阅读理解81-北京市部分地区近两年（2024-2025）高二英语期末真题汇编

1 阅读理解-专项训练81 试题基本信息 。题型：阅读理解-阅读单选（约470词） 。核心知识点：动物、说明文 ·考查重点：细节理解、词义猜测、推理判断、主旨大意 材料剖析 ·文章结构：引出争议→第一项研究（神经元数量）第二项研究（大脑结构）→争议 现状→研究意义 ·核心观点：关于恐龙智力水平的科学争议，涉及神经元数量与大脑结构两个关键因素 阅读理解短文 If the great dinosaurs hadn't gone extinct,would they have dominated Earth today?There has been a debate about this possibility for decades.Recently two analyses have put the surprising cognitive(认知)abilities of dinosaurs一and their potential limitations一in a new light. In one study,Suzana Herculano-Houzel at Vanderbilt University calculated the likely number of neurons(神经细胞)in dinosaurs'pallium,a brain structure that is responsible for advanced cognitive functions.Research suggests that it is the number of neurons in these areas,rather than the brain size,that indicates an animal's cognitive potential.For example,despite having a very small head,birds have more densely packed brain cells than many mammals(哺乳a动物)and so can possess roughly as many neurons as monkeys.The result is that some birds show great cognitive abilities,comparable to the smartest non-human mammals.And it is precisely birds,being the only surviving lineage (of dinosaurs,that are Herculano-Houzel's foundation.By comparing the relationship between brain size,number of neurons and body size in numerous existing birds and available fossils of dinosaurs,Herculano-Houzel concludes that a large dinosaur such as T.rex could have housed two billion to three billion neurons in its pallium.If so,dinosaurs could have had the capacity for tool use and planning for the future. But neurons'number may not be enough.For intelligence,brain architecture also matters. And this could be the weakness of dinosaurs,argues Anton Reiner from the University of Tennessee. Over 350 million years of separate evolution,mammals and dinosaurs found two rather different ways to organize cognitive functions.The mammalian neurons are organized in a relatively thin layer formed by compact columns.In each column,different parts can communicate with one another over short distances.In contrast,in the dinosaurs that survive today,namely birds,the organization is less compact.According to Reiner,expanding brain capabilities beyond a certain 2 point could make the structure far more complex and less efficient than it is in humans.If this were the case,an increase in brain size would correspond to a greater distance between different parts of the brain,slowing down their communication. The issue remains open to debate.Herculano-Houzel and Reiner each published a paper with rejections to the other's argument.Meanwhile,other scientists have entered the fight.For exam- ple,neurobiologist Giorgio vallortigara assumes that speed in transmitting information between networks of neurons is probably one of dinosaurs'strengths. Whatever the truth is,understanding how and if brain architecture imposes limits on the development of cognition could reveal much about the evolution of abilities and behaviors of various animals.Also,this debate may tell us more about our own species than about dinosaurs. 题目选项列表 1.Why do Herculano-Houzel and Reiner study birds? A.Because birds are more intelligent than dinosaurs. B.Because birds'brain structures are the same as dinosaurs C.Because birds are the only survivors of the dinosaur family. D.Because birds have the same cognitive abilities as dinosaurs. 2.What does the word "compact"underlined in Paragraph 3 most probably mean? A.Tight. B.Light. C.Large. D.Wide. 3.What can be inferred from the passage? A.Dinosaurs'ability for tool use owes to bigger brains. B.The number of neurons has little to do with brain architecture. C.Greater inter-brain distance causes higher cognitive efficiency. D.The factors behind dinosaur intelligence remain to be identified. 4.Which would be the best title for the passage? A.Are Dinosaurs Comparable to Humans in Intelligence? B.Are Dinosaurs with Bigger Brains the Ultimate Geniuses? C.How Smart Were Dinosaurs?New Studies Fuel the Debate D.Can Dinosaurs Outsmart Birds?Researches Cast a New Light 3 核心词汇详解 1.cognitive 核心词性 形容词（adj,高频核心)：认知的；认识的（描述与思维、感知、理解等心 理过程相关的事物) 例：cognitive abilities（认知能力)、cognitive functions(认知功能) 词性转换 名词：cognition(认知；认识) 例：the evolution of cognition(认知的进化) 高频搭配 cognitive potential(认知潜力)、cognitive development(认知发展)、cognitive limitations(认知局限) 2.neuron 核心词性 名词(.，高频核心)：神经元；神经细胞（神经系统的基本结构和功能单位） 例：the number of neurons(神经元数量)、neuron networks(神经元网络) 词性转换 形容词：neuronal(神经元的；与神经元有关的) 例：neuronal communication（神经元通信) 高频搭配 pallium neurons(大脑皮层神经元)、transmit information between neurons (在神经元之间传递信息) 3.pallium 核心词性 名词(，高频核心)：大脑皮层；大脑皮质（大脑外层负责高级认知功能的 区域) 例：neurons in the pallium（大脑皮层中的神经元) 4.lineage 核心词性 名词(，高频核心)：宗系；世系；血统（家族或物种的直系后代传承） 例：surviving lineage（幸存的宗系)、evolutionary lineage（进化谱系) 5.architecture 核心词性 名词(，高频核心)：（大脑等的)结构；构造；建筑学；建筑风格 例：brain architecture（大脑结构)、classical architecture（古典建筑风格) 词性转换 名词：architect(建筑师；设计师) 例：the architect of the plan(计划的设计者) 高频搭配 brain architecture(大脑结构)、neural architecture(神经结构) 6.mammal 核心词性 名词(.，高频核心)：哺乳动物（通过乳腺分泌乳汁哺育幼崽的脊椎动物） 例：mnany mammals（许多哺乳动物)、non-human mammals（非人类哺乳 动物) 词性转换 形容词：mammalian(哺乳动物的) 例：mammalian neurons(哺乳动物神经元) 7.dominate 核心词性 动词(v,高频核心)：支配：控制：主导（在某一领域或范围内占据主要地 位) 例：dominate Earth(统治地球)、dominate the debate（主导辩论) 词性转换 名词：dominance(优势：支配地位) 形容词：dominant(占主导地位的；主要的) 例：evolutionary dominance(进化优势)、dominant species(优势物种) 高频搭配 dominate the world(统治世界)、dominate a region(控制一个地区) 8.extinct 核心词性 形容词(adj.,高频核心)：灭绝的：绝种的（物种因各种原因不再存在） 例：ertinct dinosaurs（灭绝的恐龙)、go extinct（灭绝) 词性转换 名词：extinction(灭绝；绝种) 例：the extinction of dinosaurs（恐龙的灭绝） 高频搭配 long-extinct species(早已灭绝的物种)、nearly extinct animals(濒临灭绝 的动物) 答案与逐题解析 正确答案：41-44CADC 1.C(Because birds are the only survivors of the dinosaur family.) 考点：细节理解题 语境逻辑：第二段明确提到”And it is precisely birds,being the only surviving lineage of di- nosaurs,that are Herculano-Houzel's foundation.”,说明鸟类是恐龙家族唯一的幸存者，这是研 究它们的原因。 选项辨析：A项”鸟类比恐龙更聪明”文中未提及；B项”鸟类脑结构与恐龙完全相同”过于绝 对，文中仅基于鸟类是恐龙后代进行推测；D项”鸟类与恐龙认知能力相同”与原文”potential limitations'”等表述矛盾。只有C项符合原文因果逻辑。 5 2.A (Tight) 考点：词义猜测题 语境逻辑：第三段对比哺乳动物和鸟类神经元组织，提到哺乳动物”organized in a relatively thin layer formed by compact columns","different parts can communicate with one another over short distances'”,说明神经元排列紧密才能实现短距离交流。 选项辨析：A.Tight(紧密的)符合”短距离交流”的结构特点；B.Light(轻的)、C.Large(大 的)、D.Wide(宽的)均与”short distances”暗示的紧凑结构无关。 3.D(The factors behind dinosaur intelligence remain to be identified.) 考点：推理判断题 语境逻辑：第四段首句”The issue remains open to debate.”及后文科学家们的不同观点（如 Herculano-Houzel强调神经元数量，Reiner关注脑结构，Vallortigara提出信息传递速度)表明， 恐龙智力的影响因素尚未有定论。 选项辨析：A项”工具使用能力归功于更大的大脑”与第二段”it is the number of neurons.. rather than the brain size'”矛盾；B项”神经元数量与脑结构无关”与第三段”neurons'number may not be enough.For intelligence,brain architecture also matters”相悖；C项”脑区距离越大 认知效率越高”与第三段”slowing down their communication”相反.D项符合”debate””rejections to the other's argument”等语境。 4.C (How Smart Were Dinosaurs?New Studies Fuel the Debate) 考点：主旨大意题 语境逻辑：全文围绕”恐龙是否能主导地球”展开，核心是两项新研究对恐龙认知能力（神经元 数量、脑结构)的不同观点，以及由此引发的科学界争论。 选项辨析：A项”恐龙与人类智力是否相当”偏离主题，文中未将恐龙与人类直接比较：B项” 大脑更大的恐龙是终极天才吗”片面，仅涉及脑大小和神经元数量，忽略脑结构争议；D项”恐 龙能比鸟类更聪明吗”与第二段”birds are the only surviving lineage”及研究以鸟类为基础的背 景不符；C项”恐龙有多聪明？新研究引发争论”准确概括了”新研究”和”争议”两大核心要 素。