外刊时文阅读理解2 -2025届高三上学期英语二轮复习专项

题型：高中阅读理解 来源：外刊读物 Passage 1 字数：227 来源：New York Times In 2010, Laszlo Hanyecz made a seemingly ordinary purchase of two pizzas using 10,000 Bitcoins, which was then worth around $40. However, this has since become a remarkable story as the price of Bitcoin has skyrocketed. On a particular Wednesday, Bitcoin reached a price of over $100,000 per coin. This is a significant milestone for a digital currency that was once ridiculed. The value of those two pizzas has now soared to an astonishing $1 billion. Bitcoin has emerged as perhaps the most successful investment in the past two decades, with the total value of all in-circulation coins reaching $2 trillion, surpassing the combined worth of major companies like Mastercard, Walmart, and JPMorgan Chase. The early adopters, including hackers and political radicals, have reaped huge rewards and become multimillionaires. The invention has led to a whole new industry, supported by publicly traded companies such as Coinbase, and promoted by various high-profile figures. Even Donald Trump, during his campaign, showed enthusiasm for Bitcoin and proposed creating a federal stockpile to boost its price. Bitcoin started as a small experimental project but has now achieved an impressive status in the global economic system. It has become a key part of financial markets, popular among both professional and amateur investors. After a slump in 2022 due to the FTX exchange collapse, its recent rise to $100,000 indicates a remarkable recovery. 1. What did Laszlo Hanyecz do in 2010 that became significant later? A. He developed the first Bitcoin exchange. B. He bought two pizzas with 10,000 Bitcoins. C. He predicted the future success of Bitcoin. D. He wrote a book about Bitcoin's history. 2. Why is Bitcoin's rise to $100,000 considered important? A. It means Bitcoin is now the most valuable currency. B. It shows Bitcoin has a firm place in the global economy. C. It indicates the end of traditional financial systems. D. It proves Bitcoin is immune to market crashes. 3. Who were some of the early adopters of Bitcoin? A. Wall Street bankers. B. Celebrities and athletes. C. Hackers and political radicals. D. Government officials. 4. What led to Bitcoin's price drop in 2022? A. The emergence of a new cryptocurrency. B. The failure of the FTX crypto exchange. C. A government ban on Bitcoin. D. Competition from other investment products. Answers: 1B. He bought two pizzas with 10,000 Bitcoins. 2B. It shows Bitcoin has a firm place in the global economy. 3C. Hackers and political radicals. 4B. The failure of the FTX crypto exchange. Passage2 字数：227 来源：The Guardian The CEO of UnitedHealth Group, Andrew Witty, announced measures to enhance security at the company's sites after the tragic killing of Brian Thompson, the CEO of the company's health insurance branch. Witty stated that the company would implement "permanent" changes to make campuses less "welcoming" due to the current "climate". He also expressed pride in the company's work and urged employees to ignore negative social media messages. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot and killed early on a Wednesday morning near the site of the company's annual investor meeting in midtown Manhattan. The assailant, who remains unknown, shot him at least twice and fled on an ebike. Police are actively searching for the suspect and have released details about items found at the scene, including shell casings with words like "deny," "depose" and "defend", though the motive for the killing is still a mystery. The killing has drawn strong condemnation from lawmakers such as Amy Klobuchar. UnitedHealth Group has also released a statement expressing gratitude for the support received, stating that their priorities are to support Thompson's family, ensure employee safety, and cooperate with law enforcement to find the perpetrator. They also ask for respect for the family's privacy during their mourning. 1． What did Andrew Witty decide to do after Brian Thompson's killing? A. Suspend the company's operations. B. Increase security at the company's sites. C. Ignore the incident and continue as usual. D. Blame the employees for the incident. 2． What was found on the shell casings at the scene? A. The name of the suspect. B. Words like "deny," "depose" and "defend". C. A message from the killer to the company. D. Evidence linking to a specific motive. 3． Who condemned the killing of Brian Thompson? A. Only Andrew Witty. B. UnitedHealth Group employees. C. Amy Klobuchar and other lawmakers. D. No one has condemned it yet. 4． What are the priorities of UnitedHealth Group according to their statement? A. To increase profits and expand the business. B. To support Thompson's family, ensure safety and cooperate with law enforcement. C. To find a new CEO and continue the annual investor meeting. D. To investigate the role of social media in the incident. Answers: 1.B. Increase security at the company's sites. 2B. Words like "deny," "depose" and "defend". 3C. Amy Klobuchar and other lawmakers. 4B. To support Thompson's family, ensure safety and cooperate with law enforcement. Passage2 字数：168 来源：The Guardian In the lead-up to the incoming Trump administration, several of his cabinet picks and appointees faced disturbing incidents. On Wednesday, Pete Hegseth (Trump's defense secretary pick), Elise Stefanik (pick for US ambassador to the United Nations), Howard Lutnick (commerce secretary pick), Lee Zeldin (Environmental Protection Agency pick), and Matt Gaetz were among those targeted with bomb threats and “swatting”. Zeldin shared on X that a pipe bomb threat against him and his family, accompanied by a pro-Palestinian themed message, was sent. Hegseth was also understood to have received a threat of a pipe bomb at home. The FBI got involved in investigating these incidents, though it wasn't clear if the threats were real or hoaxes. During the election campaign, similar bomb threats had targeted election officials too. Trump's cabinet team has been controversial and his spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said law enforcement acted quickly to safeguard the targeted individuals, but didn't elaborate on the threat details. The FBI and justice department spokespeople didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. (1) Who among Trump's picks was targeted with a bomb threat and mentioned a pro-Palestinian themed message? A. Pete Hegseth B. Elise Stefanik C. Lee Zeldin D. Howard Lutnick (2) What was Matt Gaetz's situation regarding Trump's administration pick? A. He was confirmed as US attorney general. B. He withdrew from being US attorney general due to a scandal. C. He was never considered for any position. D. He is still waiting for confirmation. (3) What did the FBI do after these threats were reported? A. Ignored the incidents. B. Immediately arrested the suspects. C. Got involved in investigating the incidents. D. Denied any knowledge of the threats. Answers 1.C 2B 3C 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$