精品解析：2025届上海市徐汇区高三下学期二模考试英语试题

2025年上海市徐汇区二模英语试卷 （考试时间105分钟 满分115分） I. Grammar and vocabulary Section A 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. Horses are smarter than they’re given credit for Horses are capable of strategic thinking and planning ahead, a new study has found. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University made a game for horses ___1___ they had to touch a piece of card with their noses to get a treat. They made it progressively harder, and discovered that the horses all changed their strategies in the most difficult stage ___2___ (ensure) they would continue getting treats. The study ___3___ (involve) 20 horses, who were initially rewarded with a treat for touching a piece of card with their noses. In the second stage, a “stop light” was introduced, and the rule was changed so that the reward was only given ___4___ they touched the card when the light was off. This did not alter the behaviour of the horses, as they ___5___ (observe) touching the card regardless of the status of the light. In the final stage, researchers introduced a “punishment” element of a 10-second timeout ___6___ playing or receiving any rewards for touching the card while the stop light was on. At this point, all the horses suddenly began to play the game correctly, only touching the card when it would lead to a treat. Instantly ___7___ (switch) strategies in this way indicates the horses understood the rule of the stop light the entire time, but had no reason to follow the rule when there was no consequence for getting it wrong. This showed the animals have the ability to think and plan ahead — something previously ___8___ (consider) to be beyond their capacity. “It’s fascinating because they have a very underdeveloped pre-frontal cortex (前额叶皮质), which is ___9___ we typically credit with producing that type of thinking in humans. This means they must be using another area of the brain to achieve a similar result,” said Dr Carrie Ijichi, a senior researcher at NTU. “This teaches us that we _____10_____ not make assumptions about animal intelligence based on whether they are 'built' just like us,” she said. 【答案】1. where 2. to ensure 3. involved 4. if 5. were observed 6. from 7. switching 8. considered 9. what 10. should##must##can 【解析】 【导语】这是一篇说明文。短文主要介绍了诺丁汉特伦特大学的一项研究，研究人员通过设计一个让马用鼻子触碰卡片获取奖励的游戏，逐步增加难度并设置不同规则，发现马能够根据规则变化改变策略，证明马具有战略思考和提前规划的能力，同时也表明不能仅依据动物与人类生理构造的相似性来评判其智力。 【1题详解】 考查定语从句。句意：诺丁汉特伦特大学的研究人员为马设计了一个游戏，在这个游戏中它们必须用鼻子触碰一张卡片才能得到食物奖励。“a game for horses” 是先行词，设空处引导定语从句修饰先行词。从句 “they had to touch a piece of card with their noses to get a treat” 结构完整，缺少表示地点的状语，即 “在这个游戏里”，where 在定语从句中作地点状语，符合语境。故填 where。 【2题详解】 考查非谓语动词。句意：他们让游戏变得越来越难，并且发现马在最困难的阶段都改变了它们的策略，以确保它们能继续得到食物奖励。动词不定式短语作目的状语，说明马改变策略的目的是为了继续获得奖励。故填 to ensure。 【3题详解】 考查动词时态。句意：这项研究涉及了 20 匹马，它们最初因用鼻子触碰一张卡片而得到食物奖励。文章整体描述的是过去进行的研究情况，句子主语是 “The study”，“involve” 是谓语动词，用一般过去时表示过去发生的动作，所以用 “involved”。故填 involved。 【4题详解】 考查连词。句意：在第二阶段，引入了一个 “交通信号灯”，并且规则改变了，所以只有当信号灯熄灭时，它们触碰卡片才会得到奖励。“the reward was only given” 和 “they touched the card when the light was off” 之间存在条件关系，“if” 引导条件状语从句，意为 “如果，假如”，表示只有在 “信号灯熄灭且马触碰卡片” 这个条件下，才会得到奖励。故填 if。 【5题详解】 考查动词时态和语态。句意：这并没有改变马的行为，因为观察到它们不管信号灯的状态如何都会去触碰卡片。“as” 引导原因状语从句，从句主语 “they”（指代马）和谓语动词 “observe” 之间是被动关系，即 “马被观察到”，且句子描述的是过去的情况，所以用一般过去时的被动语态 “were observed”。故填 were observed。 【6题详解】 考查介词。句意：在最后阶段，研究人员引入了一个 “惩罚” 元素，即当交通信号灯亮着时，马在玩或因触碰卡片获得奖励时会有 10 秒钟的暂停时间。表示“由于”用介词from，timeout from“由于……而暂停”为固定搭配。故填 from。 【7题详解】 考查非谓语动词。句意：以这种方式立即改变策略表明马一直都理解交通信号灯的规则，但是当犯错没有后果时，它们没有理由去遵守规则。本句缺少主语，动名词switching作主语，动名词短语作主语表示一种行为或动作。故填 switching。 【8题详解】 考查非谓语动词。句意：这表明这些动物有思考和提前规划的能力 —— 这是以前被认为超出它们能力范围的事情。“something” 和 “consider” 之间是被动关系，即 “某事被认为”，所以用过去分词 “considered”作定语。故填 considered。 【9题详解】 考查表语从句。句意：诺丁汉特伦特大学的资深研究员凯莉・伊吉奇博士说：“这很有趣，因为它们的前额叶皮质非常不发达，而我们通常认为产生人类那种思维方式的正是前额叶皮质。”“is” 后面是表语从句，从句中 “credit...with...” 缺少宾语，“what” 在表语从句中充当宾语，指代 “产生人类那种思维方式的东西”，所以用 “what” 引导表语从句。故填 what。 【10题详解】 考查情态动词。句意：她说：“这告诉我们，我们不应该 / 一定不能 / 不能仅仅根据动物是否和我们‘构造’相似就对它们的智力做出假设。”根据语境，这里表达的是一种建议或告诫的语气，“should not” 表示 “不应该”，“must not” 表示 “一定不能”，“can not” 表示 “不能”，这三个情态动词的否定形式都能表达出 “不可以仅凭动物与人类构造相似与否就评判其智力” 的意思，符合句子逻辑。故填 should /must/can。 Section B Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need. A. piloted B. precisely C. barriers D. fault E. misjudge F. life-threatening G. transition H. priorities I. tempted J. posed K. undeniably Your robot driver is on its way Driving has many downsides: There’s pollution, traffic, finding a place to park. But worst of all are the crashes. In 2023, an estimated 40,990 people were killed in car crashes in the United States. Reducing traffic crashes should be among the nation’s highest ____11____. Behind each one lie many human errors. People get behind the wheel when they are drunk or sleepy, and they text or talk on their phones instead of paying attention to the road. Or they simply ____12____ road conditions. Enormous work has gone into reducing these human errors. But data from Waymo Alphabet’s self-driving car unit, suggests that a better strategy might be to take the driver out of the picture and let vehicles be ____13____ by machines that will never get distracted or drunk, or be ____14____ to break traffic laws because they’re running late. Waymo robotaxis have logged 33 million miles and the company’s figures show that Waymo robotaxi vehicles deliver ____15____ better safety performance. Compared with cars driven by humans, Waymo vehicles have been involved in 62 percent fewer police-reported crashes and 78 percent fewer crashes that resulted in injury. Timothy B. Lee, author of the Understanding AI newsletter, pointed out the crashes “were mostly low-speed collisions (碰撞)” that ____16____ no serious safety risk. “A large majority appeared to be the ____17____ of the other driver,” Lee said. It’s too early to know how much self-driving cars could reduce ____18____ crashes. But it’s reasonable to hope that Waymo will prove safer than human drivers. Governments at all levels should be rushing to knock down regulatory ____19____ that stand in the way of faster adoption of driverless cars while also ensuring that the companies meet the highest standards for safety and accountability. In early January, the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association released a proposed policy framework that aims to speed the _____20_____. The association also calls for a national safety database to provide a better view of crash incidents involving self-driving cars. 【答案】11. H 12. E 13. A 14. I 15. K 16. J 17. D 18. F 19. C 20. G 【解析】 【导语】本文是新闻报道。主要围绕自动驾驶汽车的发展、优势以及其对减少交通事故的潜在影响进行了阐述。 【11题详解】 考查名词。句意：减少交通事故应该是国家的首要任务之一。空前是形容词，所以空处应填名词作表语，根据句意，应是priority意为“重点”符合语境，根据among可知，用复数形式。故选H项。 【12题详解】 考查动词。句意：或者他们只是误判了路况。本句缺少谓语动词，所以空处应填动词，根据句意，应是misjudge意为“误判”符合语境，描述客观状态，用一般现在时。故选E项。 【13题详解】 考查动词。句意：但Alphabet旗下自动驾驶汽车部门Waymo的数据表明，更好的策略可能是将驾驶员排除在外，让机器驾驶车辆，这些机器永远不会分心或醉酒，也不会因为迟到而违反交通法规。根据句意，此处应是pilot意为“驾驶”符合语境，根据空后的by可知，需用被动语态，空前已有be动词，所以空处应填过去分词形式。故选A项。 【14题详解】 考查动词。句意：但Alphabet旗下自动驾驶汽车部门Waymo数据表明，更好的策略可能是将驾驶员排除在外，让机器驾驶车辆，这些机器永远不会分心或醉酒，也不会因为迟到而违反交通法规。根据句意，应是tempt意为“引诱”符合语境，和主语vehicles之间是被动关系，用被动语态，空前已有be动词，所以空处应填过去分词形式。故选I项。 【15题详解】 考查副词。句意：Waymo无人驾驶出租车已经行驶了3300万英里，该公司的数据显示，Waymo无人驾驶出租车的安全性能无可否认更好。空处修饰空后的形容词，所以用副词修饰，根据句意，应是undeniably意为“不可否认地”符合语境。故选K项。 【16题详解】 考查动词。句意：《理解人工智能》通讯的作者Timothy B. Lee指出，这些碰撞“大多是低速碰撞”，不会构成严重的安全风险。本句是that引导的定语从句，从句缺少谓语，所以空处应填动词，根据句意，应是pose意为“造成(威胁、问题等)”符合语境，根据were可知，用一般过去时。故选J项。 【17题详解】 考查名词。句意：“大部分事故似乎是另一位司机的过错，”Lee说。空前是定冠词，所以空处应填名词作表语，根据句意，应是fault意为“过错”符合语境。故选D项。 【18题详解】 考查形容词。句意：现在就知道自动驾驶汽车能在多大程度上减少危及生命的车祸还为时过早。空后是名词，所以空处应填形容词作定语，根据句意，应是life-threatening意为“威胁着生命的”符合语境。故选F项。 【19题详解】 考查名词。句意：各级政府应尽快消除阻碍无人驾驶汽车更快普及的监管障碍，同时确保这些公司在安全和问责方面达到最高标准。空前是形容词，所以空处应填名词作宾语，根据句意，应是barrier意为“障碍”符合语境，为可数名词，此处应用复数形式。故选C项。 【20题详解】 考查名词。句意：今年1月初，自动驾驶汽车行业协会（Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association）发布了一份旨在加速过渡的拟议政策框架。空前是定冠词，所以空处应填名词作宾语，根据句意，应是transition意为“过渡”符合语境。故选G项。 II. Reading Comprehension Section A Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context. Are noise-cancelling headphones damaging our hearing skills? Noise-cancelling headphones have become a popular choice for many, offering a way to block out background noise and letting us enjoy music at lower volumes. ___21___, some experts are worried that using these headphones too much might make it harder for our brains to process sounds properly. Renee Almeida, an audiologist (听力学家), has noticed a small increase in adults coming to her clinic with ___22___ issues. They might fail to ___23___ where a sound is coming from, or struggle to follow a conversation on the train, in a bar or at a restaurant. The condition, known as auditory processing disorder (APD), is often diagnosed in children, so the rise in adults with similar issues struck Almeida as ___24___. Almeida suspects that the widespread use of noise-cancelling headphones could be a ___25___. She explains that our brains are used to dealing with thousands of different sounds at the same time and deciding which ones are worth paying attention to. ___26___, when a dog barks outside, the brain quickly identifies the sound and dismisses it as unimportant. However, noise-cancelling headphones ___27___ the brain to a single source of sound, such as music or a podcast, potentially weakening its ability to process ____28____ sounds. Almeida also notes that the overuse of noise-cancelling headphones could harm the developmental process by which children learn to ___29___ sounds. For adults, it could make their brains lazy, just as muscles ___30___ without exercise. In both cases, people could struggle to distinguish speech from background noise. Despite these ___31___, there is currently no scientific evidence proving that noise-cancelling headphones cause APD. Nor is there sufficient data showing a rise in the condition. But Almeida believes the question deserves attention. Prof. Dani Tomlin from the University of Melbourne ___32___ that people who use noise-cancelling headphones for long periods may find listening harder when they take them off. But she says “the ___33___ should not be overlooked”, for helping individuals to listen to music and movies on planes and trains. “Instead of suggesting ___34___ noise-cancelling headphones, we need more comprehensive research studies,” she adds. For now, Almeida recommends ___35___ like bone conduction headphones. She also encourages people to actively engage in listening exercises to maintain their auditory processing skills. 21. A. Instead B. Moreover C. Otherwise D. However 22. A. learning B. socializing C. hearing D. reading 23. A. indicate B. locate C. recall D. sustain 24. A. common B. raw C. odd D. predictable 25. A. primary stage B. contributing factor C. direct consequence D. temporary solution 26. A. For example B. In conclusion C. As a result D. On the contrary 27. A. expand B. reserve C. limit D. detect 28. A. multiple B. external C. unfamiliar D. inviting 29. A. clear away B. attend to C. tune out D. trace back 30. A. strengthen B. tighten C. weaken D. stimulate 31. A. concerns B. efforts C. threats D. trends 32. A. protests B. suspects C. acknowledges D. opposes 33. A. risks B. benefits C. requests D. costs 34. A. monitoring B. tolerating C. purchasing D. abandoning 35. A. alternatives B. restrictions C. opponents D. perspectives 【答案】21. D 22. C 23. B 24. C 25. B 26. A 27. C 28. A 29. B 30. C 31. A 32. C 33. B 34. D 35. A 【解析】 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要探讨了降噪耳机对听力技能可能产生的负面影响，指出虽然目前没有科学证据证明降噪耳机会导致听觉处理障碍，但专家们对此表示关注，并建议进行更多研究。 【21题详解】 考查副词词义辨析。句意：然而，一些专家担心，过度使用这些耳机可能会使我们的大脑更难正确处理声音。A. Instead反而；B. Moreover此外；C. Otherwise否则；D. However然而。根据前文“Noise-cancelling headphones have become a popular choice for many, offering a way to block out background noise and letting us enjoy music at lower volumes.”和后文“some experts are worried that using these headphones too much might make it harder for our brains to process sounds properly.”可知，前后文之间是转折关系，因此用however。故选D。 【22题详解】 考查动名词词义辨析。句意：听力学家Renee Almeida注意到，到她的诊所就诊的成年人中，听力问题有所增加。A. learning学习；B. socializing社交；C. hearing听力；D. reading阅读。根据后文“They might fail to __3___ where a sound is coming from, or struggle to follow a conversation on the train, in a bar or at a restaurant.”以及前文“Renee Almeida, an audiologist”可知，来她诊所的应该是有听力问题的人。故选C。 【23题详解】 考查动词词义辨析。句意：他们可能无法确定声音的来源，或者在火车上、酒吧或餐厅里难以跟上对话。A. indicate表明；B. locate确定……的位置；C. recall回忆；D. sustain维持。根据后文“where a sound is coming from”可知，此处指确定声音来源。故选B。 【24题详解】 考查形容词词义辨析。句意：这种被称为听觉处理障碍的状况通常在儿童中被诊断出来，因此成年人中出现类似症状的情况增加让Almeida感到奇怪。A. common常见的；B. raw生的；C. odd奇怪的；D. predictable可预测的。根据前文“The condition, known as auditory processing disorder (APD), is often diagnosed in children”可知，这种状况通常在儿童中被诊断出来，因此成年人中出现类似症状的情况增加让Almeida感到奇怪。故选C。 【25题详解】 考查名词短语辨析。句意：Almeida怀疑，降噪耳机的广泛使用可能是一个促成因素。A. primary stage初级阶段；B. contributing factor促成因素；C. direct consequence直接后果；D. temporary solution临时解决方案。根据前文“The rise in adults with similar issues”可知，此处指Almeida怀疑，降噪耳机的广泛使用可能是一个促成因素。故选B。 【26题详解】 考查介词短语辨析。句意：例如，当一只狗在外面叫时，大脑会迅速识别出这个声音，并认为它不重要而忽略它。A. For example例如；B. In conclusion总之；C. As a result结果；D. On the contrary相反。根据后文“when a dog barks outside, the brain quickly identifies the sound and dismisses it as unimportant.”可知，此处是在举例说明。故选A。 【27题详解】 考查动词词义辨析。句意：然而，降噪耳机将大脑限制在单一的声音来源上，如音乐或播客，这可能会削弱其处理多种声音的能力。A. expand扩大；B. reserve保留；C. limit限制；D. detect检测。根据后文“the brain to a single source of sound, such as music or a podcast”可知，降噪耳机将大脑限制在单一的声音来源上。故选C。 【28题详解】 考查形容词词义辨析。句意：然而，降噪耳机将大脑限制在单一的声音来源上，如音乐或播客，这可能会削弱其处理多种声音的能力。A. multiple多种的；B. external外部的；C. unfamiliar不熟悉的；D. inviting诱人的。根据前文“a single source of sound”可知，此处指可能会削弱其处理多种声音的能力。故选A。 【29题详解】 考查动词短语辨析。句意：Almeida还指出，过度使用降噪耳机可能会损害儿童学习处理声音的发育过程。A. clear away清除；B. attend to处理；C. tune out调低；D. trace back追溯。根据后文“sounds”可知，此处指处理声音。故选B。 【30题详解】 考查动词词义辨析。句意：对于成年人来说，这可能会让大脑变得懒惰，就像肌肉不锻炼就会变弱一样。A. strengthen加强；B. tighten收紧；C. weaken变弱；D. stimulate刺激。根据前文“make their brains lazy”可知，此处指肌肉不锻炼就会变弱。故选C。 【31题详解】 考查名词词义辨析。句意：尽管存在这些担忧，但目前还没有科学证据证明降噪耳机会导致听觉处理障碍。A. concerns担忧；B. efforts努力；C. threats威胁；D. trends趋势。根据前文“some experts are worried that using these headphones too much might make it harder for our brains to process sounds properly.”可知，此处指尽管存在这些担忧。故选A。 【32题详解】 考查动词词义辨析。句意：墨尔本大学的Dani Tomlin教授承认，长时间使用降噪耳机的人可能会在摘下耳机后发现听力变得更困难。A. protests抗议；B. suspects怀疑；C. acknowledges承认；D. opposes反对。根据后文“people who use noise-cancelling headphones for long periods may find listening harder when they take them off.”可知，这是Dani Tomlin教授承认的内容。故选C。 【33题详解】 考查名词词义辨析。句意：但她表示，“不应忽视其益处”，因为它有助于个人在飞机和火车上听音乐和电影。A. risks风险；B. benefits益处；C. requests请求；D. costs成本。根据后文“for helping individuals to listen to music and movies on planes and trains.”可知，此处指不应忽视其益处。故选B。 【34题详解】 考查动词词义辨析。句意：“我们不应该建议放弃降噪耳机，而是需要进行更全面的研究”，她补充道。A. monitoring监控；B. tolerating容忍；C. purchasing购买；D. abandoning放弃。根据后文“we need more comprehensive research studies”可知，此处指我们不应该建议放弃降噪耳机。故选D。 【35题详解】 考查名词词义辨析。句意：目前，Almeida推荐使用骨传导耳机等替代品。A. alternatives替代品；B. restrictions限制；C. opponents对手；D. perspectives视角。根据后文“like bone conduction headphones”可知，此处指骨传导耳机等替代品。故选A。 Section B Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read. (A) Geology, the study of the structure and formation of the Earth, is the baby of all the other sciences. Until comparatively recently, scholars paid little attention to rocks and rock formations. Indeed, the word geology only appeared in the English language in 1735 and took another seventy or so years to enter general usage. Geology made its first appearance in the Encyclopaedia Britannica (大英百科全书) in the 1810 edition. Despite this inclusion, the science of geology remained largely ignored until much later in the century. Nowadays the mystery of the Earth and its formation fascinates geologists across the world. However, few people know that the whole modern discipline of geology and the way we look at our world owes its inspiration to a single man with an extraordinary passion for landscape and rocks. That man was William Smith, who was born in 1769 in the small village of Churchill in the south of England. From an early age William showed a strong interest in the world about him and asked questions about the landscape that no one could properly answer. As a young boy William picked up strange-looking stones that lay in the fields around his home and felt that some of the most common patterns in these stones looked like animals found living in the sea. He asked the men of knowledge and science in the district how these stones came to find themselves here. No one, it seemed, had answers to his questions or even thought it remotely interesting to ask the questions in the first place. A chance meeting with a man called Edward Webb led to William being offered a position to work down the mines. He came to realise that different types of rock lay at different levels as he went deeper underground. This led William to suggest that older rocks lay deeper than newer rocks. Armed with his new found insight into the birth of rocks, William walked the length and breadth of Great Britain with the intention of surveying and categorising all the wonderfully different types of rocks that he found. It took William many years of frustration and hardship to draw a huge map of Great Britain by hand. The map, on display today at Burlington House in London, uses beautiful colours to show every layer of rock below in the most precise detail. Unique in its time, William’s map gave birth to every geological survey that we take for granted in the world today. 36. When did the word “geology” start to be commonly used in the English language? A. In 1735. B. In 1810. C. Around 1805. D. Around 1895. 37. What can be learned about the local scholars in William’s district? A. They were very knowledgeable about the landscape. B. They encouraged William to explore his curiosity. C. They were astonished by William’s findings. D. They lacked both knowledge and interest in rocks. 38. What significant discovery did William Smith make while working in the mines? A. Rocks were of the same type underground. B. Underground rocks were in distinct layers. C. Newer rocks lay deeper than older ones. D. The age of rocks had no relation to their depth. 39. What is the purpose of the passage? A. To describe the life and work of William Smith and his impact on modern geology. B. To explain the history of the word “geology” and its development in modern world. C. To discuss the importance of geological surveys in understanding the land we live on. D. To highlight the challenges faced by early geologists in mapping the Earth’s rocks. 【答案】36. C 37. D 38. B 39. A 【解析】 【导语】本文是一篇记叙文，主要讲述了地质学的发展历程以及威廉・史密斯对现代地质学的贡献，包括他从小对岩石的兴趣、在矿井中的发现以及绘制地图等经历。 【36题详解】 细节理解题。根据第一段 “Indeed, the word geology only appeared in the English language in 1735 and took another seventy or so years to enter general usage. (“地质学” 这个词在 1735 年出现在英语中，又过了大约 70 年才被普遍使用。)”可知，1735 年加上 70 年左右，大约是 1805 年，“地质学” 一词开始在英语中普遍使用。故选 C。 【37题详解】 推理判断题。根据第三段 “He asked the men of knowledge and science in the district how these stones came to find themselves here. No one, it seemed, had answers to his questions or even thought it remotely interesting to ask the questions in the first place. (他问当地有知识和懂科学的人这些石头是怎么到这里来的。似乎没有人能回答他的问题，甚至一开始就没有人觉得这些问题有丝毫有趣之处。)”可知，当地的学者既缺乏关于岩石的知识，也对岩石不感兴趣。故选 D。 【38题详解】 细节理解题。根据第四段 “He came to realise that different types of rock lay at different levels as he went deeper underground. (当他深入地下时，他意识到不同类型的岩石处于不同的层次。)”可知，威廉・史密斯在矿井工作时发现地下岩石是分层的。故选 B。 【39题详解】 推理判断题。文章开篇介绍了地质学的发展历史，引出威廉・史密斯，接着讲述了他从小对石头的兴趣，在矿井工作时的发现，以及他绘制英国地图的过程和艰辛，最后提到他的地图对现代地质学的影响。所以文章的目的是描述威廉・史密斯的生活、工作以及他对现代地质学的影响。故选A。 (B) Sam Schwartz better known as Gridlock Sam, unsuccessfully tried to introduce congestion (拥堵) pricing to New York in the 1970s, when he was a city traffic engineer. Some 50 years later, on January 5th this year, the city finally collected the charge — the first of its kind in America. The scheme (方案) is modelled partly on that of London, where since 2003 a daily charge (currently £15, or $19) has reduced the number of cars, improved air quality and funded transit upgrades. New York’s version costs $9 for most drivers (with different rates for lorries and low-income New Yorkers). The zone includes Manhattan’s central business district, south of 61st Street, and most of the roads, tunnels and bridges that connect surrounding areas. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees the city’s transport system and some suburban lines, hopes that the scheme will reduce traffic in these areas by 10-20% (traffic in central London fell by 18% in the first year). Money from the congestion charge is earmarked for much-needed improvements to New York’s ageing subway and other public-transport systems. Will it work? Joshua and Benjamin Moshes, students at Northeastern University and Brown University respectively, are monitoring how travel times into Manhattan have changed since the charge came into effect. Their congestion tracker collects traffic data from Google Maps every 15 minutes across 19 routes into Manhattan. It is too soon to say what effect the pricing will have on New York’s roads, but three charts below offer some clues from the first 24 hours. Early results are encouraging. The tracker shows that the time to drive the 1.6 miles (2.6 km) through the Holland Tunnel was cut by half during rush hour: from an average of 23 minutes on most Monday mornings, to just 12 on January 6th. The time spent crossing the East River through the Queensboro Bridge was also cut by half. Drivers from Brooklyn still faced heavy traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, however, and travel times within the congestion zone were reduced overall by just 1%. Snowfall and other unrelated factors may have played a role. It will take months to fully assess the impact of the charge. 40. Which of the following statements about Sam Schwartz is correct? A. He managed to introduce congestion pricing in New York in the 1970s. B. He has been working on the congestion pricing scheme for about 50 years. C. He proposed the concept of congestion pricing as a city traffic engineer. D. His congestion pricing scheme was eventually adopted by London. 41. According to the passage, the main purpose of New York’s congestion pricing is to _________. A. provide an additional source of income for citizens in New York B. ease traffic while raising money to improve public transportation C. increase the financial income of the New York City government D. encourage the local residents to use their private cars more often 42. Which of the following is a fact mentioned in the passage to support the claim that “early results are encouraging”? A. Travel times on the three routes into Manhattan have significantly decreased. B. Traffic congestion on the Brooklyn Bridge has significantly improved. C. Driving time through the Holland Tunnel has been reduced by about 50%. D. Overall travel times within the congestion zone have decreased by 1%. 【答案】40. C 41. B 42. C 【解析】 【导语】本文是新闻报道。报道了纽约市实施拥堵收费方案。 40题详解】 细节理解题。根据第一段中“Sam Schwartz, better known as Gridlock Sam, unsuccessfully tried to introduce congestion (拥堵) pricing to New York in the 1970s, when he was a city traffic engineer.(上世纪70年代，Sam Schwartz——更广为人知的名字是“堵车山姆”——曾试图在纽约引入拥堵收费，但没有成功，当时他还是一名城市交通工程师)”可知，Sam Schwartz作为城市交通工程师，他提出了拥堵收费的概念。故选C项。 【41题详解】 推理判断题。根据第二段中“The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees the city’s transport system and some suburban lines, hopes that the scheme will reduce traffic in these areas by 10-20% (traffic in central London fell by 18% in the first year). Money from the congestion charge is earmarked for much-needed improvements to New York’s ageing subway and other public-transport systems.(负责监管纽约市交通系统以及一些郊区线路的大都会运输署希望，这一方案能够使这些地区的交通拥堵状况减少10% 至20%（伦敦市中心的交通流量在第一年就下降了18%）。征收拥堵费所得的资金将专门用于对纽约老化的地铁系统以及其他公共交通系统进行迫切需要的改进)”可推知，纽约实施拥堵收费的主要目的是缓解交通拥堵，同时为改善公共交通筹集资金。故选B项。 【42题详解】 细节理解题。根据最后一段中“Early results are encouraging. The tracker shows that the time to drive the 1.6 miles (2.6km) through the Holland Tunnel was cut by half during rush hour: from an average of 23 minutes on most Monday mornings, to just 12 on January 6th.(初步结果令人鼓舞。跟踪显示，在高峰时段，通过荷兰隧道1.6英里（2.6公里）的时间缩短了一半：从大多数周一早上的平均23分钟，减少到1月6日的12分钟)”可知，通过荷兰隧道的驾驶时间减少了约50%，支持“早期结果令人鼓舞”这一说法的事实。故选C项。 (C) The convenience of modern life is nothing short of astonishing. As I write this, my phone is wirelessly sending some of the greatest hits from the 1700s to my portable speaker. I could use that same device to, within moments, get a car to pick me up, or have food delivered to my house. The fact that, as a culture, we seek out and celebrate such short cuts is understandable. They make it easier to have fun, and save us time and energy. That said, most people are able to sense that convenience has a darker side. Before we get into that, it is important to understand why convenience is so seductive in the first place. We often resist doing the things we need to do in order to make progress. Behind every well-intentioned plan lies this horrible sense of inertia (惰性). Why is this resistance — and our corresponding appetite for ease — such an essential part of our makeup? Here, insights from evolutionary psychology (particularly the idea of “evolutionary mismatch”) can help. Evolutionary mismatch is the idea that we evolved for a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, and that while our circumstances have changed completely, our brains and bodies haven’t. Resistance was a necessary counterbalance to the bursts of intense activity that characterized the lives of hunter-gatherers: searching for food in driving rain, or running to escape a dangerous animal. It’s the reason we still ask: “Do I really have to be doing this? Shouldn’t I save my energy?” The people who chose to remain sheltered during snowstorms, when the prospect of obtaining food was low, were more likely to live and pass on their genes to the next generation. And since those guys are our ancestors, we’ve inherited (继承) that tendency. Since that time, of course, innovation has changed things greatly. We’ve bent technology and our environments at least partly to serve our natural instinct to conserve energy. The question is: what do we stand to lose by following our tendency to prioritise comfort and convenience? Continually choosing the convenient path lessens your ability to deal with unavoidable difficulties. And, from an evolutionary perspective, some measure of discomfort is just as crucial to our survival as rest and relaxation. Our ancestors didn’t survive purely by being lazy, but through a combination of playing it safe and taking necessary risks: for example, pushing through the pain and effort of leaving a familiar home, in order to find a place closer to sources of food and better protected from the elements. It is this difficulty itself that shapes and develops our character. In the technological world we have fashioned, we must sometimes make a conscious effort to act in opposition to our instincts. As a culture, we must remember — and remind our young people — that while convenience feels good in the moment, our capacity to adapt and overcome challenges is part of our evolutionary inheritance too, and central to the adventure of life. 43. What does the word “seductive” (paragraph 3) most probably mean? A. Attractive and tempting. B. Useful and practical. C. Harmful and dangerous. D. Annoying and frustrating. 44. According to the passage, what does “evolutionary mismatch” primarily refer to? A. The inconsistency between personal goals and societal expectations. B. The contrast between modern convenience and ancient challenges. C. The controversy over the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of ancient people. D. The conflict between our natural instinct and the current environment. 45. According to the passage, prioritizing convenience in modern life may ________. A. lead to a lack of innovation and progress B. reduce our ability to overcome challenges C. make us overly dependent on technology D. cause a decline in physical fitness and health 46. What is the best title for the passage? A. The Benefits of Modern Technology B. Rejecting Modern Conveniences for a Better Life C. The Dark Side of Convenience in Modern Life D. Understanding Evolution in Today’s World 【答案】43. A 44. D 45. B 46. C 【解析】 【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章主要探讨了现代生活中便利性的利弊，以及为何人们会倾向于追求便利，同时指出了过度追求便利可能带来的问题。 【43题详解】 词句猜测题。根据划线词后文“We often resist doing the things we need to do in order to make progress. Behind every well-intentioned plan lies this horrible sense of inertia (惰性). Why is this resistance — and our corresponding appetite for ease — such an essential part of our makeup?(我们常常抗拒去做那些为了取得进步而需要做的事情。在每一个善意的计划背后，都隐藏着这种可怕的惰性。为何这种抗拒——以及我们相应的对轻松的渴望——会成为我们天性中如此重要的一部分呢？)”可知，我们天性有对轻松的渴望，所以便利对我们来说是具有很大的诱惑力的，推知seductive应是“诱人的”之意，和A项意思相近。故选A项。 【44题详解】 细节理解题。根据第四段“Evolutionary mismatch is the idea that we evolved for a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, and that while our circumstances have changed completely, our brains and bodies haven’t.(进化不匹配是指我们进化出了一种狩猎采集的生活方式，虽然我们的环境已经完全改变了，但我们的大脑和身体却没有改变)”可知，Evolutionary mismatch主要是指我们的自然本能和当前环境之间的冲突。故选D项。 【45题详解】 细节理解题。根据倒数第二段“Continually choosing the convenient path lessens your ability to deal with unavoidable difficulties.(不断选择方便的道路会削弱你处理不可避免的困难的能力)”可知，在现代生活中优先考虑便利可能会降低我们克服挑战的能力。故选B项。 【46题详解】 主旨大意题。根据第二段“The fact that, as a culture, we seek out and celebrate such short cuts is understandable. They make it easier to have fun, and save us time and energy. That said, most people are able to sense that convenience has a darker side.(作为一种文化，我们寻求并推崇这样的捷径，这是可以理解的。它们让我们更容易获得乐趣，还能节省我们的时间和精力。话虽如此，大多数人都能感觉到便利也有其阴暗的一面)”以及纵观全文可知，本文主要讲述了过度追求便利可能带来的问题，所以C项“现代生活中便利的阴暗面”是本文最好的标题。故选C项。 Section C Directions: Read the passage carefully. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need. How some friendships last — and others don’t In a 2008 study, psychologists asked participants to rate the steepness (陡度) of a hill. Those who were accompanied by a friend judged the hill to be less steep than people who were alone. This is just one of many ways friendships can change how we see and move through the world. Friendships can boost our academic performance, help us deal with setbacks, and even improve our health. ____47____ If you struggle with approaching new people, you are far from alone. In a series of studies, participants had conversations of varying lengths with strangers. Afterward, they were asked to estimate how much they thought each stranger liked them. Across the board, participants rated their own likability much lower than others had actually rated them. ____48____ You may even want to enter these conversations assuming that the other person will like you. Psychologists find that when people expect to be well-liked, they often unknowingly come across as warmer and friendlier. Next, what’s happening when relationships grow? Psychologists have identified two key features: companionship and closeness. Companionship is defined as the understanding that increases between people with similar hobbies, interests, or values. Sometimes, just being in the same class or team is enough to build this connection. Closeness, on the other hand, looks different for every relationship. ____49____ But simply telling a friend about your day or sharing your interests can help build closeness too. While every friendship develops on its own timeline, consistency can help. This can include sticking to plans, chatting regularly, and remembering the things that are important to each other. Yet even the closest friendships face challenges. This is especially true for teenage friendships. Relationships may also weaken when one friend can’t support the other through hard times. The most surefire way to deal with these problems is to talk about them. These conversations can be tough and awkward. ____50____ A. But if they’re approached in the right way, they can strengthen friendships in the long run. B. So, before meeting new people, remember that others like you more than you think. C. It might mean supporting each other through difficult times or feeling comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings. D. And the more friends you make, the more confident you’ll likely feel. E. For example, there might be a situation that puts two friends in competition. F. It’s clear that friendships are important, but making and maintaining friends isn’t always easy. 【答案】47. F 48. B 49. C 50. A 【解析】 【导语】本文是说明文。主要探讨了友谊的持久性及其影响因素。 【47题详解】 根据上文“Friendships can boost our academic performance, help us deal with setbacks, and even improve our health.(友谊可以提高我们的学习成绩，帮助我们应对挫折，甚至改善我们的健康)”讲述友谊的好处，以及后文“If you struggle with approaching new people, you are far from alone.(如果你在接近新朋友时遇到困难，那么你并不是一个人)”可知，本段主要讲述结交朋友是困难的，所以F项“It’s clear that friendships are important, but making and maintaining friends isn’t always easy.(很明显，友谊很重要，但结交和维持朋友并不总是那么容易)”承接上文，并引出下文，符合文意。故选F项。 【48题详解】 根据上文“In a series of studies, participants had conversations of varying lengths with strangers. Afterward, they were asked to estimate how much they thought each stranger liked them. Across the board, participants rated their own likability much lower than others had actually rated them.(在一系列研究中，参与者与陌生人进行了不同长度的对话。之后，他们被要求估计他们认为每个陌生人有多喜欢他们。总的来说，参与者对自己可爱程度的评价远低于其他人对他们的实际评价)”可知，此处讲述他人对自己的看法比想象中要好，所以B项“So, before meeting new people, remember that others like you more than you think.(所以，在认识新朋友之前，记住别人比你想象的更喜欢你)”和前文构成因果关系，符合文意。故选B项。 【49题详解】 根据前文“Closeness, on the other hand, looks different for every relationship.(另一方面，亲密感在每段关系中都是不同的)”可知，接下来应是说明有什么不同，所以C项“It might mean supporting each other through difficult times or feeling comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings.(这可能意味着在困难时期相互支持，或者自在地分享你的想法和感受)”符合文意，是对前句的详细说明，并引出下文“But simply telling a friend about your day or sharing your interests can help build closeness too.(但简单地告诉朋友你的一天或分享你的兴趣也可以帮助建立亲密关系。)”说明这样做的作用。故选C项。 【50题详解】 设空位于段尾，是对前文的总结，根据前文“While every friendship develops on its own timeline, consistency can help. This can include sticking to plans, chatting regularly, and remembering the things that are important to each other. Yet even the closest friendships face challenges. This is especially true for teenage friendships. Relationships may also weaken when one friend can’t support the other through hard times. The most surefire way to deal with these problems is to talk about them. These conversations can be tough and awkward.(虽然每段友谊的发展都有自己的时间表，但保持一致会有所帮助。这可以包括坚持计划，定期聊天，记住对彼此重要的事情。然而，即使是最亲密的友谊也会面临挑战。青少年的友谊尤其如此。当一个朋友在困难时期不能支持另一个朋友时，关系也会减弱。处理这些问题最可靠的方法就是谈论它们。这些对话可能会很艰难和尴尬)”可知，前文讲述如何维持友谊，并提到这些交流可能很难，所以A项“But if they’re approached in the right way, they can strengthen friendships in the long run.(但如果以正确的方式接近他们，从长远来看，他们可以加强友谊)”和前文构成转折关系，是对前文方法的总结，符合文意。故选A项。 III．Summary Writing 51. Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible. How to improve clinical trials？ Last year, a Swiss medicine company published a review of the clinical trials on drugs it had held between 2016 and 2021. It found that black people were under-represented in all but one. Surprisingly, that news represents progress, because it shows that people are becoming more aware of a dangerous bias (偏见) that sets back the safety of medical treatments. Many trials leave out certain groups — children, for example, or people with physical or learning disabilities, pregnant women and the elderly. There are good explanations for the exclusion, such as the difficulty of getting informed permission or the potential harm to unborn children. Yet the consequences can be serious. A recent review found that half of trials around the world testing hip-fracture (髋骨骨折) interventions excluded people who lived in nursing homes, were old or had some sort of understanding problems. Though these groups make up almost a third of all patients suffering hip fractures, it is unclear if the interventions will work as safely or as effectively on them. Their doctors face a tough choice: tell their patients to take the medicine anyway, with uncertain results; or deny them new treatments. Obtaining informed permission for trials is not always easy, especially from people with learning disabilities. Accounting for different groups’ risks of side-effects can complicate the analysis of the data. Even so, broadening the range of trials’ participants can be practically useful, because it might lead to important new findings in medicine. Fortunately, the bias of clinical testing may be changing. The US government has recently proposed to reduce barriers and appeal to a wider range of participants by reducing the costs and commitments required for patients to participate. Countries like America and Britain are discussing publishing regulations that require trial organisers to explain whom they ought to include and how they plan to include them. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 【答案】A Swiss firm’s review suggested a dangerous bias in clinical trials. Certain groups of people being excluded from trials may lead to harmful consequences. Despite some difficulties, involving more participants can lead to new medical insights. Luckily, there’s progress including reducing the barriers to attract more participants and publishing rules to address this issue. 【解析】 【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章通过瑞士药企的审查案例引出临床试验存在排除特定群体的系统性偏见，指出这种排除可能导致严重后果，同时论证了扩大参与者范围对医学进步的意义，最后提出政府正在通过降低参与门槛和制定法规来改善这一现状。 【详解】1.要点摘录 ① Swiss review found racial under-representation in trials, highlighting growing awareness of dangerous bias. ② Excluding groups like children/disabled/elderly causes unclear treatment efficacy for major patient populations. ③ Broadening participants could yield new medical discoveries despite challenges in informed consent and data analysis. ④ Governments are reducing barriers and requiring transparency in trial inclusion policies. 2.缜密构思 将第①、②要点整合为“问题呈现”，第③点作为“解决方案的必要性”，第④点作为“积极进展”，形成“问题-影响-解决-进展”的逻辑链。 3.遣词造句 A Swiss firm’s review exposed racial bias in trials, reflecting heightened awareness. Excluding vulnerable groups risks ineffective treatments for major populations. While expanding participation faces challenges, it may unlock medical breakthroughs. Fortunately, governments are lowering barriers and mandating transparent inclusion policies to address this critical issue. 【点睛】[高分句型1] A Swiss firm’s review exposed racial bias in trials, reflecting heightened awareness.（使用现在分词短语reflecting作状语） [高分句型2] While expanding participation faces challenges, it may unlock medical breakthroughs.（使用了while引导的让步状语从句） IV. Translation Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets. 52. 她的行李箱里塞满了纪念品，结果超重了。(stuff) （汉译英） ________________________________________________________________________________ 【答案】Her suitcase/luggage was stuffed with so many souvenirs that it was overweight. 【解析】 【详解】考查时态和从句。“她的行李箱” 表达为 “Her suitcase/luggage”；“塞满” 用动词 “stuff”，这里是 “被塞满” 的意思，所以用被动语态 “be stuffed with”；“纪念品” 是 “souvenirs”；“结果” 可翻译为“so...that...引导的结果状语从句”；“超重了” 翻译为 “was overweight”，整体句子描述过去发生的事情，用一般过去时。故翻译为：Her suitcase/luggage was stuffed with so many souvenirs that it was overweight. 53. 该公司在人工智能领域的成就和影响力不容小觑。(field) （汉译英） ________________________________________________________________________________ 【答案】The company’s achievements and influence in the field of artificial intelligence must not be underestimated. 【解析】 【详解】考查名词、固定短语、情态动词以及被动语态。表示“该公司”，使用名词所有格the company’s；“成就和影响力”翻译为achievements and influence；“在……领域”根据题目要求使用短语in the field of ；“人工智能”是artificial intelligence；即主语“该公司在人工智能领域的成就和影响力”翻译为：The company’s achievements and influence in the field of artificial intelligence；“不容小觑”即“一定不能被低估”，使用被动语态，“一定不能”用must not，“被低估”翻译为be underestimated，放在情态动词后用动词原形。故翻译为The company’s achievements and influence in the field of artificial intelligence must not be underestimated。 54. 这家餐厅成功地将传统烹饪技艺融入现代国际美食中，创造出独特的风味。(integrate)（汉译英） ________________________________________________________________________________ 【答案】This restaurant successfully integrated traditional cooking techniques into modern international cuisine, creating unique flavors. 【解析】 【详解】考查时态和固定短语。“这家餐厅”是this restaurant，“成功地”是successfully，“将……融入……”是integrate...into...，句中描述过去的事情，时态用一般过去时，integrate用过去式，“传统烹饪技艺”是traditional cooking techniques，“现代国际美食”是modern international cuisine，“创造出”是create，句中谓语是integrated，create用非谓语动词，用现在分词表结果，“独特的风味”是unique flavors，因此整句话翻译为This restaurant successfully integrated traditional cooking techniques into modern international cuisine, creating unique flavors. 55. 中国古诗词以其优美的韵律、丰富的意象和深刻的哲理，至今仍被广泛传颂和学习。(with) （汉译英） ________________________________________________________________________________ 【答案】Chinese classical poetry, with its beautiful rhythm, rich imagery/images and profound/deep philosophy, is still widely praised and studied today. 【解析】 【详解】考查时态语态。“中国古诗词” 表达为 Chinese classical poetry；“以……” 这里用介词 “with”，表示伴随状态，“以其优美的韵律、丰富的意象和深刻的哲理” 翻译为 with its beautiful rhythm, rich imagery/images and profound/deep philosophy” ；“至今仍被广泛传颂和学习”，“至今” 翻译为 “still”，“被传颂和学习” 用被动语态 “ be praised and studied ”，“广泛地” 是 “widely”，时态为一般现在时，表示现在的一种普遍状态。故翻译为：Chinese classical poetry, with its beautiful rhythm, rich imagery/images and profound/deep philosophy, is still widely praised and studied today. V. Guided Writing 56. Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below. 56. 假设你是明启中学的高三学生王磊，你在社区公告栏看到一则消息，社区正在征集关于“如何丰富老年人退休生活”的意见。请你给社区负责人写一封信，内容包括： (1) 对社区如何丰富老年人退休生活提出建议； (2) 提出这些建议的理由。 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 【答案】Dear Community Manager, My name is Wang Lei, a senior student from Mingqi High School. After reading the notice about improving retirees’ lives, I’d like to share some suggestions. Firstly, organizing hobby classes (e.g., painting, gardening) could help seniors learn new skills, which keeps their minds active and fosters social connections. Secondly, regular health workshops or exercise sessions like Tai Chi would enhance physical well-being and prevent diseases. Additionally, creating volunteer opportunities, such as mentoring children, allows retirees to share their experience, boosting their sense of purpose. These activities address both mental and physical needs while combating loneliness. Seniors deserve fulfilling lives, and community support plays a vital role. Thank you for considering my ideas. Yours sincerely, Wang Lei 【解析】 【导语】本篇是应用文写作。你在社区公告栏看到一则消息，社区正在征集关于“如何丰富老年人退休生活”的意见，要求考生给社区负责人写一封信提出建议并给出理由。 【详解】1. 词汇积累 建议：suggestion→advice 首先：firstly→to begin with 保持：keep→stay 提高：enhance→promote 2. 句式拓展 简单句变复合句 原句：Secondly, regular health workshops or exercise sessions like Tai Chi would enhance physical well-being and prevent diseases. 拓展句：Secondly, if we were to organize regular health workshops or exercise sessions like Tai Chi, it would enhance seniors' physical well-being and help prevent diseases. 【点睛】[高分句型1]Firstly, organizing hobby classes (e.g., painting, gardening) could help seniors learn new skills, which keeps their minds active and fosters social connections.(which引导的非限制性定语从句) [高分句型2]Additionally, creating volunteer opportunities, such as mentoring children, allows retirees to share their experience, boosting their sense of purpose.(动名词作主语) 第1页/共1页 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$ 2025年上海市徐汇区二模英语试卷 （考试时间105分钟 满分115分） I. Grammar and vocabulary Section A 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. Horses are smarter than they’re given credit for Horses are capable of strategic thinking and planning ahead, a new study has found. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University made a game for horses ___1___ they had to touch a piece of card with their noses to get a treat. They made it progressively harder, and discovered that the horses all changed their strategies in the most difficult stage ___2___ (ensure) they would continue getting treats. The study ___3___ (involve) 20 horses, who were initially rewarded with a treat for touching a piece of card with their noses. In the second stage, a “stop light” was introduced, and the rule was changed so that the reward was only given ___4___ they touched the card when the light was off. This did not alter the behaviour of the horses, as they ___5___ (observe) touching the card regardless of the status of the light. In the final stage, researchers introduced a “punishment” element of a 10-second timeout ___6___ playing or receiving any rewards for touching the card while the stop light was on. At this point, all the horses suddenly began to play the game correctly, only touching the card when it would lead to a treat. Instantly ___7___ (switch) strategies in this way indicates the horses understood the rule of the stop light the entire time, but had no reason to follow the rule when there was no consequence for getting it wrong. This showed the animals have the ability to think and plan ahead — something previously ___8___ (consider) to be beyond their capacity. “It’s fascinating because they have a very underdeveloped pre-frontal cortex (前额叶皮质) which is ___9___ we typically credit with producing that type of thinking in humans. This means they must be using another area of the brain to achieve a similar result,” said Dr Carrie Ijichi, a senior researcher at NTU. “This teaches us that we _____10_____ not make assumptions about animal intelligence based on whether they are 'built' just like us,” she said. Section B Directions: Fill in each blank with a proper word chosen from the box. Each word can be used only once. Note that there is one word more than you need. A. piloted B. precisely C. barriers D. fault E. misjudge F. life-threatening G. transition H. priorities I. tempted J. posed K. undeniably Your robot driver is on its way Driving has many downsides: There’s pollution, traffic, finding a place to park. But worst of all are the crashes. In 2023, an estimated 40,990 people were killed in car crashes in the United States. Reducing traffic crashes should be among the nation’s highest ____11____. Behind each one lie many human errors. People get behind the wheel when they are drunk or sleepy, and they text or talk on their phones instead of paying attention to the road. Or they simply ____12____ road conditions. Enormous work has gone into reducing these human errors. But data from Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving car unit, suggests that a better strategy might be to take the driver out of the picture and let vehicles be ____13____ by machines that will never get distracted or drunk, or be ____14____ to break traffic laws because they’re running late. Waymo robotaxis have logged 33 million miles and the company’s figures show that Waymo robotaxi vehicles deliver ____15____ better safety performance. Compared with cars driven by humans, Waymo vehicles have been involved in 62 percent fewer police-reported crashes and 78 percent fewer crashes that resulted in injury. Timothy B. Lee, author of the Understanding AI newsletter, pointed out the crashes “were mostly low-speed collisions (碰撞)” that ____16____ no serious safety risk. “A large majority appeared to be the ____17____ of the other driver,” Lee said. It’s too early to know how much self-driving cars could reduce ____18____ crashes. But it’s reasonable to hope that Waymo will prove safer than human drivers. Governments at all levels should be rushing to knock down regulatory ____19____ that stand in the way of faster adoption of driverless cars while also ensuring that the companies meet the highest standards for safety and accountability. In early January, the Autonomous Vehicle Industry Association released a proposed policy framework that aims to speed the _____20_____. The association also calls for a national safety database to provide a better view of crash incidents involving self-driving cars. II. Reading Comprehension Section A Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context. Are noise-cancelling headphones damaging our hearing skills? Noise-cancelling headphones have become a popular choice for many, offering a way to block out background noise and letting us enjoy music at lower volumes. ___21___, some experts are worried that using these headphones too much might make it harder for our brains to process sounds properly. Renee Almeida, an audiologist (听力学家), has noticed a small increase in adults coming to her clinic with ___22___ issues. They might fail to ___23___ where a sound is coming from, or struggle to follow a conversation on the train, in a bar or at a restaurant. The condition, known as auditory processing disorder (APD), is often diagnosed in children, so the rise in adults with similar issues struck Almeida as ___24___. Almeida suspects that the widespread use of noise-cancelling headphones could be a ___25___. She explains that our brains are used to dealing with thousands of different sounds at the same time and deciding which ones are worth paying attention to. ___26___, when a dog barks outside, the brain quickly identifies the sound and dismisses it as unimportant. However, noise-cancelling headphones ___27___ the brain to a single source of sound, such as music or a podcast, potentially weakening its ability to process ____28____ sounds. Almeida also notes that the overuse of noise-cancelling headphones could harm the developmental process by which children learn to ___29___ sounds. For adults, it could make their brains lazy, just as muscles ___30___ without exercise. In both cases, people could struggle to distinguish speech from background noise. Despite these ___31___, there is currently no scientific evidence proving that noise-cancelling headphones cause APD. Nor is there sufficient data showing a rise in the condition. But Almeida believes the question deserves attention. Prof. Dani Tomlin from the University of Melbourne ___32___ that people who use noise-cancelling headphones for long periods may find listening harder when they take them off. But she says “the ___33___ should not be overlooked”, for helping individuals to listen to music and movies on planes and trains. “Instead of suggesting ___34___ noise-cancelling headphones, we need more comprehensive research studies,” she adds. For now, Almeida recommends ___35___ like bone conduction headphones. She also encourages people to actively engage in listening exercises to maintain their auditory processing skills. 21. A. Instead B. Moreover C. Otherwise D. However 22. A. learning B. socializing C. hearing D. reading 23. A. indicate B. locate C. recall D. sustain 24 A. common B. raw C. odd D. predictable 25. A. primary stage B. contributing factor C. direct consequence D. temporary solution 26. A. For example B. In conclusion C. As a result D. On the contrary 27. A. expand B. reserve C. limit D. detect 28. A. multiple B. external C. unfamiliar D. inviting 29. A. clear away B. attend to C. tune out D. trace back 30. A. strengthen B. tighten C. weaken D. stimulate 31. A. concerns B. efforts C. threats D. trends 32. A. protests B. suspects C. acknowledges D. opposes 33. A. risks B. benefits C. requests D. costs 34. A. monitoring B. tolerating C. purchasing D. abandoning 35. A. alternatives B. restrictions C. opponents D. perspectives Section B Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read. (A) Geology, the study of the structure and formation of the Earth, is the baby of all the other sciences. Until comparatively recently, scholars paid little attention to rocks and rock formations. Indeed, the word geology only appeared in the English language in 1735 and took another seventy or so years to enter general usage. Geology made its first appearance in the Encyclopaedia Britannica (大英百科全书) in the 1810 edition. Despite this inclusion, the science of geology remained largely ignored until much later in the century. Nowadays the mystery of the Earth and its formation fascinates geologists across the world. However, few people know that the whole modern discipline of geology and the way we look at our world owes its inspiration to a single man with an extraordinary passion for landscape and rocks. That man was William Smith, who was born in 1769 in the small village of Churchill in the south of England. From an early age William showed a strong interest in the world about him and asked questions about the landscape that no one could properly answer. As a young boy William picked up strange-looking stones that lay in the fields around his home and felt that some of the most common patterns in these stones looked like animals found living in the sea. He asked the men of knowledge and science in the district how these stones came to find themselves here. No one, it seemed, had answers to his questions or even thought it remotely interesting to ask the questions in the first place. A chance meeting with a man called Edward Webb led to William being offered a position to work down the mines. He came to realise that different types of rock lay at different levels as he went deeper underground. This led William to suggest that older rocks lay deeper than newer rocks. Armed with his new found insight into the birth of rocks, William walked the length and breadth of Great Britain with the intention of surveying and categorising all the wonderfully different types of rocks that he found. It took William many years of frustration and hardship to draw a huge map of Great Britain by hand. The map, on display today at Burlington House in London, uses beautiful colours to show every layer of rock below in the most precise detail. Unique in its time, William’s map gave birth to every geological survey that we take for granted in the world today. 36. When did the word “geology” start to be commonly used in the English language? A. In 1735. B. In 1810. C. Around 1805. D. Around 1895. 37. What can be learned about the local scholars in William’s district? A. They were very knowledgeable about the landscape. B. They encouraged William to explore his curiosity. C. They were astonished by William’s findings. D. They lacked both knowledge and interest in rocks. 38. What significant discovery did William Smith make while working in the mines? A. Rocks were of the same type underground. B. Underground rocks were in distinct layers. C. Newer rocks lay deeper than older ones. D. The age of rocks had no relation to their depth. 39. What is the purpose of the passage? A. To describe the life and work of William Smith and his impact on modern geology. B. To explain the history of the word “geology” and its development in modern world. C. To discuss the importance of geological surveys in understanding the land we live on. D. To highlight the challenges faced by early geologists in mapping the Earth’s rocks. (B) Sam Schwartz, better known as Gridlock Sam, unsuccessfully tried to introduce congestion (拥堵) pricing to New York in the 1970s, when he was a city traffic engineer. Some 50 years later, on January 5th this year, the city finally collected the charge — the first of its kind in America. The scheme (方案) is modelled partly on that of London, where since 2003 a daily charge (currently £15, or $19) has reduced the number of cars, improved air quality and funded transit upgrades. New York’s version costs $9 for most drivers (with different rates for lorries and low-income New Yorkers). The zone includes Manhattan’s central business district, south of 61st Street, and most of the roads, tunnels and bridges that connect surrounding areas. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which oversees the city’s transport system and some suburban lines, hopes that the scheme will reduce traffic in these areas by 10-20% (traffic in central London fell by 18% in the first year). Money from the congestion charge is earmarked for much-needed improvements to New York’s ageing subway and other public-transport systems. Will it work? Joshua and Benjamin Moshes, students at Northeastern University and Brown University respectively, are monitoring how travel times into Manhattan have changed since the charge came into effect. Their congestion tracker collects traffic data from Google Maps every 15 minutes across 19 routes into Manhattan. It is too soon to say what effect the pricing will have on New York’s roads, but three charts below offer some clues from the first 24 hours. Early results are encouraging. The tracker shows that the time to drive the 1.6 miles (2.6 km) through the Holland Tunnel was cut by half during rush hour: from an average of 23 minutes on most Monday mornings, to just 12 on January 6th. The time spent crossing the East River through the Queensboro Bridge was also cut by half. Drivers from Brooklyn still faced heavy traffic on the Brooklyn Bridge, however, and travel times within the congestion zone were reduced overall by just 1%. Snowfall and other unrelated factors may have played a role. It will take months to fully assess the impact of the charge. 40 Which of the following statements about Sam Schwartz is correct? A. He managed to introduce congestion pricing in New York in the 1970s. B. He has been working on the congestion pricing scheme for about 50 years. C. He proposed the concept of congestion pricing as a city traffic engineer. D. His congestion pricing scheme was eventually adopted by London. 41. According to the passage, the main purpose of New York’s congestion pricing is to _________. A. provide an additional source of income for citizens in New York B. ease traffic while raising money to improve public transportation C. increase the financial income of the New York City government D. encourage the local residents to use their private cars more often 42. Which of the following is a fact mentioned in the passage to support the claim that “early results are encouraging”? A. Travel times on the three routes into Manhattan have significantly decreased. B. Traffic congestion on the Brooklyn Bridge has significantly improved. C. Driving time through the Holland Tunnel has been reduced by about 50%. D. Overall travel times within the congestion zone have decreased by 1%. (C) The convenience of modern life is nothing short of astonishing. As I write this, my phone is wirelessly sending some of the greatest hits from the 1700s to my portable speaker. I could use that same device to, within moments, get a car to pick me up, or have food delivered to my house. The fact that as a culture, we seek out and celebrate such short cuts is understandable. They make it easier to have fun, and save us time and energy. That said, most people are able to sense that convenience has a darker side. Before we get into that, it is important to understand why convenience is so seductive in the first place. We often resist doing the things we need to do in order to make progress. Behind every well-intentioned plan lies this horrible sense of inertia (惰性). Why is this resistance — and our corresponding appetite for ease — such an essential part of our makeup? Here, insights from evolutionary psychology (particularly the idea of “evolutionary mismatch”) can help. Evolutionary mismatch is the idea that we evolved for a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, and that while our circumstances have changed completely, our brains and bodies haven’t. Resistance was a necessary counterbalance to the bursts of intense activity that characterized the lives of hunter-gatherers: searching for food in driving rain, or running to escape a dangerous animal. It’s the reason we still ask: “Do I really have to be doing this? Shouldn’t I save my energy?” The people who chose to remain sheltered during snowstorms, when the prospect of obtaining food was low, were more likely to live and pass on their genes to the next generation. And since those guys are our ancestors, we’ve inherited (继承) that tendency. Since that time, of course, innovation has changed things greatly. We’ve bent technology and our environments at least partly to serve our natural instinct to conserve energy. The question is: what do we stand to lose by following our tendency to prioritise comfort and convenience? Continually choosing the convenient path lessens your ability to deal with unavoidable difficulties. And, from an evolutionary perspective, some measure of discomfort is just as crucial to our survival as rest and relaxation. Our ancestors didn’t survive purely by being lazy, but through a combination of playing it safe and taking necessary risks: for example, pushing through the pain and effort of leaving a familiar home, in order to find a place closer to sources of food and better protected from the elements. It is this difficulty itself that shapes and develops our character. In the technological world we have fashioned, we must sometimes make a conscious effort to act in opposition to our instincts. As a culture, we must remember — and remind our young people — that while convenience feels good in the moment, our capacity to adapt and overcome challenges is part of our evolutionary inheritance too, and central to the adventure of life. 43. What does the word “seductive” (paragraph 3) most probably mean? A. Attractive and tempting. B. Useful and practical. C. Harmful and dangerous. D. Annoying and frustrating. 44. According to the passage, what does “evolutionary mismatch” primarily refer to? A. The inconsistency between personal goals and societal expectations. B. The contrast between modern convenience and ancient challenges. C. The controversy over the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of ancient people. D. The conflict between our natural instinct and the current environment. 45. According to the passage, prioritizing convenience in modern life may ________. A. lead to a lack of innovation and progress B. reduce our ability to overcome challenges C. make us overly dependent on technology D. cause a decline in physical fitness and health 46. What is the best title for the passage? A. The Benefits of Modern Technology B. Rejecting Modern Conveniences for a Better Life C. The Dark Side of Convenience in Modern Life D. Understanding Evolution in Today’s World Section C Directions: Read the passage carefully. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need. How some friendships last — and others don’t In a 2008 study, psychologists asked participants to rate the steepness (陡度) of a hill. Those who were accompanied by a friend judged the hill to be less steep than people who were alone. This is just one of many ways friendships can change how we see and move through the world. Friendships can boost our academic performance, help us deal with setbacks, and even improve our health. ____47____ If you struggle with approaching new people, you are far from alone. In a series of studies, participants had conversations of varying lengths with strangers. Afterward, they were asked to estimate how much they thought each stranger liked them. Across the board, participants rated their own likability much lower than others had actually rated them. ____48____ You may even want to enter these conversations assuming that the other person will like you. Psychologists find that when people expect to be well-liked, they often unknowingly come across as warmer and friendlier. Next, what’s happening when relationships grow? Psychologists have identified two key features: companionship and closeness. Companionship is defined as the understanding that increases between people with similar hobbies, interests, or values. Sometimes, just being in the same class or team is enough to build this connection. Closeness, on the other hand, looks different for every relationship. ____49____ But simply telling a friend about your day or sharing your interests can help build closeness too. While every friendship develops on its own timeline, consistency can help. This can include sticking to plans, chatting regularly, and remembering the things that are important to each other. Yet even the closest friendships face challenges. This is especially true for teenage friendships. Relationships may also weaken when one friend can’t support the other through hard times. The most surefire way to deal with these problems is to talk about them. These conversations can be tough and awkward. ____50____ A. But if they’re approached in the right way, they can strengthen friendships in the long run. B. So, before meeting new people, remember that others like you more than you think. C. It might mean supporting each other through difficult times or feeling comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings. D. And the more friends you make, the more confident you’ll likely feel. E. For example, there might be a situation that puts two friends in competition. F. It’s clear that friendships are important, but making and maintaining friends isn’t always easy. III．Summary Writing 51. Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point(s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible. How to improve clinical trials？ Last year, a Swiss medicine company published a review of the clinical trials on drugs it had held between 2016 and 2021. It found that black people were under-represented in all but one. Surprisingly, that news represents progress, because it shows that people are becoming more aware of a dangerous bias (偏见) that sets back the safety of medical treatments. Many trials leave out certain groups — children, for example, or people with physical or learning disabilities, pregnant women and the elderly. There are good explanations for the exclusion, such as the difficulty of getting informed permission or the potential harm to unborn children. Yet the consequences can be serious. A recent review found that half of trials around the world testing hip-fracture (髋骨骨折) interventions excluded people who lived in nursing homes, were old or had some sort of understanding problems. Though these groups make up almost a third of all patients suffering hip fractures, it is unclear if the interventions will work as safely or as effectively on them. Their doctors face a tough choice: tell their patients to take the medicine anyway, with uncertain results; or deny them new treatments. Obtaining informed permission for trials is not always easy, especially from people with learning disabilities. Accounting for different groups’ risks of side-effects can complicate the analysis of the data. Even so, broadening the range of trials’ participants can be practically useful, because it might lead to important new findings in medicine. Fortunately, the bias of clinical testing may be changing. The US government has recently proposed to reduce barriers and appeal to a wider range of participants by reducing the costs and commitments required for patients to participate. Countries like America and Britain are discussing publishing regulations that require trial organisers to explain whom they ought to include and how they plan to include them. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ IV. Translation Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets. 52. 她的行李箱里塞满了纪念品，结果超重了。(stuff) （汉译英） ________________________________________________________________________________ 53. 该公司在人工智能领域的成就和影响力不容小觑。(field) （汉译英） ________________________________________________________________________________ 54. 这家餐厅成功地将传统烹饪技艺融入现代国际美食中，创造出独特风味。(integrate)（汉译英） ________________________________________________________________________________ 55. 中国古诗词以其优美的韵律、丰富的意象和深刻的哲理，至今仍被广泛传颂和学习。(with) （汉译英） ________________________________________________________________________________ V. Guided Writing 56. Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below. 56. 假设你是明启中学的高三学生王磊，你在社区公告栏看到一则消息，社区正在征集关于“如何丰富老年人退休生活”的意见。请你给社区负责人写一封信，内容包括： (1) 对社区如何丰富老年人退休生活提出建议； (2) 提出这些建议的理由。 ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 第1页/共1页 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $$