食品安全标准的程度。)”可知，他们所检查的有机和传统食物都是安全可食用的，故选C。 15．细节理解题。根据倒数第二段“The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a health y fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease.(研究人员确实发现，有机牛奶和鸡肉含有更高水平的omega-3脂肪酸，这种健康的脂肪也存在于鱼类中，可以降低患心脏病的风险。)”可知，有机牛奶和鸡肉相对健康。故选B。 16．推理判断题。 由第四段“However, these nutritional differences were too small(然而，这些营养差异太小了)”以及最后一段最后一句“Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic.(新鲜食品至少和市场上宣传的有机食品一样好。)”可知，作者认为没有必要一定要多花钱买有机食物，因此作者对有机食品的态度是怀疑的，故选A。 05 Directions: After reading the passages below, fill in the blanks to make the passages co herent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市复旦大学附属中学2022-2023学年高二上学期期末考试英语试卷 On a recent sunny day, 13,000 chickens roam over Larry Brown’s 40 windswept acres in Shiner, Texas. Some rest in the shade of a parked car. Others drink water with the cows. This all seems random, but it’s by design, part of what the $6.1 billion U.S. egg industry bets will be its next big thing: climate-friendly eggs. These eggs, which are making their debut now on shelves for as much as $8 a dozen, are still labeled organic and animal-friendly, but they’re also from birds that live on farms using regenerative agriculture — special techniques to cultivate rich soils that can trap greenhouse gases. Such eggs could be marketed as helping to fight climate change. “I’m excited about our progress,” says Brown, who harvests eggs for Denver-based NestFresh Eggs and is adding more cover crops that draw worms and crickets for the chickens to eat. The birds’ waste then fertilizes fields. Such improvements “allow our hens to forage for high-quality natural feed that will be good for the land, the hens, and the eggs that we supply to our customers.” The egg industry’s push is the first major test of whether animal products from regenerative farms can become the next premium offering. In barely more than a decade, organic eggs went from being dismissed as a niche product in natural foods stores to being sold at Walmart. More recently there were similar doubts about probiotics and plant-based meats, but both have exploded into major supermarket categories. If the sustainable-egg rollout is successful, it could open the floodgates for regenerative beef, broccoli, and beyond. Regenerative products could be a hard sell, because the concept is tough to define quickly, says Julie Stanton, associate professor of agricultural economics at Pennsylvania State University Brandywine. Such farming also brings minimal, if any, improvement to the food products (though some producers say their eggs have more protein). The industry is betting that the same consumers paying more for premium attributes such as free-range, non-GMO, and pasture-raised eggs will embrace sustainability. Surveys show that younger generations are more concerned about climate change, and some of the success of plant- based meat can be chalked up to shoppers wanting to signal their desire to protect the environment. Young adults “really care about the planet,” says John Brunnquell, president of Egg Innovations. “They are absolutely altering the food chain beyond what I think even they understand what they’re doing.” 17．The climate friendly eggs are produced ______. A．at a considerably low cost B．at the demand of regular shoppers C．as a replacement for organic eggs D．on specially designed farms 18．Larry Brown is excited about his progress in ______. A．reducing the damage of worms B．accelerating the disposal of waste C．creating a sustainable system D．attracting customers to his products 19．It can be learned from the last paragraph that young people ______. A．are desperate to change their diet B．are likely to buy climate-friendly eggs C．are enthusiastic about new food D．are amazed at environmental problems 20．John Brunnquell would disagree with Julie Stanton over regenerative products’ ______. A．market prospects B．nutritional value C．standard definition D．moral implications 【答案】17．D 18．C 19．B 20．A 【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了气候友好型鸡蛋的生产环境和人们对这种新型鸡蛋的看法。 17．细节理解题。由文章第二段中“but they’re also from birds that live on farms using regenerative agriculture — special techniques to cultivate rich soils that can trap greenhouse gases.  (但它们也来自生活在再生农业农场的禽类，这种农场采用特殊技术培育肥沃的土壤，可以捕获温室气体。)”可知，气候友好型鸡蛋在专门设计的农场产生。故选D。 18．推理判断题。由文章第三段““I’m excited about our progress,” says Brown, who harvests eggs for Denver-based NestFresh Eggs and is adding more cover crops that draw worms and crickets for the chickens to eat.  The birds’ waste then fertilizes fields.  Such improvements “allow our hens to forage for high-quality natural feed that will be good for the land, the hens, and the eggs that we supply to our customers.” (我对我们的进步感到兴奋，”布朗说，他在丹佛的NestFresh eggs收获鸡蛋，并增加了更多的覆盖作物，这些作物可以吸引蠕虫和蟋蟀供鸡吃。这些鸟的排泄物会给田地施肥。这样的改进“使我们的母鸡能够寻找高质量的天然饲料，这对我们供应给客户的土地、母鸡和鸡蛋都有好处)”可知，拉里·布朗对他创建的可持续的系统的进步感到兴奋。故选C。 19．细节理解题。由文章最后一段中“The industry is betting that the same consumers paying more for premium attributes such as free-range, non-GMO, and pasture-raised eggs will embrace sustainability.  Surveys show that younger generations are more concerned about climate change, and some of the success of plant- based meat can be chalked up to shoppers wanting to signal their desire to protect the environment.  (该行业认为，那些愿意为自由放养、非转基因和牧场饲养的鸡蛋等优质产品支付更高价格的消费者，将会接受可持续性。调查显示，年轻一代更关心气候变化，而植物性肉类的一些成功可以归结为购物者想要表达他们保护环境的愿望。)”可知，年轻人可能会购买气候友好型鸡蛋。故选B。 20．推理判断题。由文章倒数第二段中“Regenerative products could be a hard sell, because the concept is tough to define quickly, says Julie Stanton, associate professor of agricultural economics at Pennsylvania State University Brandywine. (宾夕法尼亚州立大学白兰地酒学院农业经济学副教授朱莉·斯坦顿说，再生产品可能很难销售，因为这个概念很难快速定义。)”和最后一段中“Young adults “really care about the planet,” says John Brunnquell, president of Egg Innovations. “They are absolutely altering the food chain beyond what I think even they understand what they’re doing.”(年轻人“真的很关心地球，”鸡蛋创新公司总裁约翰·布伦奎尔说。“他们绝对在改变食物链，我认为连他们自己都不知道自己在做什么。”)”可知，约翰·布伦奎尔不同意朱莉·斯坦顿关于再生产品市场前景的看法。故选A。 06 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市华东师范大学第二附属中学2022-2023学年高二下学期期末考试英语试题 When to trust your gut (直觉) Humans have been practicing over millions of years of evolution to respond to certain situations without thinking too hard. If your ancestors spotted movement in the wild forest, they would run first and ask questions later. At the same time, the capacity to analyse and to plan is part of what distinguishes people from other animals. The question of when to trust your gut and when to test your assumptions — whether to think fast or slow, in the language of Daniel Kahneran, a psychologist — matters in the office as much as it does in the flat grassland. Deliberative thinking is the feature of a well-managed workplace. Strategic maintenance and budget discussions are built on rounds of meetings, memos, formulas and presentations. Processes are increasingly designed to rule out instinctive responses. From blind screening of job applicants to using “red-teaming” techniques to pick apart a firm’s plans, deliberation beats instinct. Yet instinct also has its place. Some decisions are more connected to emotional responses and inherently less tractable to analysis. Does a marketing campaign capture the essence of your company, say, or would this person work well with other people in a team? In tricky customer-service situations, intuition is often a better guide to how to behave than a script. Gut instincts can also be improved (call it “probiotic management”). Plenty of research has shown that intuition becomes more accurate with experience. In one well-known experiment, conducted in 2012, volunteers were asked to assess whether a selection of designer handbags were fake or real. Some were instructed to operate on instinct and others to deliberate over their decision. Intuition worked better for those who owned at least three designer handbags; indeed, it outperformed analysis. The more expert you become, the better your instincts tend to be. However, the real reason to embrace fast thinking is that it is, well, fast. Instinctive decision-making is often the only way to get through the day. Researchers at Cornell University once estimated that people make over 200 decisions a day about food alone. The workplace is nothing but a succession of choices, a few big and many small: what to prioritise, when to intervene, whom to avoid in the lifts and, now, where to work each day. When to use intuition in the workplace rests on its own form of pattern recognition. Does the decision-maker have real expertise in this area? Is this a field in which emotion matters more than reasoning? Above all, is it worth delaying the decision? Slow thinking is needed to get the big calls right. But fast thinking is the way to stop deliberation turning to hesitation. 21．Which of the following situations may NOT be suitable for people to trust their gut? A．The market responses are hard to predict. B．The working mechanism is perfectly organized. C．The time window for making decision is limited. D．The relationship with customers is somewhat complex. 22．What’s the function of the second paragraph? A．To clearly state the main idea of the article. B．To critically include the other side of viewpoint. C．To introduce examples to support the main idea. D．To support the main idea from the opposite perspective. 23．Which of the following can be implied from the passage? A．The ability to trust your gut matters more nowadays. B．Gut instincts can be improved by owning designer products. C．Gut instincts are more advisable in screening job applicants. D．Experience plays a vital role in cultivating gut instincts. 24．Which of the following might be the best sub-title of the passage? A．Deliberation is not always the best option. B．Instinctive decision-making beats all. C．Instinctive decision-making has both pros and cons. D．Deliberation is more important than gut instincts. 【答案】21．B 22．C 23．D 24．C 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章讲述了人类在生活中何时该相信自己的直觉，即何时需要快思考，何时需要慢思考，以及快慢思考各自的优势。 21．细节理解题。根据第二段“Strategic maintenance and budget discussions are built on rounds of meetings, memos, formulas and presentations. Processes are increasingly designed to rule out instinctive responses. From blind screening of job applicants to using “red-teaming” techniques to pick apart a firm’s plans, deliberation beats instinct.”（战略维护和预算讨论建立在一轮又一轮的会议、备忘录、公式和演示之上。过程越来越多地被设计为排除本能反应。从盲目筛选求职者到使用“红队”技术来拆解公司的计划，深思熟虑胜过直觉。）以及第三段“Yet instinct also has its place. Some decisions are more connected to emotional responses and inherently less tractable to analysis. Does a marketing campaign capture the essence of your company, say, or would this person work well with other people in a team? In tricky customer-service situations, intuition is often a better guide to how to behave than a script.”（然而，本能也有它的作用。有些决定更多地与情绪反应有关，本质上不太容易被分析。比如说，营销活动是否抓住了你公司的精髓，或者这个人是否能与团队中的其他人合作良好？在棘手的客户服务情况下，直觉往往是比脚本更好的行为指南。）可知，对于战略维护和预算讨论等涉及到组织架的完善即分析时适用于深思熟虑的慢思考，而在进行市场营销活动，处理棘手的客户关系，或是与团队成员合作等这些需要即时做出决策的情况，适用于快思考，即相信自己的知觉，“工作机制组织完善”不适合人们相信自己的直觉。故选B。 22．推理判断题。根据第二段“Deliberative thinking is the feature of a well-managed workplace. Strategic maintenance and budget discussions are built on rounds of meetings, memos, formulas and presentations. Processes are increasingly designed to rule out instinctive responses. From blind screening of job applicants to using “red-teaming” techniques to pick apart a firm’s plans, deliberation beats instinct.”（深思熟虑是管理得当的工作场所的特征。战略维护和预算讨论建立在一轮又一轮的会议、备忘录、公式和演示之上。过程越来越多地被设计为排除本能反应。从盲目筛选求职者到使用“红队”技术来拆解公司的计划，深思熟虑胜过直觉。）可知，本段主要通过列举维护公司战略，建立预算，筛选求职者，拆解公司计划等不同情境，论述深思熟虑的适用时机，即介绍支持主要观点的例子。故选C。 23．推理判断题。根据第四段“Plenty of research has shown that intuition becomes more accurate with experience.”（大量研究表明，直觉随着经验的增加而变得更加准确。）可得出，经验在培养直觉方面起着至关重要的作用。故选D。 24．主旨大意题。根据最后一段“When to use intuition in the workplace rests on its own form of pattern recognition.”（何时在工作场所使用直觉取决于它自己的模式识别形式。）以及“Slow thinking is needed to get the big calls right. But fast thinking is the way to stop deliberation turning to hesitation.”（要做出正确的重大决策，需要缓慢思考。但快速思考是阻止深思熟虑变成犹豫的方法。）可知，文章结尾作者指出慢思考很重要，同时快思考也有自己的优势。因此可知，由于自身的模式不同，本能决策既有好处也有坏处，“本能决策既有优点也有缺点”可能是这篇文章最好的副标题。故选C。 07 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市朱家角中学2022-2023学年高二上学期期末质量检测英语试题 Mt. Everest is no longer an inaccessible giant. More than 4,000 people have stood on the world’s highest peak since 1953. Last year alone, more than 650 people made it to the top. But as the crowds have grown, so too has the list of stories coming from the mountain: long lines over train, and conflict over the value of Sherpas. For people who want a more drama-free climbing experience, the globe is filled with other peaks worth tackling. There are literally 13 other mountains over 8,000 meters and some get virtually no attention. They are very challenging mountains that would be an equal feather in someone’s hat to climb with many routes still to be discovered, unlike Everest. Mountains taller than 8,000 meters (more than 26,000 feet) are rare and exceptionally challenging to climb, purely for the lack of oxygen at such height. Above 8,000 m, it becomes so difficult to breathers that climbers call it the “death zone.” The Himalayas contain all 14 of the world’s 8,000 meter-plus peaks, which are among Nepal, China, India and Pakistan. Among those, Everest is not only the tallest. It’s also accessible by hiking for about a week and a half after flying into Lukla. From there, the mountain is loaded with equipment, including a cell phone tower and Sherpas who fix ropes for Western climbers. That makes the climb far less technical than it otherwise would be. Why Do People Keep Climbing Mt. Everest? “It’s certainly not the easiest climb because of the height,” said Alan Amette, a mountaineer and Everest blogger in Fort Collins, Colo. “I hate the word ‘easy’ for any 8,000-meter mountain. A better word is achievable. Everest is achievable.” One emerging alternative to Everest is K2, the world’s second tallest mountain — at 8,611 m (28,251 feet) to Everest’s 8,848 m (29,029 feet). But for every four or so people who have summited K2, one person has died trying, Amette said, for a total of 300 successful climbs and 81 deaths. On Everest, by comparison, the ratio of successes to deaths is about 24 to one with more than 6,000 summits and about 250 deaths. K2 is a “loose” mountain with lots of rock fall and avalanche (雪崩) activity, Amette said. Its main route also goes up the east side, making climbers get affected by incoming storms. 25．The term “Death Zone” is used to describe an area ________. A．that is 8,000 meters high with the shortage of oxygen B．where there is the highest rate of death in mountain-climbing C．where climbers are unable to breathe D．where breathers are very likely to die due to the height 26．Which of the following is true of the Himalayas? A．They cover as many as four countries. B．They contain ten peaks over 8,000 meters. C．Everest is its tallest and easiest peak to climb. D．Everest is its peak with good technical support. 27．K2 is more challenging to climb than Mt Everest in that ________. A．more people died in mountain-climbing B．more natural disasters occur due to its loose quality C．there are more snow storms happening on average D．storms are more unpredictable at the peak 28．What is the passage mainly about? A．Introduction to the exciting mountain climbing. B．The awesome challenges of the tallest mountains. C．Climbing the most challenging mountains in the world. D．How to overcome difficulties as those brave mountaineers. 【答案】25．D 26．D 27．B 28．C 【导语】本文是说明文。文章主要介绍世界上最具挑战性的山峰。 25．推理判断题。根据第四段“Mountains taller than 8,000 meters (more than 26,000 feet) are rare and exceptionally challenging to climb, purely for the lack of oxygen at such height. Above 8,000 m, it becomes so difficult to breathers that climbers call it the “death zone.”(超过8000米（超过26000英尺）的山脉非常罕见，攀登起来也非常困难，纯粹是因为在这样的高度缺氧。海拔8000米以上，呼吸变得非常困难，登山者称之为“死亡地带”。)”可知，“死亡地带”这个词是用来描述由于高度太高而导致登山者可能会因为缺氧而死亡的区域。故选D。 26．细节理解题。根据第六段“From there, the mountain is loaded with equipment, including a cell phone tower and Sherpas who fix ropes for Western climbers. That makes the climb far less technical than it otherwise would be.(从那里，山上装载着设备，包括一座手机塔和为西方登山者固定绳索的夏尔巴人。这使得攀登的技术性远远低于其他情况。)”可知，珠穆朗玛峰是最高峰，而且有良好的技术设备支持。故选D。 27．推理判断题。根据第八段“But for every four or so people who have summited K2, one person has died trying, Amette said, for a total of 300 successful climbs and 81 deaths. (但Amette说，每四名左右登顶K2的人中，就有一人在尝试登顶时死亡，总共有300次成功登顶，81人死亡。)”和最后一段“On Everest, by comparison, the ratio of successes to deaths is about 24 to one with more than 6,000 summits and about 250 deaths. K2 is a “loose” mountain with lots of rock fall and avalanche (雪崩) activity, Amette said. Its main route also goes up the east side, making climbers get affected by incoming storms. (相比之下，在珠穆朗玛峰上，成功与死亡的比例约为24比1，有6000多次登顶，约250人死亡。阿米特说，K2是一座“松散”的山，有很多落石和雪崩活动。它的主要路线也向东延伸，使登山者受到即将到来的风暴的影响。)”可知，乔戈里峰比珠穆朗玛峰高，它的松散性导致了更多的自然灾害。故选B。 28．主旨大意题。根据第一段“Mt. Everest is no longer an inaccessible giant. More than 4,000 people have stood on the world’s highest peak since 1953. Last year alone, more than 650 people made it to the top. (珠穆朗玛峰不再是人迹罕至的巨人。自1953年以来，已有4000多人站在世界最高峰上。仅去年一年，就有650多人登顶。)”和第四段“There are literally 13 other mountains over 8,000 meters and some get virtually no attention. They are very challenging mountains that would be an equal feather in someone’s hat to climb with many routes still to be discovered, unlike Everest. (还有13座海拔超过8000米的山，有些几乎没有人注意到。它们是非常具有挑战性的山峰，攀登它们将是一个人的荣誉，还有许多路线有待发现，不像珠穆朗玛峰。)”可知，这篇文章主要介绍世界上最具挑战性的山峰。故选C。 08 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市育才中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期末英语试卷 A study by French researchers that was published last month in the Journal Animal Cognition found that not only do cats react to what scientists call cat-directed speech ---- a high-pitched voice similar to how we talk to babies ---- they react to who is doing the talking “We found that when cats heard their owners using a high-pitched voice, they reacted more than when they heard their owner speaking normally to another human adult,” said Charlotte de Mouzon, an author of the study and cat behavior expert at the Université Paris Nanterre. “But what was very surprising in our results was that it actually didn’t work when it came from a stranger’s voice.” Unlike with dogs, cat behavior is difficult to study, which is part of why humans understand them less. Cats are often so stressed by being in a lab that meaningful behavioral observations become impossible. And forget about trying to get a cat to sit still for an M.R.I. scan to study its brain function. So the researchers for the latest study went to the cats’ homes and played recordings of different types of speech and different speakers. At first, Dr. de Mouzon and her team were worried that the cats weren’t reacting at all. But then they studied film recordings of the encounters. “Their reactions were very subtle,” Dr. de Mouzon said. “It could be just moving an ear or turning the head towards the speaker or even freezing what they were doing.” In a few cases, the cats in the study would approach the speaker playing a voice and meow. “In the end, we had really clear gains in the cat’s attention when the owner was using cat-directed speech,” Dr. de Mouzon said. The findings showed that “cats are paying close attention to their caretakers, down to not only what they are saying, but how they are saying it,” said Kristyn Vitale, an assistant professor of animal health an behavior at Unity College in Maine who was not involved in the new study. The new study complements Dr. Vitale’s own research into relationships between a cat and its owner. This relationship is so important, Dr. Vitale’s research has found, that it replicates (复制) the connection between a kitten and its mother. “It is possible that attachment behaviors originally intended for interactions with their mother have now been modified for interactions with their new caretakers, humans.” “For years, scientists didn’t ask the right questions about cats,” Dr. de Mouzon said. Now those who are convinced of the X of cats won’t like the answers that are emerging. Cats don’t hate us after all, Dr. Vitale said, adding that “a growing body of work supports the idea that social interaction with humans is key in the life of a cat.” 29．What kind of voice will attract cats’ attention most according to the article? A．Their owners’ ordinary voice. B．A high-pitched voice from a baby. C．A high-pitched voice from a stranger. D．The cat-directed speech from their owners. 30．What does the underlined “X” in last paragraph probably stand for? A．disloyalty B．cuteness C．naughtiness D．enthusiasm 31．Which of the following can be inferred from the article? A．Cats pay as much attention to their owners as dogs do. B．A cat’s attachment to its owner probably resembles that to its mother. C．People understand dogs more than cats because the former are more loyal. D．Many believe and appreciate the fact that cats are somewhat indifferent to humans. 32．What is the passage mainly about? A．The social interaction between cats and humans is important to cats’ life. B．Those convinced that cats are cold disapprove of the opposing evidence. C．Cats actually pay close attention to their owners when treated properly. D．Cats actually treat their owners in a similar way as they treat their mothers. 【答案】29．D 30．A 31．B 32．C 【导语】本文是一篇说明文，主要讲述了如果被对待得当，猫实际上会密切关注它们的主人。 29．细节理解题。根据文章第二段“We found that when cats heard their owners using a high-pitched voice, they reacted more than when they heard their owner speaking normally to another human adult,” said Charlotte de Mouzon, an author of the study and cat behavior expert at the Université Paris Nanterre.”（我们发现，当猫听到主人用高音调说话时，它们的反应比听到主人正常对另一个成年人说话时更强烈。）可知，猫主人用高音调对猫说话时，最吸猫的注意力。故选D。 30．词句猜测题。根据文章最后一段“For years, scientists didn’t ask the right questions about cats,”Dr. de Mouzon said. Now those who are convinced of the X of cats won’t like the answers that are emerging. Cats don’t hate us after all, Dr. Vitale said, adding that “a growing body of work supports the idea that social interaction with humans is key in the life of a cat.”（多年来，科学家们没有对猫提出正确的问题，德穆宗博士说。现在，那些坚信猫的X的人不会喜欢正在出现的答案。猫毕竟不讨厌我们，Vitale博士说，他补充说，“越来越多的工作支持这样一个观点，即与人类的社交互动是猫生活的关键。”）可推知，X可能指的是猫的不忠诚，故选A。 31．推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段“It is possible that attachment behaviors originally intended for interactions with their mother have now been modified for interactions with their new caretakers, humans.”（可能，最初用于与母亲互动的依恋行为现在已经被修改为与新的照顾者，人类的互动。）可推知，猫对主人的依恋可能类似于对母亲的依恋，故选B。 32．主旨大意题。根据第六段“The findings showed that “cats are paying close attention to their caretakers, down to not only what they are saying, but how they are saying it,” said Kristyn Vitale, an assistant professor of animal health an behavior at Unity College in Maine who was not involved in the new study.”（缅因州联合学院动物健康与行为学助理教授克里斯汀·维塔尔(Kristyn Vitale)没有参与这项新研究，她说，研究结果表明，“猫对照顾它们的人非常关注，不仅关注它们在说什么，还关注它们说话的方式。）可知，文章主要讲述了如果被对待得当，猫实际上会密切关注它们的主人。故选C项。 09 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市黄浦区2023-2024学年高二上学期区统考期末英语试卷 A culture that values achievement and progress will discourage people from “wasting” time. In religious societies, customs specify times of the day, week, or year for prayer and religious celebrations. If an individual tries to make an appointment during a sacred holiday, he or she could unknowingly offend a religious person. Social manners determine appropriate times for visit, meetings, and even phone calls. Punctuality is important in American business, academic and social settings. The importance of punctuality is taught to young children in school. People who keep appointments are considered dependable. If people are late to job interviews, appointments or classes, they are often viewed as unreliable and irresponsible. In the business world, “time is money” and companies may fine their executives for being late to business meetings. Of course, it was not always possible to be punctual. Social and business manners also provide rules for late arrivals. Calling on the telephone if one is going to be more than a few minutes late for scheduled appointments is considered polite and is often expected. Keeping a date or a friend waiting beyond ten to twenty minutes is considered rude. On the other hand, arriving thirty minutes late to some parties is acceptable. Respecting deadlines is also important in academic and professional circles. It is expected that deadlines for class assignments or business reports will be met. Whether it is a question of arriving on time or of meeting a deadline, people are culturally conditioned to regulate time. Time is tangible; one can “gain time”, “spend time”, “waste time”, “save time”, or even “kill time”! The treatment of time as a possession influences the way time is carefully divided. Generally, Americans are taught to do one thing at a time and may be uncomfortable when an activity is interrupted. Visitors who “drop by” without prior notice may interrupt their host’s personal time. Thus, calling friends on the telephone before visiting them is generally preferred to visitors “dropping by”. To accommodate other people’s schedules. Americans make business plans and social engagements several days or weeks in advance. 33．Who are considered reliable and responsible according to the passage? A．People who make appointments during sacred holidays. B．People who always have good plans and save time. C．People who would not like to disturb others D．People who are punctual for appointments 34．The word “tangible” in Paragraph 4 can be best replaced by___________ according to the passage. A．limited B．flexible C．valuable D．material 35．Which of the following statements about American social life is TRUE? A．Americans treat time so carefully as to bear unexpected interruption. B．Americans visit their friends without noticing them in advance. C．Americans prefer being visited to being called on the telephone. D．Americans make business plans and social engagements beforehand. 36．What is this passage mainly concerned with? A．How Americans have a future orientation. B．How Americans are influenced by their religion. C．How time is regulated and perceived in the US. D．How achievement and progress are valued in the US. 【答案】33．D 34．D 35．D 36．C 【导语】这是一篇说明文，主要讲述了在美国，人们是如何监管和感知时间的。 33．细节理解题。根据文章第二段“People who keep appointments are considered dependable. If people are late to job interviews, appointments or classes, they are often viewed as unreliable and irresponsible.”（遵守约定的人被认为是可靠的。如果人们在面试、约会或上课时迟到，他们通常会被视为不可靠和不负责任。）可知，准时参加约定的人被认为是可靠和负责任的。故选D。 34．词句猜测题。根据文章第四段“one can “gain time”, “spend time”, “waste time”, “save time”, or even “kill time”! The treatment of time as a possession influences the way time is carefully divided. （人们可以“赚取时间”，“花费时间”，“浪费时间”，“节省时间”，甚至“消磨时间”！时间作为占有物的处理方式影响了时间的仔细划分方式）可知，时间可以被人们作为占有物，人们对其处理方式也不同，时间是“有形的”与material“客观存在的”意思相近。故选D。 35．细节理解题。根据文章最后一段“To accommodate other people’s schedules. Americans make business plans and social engagements several days or weeks in advance.”（为了适应他人的日程安排，美国人会提前几天或几周制定商业计划和社交约会。）可知，美国人会提前制定商业计划和社交约会。故选D。 36．主旨大意题。根据第二段“Punctuality is important in American business, academic and social settings.”（准时在美国的商业、学术和社会环境中都很重要），第三段“Respecting deadlines is also important in academic and professional circles.”（尊重截止日期在学术界和专业界也很重要）和第四段“Time is tangible; one can “gain time”, “spend time”, “waste time”, “save time”, or even “kill time”! The treatment of time as a possession influences the way time is carefully divided.”（时间是有形的；一个人可以“获得时间”，“花费时间”，”浪费时间“，”节省时间“，甚至”消磨时间“！时间作为占有物的处理方式影响了时间的仔细划分方式。）可知，短文主要讲述了在美国，人们是如何监管和感知时间的。故选C。 10 Directions: After reading the passages below, fill in the blanks to make the passages co herent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市行知中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期末教学质量监测英语试卷 The coast of the State of Maine is one of the most irregular in the world. A straight line running from the southernmost coastal city to the northernmost coastal city would measure about 225 miles. If you followed the coastline between these points, you would travel more than ten times as far. This irregularity is the result of what is called a drowned coastline. The term comes from the glacial (冰川的) activity of the Ice Age. At that time, the whole area that is now Maine was part of a mountain range that towered above the sea. As the glacier declined, however, it applied enormous force on those mountains, and they sank into the sea. As the mountains sank, ocean water charged over the lowest parts of the remaining land. And the highest parts of the former mountain range, nearest the shore, remained as islands. Marine fossils found here are 225 feet above sea level indicating the level of the shoreline prior to the glacier. The 2,500-mile-long rocky and jagged (锯齿状的) coastline of Maine keeps watching over nearly 2,000 islands. Many of these islands are tiny and uninhabited, but many are home to blooming communities. Mt. Desert Island is one of the largest, most beautiful of the Maine coast islands left behind by the glacier. Measuring 16 miles by 12 miles, Mt. Desert was very nearly formed as two distinct islands. It is split almost in half by Somes Sound, a very deep and very narrow stretch of water seven miles long. For years, Mt. Desert Island, particularly its major settlement, Bar Harbor, has afforded summer homes for the wealthy. Recently, though, Bar Harbor has become a new arts community as well. But the best part of the island is the unspoiled forest land known as Acadia National Park. Since the island sits on the border between two different geographical zones, the park supports the plants and animals of both zones. It also lies in a major bird migration lane and is a resting spot for many birds. 37．The large number of small islands along the coast of Maine is the result of ______. A．the drowning of the Maine coastline B．glacier’s forcing mountains into the sea C．the irregularity of the Maine coastline D．ocean water’s flooding the mountain range 38．What does the underlined word “charge” mean in paragraph 2? A．To ask an amount of money. B．To accuse someone publicly of doing something wrong. C．To rush in a particular direction. D．To pass electricity through something. 39．Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of paragraph 4 of the selection? A．The wealthy residents of Mt. Desert Island selfishly kept it to themselves. B．Acadia National Park is one of the best national parks. C．On Mt. Desert Island, there is great tension between the residents and tourists. D．Mt. Desert Island supports an incredibly diverse animal and plant life. 40．From the passage, we learn that ________. A．the coastline of Maine is ten times longer after the Ice Age B．there are more than 2,500 islands along the Maine coastline C．Mt. Desert Island has been broken apart by a 7-mile-long water stretch D．an arts community gave way to the summer homes on Mt. Desert Island 【答案】37．A 38．C 39．D 40．C 【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章先介绍美国缅因州海岸线的地质特点和形成原因，接着着重描述了其中一个最大的岛屿——Mt. Desert岛。 37．细节理解题。根据第一段“This irregularity is the result of what is called a drowned coastline. At that time, the whole area that is now Maine was part of a mountain range that towered above the sea. As the glacier declined, however, it applied enormous force on those mountains, and they sank into the sea.( 这种不规则性是被称为溺水海岸的结果。那时，现在是缅因州的整个地区是一座高耸在海面之上的山脉的一部分。然而，随着冰川消退，它对那些山脉施加了巨大的力量，它们沉入了海中)”和第二段“And the highest parts of the former mountain range, nearest the shore, remained as islands.(而最靠近海岸的原山脉的最高部分则保留为岛屿)”可知，缅因州海岸线的不规则性是通过“淹没的海岸线”形成的，这是冰川活动造成的结果。冰川退却时，山脉的部分沉入海底，留下高耸的部分成为岛屿。因此，许多小岛的形成是由于海岸线被淹没的结果。故选A。 38．词句猜测题。根据第二段“As the mountains sank, ocean water charged over the lowest parts of the remaining land.(随着山脉的沉没，海洋水charged了剩余陆地的最低部分)”可知，随着山脉的沉没，海洋水涌入淹没了剩余陆地的最低部分，因此划线词词义为：淹没、（水）冲向某个特定的地方，故选C。 39．主旨大意题。根据第四段内容，特别是“But the best part of the island is the unspoiled forest land known as Acadia National Park. Since the island sits on the border between two different geographical zones, the park supports the plants and animals of both zones.(但岛上最好的部分是被称为阿卡迪亚国家公园的未受破坏的森林土地。由于该岛位于两个不同地理区域的交界处，公园支持着这两个区域的植物和动物)”可知，本段主要介绍该岛具有极其丰富的动植物多样性。故选D。 40．细节理解题。根据第三段“Mt. Desert was very nearly formed as two distinct islands. It is split almost in half by Somes Sound, a very deep and very narrow stretch of water seven miles long.(巴港岛几乎形成了两个明显不同的岛屿。它几乎被索姆斯海峡一分为二，这是一条非常深且非常狭窄的七英里长的水域)”可知，岛屿被一段7英里的水域隔开。故选C。 11 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市青浦高级中学2022-2023学年高二上学期期末线上质量检测英语试卷 Remember This There are a handful of people with uncommonly good memories. But AJ is unique. Her extraordinary memory is not for facts or figures, but for aspects of her own life. Such a memory for autobiographical detail was previously unknown and neuroscientists have coined a new term to describe her condition: hyperthymestic syndrome (超忆综合症). It would seem initially as though having a memory like AJ’s would make life qualitatively different — and better. Our culture bombards us with new information, yet so little of it is captured and cataloged in such a way that it can be retrieved later. What would it mean to have all that otherwise lost knowledge at our fingertips? It would be a great benefit if it made us more confident and, in some fundamental sense, smarter. To the extent that experience is the sum of our memories, and wisdom the sum of experience, having a better memory would mean knowing more about the world and about oneself. How many worthwhile ideas have gone unthought because of our memory’s shortcomings? The greatest geniuses in ancient and medieval times were described as people of superior memories, and there is a long tradition of memory training in many cultures. But over the past millennium, we’ve gradually replaced our internal memory with what psychologists refer to as external memory, a vast superstructure of technological crutches that mean we don’t have to store information in our brains. We have calendars to keep track of our schedules, books (and now the internet) to store our collective knowledge, and photographs to record our experiences. But has anything been lost in this process? The whole point of our nervous system is to develop a sense of what is happening in the present and what is about to happen in the future, so that we can respond in the best possible way. Our brains are fundamentally prediction machines, and to work they have to find order in the chaos of possible memories. Our brains receive a huge amount of data but most of this does not need to be reflected upon or remembered. Not surprisingly, drug companies are searching for chemicals that might halt the tide of forgetting. But this raises some troubling ethical questions. Would we choose to live in a society where people have vastly better memories? In fact, what would it even mean to have a better memory? Would it mean remembering things only exactly as they happened, free from the revisions and exaggerations that our mind naturally creates? Would it mean having a memory that forgets traumas (创伤) ? Would it mean becoming AJ? 41．In the second paragraph, what is the writer’s attitude towards people having better memories? A．He thinks only a few people are capable of achieving this. B．He believes some information in our culture is not worth acquiring. C．He is confident that scientific progress will ensure this in the near future. D．He appreciates that our lives might improve as a consequence. 42．What is the writer’s purpose in the third paragraph? A．To compare attitudes towards collective knowledge. B．To illustrate the growing use of aids to memory. C．To describe how psychology has affected our understanding of memory. D．To explain how improved knowledge has led to technological development. 43．The word “chaos” in paragraph 4 is used to refer to______. A．some people’s perception of the world they live in B．the many conflicting opinions about how the brain functions C．the result of people not getting rid of irrelevant information D．different ways in which a damaged brain can impair memory 44．What does the writer suggest about the development of memory drugs? A．Many people are opposed to this kind of research. B．It is hard to be precise about their effect. C．The benefits for society would be immense. D．Trauma victims should be a priority. 【答案】41．D 42．B 43．C 44．A 【导语】本文为一篇议论文。有非凡的记忆力可能会有更好的生活质量，随着技术的发展，人们生活中出现了越来越多的记忆辅助工具，外部记忆取代了内部记忆，甚至有公司在研制记忆的药，但这项研究会引发一些令人不安的伦理问题。 41．推理判断题。根据第二段“It would seem initially as though having a memory like AJ’s would make life qualitatively different — and better. (起初，似乎拥有AJ这样的记忆会让生活在质量上有所不同——而且更好)”，以及“To the extent that experience is the sum of our memories, and wisdom the sum of experience, having a better memory would mean knowing more about the world and about oneself. (在一定程度上，经验是我们记忆的总和，智慧是经验的总和，拥有更好的记忆意味着对世界和自己有更多的了解)”可知，作者认为：如果拥有好的记忆，生活质量会更好。故选D项。 42．推理判断题。根据第三段“The greatest geniuses in ancient and medieval times were described as people of superior memories, and there is a long tradition of memory training in many cultures. But over the past millennium, we’ve gradually replaced our internal memory with what psychologists refer to as external memory, a vast superstructure of technological crutches that mean we don’t have to store information in our brains. We have calendars to keep track of our schedules, books (and now the internet) to store our collective knowledge, and photographs to record our experiences. But has anything been lost in this process? (在古代和中世纪，最伟大的天才被描述为记忆力超强的人，在许多文化中都有训练记忆力的悠久传统。但在过去的一千年里，我们逐渐用心理学家所说的外部记忆取代了我们的内部记忆，这是一个巨大的技术支柱的上层建筑，这意味着我们不必在大脑中存储信息。我们有日历来记录我们的日程安排，有书籍（现在还有互联网）来存储我们的集体知识，有照片来记录我们的经历。但在这一过程中，我们失去了什么吗)”可知，古代和中世纪时人们靠内部记忆，靠大脑储存信息，在过去的一千年，因为知识、技术的发展，人们靠日历、书籍、网络、照片来储存信息，这些方式被称之为外部记忆，作者在这一段中主要举例阐明了生活中越来越多的记忆辅助工具的使用。故选B项。 43．词句猜测题。根据第四段“Our brains are fundamentally prediction machines, and to work they have to find order in the chaos of possible memories. Our brains receive a huge amount of data but most of this does not need to be reflected upon or remembered. (我们的大脑本质上是一台预测机器，为了工作，它们必须在chaos的可能记忆中找到秩序。我们的大脑接收了大量的数据，但其中大部分不需要反思或记住。)”可知，大脑接收到的大量信息，大部分属于无关的信息，句中的find order，意为“找到秩序”，此处指“在包含大量无关信息中找秩序，找到有用的信息”，故chaos指代“人们大脑中因大量的无法摆脱的无关的信息的存在而产生的混乱状态”，故选C项。 44．推理判断题。根据最后一段“Not surprisingly, drug companies are searching for chemicals that might halt the tide of forgetting. But this raises some troubling ethical questions. Would we choose to live in a society where people have vastly better memories? In fact, what would it even mean to have a better memory? Would it mean remembering things only exactly as they happened, free from the revisions and exaggerations that our mind naturally creates? Would it mean having a memory that forgets traumas (创伤) ? Would it mean becoming AJ? (毫不奇怪，制药公司正在寻找可能阻止遗忘潮流的化学物质。但这引发了一些令人不安的伦理问题。我们会选择生活在一个人们记忆力大大提高的社会里吗？事实上，拥有更好的记忆力究竟意味着什么呢？这是否意味着只准确地记住发生的事情，不受我们大脑自然产生的修改和夸大的影响？是否意味着拥有忘记记忆创伤？这意味着成为AJ吗？)”可知，研制记忆类的药可以阻止遗忘，但是也会带来诸多负面影响，所以作者用了多个问句质疑的写作手法，表明：很多人对这类研究会质疑、反对。故选A项。 12 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】 上海交通大学附属中学2022-2023学年高二上期末考试英语试卷 Artificial intelligence will be either the best, or the worst thing, ever to happen to humanity. ——Stephen Hawking Millenniumbutterfly Thanks to AI, I’ve got my own super-smart personal assistant built into my phone. She always has an immediate answer for any question I put to her, and even uses my answers to learn more about my preferences. And speaking of hanging out, I’m hoping that self-driving cars are available soon. Self-driving cars can learn to drive in the same way that we do, and can make informed judgments. And as they won’t be susceptible to human error, they’ll be a lot safer. I do think that developments in AI will on the whole make doing day-to-day things a lot easier. Popkid The technology you’re using and enjoying today is a basic form of AI which can’t think independently without programming. Of course, it could be very useful to have a more advanced form of AI — a truly independent form of artificial intelligence, capable of exercising its own judgement, could help us solve many of the world’s problems. But have you ever thought about the risks? After all, why would an independent form of AI need to consider the opinions and desires of humans? We could be seen as a “small” inconvenience that’s in the way of a solution to a bigger problem. If we’re lucky, AI might think we’re valuable enough to keep around. What if they don’t? Even if that doesn’t happen, there are other risks. Millenniumbutterfly, self-driving cars are seemingly great, but what about all the taxi drivers who would lose their jobs? They would just be among the first victims of AI. Nearly every job is potentially at risk in the long run. Even journalists are now being replaced with technology that can write basic news reports. The truth is that none of us is prepared for the challenges of AI. Pink_haze Machine learning is something we have come to accept as a part of our modern world. I believe most of the value of AI lies in its capacity to analyse and interpret vast amounts of data, which means it can even solve problems that are too challenging for human experts. But while super-intelligent AI could be the biggest leap forward in human history, if it goes wrong or falls into the wrong hands, it could also be the most baneful. However, AI is not going to go away. We have no choice but to accept it and regulate it. One thing I think we all agree on, though, is that saying “My AI did it!” won’t be any excuse for illegal or immoral behaviour! 45．If a traveller always has a hard time looking for a proper restaurant to dine in, whose opinion is he likely to agree with? A．Millenniumbutterfly B．Popkid C．Pink_haze D．None of them 46．What does baneful (in the last paragraph) probably mean? A．exaggerated B．intensive C．dangerous D．desperate 47．Whose idea could be reinforced by the evidence that almost 50 per cent of US jobs are at risk from automation in the next 20 years? A．Millenniumbutterfly B．Popkid C．Pink_haze D．None of them 48．Which of them might embrace the following statement: “Helpful as advanced AI could be in tackling the world’s problems, a high level of risk is involved.” A．Millenniumbutterfly & Popkid B．Popkid & Pink_haze C．Pink_haze & Millenniumbutterfly D．All of them 【答案】45．A 46．C 47．B 48．B 【导语】这是一篇议论文。文章中Millenniumbutterfly、Popkid和Pink_haze分别就人工智能发表了自己的意见。 45．推理判断题。根据Millenniumbutterfly部分的第二段“I do think that developments in AI will on the whole make doing day-to-day things a lot easier. (我确实认为人工智能的发展总体上会让日常事务变得容易得多)”可知，Millenniumbutterfly认为人工智能能帮助我们解决日常事故，所以如果一个旅行者总是很难找到一家合适的餐厅吃饭，他可能会同意Millenniumbutterfly的意见。故选A。 46．词句猜测题。根据画线词上文“But while super-intelligent AI could be the biggest leap forward in human history, if it goes wrong or falls into the wrong hands, it could also be the most baneful(但是，虽然超级智能人工智能可能是人类历史上最大的飞跃，如果它出错或落入坏人之手，它也可能是最baneful。)”和while可知，前后是对比关系，超级智能人工智能可能是人类历史上最大的飞跃，但如果它出了问题或落入坏人之手，它也可能是最危险的。故画线词意思是“危险的”。故选C。 47．细节理解题。根据Popkid部分的第二段“Millenniumbutterfly, self-driving cars are seemingly great, but what about all the taxi drivers who would lose their jobs? They would just be among the first victims of AI. Nearly every job is potentially at risk in the long run. Even journalists are now being replaced with technology that can write basic news reports.(千禧年蝴蝶，自动驾驶汽车看起来很棒，但那些失去工作的出租车司机怎么办？他们只是人工智能的第一批受害者。从长远来看，几乎每一份工作都有潜在的风险。甚至记者现在也被能写基本新闻报道的技术所取代)”可知，有证据表明，未来20年，美国近50%的工作岗位将面临自动化带来的风险，这说明人工智能会使人们失业，这强化了Popkid的观点。故选B。 48．细节理解题。根据Popkid部分的第一段中“Of course, it could be very useful to have a more advanced form of AI — a truly independent form of artificial intelligence, capable of exercising its own judgement, could help us solve many of the world’s problems. But have you ever thought about the risks?(当然，拥有一种更先进的人工智能形式可能是非常有用的——一种真正独立的人工智能形式，能够进行自己的判断，可以帮助我们解决世界上的许多问题。但你想过风险吗？)”以及最后一段中“But while super-intelligent AI could be the biggest leap forward in human history, if it goes wrong or falls into the wrong hands, it could also be the most baneful.(但是，尽管超级智能人工智能可能是人类历史上最大的飞跃，但如果它出了问题或落入坏人之手，它也可能是最有害的)”可知，Popkid和Pink_haze既看到了人工智能的好处也看到了缺点，因此他们可能会接受以下声明“先进的人工智能在解决世界问题方面可能会有所帮助，但其中涉及高度的风险。”故选B。 原创精品资源学科网独家享有版权，侵权必究！5 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $ 高二上学期期末考点大串讲（上海） 专题06 说明文或议论文类精选12篇 （原题版） 01 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市上海中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期末考试英语试卷 Our culture has caused most Americans to assume not only that our language is universal, but that the gestures we use are understood by everyone. We do not realize that waving good-bye is the way to ask a person from the Philippines to one’s side, or that in Italy and some Latin-American countries, curling the finger to oneself is a sign of farewell. Those private citizens who sent packages to our troops occupying Germany after World War II and marked them GIFT to escape duty payments did not bother to find out that “Gift” means poison in German. Moreover, we like to think of ourselves as friendly, yet we prefer to be at least 3 feet or an arm’s length away from others. Latins and Middle Easterners like to come closer and touch, which makes Americans uncomfortable. Our linguistic and cultural blindness and the informality with which we take notice of the developed tastes, gestures, customs and languages of other countries, are losing us friends, business and respect in the world. Even here in the United States, we make few compromises to the needs of foreign visitors. There are no information signs in four languages on our public buildings or monuments; we do not have multilingual guided tours. Very few restaurant menus have translations, and multilingual waiters, bank clerks and policemen are rare. Our transportation systems have maps in English only and often we ourselves have difficulty understanding them. When we go abroad, we tend to cluster in hotels and restaurants where English is spoken. The attitudes and information we pick up are conditioned by those natives—usually the richer—who speak English. Our business dealings, as well as the nation’s diplomacy, are conducted through interpreters. For many years, America and Americans could get by with cultural blindness and linguistic ignorance. After all, America was the most powerful country of the free world, the distributor of needed funds and goods. But all that is past. American dollars no longer buy all good things, and we are slowly beginning to realize that our proper role in the world is changing. A l979 Harris poll reported that 55 percent of Americans want this country to play a more significant role in world affairs; we want to have a hand in the important decisions of the next century, even though it may not always be the upper hand. 1．It can be inferred that Americans being approached too closely by Middle Easterners would most probably________. A．stand still B．scream out C．step forward D．draw back 2．The author gives many examples to criticize Americans for their ________. A．cultural self-centeredness B．casual manners C．indifference towards foreign visitors D．blindness to native culture 3．In countries other than their own, most Americans ________. A．are isolated by the local people B．are not well informed due to the language barrier C．tend to get along well with the natives D．need interpreters in hotels and restaurants 4．The author’s intention in writing this article is to make Americans realize that ________. A．it is dangerous to ignore their foreign friends B．it is important to maintain their leading role in world affairs C．it is necessary to use several languages in public places D．it is time to get acquainted with other cultures 02 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市交大附中2023-2024学年高二上学期期末考试英语试卷 In the idealized version of how science is done, facts about the world are waiting to be observed and collected by objective researchers who use the scientific method to carry out their work. But in the everyday practice of science, discovery frequently follows an unclear and complicated route. We aim to be objective, but we cannot escape the context of our unique life experience. Prior knowledge and interest influence what we experience. Opportunities for misinterpretation are everywhere. Consequently, discovery claims should be thought of as early forms of science and are full of potential. But it takes collective inspection and acceptance to transform a discovery claim into a mature discovery. This is the credibility process, through which the individual researcher’s me, here, now becomes the community’s anyone, anywhere, anytime. Objective knowledge is the goal, not the starting point. Once a discovery claim becomes public, the discoverer receives intellectual credit. But the community takes control of what happens next. Within the complex social structure of the scientific community, researchers make discoveries; editors and reviewers act as gatekeepers by controlling the publication process; other scientists use the new finding to suit their own purposes; and finally, the public (including other scientists) receives the new discovery and possibly accompanying technology. As a discovery claim works it through the community, the interaction and battle between shared and competing beliefs about the science and the technology involved transforms an individual’s discovery claim into the community’s credible discovery. Two problems exist throughout this credibility process. First, scientific work tends to focus on some aspect of current knowledge that is viewed as incomplete or incorrect. Little reward accompanies repetition and confirmation of what is already known and believed. The goal is new-search, not re-search. Not surprisingly, newly published discovery claims and credible discoveries that appear to be important and convincing will always be open to challenge and potential modification or contradiction by future researchers. Second, novelty itself frequently provokes disbelief. Nobel Laureate and physiologist Albert Azent-Gyorgyi once described discovery as “seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.” But thinking what nobody else has thought and telling others what they have missed may not change their views. Sometimes years are required for truly novel discovery claims to be accepted and appreciated. In the end, credibility “happens” to a discovery claim — a process that corresponds to what philosopher Annette Baier has described as the commons of the mind. “We reason together, challenge, revise, and complete each other’s reasoning and each other’s conceptions of reason.” 5．According to the first paragraph, the process of discovery is characterized by its ________. A．uncertainty and complexity B．misconception and falsehood C．logicality and objectivity D．systematicness and regularity 6．It can be inferred from Paragraph 2 that credibility process requires ________. A．strict inspection B．shared efforts C．individual wisdom D．persistent innovation 7．Albert Szent-Gyorgyi would most likely agree that ________. A．scientific claims will survive challenges B．discoveries today inspire future research C．efforts to make discoveries are justified D．scientific work calls for a critical mind 8．Which of the following would be the best title of the test? A．Novelty as an Engine of Scientific Discovery B．Collective Inspection in Scientific Discovery C．Evolution of Credibility in Doing Science D．Challenge to Credibility at the Gate to Science 03 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市进才中学2023-2024学年高二上学期1月期末英语试题 In the fog of uncertainty about how new technology will change the way we work, policymakers around the world say confidently that we will need to upskill the workforce in order to cope. The view sounds reassuringly sensible: if computers are growing smarter, humans will need to learn to use them or be replaced by them. But the truth is, the people who are being “upskilled” in today’s economy are the ones who need it the least. Research shows that workers with degrees are over three times more likely to participate in training as adults than workers with no qualifications. That creates a virtuous circle for those who did well at school, and a vicious circle for those who did not. If the robots are coming for both the accountants and the taxi drivers, you can bet it is those working with money that will be more able to retrain themselves out of danger, because the better educated tend to have more confidence and money to pay for their own training. Employers also invest in these workers more. In the UK, a surprising number of employers send their senior managers to business schools. It is no good blaming employers for directing investments at their highly-skilled workers. They are simply aiming for the highest return they can get. And, for some types of lower-paid work, it is not always true that technological progress requires more skills. Sometimes, technology can de-skill a job. Just look at Uber drivers who follow the driving routes set by their app, rather than expanding their own knowledge of the streets. The UK’s latest Employment and Skills Survey suggests the use of literacy and numeracy skills at work has fallen since 2012, even as the use of computers has increased. However, the trouble is, when the computer makes your job easier one day, it might make it redundant the next. Many of those affected by automation will need to switch occupations, or even industries. But a retailer or warehouse company is not going to retrain its staff to help them move to a different sector. It is time to revisit older ideas. The UK once had a vibrant culture of night schools, for adults to attend after their day jobs. A revival of it could be exactly what the 21st century needs. Rather than just “upskilling” in a narrow way, people could choose to learn an entirely new skill or trade, or explore interests they never had a chance to nurture before. It is still not clear whether the impact of new technology on the labour market will come in a trickle or a flood. But in an already unequal world, continuing to reserve all the lifeboats for the better-off would be a dangerous mistake. 9．According to the writer, policymakers’ belief in upskilling the workforce __________. A．is contrary to popular belief B．is helpful in coping with new technology C．is too difficult to put it into practice D．is not beneficial to those who need it most 10．It can be inferred that workers without qualifications are less likely to __________. A．have confidence in outperforming those with degrees at school B．persuade their employers to make an investment in them C．minimize the risk of job loss caused by new technology D．assess how new technology will change the way they work 11．The word “redundant” (Para. 3) probably means __________. A．unnecessary B．undesirable C．unskilled D．unrewarding 12．According to the passage, which of the following conclusion is True? A．Workers’ literacy and numeracy skills should be enhanced without delay. B．Night schools can help to eliminate skill gaps among workers. C．Companies should attach much importance to retraining of workers. D．Those lower-skilled workers deserve giving more chances of retraining. 04 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市格致中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期末英语试题 Is It Worth Buying Organic Food? Organic food, grown without artificial chemicals, is increasingly popular nowadays. Consumers have been willing to pay up to twice as much for goods with organic labels (标签). However, if you think paying a little more for organic food gets you a more nutritious (有营养的) and safer product, you might want to save your money. A study led by researchers at Stanford University says that organic products aren’t necessarily more nutritious, and they’re no less likely to suffer from disease-causing bacteria, either. The latest results, published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine, suggest that buyers may be wasting their money. “We did not find strong evidence that organic food is more nutritious or healthier,” says Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler from Stanford. “So consumers shouldn’t assume that one type of food has a lower risk or is safer.” For their new study, Smith-Spangler and her colleagues conducted a review of two categories of research, including 17 studies that compared health outcomes between consumers of organic against traditional food products, and 223 studies that analyzed the nutritional content of the foods, including key vitamins, minerals and fats. While the researchers found little difference in nutritional content, they did find that organic fruit and vegetables were 20% less likely to have chemicals remaining on the surfaces. Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards. And both organic and traditional meats, such as chicken and pork, were equally likely to be harmed by bacteria at very low rates. The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, these nutritional differences were too small, and the researchers were unwilling to make much of them until further studies confirm the trends. Organic food is produced with fewer chemicals and more natural-growing practices, but that doesn’t always translate into a more nutritious or healthier product. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that “Whether you buy organic or not, finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest effect on taste.” Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic. 13．The new research questions whether organic food ________. A．should replace traditional food B．has been overpriced by farmers C．is grown with less harmful chemicals D．is really more nutritious and healthier 14．Smith Spangler and her colleagues found that ________. A．organic food could reduce the risk of heart disease B．traditional food was grown with more natural methods C．both organic and traditional food they examined were safe D．there was not a presence of any forms of bacteria in organic food 15．Which of the following is relatively healthier according to the passage? A．Organic chicken and pork. B．Organic milk and chicken. C．Traditional chicken and pork. D．Traditional fruit and vegetables. 16．What is the author’s attitude toward organic food? A．Doubtful. B．Positive. C．Unconcerned. D．Approving. 05 Directions: After reading the passages below, fill in the blanks to make the passages co herent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市复旦大学附属中学2022-2023学年高二上学期期末考试英语试卷 On a recent sunny day, 13,000 chickens roam over Larry Brown’s 40 windswept acres in Shiner, Texas. Some rest in the shade of a parked car. Others drink water with the cows. This all seems random, but it’s by design, part of what the $6.1 billion U.S. egg industry bets will be its next big thing: climate-friendly eggs. These eggs, which are making their debut now on shelves for as much as $8 a dozen, are still labeled organic and animal-friendly, but they’re also from birds that live on farms using regenerative agriculture — special techniques to cultivate rich soils that can trap greenhouse gases. Such eggs could be marketed as helping to fight climate change. “I’m excited about our progress,” says Brown, who harvests eggs for Denver-based NestFresh Eggs and is adding more cover crops that draw worms and crickets for the chickens to eat. The birds’ waste then fertilizes fields. Such improvements “allow our hens to forage for high-quality natural feed that will be good for the land, the hens, and the eggs that we supply to our customers.” The egg industry’s push is the first major test of whether animal products from regenerative farms can become the next premium offering. In barely more than a decade, organic eggs went from being dismissed as a niche product in natural foods stores to being sold at Walmart. More recently there were similar doubts about probiotics and plant-based meats, but both have exploded into major supermarket categories. If the sustainable-egg rollout is successful, it could open the floodgates for regenerative beef, broccoli, and beyond. Regenerative products could be a hard sell, because the concept is tough to define quickly, says Julie Stanton, associate professor of agricultural economics at Pennsylvania State University Brandywine. Such farming also brings minimal, if any, improvement to the food products (though some producers say their eggs have more protein). The industry is betting that the same consumers paying more for premium attributes such as free-range, non-GMO, and pasture-raised eggs will embrace sustainability. Surveys show that younger generations are more concerned about climate change, and some of the success of plant- based meat can be chalked up to shoppers wanting to signal their desire to protect the environment. Young adults “really care about the planet,” says John Brunnquell, president of Egg Innovations. “They are absolutely altering the food chain beyond what I think even they understand what they’re doing.” 17．The climate friendly eggs are produced ______. A．at a considerably low cost B．at the demand of regular shoppers C．as a replacement for organic eggs D．on specially designed farms 18．Larry Brown is excited about his progress in ______. A．reducing the damage of worms B．accelerating the disposal of waste C．creating a sustainable system D．attracting customers to his products 19．It can be learned from the last paragraph that young people ______. A．are desperate to change their diet B．are likely to buy climate-friendly eggs C．are enthusiastic about new food D．are amazed at environmental problems 20．John Brunnquell would disagree with Julie Stanton over regenerative products’ ______. A．market prospects B．nutritional value C．standard definition D．moral implications 06 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市华东师范大学第二附属中学2022-2023学年高二下学期期末考试英语试题 When to trust your gut (直觉) Humans have been practicing over millions of years of evolution to respond to certain situations without thinking too hard. If your ancestors spotted movement in the wild forest, they would run first and ask questions later. At the same time, the capacity to analyse and to plan is part of what distinguishes people from other animals. The question of when to trust your gut and when to test your assumptions — whether to think fast or slow, in the language of Daniel Kahneran, a psychologist — matters in the office as much as it does in the flat grassland. Deliberative thinking is the feature of a well-managed workplace. Strategic maintenance and budget discussions are built on rounds of meetings, memos, formulas and presentations. Processes are increasingly designed to rule out instinctive responses. From blind screening of job applicants to using “red-teaming” techniques to pick apart a firm’s plans, deliberation beats instinct. Yet instinct also has its place. Some decisions are more connected to emotional responses and inherently less tractable to analysis. Does a marketing campaign capture the essence of your company, say, or would this person work well with other people in a team? In tricky customer-service situations, intuition is often a better guide to how to behave than a script. Gut instincts can also be improved (call it “probiotic management”). Plenty of research has shown that intuition becomes more accurate with experience. In one well-known experiment, conducted in 2012, volunteers were asked to assess whether a selection of designer handbags were fake or real. Some were instructed to operate on instinct and others to deliberate over their decision. Intuition worked better for those who owned at least three designer handbags; indeed, it outperformed analysis. The more expert you become, the better your instincts tend to be. However, the real reason to embrace fast thinking is that it is, well, fast. Instinctive decision-making is often the only way to get through the day. Researchers at Cornell University once estimated that people make over 200 decisions a day about food alone. The workplace is nothing but a succession of choices, a few big and many small: what to prioritise, when to intervene, whom to avoid in the lifts and, now, where to work each day. When to use intuition in the workplace rests on its own form of pattern recognition. Does the decision-maker have real expertise in this area? Is this a field in which emotion matters more than reasoning? Above all, is it worth delaying the decision? Slow thinking is needed to get the big calls right. But fast thinking is the way to stop deliberation turning to hesitation. 21．Which of the following situations may NOT be suitable for people to trust their gut? A．The market responses are hard to predict. B．The working mechanism is perfectly organized. C．The time window for making decision is limited. D．The relationship with customers is somewhat complex. 22．What’s the function of the second paragraph? A．To clearly state the main idea of the article. B．To critically include the other side of viewpoint. C．To introduce examples to support the main idea. D．To support the main idea from the opposite perspective. 23．Which of the following can be implied from the passage? A．The ability to trust your gut matters more nowadays. B．Gut instincts can be improved by owning designer products. C．Gut instincts are more advisable in screening job applicants. D．Experience plays a vital role in cultivating gut instincts. 24．Which of the following might be the best sub-title of the passage? A．Deliberation is not always the best option. B．Instinctive decision-making beats all. C．Instinctive decision-making has both pros and cons. D．Deliberation is more important than gut instincts. 07 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市朱家角中学2022-2023学年高二上学期期末质量检测英语试题 Mt. Everest is no longer an inaccessible giant. More than 4,000 people have stood on the world’s highest peak since 1953. Last year alone, more than 650 people made it to the top. But as the crowds have grown, so too has the list of stories coming from the mountain: long lines over train, and conflict over the value of Sherpas. For people who want a more drama-free climbing experience, the globe is filled with other peaks worth tackling. There are literally 13 other mountains over 8,000 meters and some get virtually no attention. They are very challenging mountains that would be an equal feather in someone’s hat to climb with many routes still to be discovered, unlike Everest. Mountains taller than 8,000 meters (more than 26,000 feet) are rare and exceptionally challenging to climb, purely for the lack of oxygen at such height. Above 8,000 m, it becomes so difficult to breathers that climbers call it the “death zone.” The Himalayas contain all 14 of the world’s 8,000 meter-plus peaks, which are among Nepal, China, India and Pakistan. Among those, Everest is not only the tallest. It’s also accessible by hiking for about a week and a half after flying into Lukla. From there, the mountain is loaded with equipment, including a cell phone tower and Sherpas who fix ropes for Western climbers. That makes the climb far less technical than it otherwise would be. Why Do People Keep Climbing Mt. Everest? “It’s certainly not the easiest climb because of the height,” said Alan Amette, a mountaineer and Everest blogger in Fort Collins, Colo. “I hate the word ‘easy’ for any 8,000-meter mountain. A better word is achievable. Everest is achievable.” One emerging alternative to Everest is K2, the world’s second tallest mountain — at 8,611 m (28,251 feet) to Everest’s 8,848 m (29,029 feet). But for every four or so people who have summited K2, one person has died trying, Amette said, for a total of 300 successful climbs and 81 deaths. On Everest, by comparison, the ratio of successes to deaths is about 24 to one with more than 6,000 summits and about 250 deaths. K2 is a “loose” mountain with lots of rock fall and avalanche (雪崩) activity, Amette said. Its main route also goes up the east side, making climbers get affected by incoming storms. 25．The term “Death Zone” is used to describe an area ________. A．that is 8,000 meters high with the shortage of oxygen B．where there is the highest rate of death in mountain-climbing C．where climbers are unable to breathe D．where breathers are very likely to die due to the height 26．Which of the following is true of the Himalayas? A．They cover as many as four countries. B．They contain ten peaks over 8,000 meters. C．Everest is its tallest and easiest peak to climb. D．Everest is its peak with good technical support. 27．K2 is more challenging to climb than Mt Everest in that ________. A．more people died in mountain-climbing B．more natural disasters occur due to its loose quality C．there are more snow storms happening on average D．storms are more unpredictable at the peak 28．What is the passage mainly about? A．Introduction to the exciting mountain climbing. B．The awesome challenges of the tallest mountains. C．Climbing the most challenging mountains in the world. D．How to overcome difficulties as those brave mountaineers. 08 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市育才中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期末英语试卷 A study by French researchers that was published last month in the Journal Animal Cognition found that not only do cats react to what scientists call cat-directed speech ---- a high-pitched voice similar to how we talk to babies ---- they react to who is doing the talking “We found that when cats heard their owners using a high-pitched voice, they reacted more than when they heard their owner speaking normally to another human adult,” said Charlotte de Mouzon, an author of the study and cat behavior expert at the Université Paris Nanterre. “But what was very surprising in our results was that it actually didn’t work when it came from a stranger’s voice.” Unlike with dogs, cat behavior is difficult to study, which is part of why humans understand them less. Cats are often so stressed by being in a lab that meaningful behavioral observations become impossible. And forget about trying to get a cat to sit still for an M.R.I. scan to study its brain function. So the researchers for the latest study went to the cats’ homes and played recordings of different types of speech and different speakers. At first, Dr. de Mouzon and her team were worried that the cats weren’t reacting at all. But then they studied film recordings of the encounters. “Their reactions were very subtle,” Dr. de Mouzon said. “It could be just moving an ear or turning the head towards the speaker or even freezing what they were doing.” In a few cases, the cats in the study would approach the speaker playing a voice and meow. “In the end, we had really clear gains in the cat’s attention when the owner was using cat-directed speech,” Dr. de Mouzon said. The findings showed that “cats are paying close attention to their caretakers, down to not only what they are saying, but how they are saying it,” said Kristyn Vitale, an assistant professor of animal health an behavior at Unity College in Maine who was not involved in the new study. The new study complements Dr. Vitale’s own research into relationships between a cat and its owner. This relationship is so important, Dr. Vitale’s research has found, that it replicates (复制) the connection between a kitten and its mother. “It is possible that attachment behaviors originally intended for interactions with their mother have now been modified for interactions with their new caretakers, humans.” “For years, scientists didn’t ask the right questions about cats,” Dr. de Mouzon said. Now those who are convinced of the X of cats won’t like the answers that are emerging. Cats don’t hate us after all, Dr. Vitale said, adding that “a growing body of work supports the idea that social interaction with humans is key in the life of a cat.” 29．What kind of voice will attract cats’ attention most according to the article? A．Their owners’ ordinary voice. B．A high-pitched voice from a baby. C．A high-pitched voice from a stranger. D．The cat-directed speech from their owners. 30．What does the underlined “X” in last paragraph probably stand for? A．disloyalty B．cuteness C．naughtiness D．enthusiasm 31．Which of the following can be inferred from the article? A．Cats pay as much attention to their owners as dogs do. B．A cat’s attachment to its owner probably resembles that to its mother. C．People understand dogs more than cats because the former are more loyal. D．Many believe and appreciate the fact that cats are somewhat indifferent to humans. 32．What is the passage mainly about? A．The social interaction between cats and humans is important to cats’ life. B．Those convinced that cats are cold disapprove of the opposing evidence. C．Cats actually pay close attention to their owners when treated properly. D．Cats actually treat their owners in a similar way as they treat their mothers. 09 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市黄浦区2023-2024学年高二上学期区统考期末英语试卷 A culture that values achievement and progress will discourage people from “wasting” time. In religious societies, customs specify times of the day, week, or year for prayer and religious celebrations. If an individual tries to make an appointment during a sacred holiday, he or she could unknowingly offend a religious person. Social manners determine appropriate times for visit, meetings, and even phone calls. Punctuality is important in American business, academic and social settings. The importance of punctuality is taught to young children in school. People who keep appointments are considered dependable. If people are late to job interviews, appointments or classes, they are often viewed as unreliable and irresponsible. In the business world, “time is money” and companies may fine their executives for being late to business meetings. Of course, it was not always possible to be punctual. Social and business manners also provide rules for late arrivals. Calling on the telephone if one is going to be more than a few minutes late for scheduled appointments is considered polite and is often expected. Keeping a date or a friend waiting beyond ten to twenty minutes is considered rude. On the other hand, arriving thirty minutes late to some parties is acceptable. Respecting deadlines is also important in academic and professional circles. It is expected that deadlines for class assignments or business reports will be met. Whether it is a question of arriving on time or of meeting a deadline, people are culturally conditioned to regulate time. Time is tangible; one can “gain time”, “spend time”, “waste time”, “save time”, or even “kill time”! The treatment of time as a possession influences the way time is carefully divided. Generally, Americans are taught to do one thing at a time and may be uncomfortable when an activity is interrupted. Visitors who “drop by” without prior notice may interrupt their host’s personal time. Thus, calling friends on the telephone before visiting them is generally preferred to visitors “dropping by”. To accommodate other people’s schedules. Americans make business plans and social engagements several days or weeks in advance. 33．Who are considered reliable and responsible according to the passage? A．People who make appointments during sacred holidays. B．People who always have good plans and save time. C．People who would not like to disturb others D．People who are punctual for appointments 34．The word “tangible” in Paragraph 4 can be best replaced by___________ according to the passage. A．limited B．flexible C．valuable D．material 35．Which of the following statements about American social life is TRUE? A．Americans treat time so carefully as to bear unexpected interruption. B．Americans visit their friends without noticing them in advance. C．Americans prefer being visited to being called on the telephone. D．Americans make business plans and social engagements beforehand. 36．What is this passage mainly concerned with? A．How Americans have a future orientation. B．How Americans are influenced by their religion. C．How time is regulated and perceived in the US. D．How achievement and progress are valued in the US. 10 Directions: After reading the passages below, fill in the blanks to make the passages co herent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市行知中学2023-2024学年高二上学期期末教学质量监测英语试卷 The coast of the State of Maine is one of the most irregular in the world. A straight line running from the southernmost coastal city to the northernmost coastal city would measure about 225 miles. If you followed the coastline between these points, you would travel more than ten times as far. This irregularity is the result of what is called a drowned coastline. The term comes from the glacial (冰川的) activity of the Ice Age. At that time, the whole area that is now Maine was part of a mountain range that towered above the sea. As the glacier declined, however, it applied enormous force on those mountains, and they sank into the sea. As the mountains sank, ocean water charged over the lowest parts of the remaining land. And the highest parts of the former mountain range, nearest the shore, remained as islands. Marine fossils found here are 225 feet above sea level indicating the level of the shoreline prior to the glacier. The 2,500-mile-long rocky and jagged (锯齿状的) coastline of Maine keeps watching over nearly 2,000 islands. Many of these islands are tiny and uninhabited, but many are home to blooming communities. Mt. Desert Island is one of the largest, most beautiful of the Maine coast islands left behind by the glacier. Measuring 16 miles by 12 miles, Mt. Desert was very nearly formed as two distinct islands. It is split almost in half by Somes Sound, a very deep and very narrow stretch of water seven miles long. For years, Mt. Desert Island, particularly its major settlement, Bar Harbor, has afforded summer homes for the wealthy. Recently, though, Bar Harbor has become a new arts community as well. But the best part of the island is the unspoiled forest land known as Acadia National Park. Since the island sits on the border between two different geographical zones, the park supports the plants and animals of both zones. It also lies in a major bird migration lane and is a resting spot for many birds. 37．The large number of small islands along the coast of Maine is the result of ______. A．the drowning of the Maine coastline B．glacier’s forcing mountains into the sea C．the irregularity of the Maine coastline D．ocean water’s flooding the mountain range 38．What does the underlined word “charge” mean in paragraph 2? A．To ask an amount of money. B．To accuse someone publicly of doing something wrong. C．To rush in a particular direction. D．To pass electricity through something. 39．Which of the following statements best expresses the main idea of paragraph 4 of the selection? A．The wealthy residents of Mt. Desert Island selfishly kept it to themselves. B．Acadia National Park is one of the best national parks. C．On Mt. Desert Island, there is great tension between the residents and tourists. D．Mt. Desert Island supports an incredibly diverse animal and plant life. 40．From the passage, we learn that ________. A．the coastline of Maine is ten times longer after the Ice Age B．there are more than 2,500 islands along the Maine coastline C．Mt. Desert Island has been broken apart by a 7-mile-long water stretch D．an arts community gave way to the summer homes on Mt. Desert Island 11 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】上海市青浦高级中学2022-2023学年高二上学期期末线上质量检测英语试卷 Remember This There are a handful of people with uncommonly good memories. But AJ is unique. Her extraordinary memory is not for facts or figures, but for aspects of her own life. Such a memory for autobiographical detail was previously unknown and neuroscientists have coined a new term to describe her condition: hyperthymestic syndrome (超忆综合症). It would seem initially as though having a memory like AJ’s would make life qualitatively different — and better. Our culture bombards us with new information, yet so little of it is captured and cataloged in such a way that it can be retrieved later. What would it mean to have all that otherwise lost knowledge at our fingertips? It would be a great benefit if it made us more confident and, in some fundamental sense, smarter. To the extent that experience is the sum of our memories, and wisdom the sum of experience, having a better memory would mean knowing more about the world and about oneself. How many worthwhile ideas have gone unthought because of our memory’s shortcomings? The greatest geniuses in ancient and medieval times were described as people of superior memories, and there is a long tradition of memory training in many cultures. But over the past millennium, we’ve gradually replaced our internal memory with what psychologists refer to as external memory, a vast superstructure of technological crutches that mean we don’t have to store information in our brains. We have calendars to keep track of our schedules, books (and now the internet) to store our collective knowledge, and photographs to record our experiences. But has anything been lost in this process? The whole point of our nervous system is to develop a sense of what is happening in the present and what is about to happen in the future, so that we can respond in the best possible way. Our brains are fundamentally prediction machines, and to work they have to find order in the chaos of possible memories. Our brains receive a huge amount of data but most of this does not need to be reflected upon or remembered. Not surprisingly, drug companies are searching for chemicals that might halt the tide of forgetting. But this raises some troubling ethical questions. Would we choose to live in a society where people have vastly better memories? In fact, what would it even mean to have a better memory? Would it mean remembering things only exactly as they happened, free from the revisions and exaggerations that our mind naturally creates? Would it mean having a memory that forgets traumas (创伤) ? Would it mean becoming AJ? 41．In the second paragraph, what is the writer’s attitude towards people having better memories? A．He thinks only a few people are capable of achieving this. B．He believes some information in our culture is not worth acquiring. C．He is confident that scientific progress will ensure this in the near future. D．He appreciates that our lives might improve as a consequence. 42．What is the writer’s purpose in the third paragraph? A．To compare attitudes towards collective knowledge. B．To illustrate the growing use of aids to memory. C．To describe how psychology has affected our understanding of memory. D．To explain how improved knowledge has led to technological development. 43．The word “chaos” in paragraph 4 is used to refer to______. A．some people’s perception of the world they live in B．the many conflicting opinions about how the brain functions C．the result of people not getting rid of irrelevant information D．different ways in which a damaged brain can impair memory 44．What does the writer suggest about the development of memory drugs? A．Many people are opposed to this kind of research. B．It is hard to be precise about their effect. C．The benefits for society would be immense. D．Trauma victims should be a priority. 12 Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. 【来源】 上海交通大学附属中学2022-2023学年高二上期末考试英语试卷 Artificial intelligence will be either the best, or the worst thing, ever to happen to humanity. ——Stephen Hawking Millenniumbutterfly Thanks to AI, I’ve got my own super-smart personal assistant built into my phone. She always has an immediate answer for any question I put to her, and even uses my answers to learn more about my preferences. And speaking of hanging out, I’m hoping that self-driving cars are available soon. Self-driving cars can learn to drive in the same way that we do, and can make informed judgments. And as they won’t be susceptible to human error, they’ll be a lot safer. I do think that developments in AI will on the whole make doing day-to-day things a lot easier. Popkid The technology you’re using and enjoying today is a basic form of AI which can’t think independently without programming. Of course, it could be very useful to have a more advanced form of AI — a truly independent form of artificial intelligence, capable of exercising its own judgement, could help us solve many of the world’s problems. But have you ever thought about the risks? After all, why would an independent form of AI need to consider the opinions and desires of humans? We could be seen as a “small” inconvenience that’s in the way of a solution to a bigger problem. If we’re lucky, AI might think we’re valuable enough to keep around. What if they don’t? Even if that doesn’t happen, there are other risks. Millenniumbutterfly, self-driving cars are seemingly great, but what about all the taxi drivers who would lose their jobs? They would just be among the first victims of AI. Nearly every job is potentially at risk in the long run. Even journalists are now being replaced with technology that can write basic news reports. The truth is that none of us is prepared for the challenges of AI. Pink_haze Machine learning is something we have come to accept as a part of our modern world. I believe most of the value of AI lies in its capacity to analyse and interpret vast amounts of data, which means it can even solve problems that are too challenging for human experts. But while super-intelligent AI could be the biggest leap forward in human history, if it goes wrong or falls into the wrong hands, it could also be the most baneful. However, AI is not going to go away. We have no choice but to accept it and regulate it. One thing I think we all agree on, though, is that saying “My AI did it!” won’t be any excuse for illegal or immoral behaviour! 45．If a traveller always has a hard time looking for a proper restaurant to dine in, whose opinion is he likely to agree with? A．Millenniumbutterfly B．Popkid C．Pink_haze D．None of them 46．What does baneful (in the last paragraph) probably mean? A．exaggerated B．intensive C．dangerous D．desperate 47．Whose idea could be reinforced by the evidence that almost 50 per cent of US jobs are at risk from automation in the next 20 years? A．Millenniumbutterfly B．Popkid C．Pink_haze D．None of them 48．Which of them might embrace the following statement: “Helpful as advanced AI could be in tackling the world’s problems, a high level of risk is involved.” A．Millenniumbutterfly & Popkid B．Popkid & Pink_haze C．Pink_haze & Millenniumbutterfly D．All of them 原创精品资源学科网独家享有版权，侵权必究！5 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $