考前押题03 阅读理解记叙文常考话题（期中专项训练）高一英语上学期上海通用

专题03 阅读理解记叙文常考话题 话题1 个人成长与经历 话题4 文化与历史 话题2 教育与学习 话题5 自然与生物 话题3 社会与职业 话题6 科学与探索 1 / 2 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 话题 1：个人成长与经历 P1:《面部疤痕与自我接纳》 （来源：上海市青浦高级中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试卷）： 讲述女孩因童年事故面部留疤，长期因外貌自卑，后在医生的开导下，认识到不完美也是自身独特之处，最终实现心灵解脱的故事。 P2: 《北极探险梦想的准备》 （来源：上海市复旦大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试卷）： 记录作者从小对北极探险充满向往，通过阅读探险书籍、参加捕鲸航行锻炼体能、学习实用科学知识等方式，为实现探险梦想做准备的历程。 P3: 《“Worderfuls”—— 为特定含义造词》 （来源：上海市建平中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试题）： 介绍作者从众包在线词典及个人创造中整理出的 “Worderfuls”（为匹配特定含义而造的词），如 “blamestorming”（追责讨论）、“chairdrobe”（堆衣服的椅子）等，展现语言创造的趣味性。 Passage 1 He examined my face, “Hmmm,” he said quietly. “Are you a model?” Is he kidding? No way would anyone ever confuse me with a fashion model. I was ugly. After all, had the scar. The accident happened in fourth grade, when a neighbour boy threw a sharp stone through the side of my face. After a three-hour operation, a huge bandage covered half of my face for several months. “You’ll always be pretty to me,” Dad sighed, “even if you aren’t to the rest of the world.” Right Thanks. As if I couldn’t hear the unkind words of the other kids at school. As if I couldn’t see how different I looked from the pretty girls the teachers often paid attention to. As if I didn’t look at myself in the bathroom minor from time to time. In a culture that values beauty, an ugly girt is not accepted. “Of course I’m not a model,” I replied. The doctor crossed his arms over his chest and looked at me. “Since you’re not a model, what brought you here today?” The room began to swim before me, as my eyes were full of tears. The doctor sat down beside me. His voice was low and soft. “Let me tell you what I see. I see a beautiful woman. Not a perfect woman, but a beautiful woman. Even Elizabeth Taylor has a tiny scar on her forehead,” he said in a low voice. Then he paused a while. “When a person falls in love, if their mate has an imperfection, that imperfection becomes special.” As tears were rolling down my face. He said. “You are a very attractive woman with a very small imperfection. Whether you know it or not, it makes you special.” I left his office, not with the scar removed from my face, but with a tear removed from my heart. 1．How did the woman get a scar on her face? A．She was born with the scar. B．She was injured by her neighbor. C．She fell over a stone by accident. D．She had an unsuccessful operation. 2．From the third paragraph we can learn that the writer ______. A．felt much better for her father’s comfort B．was eager to make friends at school C．was extremely upset about her looks D．hated the teachers who ignored her 3．The doctor helped the writer understand that ______. A．a thing of beauty is a joy forever B．a good medicine tastes bitter C．little imperfection makes perfect D．father’s love is as deep as the sea 4．Which expression can be best used to describe the doctor? A．mean and practical B．arrogant and impatient C．sober and indifferent D．straight and enlightening 【答案】1．B 2．C 3．C 4．D 【导语】这是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了一个女孩因为脸上有疤痕而感到自卑，但在一位医生的启发下，她逐渐接受并欣赏自己的不完美，从而获得了心灵上的解脱。 1．细节理解题。根据文章第二段“The accident happened in fourth grade, when a neighbour boy threw a sharp stone through the side of my face.(事故发生在四年级，当时一个邻居男孩把一块锋利的石头扔到了我的脸上。)”可知，女人脸上会有疤是因为她被邻居扔的石头伤害了。故选B项。 2．推理判断题。根据文章第三段“As if I couldn’t hear the unkind words of the other kids at school.(好像我听不到学校里其他孩子的不友善的话。)和“In a culture that values beauty, an ugly girl is not accepted.(在重视美的文化中，丑女孩是不被接受的。)”可知，因为脸上的疤，学校里其他孩子会对作者说不友善的话，作者认为自己的疤很丑，而丑女孩是不被别人接受的。由此可知，从第三段我们可以了解到，作者对自己的长相感到极度沮丧。故选C项。 3．推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段“When a person falls in love, if their mate has an imperfection, that imperfection becomes special.(当一个人坠入爱河时，如果他们的伴侣有一个缺点，那么这个缺点就变得特别了。)”和“You are a very attractive woman with a very small imperfection. Whether you know it or not, it makes you special.(你是一个很有魅力的女人，有一点小瑕疵。不管你知不知道，它让你与众不同。)”可知，医生告诉作者，不完美使她变得不同，这正是她的特别之处，再结合最后一段“I left his office, not with the scar removed from ray face, but with a tear removed from my heart.(我离开了他的办公室，不是把脸上的疤去掉，而是把我心中的泪水去掉。)”可知，作者明白了医生的话，不再因为自己的疤而困扰，那正是自己的特别之处。由此可知，医生帮助作者明白了“有一点不完美就是完美。”故选C项。 4．推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段“The doctor sat down beside me. His voice was low and soft. “Let me tell you what I see. I see a beautiful woman.”(医生在我身边坐下。他的声音低沉而柔和。“让我来告诉你我看到的是什么。我看到的是一个美丽的女人。”)”以及后文医生的鼓励和启发可知，医生以直率而富有启发性的方式帮助作者认识并接受自己的不完美，因此最适合用“直率且富有启发性”来形容他。故选D。 Passage 2 The cold northern wind here in the streets of Petersburg strengthens my nerves and fills me with delight. I cannot think of the Pole as cold and empty; in my imagination it is a region of beauty and delight. Who knows what strange landscapes and creatures we may find there? I shall satisfy my curiosity with the sight of an unknown part of the world, and walk where no man has before. Thinking of it, I feel the same joy a child feels when he sails his little boat on a voyage of discovery up his native river. This voyage was the favorite dream of my early years. My education was neglected, yet I was passionately fond of reading. Uncle Thomas’s library contained only books about exploration, which I read day and night. Finally, my thoughts come to the idea of making a voyage of discovery. Six years have passed since I decided on the present voyage. I can, even now, remember the hour when I committed myself to this great enterprise. I began by making my body used to hardship. I went on whale hunting voyages to the North Sea; I voluntarily endured cold, hunger, thirst, and lack of sleep. I often worked harder than the common sailors during the day. Then, at nights, I studied mathematics, the theory of medicine, and sciences of practical importance for a sea-going adventurer. Twice I took jobs as an officer on a Greenland whaling ship. I felt a little proud when my captain asked me to remain with the ship, so valuable did he consider my services. And now, do I not deserve to achieve some great task? My life might have been passed in ease and comfort, but I preferred glory to every pleasure that wealth placed in my path. 1．What does the author think of the Pole? A．It reminds him of his childhood. B．It must be a region full of surprises. C．It would fulfil his dream of being an adventurer. D．It’s too cold a destination with almost nothing. 2．What does the bold-lettered word “enterprise” mean in the last paragraph? A．project B．initiative C．business D．adventure 3．To realize his childhood dream, the author got__________. A．physically prepared by experiencing great suffering B．spiritually prepared by gaining his captain’s recognition C．academically prepared by reading books on exploration D．financially prepared by serving on a whale hunting ship 4．According to the passage, the author is definitely a person full of__________. A．courage B．fancy C．perseverance D．pride 【答案】1．B 2．D 3．A 4．C 【导语】本文是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了作者对北极探险的向往、个人成长经历、为实现探险梦想所做的准备，以及探险梦想对其人生的影响。 1．细节理解题。根据文章第一段“Who knows what strange landscapes and creatures we may find there? I shall satisfy my curiosity with the sight of an unknown part of the world, and walk where no man has before.(谁知道我们在那里会发现怎样奇异的风景和生物呢？我要通过目睹世界上这一未知之地来满足自己的好奇心，要走到此前无人涉足过的地方。)”可知，作者认为极地是一个充满惊喜和未知的地方。故选B。 2．词句猜测题。根据第一段中“I shall satisfy my curiosity with the sight of an unknown part of the world, and walk where no man has before. Thinking of it, I feel the same joy a child feels when he sails his little boat on a voyage of discovery up his native river.(我要满足我的好奇心，去看看世界上一个未知的地方，走到前人没有去过的地方。想到这里，我感到一种快乐，就像一个孩子乘着小船，在家乡的河流上探险一样)”和加粗字体下文“I began by making my body used to hardship. I went on whale hunting voyages to the North Sea; I voluntarily endured cold, hunger, thirst, and lack of sleep. I often worked harder than the common sailors during the day.(我从使我的身体适应艰苦开始。我参加了去北海的捕鲸航行；我自愿忍受寒冷、饥饿、干渴和缺乏睡眠)”可推测，加粗单词所在句意为“直到现在，作者还记得自己投身这项伟大冒险活动的那一刻”，“enterprise”指的是冒险活动，即“adventure”。故选D。 3．细节理解题。根据文章第三段“I began by making my body used to hardship. I went on whale hunting voyages to the North Sea; I voluntarily endured cold, hunger, thirst, and lack of sleep. I often worked harder than the common sailors during the day. Then, at nights, I studied mathematics, the theory of medicine, and sciences of practical importance for a sea-going adventurer.(我首先让自己的身体习惯吃苦。我参加了前往北海的捕鲸航行；我主动忍受寒冷、饥饿、口渴以及睡眠不足。白天，我干活常常比普通水手还要卖力。到了夜里，我就学习数学、医学理论以及对航海冒险家来说具有实际重要性的各类科学知识。)”可知，作者为了实现他的童年梦想，开始让他的身体适应艰苦的环境，经历了捕鲸航行，自愿忍受寒冷、饥饿、口渴和缺乏睡眠等痛苦，因此可以得出结论，作者通过经历巨大的痛苦做好了身体上的准备。故选A。 4．推理判断题。根据文章第三段“I began by making my body used to hardship. I went on whale hunting voyages to the North Sea; I voluntarily endured cold, hunger, thirst, and lack of sleep. I often worked harder than the common sailors during the day. Then, at nights, I studied mathematics, the theory of medicine, and sciences of practical importance for a sea-going adventurer.(我首先让自己的身体习惯吃苦。我参加了前往北海的捕鲸航行；我主动忍受寒冷、饥饿、口渴以及睡眠不足。白天，我干活常常比普通水手还要卖力。到了夜里，我就学习数学、医学理论以及对航海冒险家来说具有实际重要性的各类科学知识。)”可推测，作者为实现探险梦想所做的准备和经历，如去北海捕鲸、自愿忍受寒冷、饥饿等痛苦，以及学习数学、医学等实用科学，这显示了他具有坚持不懈的毅力。故选C。 Passage 3 “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, “it means just what I choose to mean—neither more nor less.” —THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS I agree with Mr. Dumpty: Words have meaning. But surely we can seize upon a meaning and then create a word to match it. The following words — some culled from the crowdsourced online dictionary urbandictionary.com and others I’ve concocted myself — don’t exist according to Merriam-Webster…but should. I call them “worderfuls.” - blamestorming n. — the act of attempting to identify the person who is most at fault for a plan’s failure - cellfish n. — someone who talks on the phone to the exclusion of those he or she is with - chairdrobe n. — a chair on which one piles clothes that belong in the closet, not to be confused with a floordrobe - chiptease n. — a bag of potato chips that seems full but is mostly air - dullema n. — the choice between two equally boring outcomes - epiphinot n. — an idea that seems like an amazing insight to the conceiver but is in fact pointless, mundane, stupid, or incorrect - errorist n. — someone who is repeatedly or invariably wrong - nonversation n. — a completely meaningless or useless conversation - pregret v. — to know what you’ re about to do is wrong, wrong, wrong while also knowing you will do it anyway - unlighten v. — to learn something that makes you dumber 1．According to the writer, “worderfuls” refer to words ________. A．that are collected by online dictionaries B．that already exist but have a new meaning C．that are made up to match certain meanings D．that have been included in Merriam-Webster 2．Which of the following words can be illustrated by the picture below? A．blamestorming B．chairdrobe C．chiptease D．epiphinot 【答案】1．C 2．B 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了从众包在线词典urban dictionary.com上挑出来的或作者自己创造的一些词。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段“But surely we can seize upon a meaning and then create a word to match it. The following words — some culled from the crowdsourced online dictionary urbandictionary.com and others I’ve concocted myself — don’t exist according to Merriam-Webster…but should. I call them “worderfuls.”(但我们可以确定一个含义，然后创造一个与之对应的词汇。以下这些词汇——其中一些取自网络众筹词典“urbanictionary.com”，而另外一些则是我自己编造的——在《韦氏词典》中并不存在……但它们应该存在。我称它们为“worderfuls”)”可知，worderfuls指的是为了配合特定的意思而编造出来的词，故选C。 2．推理判断题。观察图片可知，图中有很多衣服放在椅子上，根据文中的“chairdrobe n. — a chair on which one piles clothes that belong in the closet, not to be confused with a floordrobe(“chairdrobe”名词——一种放置衣物的椅子，这些衣物属于衣柜内的衣物，与“floorrobe”（地板式衣柜）不能混淆)”可知，这幅图可以阐明chairdrobe这个词，故选B。 话题 2：教育与学习 P1: 《上海教育模式与 PISA 成绩》 （来源：上海外国语大学附属松江云间中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试题）：以学生 Lucy Dong 和 Amy Zhu 的日常学习为例，介绍上海教育模式，分析上海两次获 PISA 测试冠军的原因，包括传统教育理念与现代教育方法的结合、教师培训体系等。 P2: 《用户手册的演变与现状》 （来源：上海市格致中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 回顾用户手册从 20 世纪 80 年代纸质版普及，到后来因成本、用户阅读习惯及技术发展被在线资料替代的历程，指出当前技术产品说明存在的不足。 P3: 《探索的本质与人类本能》 （来源：上海市交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试题）： 论述探索是人类的本能，不同职业（如作家、登山者、科学家）对 “探索” 有不同定义，且探索行为贯穿人类发展，助力解决各类挑战。 Passage 1 Every day, Lucy Dong and her best friend Amy Zhu wake at 7 a.m.—7.10 a.m. If they are lucky-rush through their breakfast of steamed buns and noodles, and head off to what may be the best schooling system in the world. The 10-year-olds, who are natives of Shanghai. study in 35-minute bursts from around 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a small break for lunch—and a class meeting — sandwiched in the middle. Outside school hours, the girls’ lives are lots of extra-curricular activities: English class, flute class, drumming class, handwriting class, calligraphy class, Taekwondo training, modelling lessons and choir practice. Shanghai was crowned (加冕) — for the second time — the champion of the Programme for International Student Assesment (PISA．, which compares the maths, reading and science skills of some 510,00 secondary school students around the world). Some experts question the value of comparing cities and countries. Others point out that Shanghai’s relatively well-funded schools and well-paid teachers are not representative (代表) of the Chinese education system as a whole. Even so, the latest results are likely to see more and more educators flock east in search of the mega-city’s magic formula. Professor Kong Lingshuai of the College of Education at Shanghai Normal University has studied the city’s PISA successes. He says that the secret is a mix of “traditional elements and modern elements”. The former is related to the high expectations of “tiger” parents, and a belief in Chinese children from a young age that effort is crucial to gaining a good education. The “modern elements” include Shanghai’s willingness to constantly adapt its curriculum and teaching practices; its focus on improving under-achieving schools by pairing them with those that excel; its openness to foreign ideas; and the introduction of performance-related pay. An obsession with (痴迷于) training has also been the key, says Prof. Kong. As of last year, new teachers have to undergo a standardized, one-year training course before starting in the classroom. Once qualified, they are required to complete at least 240 hours’ training in their first five years, including online learning, paper reading. essay writing and so on. Teachers are also encouraged to attend each other’s classes to promote a culture of “idea sharing, exchanging and positive competition”. Outsiders often dismiss China’s educational system as a pressure-cooker-style craze of exams that places too much emphasis on rote-learning and does little to stimulate creativity. But in Shanghai at least, that may be starting to change. Authorities are attempting to move away from testing that relies too heavily on memorizing facts and figures, and some schools are also giving students more time to play, rather than just study. 1．The author mentions Lucy Dong and Amy Zhu in the first 3 paragraphs to ______. A．praise the hard work of these two girls B．give readers the whole picture of Chinese education C．show what education in Shanghai looks like D．criticize the burden the education brings on them 2．Why do some experts challenge the result that Shanghai ranked 1 “in PISA test?” A．Because the value of PISA, which only tests 510,000 students globally, receives doubt. B．Because Shanghai has got more attention and resources from the central government. C．Because only maths, reading and science skills are compared in PISA test, which is not enough. D．Because Shanghai has a better system of financial support for schools as well as for teachers. 3．Which of the following is closest in meaning to “dismiss” in the last paragraph? A．To give credit for something. B．To think about something differently. C．To think negatively of something. D．To claim the features of something 4．Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A．Strict parents contribute little to the academic success of their children. B．Students have more free time to spend on their interest across China. C．Under-achieving schools are usually displaced by those academically competitive schools. D．Many education researchers are getting to Shanghai to study the phenomenon. 【答案】1．C 2．D 3．C 4．D 【导语】主要介绍了上海的教育模式领先世界，秘诀在于传统与现代教育的结合。 1．推理判断题。前三段描述了Lucy Dong和Amy Zhu在上海的上学日常，结合第四段中“Shanghai was crowned—for the second time—the champion of the Programme for International Student Assesment (PISA., which compares the maths, reading and science skills of some 510,00 secondary school students around the world).(上海第二次成为国际学生评估项目(PISA)的冠军。该报告比较了全球约51万名中学生的数学、阅读和科学技能。)”可知，下文提到了上海第二次成为国际学生评估项目的冠军以及上海的教育模式，故前三段提到Lucy Dong和Amy Zhu是为了说明上海的教育是什么样子的，故选C。 2．细节理解题。根据第四段中“Some experts question the value of comparing cities and countries. Others point out that Shanghai’s relatively well-funded schools and well-paid teachers are not representative of the Chinese education system as a whole.(一些专家质疑比较城市和国家的价值。还有人指出，上海资金相对充裕的学校和高薪教师并不能代表整个中国教育体系。)”可知，一些专家质疑上海在PISA测试中排名第一的结果，是因为上海对学校和教师都有更好的财政支持体系，故选D。 3．词句猜测题。根据划线词后“a pressure-cooker-style craze of exams that places too much emphasis on rote-learning and does little to stimulate creativity (压力锅式的考试狂热，过于强调死记硬背，对激发创造力几乎毫无帮助)”可知，此处指外人认为中国的教育体系不好，dismiss意为“对……不屑一提”，和C选项“To think negatively of something.(消极地看待某事)”意思相近。故选C。 4．细节理解题。根据第五段“Even so, the latest results are likely to see more and more educators flock east in search of the mega-city’s magic formula. (即便如此，最新的结果很可能会让越来越多的教育工作者涌向东部，寻找这个超级城市的神奇公式。)”可知，许多教育研究者会前往上海研究上海的教育模式，故选D。 Passage 2 In the old days — say, the 1980s — if you bought a piece of technology, a paperback user guide came with it. It was the manufacturer’s one big chance to explain its engineers’ thinking to you, to communicate what the designers and marketers had in mind. Supplying documentation seemed, at the time, like a good idea all around. Mastery made customers happy, and happy customers meant repeat sales. But there were other forces at play. Printing and binding took time and money — and customers didn’t seem to be reading user manuals. Over time, therefore, physical manuals began disappearing from our hardware and software boxes. Maybe you’d get a Quick Start leaflet, but the rest was online. Online, you can search for certain terms, find topics faster and post questions for other people. Online communities and answer sites sprang up. Mini tutorials on the Internet began showing you how to perform a task. And it’s all free. Meanwhile the kind of technologies we use has changed. “People increasingly spend time in apps and social sites that have a fairly simple interface (界面),” Tim O’Reilly told me. (He’s founder of O’Reilly Media, which publishes my own how-to books. )You don’t need a manual to use Google. That was the beginning of the end for physical manuals. In principle, the death of professionally prepared support materials shouldn’t be any cause for concern. It’s just another big change caused by the Internet, another in the list of casualties, such as printed encyclopedias, newspaper classified ads and music on discs. In reality, though, none of the tech industry’s teaching channels, whether physical or online, is universal and effective. To this day, it’s astonishing how little we know about our phones, computers and software. A Microsoft product manager once told me that most feature requests the company gets for Microsoft Office are, in fact, already features of Microsoft Office. Hardware and software makers still operate with their traditional business model: Every year or so they sell us a new version, whose appeal is supposed to be more features. And so, as time goes by, our devices and apps become more and more complex — but access to documentation remains limited and incomplete. In the fantasy version of our world, designers would make our tech products simple enough, their important features obvious enough, for the masses to figure out on their own. Until then, there will be a growing information gap between the features we want and the engineering work that’s already been done. 1．The word “casualties” (paragraph 6) is closest in meaning to___________. A．causes B．manuals C．industries D．victims 2．Why did the author mention what a Microsoft product manager once told him? A．To criticize the lack of access that we have to complete documentation. B．To reveal the traditional business model that software makers operate with. C．To emphasize that it is a pity that physical manuals are no longer available. D．To illustrate that people actually know little about the tech products they use. 3．What can be inferred from the passage? A．Tech companies’ teaching channels are shrinking as time goes by. B．There is little chance that tech products will soon be simple enough. C．Printed manuals worked better than online versions. D．Consumers of the 1980s loved to read user manuals. 4．Which of the following might be the best title of the passage? A．What Happened to User Manuals? B．How Did Physical Manuals Prosper? C．How Simple Will Our Tech Products Be? D．What Change Has the Internet Brought About? 【答案】1．D 2．D 3．B 4．A 【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章围绕用户手册展开，阐述其发展历程与影响。往昔购买科技产品会配备纸质手册，用于传达设计理念、促进销售，却因成本及用户阅读习惯问题，逐渐被在线资料替代，同时产品界面简化也减少对手册依赖。但当下，无论是纸质还是在线教学渠道都难以有效帮助用户了解产品。制造商不断推出复杂新产品，却缺乏完整说明，致使用户需求与产品实际功能间信息鸿沟渐大，尽管理想是产品简单易用，但目前尚未达成。 1．词义猜测题。根据第六段中“In principle, the death of professionally prepared support materials shouldn’t be any cause for concern.( 原则上，专业准备的支持材料的死亡不应该引起任何担忧)”以及划线单词句中“It’s just another big change caused by the Internet, another in the list of casualties, such as printed encyclopedias, newspaper classified ads and music on discs.( 这不过是互联网带来的又一个巨大变化，是印刷版百科全书、报纸分类广告和光盘音乐等诸多casualties中的又一个)”可知，printed encyclopedias（纸质百科全书）、newspaper classified ads（报纸分类广告）和music on discs（光盘音乐）都因互联网而受到影响，这里的casualties该指的是受互联网影响而受损或消失的事物，即“受害者，牺牲品”，与D选项“victims(受害者)”意思最接近。故选D项。 2．推理判断题。根据第七段“To this day, it’s astonishing how little we know about our phones, computers and software. A Microsoft product manager once told me that most feature requests the company gets for Microsoft Office are, in fact, already features of Microsoft Office.( 直到今天，我们对自己的手机、电脑和软件所知甚少，令人惊讶。一位微软的产品经理曾经告诉我，公司收到的关于微软Office的大多数功能要求实际上已经是微软Office的功能了)”可知，很多用户向微软提出的功能需求，其实在微软办公软件中已经存在，这说明人们对自己使用的科技产品了解甚少，作者提及此事是为了阐述这一点。故选D项。 3．推理判断题。根据最后一段“In the fantasy version of our world, designers would make our tech products simple enough. their important features obvious enough, for the masses to figure out on their own. Until then, there will be a growing information gap between the features we want and the engineering work that’s already been done.( 在我们幻想的世界里，设计师会让我们的科技产品足够简单。它们的重要特征足够明显，大众可以自己弄清楚。在那之前，我们想要的功能和已经完成的工程工作之间的信息差距将会越来越大)”可知，使科技产品足够简单只是一种幻想，在那之前，人们想要的功能和已完成的工程工作之间的信息差距会越来越大。由此可推断出科技产品短期内不太可能变得足够简单。故选B项。 4．主旨大意题。根据文章大意，以及第一段中“In the old days—say, the 1980s—if you bought a piece of technology, a paperback user guide came with it.( 在过去，比如20世纪80年代，如果你买了一项技术，就会附带一本平装本的用户指南)”和第三段“Over time, therefore, physical manuals began disappearing from our hardware and software boxes. Maybe you’d get a Quick Start leaflet, but the rest was online.( 因此，随着时间的推移，物理手册开始从我们的硬件和软件盒中消失。也许你会得到一份快速入门的传单，但其余的都在网上)”可知，文章开篇讲述过去购买科技产品会附带纸质用户手册，接着阐述随着时间推移，纸质手册逐渐消失的原因，以及现在无论是纸质还是在线的技术支持资料都存在不足，围绕用户手册展开讨论，A选项“What Happened to User Manuals?（用户手册怎么了？）”能很好地概括文章内容，作为标题最合适。故选A项。 Passage 3 We are all explorers. Our desire to discover, and then share that new-found knowledge, is part of what makes us human. Indeed, this has played an important part in our success as a species. Long before the first caveman sat beside the fire and grunted news that there were plenty of wildebeest (羚羊) out there, our ancestors had learned the value of sending out pioneers to investigate the unknown. This questing nature of ours undoubtedly helped our species spread around the globe, just as it nowadays no doubt helps the last nomadic Penan maintain their existence in the depleted forests of Borneo, and a visitor navigate the subways of New York. Over the years, we’ve come to think of explorers as a peculiar breed — different from the rest of us, different from those of us who are merely “well-travelled”, even; and perhaps there is a type of person more suited to seeking out the new, a type of caveman more inclined to risk venturing out. That, however, doesn’t take away from the fact that we all have this enquiring instinct, even today; and that in all sorts of professions — whether artist, marine biologist or astronomer — borders of the unknown are being tested each day. Thomas Hardy set some of his novels in Egdon Heath, a fictional area of uncultivated land, and used the landscape to suggest the desires and fears of his characters. He is delving into matters we all recognize because they are common to humanity. This is surely an act of exploration, and into a world as remote as the author chooses. Explorer and travel writer Peter Fleming talks of the moment when the explorer returns to the existence he has left behind with his loved ones. The traveller “who has for weeks or months seen himself only as a puny and irrelevant alien crawling laboriously over a country in which he has no roots and no background, suddenly encounters his other self, a relatively solid figure, with a place in the minds of certain people”. Here is how some of today’s ‘explorers’ define the word. Ran Fiennes, dubbed the “greatest living explorer”, said, “An explorer is someone who has done something that no human has done before — and also done something scientifically useful.” Chris Bonington, a leading mountaineer, felt exploration was to be found in the act of physically touching the unknown: “You have to have gone somewhere new.” Then Robin Hanbury Tenison, a campaigner on behalf of remote so-called “tribal” peoples, said, “A traveller simply records information about some far-off world, and reports back; but an explorer changes the world.” Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed Arabia’s Empty Quarter in 1946, and belongs to an era of unmechanised travel now lost to the rest of us, told me, “If I’d gone across by camel when I could have gone by car, it would have been a stunt.” To him, exploration meant bringing back information from a remote place regardless of any great self-discovery. Each definition is slightly different and tends to reflect the field of endeavour of each pioneer. It was the same whoever I asked: the prominent historian would say exploration was a thing of the past, the cutting-edge scientist would say it was of the present. And so on. They each set their own particular criteria the common factor in their approach being that they all had, unlike many of us who simply enjoy travel o discovering new things, both a very definite objective from the outset and also a desire to record their findings. 1．The writer refers to visitors to New York to illustrate the point that A．exploration is an inner element of being human. B．most people are not enthusiastic about exploring. C．exploration fails to lead to surprising results. D．most people find exploration frustrating. 2．According to the passage, what is the writer’s view of explorers? A．Their discoveries have brought both benefits and disadvantages. B．Their main value is in teaching others. C．They act on an urge that is common to everyone. D．They tend to be more attracted to certain professions than to others. 3．The writer refers to a description of Egdon Heath to suggest that A．Hardy was writing about his own experience of exploration. B．Hardy was mistaken about the nature of exploration. C．Hardy’s aim was to investigate people’s emotional states. D．Hardy’s aim was to show the attraction of isolation. 4．When discussing the definition of exploration, the writer argues that A．people tend to relate exploration to their own professional interests. B．certain people are likely to misunderstand the nature of exploration. C．the generally accepted definition has changed over time. D．historians and scientists have more valid definitions than the general public. 【答案】1．A 2．C 3．C 4．A 【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章论述了探索是人类的本能，不同职业的人对“探索”有不同定义，且往往与自身职业相关。 1．推理判断题。根据第一段中“This questing nature of ours undoubtedly helped our species spread around the globe, just as it nowadays no doubt helps the last nomadic Penan maintain their existence in the depleted forests of Borne, and a visitor navigate the subways of New York.(我们这种探索的天性无疑帮助我们人类遍布全球，就像如今它无疑帮助最后的游牧民族彭南人在婆罗洲资源枯竭的森林中生存下来，也帮助游客在纽约的地铁中穿梭一样)”可知，前文提出探索是人类的天性，然后列举了游牧民族彭南人在婆罗洲资源枯竭的森林中生存下来和游客在纽约的地铁中穿梭两个例子。由此推知，作者提及游客在纽约的地铁中穿梭是为了证明探索是人类的天性。故选A项。 2．推理判断题。根据第二段中“That, however, doesn’t take away from the fact that we all have this enquiring instinct, even today; and that in all sorts of professions — whether artist, marine biologist or astronomer — borders of the unknown are being tested each day.(然而，这并不能改变一个事实：即使在今天，我们所有人都有这种探索的本能；而且在各种职业中——无论是艺术家、海洋生物学家还是天文学家——每天都在挑战未知的边界)”可知，所有人都有探索的本能，各种职业的人每天都在挑战未知的边界。由此推知，作者认为探险家的行为冲动是每个人都具有的。故选C项。 3．推理判断题。根据第三段中“Thomas Hardy set some of his novels in Egdon Heath, a fictional area of uncultivated land, and used the landscape to suggest the desires and fears of his characters. He is delving into matters we all recognize because they are common to humanity. This is surely an act of exploration, and into a world as remote as the author chooses.(Thomas Hardy将他的一些小说背景设定在埃格敦荒原，一个虚构的未开垦地区，并利用这片风景来暗示他笔下人物的欲望和恐惧。他在探究我们都能理解的事情，因为这些是人类共有的。这无疑是一种探索行为，进入作者选择的遥远世界。)”可知，埃格敦荒原是一个虚构的未开垦地区，象征着他笔下人物的欲望和恐惧，表明Hardy的目的是探究人们的情感状态，这也是一种探索。由此可知，作者提到哈代对荒原的描述是为了表明哈代旨在研究人类的情感状态。故选C项。 4．推理判断题。根据第五段中“Each definition is slightly different and tends to reflect the field of endeavour of each pioneer. It was the same whoever I asked: the prominent historian would say exploration was a thing of the past, the cutting edge scientist would say it was of the present.(每个定义都略有不同，并且往往反映了每个先驱者的努力领域。无论我问谁都是如此：著名的历史学家会说探索是过去的事情，前沿的科学家会说探索是当下的事情)”可知，不同的人对探索有不同的定义，作者认为不同领域的人会根据自己的职业兴趣定义探索的含义。由此可知，作者认为人们倾向于将探索与自己的职业兴趣联系起来。故选A项。 话题 3：社会与职业 P1:《印度职业写信人的兴衰》 （来源：上海市华东师范大学第二附属中学 2024-2025 学年高二下学期期中考试英语试题）： 回顾印度职业写信人曾在农村人群与城市亲人沟通中扮演的重要角色，后因识字率提高、手机普及等因素，该职业逐渐衰落的历程。 P2:《美国彩票的现状与问题》 （来源：上海市进才中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 分析美国彩票受欢迎的原因（易获取、价格低、收益用于公益），同时指出其存在的严重不平等问题 —— 贫困家庭在彩票上的花费占收入比例远高于富裕家庭。 P3: 《建筑工人的钢琴才华》 （来源：上海大同中学2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 讲述加拿大埃德蒙顿市建筑工人 Archive Gould 在工作间隙，身着沾满油漆的工作服弹奏钢琴，其表演视频在网上走红，打破人们对建筑工人的刻板印象。 Passage 1 India’s Last Letter Writers When I was a child in Calcutta, I remember my mother writing letters for our domestic helper, Kailash, who had never been to school. The letters always began with “Dear son…” and included news about his family and instructions on how to use the money he sent. Many people from rural India, much like Kailash, once relied on professional letter writers to maintain contact with loved ones after moving to the cities in search of work. However, this once-vital profession is slowly disappearing Jagdish Sharma, one of the last remaining professional letter writers in Delhi, has not written a letter in over a decade. For 31 years, he worked just outside the Kashmere Gate post office, assisting a wide range of people in writing heartfelt letters. Sharma’s strengths lay not in complex tools, but in the basics: a solid grasp of language, neat handwriting, and a talent for translating people’s emotions into words. “People would tell me their stories,” he recalls, “and I would express them in my own words.” Sharma worked with other letter writers for years, assisting customers with forms, parcels, and, most importantly, communication with distant family. “I helped 70 to 80 people a day,” he says with quiet pride. Letter writing has played a significant role in Indian history for centuries. During the Mughal era, professional writers supported aristocrats (贵族) in managing their correspondence. Later, when the British introduced a formal postal system in 1854, services were established to assist those who were unable to read or write. In more recent years, however, changes in society quietly reshaped the need for traditional letter-writing services. As more people learned to read and write, and affordable mobile phones found their way into everyday life, the once-frequent visits to letter writers began to fade. By 2008, the Indian government officially recognized this shift, stating that the service was no longer considered essential. Sharma acknowledged that the decline had begun well before the government’s decision. As business declined, many of his colleagues either retired or sought employment elsewhere. Despite the changes, Sharma still visits the post office daily, except Sundays. “I have nowhere else to go,” he says. One afternoon, I found him preparing a parcel for a client, sewing it with skill, writing the address, and sealing it with a candle. His long-time client, Rekha Kumari — who had been coming to him for ten years — smiled as she showed me her mobile phone. “No,” she said, “I’ll call them myself now.” 1．Many rural Indians relied on professional letter writers because ________. A．they valued the personal and emotional touch of handwritten letters B．they lacked formal education and needed help to communicate C．they preferred letter writers’ solid grasp of language and expression D．mobile phones were not affordable for most people at that time 2．What led to the decline of professional letter writers? A．The government banned their services in 2008 B．People preferred face-to-face communication. C．Higher literacy and mobile phones reduced demand. D．Many-letter writers switched to other promising jobs. 3．What does the interaction between Sharma and Rekha in the final paragraph suggest? A．Phone calls prove cheaper and more convenient than writing letters. B．Kekha is forced to continue using Sharma’s services from loyalty. C．Sharma is actively updating his business with modern technologies    . D．Technological advances have made letter-writing services outdated. 4．What is the passage mainly about? A．Sympathy for the grassroot working class in India. B．The emergence of mobile phones in Indian literature. C．An appeal to the government to protect traditional craft. D．The rise and fall of professional letter writers in India. 【答案】1．B 2．C 3．D 4．D 【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了印度职业写信人这一职业的兴衰。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段中“Many people from rural India, much like Kailash, once relied on professional letter writers to maintain contact with loved ones after moving to the cities in search of work.(许多来自印度农村的人，和Kailash很像，他们为了谋生来到城市后，曾经依靠专业的书信代写人来与亲人保持联系。)”可知，许多印度农村人依赖专业书信代写人是因为他们缺乏正规教育，需要帮助进行沟通。故选B项。 2．推理判断题。根据第五段中“As more people learned to read and write, and affordable mobile phones found their way into everyday life, the once-frequent visits to letter writers began to fade.(随着越来越多的人学会读写，价格亲民的手机也走进了日常生活，人们曾经频繁光顾书信代写人的情况开始减少。)”可知，识字率提高和手机的出现减少了需求导致了专业书信代写人的衰落。故选C项。 3．推理判断题。根据最后一段中“Despite the changes, Sharma still visits the post office daily, except Sundays. “I have nowhere else to go,” he says. One afternoon, I found him preparing a parcel for a client, sewing it with skill, writing the address, and sealing it with a candle. His long-time client, Rekha Kumari — who had been coming to him for ten years — smiled as she showed me her mobile phone. “No,” she said, “I’ll call them myself now.”(尽管情况发生了变化，Sharma仍然每天都去邮局，周日除外。“我无处可去，” 他说。一天下午，我看到他在为一位客户准备包裹，熟练地缝好，写好地址，然后用蜡烛封口。他的老客户Rekha Kumari已经找他十年了，她微笑着向我展示她的手机。“不，”她说，“我现在自己给他们打电话。”)”可知，最后一段中Sharma和Rekha的互动表明了技术进步使书信代写服务过时。故选D项。 4．主旨大意题。根据文章开篇讲述印度专业书信代写人曾经存在的必要性，中间介绍其工作内容和在历史上的作用，后面阐述因社会变化导致这一职业逐渐衰落，整体围绕印度专业书信代写人的兴衰展开可知，这篇文章主要讲了印度专业书信代写人的兴衰。故选D项。 Passage 2 On April 1st millions of Americans watched as six numbered ping-pong balls tumbled out of (从……中滚出) a giant popcorn popper. The occasion was the latest drawing of Power ball, a multi-state lottery. The last draw offered punters (赌徒) a shot at a $1bn jackpot, the fifth-biggest in the game’s 32-year history. The odds of winning the jackpot are unimaginably low — just one in 292m for Power ball. Yet sales are at a record high. In 2023 Americans shelled out more than $100bn on state-run lotteries. Were they a single company, America’s lotteries would be the ninth-most profitable in the country. Why are lotteries so popular when the chances of winning are so low? For one, they are almost everywhere. Some 45 states, and the District of Columbia, operate them. Low prices mean that anyone can afford to play; vast jackpots add to the excitement. Moreover, proceeds tend to go to worthy causes, such as public education or programs for the elderly. Whereas casinos keep less than 10% of the money wagered (下注) on slot machines, state lotteries keep around 30% of ticket sales, on average. But the system is woefully regressive. An analysis of data obtained by The Economist through public-records requests finds that poorer households spend significantly more, in absolute terms, on lotteries than richer ones. As a share of income, the imbalance is even more striking. Using zip-code-level sales data from 24 states, we estimate that each 10% decrease in median household income is associated with a 4% increase in lottery spending. Age and ethnicity are also correlated with lottery sales:older and non-white Americans are more likely to play. But income is the most-important factor. In the poorest 1% of zip codes that have lottery retailers, the average American adults spend around $600 a year, or  nearly 5% of their income, on tickets. That compares with just $150, or 0.15%, for those in the richest 1% of zip codes. In other words, the poorest households spend roughly 30 times more on lotteries than richer ones, as a share of income. The pandemic appears to have made things worse. In 2021 the poorest 1% of households — flush with stimulus cheques — spent $100 more on lotteries than they did in 2019. The richest 1% spent just $10 more. 1．What are the mean reasons for the popularity of lotteries? A．Low price, moderate risk, and high payback. B．Appealing jackpot amount, high wining rate, and profitability. C．Profitability, possibility and generous social donation. D．Accessibility, affordability and public welfare promotion. 2．What does the underlined phrase “woefully regressive” mean in this context? A．Sadly declining. B．Severely unequal. C．Socially beneficial. D．Significantly influential. 3．What can we learn from Para. 5-6 ? A．The rich usually deprive the poor of their wealth through lottery system. B．An aged African-American woman is more likely to spend more on lotteries than a poor Anglo-Saxon White man. C．The poorest households spend much more on lotteries than the richer ones as a share of income but not as absolute numbers. D．Households in financial difficulties tend to wager a larger proportion of income on lotteries. 4．What is the best title for this article? A．Critical insight: the economics of American lotteries. B．Inspirational plan: make great fortune overnight. C．Silver Linings: the rise of modern “Great Catsby” D．American lotteries: the modern “blood diamond” business. 【答案】1．D 2．B 3．D 4．A 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要探讨了美国彩票的相关情况，其受欢迎的原因，彩票系统存在严重的不平等现象，较贫困家庭在彩票上的花费占收入比例远高于富裕家庭等。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段“Why are lotteries so popular when the chances of winning are so low? For one, they are almost everywhere. Some 45 states, and the District of Columbia, operate them. Low prices mean that anyone can afford to play; vast jackpots add to the excitement. Moreover, proceeds tend to go to worthy causes, such as public education or programs for the elderly. (为什么中奖的几率如此之低，彩票却如此受欢迎？首先，它们几乎无处不在。大约有45个州和哥伦比亚特区运营这种游戏。低廉的价格意味着任何人都能负担得起；巨额头奖增加了人们的兴奋感。此外，收益往往流向有价值的事业，如公共教育或老年人项目。)”可知彩票受欢迎的主要原因是到处都有，即易获取，价格低，任何人都能买得起，收益用于公益事业，故选D。 2．词句猜测题。根据划线短语下文“An analysis of data obtained by The Economist through public-records requests finds that poorer households spend significantly more, in absolute terms, on lotteries than richer ones. (《经济学人》通过索取公共记录获得的数据分析发现，从绝对值来看，贫困家庭在彩票上的花费明显高于富裕家庭。)”可知彩票系统存在严重的不平等现象，也就是woefully regressive意思“严重不平等”，故选B。 3．推理判断题。根据第五段“In the poorest 1% of zip codes that have lottery retailers, the average American adults spend around $600 a year, or  nearly 5% of their income, on tickets. That compares with just $150, or 0.15%, for those in the richest 1% of zip codes. (在邮政编码中最贫穷的1%有彩票零售商的地区，美国成年人平均每年花在彩票上的钱约为600美元，占其收入的近5%。相比之下，邮政编码中最富有的1%的人的平均收入仅为150美元，或0.15%。)”和第六段“In other words, the poorest households spend roughly 30 times more on lotteries than richer ones, as a share of income. (换句话说，最贫穷的家庭在彩票上的花费占收入的比例大约是富裕家庭的30倍。)”可推知经济困难的家庭倾向于把收入的很大一部分用于买彩票。故选D。 4．主旨大意题。通断全文，可知文章主要是对美国彩票进行了经济学分析，包括彩票受欢迎的原因、彩票系统存在严重的不平等现象，较贫困家庭在彩票上的花费占收入比例远高于富裕家庭等，所以A选项“批判性洞察力：美国彩票的经济学。”符合文章主旨大意，适合作标题，故选A。 Passage 3 One of the advantaged of social media is that we get to see aspects of people’s lives that can be rather surprising. In fact, some of the videos that get shared remind us of the many hidden— and not-so-hidden — talents that are out there. Recently a video was shared of a construction worker taking a break and treating his co-workers to a beautiful musical interlude (插曲) in their busy day. Archive could, a painter working for a specialized painting company in Edmonton, was carrying out a job in front of a library. Looking in the window, one of his workmates noticed there was a public piano inside. Gould explained to CTV News that his workmates were aware that he’d played the piano for years, but he’d never been able to showcase his talents. Therefore on the first day on site, could sat down in his paint-stained work clothes to play for his workmates. “It was so heart melting. I love classical music to begin with. Seeing him playing exceptionally well, I was totally touched,” his work mate, Kerrie bates, shared her reaction to Gould’s performance. As for could, he was also delighted to have the opportunity to show his workmates that he was indeed able to play the piano. The performance was shared online, where it notched up an impressive number of views. And could come up with why he thought the video had become so popular, “I think half the reason that the video blew up is that I look like a construction worker. No one expects a construction worker to just demonstrate some classical music like it’s nothing.” However, his performance is not just a lesson in looking beyond a person’s outward appearance, It also reminds us that we should develop our talents gradually and enjoy them as and when we can, While we might not all be able to become professional pianists or singers, there’s so much joy to be had in having a passion and sharing it with others. 1．What role does social media play according to the first paragraph? A．A platform for people to show talents. B．Means of communication and expression. C．Place for people to share common interest. D．A tool to remind us of some important things. 2．How did Kerrie bates react to Gould’s performance? A．She considered it was incredible. B．She thought it held lasting artistic valued, C．She found it was more accessible to workers. D．She believed it deserved a great deal of fame. 3．What does the underlined phrase “notched up” in paragraph 5 probably mean? A．Reserved. B．Required. C．Convinced. D．Earned. 4．What does Gould’s story convey? A．The early bird catches the worm. B．Never judge a book by its cover. C．Actions speak louder than words. D．Nothing is difficult to a willing heart, 【答案】1．A 2．A 3．D 4．B 【导语】本文是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了一位名叫Archive Gould的建筑工人在工作期间，利用休息时间弹奏钢琴，给同事们带来了惊喜和享受的故事。 1．细节理解题。根据文章第一段“One of the advantaged of social media is that we get to see aspects of people’s lives that can be rather surprising. In fact, some of the videos that get shared remind us of the many hidden— and not-so-hidden — talents that are out there.(社交媒体的一个优势是，我们能够看到人们生活中那些可能相当令人惊讶的方面。事实上，一些被分享的视频提醒我们，世界上存在着许多隐藏或不那么隐藏的人才)”可知，社交媒体为人们提供了一个展示才华的平台。故选A。 2．细节理解题。根据文章第四段““It was so heart melting. I love classical music to begin with. Seeing him playing exceptionally well, I was totally touched,” his work mate, Kerrie bates, shared her reaction to Gould’s performance.(“太让人心动了。我本来就喜欢古典音乐。看到他弹得如此出色，我完全被感动了，”他的同事Kerrie Bates分享了她对Gould表演的反应)”可知，Kerrie Bates认为Gould的表演令人难以置信，非常出色。故选A。 3．词句猜测题。根据划线单词所在句“The performance was shared online, where it notched up an impressive number of views.(这段表演被分享到了网上， notched up令人印象深刻的观看次数)”的句子结构可知，“where it notched up an impressive number of views”是定语从句，修饰先行词“online”，且该定语从句中缺少谓语，所以“notched up”在此处作谓语，能够和“views”搭配。根据句意可知，意为“获得了”令人印象深刻的观看次数。选项D“earned”，意为“获得”，符合句意。故选D。 4．推理判断题。根据文章内容可知，文章提到Gould穿着沾满油漆的工作服在休息时间弹奏钢琴，他的同事们非常惊讶于他弹得如此出色。Gould认为视频走红的原因是他看起来像个建筑工人，没人期望一个建筑工人能演奏古典音乐。由此推知，Gould的故事传达了不要以貌取人的道理，人们不能仅仅根据外表来判断一个人的能力或才华。故选B。 话题 4：文化与历史 P1:《第一部牛津英语词典的编纂》 （来源：上海市育才中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中测试英语试题）： 讲述第一部《牛津英语词典》的编纂过程，重点介绍美国外科医生 William Chester Minor（因精神问题住院）作为志愿者，为词典贡献大量单词和引文的故事。 P2: 《核能与可再生能源的争议》 （来源：上海市上海交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 围绕 “环保主义者” 概念演变，阐述科学界对核能的争议 一方坚持完全依赖可再生能源，另一方认为需在风光不足时辅以核能，并以德国能源转型为例分析可再生能源发展的挑战。 P3:《Touchwood 的矛盾性格》 （来源：上海市上海交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 刻画 Touchwood 好斗易怒却又暗藏善意的矛盾性格，如反对他人提议却会默默付出、对他人遭遇不幸时会无私帮助却又在事后无故侮辱对方，展现人性的复杂面。 Passage 1 One of the greatest contributions to the first Oxford English Dictionary was also one of its most unusual. In 1879, Oxford University in England asked Prof. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language. It would include every English word possible and would give not only the definition but also the history of the word and quotations (引文) showing how it was used. This was a huge task, so Murrary had to find volunteers from Britain, the United States, and the British colonies to search every newspaper, magazine, and book ever written in English. Hundreds of volunteers responded, including William Chester Minor. Dr. Minor was an American surgeon who had served in the Civil War and was now living in England. He gave his address as “Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berkshire,” 50 miles from Oxford. Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray. Over the next 17 years, he became one of the staff’s most valued contributors. But he was also a mystery. In spite of many invitations, he would always decline to visit Oxford. So in 1897, Murray finally decided to travel to Crowthorne himself. When he arrived, he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell at the Broadmoor Asylum (精神病院) for the Criminally Insane. Murray and Minor became friends, sharing their love of words. Minor continued contributing to the dictionary, sending in more than 10,000 submissions in 20 years. Murray continued to visit Minor regularly, sometimes taking walks with him around the asylum grounds. In 1910, Minor left Broadmoor for an asylum in his native America. Murray was at the port to wave goodbye to his remarkable friend. Minor died in 1920, seven years before the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed. The 12 volumes defined 414,825 words, and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient. 1．According to the text, the first Oxford English Dictionary ________. A．came out before minor died B．was edited by an American volunteer C．included the English words invented by Murray D．was intended to be the most ambitious English dictionary 2．How did Dr. Minor contributed to the dictionary? A．He helped Murray to find hundreds of volunteers. B．He sent newspapers, magazines and books to Murray. C．He provided a great number of words and quotations. D．he went to England to work with Murray. 3．Prof. Murray and Dr. Minor became friends mainly because ________. A．they both served in the Civil War B．they had a common interest in words C．Minor recovered with the help of Murray D．Murray went to America regularly to visit Minor 4．Which of the following best describe Dr. Minor? A．Brave and determined. B．Cautious and friendly. C．Considerate and optimistic. D．Unusual and scholarly. 【答案】1．D 2．C 3．B 4．D 【导语】这是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了第一部《牛津英语词典》由詹姆斯·默里教授编辑，志愿者威廉·切斯特·迈纳做出了很大贡献。 1．细节理解题。根据第一段“One of the greatest contributions to the first Oxford English Dictionary was also one of its most unusual. In 179, Oxford University in England asked Prof. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language.(第一部《牛津英语词典》的最大贡献之一，也是最不寻常的贡献之一。179年，英国牛津大学请詹姆斯·默里教授担任编辑，编纂这本后来成为英语历史上最雄心勃勃的词典)”可知，第一部《牛津英语词典》旨在成为最雄心勃勃的英语词典。故选D。 2．细节理解题。根据第三段“Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray.(迈纳加入了志愿者队伍，给默里送去了文字和语录)”和第五段“Minor continued contributing to the dictionary, sending in more than 10,000 submissions in 20 years.(迈纳继续为词典做出贡献，在20年里提交了1万多份)”可知，迈纳博士为这本词典提供了大量的单词和引文。故选C。 3．细节理解题。根据倒数第三段“Murray and Minor became friends, sharing their love of words.(Murray和Minor成为了朋友，分享了他们对文字的热爱)”可知，默里教授和迈纳博士成为朋友主要是因为他们对文字有共同的兴趣。故选B。 4．推理判断题。根据第四段“But he was also a mystery. In spite of many invitations, he would always decline to visit Oxford. So in 1897, Murray finally decided to travel to Crowthorne himself. When he arrived, he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell at the Broadmoor Asylum (精神病院) for the Criminally Insane.(但他也是一个谜。尽管收到许多邀请，他总是拒绝访问牛津。因此，在1897年，默里最终决定亲自前往克劳索恩。当他到达时，他发现迈纳被锁在布罗德莫精神病院一间摆满书籍的牢房里)”以及最后一段“The 12 volumes defined 414,825 words, and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient.(这12卷书共定义了414,825个单词，其中数千个是一位非常有学问、精神病院常客的病人的贡献)”可知，迈纳博士是是一个谜，且非常有学问，说明他与众不同的且博学。故选D。 Passage 2 The term “environmentalist” can mean different things. It used to refer to people trying to protect wildlife and natural ecosystems. In the 21st century, the term has evolved to capture the need to combat human-made climate change. The distinction between these two strands of environmentalism is the cause of a split within the scientific community about nuclear energy. On one side are purists who believe nuclear power isn’t worth the risk and the exclusive solution to the climate crisis is renewable energy. The opposing side agrees that renewable energy is crucial, but says society needs an amount of power available to meet consumers’ basic demands when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. Nuclear energy, being far cleaner than oil, gas and coal, is a natural option, especially where hydroelectric capacity is limited. Leon Clarke, who helped author reports for the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, isn’t an uncritical supporter of nuclear energy, but says it’s a valuable option to have if we’re serious about reaching carbon neutrality. “Core to all of this is the degree to which you think we can actually meet climate goals with 100% renewable energy,” he said. “If you don’t believe we can do it, and you care about the climate, you are forced to think about something like nuclear.” The prospect of universal 100% renewability is similarly contentious. Cities such as Burlington, Vermont, have been “100% renewable” for years. But these cities often have small populations, occasionally still rely on fossil fuel energy and have significant renewable resources at their immediate disposal. Meanwhile, countries that manage to run off renewable energy typically do so thanks to extraordinary hydroelectric capabilities. Germany stands as the best case study for a large, industrialized country pushing into green energy. Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2011 announced Energiewende, an energy transition that would phase out nuclear and coal while phasing in renewable energy. Wind and solar power generation has increased over 400% since 2010, and renewable energy provided 46% of the country’s electricity in 2019. But progress has stopped in recent years. The instability of renewable energy doesn’t just mean energy is often not produced at night, but also that solar and wind can overwhelm the grid during the day, forcing utilities to pay customers to use their electricity. Lagging grid infrastructure struggles to transport this overabundance of green energy from Germany’s north to its industrial south, meaning many factories still run on coal and gas. The political limit has also been reached in some places, with citizens meeting the construction of new wind turbines with loud protests. The result is that Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by around 11.5% since 2010 — slower than the EU average of 13.5%. 1．What is the solution to energy shortage proposed by purists’ opponents? A．Relying on renewable energy firmly and exclusively B．Using fossil fuel and green energy alternatively C．Choosing nuclear energy when necessary D．Limiting people’s non-basic consumption 2．What point does the author want to make with cities like Burlington as an example? A．It is controversial whether the goal of the whole world’s exclusive dependence on renewable energy is attainable. B．It is contentious whether cities with large populations have renewable resources at their immediate disposal. C．It is arguable whether cities that manage to run off renewable energy have sustainable hydroelectric capabilities. D．It is debatable whether traditional fossil fuel energy can be done away with entirely throughout the world. 3．What do we learn about Germany regarding renewable energy? A．It has increased its wind and solar power generation four times over the last two decades. B．It represents a good example of a major industrialized country promoting green energy. C．It relies on renewable energy to generate more than half of its electricity. D．It has succeeded in reaching the goal of energy transition set by Merkel. 4．What may be one of the reasons for Germany’s progress having stopped in recent years? A．Its grid infrastructure’s capacity has fallen behind its development of green energy. B．Its overabundance of green energy has forced power plants to suspend operation during daytime. C．Its industrial south is used to running factories on conventional energy supplies. D．Its renewable energy supplies are unstable both at night and during the day. 【答案】1．C 2．A 3．B 4．A 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章围绕“环保主义者”概念在21世纪的演变展开，指出当前学界就“是否完全依赖可再生能源”产生分裂：一方坚持100%可再生，另一方认为在风光不足时必须辅以核能。 1．细节理解题。根据第三段purists反对者的观点“The opposing side agrees that renewable energy is crucial, but says society needs an amount of power available to meet consumers’ basic demands when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. Nuclear energy, being far cleaner than oil, gas and coal, is a natural option, especially where hydroelectric capacity is limited.(反对方虽承认可再生能源至关重要，但仍坚持社会必须有充足电力保障——尤其在无风无光的时段，必须满足消费者的基本用电需求。在缺乏水力发电资源的地区，核能作为比石油、天然气和煤炭清洁得多的能源，自然成为理想选择)” 可知，他们认为在必要时可选择核能。 故选C项。 2．推理判断题。根据第六段的内容“The prospect of universal 100% renewability is similarly contentious. Cities such as Burlington, Vermont, have been “100% renewable” for years. But these cities often have small populations, occasionally still rely on fossil fuel energy and have significant renewable resources at their immediate disposal. Meanwhile, countries that manage to run off renewable energy typically do so thanks to extraordinary hydroelectric capabilities.(普遍100%可再生能源的前景同样存在争议。佛蒙特州的伯灵顿等城市多年来一直是“100%可再生能源”。但这些城市往往人口较少，偶尔仍依赖化石燃料能源，并有大量可再生资源可供直接使用。与此同时，那些成功利用可再生能源的国家通常要归功于非凡的水力发电能力)”可知，作者列举人口小、可再生资源丰富的伯灵顿等城市，旨在说明“全球完全依赖可再生能源”这一目标是否可行存在争议。 故选A项。 3．细节理解题。根据第七段的内容“Germany stands as the best case study for a large, industrialized country pushing into green energy. Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2011 announced Energiewende, an energy transition that would phase out nuclear and coal while phasing in renewable energy. Wind and solar power generation has increased over 400% since 2010, and renewable energy provided 46% of the country’s electricity in 2019.(德国是一个推动绿色能源发展的工业化大国的最佳研究案例。德国总理安格拉•默克尔在2011年宣布了能源转型计划，这是一项能源转型计划，将逐步淘汰核能和煤炭，同时逐步使用可再生能源。自2010年以来，风能和太阳能发电量增长了400%以上，2019年可再生能源提供了该国46%的电力)”可知，德国是一个工业化国家推广绿色能源的好典范。故选B项。 4．细节理解题。根据第八段的句子“Lagging grid infrastructure struggles to transport this overabundance of green energy from Germany’s north to its industrial south, meaning many factories still run on coal and gas. The political limit has also been reached in some places, with citizens meeting the construction of new wind turbines with loud protests.(滞后的电网基础设施难以将德国北部过剩的绿色电力输送到工业重镇南部，导致许多工厂仍依靠煤电和气电。部分地区更触及了政策天花板——民众以强烈抗议抵制新风力发电机的修建)”可知，电网容量落后是德国进展受阻的重要原因。 故选A项。 Passage 3 Touchwood’s bad temper is of the contradicting pugnacious sort. He is the honourable gentleman in opposition, whatever proposal or proposition may be Line broached, and when others join him he secretly dams their superfluous agreement, quickly discovering that his way of stating the case is not exactly theirs. An invitation or any sign of expectation throws him into an attitude of refusal. Ask his concurrence in a benevolent measure: he will not decline to give it, because he has a real sympathy with good aims; but he complies resentfully, though where he is let alone, he will do much more than anyone would have thought of asking for. No man would shrink with greater sensitiveness from the imputation of not paying his debts, yet when a bill is sent in with any promptitude, he is inclined to make the tradesman wait for the money he is in such a hurry to get. One sees that this antagonistic temper must be much relieved by finding a particular object, and that its worst moments must be those where the mood is that of vague resistance, there being nothing specific to oppose. Touchwood is never so little engaging as when he comes down to breakfast with a cloud on his brow, after parting from you the night before with an affectionate effusiveness at the end of a confidential conversation which has assured you of mutual understanding. Impossible that you can have committed any offence. If mice have disturbed him, that is not your fault; but, nevertheless, your cheerful greeting had better not convey any reference to the weather, else it will be met by a sneer which, taking you unawares, may give you a crushing sense that you make a poor figure with your cheerfulness, which was not asked for. Some daring person perhaps introduces another topic, and uses the delicate flattery of appealing to Touchwood for his opinion, the topic being included in his favourite studies. An indistinct muttering, with a look at the carving-knife in reply, teaches that daring person how ill he has chosen a market for his deference. If Touchwood’s behaviour affects you very closely you had better break your leg in the course of the day: his bad temper will then vanish at once; he will take a painful journey on your behalf; he will sit up with you night after night; he will do all the work of your department so as to save you from any loss in consequence of your accident; he will be even uniformly tender to you till you are well on your legs again, when he will some fine morning insult you without provocation, and make you wish that his generous goodness to you had not closed your lips against retort. 1．The narrator suggests that agreeing with Touchwood on a given subject is a way to ________ A．achieve a kind of victory over him B．change his grouchiness to good humor C．earn his grudging intellectual respect D．throw him into confusion and embarrassment E．cause him to alter his original approach 2．According to the narrator, when is Touchwood LEAST contented? A．When he fails to agree with an opponent B．When a tradesman presents him with a bill C．When he fails to get a peaceful night’s sleep D．When he lacks a specific object to challenge E．When he is unable to achieve a benevolent end 3．What is the most likely reason that Touchwood “is inclined to make the tradesman wait for the money”? A．He enjoys doing harm to other people. B．He fears for his own financial security. C．He refuses to respond to another’s prompting. D．He is extremely wary of being cheated. E．He is uncertain about the legitimacy of others’ demands. 4．The underlined part “Impossible… fault” primarily serve to ________ A．offer feeble excuses B．present contradictory explanations C．acknowledge personal responsibility D．imagine and reject possible provocations E．describe and deny public allegations 5．At the end of the passage, the narrator suggests that the person who has had the “accident” will ________ A．become Touchwood’s friend for life B．be reluctant to respond to verbal attacks from Touchwood C．tend to avoid Touchwood’s company at any cost D．have only kindly feelings toward Touchwood E．have a lower opinion of Touchwood than before the accident 【答案】1．E 2．D 3．C 4．D 5．B 【导语】这是一篇记叙文。文章描述Touchwood的好斗易怒脾气：反对他人却暗改己见，他拒绝邀请却会默默付出更多；他敏感于债务却故意拖延付款；当他人遭遇不幸时，他会无私帮助，但之后又无故侮辱人，凸显其行为的不一致性和矛盾性。 1．细节理解题。根据第二句“He is the honourable gentleman in opposition, whatever proposal or proposition may be Line broached, and when others join him he secretly dams their superfluous agreement, quickly discovering that his way of stating the case is not exactly theirs.(无论提出何种提议或主张，他都是在野党的正直人士。当其他人与他意见一致时，他会巧妙地阻止他们过度的赞同，因为他很快就会发现自己的陈述方式与他们的并不完全一致)”可知，如果能与Touchwood在某个特定问题上达成一致，那么这将促使他改变自己最初的处理方式。故选E。 2．细节理解题。根据文中“One sees that this antagonistic temper must be much relieved by finding a particular object, and that its worst moments must be those where the mood is that of vague resistance, there being nothing specific to oppose.(由此可见，这种对立的情绪在找到某个特定对象后必然会得到极大的缓解，而其最糟糕的时刻则是在那种模糊的抵抗情绪出现的时候，即此时并无具体的事物可供对抗)”可知，Touchwood没有特定目标去挑战时最为不满足。故选D。 3．细节理解题。根据文中“An invitation or any sign of expectation throws him into an attitude of refusal.(任何一种邀请或表现出的期待之意都会让他产生拒绝的念头)”以及“No man would shrink with greater sensitiveness from the imputation of not paying his debts, yet when a bill is sent in with any promptitude, he is inclined to make the tradesman wait for the money he is in such a hurry to get.(没有人会更敏感地回避因未偿还债务而受到的指责，然而一旦收到付款通知，只要对方能迅速付款，他往往就会让商人继续等待这笔急需的资金)”可知，Touchwood‘倾向于让商人等待付款’，最有可能的原因是他习惯性地抗拒他人的催促，体现了其矛盾性格中拒绝回应提示的特质。故选C。 4．句意猜测题。根据文中“Touchwood is never so little engaging as when he comes down to breakfast with a cloud on his brow, after parting from you the night before with an affectionate effusiveness at the end of a confidential conversation which has assured you of mutual understanding. Impossible that you can have committed any offence. If mice have disturbed him, that is not your fault; but, nevertheless, your cheerful greeting had better not convey any reference to the weather, else it will be met by a sneer which, taking you unawares, may give you a crushing sense that you make a poor figure with your cheerfulness, which was not asked for.(Touchwood在与你告别后，若在次日早餐时仍愁容满面，那他就显得格外不讨人喜欢了。前一晚你们还进行了一次亲密的交谈，其间你对他表达了深深的信赖，还保证彼此之间会相互理解。你不可能有什么过错吧？要是老鼠打扰了他，那也不是你的错；但无论如何，你那欢快的问候最好别涉及天气的话题，否则就会遭到嘲笑，而这种嘲笑会让你猝不及防，从而深刻地意识到自己那欢快的举止实在令人难以接受)”可知，通过想象 “你冒犯他”“老鼠打扰他” 等可能，又一一否定，表明是在设想并排除可能的激怒因素。故划线部分主要是为了设想并排除可能的挑衅行为，从而突出Touchwood无缘无故的坏脾气。故选D。 5．细节理解题。根据文中“If Touchwood’s behaviour affects you very closely you had better break your leg in the course of the day: his bad temper will then vanish at once; he will take a painful journey on your behalf; he will sit up with you night after night; he will do all the work of your department so as to save you from any loss in consequence of your accident; he will be even uniformly tender to you till you are well on your legs again, when he will some fine morning insult you without provocation, and make you wish that his generous goodness to you had not closed your lips against retort.(如果Touchwood的行为对你影响很大，那你最好在当天就把腿打断：这样他的坏脾气就会立刻消失；他会替你经历一段痛苦的旅程；他会日夜陪伴着你；他会承担你部门的所有工作，以免你因这次事故而遭受任何损失；他会对你始终如一地温柔体贴，直到你重新能正常行走为止，那时他会在一个美好的早晨无缘无故地侮辱你，让你懊悔自己当初没有拒绝他的慷慨善举)”可知，那位遭遇“意外事故”的人因受惠于Touchwood的善意而无法回击其侮辱，内心不愿回应言语攻击。故选B。 话题 5：自然与生物 P1: 《救助企鹅 Juan Salvado 的故事》 （来源：上海市华东师范大学附属东昌中学 2024-2025 学年高一下学期期中考试英语试卷）：讲述 Tom Michell 在阿根廷任教时救助漏油事故中幸存的企鹅 Juan Salvado，带其到学校游泳池游泳，展现企鹅在水中的自然本性及给人们带来的快乐。 P2: 《流浪狗 Clementine 的蜕变》 （来源：上海外国语大学附属松江云间中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试题）：记录流浪狗 Clementine 从多次被收养失败，到被消防员 Captain Robert Moree 收养成为消防犬，最终获 “年度最佳狗” 奖项的历程。 P3:《拯救橡树苗行动》 （来源：上海市宝山区上海大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年上学期期中英语考试卷）： 因政府资助延迟，近 50 万棵橡树苗面临被毁，经《泰晤士报》报道后，众多慈善机构、社区团体和个人参与救助，大部分树苗得以售出并找到 “归宿”。 Passage 1 In 1975. Englishman Tom Michell was teaching at an English-language boarding school in Argentina. On winter break, he went to Uruguay and on the beach came across a penguin, the lone survivor of a spill (漏油事故). Michell brought him back to the apartment where he was staying, cleaned him and fed him. The penguin quickly became attached to the young teacher, so he brought the bird whom he’d named Juan Salvado-back with him to school. In Michell’s new book, The Penguin Lessons, he writes about the joy that. Juan Salvado brought to everyone he met. The possibility of letting Juan Salvado swim free in the school’s outdoor pool had occurred to me, as our pool was unusual because it was completely free of any filtration of chlorination system (氯化系统过滤). The pool sat unused during the chilly winter, but once the temperature rose, it was drained, scrubbed, and filled. This cycle continued every two weeks throughout the season. By the end of the pool’s first two weeks in use, the weather was still cool, and only a few students wanted to swim. I had waited for this particular evening when the pool was scheduled for its routine cleaning-no one would object if Juan Salvado dirtied the water before it was drained. As soon as the swimmers departed, I signaled the students who were exercising Juan Salvado on the fields nearby to bring him. One of the students, Diego, placed the bird next to me, and as I walked to the pool, Juan Salvado followed. He surveyed the water without apparently comprehending its nature. “Go on!” I said. He looked at me, then at the pool. “It’s all right. You can swim!” I said, splashing water on him. Juan Salvado looked me in the eyes as if to ask, “Ah! Is this where the fish come from?” Without further encouragement, he plunged in. With a single flip of his wings, he flew like an arrow across the water and collided (碰撞) the wall on the opposite side, face-first, at a considerable speed. The impact was obvious. Juan Salvado then rose to the surface, but after a moment, he gave a vigorous shake and ducked below the surface again. I was thoroughly familiar with Juan Salvado’s awkward and amusing progress on land, but now I watched in awe. It was clear to me now how badly he needed to use his wing muscles that hadn’t been used for too long. Juan Salvado had finally found the freedom to express his true nature and show us just what it meant to be a penguin. 1．Why did Tom Michel chooses such a time to let Juan Salvado go to the swimming pool for the first time? A．To give the penguin a big enough place to practise swimming. B．To observe the penguin at a close range without any interruption. C．To ensure that the penguin would not cause additional inconvenience. D．To protect the penguin against any harm caused by the chilly weather 2．What was the penguin’s initial reaction when he was brought to the pool? A．Anger and frustration B．Thrill and anticipation. C．Disappointment and regret. D．Curiosity and hesitation. 3．What did Juan Salvado’s swimming reveal about his nature? A．His clumsiness on land. B．His need for companionship. C．His need to use his wing muscles. D．His preference for warmer climates. 【答案】1．C 2．D 3．C 【导语】这是一篇记叙文。主要讲述Tom Michell在阿根廷任教期间救助一只名为Juan Salvado的企鹅，并将其带到学校游泳池游泳的经历，展示了企鹅在水中的自然本性和给人们带来的快乐。 1．推理判断题。根据第三段中“I had waited for this particular evening when the pool was scheduled for its routine cleaning - no one would object if Juan Salvado dirtied the water before it was drained.( 我一直在等待这个特别的晚上，因为泳池被安排进行例行清洁——如果胡安·萨尔瓦多在排干之前把水弄脏，没有人会反对的。)”可知，作者选择在游泳池要进行常规清洁的这个特定晚上让企鹅下水，是因为即便企鹅把水弄脏了，也不会有人反对，也就是确保企鹅不会造成额外的不便。故选C项。 2．推理判断题。根据第三段中“He surveyed the water without apparently comprehending its nature.( 他环视着水面，显然不了解它的性质。)”以及第四段中““Go on!” I said. He looked at me, then at the pool.(“继续！”我说。他看了看我，又看了看游泳池。)”可知，企鹅先是观察水，似乎不理解水的性质，作者让它下水时，它看看作者又看看游泳池。这表明企鹅对水充满好奇（survey the water 体现好奇），同时又有些犹豫（look at me, then at the pool 体现犹豫）。故选D项。 3．细节理解题。根据最后一段中“It was clear to me now how badly he needed to use his wing muscles that hadn’t been used for too long. Juan Salvado had finally found the freedom to express his true nature and show us just what it meant to be a penguin.( 现在我明白了，他是多么迫切地需要使用他那长时间没有使用过的翅膀肌肉。胡安·萨尔瓦多终于找到了表达自己真实本性的自由，向我们展示了作为一只企鹅意味着什么。)”可知，企鹅游泳这件事表明它非常需要使用已经很久没有用过的翼肌，这体现了它的本性。故选C项。 Passage 2 Clementine seemed to be missing a piece from her life’s puzzle for most of her life. Dropped off as a 3-year-old homeless dog near New Orleans, the dog stayed in the shelter for four months before being moved to Texas. While living at an adoption center in Texas, the dog was adopted out twice to different families. Sadly, neither of those adoptions were successful. It turned out Clementine didn’t get along with smaller pets, and she had too much energy for the second family. Meanwhile, Captain Robert Moree wanted to add a fire dog to the station. He’d just read a study about how dogs help firefighters deal with the pressure of their jobs, and he was eager to give the study a real life trial run! With the permission of the chief and other firefighters, he and a few colleagues visited the shelter. As soon as they met Clementine, they were smitten! “They introduced us to Clementine,” Captain Moree recalled. “She started to like us, and we liked her instantly. Later that day, my driver, Bryan Wallen, and I decided to get her.” Captain Moree officially adopted Clementine, but she definitely belonged to every person in the firehouse. She loved to hug the firefighters in between calls, and she was always nearby whenever anyone was preparing food. “She rides on the truck when we go out on calls” said Captain Moree. “She not only makes the station feel more like home during our 24-hour shifts but also keeps us excited to come to the station.” Clementine has made such an amazing journey from a homeless dog to a hero dog. She was named Dog of the Year at the 2022 ASPCA Humane Awards! 1．Why did Clementine fail to stay in the second family? A．She was too active. B．She liked fire. C．She ate too much. D．She was aggressive. 2．What does the underlined word “smithen” probably mean? A．touched B．fascinated C．confused D．embarrassed 3．What did Captain Moree expect a fire dog to do? A．Help put out fires. B．Guard the firehouse. C．Stay excited day and night. D．Ease pressure of firefighters. 4．What can be inferred about Clementine from the last two paragraphs? A．She risked her life as a fire dog. B．She has got many important awards. C．She did an excellent job as a fire dog. D．She remained homeless in her whole life. 【答案】1．A 2．B 3．D 4．C 【导语】这是一篇记叙文。文章讲述了Clementine从一只流浪狗成为消防英雄狗的奇妙旅程。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段中“It turned out Clementine didn’t get along with smaller pets, and she had too much energy for the second family.(事实证明，Clementine和小宠物相处不来，而且对于第二个家庭来说，她有太多的精力)”可知，Clementine没能留在第二个家庭的原因是她太活跃了。故选A项。 2．词句猜测题。根据划线单词下面的一段“‘They introduced us to Clementine,’ Captain Moree recalled. ‘She started to like us, and we liked her instantly. Later that day, my driver, Bryan Wallen, and I decided to get her.’(‘他们把我们介绍给Clementine，’Moree队长回忆道。‘她开始喜欢我们，我们也立刻喜欢上了她。那天晚些时候，我和我的司机Bryan Wallen决定去接她。’）”可知，Moree队长他们被Clementine吸引住了，所以才决定接受她，所以，划线单词smitten与fascinated意义一致。故选B项。 3．细节理解题。根据第三段中“Meanwhile, Captain Robert Moree wanted to add a fire dog to the station. He’d just read a study about how dogs help firefighters deal with the pressure of their jobs, and he was eager to give the study a real life trial run!(与此同时，Robert Moree队长想给消防站增加一只消防犬。他刚刚读了一篇关于狗如何帮助消防员应对工作压力的研究，他渴望让这项研究在现实生活中进行试验！)”可知，Moree队长想让消防犬减轻消防员的压力。故选D项。 4．推理判断题。根据最后一段“Clementine has made such an amazing journey from a homeless dog to a hero dog. She was named Dog of the Year at the 2022 ASPCA Humane Awards!(Clementine从一只无家可归的狗变成了一只英雄狗，经历了如此奇妙的旅程。她在2022年ASPCA人道奖上被评为年度最佳狗!）”可以推论出，作为消防犬，Clementine一定表现出色，她才会被评为年度最佳狗。故选C项。 Passage 3 Almost half a million young oak (橡树) trees have been saved after The Times revealed they were due to be destroyed because of delays in government help to create more woodland. A tree nursery said in March that it had been unable to find buyers for the one and two-year-old seedlings of England’s national tree. Maelor Forest Nurseries near Wrexham spent two years looking after 500,000 seedlings, expecting a great increase in demand after government promises to increase tree planting. Demand failed to materialize and the company said it planned to destroy the trees, partly blaming difficulties land owners faced in obtaining subsidies to fund the work. After The Times reported on the plan, dozens of charities, community groups and individuals all over the country got in touch with Maelor to ask if they could help. “The nursery discounted the price per tree from 35 — 40 pence to 20 pence and sold nearly all of the 500,000 it had been planning to destroy. Thanks largely to the article in The Times only a small percentage had to be destroyed,” said Mike Harvey, Maelor’s managing director. “We are delighted that these oak saplings (幼树) have found good homes. We were frustrated at the prospect of having to destroy plants which we had spent two years growing only to find they were being left without a future for reasons beyond our control.” Mr Harvey said the largest order, for 30,000 oaks, had come from Extinction Rebellion Rewilding, an offshoot of the climate change campaign group. It launched a campaign called Save the Oaks which raised £10,000 through a crowdfunding appeal to purchase and plant trees that had been due to be destroyed. Jethro Gauld, one of the organisers of the planting in Cambridgeshire, said, “We wanted to do something to prevent such a massive waste of saplings and help create a good news story to benefit local people and wildlife. ” Natasha Somers, a volunteer for Save the Oaks, said, “The support we’ve seen shows how a community can come together in difficult times. It’s clear that people want to act for a better future, one where humanity and nature are connected.” 1．The underlined word ‘subsidies’ is closest in meaning to ‘________’. A．equipment B．technical support C．confidence D．financial aid 2．What had Maelor Forest Nurseries planned to do before The Times reported on their plan? A．To reduce the price of the seedlings. B．To ruin the trees it had taken care of. C．To wait for government help to arrive. D．To count the number of oak trees in Britain. 3．What happened to the 500,000 saplings at last? A．Most of them were sold out. B．Most of them were thrown away. C．They were replanted to Cambridgeshire. D．They were donated to a campaign group. 4．What is the passage mainly about? A．A prospective approach to planting. B．A nationwide effort to save oak trees. C．A tree nursery devoted to preserving endangered trees. D．A species of trees that are threatened with extinction. 【答案】1．D 2．B 3．A 4．B 【导语】这是一篇新闻稿。文章讲述通过《泰晤士报》报道，全国各组织一起努力拯救了50万棵橡树苗的故事。 1．词句猜测题。由文章第四段“Demand failed to materialize and the company said it planned to destroy the trees, partly blaming difficulties land owners faced in obtaining subsidies to fund the work.(需求未能实现，该公司表示计划摧毁这些树木，部分原因是土地所有者在获得 来资助这项工作方面面临困难)”中fund the work可推知，这里指获得“资金帮助”来资助这项工作，所以猜测subsidies表“资金帮助”的意思。故选D项。 2．细节理解题。由文章第四段“Demand failed to materialize and the company said it planned to destroy the trees, partly blaming difficulties land owners faced in obtaining subsidies to fund the work.(需求未能实现，该公司表示计划摧毁这些树木，部分原因是土地所有者在获得资助方面面临困难)”可知，在《泰晤士报》报道他们的计划之前，Maelor森林苗圃计划毁掉它照顾过的树木。故选B项。 3．细节理解题。由文章第六段““The nursery discounted the price per tree from 35 — 40 pence to 20 pence and sold nearly all of the 500,000 it had been planning to destroy. Thanks largely to the article in The Times only a small percentage had to be destroyed,” said Mike Harvey, Maelor’s managing director.(“苗圃将每棵树的价格从35-40便士降至20便士，并几乎卖掉了它计划摧毁的50万棵树。这在很大程度上要归功于《泰晤士报》的文章，只有一小部分被销毁。”Maelor的董事总经理迈克·哈维（Mike Harvey）说)”可知，50万棵树苗中的大部分都卖完了。故选A项。 4．主旨大意题。由文章第一段“Almost half a million young oak (橡树) trees have been saved after The Times revealed they were due to be destroyed because of delays in government help to create more woodland.(《泰晤士报》透露，由于政府在帮助创造更多林地方面的延误，近50万棵年轻的橡树将被摧毁，此后这些橡树得以幸存)”、第五段“After The Times reported on the plan, dozens of charities, community groups and individuals all over the country got in touch with Maelor to ask if they could help.(在《泰晤士报》报道了该计划后，全国各地的数十家慈善机构、社区团体和个人与Maelor联系，询问他们是否可以提供帮助)”以及上下文可知，文章主要讲通过《泰晤士报》报道，全国各组织一起努力拯救了50万棵橡树苗的故事。所以B项A nationwide effort to save oak trees.(全国范围内拯救橡树的努力)符合语境。故选B项。 话题 6：科学与探索 P1: 《衰老与大脑学习能力》 （来源：上海市上海交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 探讨衰老与大脑的关系，指出尽管大脑随年龄增长会萎缩，但通过学习新事物、积累新经验等方式可保持大脑灵活性与健康。 P2: 《中亚贝加什地区考古发现》 （来源：上海市上海交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 讲述考古学家 Frachetti 团队在中亚贝加什地区的考古发现，包括小麦和玉米遗迹，颠覆了人们对该地区历史的传统认知，揭示其在早期欧亚交流中的重要地位。 P3:《地质学与气候变化的关联》 （来源：上海市闵行区实验高级中学 2024-2025 学年上学期期中考试英语试卷）： 纠正 “地质学只与岩石有关” 的误解，阐述地质过程与气候的紧密联系，说明地质学在理解全球变暖、应对环境资源挑战等方面的重要作用。 Passage 1 Some people have said aging is more a slide into forgetfulness than a journey towards wisdom. However, a growing body of research suggests that late-in-life learning is possible. In reality, education does an aging brain good. Throughout life, people’s brains constantly renovate themselves. In the late 1960s, British brain scientist Geoffrey Raisman spied growth in damaged brain regions of rats through an electron microscope; their brains were forming new connections. This meant brains may change every time a person learns something new. Of course, that doesn’t mean the brain isn’t affected by the effects of time. Just as height usually declines over the years, so does brain volume: Humans lose about 4 percent every decade starting in their 40s. But that reduction doesn’t necessarily make people think slower; as long as we are alive and functioning, we can alter our brains with new information and experiences. In fact, scientists now suspect accumulating novel experiences, facts, and skills can keep people’s minds more flexible. New pathways can strengthen our ever-changing mental structure, even as the brain shrinks. Conventional fixes like word puzzles and brain-training apps can contribute to mental durability. Even something as simple as taking a different route to the grocery store or going somewhere new on vacation can keep the brain healthy. A desire for new life challenges can further boost power. Research about aging adults who take on new enterprises shows improved function and memory as well as a reduced risk of mental disease. Openness — a characteristic defined by curiosity and a desire for knowledge — may also help folks pass brain tests. Some folks are born with this take-in-the-world attitude, but those who aren’t as genetically gifted aren’t necessarily out of luck. While genes can encourage an interest in doing new things, a 2012 study in the journal Psychology and Aging found completing reasoning tasks like puzzles and number games can enhance that desire for novel experiences, which can, in turn, refresh the brain. That’s why brain scientist Richard Kennedy says “It’s not that old dogs can’t learn new tricks. It’s that maybe old dogs don’t realize why they should.” 1．What do some people think of aging adults? A．Their wisdom grows as time goes by in their long life. B．They can benefit from late-in-life learning and gain wisdom. C．Their memory gradually becomes inferior to that of the past. D．They are likely to have mental health issues due to forgetfulness. 2．What can we conclude from Geoffrey Raisman’s finding? A．Brain damage seriously hinders one’s learning. B．Brains can refresh and improve with learning. C．Brain power weakens slower than we imagine. D．Brains forge connections under new conditions. 3．What is one thing that helps maintain the health of our brain even as it shrinks? A．Doing daily routines by conventional means B．Avoiding worrying about our mental durability C．Imitating old dogs’ way of learning new tricks D．Approaching everyday tasks in novel ways 4．What is the finding of the 2012 study in the journal Psychology and Aging? A．Wishing to solve puzzles enhances one’s reasoning power B．Playing number games unexpectedly stimulates one’s memory C．Desiring new experiences can help to renovate the brain D．Learning new tricks should not be confined to old dogs only 【答案】1．C 2．B 3．D 4．C 【导语】文章主要探讨了衰老与大脑的关系，指出尽管大脑会随年龄增长而萎缩，但通过学习新事物、积累新经验等方式可以保持大脑的灵活性和健康。 1．细节理解题。根据第一段“Some people have said aging is more a slide into forgetfulness than a journey towards wisdom.(一些人认为，衰老与其说是一段通往智慧的旅程，不如说是逐渐陷入健忘的过程。)”可知，有些人认为老年人的记忆力会逐渐衰退，而不是增长智慧。故选C。 2．推理判断题。根据第二段“Throughout life, people’s brains constantly renovate themselves. In the late 1960s, British brain scientist Geoffrey Raisman spied growth in damaged brain regions of rats through an electron microscope; their brains were forming new connections. This meant brains may change every time a person learns something new.(人这一辈子，大脑都在不断自我更新。20 世纪 60 年代末，英国脑科学家杰弗里・雷斯曼通过电子显微镜观察到，老鼠受损的大脑区域出现了生长现象，它们的大脑正在形成新的连接。这意味着，人每学到一些新东西，大脑就可能发生变化。)”可推知，大脑可以通过学习来更新和改善。故选B。 3．推理判断题。根据第四段“In fact, scientists now suspect accumulating novel experiences, facts, and skills can keep people’s minds more flexible. (事实上，科学家们现在推测，不断积累新奇的经历、事实和技能能够让人的思维更加灵活。)”和第五段“Even something as simple as taking a different route to the grocery store or going somewhere new on vacation can keep the brain healthy.(即使是像走不同的路线去杂货店或假期去新的地方这样简单的事情也能保持大脑健康。)”可知，以新颖的方式处理日常任务有助于保持大脑健康。故选D。 4．细节理解题。根据最后一段“While genes can encourage an interest in doing new things, a 2012 study in the journal Psychology and Aging found completing reasoning tasks like puzzles and number games can enhance that desire for novel experiences, which can, in turn, refresh the brain.(虽然基因会催生人们对新鲜事物的兴趣，但 2012 年发表在《心理学与衰老》期刊上的一项研究发现，完成拼图、数字游戏等推理任务能够增强这种对新奇体验的渴望，而这种渴望反过来又能让大脑重焕活力。)”可知，渴望新体验可以帮助更新大脑。故选C。 Passage 2 Vast stretches of central Asia feel uninhabited. The landscape of desert, steppe (大草原), and mountains seems to swallow up anything human. It is little surprise, then, that this region remains largely unknown to most archaeologists. Most archaeological work in Central Asia during the past century has focused on the open and rolling plains that stretch from the Black Sea to Manchuria. These steppes only came to life after 2000 B．C．, when horse domestication and riding suddenly turned a forbidding landscape for pedestrians into a natural highway of grass. By contrast, the areas to the south of the steppes have long been dismissed as backwaters of history. In the past, these southern mountains and deserts were considered too remote, rugged, and inhospitable to have played a role in early migrations or the emergence of urban life. Frachetti, who has studied modern-day pastoralists (放牧人), in such unforgiving landscapes as the Sahara and Scandinavia, was drawn to the southern region of Central Asia for its environmental diversity of desert, grassland, and meadows. Instead of a wasteland, he saw an ideal landscape for enterprising pastoralists who wanted to pasture their animals in all seasons. Together with his colleagues, Frachetti began digging a decade ago in the Dzhungar Mountains of Kazakhstan. Covering nearly 500 square miles, this region lies between the Tian Shan and Altai Mountain ranges, and boasts sharp peaks topping 12,000 feet, as well as harsh desert. More surprisingly, the researchers found wheat, which was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, and corn that was first widely grown in northern China. The grains were used ritually in a burial, and radiocarbon dating of the remains dates them to about 2200 B．C．, making them the oldest known domesticated grains in Central Asia. The people of Begash may not have grown either grain—there are no grinding stones, a sign of grain preparation—but instead received it via trade networks stretching from the Near East to China. Dorian Fuller, a leading expert in ancient grains based at University College London, calls the finds “important and well dated.” He adds that Chinese crops such as corn began to appear in southwest Asia around 1900 B．C．, a few centuries after they reached Begash, which could mean the passage through the mountain regions was a means of gradual transmission from east to west. Frachetti proposes that the grains may have been acquired from other tribes and used for ritual purposes, and then perhaps were passed on to other pastoral peoples. What makes the Begash discoveries so important is that previously this region was assumed to have been a land of scattered hunters until steppe peoples went down into the area’s valleys and mountain ranges after 2000 B．C． But it is becoming evident that the people of Begash were not simple hunters, but sophisticated pastoralists who tended their flocks, much as people in the area still do today. The inhabitants did not begin to use horses until well into the second millennium B．C．, and the varieties of sheep and goat found here today appear to be related to the varieties first domesticated thousands of years before in western Iran, near ancient Mesopotamia. This indicates that Begash was “at the crossroads of extremely wide networks among Eurasian communities by the third millennium B．C．,” asserts Frachetti. 1．According to the passage, what made the steppes accessible to travelers? A．Running into a natural highway B．Turning a forbidding landscape C．Raising horses D．Riding motorcycles 2．Frachetti was initially interested in the areas to the south of the steppes because of ________. A．their varied geographical features B．their harsh climate and terrain C．their role in the emergence of urban life D．their location in the trade route to the north 3．Which of the following statements about the wheat and corn found in Begash is CORRECT? A．They were early signs of agriculture there. B．They were the result of trading with China. C．They were mainly used in religious rituals. D．They were probably given by other tribes. 4．What is the significance of the Begash discoveries? A．Supporting that people in the area lived basically as hunters. B．Proposing new views about the region came into being. C．Questioning the idea that Begash was at the center of the trading network. D．Indicating that Begash was part of the Eurasian community. 【答案】1．C 2．A 3．D 4．B 【导语】本文是一篇说明文，主要讲述了中亚地区的考古发现，尤其是贝加什地区的发现，挑战了人们对该地区历史的传统认知，揭示了其在早期欧亚交流中的重要地位。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段“These steppes only came to life after 2000 B.C., when horse domestication and riding suddenly turned a forbidding landscape for pedestrians into a natural highway of grass. (这些草原在公元前2000年后才变得活跃起来，当时马匹的驯化和骑行突然将这片对行人来说令人生畏的土地变成了天然的草原通道)”可知，是马匹的驯化让草原变得便于旅行者通行。故选C项。 2．细节理解题。根据第三段“Frachetti, who has studied modern-day pastoralists (放牧人), in such unforgiving landscapes as the Sahara and Scandinavia, was drawn to the southern region of Central Asia for its environmental diversity of desert, grassland, and meadows. (弗拉切蒂曾在撒哈拉沙漠和斯堪的纳维亚半岛等环境恶劣的地区研究过现代放牧人，而中亚南部地区因兼具沙漠、草原和草地等多样的环境，吸引了他的目光)”可知，弗拉切蒂最初对草原南部地区感兴趣是因为其多样的地理特征。故选A项。 3．推理判断题。根据第四段“The people of Begash may not have grown either grain—there are no grinding stones, a sign of grain preparation—but instead received it via trade networks stretching from the Near East to China. (贝加什人可能既没有种植这两种谷物——因为这里没有研磨石（研磨石是谷物加工的标志）——而是通过从近东延伸至中国的贸易网络获得的)”以及第五段“Frachetti proposes that the grains may have been acquired from other tribes and used for ritual purposes, and then perhaps were passed on to other pastoral peoples. (弗拉切蒂提出，这些谷物可能是从其他部落获得的，用于宗教仪式，之后或许又传给了其他游牧民族)”可知，在贝加什发现的小麦和玉米很可能是其他部落给予的。故选D项。 4．推理判断题。根据第六段“What makes the Begash discoveries so important is that previously this region was assumed to have been a land of scattered hunters until steppe peoples went down into the area’s valleys and mountain ranges after 2000 B.C. But it is becoming evident that the people of Begash were not simple hunters, but sophisticated pastoralists who tended their flocks, much as people in the area still do today. (贝加什的发现之所以如此重要，是因为此前人们认为，在公元前2000年草原民族进入该地区的山谷和山脉之前，这片区域只是零散猎人的栖息地。但越来越明显的是，贝加什人并非简单的猎人，而是精通放牧之道的牧民，他们照料着自己的牲畜，就像如今该地区的人们所做的那样)”可知，贝加什的发现的意义在于提出了关于该地区历史的新观点，挑战了传统认知。故选B项。 Passage 3 It is a common misconception that geology is “just” about rocks. True, geologists are trained to read what rocks tell us about Earth’s past, present and possible future structure and evolution. But, as I will explain as part of this year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, geological processes and climate are closely linked. Numerous complex physical and chemical links and feedbacks exist between Earth’s surface and subsurface rocks, its atmosphere, oceans and ice caps and life in all these places. Volcanic eruptions bring carbon from deep within the planet to the surface and the air, enhancing the green-house effect. In contrast, weathering of exposed rocks at the surface and the action of shell-forming animals in the oceans remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reducing global warming. The rocks and fossils (化石) in the geological record bear witness to these processes, showing us that Earth’s climate has changed continually since the planet formed around 4.6 million years ago. This same record also shows that atmospheric CO2 is at its highest level in at least the past 3 million years, and that the current pace of planetary warming is never before seen in Earth’s history. The geological record can also be used to assess the accuracy of complex numerical models used to predict future climate and its impact on Earth’s habitability. Geology has improved our understanding of global warming and hopefully will help us to reduce it. There is an irony to that, given geologists play a role in locating and exploiting climate-heating fossil fuels. Now, more than ever, our discipline needs to fully adopt the concept of “sustainable geoscience”. This isn’t a new idea and nor is it limited to climate change. The many and varied historical contributions of geology to tackling some of our greatest societal challenges can be seen by looking at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To name just a couple of examples, geologists study the origin, natural transportation and behaviour of pollutants like arsenic and lead, critical to the provision of safe and reliable water supplies, and they explore the origin of natural hazards such as landslides and earthquakes, and so help strengthen communities across the world. But geologists must redouble their engagement with other scientists and politicians to develop and ultimately help apply solutions to the many environmental and resource challenges we face. Students of geology should be made aware of the broader contributions their multidisciplinary skill set can make to global well-being, beyond just energy provision — although ensuring energy supply, we should not forget, underpins many of the Sustainable Development Goals. 1．The examples of volcanic eruptions and the weathering of rocks are intended to _____. A．demonstrate what geological activities geologists mainly study B．highlight the importance of studying volcanic activity in geology C．illustrate the enormous and destructive power of geological processes D．show the dynamic interactions between geological activities and climate 2．In the sentence “There is an irony to that”, the irony refers to _____. A．the profession’s role in both causing and solving global warming B．sustainable geoscience’s unexpected popularity across various fields C．the disagreement between geological records and current climate models D．geologists’ focus on energy provision which goes against their original goal 3．Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? A．Energy supply is in critical shortage. B．Geologists are able to work across various fields. C．Pollutants spread far and wide due to modern transportation. D．Fossil fuel exploitation does not contribute to climate change. 4．What is the main point the author is making in the passage? A．Geologists primarily study rocks to understand Earth’s climate. B．Climate models are often inaccurate without the geological record. C．Geology is crucial for addressing global challenges beyond the study of rocks. D．The field of geology focuses on exploiting fossil fuels and studying climate change. 【答案】1．D 2．A 3．B 4．C 【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了地质学在应对气候变化等方面也能发挥重要作用。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段中“Numerous complex physical and chemical links and feedbacks exist between Earth’s surface and subsurface rocks, its atmosphere, oceans and ice caps and life in all these places. Volcanic eruptions bring carbon from deep within the planet to the surface and the air, enhancing the green-house effect. In contrast, weathering of exposed rocks at the surface and the action of shell-forming animals in the oceans remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reducing global warming.(地球表面和地下岩石、大气、海洋和冰盖以及所有这些地方的生命之间存在着许多复杂的物理和化学联系和反馈。火山爆发将地球深处的碳带到地表和空气中，增强了温室效应。相比之下，地表裸露岩石的风化和海洋中成壳动物的活动会从大气中去除二氧化碳，从而减缓全球变暖)”可知，火山爆发和岩石风化的例子旨在说明地质活动与气候之间的动态相互作用。故选D。 2．词句猜测题。根据第四段“The geological record can also be used to assess the accuracy of complex numerical models used to predict future climate and its impact on Earth’s habitability. Geology has improved our understanding of global warming and hopefully will help us to reduce it.(地质记录还可以用来评估用于预测未来气候及其对地球宜居性影响的复杂数值模型的准确性。地质学提高了我们对全球变暖的认识，并有望帮助我们减少全球变暖)”以及倒数第三段“There is an irony to that, given geologists play a role in locating and exploiting climate-heating fossil fuels.(具有讽刺意味的是，地质学家在寻找和开采气候变暖的化石燃料方面发挥着重要作用)”可知，在“There is a irony to that”这句话中，讽刺的是这个行业在造成和解决全球变暖方面所扮演的角色。故选A。 3．推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“This isn’t a new idea and nor is it limited to climate change. The many and varied historical contributions of geology to tackling some of our greatest societal challenges can be seen by looking at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.(这不是一个新想法，也不局限于气候变化。通过查看联合国可持续发展目标，我们可以看到地质学在解决一些最大的社会挑战方面做出了许多不同的历史贡献)”以及最后一段“But geologists must redouble their engagement with other scientists and politicians to develop and ultimately help apply solutions to the many environmental and resource challenges we face.(但是，地质学家必须加倍与其他科学家和政治家合作，制定并最终帮助应用解决方案来应对我们面临的许多环境和资源挑战)”可知，地质学家能够在不同的领域工作。故选B。 4．主旨大意题。根据全文内容及第一段“It is a common misconception that geology is “just” about rocks. True, geologists are trained to read what rocks tell us about Earth’s past, present and possible future structure and evolution. But, as I will explain as part of this year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, geological processes and climate are closely linked.(认为地质学“只”与岩石有关是一种普遍的误解。诚然，地质学家们接受的训练是通过解读岩石来了解地球的过去、现在和可能的未来的结构和演化。但是，正如我将在今年的皇家学会圣诞讲座中解释的那样，地质过程和气候是紧密相连的)”结合文章主要说明了地质学在应对气候变化等方面也能发挥重要作用。可知，作者在文章中想表达的主要观点是地质学对于解决岩石研究以外的全球挑战至关重要。故选C。 $专题03 阅读理解记叙文常考话题 话题1 个人成长与经历 话题4 文化与历史 话题2 教育与学习 话题5 自然与生物 话题3 社会与职业 话题6 科学与探索 1 / 2 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 话题 1：个人成长与经历 P1:《面部疤痕与自我接纳》 （来源：上海市青浦高级中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试卷）： 讲述女孩因童年事故面部留疤，长期因外貌自卑，后在医生的开导下，认识到不完美也是自身独特之处，最终实现心灵解脱的故事。 P2: 《北极探险梦想的准备》 （来源：上海市复旦大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试卷）： 记录作者从小对北极探险充满向往，通过阅读探险书籍、参加捕鲸航行锻炼体能、学习实用科学知识等方式，为实现探险梦想做准备的历程。 P3: 《“Worderfuls”—— 为特定含义造词》 （来源：上海市建平中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试题）： 介绍作者从众包在线词典及个人创造中整理出的 “Worderfuls”（为匹配特定含义而造的词），如 “blamestorming”（追责讨论）、“chairdrobe”（堆衣服的椅子）等，展现语言创造的趣味性。 Passage 1 He examined my face, “Hmmm,” he said quietly. “Are you a model?” Is he kidding? No way would anyone ever confuse me with a fashion model. I was ugly. After all, had the scar. The accident happened in fourth grade, when a neighbour boy threw a sharp stone through the side of my face. After a three-hour operation, a huge bandage covered half of my face for several months. “You’ll always be pretty to me,” Dad sighed, “even if you aren’t to the rest of the world.” Right Thanks. As if I couldn’t hear the unkind words of the other kids at school. As if I couldn’t see how different I looked from the pretty girls the teachers often paid attention to. As if I didn’t look at myself in the bathroom minor from time to time. In a culture that values beauty, an ugly girt is not accepted. “Of course I’m not a model,” I replied. The doctor crossed his arms over his chest and looked at me. “Since you’re not a model, what brought you here today?” The room began to swim before me, as my eyes were full of tears. The doctor sat down beside me. His voice was low and soft. “Let me tell you what I see. I see a beautiful woman. Not a perfect woman, but a beautiful woman. Even Elizabeth Taylor has a tiny scar on her forehead,” he said in a low voice. Then he paused a while. “When a person falls in love, if their mate has an imperfection, that imperfection becomes special.” As tears were rolling down my face. He said. “You are a very attractive woman with a very small imperfection. Whether you know it or not, it makes you special.” I left his office, not with the scar removed from my face, but with a tear removed from my heart. 1．How did the woman get a scar on her face? A．She was born with the scar. B．She was injured by her neighbor. C．She fell over a stone by accident. D．She had an unsuccessful operation. 2．From the third paragraph we can learn that the writer ______. A．felt much better for her father’s comfort B．was eager to make friends at school C．was extremely upset about her looks D．hated the teachers who ignored her 3．The doctor helped the writer understand that ______. A．a thing of beauty is a joy forever B．a good medicine tastes bitter C．little imperfection makes perfect D．father’s love is as deep as the sea 4．Which expression can be best used to describe the doctor? A．mean and practical B．arrogant and impatient C．sober and indifferent D．straight and enlightening Passage 2 The cold northern wind here in the streets of Petersburg strengthens my nerves and fills me with delight. I cannot think of the Pole as cold and empty; in my imagination it is a region of beauty and delight. Who knows what strange landscapes and creatures we may find there? I shall satisfy my curiosity with the sight of an unknown part of the world, and walk where no man has before. Thinking of it, I feel the same joy a child feels when he sails his little boat on a voyage of discovery up his native river. This voyage was the favorite dream of my early years. My education was neglected, yet I was passionately fond of reading. Uncle Thomas’s library contained only books about exploration, which I read day and night. Finally, my thoughts come to the idea of making a voyage of discovery. Six years have passed since I decided on the present voyage. I can, even now, remember the hour when I committed myself to this great enterprise. I began by making my body used to hardship. I went on whale hunting voyages to the North Sea; I voluntarily endured cold, hunger, thirst, and lack of sleep. I often worked harder than the common sailors during the day. Then, at nights, I studied mathematics, the theory of medicine, and sciences of practical importance for a sea-going adventurer. Twice I took jobs as an officer on a Greenland whaling ship. I felt a little proud when my captain asked me to remain with the ship, so valuable did he consider my services. And now, do I not deserve to achieve some great task? My life might have been passed in ease and comfort, but I preferred glory to every pleasure that wealth placed in my path. 1．What does the author think of the Pole? A．It reminds him of his childhood. B．It must be a region full of surprises. C．It would fulfil his dream of being an adventurer. D．It’s too cold a destination with almost nothing. 2．What does the bold-lettered word “enterprise” mean in the last paragraph? A．project B．initiative C．business D．adventure 3．To realize his childhood dream, the author got__________. A．physically prepared by experiencing great suffering B．spiritually prepared by gaining his captain’s recognition C．academically prepared by reading books on exploration D．financially prepared by serving on a whale hunting ship 4．According to the passage, the author is definitely a person full of__________. A．courage B．fancy C．perseverance D．pride Passage 3 “When I use a word,” Humpty Dumpty said, “it means just what I choose to mean—neither more nor less.” —THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS I agree with Mr. Dumpty: Words have meaning. But surely we can seize upon a meaning and then create a word to match it. The following words — some culled from the crowdsourced online dictionary urbandictionary.com and others I’ve concocted myself — don’t exist according to Merriam-Webster…but should. I call them “worderfuls.” - blamestorming n. — the act of attempting to identify the person who is most at fault for a plan’s failure - cellfish n. — someone who talks on the phone to the exclusion of those he or she is with - chairdrobe n. — a chair on which one piles clothes that belong in the closet, not to be confused with a floordrobe - chiptease n. — a bag of potato chips that seems full but is mostly air - dullema n. — the choice between two equally boring outcomes - epiphinot n. — an idea that seems like an amazing insight to the conceiver but is in fact pointless, mundane, stupid, or incorrect - errorist n. — someone who is repeatedly or invariably wrong - nonversation n. — a completely meaningless or useless conversation - pregret v. — to know what you’ re about to do is wrong, wrong, wrong while also knowing you will do it anyway - unlighten v. — to learn something that makes you dumber 1．According to the writer, “worderfuls” refer to words ________. A．that are collected by online dictionaries B．that already exist but have a new meaning C．that are made up to match certain meanings D．that have been included in Merriam-Webster 2．Which of the following words can be illustrated by the picture below? A．blamestorming B．chairdrobe C．chiptease D．epiphinot 话题 2：教育与学习 P1: 《上海教育模式与 PISA 成绩》 （来源：上海外国语大学附属松江云间中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试题）：以学生 Lucy Dong 和 Amy Zhu 的日常学习为例，介绍上海教育模式，分析上海两次获 PISA 测试冠军的原因，包括传统教育理念与现代教育方法的结合、教师培训体系等。 P2: 《用户手册的演变与现状》 （来源：上海市格致中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 回顾用户手册从 20 世纪 80 年代纸质版普及，到后来因成本、用户阅读习惯及技术发展被在线资料替代的历程，指出当前技术产品说明存在的不足。 P3: 《探索的本质与人类本能》 （来源：上海市交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试题）： 论述探索是人类的本能，不同职业（如作家、登山者、科学家）对 “探索” 有不同定义，且探索行为贯穿人类发展，助力解决各类挑战。 Passage 1 Every day, Lucy Dong and her best friend Amy Zhu wake at 7 a.m.—7.10 a.m. If they are lucky-rush through their breakfast of steamed buns and noodles, and head off to what may be the best schooling system in the world. The 10-year-olds, who are natives of Shanghai. study in 35-minute bursts from around 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a small break for lunch—and a class meeting — sandwiched in the middle. Outside school hours, the girls’ lives are lots of extra-curricular activities: English class, flute class, drumming class, handwriting class, calligraphy class, Taekwondo training, modelling lessons and choir practice. Shanghai was crowned (加冕) — for the second time — the champion of the Programme for International Student Assesment (PISA．, which compares the maths, reading and science skills of some 510,00 secondary school students around the world). Some experts question the value of comparing cities and countries. Others point out that Shanghai’s relatively well-funded schools and well-paid teachers are not representative (代表) of the Chinese education system as a whole. Even so, the latest results are likely to see more and more educators flock east in search of the mega-city’s magic formula. Professor Kong Lingshuai of the College of Education at Shanghai Normal University has studied the city’s PISA successes. He says that the secret is a mix of “traditional elements and modern elements”. The former is related to the high expectations of “tiger” parents, and a belief in Chinese children from a young age that effort is crucial to gaining a good education. The “modern elements” include Shanghai’s willingness to constantly adapt its curriculum and teaching practices; its focus on improving under-achieving schools by pairing them with those that excel; its openness to foreign ideas; and the introduction of performance-related pay. An obsession with (痴迷于) training has also been the key, says Prof. Kong. As of last year, new teachers have to undergo a standardized, one-year training course before starting in the classroom. Once qualified, they are required to complete at least 240 hours’ training in their first five years, including online learning, paper reading. essay writing and so on. Teachers are also encouraged to attend each other’s classes to promote a culture of “idea sharing, exchanging and positive competition”. Outsiders often dismiss China’s educational system as a pressure-cooker-style craze of exams that places too much emphasis on rote-learning and does little to stimulate creativity. But in Shanghai at least, that may be starting to change. Authorities are attempting to move away from testing that relies too heavily on memorizing facts and figures, and some schools are also giving students more time to play, rather than just study. 1．The author mentions Lucy Dong and Amy Zhu in the first 3 paragraphs to ______. A．praise the hard work of these two girls B．give readers the whole picture of Chinese education C．show what education in Shanghai looks like D．criticize the burden the education brings on them 2．Why do some experts challenge the result that Shanghai ranked 1 “in PISA test?” A．Because the value of PISA, which only tests 510,000 students globally, receives doubt. B．Because Shanghai has got more attention and resources from the central government. C．Because only maths, reading and science skills are compared in PISA test, which is not enough. D．Because Shanghai has a better system of financial support for schools as well as for teachers. 3．Which of the following is closest in meaning to “dismiss” in the last paragraph? A．To give credit for something. B．To think about something differently. C．To think negatively of something. D．To claim the features of something 4．Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? A．Strict parents contribute little to the academic success of their children. B．Students have more free time to spend on their interest across China. C．Under-achieving schools are usually displaced by those academically competitive schools. D．Many education researchers are getting to Shanghai to study the phenomenon. Passage 2 In the old days — say, the 1980s — if you bought a piece of technology, a paperback user guide came with it. It was the manufacturer’s one big chance to explain its engineers’ thinking to you, to communicate what the designers and marketers had in mind. Supplying documentation seemed, at the time, like a good idea all around. Mastery made customers happy, and happy customers meant repeat sales. But there were other forces at play. Printing and binding took time and money — and customers didn’t seem to be reading user manuals. Over time, therefore, physical manuals began disappearing from our hardware and software boxes. Maybe you’d get a Quick Start leaflet, but the rest was online. Online, you can search for certain terms, find topics faster and post questions for other people. Online communities and answer sites sprang up. Mini tutorials on the Internet began showing you how to perform a task. And it’s all free. Meanwhile the kind of technologies we use has changed. “People increasingly spend time in apps and social sites that have a fairly simple interface (界面),” Tim O’Reilly told me. (He’s founder of O’Reilly Media, which publishes my own how-to books. )You don’t need a manual to use Google. That was the beginning of the end for physical manuals. In principle, the death of professionally prepared support materials shouldn’t be any cause for concern. It’s just another big change caused by the Internet, another in the list of casualties, such as printed encyclopedias, newspaper classified ads and music on discs. In reality, though, none of the tech industry’s teaching channels, whether physical or online, is universal and effective. To this day, it’s astonishing how little we know about our phones, computers and software. A Microsoft product manager once told me that most feature requests the company gets for Microsoft Office are, in fact, already features of Microsoft Office. Hardware and software makers still operate with their traditional business model: Every year or so they sell us a new version, whose appeal is supposed to be more features. And so, as time goes by, our devices and apps become more and more complex — but access to documentation remains limited and incomplete. In the fantasy version of our world, designers would make our tech products simple enough, their important features obvious enough, for the masses to figure out on their own. Until then, there will be a growing information gap between the features we want and the engineering work that’s already been done. 1．The word “casualties” (paragraph 6) is closest in meaning to___________. A．causes B．manuals C．industries D．victims 2．Why did the author mention what a Microsoft product manager once told him? A．To criticize the lack of access that we have to complete documentation. B．To reveal the traditional business model that software makers operate with. C．To emphasize that it is a pity that physical manuals are no longer available. D．To illustrate that people actually know little about the tech products they use. 3．What can be inferred from the passage? A．Tech companies’ teaching channels are shrinking as time goes by. B．There is little chance that tech products will soon be simple enough. C．Printed manuals worked better than online versions. D．Consumers of the 1980s loved to read user manuals. 4．Which of the following might be the best title of the passage? A．What Happened to User Manuals? B．How Did Physical Manuals Prosper? C．How Simple Will Our Tech Products Be? D．What Change Has the Internet Brought About? Passage 3 We are all explorers. Our desire to discover, and then share that new-found knowledge, is part of what makes us human. Indeed, this has played an important part in our success as a species. Long before the first caveman sat beside the fire and grunted news that there were plenty of wildebeest (羚羊) out there, our ancestors had learned the value of sending out pioneers to investigate the unknown. This questing nature of ours undoubtedly helped our species spread around the globe, just as it nowadays no doubt helps the last nomadic Penan maintain their existence in the depleted forests of Borneo, and a visitor navigate the subways of New York. Over the years, we’ve come to think of explorers as a peculiar breed — different from the rest of us, different from those of us who are merely “well-travelled”, even; and perhaps there is a type of person more suited to seeking out the new, a type of caveman more inclined to risk venturing out. That, however, doesn’t take away from the fact that we all have this enquiring instinct, even today; and that in all sorts of professions — whether artist, marine biologist or astronomer — borders of the unknown are being tested each day. Thomas Hardy set some of his novels in Egdon Heath, a fictional area of uncultivated land, and used the landscape to suggest the desires and fears of his characters. He is delving into matters we all recognize because they are common to humanity. This is surely an act of exploration, and into a world as remote as the author chooses. Explorer and travel writer Peter Fleming talks of the moment when the explorer returns to the existence he has left behind with his loved ones. The traveller “who has for weeks or months seen himself only as a puny and irrelevant alien crawling laboriously over a country in which he has no roots and no background, suddenly encounters his other self, a relatively solid figure, with a place in the minds of certain people”. Here is how some of today’s ‘explorers’ define the word. Ran Fiennes, dubbed the “greatest living explorer”, said, “An explorer is someone who has done something that no human has done before — and also done something scientifically useful.” Chris Bonington, a leading mountaineer, felt exploration was to be found in the act of physically touching the unknown: “You have to have gone somewhere new.” Then Robin Hanbury Tenison, a campaigner on behalf of remote so-called “tribal” peoples, said, “A traveller simply records information about some far-off world, and reports back; but an explorer changes the world.” Wilfred Thesiger, who crossed Arabia’s Empty Quarter in 1946, and belongs to an era of unmechanised travel now lost to the rest of us, told me, “If I’d gone across by camel when I could have gone by car, it would have been a stunt.” To him, exploration meant bringing back information from a remote place regardless of any great self-discovery. Each definition is slightly different and tends to reflect the field of endeavour of each pioneer. It was the same whoever I asked: the prominent historian would say exploration was a thing of the past, the cutting-edge scientist would say it was of the present. And so on. They each set their own particular criteria the common factor in their approach being that they all had, unlike many of us who simply enjoy travel o discovering new things, both a very definite objective from the outset and also a desire to record their findings. 1．The writer refers to visitors to New York to illustrate the point that A．exploration is an inner element of being human. B．most people are not enthusiastic about exploring. C．exploration fails to lead to surprising results. D．most people find exploration frustrating. 2．According to the passage, what is the writer’s view of explorers? A．Their discoveries have brought both benefits and disadvantages. B．Their main value is in teaching others. C．They act on an urge that is common to everyone. D．They tend to be more attracted to certain professions than to others. 3．The writer refers to a description of Egdon Heath to suggest that A．Hardy was writing about his own experience of exploration. B．Hardy was mistaken about the nature of exploration. C．Hardy’s aim was to investigate people’s emotional states. D．Hardy’s aim was to show the attraction of isolation. 4．When discussing the definition of exploration, the writer argues that A．people tend to relate exploration to their own professional interests. B．certain people are likely to misunderstand the nature of exploration. C．the generally accepted definition has changed over time. D．historians and scientists have more valid definitions than the general public. 话题 3：社会与职业 P1:《印度职业写信人的兴衰》 （来源：上海市华东师范大学第二附属中学 2024-2025 学年高二下学期期中考试英语试题）： 回顾印度职业写信人曾在农村人群与城市亲人沟通中扮演的重要角色，后因识字率提高、手机普及等因素，该职业逐渐衰落的历程。 P2:《美国彩票的现状与问题》 （来源：上海市进才中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 分析美国彩票受欢迎的原因（易获取、价格低、收益用于公益），同时指出其存在的严重不平等问题 —— 贫困家庭在彩票上的花费占收入比例远高于富裕家庭。 P3: 《建筑工人的钢琴才华》 （来源：上海大同中学2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 讲述加拿大埃德蒙顿市建筑工人 Archive Gould 在工作间隙，身着沾满油漆的工作服弹奏钢琴，其表演视频在网上走红，打破人们对建筑工人的刻板印象。 Passage 1 India’s Last Letter Writers When I was a child in Calcutta, I remember my mother writing letters for our domestic helper, Kailash, who had never been to school. The letters always began with “Dear son…” and included news about his family and instructions on how to use the money he sent. Many people from rural India, much like Kailash, once relied on professional letter writers to maintain contact with loved ones after moving to the cities in search of work. However, this once-vital profession is slowly disappearing Jagdish Sharma, one of the last remaining professional letter writers in Delhi, has not written a letter in over a decade. For 31 years, he worked just outside the Kashmere Gate post office, assisting a wide range of people in writing heartfelt letters. Sharma’s strengths lay not in complex tools, but in the basics: a solid grasp of language, neat handwriting, and a talent for translating people’s emotions into words. “People would tell me their stories,” he recalls, “and I would express them in my own words.” Sharma worked with other letter writers for years, assisting customers with forms, parcels, and, most importantly, communication with distant family. “I helped 70 to 80 people a day,” he says with quiet pride. Letter writing has played a significant role in Indian history for centuries. During the Mughal era, professional writers supported aristocrats (贵族) in managing their correspondence. Later, when the British introduced a formal postal system in 1854, services were established to assist those who were unable to read or write. In more recent years, however, changes in society quietly reshaped the need for traditional letter-writing services. As more people learned to read and write, and affordable mobile phones found their way into everyday life, the once-frequent visits to letter writers began to fade. By 2008, the Indian government officially recognized this shift, stating that the service was no longer considered essential. Sharma acknowledged that the decline had begun well before the government’s decision. As business declined, many of his colleagues either retired or sought employment elsewhere. Despite the changes, Sharma still visits the post office daily, except Sundays. “I have nowhere else to go,” he says. One afternoon, I found him preparing a parcel for a client, sewing it with skill, writing the address, and sealing it with a candle. His long-time client, Rekha Kumari — who had been coming to him for ten years — smiled as she showed me her mobile phone. “No,” she said, “I’ll call them myself now.” 1．Many rural Indians relied on professional letter writers because ________. A．they valued the personal and emotional touch of handwritten letters B．they lacked formal education and needed help to communicate C．they preferred letter writers’ solid grasp of language and expression D．mobile phones were not affordable for most people at that time 2．What led to the decline of professional letter writers? A．The government banned their services in 2008 B．People preferred face-to-face communication. C．Higher literacy and mobile phones reduced demand. D．Many-letter writers switched to other promising jobs. 3．What does the interaction between Sharma and Rekha in the final paragraph suggest? A．Phone calls prove cheaper and more convenient than writing letters. B．Kekha is forced to continue using Sharma’s services from loyalty. C．Sharma is actively updating his business with modern technologies    . D．Technological advances have made letter-writing services outdated. 4．What is the passage mainly about? A．Sympathy for the grassroot working class in India. B．The emergence of mobile phones in Indian literature. C．An appeal to the government to protect traditional craft. D．The rise and fall of professional letter writers in India. Passage 2 On April 1st millions of Americans watched as six numbered ping-pong balls tumbled out of (从……中滚出) a giant popcorn popper. The occasion was the latest drawing of Power ball, a multi-state lottery. The last draw offered punters (赌徒) a shot at a $1bn jackpot, the fifth-biggest in the game’s 32-year history. The odds of winning the jackpot are unimaginably low — just one in 292m for Power ball. Yet sales are at a record high. In 2023 Americans shelled out more than $100bn on state-run lotteries. Were they a single company, America’s lotteries would be the ninth-most profitable in the country. Why are lotteries so popular when the chances of winning are so low? For one, they are almost everywhere. Some 45 states, and the District of Columbia, operate them. Low prices mean that anyone can afford to play; vast jackpots add to the excitement. Moreover, proceeds tend to go to worthy causes, such as public education or programs for the elderly. Whereas casinos keep less than 10% of the money wagered (下注) on slot machines, state lotteries keep around 30% of ticket sales, on average. But the system is woefully regressive. An analysis of data obtained by The Economist through public-records requests finds that poorer households spend significantly more, in absolute terms, on lotteries than richer ones. As a share of income, the imbalance is even more striking. Using zip-code-level sales data from 24 states, we estimate that each 10% decrease in median household income is associated with a 4% increase in lottery spending. Age and ethnicity are also correlated with lottery sales:older and non-white Americans are more likely to play. But income is the most-important factor. In the poorest 1% of zip codes that have lottery retailers, the average American adults spend around $600 a year, or  nearly 5% of their income, on tickets. That compares with just $150, or 0.15%, for those in the richest 1% of zip codes. In other words, the poorest households spend roughly 30 times more on lotteries than richer ones, as a share of income. The pandemic appears to have made things worse. In 2021 the poorest 1% of households — flush with stimulus cheques — spent $100 more on lotteries than they did in 2019. The richest 1% spent just $10 more. 1．What are the mean reasons for the popularity of lotteries? A．Low price, moderate risk, and high payback. B．Appealing jackpot amount, high wining rate, and profitability. C．Profitability, possibility and generous social donation. D．Accessibility, affordability and public welfare promotion. 2．What does the underlined phrase “woefully regressive” mean in this context? A．Sadly declining. B．Severely unequal. C．Socially beneficial. D．Significantly influential. 3．What can we learn from Para. 5-6 ? A．The rich usually deprive the poor of their wealth through lottery system. B．An aged African-American woman is more likely to spend more on lotteries than a poor Anglo-Saxon White man. C．The poorest households spend much more on lotteries than the richer ones as a share of income but not as absolute numbers. D．Households in financial difficulties tend to wager a larger proportion of income on lotteries. 4．What is the best title for this article? A．Critical insight: the economics of American lotteries. B．Inspirational plan: make great fortune overnight. C．Silver Linings: the rise of modern “Great Catsby” D．American lotteries: the modern “blood diamond” business. Passage 3 One of the advantaged of social media is that we get to see aspects of people’s lives that can be rather surprising. In fact, some of the videos that get shared remind us of the many hidden— and not-so-hidden — talents that are out there. Recently a video was shared of a construction worker taking a break and treating his co-workers to a beautiful musical interlude (插曲) in their busy day. Archive could, a painter working for a specialized painting company in Edmonton, was carrying out a job in front of a library. Looking in the window, one of his workmates noticed there was a public piano inside. Gould explained to CTV News that his workmates were aware that he’d played the piano for years, but he’d never been able to showcase his talents. Therefore on the first day on site, could sat down in his paint-stained work clothes to play for his workmates. “It was so heart melting. I love classical music to begin with. Seeing him playing exceptionally well, I was totally touched,” his work mate, Kerrie bates, shared her reaction to Gould’s performance. As for could, he was also delighted to have the opportunity to show his workmates that he was indeed able to play the piano. The performance was shared online, where it notched up an impressive number of views. And could come up with why he thought the video had become so popular, “I think half the reason that the video blew up is that I look like a construction worker. No one expects a construction worker to just demonstrate some classical music like it’s nothing.” However, his performance is not just a lesson in looking beyond a person’s outward appearance, It also reminds us that we should develop our talents gradually and enjoy them as and when we can, While we might not all be able to become professional pianists or singers, there’s so much joy to be had in having a passion and sharing it with others. 1．What role does social media play according to the first paragraph? A．A platform for people to show talents. B．Means of communication and expression. C．Place for people to share common interest. D．A tool to remind us of some important things. 2．How did Kerrie bates react to Gould’s performance? A．She considered it was incredible. B．She thought it held lasting artistic valued, C．She found it was more accessible to workers. D．She believed it deserved a great deal of fame. 3．What does the underlined phrase “notched up” in paragraph 5 probably mean? A．Reserved. B．Required. C．Convinced. D．Earned. 4．What does Gould’s story convey? A．The early bird catches the worm. B．Never judge a book by its cover. C．Actions speak louder than words. D．Nothing is difficult to a willing heart, 话题 4：文化与历史 P1:《第一部牛津英语词典的编纂》 （来源：上海市育才中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中测试英语试题）： 讲述第一部《牛津英语词典》的编纂过程，重点介绍美国外科医生 William Chester Minor（因精神问题住院）作为志愿者，为词典贡献大量单词和引文的故事。 P2: 《核能与可再生能源的争议》 （来源：上海市上海交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 围绕 “环保主义者” 概念演变，阐述科学界对核能的争议 一方坚持完全依赖可再生能源，另一方认为需在风光不足时辅以核能，并以德国能源转型为例分析可再生能源发展的挑战。 P3:《Touchwood 的矛盾性格》 （来源：上海市上海交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 刻画 Touchwood 好斗易怒却又暗藏善意的矛盾性格，如反对他人提议却会默默付出、对他人遭遇不幸时会无私帮助却又在事后无故侮辱对方，展现人性的复杂面。 Passage 1 One of the greatest contributions to the first Oxford English Dictionary was also one of its most unusual. In 1879, Oxford University in England asked Prof. James Murray to serve as editor for what was to be the most ambitious dictionary in the history of the English language. It would include every English word possible and would give not only the definition but also the history of the word and quotations (引文) showing how it was used. This was a huge task, so Murrary had to find volunteers from Britain, the United States, and the British colonies to search every newspaper, magazine, and book ever written in English. Hundreds of volunteers responded, including William Chester Minor. Dr. Minor was an American surgeon who had served in the Civil War and was now living in England. He gave his address as “Broadmoor, Crowthorne, Berkshire,” 50 miles from Oxford. Minor joined the army of volunteers sending words and quotations to Murray. Over the next 17 years, he became one of the staff’s most valued contributors. But he was also a mystery. In spite of many invitations, he would always decline to visit Oxford. So in 1897, Murray finally decided to travel to Crowthorne himself. When he arrived, he found Minor locked in a book-lined cell at the Broadmoor Asylum (精神病院) for the Criminally Insane. Murray and Minor became friends, sharing their love of words. Minor continued contributing to the dictionary, sending in more than 10,000 submissions in 20 years. Murray continued to visit Minor regularly, sometimes taking walks with him around the asylum grounds. In 1910, Minor left Broadmoor for an asylum in his native America. Murray was at the port to wave goodbye to his remarkable friend. Minor died in 1920, seven years before the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary was completed. The 12 volumes defined 414,825 words, and thousands of them were contributions from a very scholarly and devoted asylum patient. 1．According to the text, the first Oxford English Dictionary ________. A．came out before minor died B．was edited by an American volunteer C．included the English words invented by Murray D．was intended to be the most ambitious English dictionary 2．How did Dr. Minor contributed to the dictionary? A．He helped Murray to find hundreds of volunteers. B．He sent newspapers, magazines and books to Murray. C．He provided a great number of words and quotations. D．he went to England to work with Murray. 3．Prof. Murray and Dr. Minor became friends mainly because ________. A．they both served in the Civil War B．they had a common interest in words C．Minor recovered with the help of Murray D．Murray went to America regularly to visit Minor 4．Which of the following best describe Dr. Minor? A．Brave and determined. B．Cautious and friendly. C．Considerate and optimistic. D．Unusual and scholarly. Passage 2 The term “environmentalist” can mean different things. It used to refer to people trying to protect wildlife and natural ecosystems. In the 21st century, the term has evolved to capture the need to combat human-made climate change. The distinction between these two strands of environmentalism is the cause of a split within the scientific community about nuclear energy. On one side are purists who believe nuclear power isn’t worth the risk and the exclusive solution to the climate crisis is renewable energy. The opposing side agrees that renewable energy is crucial, but says society needs an amount of power available to meet consumers’ basic demands when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing. Nuclear energy, being far cleaner than oil, gas and coal, is a natural option, especially where hydroelectric capacity is limited. Leon Clarke, who helped author reports for the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, isn’t an uncritical supporter of nuclear energy, but says it’s a valuable option to have if we’re serious about reaching carbon neutrality. “Core to all of this is the degree to which you think we can actually meet climate goals with 100% renewable energy,” he said. “If you don’t believe we can do it, and you care about the climate, you are forced to think about something like nuclear.” The prospect of universal 100% renewability is similarly contentious. Cities such as Burlington, Vermont, have been “100% renewable” for years. But these cities often have small populations, occasionally still rely on fossil fuel energy and have significant renewable resources at their immediate disposal. Meanwhile, countries that manage to run off renewable energy typically do so thanks to extraordinary hydroelectric capabilities. Germany stands as the best case study for a large, industrialized country pushing into green energy. Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2011 announced Energiewende, an energy transition that would phase out nuclear and coal while phasing in renewable energy. Wind and solar power generation has increased over 400% since 2010, and renewable energy provided 46% of the country’s electricity in 2019. But progress has stopped in recent years. The instability of renewable energy doesn’t just mean energy is often not produced at night, but also that solar and wind can overwhelm the grid during the day, forcing utilities to pay customers to use their electricity. Lagging grid infrastructure struggles to transport this overabundance of green energy from Germany’s north to its industrial south, meaning many factories still run on coal and gas. The political limit has also been reached in some places, with citizens meeting the construction of new wind turbines with loud protests. The result is that Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen by around 11.5% since 2010 — slower than the EU average of 13.5%. 1．What is the solution to energy shortage proposed by purists’ opponents? A．Relying on renewable energy firmly and exclusively B．Using fossil fuel and green energy alternatively C．Choosing nuclear energy when necessary D．Limiting people’s non-basic consumption 2．What point does the author want to make with cities like Burlington as an example? A．It is controversial whether the goal of the whole world’s exclusive dependence on renewable energy is attainable. B．It is contentious whether cities with large populations have renewable resources at their immediate disposal. C．It is arguable whether cities that manage to run off renewable energy have sustainable hydroelectric capabilities. D．It is debatable whether traditional fossil fuel energy can be done away with entirely throughout the world. 3．What do we learn about Germany regarding renewable energy? A．It has increased its wind and solar power generation four times over the last two decades. B．It represents a good example of a major industrialized country promoting green energy. C．It relies on renewable energy to generate more than half of its electricity. D．It has succeeded in reaching the goal of energy transition set by Merkel. 4．What may be one of the reasons for Germany’s progress having stopped in recent years? A．Its grid infrastructure’s capacity has fallen behind its development of green energy. B．Its overabundance of green energy has forced power plants to suspend operation during daytime. C．Its industrial south is used to running factories on conventional energy supplies. D．Its renewable energy supplies are unstable both at night and during the day. Passage 3 Touchwood’s bad temper is of the contradicting pugnacious sort. He is the honourable gentleman in opposition, whatever proposal or proposition may be Line broached, and when others join him he secretly dams their superfluous agreement, quickly discovering that his way of stating the case is not exactly theirs. An invitation or any sign of expectation throws him into an attitude of refusal. Ask his concurrence in a benevolent measure: he will not decline to give it, because he has a real sympathy with good aims; but he complies resentfully, though where he is let alone, he will do much more than anyone would have thought of asking for. No man would shrink with greater sensitiveness from the imputation of not paying his debts, yet when a bill is sent in with any promptitude, he is inclined to make the tradesman wait for the money he is in such a hurry to get. One sees that this antagonistic temper must be much relieved by finding a particular object, and that its worst moments must be those where the mood is that of vague resistance, there being nothing specific to oppose. Touchwood is never so little engaging as when he comes down to breakfast with a cloud on his brow, after parting from you the night before with an affectionate effusiveness at the end of a confidential conversation which has assured you of mutual understanding. Impossible that you can have committed any offence. If mice have disturbed him, that is not your fault; but, nevertheless, your cheerful greeting had better not convey any reference to the weather, else it will be met by a sneer which, taking you unawares, may give you a crushing sense that you make a poor figure with your cheerfulness, which was not asked for. Some daring person perhaps introduces another topic, and uses the delicate flattery of appealing to Touchwood for his opinion, the topic being included in his favourite studies. An indistinct muttering, with a look at the carving-knife in reply, teaches that daring person how ill he has chosen a market for his deference. If Touchwood’s behaviour affects you very closely you had better break your leg in the course of the day: his bad temper will then vanish at once; he will take a painful journey on your behalf; he will sit up with you night after night; he will do all the work of your department so as to save you from any loss in consequence of your accident; he will be even uniformly tender to you till you are well on your legs again, when he will some fine morning insult you without provocation, and make you wish that his generous goodness to you had not closed your lips against retort. 1．The narrator suggests that agreeing with Touchwood on a given subject is a way to ________ A．achieve a kind of victory over him B．change his grouchiness to good humor C．earn his grudging intellectual respect D．throw him into confusion and embarrassment E．cause him to alter his original approach 2．According to the narrator, when is Touchwood LEAST contented? A．When he fails to agree with an opponent B．When a tradesman presents him with a bill C．When he fails to get a peaceful night’s sleep D．When he lacks a specific object to challenge E．When he is unable to achieve a benevolent end 3．What is the most likely reason that Touchwood “is inclined to make the tradesman wait for the money”? A．He enjoys doing harm to other people. B．He fears for his own financial security. C．He refuses to respond to another’s prompting. D．He is extremely wary of being cheated. E．He is uncertain about the legitimacy of others’ demands. 4．The underlined part “Impossible… fault” primarily serve to ________ A．offer feeble excuses B．present contradictory explanations C．acknowledge personal responsibility D．imagine and reject possible provocations E．describe and deny public allegations 5．At the end of the passage, the narrator suggests that the person who has had the “accident” will ________ A．become Touchwood’s friend for life B．be reluctant to respond to verbal attacks from Touchwood C．tend to avoid Touchwood’s company at any cost D．have only kindly feelings toward Touchwood E．have a lower opinion of Touchwood than before the accident 话题 5：自然与生物 P1: 《救助企鹅 Juan Salvado 的故事》 （来源：上海市华东师范大学附属东昌中学 2024-2025 学年高一下学期期中考试英语试卷）：讲述 Tom Michell 在阿根廷任教时救助漏油事故中幸存的企鹅 Juan Salvado，带其到学校游泳池游泳，展现企鹅在水中的自然本性及给人们带来的快乐。 P2: 《流浪狗 Clementine 的蜕变》 （来源：上海外国语大学附属松江云间中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中考试英语试题）：记录流浪狗 Clementine 从多次被收养失败，到被消防员 Captain Robert Moree 收养成为消防犬，最终获 “年度最佳狗” 奖项的历程。 P3:《拯救橡树苗行动》 （来源：上海市宝山区上海大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年上学期期中英语考试卷）： 因政府资助延迟，近 50 万棵橡树苗面临被毁，经《泰晤士报》报道后，众多慈善机构、社区团体和个人参与救助，大部分树苗得以售出并找到 “归宿”。 Passage 1 In 1975. Englishman Tom Michell was teaching at an English-language boarding school in Argentina. On winter break, he went to Uruguay and on the beach came across a penguin, the lone survivor of a spill (漏油事故). Michell brought him back to the apartment where he was staying, cleaned him and fed him. The penguin quickly became attached to the young teacher, so he brought the bird whom he’d named Juan Salvado-back with him to school. In Michell’s new book, The Penguin Lessons, he writes about the joy that. Juan Salvado brought to everyone he met. The possibility of letting Juan Salvado swim free in the school’s outdoor pool had occurred to me, as our pool was unusual because it was completely free of any filtration of chlorination system (氯化系统过滤). The pool sat unused during the chilly winter, but once the temperature rose, it was drained, scrubbed, and filled. This cycle continued every two weeks throughout the season. By the end of the pool’s first two weeks in use, the weather was still cool, and only a few students wanted to swim. I had waited for this particular evening when the pool was scheduled for its routine cleaning-no one would object if Juan Salvado dirtied the water before it was drained. As soon as the swimmers departed, I signaled the students who were exercising Juan Salvado on the fields nearby to bring him. One of the students, Diego, placed the bird next to me, and as I walked to the pool, Juan Salvado followed. He surveyed the water without apparently comprehending its nature. “Go on!” I said. He looked at me, then at the pool. “It’s all right. You can swim!” I said, splashing water on him. Juan Salvado looked me in the eyes as if to ask, “Ah! Is this where the fish come from?” Without further encouragement, he plunged in. With a single flip of his wings, he flew like an arrow across the water and collided (碰撞) the wall on the opposite side, face-first, at a considerable speed. The impact was obvious. Juan Salvado then rose to the surface, but after a moment, he gave a vigorous shake and ducked below the surface again. I was thoroughly familiar with Juan Salvado’s awkward and amusing progress on land, but now I watched in awe. It was clear to me now how badly he needed to use his wing muscles that hadn’t been used for too long. Juan Salvado had finally found the freedom to express his true nature and show us just what it meant to be a penguin. 1．Why did Tom Michel chooses such a time to let Juan Salvado go to the swimming pool for the first time? A．To give the penguin a big enough place to practise swimming. B．To observe the penguin at a close range without any interruption. C．To ensure that the penguin would not cause additional inconvenience. D．To protect the penguin against any harm caused by the chilly weather 2．What was the penguin’s initial reaction when he was brought to the pool? A．Anger and frustration B．Thrill and anticipation. C．Disappointment and regret. D．Curiosity and hesitation. 3．What did Juan Salvado’s swimming reveal about his nature? A．His clumsiness on land. B．His need for companionship. C．His need to use his wing muscles. D．His preference for warmer climates. Passage 2 Clementine seemed to be missing a piece from her life’s puzzle for most of her life. Dropped off as a 3-year-old homeless dog near New Orleans, the dog stayed in the shelter for four months before being moved to Texas. While living at an adoption center in Texas, the dog was adopted out twice to different families. Sadly, neither of those adoptions were successful. It turned out Clementine didn’t get along with smaller pets, and she had too much energy for the second family. Meanwhile, Captain Robert Moree wanted to add a fire dog to the station. He’d just read a study about how dogs help firefighters deal with the pressure of their jobs, and he was eager to give the study a real life trial run! With the permission of the chief and other firefighters, he and a few colleagues visited the shelter. As soon as they met Clementine, they were smitten! “They introduced us to Clementine,” Captain Moree recalled. “She started to like us, and we liked her instantly. Later that day, my driver, Bryan Wallen, and I decided to get her.” Captain Moree officially adopted Clementine, but she definitely belonged to every person in the firehouse. She loved to hug the firefighters in between calls, and she was always nearby whenever anyone was preparing food. “She rides on the truck when we go out on calls” said Captain Moree. “She not only makes the station feel more like home during our 24-hour shifts but also keeps us excited to come to the station.” Clementine has made such an amazing journey from a homeless dog to a hero dog. She was named Dog of the Year at the 2022 ASPCA Humane Awards! 1．Why did Clementine fail to stay in the second family? A．She was too active. B．She liked fire. C．She ate too much. D．She was aggressive. 2．What does the underlined word “smithen” probably mean? A．touched B．fascinated C．confused D．embarrassed 3．What did Captain Moree expect a fire dog to do? A．Help put out fires. B．Guard the firehouse. C．Stay excited day and night. D．Ease pressure of firefighters. 4．What can be inferred about Clementine from the last two paragraphs? A．She risked her life as a fire dog. B．She has got many important awards. C．She did an excellent job as a fire dog. D．She remained homeless in her whole life. Passage 3 Almost half a million young oak (橡树) trees have been saved after The Times revealed they were due to be destroyed because of delays in government help to create more woodland. A tree nursery said in March that it had been unable to find buyers for the one and two-year-old seedlings of England’s national tree. Maelor Forest Nurseries near Wrexham spent two years looking after 500,000 seedlings, expecting a great increase in demand after government promises to increase tree planting. Demand failed to materialize and the company said it planned to destroy the trees, partly blaming difficulties land owners faced in obtaining subsidies to fund the work. After The Times reported on the plan, dozens of charities, community groups and individuals all over the country got in touch with Maelor to ask if they could help. “The nursery discounted the price per tree from 35 — 40 pence to 20 pence and sold nearly all of the 500,000 it had been planning to destroy. Thanks largely to the article in The Times only a small percentage had to be destroyed,” said Mike Harvey, Maelor’s managing director. “We are delighted that these oak saplings (幼树) have found good homes. We were frustrated at the prospect of having to destroy plants which we had spent two years growing only to find they were being left without a future for reasons beyond our control.” Mr Harvey said the largest order, for 30,000 oaks, had come from Extinction Rebellion Rewilding, an offshoot of the climate change campaign group. It launched a campaign called Save the Oaks which raised £10,000 through a crowdfunding appeal to purchase and plant trees that had been due to be destroyed. Jethro Gauld, one of the organisers of the planting in Cambridgeshire, said, “We wanted to do something to prevent such a massive waste of saplings and help create a good news story to benefit local people and wildlife. ” Natasha Somers, a volunteer for Save the Oaks, said, “The support we’ve seen shows how a community can come together in difficult times. It’s clear that people want to act for a better future, one where humanity and nature are connected.” 1．The underlined word ‘subsidies’ is closest in meaning to ‘________’. A．equipment B．technical support C．confidence D．financial aid 2．What had Maelor Forest Nurseries planned to do before The Times reported on their plan? A．To reduce the price of the seedlings. B．To ruin the trees it had taken care of. C．To wait for government help to arrive. D．To count the number of oak trees in Britain. 3．What happened to the 500,000 saplings at last? A．Most of them were sold out. B．Most of them were thrown away. C．They were replanted to Cambridgeshire. D．They were donated to a campaign group. 4．What is the passage mainly about? A．A prospective approach to planting. B．A nationwide effort to save oak trees. C．A tree nursery devoted to preserving endangered trees. D．A species of trees that are threatened with extinction. 话题 6：科学与探索 P1: 《衰老与大脑学习能力》 （来源：上海市上海交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 探讨衰老与大脑的关系，指出尽管大脑随年龄增长会萎缩，但通过学习新事物、积累新经验等方式可保持大脑灵活性与健康。 P2: 《中亚贝加什地区考古发现》 （来源：上海市上海交通大学附属中学 2024-2025 学年高一上学期期中英语试卷）： 讲述考古学家 Frachetti 团队在中亚贝加什地区的考古发现，包括小麦和玉米遗迹，颠覆了人们对该地区历史的传统认知，揭示其在早期欧亚交流中的重要地位。 P3:《地质学与气候变化的关联》 （来源：上海市闵行区实验高级中学 2024-2025 学年上学期期中考试英语试卷）： 纠正 “地质学只与岩石有关” 的误解，阐述地质过程与气候的紧密联系，说明地质学在理解全球变暖、应对环境资源挑战等方面的重要作用。 Passage 1 Some people have said aging is more a slide into forgetfulness than a journey towards wisdom. However, a growing body of research suggests that late-in-life learning is possible. In reality, education does an aging brain good. Throughout life, people’s brains constantly renovate themselves. In the late 1960s, British brain scientist Geoffrey Raisman spied growth in damaged brain regions of rats through an electron microscope; their brains were forming new connections. This meant brains may change every time a person learns something new. Of course, that doesn’t mean the brain isn’t affected by the effects of time. Just as height usually declines over the years, so does brain volume: Humans lose about 4 percent every decade starting in their 40s. But that reduction doesn’t necessarily make people think slower; as long as we are alive and functioning, we can alter our brains with new information and experiences. In fact, scientists now suspect accumulating novel experiences, facts, and skills can keep people’s minds more flexible. New pathways can strengthen our ever-changing mental structure, even as the brain shrinks. Conventional fixes like word puzzles and brain-training apps can contribute to mental durability. Even something as simple as taking a different route to the grocery store or going somewhere new on vacation can keep the brain healthy. A desire for new life challenges can further boost power. Research about aging adults who take on new enterprises shows improved function and memory as well as a reduced risk of mental disease. Openness — a characteristic defined by curiosity and a desire for knowledge — may also help folks pass brain tests. Some folks are born with this take-in-the-world attitude, but those who aren’t as genetically gifted aren’t necessarily out of luck. While genes can encourage an interest in doing new things, a 2012 study in the journal Psychology and Aging found completing reasoning tasks like puzzles and number games can enhance that desire for novel experiences, which can, in turn, refresh the brain. That’s why brain scientist Richard Kennedy says “It’s not that old dogs can’t learn new tricks. It’s that maybe old dogs don’t realize why they should.” 1．What do some people think of aging adults? A．Their wisdom grows as time goes by in their long life. B．They can benefit from late-in-life learning and gain wisdom. C．Their memory gradually becomes inferior to that of the past. D．They are likely to have mental health issues due to forgetfulness. 2．What can we conclude from Geoffrey Raisman’s finding? A．Brain damage seriously hinders one’s learning. B．Brains can refresh and improve with learning. C．Brain power weakens slower than we imagine. D．Brains forge connections under new conditions. 3．What is one thing that helps maintain the health of our brain even as it shrinks? A．Doing daily routines by conventional means B．Avoiding worrying about our mental durability C．Imitating old dogs’ way of learning new tricks D．Approaching everyday tasks in novel ways 4．What is the finding of the 2012 study in the journal Psychology and Aging? A．Wishing to solve puzzles enhances one’s reasoning power B．Playing number games unexpectedly stimulates one’s memory C．Desiring new experiences can help to renovate the brain D．Learning new tricks should not be confined to old dogs only Passage 2 Vast stretches of central Asia feel uninhabited. The landscape of desert, steppe (大草原), and mountains seems to swallow up anything human. It is little surprise, then, that this region remains largely unknown to most archaeologists. Most archaeological work in Central Asia during the past century has focused on the open and rolling plains that stretch from the Black Sea to Manchuria. These steppes only came to life after 2000 B．C．, when horse domestication and riding suddenly turned a forbidding landscape for pedestrians into a natural highway of grass. By contrast, the areas to the south of the steppes have long been dismissed as backwaters of history. In the past, these southern mountains and deserts were considered too remote, rugged, and inhospitable to have played a role in early migrations or the emergence of urban life. Frachetti, who has studied modern-day pastoralists (放牧人), in such unforgiving landscapes as the Sahara and Scandinavia, was drawn to the southern region of Central Asia for its environmental diversity of desert, grassland, and meadows. Instead of a wasteland, he saw an ideal landscape for enterprising pastoralists who wanted to pasture their animals in all seasons. Together with his colleagues, Frachetti began digging a decade ago in the Dzhungar Mountains of Kazakhstan. Covering nearly 500 square miles, this region lies between the Tian Shan and Altai Mountain ranges, and boasts sharp peaks topping 12,000 feet, as well as harsh desert. More surprisingly, the researchers found wheat, which was first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, and corn that was first widely grown in northern China. The grains were used ritually in a burial, and radiocarbon dating of the remains dates them to about 2200 B．C．, making them the oldest known domesticated grains in Central Asia. The people of Begash may not have grown either grain—there are no grinding stones, a sign of grain preparation—but instead received it via trade networks stretching from the Near East to China. Dorian Fuller, a leading expert in ancient grains based at University College London, calls the finds “important and well dated.” He adds that Chinese crops such as corn began to appear in southwest Asia around 1900 B．C．, a few centuries after they reached Begash, which could mean the passage through the mountain regions was a means of gradual transmission from east to west. Frachetti proposes that the grains may have been acquired from other tribes and used for ritual purposes, and then perhaps were passed on to other pastoral peoples. What makes the Begash discoveries so important is that previously this region was assumed to have been a land of scattered hunters until steppe peoples went down into the area’s valleys and mountain ranges after 2000 B．C． But it is becoming evident that the people of Begash were not simple hunters, but sophisticated pastoralists who tended their flocks, much as people in the area still do today. The inhabitants did not begin to use horses until well into the second millennium B．C．, and the varieties of sheep and goat found here today appear to be related to the varieties first domesticated thousands of years before in western Iran, near ancient Mesopotamia. This indicates that Begash was “at the crossroads of extremely wide networks among Eurasian communities by the third millennium B．C．,” asserts Frachetti. 1．According to the passage, what made the steppes accessible to travelers? A．Running into a natural highway B．Turning a forbidding landscape C．Raising horses D．Riding motorcycles 2．Frachetti was initially interested in the areas to the south of the steppes because of ________. A．their varied geographical features B．their harsh climate and terrain C．their role in the emergence of urban life D．their location in the trade route to the north 3．Which of the following statements about the wheat and corn found in Begash is CORRECT? A．They were early signs of agriculture there. B．They were the result of trading with China. C．They were mainly used in religious rituals. D．They were probably given by other tribes. 4．What is the significance of the Begash discoveries? A．Supporting that people in the area lived basically as hunters. B．Proposing new views about the region came into being. C．Questioning the idea that Begash was at the center of the trading network. D．Indicating that Begash was part of the Eurasian community. Passage 3 It is a common misconception that geology is “just” about rocks. True, geologists are trained to read what rocks tell us about Earth’s past, present and possible future structure and evolution. But, as I will explain as part of this year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, geological processes and climate are closely linked. Numerous complex physical and chemical links and feedbacks exist between Earth’s surface and subsurface rocks, its atmosphere, oceans and ice caps and life in all these places. Volcanic eruptions bring carbon from deep within the planet to the surface and the air, enhancing the green-house effect. In contrast, weathering of exposed rocks at the surface and the action of shell-forming animals in the oceans remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reducing global warming. The rocks and fossils (化石) in the geological record bear witness to these processes, showing us that Earth’s climate has changed continually since the planet formed around 4.6 million years ago. This same record also shows that atmospheric CO2 is at its highest level in at least the past 3 million years, and that the current pace of planetary warming is never before seen in Earth’s history. The geological record can also be used to assess the accuracy of complex numerical models used to predict future climate and its impact on Earth’s habitability. Geology has improved our understanding of global warming and hopefully will help us to reduce it. There is an irony to that, given geologists play a role in locating and exploiting climate-heating fossil fuels. Now, more than ever, our discipline needs to fully adopt the concept of “sustainable geoscience”. This isn’t a new idea and nor is it limited to climate change. The many and varied historical contributions of geology to tackling some of our greatest societal challenges can be seen by looking at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. To name just a couple of examples, geologists study the origin, natural transportation and behaviour of pollutants like arsenic and lead, critical to the provision of safe and reliable water supplies, and they explore the origin of natural hazards such as landslides and earthquakes, and so help strengthen communities across the world. But geologists must redouble their engagement with other scientists and politicians to develop and ultimately help apply solutions to the many environmental and resource challenges we face. Students of geology should be made aware of the broader contributions their multidisciplinary skill set can make to global well-being, beyond just energy provision — although ensuring energy supply, we should not forget, underpins many of the Sustainable Development Goals. 1．The examples of volcanic eruptions and the weathering of rocks are intended to _____. A．demonstrate what geological activities geologists mainly study B．highlight the importance of studying volcanic activity in geology C．illustrate the enormous and destructive power of geological processes D．show the dynamic interactions between geological activities and climate 2．In the sentence “There is an irony to that”, the irony refers to _____. A．the profession’s role in both causing and solving global warming B．sustainable geoscience’s unexpected popularity across various fields C．the disagreement between geological records and current climate models D．geologists’ focus on energy provision which goes against their original goal 3．Which of the following can be inferred from the passage? A．Energy supply is in critical shortage. B．Geologists are able to work across various fields. C．Pollutants spread far and wide due to modern transportation. D．Fossil fuel exploitation does not contribute to climate change. 4．What is the main point the author is making in the passage? A．Geologists primarily study rocks to understand Earth’s climate. B．Climate models are often inaccurate without the geological record. C．Geology is crucial for addressing global challenges beyond the study of rocks. D．The field of geology focuses on exploiting fossil fuels and studying climate change. $