Unit 3 Period 2 Understanding ideas-【步步高】2023-2024学年高二英语选择性必修第四册（外研版2019）

Following the Silk Road Covering vast distances and an astonishing variety of landscapes, the Silk Road was a network of ancient trade routes that extended from East Asia all the way to the Mediterranean. A key section of the extensive Silk Road network is the Chang’an­Tianshan Corridor1，which stretches over a distance of around 5,000 kilometres through China, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, covering a total of 8,700 kilometres of trade routes. The three countries jointly pursued2 an application for UNESCO World Heritage status. They submitted3 the proposal which contained detailed research on the 33 sites along the corridor. This made history in its own way as the first successful multinational World Heritage application—and it seems to be only the beginning of the road for the Silk Road, as other countries are also planning World Heritage applications for other sections of the network. The starting point of the corridor and the entire Silk Road network is Chang’an (present­day Xi’an)，in Shaanxi Province of north­west China. It was famous as the capital of the Han and Tang Dynasties. Further west on the Silk Road, the geography gradually changes from wild deserts to high, snow­capped mountains to vast grasslands as the routes pass through the splendid Tianshan Mountains and emerge4 in the rolling valleys of Central Asia. Although the Chang’an­Tianshan Corridor ends here, the network continues westwards until it reaches the Mediterranean. The Silk Road began to develop in the 2nd century BCE. Assigned5 by the emperor, the ambassador Zhang Qian journeyed from Chang’an to Central Asia, seeking to build bridges between the Han Dynasty and the Western Regions. Following Zhang’s efforts, trade routes took shape and relationships were strengthened between the major powers of the time, with the routes network reaching as far as the Roman Empire. The network expanded gradually, playing an important role in world history between the 6th and 14th centuries, and remained in use until the 16th century. At the initial stage of the Silk Road development, silk was the main item in the trade list thanks to its light weight and high value. At its peak, many other items were contributed to the marketplace of goods. The routes were alive with strings of camels carrying loads of goods and traders selling everything imaginable. China’s exports included silk, china and tea, while horses, wool, cotton and grapes were all imported over vast distances along the network. (节选自译林版新教材选择性必修第三册 Unit 4) 词汇积累 1．corridor /'kɒrɪdɔː(r)/ n．走廊，地带；通道 2．pursue /pə'sjuː/ vt.追求，致力于，执行；追逐 3．submit /səb'mɪt/ vt.& vi.提交，呈递；屈服 4．emerge /ɪ'mɜːdʒ/ vi.出现；暴露；露头 5．assign /ə'saɪn/ vt.指定，指派；分配；确定 Period 2　Understanding ideas—Reading comprehension Ⅰ.匹配单词 1．glorious　　 A．relating to religion 2．boast B．the amount or way that sth covers an area 3．religious C．very beautiful and impressive 4．peak D．to make something stronger or more effective 5．strengthen E．to have or own something to be proud of 6．coverage F．the highest，strongest，or best point，value，or level of skill 答案　1.C　2.E　3.A　4.F　5.D　6.B Ⅱ.选词填空 1．Dating from the 1st century，it had been stolen from a museum in southern Rome in 1988. 2．The pyramids are testimony to the ancient Egyptians’ engineering skills. 3．All languages change over time and vary from place to place because of the local accent. 4．It was a Frenchman，Pierre de Coubertin，who brought the Olympics back to life. 5．The reason why the cave was sealed up all those years ago remains a mystery. Step 1　速读——整体理解文意 Ⅰ.明文章大意 What is the passage mainly about? A．Dunhuang has a splendid history and is once again a meeting place for people from around the world. B．Dunhuang’s cultural relics attract tourists from all over the world. C．The Silk Road passed through Dunhuang. D．Dunhuang will be more attractive because of the Silk Road. 答案　A Ⅱ.悉层次结构 Read the passage and match each part with its main idea. Part 1 (Paras.1－2) A．The next spot. Part 2 (Paras.3－4) B．Dunhuang’s significance. Part 3 (Paras.5－6) C．The decline and rise of Dunhuang. Part 4 (Para.7)  D．Dunhuang’s tourist attractions with a long history and splendid culture. 答案　Part 1 B　Part 2 D　Part 3 C　Part 4 A Step 2　细读——逐段获取细节 Ⅰ.Read Part 1 carefully and do the following exercises. 1．What can be inferred from Para.1? Dunhuang’s location is very important and the scenery is attractive. 2．What can we learn from the second paragraph? A．Dunhuang is over 700 years old. B．Dunhuang has always been a world-class tourist destination. C．The ancient caves of the Mogao Grottoes have existed for 1,000 years. D．The statues in the caves contain many elements. 答案　D Ⅱ.Read Part 2 carefully and do the following exercises. 1．From the third paragraph，what can we learn? A．The subjects of Dunhuang murals are the same. B．The Apsaras are a unique mural which can be found in other places of the world. C．In the Tang Dynasty，Dunhuang murals reached their peak. D．The murals reflected the confidence and expectation of people at that time. 答案　C 2．What can we learn about the Apsaras? A．Their subjects are all about Western stories. B．They were used to decorate the top of caves. C．They can only be seen in Dunhuang. D．They were created in the Tang Dynasty. 答案　C 3．What does the sentence “the Library Cave is only a stone’s throw from here” mean in the fourth paragraph? A．We cannot get to the Library Cave easily. B．There are stone roads leading to the Library Cave. C．The Library Cave is a short distance away. D．The Library Cave was carved out of the rock. 答案　C Ⅲ.Read Part 3 carefully and do the following exercises. 1．Why was Dunhuang less prosperous than before? A．Because the trade routes changed. B．Because it became deserts gradually. C．Because Europe and Asia had no trade. D．Because people were no longer interested in it. 答案　A 2．Why was Dunhuang the ideal place to host the Silk Road International Cultural Expo? A．Because the theme of the Expo had something to do with the countries along the Silk Road. B．Because the city had a strong cultural atmosphere. C．Because people could travel here while attending the Expo. D．Because the environment here was attractive. 答案　A Ⅳ.Read the whole passage and do the following exercise. Where is the passage probably taken from? A．A travel brochure. B．A tour commentary. C．A blog. D．A lecture. 答案　B Step 3　读后——讨论深度理解 1．Do you think Dunhuang is attractive to you? Why？(Critical thinking) 2．If your British friend Jim is interested in the Silk Road and Dunhuang，how will you introduce them to him？(Creative thinking) Step 4　总结——课文语法填空 Dunhuang was the gateway to and from Ancient China，a place 1.where East met West，and a green island in the middle of the desert. Dunhuang served as a centre of cultural and commercial exchange.Today，Dunhuang is a world-class tourist destination boasting sites with UNESCO-protected heritage status.It has more than 700 caves.2.Known(know) as the Mogao Grottoes，these ancient caves 3.were carved(carve) out of the rock over a period of 1,000 years.There you can see the paintings and other artworks.Look at these statues! You can see 4.elements(element) from Ancient Greece，India and Iran.The murals cover an 5.astonishing(astonish) area of 45,000 square metres. The subjects of the Dunhuang murals vary from religious stories to scenes of everyday life.But one type of mural that is unique to Dunhuang shows the Apsaras，or “Flying Immortals”．The painting of Apsaras during the Tang Dynasty reflects the 6.confidence(confident) and optimism of people from that time. In 7.a sealed cave，now known as the famous Library Cave，were hidden thousands of manuscripts，paintings and scrolls，as well as silk embroideries.We’ll have a chance to see some of 8.them(they) shortly.However，the reason why the Library Cave was sealed up all those years ago 9.remains(remain) a mystery. This century is bringing the Silk Road 10.to life once more through the Belt and Road Initiative.Dunhuang has once again become a global crossroads. Step 5　解读——长句难句分析 1．On the old Silk Road，this city was the gateway to and from Ancient China，a place where East met West，and a green island in the middle of the desert. [句式分析]　此句为复合句。the gateway to and from Ancient China和a place where East met West，还有a green island in the middle of the desert为并列表语；a place where East met West中含有where引导的定语从句。 [自主翻译]　这座城市坐落在古丝绸之路上，曾经是古代中国的门户、东西方交汇的地方，也是沙海中的绿岛。 2．If you look up，you can see the paintings and other artworks that are testimony to how the Silk Road brought East and West together. [句式分析]　此句为复合句。句中if引导条件状语从句；that引导定语从句，修饰先行词the paintings and other artworks；how引导宾语从句。 [自主翻译]　你抬起头就可以看见壁画和其他艺术品，它们见证了丝绸之路是如何将东西方连接在一起的。 3．The Apsaras are depicted sailing in the bright blue sky，with their scarves flying，as if they are about to fly down to meet us. [句式分析]　此句为复合句。句中with their scarves flying为with的复合结构；as if引导方式状语从句。 [自主翻译]　我们看这幅壁画，上面画的是飞天在蔚蓝的天空中飞行，他们帔巾飘飘，好像要飞下来迎接我们。 Ⅰ.阅读理解 A With year-round sunshine，postcard-worthy white sand and impossibly blue ocean waters，the breathtaking scenery and authentic cultural experiences along the Belt and Road are among our top-selling destinations.To help go beyond your simple sun-and-sea escape，our travel experts share some holiday activities with you. Sri Lanka Activities For unforgettable views of the country’s striking landscape，choose to take to the skies and look over the island in a hot air balloon and get unmatched views of the tree-topped cliffs below.The clear waters are ideal for snorkelling and diving，and when the surf’s up you can ride the waves. Windsurfing，canoeing and many other water sports are there to enjoy，no matter your skill level. The Maldives Activities With Maldives holiday offers，you can experience some of the best diving in the world.Use your resort as a base to discover the underwater world filled with marine life，take barbecues and picnics on deserted sand banks or get a taste of the islands’ culture with a trip to a local fishing village. Abu Dhabi Activities You can get the best of everything on an Abu Dhabi Holiday，capital of the United Arab Emirates.Go shopping in the city’s shiny shopping centres，like Marina Mall and Al Wahda Mall.Climb the world’s tallest sand dune，Tel Moreeb or explore the Arabian desert in a more leisurely fashion with a camel ride and a barbecue beneath the stars. Cyprus Activities Cyprus is one of the best spots for scuba diving(戴水肺潜水) in Europe，but if you prefer to stay above the surface，there is windsurfing and sailing.On land，the country’s mountains offer the perfect place for walking and hiking，and even bird-watching in the forest places. 1．Who are the activities intended for? A．Travel agents. B．Brave explorers. C．Potential tourists. D．Green volunteers. 答案　C 解析　推理判断题。根据第一段最后一句“To help go beyond your simple sun-and-sea escape，our travel experts share some holiday activities with you.”可知，这些活动针对潜在的游客。故选C。 2．Which of the following offers a bird’s-eye view experience? A．Cyprus Activities. B．Sri Lanka Activities. C．Abu Dhabi Activities. D．The Maldives Activities. 答案　B 解析　细节理解题。根据Sri Lanka Activities部分第一句“For unforgettable views of the country’s striking landscape，choose to take to the skies and look over the island in a hot air balloon and get unmatched views of the tree-topped cliffs below.”可知，斯里兰卡的活动提供鸟瞰体验。故选B。 3．What is listed in both The Maldives Activities and Cyprus Activities? A．Riding the waves on the sea. B．Working out in the mountains. C．Exploring the underwater world. D．Experiencing the local customs. 答案　C 解析　细节理解题。根据The Maldives Activities部分第二句“Use your resort as a base to discover the underwater world filled with marine life...”和Cyprus Activities部分第一句“Cyprus is one of the best spots for scuba diving(戴水肺潜水) in Europe...”可知，马尔代夫和塞浦路斯的活动都列出了探索水下世界的活动。故选C。 B The Chinese high-speed rails have a quality all on its own，because it’s so massive.There are more than twice as many high-speed trains in China as the rest of the world combined. Firstly，China’s technology on building the railway is leading the rest of the world and there is no sign that any other country could surpass China’s position in the near future.Secondly，China’s trains are based on Japanese，German and French models.At last，the scale of Chinese high-speed train is unthinkable to other countries which has high-speed train network.I had my first opportunity to ride the high-speed trains last week when I had a business meeting in Zhengzhou.As someone who grew up with a disdain for public transportation，I was dreading the experience.I pushed hard to fly，but was told that it would be much better if I took the train.I had traveled on an Amtrak train before in the US，and hated how slow it was and how many stops there were.Chinese high-speed trains are on a different level. First，when I say they are high-speed，I mean they are high-speed.The trains are clean and the seats are huge.There are ample power outlets and you can’t even feel how fast the train is moving.If there were no windows，I wouldn’t be able to tell when we were stopped or when we were traveling at 300 km/h—it is that smooth.The terminal in Zhengzhou looked like you could fit a million people in it.It had shops and a food court and the trains would silently pull in and out of the station perfectly on schedule. I’m traveling again this week by train and I’m excited.The high-speed trains are incredible. 语篇解读　本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。作者通过自身乘坐高铁的经历讲述了中国高铁的发展现状和先进性。 4．Which of the following is the characteristic of China’s high-speed rails? A．China has the most high-speed trains in the world. B．No other country will surpass China in building the high-speed railway. C．China makes high-speed trains all by itself. D．China ranks first in the high-speed rails development from the very beginning. 答案　A 解析　细节理解题。根据第一段第二句“There are more than twice as many high-speed trains in China as the rest of the world combined.”可知，中国的高铁数量是世界上最多的。故选A。 5．What can we infer from paragraph 2? A．The author likes to take public transportation. B．The author decided to take the train at first. C．The author expected his first train experience in China. D．America falls behind China in railway development. 答案　D 解析　推理判断题。根据第二段尤其是最后两句“I had traveled on an Amtrak train before in the US，and hated how slow it was and how many stops there were.Chinese high-speed trains are on a different level.”可推知，美国的铁路发展不及中国。故选D。 6．What can we not learn about the author’s first rail trip in China? A．The train runs very fast and smoothly. B．It is convenient to get the cellphone charged on the train. C．Zhengzhou station is very huge. D．Zhengzhou station is an important terminal. 答案　D 解析　细节理解题。根据第三段第四句“If there were no windows，I wouldn’t be able to tell when we were stopped or when we were traveling at 300 km/h—it is that smooth.”可知A项正确；根据第三句中“There are ample power outlets”可知B项正确；根据第五句“The terminal in Zhengzhou looked like you could fit a million people in it.”可知C项正确；D项并未提及。故选D。 7．What does the article mainly talk about? A．The author’s first train experience in China. B．The advancement of China’s high-speed trains. C．The high-speed railway should be greatly developed in the world. D．The importance of public transportation. 答案　B 解析　主旨大意题。根据文章第一段和第二段中的“Firstly，China’s technology on building the railway is leading the rest of the world and there is no sign that any other country could surpass China’s position in the near future.”可知，文章一开始就提到了中国高铁技术先进、世界领先，然后通过作者自己在中国第一次乘高铁的经历进一步证明了中国高铁的先进之处。故选B。 C What if we had the power to control time，instead of moving from the past to the present to the future? What if we could jump and travel through time in a machine? What if we could go wherever and whenever we pleased? The mysterious puzzle of time has kept people debating its nature for hundreds of years.Science fiction writers have turned it into imaginative stories.Some scientists have even attempted to explain it using math，trying to make the dream of time travel come true. Albert Einstein said that time and space are one thing called “spacetime”．He said there are three dimensions in space：height，width and depth.A scientist named Hermann Minkowski added time as a fourth dimension. Einstein introduced two ideas that have led to theories about the possibility of time travel.The first is relativity.The idea of relativity is that the force of gravity causes space to bend，which causes time to twist.The second idea focuses on special relativity.The idea is that a traveler moving super-fast through flat spacetime will enter the future.Einstein considered time “relative” because it is measured based on where we are on Earth or in space. Stephen Hawking believed that a time machine would never be built.If it were possible，he thought we would already know.If a time machine could be built，how come no one from the future has invaded us? The first science fiction story with this theme is The Clock That Went Backward by Edward P．Mitchell，which was published in 1881.Since then，thousands of books，films and television shows have explored the idea of time travel，in which some tools such as phones，watches，photographs and old books take travelers backward and forward. Will time travel ever happen? Who knows? Most important is to keep your eyes open and have a sense of wonder. 语篇解读　这是一篇说明文。文章引用了爱因斯坦和霍金对于时间旅行的看法，并介绍了关于时间旅行的作品。 8．What is the author’s purpose of writing the first paragraph? A．To show time and space are connected. B．To draw readers’ attention to time travel. C．To ask some questions about time travel. D．To make people believe time travel is possible. 答案　B 解析　写作意图题。文章第一段通过三个问句引出了时间旅行的话题，再结合第二段内容以及后文的时间旅行理论可推知，作者写第一段的目的是吸引读者对时间旅行的注意。故选B。 9．What was the contribution of Einstein according to the text? A．He divided space into four dimensions. B．He proved a time machine could be built. C．He believed time and space are different things. D．He put forward ideas bringing about theories of time travel. 答案　D 解析　细节理解题。根据第四段首句可知，爱因斯坦提出了两个观点，这些观点导致了关于时间旅行的可能性的理论。故选D。 10．What is the last but one paragraph mainly about? A．The first science fiction story. B．Some tools used in time travel. C．Edward P．Mitchell，the pioneer. D．Different works about time travel. 答案　D 解析　段落大意题。根据倒数第二段“The first science fiction story with this theme...thousands of books，films and television shows have explored the idea of time travel...”可知，本段主要是关于时间旅行的不同作品。故选D。 11．What is the writer’s attitude toward time travel? A．Hopeful. B．Pessimistic. C．Sceptical. D．Negative. 答案　A 解析　观点态度题。根据最后一段的“Most important is to keep your eyes open and have a sense of wonder.”可推知，作者对于时间旅行的态度是充满希望的。故选A。 Ⅱ.七选五 A New App Helps Blind People Know the World Around Them One of the best uses of technology is to make life easier.A new product from Micro Corporation can just do that for people who have trouble seeing.The product，an app called Seeing AI，is currently available for free for Apple’s iPhone and iPad.“AI” is short for artificial intelligence，a term for computers with an ability to think and learn like human beings. 1 The app then announces what the camera sees，so users will know what is in front of them. People can also use Seeing AI to learn words in English. 2 With Seeing AI，users can hear a description of not just objects，but other people.It can even tell you about their emotions. 3 It can read products’ bar codes(条形码) so users will know whether a can is filled with fruit or dog food.Microsoft says Seeing AI will soon be able to identify banknotes，so people will know whether they are holding a bill that is worth $100 or $1. People can use Seeing AI to identify images. 4 People even use the app to read signs and get directions，although Microsoft warns against using it for navigation purposes. Seeing AI is a new app and will not be 100% correct all the time.For example，that someone is smiling does not necessarily mean he or she is happy.The app recognizes text，but not handwriting yet. 5 The app is currently available in Canada，India，New Zealand，Singapore and the United States. A．People can use the app when going shopping. B．That feature may be available in the future. C．The app can identify more than one person in a photograph. D．The app can identify what is in the image，as if it were right in front of you. E．Seeing AI uses both a camera and artificial intelligence to identify places，objects and people. F．With this intelligent app，just hold up your phone and hear information about the world around you. G．With the app，you can point your iPhone or iPad at any object and Seeing AI will say what the object is. 语篇解读　这是一篇说明文。文章讲述了微软最近开发的一款名为Seeing AI的应用程序，可以帮助盲人了解周围的世界。 1．答案　E 解析　根据下一句中的“then”“the camera”这些关键词可知，空处应该提到摄像头在这款应用程序中的作用。因此，E选项“Seeing AI使用摄像头和人工智能来识别地点、物体和人”引出下文，符合语境，故选E。 2．答案　G 解析　空前一句说这款程序可以被用来学英语词汇，由下文可知，借助Seeing AI，用户可以听到对物体甚至是其他人的描述。所以G选项“有了这个应用程序，你可以把你的iPhone或iPad指向任何物体，Seeing AI会说出这个物体是什么”符合语境，故选G。 3．答案　A 解析　空处位于段首，应为本段主题句。根据下文提到的条形码、罐头及钞票可知，本段与购物有关，A选项“人们可以在购物时使用该应用程序”符合语境，故选A。 4．答案　D 解析　上文提到人们可以用Seeing AI来辨别图片。D选项“该应用程序可以识别图像中的内容，就像它就在你面前一样”符合语境，选项中的“identify what is in the image”与上文“identify images”呼应，故选D。 5．答案　B 解析　空前提到该程序的缺点之一是目前无法识别手写文本，因此空格处应说这个程序将来在这方面会有改进。故选B。 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$