上海市市西中学2024-2025学年高三下学期5月阶段性检测英语试题

市西中学2024学年第二学期阶段性检测 高三英语 2025.5 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. Dreaming of white sand beaches while staring at spreadsheets?You're not alone. A new survey shows that 70%of Americans mentally clock out and enter "vacation mode"a full three days before they actually depart-(1) psychological head start that might explain why your coworker seems increasingly distracted as their time off (2) (approach). According to research,more than half(59%)of Americans are already mentally "out of office"before they even write that automated email response.47%of employed respondents consider it a common workplace phenomenon that employers (3)】 note. This pre-trip mental drift comes amid troubling signs of workplace fatigue-a substantial 75%of workers reported recently experiencing mental fog at work, suggesting many Americans are operating(4) (efficiently). "Taking time off to relax and recharge is so important,"said Dana Studebaker, Vice President of Marketing,Consumer Brands,CheapCaribbean."(5) it's lounging on a beach or exploring a new destination,vacations let you reset and come back with a fresh perspective." The survey identified clear warning signs that signal when time off is desperately needed.Feeling burnt out led the list'(62%),followed by catching(6) daydreaming about escaping(45%)and becoming irritable with others(44%).Physical symptoms also emerged as key indicators,with 39%reporting persistent fatigue D sleep duration and 35%experiencing low energy even during weekends. Besides,the survey uncovered a compelling finding about the psychological benefits of having travel plans.One-third of respondents currently have a trip booked, while 31%admit to daily vacation(8) (daydream).This anticipation appears beneficial-87%acknowledged that having an upcoming vacation helps their mental well-being. This benefit was quantified on a 10-point happiness scale,(9) those with travel plans reported significantly higher happiness levels (7.6)compared to those without trips booked (6.8). It's clear that simply having a vacation on the calendar has a positive impact on people's overall happiness,and a sense of anticipation for relaxation (10) (come)can really make a difference day to day. Section B Directions:Complete the following passage by using the words in the box.Each word can only be used once.Note that there is one word more than you need. A.bin B.hybridized C.editing D.subject E.blocking F.developed G.foreign H.emerging I.go-ahead J.produce K.disable Many of us have been guilty of throwing away a mushy,overripe banana-but now scientists say they have a solution with the launch of a genetically engineered non- browning banana.The product is the latest in a series of gene-edited fruits and vegetables designed to have a longer shelf life Scientists say the technology is 11 as a powerful new weapon against food waste,which occurs globally on a large scale. The banana,12 by Tropic,a biotech company based in Norwich,is said to remain fresh and yellow for 12 hours after being peeled and is less 13 to turning brown when bumped during harvesting and transportation. An estimated 33%of the 14 that is harvested worldwide is never consumed due to the short shelf life of many fruit and vegetable products.Bananas are among the most thrown-away foods,and a government survey suggests that Britons routinely 15 1.4m edible bananas every day.Since commercially grown bananas lack seeds,they cannot be 16 in the way most fruits can."Bananas are asexual,"said Gershon,the chief executive of Tropic."There's no real breeding in bananas.We're eating today the same bananas as our grandparents were eating in the 1950s.The only real opportunity we have to adjust the banana to meet the challenges the industry is facing is through gene editing." The company worked out how to 17 a gene responsible for the production of an enzyme()called polyphenol oxidase,which causes browning.The same gene is silenced in Arctic apples,a genetically modified variety,which has been sold in the US since 2017,and 18 the production of polyphenol oxidase has been shown to work in tomatoes,melon,kiwifruits and mushrooms.In the bananas,Tropic made precise changes to existing genes without introducing19 genetic material. The company already has the 20 to sell the non-browning banana in many 2 countries.An expert in genetic engineering whose team is investigating non-browning and"stay green"genes says gene cditing can be used to target several aspects of the ripening process."We're working on tomato,lettuce,eggplant,"he said."They're all in the pipeline." I1.Reading Comprehension Section A Directions:For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A.B.C and D.Fill in each hlank with the word or phruse that best fits the context. Claiming the moral high ground doesn't necessarily make you good Here's something that's surprisingly common:people who strongly champion moral or noble ideals,but regularly use them to justify attacking and mistreating others something that is surely neither moral nor noble.Isn't this inconsistent?How can someone loudly insist they're a good person while behaving in ways that totally 21 this? There are many psychological and neurological processes that allow people to engage in this behaviour that we'll call'virtue bullying'. Research finds our brains work hard to preserve,and enhance.our self-esteem. which is largely influenced by our relative social status.A 2011 study found that an effective way to 22 our self-esteem is to attack others,so our status becomes relatively higher.So,thinking you're good while attacking others can be sadly a very 23process. For humans,our morals are a key aspect of our self-image and self-worth,and an important facet in our motivation and decision-making.We're innately24 of our identities and decision-making.If these things are 25 by morals and beliefs,we'll be subconsciously hostile to anyone who poses a threat to them.This can lead to what seems to be inconsistent behaviours.People may 26 think "Being kind and good to others is important",but their subconscious says,"And anvone who disagrees is a good 27.'Hence,we get virtue bullying. Human brains are also hard-wired to crave fairness and justice.These have a strong subjective component,28,meaning our understanding of faimess and justice,and our morals,are 29 by experience,the wrld around us,and the people we relate to. All in all,striving to be good should be applauded and encouraged,especially because the human brain is still running on millions-of-years-old programming that gifts us with many subconscious 30 and prejudices.It requires constant vigilance (and effort to stick to your moral values in the face of your31 3 instincts.And it's only human to 32 But when you do,you end up thinking "I'm a good person,but I did something bad".This can lead to the 33,where your actions and thinking don't match up. Ultimately,for all the explanations offered here,it really should be acknowledged that some people are just...not nice.To the extent that they'd use some morally praiseworthy goal or belief as a fig leaf to 34 cruel and bullying tendencies. How you deal with such people is up to you.Who am I to35 21.A.compromise B.reinforce C.complicate D.contradict 22.A.contain B.restore C.boost D.maintain 23.A.unexpected B.instinctive C.deliberate D.effective 24.A.protective B.proud C.sensible D.aware 25.A.underexposed B.underpinned C.underestimated D.undermined 26.A.consciously B.unconsciously C.morally D.naturally 27.A.example B.enemy C.target D.rival 28.A.however B.therefore C.meanwhile D.particularly 29.A.transformed B.compromised C.shaped D.dominated 30.A.hatred B.biases C.hostilities D.doubt 31.A.aggressive B.initial C.hidden D.baser 32.A.fall apart B.slip up C.give in D.wear out 33.A.emotional stress B.cognitive clash C.moral dilemma D.identity crisis 34.A.mask B.cap C.resist D.justify 35.A.blame B.judge C.assess D.advise 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 read. (A) I start every summer with the best of intentions:to attack one big book from the past,a classic that I was supposed to have read when young and ambitious.Often the pairings of books and settings have been purely accidental:Moby Dick on a three-day cross-country train trip;The Magic Mountain in a New England beachside cottage with no locks on the doors,no telephones or televisions in the rooms,and little to do beyond row on the salt pond.Attempting The Man Withour Oualities on a retum to Hawaii,my native state,however,was less fruitful:I made it through one and a quarter volumes, then decided that I'd got the point and went swimming instead. But this summer I find myself at a loss.I'm not quite interested in Balzac,say,or Tristram Shandy.There's always War and Peace,which I've covered some distance several times,only to get bogged down in the "War"part,set it aside for a while,and realize that I have to start over from the beginning again,having forgotten everyone's name and social rank.How appealing to simply fall back on a favorite-once more into The Waves or Justine,which feels almost like cheating,too exciting and too much fun to properly belong in serious literature. And then there's Stendhal's The Red and the Black,which happens to be the name of my favorite cocktail of the summer,created by Michael Cecconi at Savoy and BackForty.It is easy to drink,and knocking back three or four seems like such a delightful idea.Cecconi's theory:"I take whatever's fresh at the green market and turn it into liquid."The result is a pure shot of afternoon in the park,making one feel cheerful and peaceful all at once,lying on uncut grass with eyes shut,sun beating through the lids... 36.What can we infer about the author from the first paragraph? A.He has a cottage in New England.B.He shows talents for literature. C.He enjoys reading when traveling.D.He admires a lot of great writers. 37.What do the underlined words "get bogged down"in paragraph 2 mean? A.Get confused. B.Be carried away. C.Be interrupted. D.Make no progress. 38.Why does the author say reading his favorite books feels like cheating? A.He finishes them quickly. B.He should read something serious. C.He barely understands them D.He has read them many times before. 39.What can be a suitable title for the text? A.The Books of Summer B.My Summer Holidays C.To Read or Not to Read D.It's Never Too Late to Read B The BridgeClimb The iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge is one of the world's longest steel-arch bridges, spanning an impressive 500 metres and standing proud above the sparkling Sydney Harbour.We have many different types of Climbs available.Below are our most popular.Every ticket to the top includes a group photograph,a certificate of achievement,and a BridgeClimb cap. BridgeClimb Ultimate 5 The most adventurous Climb experience in BridgeClimb's history and the first of its kind allowing climbers to conquer the entire breadth of the legendary "Coathanger" from South to North,and back again. Ultimate tip:This is the most adventurous Climb experience yet so we recommend being of full fitness to complete this journey. 3.5 hours,1621 steps.Day:$348 Adult/$149 Child. Summit Unmissable views of Sydney as you ascend the upper arch of the Bridge on our original Climb experience.Your joumey will take you along the very top of the iconic landmark,134 metres above the harbour.This Climb suits everyone including families with kids who are confident scaling ladders along the route to reach the top. 3 hours,1332 steps.Dawn:$388 Adult/$278 Child.Day:$308 Adult/$208 Child. Twilight:$374 Adult/S264 Child.Night:$268 Adult/$188 Child. Summit Express You will feel like you are inside the iconic Harbour Bridge,as you climb the stairs of the lower arch surrounded by beams of steel and the hustle and bustle of the traffic below.With fewer stops along the Summit Express route and no ladders,you will reach the top in no-time for a Summit celebration and a moment to take in the 360 panorama of Sydney. 2.5 hours,1002 steps.Day:$308 Adult/$208 Child.Night:$268 Adult/$188 Child. Please note: a.Rates are per person and in Australian Dollars (including Goods Services Tax (GST)). b.Climb rates and periods are subject to change at the discretion of BridgeClimb c.The group photograph is taken at the summit of your whole climb group. Additional individual or group photos are available for purchase. d.Child rates are for ages 10 to 15 inclusive and there must be one adult climber per three child climbers. 40.Which of the following souvenirs is NOT available to the bridge climbers free of charge? A.An individual photograph at the summit. B.A group photograph at the summit. C.A certificate of achievement. D.A BridgeClimb cap. 41.Which of the following statements is TRUE? A.Besides the rates listed,tourists have to pay Goods&Services Tax as well. B.Child climbers must be accompanied by their elder siblings or parents. C.The climb rates and periods listed above may change under certain circumstances. D.Tourist choosing Ultimate have to prove their full fitness to complete this journey. 42.If a couple with their two children aged 12 and 16 respectively want to enjoy the sunset at the top of the bridge,how much should they pay altogether? A.$1276. B.$s1386 C.$1442. D.$1332. (© Stretchable batteries worn against the skin Batteries are getting smaller,lighter and more powerful all the time.This is good news for manufacturers and buyers of products ranging from mobile phones to fitness trackers.But for some applications,the conventional shape and structure of a battery, with a rigid form and metallic components,is simply too clunky to be of use.Some personal electronics,for example,such as skin patches that monitor health conditions or brain-computer implants that decode neural signals to control electronic prosthetic devices,require more intimate contact. A number of approaches are therefore being taken to provide alternatives, including the use of pliant fibres and nanoparticles.Among the most promising,though, are water-based batteries inspired by the way an electric eel()stores its charge. 7 A group at the University of Cambridge has used the eel's technique to come up with what it calls "jelly batteries".These are made from hydrogels that consist of a layered structure of organic polymers that contain over 60%water.This makes them both soft and flexible.Whereas most batteries experience a loss of conductivity if the material they are made from is bent or stretched,ajelly battery can be stretched up to one-and-a-half times its length with no voltage loss,says Stephen O'Neill,a member of the research team. The jelly battery works in much the same way that biological processes,such as the nervous system,produce electricity.They rely on the different concentrations of electrically charged particles,called ions,that exist within different bodily cells.This creates a difference in electrical potential,which in turn produces a voltage.That voltage,though,is tiny.Electric eels ramp it up by having thousands of modified muscle cells,called electrocytes,acting together to produce a voltage powerful enough to stun their prey. Jelly batteries do not go that far.Each individual battery produces just 0.1 volts,in comparison with the 1.5 volts of a typical AA battery.But much as an electric eel can amplify a small voltage with the help of electrocytes,jelly batteries can increase their output by being strung together. Another feature of the jelly battery is that the strong molecular bonds that let the polymers stretch also allow the material to repair itself very quickly if it is broken,says Jade McCune,another member of the Cambridge team.This provides a self-healing ability,which could be useful for applications in extreme operating environments,such as powering sensors embedded into protective clothing 43.In the first paragraph,skin patches are mentioned to A.introduce new batteries in vanous fields B.demonstrate the need for flexible batteries C.illustrate the greatness of battery development D.prove that metal and clunky batteries are outdated 8 44.What makes possible the softness of jelly batteries? A.The eel's technique. B.Their layered structure. C.Their water-based material. D.Their use of pliant fibres and nanoparticles. 45.The underlined words "ramp"can be replaced by A.set B.mix C.build D.break 46.Which of the following is NOT true about jelly batteries? A.When united,jelly batteries can produce adequate volts. B.Jelly batteries lose no voltage even if they are stretched C.Scientists investigating jelly batteries drew their inspiration from eels. D.Jelly batteries can recharge themselves quickly in extreme environments. Section C Directions:Read the following passage.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. A.But the covid-19 pandemic,which led to extended jail lock-downs that kept prisoners stuck in their cells,forced a rethink. B.More open access to information can be a hard sell in places built to prioritize security. C.Most of those incarcerated (will one day re-enter society,at which point these skills will matter even more. D.Advocates for victims argue that prisoners may use the internet to harass them. E.Some websites are blocked,such as social-media platforms,and network access ts monitored,but the state is experimenting with having fewer restrictions. F.Education in prison is widely known to reduce recidivism(再犯)】 Pedro,a gang leader at a prison in Massachusetts,is a physically imposing man, with several teardrop tattoos.Yet for most of his life he did not know how to read or write.More than 70%of prisoners in America have the literacy skills of a fourth grade (nine-year-old)pupil,or below.Joining a prison's basic adult-education classes can ruin a gang leader's reputation.But Pedro's prison was piloting a programme that gives tablets to prisoners and lets them study privately.One day,the warden (recalls, Pedro whispered to her:"I can read!" 47 In America over 75%of prisoners are rearrested within five years of release.A big reason is their inability to find work.This pattern is costly.A report from RAND,a think-tank,found that S1 invested in prison education yielded $4-5 in taxpayer savings from reduced incarceration costs in the three years after release. Most prisoners have long been barred from using intemet-enabled devices,on security grounds.48A"technology revolution"is coming to prison education, says Shannon Swain,a superintendent at California's Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation that is rolling out laptop-based education at prisons across the state Califoria is among at least 25 states to have deployed tablets in prisons since 2016. In many states prisoners can use them to obtain the equivalent of a secondary school diploma,to study for professional-licensing tests or,for a few,to take college courses. In a few states prisoners may also use them to watch films,listen to music and contact pre-approved family members.49 A college education remains out of reach for most,notes Brian Hill,the chief executive of Edovo,a provider of educational tablets for prisons.He says that tablets gives"more opportunity on a daily basis"to make choices about their future,by allowing them to work on lessons that match their ability and interest. In Maine's prisons,prisoners enrolled in educational programmes get their own laptops with internet access.50 Those studying for a degree may have email addresses (prison staff must be copied on exchanges)and log into Zoom classes from their laptops. III.Summary Writing 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. 51. In schools and at home,most of US have been scolded or even got punished for daydreaming.The majority of people say that by daydreaming we waste our time and energy on something unproductive.But many medical studies have shown something different.They've stressed the fact that daydreaming works wonders on our imagination,creativity and situation-handling techniques.In fact,many problems can be easily solved if we daydream. The topmost benefit of daydreaming is that your mood gets the right improvement. By separating yourself from the world around you,you tend to enjoy the loneliness in your mind and get peace from daydreaming as you think about something that calms 10