专题05 阅读理解之说明文15篇（北京专用）（高考典例+热点话题练习）-2026届高考英语总复习

专题05 阅读理解之说明文15篇 (北京专用) 【题型知识点细目表】 题号 难度 知识点 1 适中 方法/策略,哲理感悟,说明文,文章大意,直接理解,逻辑推理 2 适中 科普知识 ,说明文 3 较难 科学技术 ,人工智能,说明文 4 适中 游戏,社会关系,说明文 5 适中 社会问题与社会现象,说明文 6 适中 说明文,动物 7 适中 环境保护,说明文 8 适中 人工智能,说明文 9 适中 社会问题与社会现象,说明文 10 适中 说明文,动物,科普知识 11 适中 社会问题与社会现象,说明文 12 适中 社会问题与社会现象,人工智能,说明文 13 适中 环境保护,说明文,人与动植物 14 适中 畅想未来,社会问题与社会现象,说明文 15 适中 环境保护,说明文,科普知识 【高考典例】 The call to “know yourself” has been there since ancient times, but our sense of self doesn’t always match what others perceive. Considering the stories we tell about ourselves can help us to change our minds for better. For many years, psychologists saw identity as a combination of someone’s values, beliefs, goals and social roles. Then, in the 1980s, Bob Johnson created the life story model of identity, in which he proposes that, as we go through life, these core features are built in with our memories to create a personal story through which we understand our lives. Our life story is something that starts coming together in our teenage years, when we begin to organise our lives into chapters around key events or life changes, and begin to see ourselves as both the central character and, to a varying extent, the story’s author. People with more consistent stories tend to have a stronger sense of identity, and they feel their life has more meaning, direction and sense of purpose. Such people show greater overall life satisfaction, too. Johnson has also investigated the link between well-being and certain story themes. He discovered that whether someone describes having had some control over events in their past is an important predictor of a person’s mental health. Another key theme involves finding some kind of positive meaning after stressful events. “People could talk about gaining knowledge or personal growth,” says Johnson. His research shows that this is often missing for people with mental health conditions. The good news is that there is evidence we can learn to change our own story. Lisa Green, another researcher, sounds a few notes of caution (谨慎). For instance, hearing about the power of redemptive (拯救性的) stories, many people may feel forced to find a positive angle on horrible events. She says that Western culture already pushes people to look for the silver lining behind every cloud. If you want to turn over a new leaf, though, one top tip is that it helps to choose a significant date that signals the start of a new “chapter”. Contrary to popular doubt, resolutions made on 1 January are more effective for this reason. So, whether your goal is saving money or getting fit, there is no better time to become the author of our own destiny (命运). 1．What can be inferred about personal stories? A．They are unrelated to health. B．Consistent ones lead to stress. C．They are relevant to happiness. D．Thematic ones hold back change. 2．What can we learn from this passage? A．Talking about gains from failure is negative. B．New Year resolutions are well received. C．The West tends to overvalue optimism. D．Social roles fail to be highlighted. 3．What does the author mainly do in this passage? A．Clarify a goal. B．Analyse an event. C．Make a comparison. D．Illustrate an approach. 4．What is the passage mainly about? A．How self-identity works. B．How story-tellers are made. C．How personal stories raise doubts. D．How timing affects personal identity. 【答案】1．C 2．C 3．D 4．A 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了个人故事与自我认同、幸福感之间的关系及如何改变个人故事。 1．细节理解题。根据第三段中“People with more consistent stories tend to have a stronger sense of identity, and they feel their life has more meaning, direction and sense of purpose. Such people show greater overall life satisfaction, too. (拥有更一致故事的人往往有更强的身份认同感，他们觉得自己的生活更有意义、更有方向、更有目标感。这样的人总体上对生活的满意度也更高。)”可知，个人故事与幸福感相关。故选C。 2．推理判断题。根据第五段中“She says that Western culture already pushes people to look for the silver lining behind every cloud.  (她说，西方文化已经促使人们在每一片乌云背后寻找一线希望。)”可推知，西方倾向于过度重视乐观主义。故选C。 3．推理判断题。通读全文，尤其是由文章第一段“The call to “know yourself” has been there since ancient times, but our sense of self doesn’t always match what others perceive. Considering the stories we tell about ourselves can help us to change our minds for better. (“认识你自己”这一呼吁自古便有，但我们对自己的认知并不总是与他人对我们的看法相吻合。思考我们讲述的关于自己的故事，能帮助我们以更好的方式改变自己的想法。)”和第二段中“Then, in the 1980s, Bob Johnson created the life story model of identity, in which he proposes that, as we go through life, these core features are built in with our memories to create a personal story through which we understand our lives. (然后，在20世纪80年代，鲍勃·约翰逊创造了身份的生活故事模型，他提出，在我们的一生中，这些核心特征与我们的记忆一起构建了一个个人故事，我们通过这个故事来理解我们的生活。)”以及第四段中“Johnson has also investigated the link between well-being and certain story themes. (约翰逊还研究了幸福感与某些故事主题之间的联系。)”可推知，文章主要阐述了个人故事与自我认同、幸福感之间的关系，并举例说明了如何通过改变个人故事来影响自我认同和幸福感，因此作者主要是在阐述一种方法。故选D。 4．主旨大意题。根据文章第一段“The call to “know yourself” has been there since ancient times, but our sense of self doesn’t always match what others perceive. Considering the stories we tell about ourselves can help us to change our minds for better. (“认识你自己”这一呼吁自古便有，但我们对自己的认知并不总是与他人对我们的看法相吻合。思考我们讲述的关于自己的故事，能帮助我们以更好的方式改变自己的想法。)”和第二段中“Then, in the 1980s, Bob Johnson created the life story model of identity, in which he proposes that, as we go through life, these core features are built in with our memories to create a personal story through which we understand our lives. (然后，在20世纪80年代，鲍勃·约翰逊创造了身份的生活故事模型，他提出，在我们的一生中，这些核心特征与我们的记忆一起构建了一个个人故事，我们通过这个故事来理解我们的生活。)”以及第四段中“Johnson has also investigated the link between well-being and certain story themes. (约翰逊还研究了幸福感与某些故事主题之间的联系。)”可推知，全文围绕“个人生活故事如何构建自我认知并影响幸福感”展开，分析了其形成、作用及相关研究。“How self-identity works. (自我认同是如何运作的。)”符合文意。故选A。 Franz Boas’s description of Inuit (因纽特人) life in the 19th century illustrates the probable moral code of early humans. Here, norms (规范) were unwritten and rarely expressed clearly, but were well understood and taken to heart. Dishonest and violent behaviours were disapproved of; leadership, marriage and interactions with other groups were loosely governed by traditions. Conflict was often resolved in musical battles. Because arguing angrily leads to chaos, it was strongly discouraged. With life in the unforgiving Northern Canada being so demanding, the Inuit’s practical approach to morality made good sense. The similarity of moral virtues across cultures is striking, even though the relative ranking of the virtues may vary with a social group’s history and environment. Typically, cruelty and cheating are discouraged, while cooperation, humbleness and courage are praised. These universal norms far pre-date the concept of any moralising religion or written law. Instead, they are rooted in the similarity of basic human needs and our shared mechanisms for learning and problem solving. Our social instincts (本能) include the intense desire to belong. The approval of others is rewarding, while their disapproval is strongly disliked. These social emotions prepare our brains to shape our behaviour according to the norms and values of our family and our community. More generally, social instincts motivate us to learn how to behave in a socially complex world. The mechanism involves a repurposed reward system originally used to develop habits important for self-care. Our brains use the system to acquire behavioural patterns regarding safe routes home, efficient food gathering and dangers to avoid. Good habits save time, energy and sometimes your life. Good social habits do something similar in a social context. We learn to tell the truth, even when lying is self-serving; we help a grandparent even when it is inconvenient. We acquire what we call a sense of right and wrong. Social benefits are accompanied by social demands: we must get along, but not put up with too much. Hence self-discipline is advantageous. In humans, a greatly enlarged brain boosts self-control, just as it boosts problem-solving skills in the social as well as the physical world. These abilities are strengthened by our capacity for language, which allows social practices to develop in extremely unobvious ways. 1．What can be inferred about the forming of the Inuit’s moral code? A．Living conditions were the drive. B．Unwritten rules were the target. C．Social tradition was the basis. D．Honesty was the key. 2．What can we learn from this passage? A．Inconveniences are the cause of telling lies. B．Basic human needs lead to universal norms. C．Language capacity is limited by self-control. D．Written laws have great influence on virtues. 3．Which would be the best title for this passage? A．Virtues: Bridges Across Cultures B．The Values of Self-discipline C．Brains: Walls Against Chaos D．The Roots of Morality 【答案】1．A 2．B 3．D 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。主要围绕人类道德规范的起源进行讨论，介绍了早期人类道德准则的形成过程及其如何根植于人类基本需求及共同的社会学习和问题解决机制中。 1．推理判断题。根据第一段“With life in the unforgiving Northern Canada being so demanding, the Inuit’s practical approach to morality made good sense. (在这里，规范是不成文的，很少明确表达，但被很好地理解和铭记。不赞成不诚实和暴力行为；领导、婚姻以及与其他群体的互动都受到传统的松散控制。冲突往往通过音乐斗争来解决。因为愤怒的争论会导致混乱，所以强烈反对。在无情的加拿大北部，生活的要求如此之高，因纽特人对待道德的务实态度很有道理)”可知，因纽特人的道德规范的形成是由于他们所处的严酷生活环境所驱动的，这种环境促使他们形成了一种务实的道德观念，以应对生活的挑战。文中提到规范是“unwritten and rarely expressed clearly”，但并未说明这是形成道德规范的目标；虽然文中提到传统在一定程度上影响了因纽特人的道德规范，但并未强调这是形成道德规范的基础；文中提到“Dishonest and violent behaviours were disapproved of”，但并未强调诚实是形成道德规范的关键，而是多种行为规范共同构成了道德体系。故选A项。 2．细节理解题。根据第二段“These universal norms far pre-date the concept of any moralising religion or written law. Instead, they are rooted in the similarity of basic human needs and our shared mechanisms for learning and problem solving.(这些普遍规范远远早于任何道德化宗教或成文法律的概念。相反，它们植根于人类基本需求的相似性以及我们学习和解决问题的共同机制)”可知，普遍的道德规范植根于人类基本需求的相似性以及我们学习和解决问题的共同机制，即人类的基本需求导致普遍的道德规范形成。故选B项。 3．主旨大意题。根据第一段“Franz Boas’s description of Inuit (因纽特人) life in the 19th century illustrates the probable moral code of early humans.(弗朗兹·博厄斯对19世纪因纽特人生活的描述说明了早期人类可能的道德准则)”以及文章内容可知，本文围绕人类道德规范的起源进行讨论，主要介绍了早期人类道德准则的形成过程及其如何根植于人类基本需求及共同的社会学习和问题解决机制中，所以“道德的起源”适合作为文章标题。故选D项。 What is life? Like most great questions, this one is easy to ask but difficult to answer. The reason is simple: we know of just one type of life and it’s challenging to do science with a sample size of one. The field of artificial life-called ALife for short — is the systematic attempt to spell out life’s fundamental principles. Many of these practitioners, so-called ALifers, think that somehow making life is the surest way to really understand what life is. So far no one has convincingly made artificial life. This track record makes ALife a ripe target for criticism, such as declarations of the field’s doubtful scientific value. Alan Smith, a complexity scientist, is tired of such complaints. Asking about “the point” of ALife might be, well, missing the point entirely, he says. “The existence of a living system is not about the use of anything.” Alan says. “Some people ask me, ‘So what’s the worth of artificial life?’ Do you ever think, ‘What is the worth of your grandmother?’” As much as many ALifers hate emphasizing their research’s applications, the attempts to create artificial life could have practical payoffs. Artificial intelligence may be considered ALife’s cousin in that researchers in both fields are enamored by a concept called open-ended evolution (演化). This is the capacity for a system to create essentially endless complexity, to be a sort of “novelty generator”. The only system known to exhibit this is Earth’s biosphere. If the field of ALife manages to reproduce life’s endless “creativity” in some virtual model, those same principles could give rise to truly inventive machines. Compared with the developments of Al, advances in ALife are harder to recognize. One reason is that ALife is a field in which the central concept — life itself — is undefined. The lack of agreement among ALifers doesn’t help either. The result is a diverse line of projects that each advance along their unique paths. For better or worse, ALife mirrors the very subject it studies. Its muddled (混乱的) progression is a striking parallel (平行线) to the evolutionary struggles that have shaped Earth biosphere. Undefined and uncontrolled, ALife drives its followers to repurpose old ideas and generated novelty. It may be, of course, that these characteristics aren’t in any way surprising or singular. They may apply universally to all acts of evolution. Ultimately ALife may be nothing special. But even this dismissal suggests something：perhaps, just like life itself throughout the universe, the rise of ALife will prove unavoidable. 1．Regarding Alan Smith’s defence of ALife, the author is . A．supportive B．puzzled C．unconcerned D．doubtful 2．What does the word “enamored” underlined in Paragraph 3 most probably mean? A．Shocked. B．Protected. C．Attracted. D．Challenged. 3．What can we learn from this passage? A．ALife holds the key to human future. B．ALife and AI share a common feature. C．AI mirrors the developments of ALife. D．AI speeds up the process of human evolution. 4．Which would be the best title for the passage? A．Life Is Undefined. Can AI Be a Way Out? B．Life Evolves. Can AI Help ALife Evolve, Too? C．Life Is Undefined. Can ALife Be Defined One Day? D．Life Evolves. Can Attempts to Create ALife Evolve, Too? 【答案】1．A 2．C 3．B 4．D 【导语】本文为说明文。文章主要探讨了ALife是否也在不断地进化的问题。 1．推理判断题。根据第三段“As much as many ALifers hate emphasizing their research’s applications, the attempts to create artificial life could have practical payoffs. (尽管许多ALifer讨厌强调他们研究的应用，但创造人工生命的尝试可能会有实际的回报)”可知，作者认为创造人工生命的尝试是会有回报的；再结合第二段“So far no one has convincingly made artificial life. This track record makes ALife a ripe target for criticism, such as declarations of the field’s doubtful scientific value. Alan Smith, a complexity scientist, is tired of such complaints. Asking about “the point” of ALife might be, well, missing the point entirely, he says. “The existence of a living system is not about the use of anything.” Alan says. “Some people ask me, ‘So what’s the worth of artificial life?’ Do you ever think, ‘What is the worth of your grandmother?’”(到目前为止，还没有人能令人信服地制造出人工生命。这一记录使生命科学成为批评的成熟目标，比如对该领域可疑科学价值的声明。复杂性科学家艾伦•史密斯厌倦了这样的抱怨。他说，询问ALife的“意义”可能完全没有抓住要点。“一个生命系统的存在与任何东西的使用无关。”Alan说。“有人问我，‘那么人工生命的价值是什么？’你有没有想过，‘你祖母的价值是多少？’”)”可推知，因为还没有人能令人信服地制造出人工生命，才导致使生命科学成为批评（认为其没有科学价值）的成熟目标，作者认为这是不合理的，所以后文引用了Alan Smith的话语对这种观点进行反驳，即关于Alan Smith对ALife的辩护，作者表示支持。故选A。 2．词句猜测题。根据划线词上文“Artificial intelligence may be considered ALife’s cousin in that researchers in both fields are enamored by a concept called open-ended evolution (演化).(人工智能可能被认为是ALife的表亲，因为这两个领域的研究人员都被一个叫做开放进化的概念enamored)”可知，人工智能可能被认为是ALife的表亲，说明人工智能和ALife二者间有共同之处，可推测是因为这两个领域的研究人员都被一个叫做开放进化的概念所吸引，所以才有了这种观点。故划线词意为“吸引”。故选C。 3．推理判断题。根据第三段“Artificial intelligence may be considered ALife’s cousin in that researchers in both fields are enamored by a concept called open-ended evolution (演化).(人工智能可能被认为是ALife的表亲，因为这两个领域的研究人员都被一个叫做开放进化的概念所吸引)”可知，ALife和AI有一个共同的特点。故选B。 4．主旨大意题。根据最后一段“They may apply universally to all acts of evolution. Ultimately ALife may be nothing special. But even this dismissal suggests something: perhaps, just like life itself throughout the universe, the rise of ALife will prove unavoidable.(它们可能普遍适用于所有进化行为。最终，ALife可能没有什么特别的。但即使是这种否定也表明了一些事情：也许，就像整个宇宙中的生命本身一样，ALife的崛起将被证明是不可避免的)”结合文章主要探讨了ALife是否也在不断地进化。D选项“生命在进化。创造ALife的尝试也能进化吗？”是最合适的标题。故选D。 【热点话题练习】 Games have captivated humans for millennia, with a history dating back to ancient Hindu hymns that compared dice games to an addictive drug. The world’s first casino in Renaissance Venice even led to the bankruptcy of the ruling class. Today, the gaming market is as large as all other forms of entertainment combined. While play is often seen as trivial, it is evolutionarily ancient — many mammals, birds, and even insects engage in it. For neuroscientists, studying play is challenging because it’s difficult to suppress, revealing its deep roots in human and animal behavior. But why is play so deeply ingrained (根深蒂固的)? The brain builds models of the world to anticipate events, and games are centered on uncertainty. Unpredictability signals something is missing in the brain’s model, prompting curiosity and further learning. Children, for example, stop playing tic-tac-toe once they realize it always ends in a draw. Through play, we learn to handle the unknown. Animals, particularly social ones, play to explore their environment and understand each other. Research on young rats shows that play is essential for brain development. Play-deprived rats are more aggressive and struggle with social cues. Similarly, kittens learn to control their claws and bite gently through play. Long before modern neuroscientists, philosophers like Plato believed games were crucial for teaching children to follow rules. Medieval aristocrats learned chess to understand their character, and the ancient game of Go was praised for sharpening insight. Ultimately, competitive games teach us to cooperate, obey rules, and pursue goals fairly. Games also serve as a medium for moral lessons. Games like Snakes and Ladders and the Mansion of Happiness taught players about karma (因果报应) and virtues versus vices. Through play, we consider other people’s desires and strategies, laying the foundation for empathy. In the Renaissance, gamblers who studied dice to gain an advantage helped develop probability theory. This formalization of randomness revolutionized mathematics and science, as chance could now be studied and systematized. Probability theory later became a key component of the scientific revolution, though its application in real-world events has led to issues like the replication crises in science. Today, probability theory is foundational in business and economics, with stock markets and financial derivatives using similar principles. Games also shape modern social and economic systems. Game designers, like Reiner Knizia, emphasize the importance of scoring systems to influence behavior. In games like Monopoly, players must act like capitalists to win, regardless of personal values. Corporations design games that influence our choices, from ads to apps. Understanding how these games shape our behavior is crucial to ensuring we retain control over our values rather than letting the games play us. 1．Play is deeply rooted in human in that it . A．enhances brain development B．establishes new brain models C．functions as an addictive drug D．helps tackle uncertainty and learn 2．What can be inferred from the passage? A．Animals use play to teach appropriate social behaviors. B．Showing empathy results in better performance in play. C．People should recognize how games influence decisions. D．Games bring about revolutions in math and scientific fields. 3．The passage intends to . A．explain the evolution of games throughout history B．analyze the impact of play on the entertainment industry C．introduce the role of games in current economic systems D．stress the importance of play in human and animal development 【答案】1．D 2．C 3．D 【导语】这是一篇说明文。整篇文章的内容围绕游戏的深远历史和它在人类与动物行为、道德教育、科学发展及现代社会中的重要作用展开。通过不同的层面（从大脑科学到经济行为），作者阐述了游戏不仅仅是娱乐工具，它深刻影响着我们学习、社交、道德观念。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段“But why is play so deeply ingrained (根深蒂固的)? The brain builds models of the world to anticipate events, and games are centered on uncertainty. Unpredictability signals something is missing in the brain’s model, prompting curiosity and further learning. Children, for example, stop playing tic-tac-toe once they realize it always ends in a draw. Through play, we learn to handle the unknown.(但为什么玩耍会如此根深蒂固呢？大脑会构建关于世界的模型以预测各种事件，而游戏则围绕着不确定性展开。不确定性表明大脑的模型中存在缺失之处，从而激发好奇心并促进进一步的学习。例如，孩子们在意识到井字棋总是会以平局告终后，就会不再玩这个游戏。通过玩耍，我们学会了应对未知)”可知，游戏在人类生活中有着根深蒂固的地位，因为它有助于应对不确定性并促进学习。故选D。 2．推理判断题。根据最后一段“Understanding how these games shape our behavior is crucial to ensuring we retain control over our values rather than letting the games play us.(了解这些游戏如何影响我们的行为，对于确保我们能够掌控自己的价值观，而非被这些游戏所左右，至关重要)”可知，人们应当认识到游戏对决策的影响。故选C。 3．推理判断题。根据第一段“While play is often seen as trivial, it is evolutionarily ancient — many mammals, birds, and even insects engage in it. For neuroscientists, studying play is challenging because it’s difficult to suppress, revealing its deep roots in human and animal behavior.(虽然游戏通常被视为无关紧要的行为，但从进化角度来看，它却历史悠久——许多哺乳动物、鸟类以及昆虫都会进行游戏活动。对于神经科学家而言，研究游戏颇具挑战性，因为很难抑制这种行为，这表明其在人类和动物行为中有着深厚的根源)”结合这篇文章重点介绍了游戏的重要性。介绍它是如何深深根植于人类和动物的行为、它在动物大脑发育、动物社会学习以及人类道德教学中的作用。游戏在历史和经济学的作用也属于人类发展的范畴。可知，文章旨在强调游戏在人类及动物成长过程中的重要性。故选D。 Consider these facts: The tennis champion Williams sisters are a generation apart, according to the Pew Research Center. Venus, born in 1980, is labelled “Gen X”; Serena, born in 1981, is a “millennial”. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Michelle Obama both belong to the same generation. The former was born in 1946 while the latter was born in 1964, making them both “baby boomers”. Before you push these diverse personalities into generational stereotypes (刻板印象), let me stop you there: Just don’t. Generation labels, although widely adopted by the public, have no basis in social reality. In fact, in one recent survey, most people did not identify the correct generation for themselves, even when they were shown a list of options. This is not surprising since the labels are forced by survey researchers, journalists or marketing firms before the identities they are supposed to describe even exist. Instead of asking people which group they identify with and why, they just declare the labels and start making pronouncements about them. That’s not how social identity works. The practice of naming “generations” based on birth year goes back at least to the supposed “lost-generation” of the late 19th century. But as the tradition slid into a never-ending competition to be the first to propose the next name that sticks, it has produced gradually declining returns to social science and the public understanding. The supposed boundaries between generations are no more meaningful than the names they’ve been given. There is no research identifying the appropriate boundaries between generations, and there is no statistical basis for requiring the sweeping character traits (特征) that are believed to define them. In one article you might read that millennials are “liberal lions”, “downwardly mobile”, and “distrustful”; even though they also “get along well with their parents, respect their elders and work well with colleagues”. Ridiculous, clearly. But what’s the harm? Aren’t these labels just a bit of fun for writers? A method to attract readers and a way of communicating generational change, which no one would deny is a real phenomenon? We, in academic social science, study and teach social change, but we don’t study and teach these labels because they simply aren’t real. And in social science, reality still matters. Worse than irrelevant, such baseless labels drive people toward stereotyping and thoughtless character judgment. Measuring and describing social change is essential, and it can be useful to analyze the historical period in which people were born and raised, but drawing random lines between birth years and assigning names to them doesn’t help. Today there are lots of good alternatives to label generations. We can simply describe people by the decade in which they were born and define generational groups specifically related to a particular issue-such as 2020 school kids. With the arrival of “Generation Z”, there has never been a better time to get off this train. 1．According to the passage, the author may agree that ________. A．the generation label is a harmless device writers use to reflect reality B．generation boundaries are more meaningful than generation labels C．assigning character traits to a certain generation is misguided D．journalists should find alternative ways to judge character 2．The underlined word “sticks” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________. A．is understood B．is analyzed C．is described D．is accepted 3．Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? A．Generation labels: It’s high time to retire them B．Generation labels: The ongoing debate will never end C．Generation labels: What do they say about who we are? D．Generation labels: Expand or bridge generational differences? 【答案】1．C 2．D 3．A 【导语】这是一篇说明文。主要介绍了代际标签的制定，说明代际标签具有不可靠性，给一代人贴标签，有很多好的替代选择。 1．推理判断题。根据第二段“Before you push these diverse personalities into generational stereotypes (刻板印象), let me stop you there: Just don’t.(在你将这些不同的性格推入代际刻板印象之前，让我在这里阻止你：不要这样做)”以及第六段“We, in academic social science, study and teach social change, but we don’t study and teach these labels because they simply aren’t real. And in social science, reality still matters.(在学术社会科学中，我们研究和教授社会变革，但我们不研究和教授这些标签，因为它们根本不是真实的。在社会科学中，现实仍然很重要)”可知，作者不同意将不同的性格推入代际刻板印象，认为代际标签是不真实的，因此作者可能同意“将性格特征分配给某一代人是错误的”这一观点。故选C项。 2．词句猜测题。根据第四段“But as the tradition slid into a never-ending competition to be the first to propose the next name(但是，随着这一传统滑向一场无休止的要成为第一个提出下一个名字的竞争)”以及“it has produced gradually declining returns to social science and the public understanding.(社会科学和公众理解的回报率逐渐下降)”可知，句中the next name指的是为下一代取的名字，即可以被接受的一个名字，推测划线单词表示“接受”，与is accepted同义。故选D项。 3．主旨大意题。根据第一段“Consider these facts: The tennis champion Williams sisters are a generation apart, according to the Pew Research Center. Venus, born in 1980, is labelled “Gen X”; Serena, born in 1981, is a “millennial”. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Michelle Obama both belong to the same generation. The former was born in 1946 while the latter was born in 1964, making them both “baby boomers”.(我们来看几组事实：据皮尤研究中心统计，网球冠军威廉姆斯姐妹竟分属两代人。1980年出生的大威被归为“X一代”，1981年出生的小威则是“千禧一代”。而唐纳德・特朗普与米歇尔・奥巴马反倒同属一代人，前者生于1946年，后者生于1964年，二人都是“婴儿潮一代”)”以及文章主要说明了代际标签的制定以及一些代际标签制定的发展，说明了代际标签具有不可靠性，给一代人贴标签，有很多好的替代选择，A选项“时代标签：是时候让它们退役了”可以作为文章标题。故选A项。 When we think about what makes humans unique, a good sense of humor is often high on the list. Laughter and playful teasing seem like traits only we possess. However, recent research suggests that animals — particularly great apes — may also engage in behavior that resembles humor. A study led by primatologist (灵长类动物学家) Isabelle Laumer at the Max Planck Institute reveals fascinating insights. “We documented young apes deliberately sneaking up to hit adults, then waiting expectantly for a reaction,” Laumer explains. “This isn’t random play — it meets all the criteria of intentional teasing.” Over 75 hours of video recordings showed this behavior mirrors how human children joke: repetitive, surprising, and aimed at seeking responses. The researchers noted that the apes even paused to watch for the adult’s reaction, much like a child waiting to see if their joke landed. But humor in animals may not be limited to apes. Dog owners often notice their pets making breathy, snorting sounds during play, which some scientists interpret as laughter. In a 2025 study, researchers found that playing these sounds to shelter dogs reduced their stress levels. Similarly, dolphins emit joyful sounds during play-fighting, elephants trumpet excitedly when playing, and some parrots tease other animals — like confusing dogs with whistles — just for fun. Why might animals exhibit humor? In humans, laughter strengthens social connections and eases tension. Scientists argue that playful teasing in apes or “laughter” in dogs could serve a similar purpose — breaking the ice and reinforcing relationships. Some researchers believe these behaviors may have evolved (进化) to help animals manage complex social ranks or reduce conflict. However, Laumer cautions that more research is needed to confirm this theory, as observing humor in animals remains challenging. While we may never know if animals understand punchlines, their behaviors hint at humor’s deep evolutionary roots. As Laumer reflects: “The line between human and animal laughter isn’t as sharp as we thought.” 1．What did Laumer’s study find about young apes? A．They enjoy teasing others. B．They often fight in groups. C．They seek adult protection. D．They learn from human kids. 2．What does the underlined word “trumpet” in paragraph 3 mean? A．Wag. B．Smile. C．Nod. D．Shout. 3．Why might animals show humor? A．To improve social status. B．To strengthen social bonds. C．To win in complex conflicts. D．To get much more pleasure. 4．What can be a suitable title for the text? A．Animal Social Behaviors B．Do Animals Copy Our Laughs? C．Animals Play Tricks Too D．Why Animals Understand Humor? 【答案】1．A 2．D 3．B 4．C 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了动物（尤其是类人猿）可能也有类似幽默的行为，以及动物展现幽默的可能原因。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段中“We documented young apes deliberately sneaking up to hit adults, then waiting expectantly for a reaction,” Laumer explains. “This isn’t random play — it meets all the criteria of intentional teasing.(“我们记录到幼猿故意偷偷靠近并击打成年猿，然后满怀期待地等待反应，”劳默解释道。“这不是随意的玩耍——它符合故意逗弄的所有标准。”)”可知，劳默的研究发现幼猿喜欢逗弄别人。故选A。 2．词句猜测题。根据第三段中“Similarly, dolphins emit joyful sounds during play-fighting, elephants trumpet excitedly when playing, and some parrots tease other animals — like confusing dogs with whistles — just for fun.(同样，海豚在玩耍打斗时会发出欢快的声音，大象在玩耍时会兴奋地trumpet，一些鹦鹉为了好玩会逗弄其他动物——比如用口哨声迷惑狗)”可知，海豚玩耍打斗时发出欢快的声音，鹦鹉会吹口哨逗弄其他动物，由此可推测大象玩耍时发出的声音也是比较欢快、大声的，所以trumpet意为“大声叫喊”，与shout意思相近。故选D。 3．细节理解题。根据第四段中“In humans, laughter strengthens social connections and eases tension. Scientists argue that playful teasing in apes or “laughter” in dogs could serve a similar purpose — breaking the ice and reinforcing relationships.(在人类中，笑声能加强社会联系，缓解紧张情绪。科学家认为，类人猿的嬉戏逗弄或狗的“笑声”可能也有类似的作用——打破僵局，加强关系)”可知，动物展现幽默可能是为了加强社会联系。故选B。 4．主旨大意题。根据第一段中“However, recent research suggests that animals — particularly great apes — may also engage in behavior that resembles humor.(然而，最近的研究表明，动物——尤其是类人猿——也可能表现出类似幽默的行为)”以及全文内容可知，文章主要讲述了动物（尤其是类人猿）可能也有类似幽默的行为，所以C选项“Animals Play Tricks Too(动物也会恶作剧)”适合作为文章标题。故选C。 Of all the weird and wonderful creatures living under the sea, perhaps the strangest are jellyfish — those rubbery, cone-shaped creatures found floating in the water, their long tentacles trailing behind. Some jellyfish species have a bad reputation for scaring away tourists, clogging up fishing nets, and even blocking power station pipes. But with more and more plastic rubbish ending up in the sea, these days you’re as likely to swim into a plastic bag as a jellyfish. Now scientific research is discovering that these rubbery sea creatures might provide an answer — a sticky solution to the problem of plastic pollution. In recent years, tiny pieces of plastic called microplastic have been a significant problem for the world’s seas and oceans. These plastics are not visible to the eye and aren’t caught by seawater treatment plants due to their small size, so they enter our system and harm our health. They’ve been found in many places — in Arctic ice, at the bottom of the sea and even inside animals. Slovenian scientist, Dr Ana Rotter, heads GoJelly, a European research team of jellyfish ecologists looking into the problem. Microplastics, plastics in general, are becoming an increasing problem. Dr Ana Rotter says when she was a child, people were more environmentally friendly — not harmful to the environment or having the least possible impact on it. At that time, there were very few single-use plastics — plastic items, like spoons and forks, designed to be used just once, then thrown away. The situation since then has changed dramatically. In fact, there’s been such an increase in microplastics that today the UN lists plastic pollution as one of the world’s top environmental threats. But how do jellyfish fit into the story? Well, it’s the ‘jelly’ part of jellyfish, and specifically their sticky, jelly-like mucus that is key. Jellyfish produce a thick, sticky liquid called mucus. Dr Ana Rotter has discovered that this mucus has strong absorptive capabilities—it can absorb, take in liquids and other substances. One of the substances jellyfish mucus absorbs are the particles that make up microplastics. Dr Rotter’s research is still in the early stages but it’s hoped that jellyfish mucus could hold the key to a future free of microplastic polluted oceans. Scientists are hoping that the mucus’s absorptive properties — its abilities to absorb liquids and other substances and hold them, will allow it to trap particles of plastic floating in the sea. By trapping these, the mucus acts like a magnet — an object that attracts certain materials, like metal, but in this case, microplastic waste. 1．Paragraph 3 mainly talks about ________. A．where microplastics can be found B．why microplastics can harm our health C．what problems the seas and oceans are facing D．how the research was carried out by the scientist 2．What can we learn from this passage? A．Jellyfish species cause a great threat to the sea. B．Jellyfish species like to swim and live in plastic bags. C．Jellyfish mucus can attract metals and break them down. D．Jellyfish mucus can absorb liquids and some other substances. 3．What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage? A．To show the harm that sea and ocean pollution brings to human beings. B．To introduce the living habits of the weird and wonderful creatures in the sea. C．To provide a new method for collecting data on environmental threats in the sea. D．To inform a promising scientific finding for dealing with plastic pollution in the sea. 【答案】1．C 2．D 3．D 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。随着海洋中塑料垃圾的增多，科学家们正试图通过水母的黏液研究解决海洋中微塑料的方法。 1．主旨大意题。根据文章第三段“In recent years, tiny pieces of plastic called microplastic have been a significant problem for the world’s seas and oceans. (近年来，被称为微塑料的微小塑料碎片已经成为世界海洋的一个重大问题。)”可知，本段主要介绍了微塑料近年来已经成为世界海洋面临的一个重大问题。由此可推知，本段主要介绍了世界海洋面临的问题。故选C。 2．细节理解题。根据文章第五段中的“Dr Ana Rotter has discovered that this mucus has strong absorptive capabilities—it can absorb, take in liquids and other substances.( 安娜•罗特博士发现这种粘液有很强的吸收能力——它可以吸收液体和其他物质。)”可知，水母的黏液可以吸收液体和其他物质。故选D。 3．推理判断题。阅读文章内容可知，文章开篇通过水母引出话题，第二段“Now scientific research is discovering that these rubbery sea creatures might provide an answer — a sticky solution to the problem of plastic pollution.(现在，科学研究发现，这些橡胶状的海洋生物可能会为塑料污染问题提供一个粘性的的解决方案。)”提到了水母这种生物可能为塑料污染问题提供解决方案;第三、四、五、六段介绍了Ana Rotter博士利用水母的黏液吸收海洋微塑料垃圾的相关研究。由此可推知，作者写这篇文章的主要目的在于介绍一种有望解决海洋塑料垃圾的科学研究。故选D。 Too Much Information Computer hackers, in order to get more secret information, constantly improve at breaking into cyberdefenses (网络防御系统) to steal valuable documents. So some researchers propose using an artificial-intelligence algorithm (算法) to hopelessly confuse them, once they break in, by hiding the real deal in a mountain of misleading documents and information. The algorithm, called Word Embedding-based Fake Online Repository Generation Engine (WE-FORGE), creates decoys of patents under development. If hackers were after, say, the recipe for a new drug, they would have to find the relevant needle in a sea of false documents. This could mean checking each recipe in detail-and perhaps investing in a few dead-end ones. “The name of the game here is, ‘Make it harder, ” explains V. S Subrahmanian, its developer, Dartmouth College Cyber Security researcher. “Pain those stealing from you. ” Subrahmanian says he tackled this project after reading that companies are unaware of new kinds of cyberattacks for an average of 312 days after they begin. “Hackers have almost a year to decamp with all our documents, patents and intellectual property, ”he says. “They have stolen almost everything. It’s not just the crown jewels-it’s the crown jewels, and the jewels of the cleaning lady, and the watch of the secretary!” The documents produced by WE-FORGE could also act as hidden traps to confuse hackers, says Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security. These documents might alert security when accessed. Companies have typically used human-created false copies for this strategy. But now the algorithm is able to do that for us. The system produces convincing traps by searching through a document for key words. For each one it finds, it calculates a list of related concepts and replaces the original term with one chosen at random. The process can produce dozens of documents that contain no patent information but still look credible. Subrahmanian and his team asked computer science and chemistry graduates to evaluate real and false patents from their respective fields. And the humans found the WE-FORGE-created documents highly believable. WE-FORGE might eventually expand its boundary. Both Subrahmanian and Tobac think this research will attract commercial interest. “I could definitely see an organization investing in this type of product ” Tobac says. “If this creates believable decoys without releasing sensitive details within those traps, then I think you’ve got a huge with there. ” 1．What does the underlined word “decoys” in Paragraph 2 refer to? A．Misleading documents. B．Original terms. C．Computer operating systems. D．Cyber securities. 2．In Paragraph 3, what Subrahmanian says indicates ______. A．the unreliability of the network B．the wealth of the companies C．the greediness of hackers D．the variety of intellectual property 3．What can we learn about WE-FORGE? A．It will sound alarm upon being operated. B．It is profitable for the users by avoiding their loss. C．It has attracted investors for its application in many fields. D．It can compose irrelevant concepts in the false documents. 4．What do we know about the documents created by WE-FORGE? A．They are more reliable than human-created false copies. B．They can be identified as fake by experts in specific fields. C．They are designed to release sensitive information while confusing hackers. D．They are created by replacing key words with randomly selected related concepts. 【答案】1．A 2．C 3．B 4．D 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了一种人工智能算法(WE-FORGE)，该算法能够产生黑客盗取文件的伪造文件，将真实文件隐藏在堆积如山的伪造文件中，从而迷惑黑客，避免用户的损失。 1．词句猜测题。根据文章第二段“If hackers were after, say, the recipe for a new drug, they would have to find the relevant needle in a sea of false documents. (比如说，如果黑客在寻找一种新药的配方，他们将不得不在虚假文件中大海捞针。)”可知，该算法(WE-FORGE)能够产生黑客盗取文件的伪造文件，将真实文件隐藏在堆积如山的伪造文件中，混淆视听，故划线词指的是那些误导黑客的文件。故选A。 2．推理判断题。根据文章第三段““Hackers have almost a year to decamp with all our documents, patents and intellectual property, ”he says. “They have stolen almost everything. It’s not just the crown jewels-it’s the crown jewels, and the jewels of the cleaning lady, and the watch of the secretary!”(他说：“黑客有将近一年的时间带着我们所有的文件、专利和知识产权潜逃。他们几乎偷走了所有东西。不仅是皇冠上的珠宝，还有皇冠上的宝石，还有清洁女工的珠宝，以及秘书的手表!”) ”可知，Subrahmanian的话表明黑客无所不偷，非常贪婪。故选C。 3．推理判断题。根据文章第四段“The documents produced by WE-FORGE could also act as hidden traps to confuse hackers, says Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security. These documents might alert security when accessed. Companies have typically used human-created false copies for this strategy. But now the algorithm is able to do that for us.(SocialProof Security首席执行官Rachel Tobac表示，WE-FORGE制作的文件也可能成为迷惑黑客的隐藏陷阱。访问这些文档时，可能会向安全部门发出警报。公司通常使用人为创建的虚假副本来实现这一策略。但现在算法能够为我们做到这一点。)”可知，WE-FORGE制作的文件可以迷惑黑客，避免用户的损失，这对于用户来说是有益的。故选B。 4．细节理解题。根据第五段“The system produces convincing traps by searching through a document for key words. For each one it finds, it calculates a list of related concepts and replaces the original term with one chosen at random. (该系统通过在文档中搜索关键词来生成具有说服力的陷阱。对于找到的每一个关键词，它会计算出一系列相关概念，并将原词替换为随机选择的一个。)”可知，WE-FORGE是通过将关键词替换为随机选择的相关概念来创建的。故选D。 Clothes were once used until they fell apart-repaired and sewed to be re-used, ending their lives as dishcloths. Not today. Clothing, footwear and upholstered furniture are increasingly frequently bought, thrown away and replaced with new fashions, which are themselves soon abandoned and replaced. ‘Fast fashion’ is so called partly because the fashion industry now releases new lines every week, when historically this happened four times a year. Today, fashion brands (品牌) produce almost twice the amount of clothing that they did in 2000. But incredibly, more than 50 billion clothes are deserted within a year of being made. The trend is having an astonishing environmental impact. Take water. The fashion industry, one of the world’s largest users of water, consumes anywhere from 20 trillion to 200 trillion litres every year. Besides, plastic fibres are released when we wash polyester (聚酯纤维) and other polymer-based textiles (纺织物), and make up between 20% and 35% of the microplastics choking the oceans. Added to this are specific chemicals used to make fabrics dirt resistant and the pesticides required to protect crops such as cotton. Change is badly needed, but will require the fashion industry to work harder to embrace more of what is known as the circular economy. That will involve at least two things: refocusing on making things that last, and so encouraging reuse; and more rapidly expanding the technologies for sustainable manufacturing (制造) processes, especially recycling. There is work to be done for researchers on improving and expanding textiles recycling. Most used textiles go to landfill (废物填埋场), in part because there are relatively few systems that collect, recycle and reuse materials. Such recycling requires the manual separation of fibres, as well as buttons and zips. Different fibres are not easy to identify by eye, and overall such manual processes are time-consuming. Machinery is being developed that can help. Technologies also exist to recycle used fibres chemically and to create high-quality fibres that can be reused in clothing. But these are nowhere near the scale (规模) needed. Another challenge for researchers is to work out how to get consumers and manufacturers to change their behaviour. Small steps are good, but big changes are needed. The shameful environmental cost of a new cupboard needs to be tackled immediately, at scale, with style. 1．What are the first two paragraphs mainly about? A．Clothes should be used until they fall apart. B．Fashion brands are replaced with new ones frequently. C．Fast fashion leads to a significant increase in fashion waste. D．Fashion brands produce twice more clothing than necessary. 2．According to the author, what does the circular economy focus on? A．Improving the production of natural textiles. B．Studying how fast fashion affects the environment. C．Releasing new lines four times a year instead of every week. D．Making durable things and expanding the technologies for recycling. 3．What can you infer from the passage? A．Consumers are fond of chemically recycled fibres. B．Systems that collect, recycle and reuse are insufficient. C．Manual separation of fibres is preferred by manufacturers. D．Environment damage is mainly caused by using chemicals. 【答案】1．C 2．D 3．B 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了“快时尚”潮流给环境所带来的危害，以及研究人员为了避免环境危害尝试的措施。 1．主旨大意题。根据第一段“Clothing, footwear and upholstered furniture are increasingly frequently bought, thrown away and replaced with new fashions, which are themselves soon abandoned and replaced.(人们越来越频繁地购买衣服、鞋类和软垫家具，然后扔掉，换上新的时装，而这些时装本身很快又被抛弃和替换)”以及第二段中“Today, fashion brands (品牌) produce almost twice the amount of clothing that they did in 2000. But incredibly, more than 50 billion clothes are deserted within a year of being made.(如今，时尚品牌生产的服装数量几乎是2000年的两倍。但令人难以置信的是，超过500亿件衣物在生产完成后的一年内就被闲置起来不再使用了)”可知，主要说明了快时尚导致时尚浪费的显著增加。故选C。 2．细节理解题。根据第四段“That will involve at least two things: refocusing on making things that last, and so encouraging reuse; and more rapidly expanding the technologies for sustainable manufacturing (制造) processes, especially recycling.(这至少涉及两件事：重新专注于制造耐用的物品，从而鼓励重复使用；并更迅速地扩展可持续制造过程的技术，特别是回收利用)”可知，循环经济关注的是制造耐用物品以及拓展回收利用技术。故选D。 3．细节理解题。根据倒数第二段“Most used textiles go to landfill (废物填埋场), in part because there are relatively few systems that collect, recycle and reuse materials. Such recycling requires the manual separation of fibres, as well as buttons and zips.(大多数使用过的纺织品最终都被送进了废物填埋场，部分原因在于收集、回收和再利用材料的系统相对较少。这种回收过程需要人工对纤维、纽扣和拉链进行分类)”可知，用于收集、回收和再利用的系统是不够完善的。故选B。 Hibernation For people who aren’t fans of winter, animals that hibernate seem to have the right idea: It’s the equivalent of burying your head under the covers until spring comes, isn’t it? Not quite. “Most of the physiological functions are extremely slowed down,” says Marina Blanco, a postdoctoral associate at the Duke Lemur (狐猴) Center in Durham, North Carolina. For example, when lemurs hibernate, they reduce their heart rates from over 300 beats per minute to fewer than six, says Blanco. And instead of breathing about every second, they can go up to 10 minutes without taking a breath. Their brain activity “becomes undetectable.” This is very different from sleep, which is gentle resting state where unconscious functions are still performed. Put simply: “Hibernation is a means of energy conservation,” says Kelly Drew, a neuropharmacologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks who studies the brain chemistry of hibernating Arctic ground squirrels. While hibernation is often seen as a seasonal behavior, it’s not limited to cold-weather animals. There are tropical hibernators that may do so to beat the heat. And “some species hibernate in response to food shortages,” notes Drew. For example, echidnas (针鼹) in Australia will hibernate after fires, waiting until food resources rebound to resume normal activities. To slow their metabolism (新陈代谢), animals cool their bodies by 5 to 10℃ on average. The Arctic ground squirrels Drew works on can take this much further, supercooling to subfreezing temperatures. Drew’s research has shown that cooling is likely regulated by levels of adenosine (腺苷) in the brain. Not only does adenosine increase in winter in ground squirrels, the receptors for the molecule become more sensitive to it. But species don’t stay in their cold, sleeping state for the duration of their dormant period. About 80 percent of their energy is spent intermittently (间歇地) waking and warming up. Why they do this is “one of the greatest mysteries” of the field, says Thomas Ruf, a professor of animal physiology at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. Some think they need to turn back on their immune systems to fight disease, while others think they may simply awake so they can sleep. One bird and a variety of amphibians (两栖动物), reptiles and insects also exhibit hibernation-like states. There is even at least one fish — the Antarctic cod — that slows down its metabolism in winter, becoming 20 times less active. And, of course, there are lots of mammals. While bears might be the first that come to mind, most mammalian hibernators are on the smaller side. “The average hibernator weighs only 70 grams,” says Ruf. That’s because little bodies have high surface area to volume ratios, making it more taxing for them to stay warm in cold weather — so they need the seasonal energy savings more than larger animals. 1．How does the author distinguish between hibernation and sleep? A．By highlighting reasons. B．By presenting definitions. C．By introducing arguments. D．By comparing the data. 2．What does the introduction of “echidnas” in Paragraph 3 aim to show? A．animals cool their bodies by 5 to 10℃ on average B．tropical hibernators may hibernate to beat the heat C．some species hibernate in response to food shortage D．hibernation is most often seen as a seasonal behavior 3．What does the last paragraph mainly discuss? A．when certain animals hibernate B．why some animals hibernate C．what kinds of animals hibernate D．how animals hibernate 【答案】1．B 2．C 3．C 【导语】本文是一篇说明文，介绍了冬眠和睡眠的区别，冬眠原因的最新调查以及哪些动物需要冬眠。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段“This is very different from sleep, which is gentle resting state where unconscious functions are still performed.(这与睡眠的情况截然不同。睡眠是一种较为温和的休息状态，在此期间无意识的功能仍在运作)”以及第三段“Hibernation is a means of energy conservation(冬眠是一种节约能量的方式)”可知，作者是通过给出冬眠和睡眠的定义来区分二者的，故选B。 2．推理判断题。根据第三段“And “some species hibernate in response to food shortages,” notes Drew. For example, echidnas (针鼹) in Australia will hibernate after fires, waiting until food resources rebound to resume normal activities.(德鲁指出：“有些物种会在食物短缺的情况下进入冬眠状态。” 例如，澳大利亚的针鼹会在火灾过后进入冬眠状态，直到食物资源恢复后才会重新开始正常活动)”可知，第三段提到针鼹是为了证明一些物种因食物短缺而冬眠，故选C。 3．主旨大意题。根据最后一段“One bird and a variety of amphibians (两栖动物), reptiles and insects also exhibit hibernation-like states. There is even at least one fish — the Antarctic cod — that slows down its metabolism in winter, becoming 20 times less active. And, of course, there are lots of mammals.(一种鸟以及各种各样的两栖动物、爬行动物和昆虫也会进入类似冬眠的状态。甚至有一种鱼——南极鳕鱼——在冬季会降低新陈代谢速度，变得只有平时的二十分之一活跃度。当然，还有很多哺乳动物)”可知，有的鸟、鱼、各种两栖动物、爬行动物、昆虫以及很多哺乳动物都会进入冬眠状态，因此本段主要讲的是哪些动物需要冬眠，故选C。 Parenting tips obtained from hunter-gatherers in Africa may be the key to bringing up more contented children, researchers have suggested. The idea is based on studies of communities such as the Kung of Botswana, where each child is cared for by many adults. Kung children as young as four will help to look after younger ones and “baby-wearing”, in which infants are carried in slings(吊着), is considered the norm. According to Dr Nikhil Chaudhary, an evolutionary anthropologist at Cambridge University, these practices,known as alloparenting, could lead to less anxiety for children and parents. Dr Annie Swanepoel, a child psychiatrist, believes that there are ways to incorporate them into western life. In Germany, one scheme has paired an old people’s home with a nursery. The residents help to look after the children,an arrangement akin to alloparenting. Another measure could be encouraging friendships between children in different school years to mirror the unsupervised mixed-age playgroups in hunter-gatherer communities. In a paper published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, researchers said that the western nuclear family was a recent invention which broke with evolutionary history. This abrupt shift to an “intensive mothering narrative”, which suggests that mothers should manage childcare alone, was likely to have been harmful. “Such narratives can lead to maternal exhaustion and have dangerous consequences,” they wrote. By contrast, in hunter-gatherer societies adults other than the parents can provide almost half of a child’s care.One previous study looked at the Efé people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It found that infants had an average of 14 alloparents a day by the time they were 18 weeks old and were passed between caregivers eight times an hour. Chaudhary said that parents now had less childcare support from family and social networks than during most of humans’ evolutionary history, but introducing additional caregivers could reduce stress and maternal depression,which could have a “knock-on” benefit to a child’s wellbeing. An infant born to a hunter-gatherer society could have more than ten caregivers — this contrasts starkly to nursery settings in the UK where regulations call for a ratio of one carer to four children aged two to three. While hunter-gatherer children learnt from observation and imitation in mixed-age playgroups, researchers said that western “instructive teaching”, where pupils are asked to sit still, may contribute to conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Chaudhary said that Britain should explore the possibility that older siblings helping their parents “might also enhance their own social development”. 1．According to the first two paragraphs, alloparenting refers to the practice of _________. A．sharing childcare among community members B．assigning babies to specific adult caregivers C．teaching parenting skills to older children D．carrying infants around by their parents 2．The scheme in Germany is mentioned to illustrate _________. A．an attempt to facilitate intergenerational communication B．an approach to integrating alloparenting into western society C．the conventional parenting style in western culture D．the differences between western and African ways of living 3．What can be inferred about the nurseries in the UK? A．They tend to fall short of official requirements. B．They have difficulty finding enough caregivers. C．They ought to improve their carer-to-child ratio. D．They should try to prevent parental depression. 4．Which of the following would be the best title for the text? A．Instructive teaching: a dilemma for anxious parents B．For a happier family, learn from the hunter-gatherers C．Mixed-age playgroup, a better choice for lonely children D．Tracing the history of parenting: from Africa to Europe 【答案】1．A 2．B 3．C 4．B 【导语】本文是一篇说明文，介绍了研究人员提出的借鉴非洲狩猎采集部落的“异亲抚育”育儿方式，该方式有助于培养更快乐的孩子，同时指出西方核心家庭独自育儿的模式存在弊端。 1．细节理解题。根据第1段中“where each child is cared for by many adults. Kung children as young as four will help to look after younger ones and ‘baby-wearing’, in which infants are carried in slings, is considered the norm.(在那里每个孩子都由许多成年人共同照料。年仅四岁的昆族儿童会帮忙照顾更小的孩子，而用背带背着婴儿的‘背婴’做法也被视为常态)”以及第2段中“these practices, known as alloparenting(这些做法被称为异亲抚育)”可知，异亲抚育指的是社区成员共同分担育儿责任的做法。故选A。 2．推理判断题。根据第3段中“Dr Annie Swanepoel, a child psychiatrist, believes that there are ways to incorporate them into western life. In Germany, one scheme has paired an old people’s home with a nursery.(儿童精神病学家安妮·斯瓦内普尔博士认为，有办法将这些做法融入西方生活。在德国，有一项计划将养老院和托儿所进行了配对合作)”可知，提及德国的方案是为了举例说明将异亲抚育融入西方社会的一种途径。故选B。 3．推理判断题。根据第6段中“An infant born to a hunter-gatherer society could have more than ten caregivers — this contrasts starkly to nursery settings in the UK where regulations call for a ratio of one carer to four children aged two to three.(狩猎采集社会中出生的婴儿可能有十多位照料者——这与英国托儿所的情况形成鲜明对比，英国相关规定要求托儿所中两岁到三岁儿童的照料配比为1：4)”可知，相比狩猎采集部落的育儿模式，英国托儿所的照料者与儿童配比偏低，应该加以改善。故选C。 4．主旨大意题。根据全文首段主题句“Parenting tips obtained from hunter-gatherers in Africa may be the key to bringing up more contented children, researchers have suggested.(研究人员表示，从非洲狩猎采集部落借鉴的育儿技巧或许是培养出更快乐的孩子的关键)”以及全文围绕该观点展开论述可知，文章主旨是建议借鉴狩猎采集部落的育儿方式，打造更幸福的家庭。故选B。   AI for Everyone: The Rise of Affordable Smart Technology Artificial intelligence (AI) was once a luxury limited to big tech companies. Building advanced AI models used to require millions of dollars in computing power and teams of top engineers. But today, a new wave of affordable AI is changing the game, making this technology accessible to small businesses, schools, and even individual users. Chinese tech start-up DeepSeek made headlines in 2025 with its open-source AI model. Unlike expensive competitors, this model delivers similar performance in tasks like coding, math problem-solving, and language translation — yet it costs only a fraction of the price to develop. The company revealed that training the AI required less than $6 million in computing resources, which is 10 times cheaper than what major tech giants spend on their latest systems. This breakthrough has challenged the old idea that only big companies can afford cutting-edge AI. What’s more, DeepSeek has made the model’s core framework open to the public, allowing developers and researchers to modify and upgrade it for free, thus speeding up the innovation of AI applications in various fields. Affordable AI is already making a difference in daily life. In rural schools, AI tutors help students with personalized learning plans, filling gaps in subjects where teachers are in short supply. Small shops use AI tools to analyze customer preferences and manage inventory more efficiently, reducing waste and increasing profits. Even healthcare clinics in remote areas benefit — AI-powered apps can now assist doctors in diagnosing common diseases by analyzing medical data, enabling timely treatment for patients who live far from big hospitals. However, this progress comes with questions. Experts warn about potential risks like data privacy and unfair competition. As more people use AI, protecting personal information becomes increasingly important. There are also concerns that some jobs might be replaced by automation, especially those involving repetitive manual work. But most experts agree that the key lies in finding a balance: using AI to improve lives while setting clear rules to guide its development. Governments around the world are also exploring policies to regulate AI use, ensuring that the technology serves the public good rather than just a small group of interests. From expensive laboratory projects to everyday tools, AI has come a long way. As affordable AI continues to grow, it promises to bring more innovation and convenience to the world — proving that advanced technology doesn’t have to come with a high price tag. 1．How much did it cost to train DeepSeek’s AI model? A．Less than $6 million. B．Exactly $6 million. C．10 million dollars. D．More than $60 million. 2．What does the underlined word “inventory” in Paragraph 3 mean? A．The total amount of money a shop earns. B．The stock of goods a shop has for sale. C．The list of customers a shop serves. D．The rules a shop follows for management. 3．Which of the following is a practical use of affordable AI according to the passage? A．Replacing all teachers in rural schools. B．Helping big tech companies earn more money. C．Stopping all data privacy problems. D．Assisting doctors in diagnosing common diseases. 4．What can we infer from the passage about affordable AI? A．It has solved all the problems of traditional AI. B．It is only used by small businesses and schools. C．It brings both benefits and challenges to society. D．It will completely replace human workers in the future. 【答案】1．A 2．B 3．D 4．C 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了经济型AI从昂贵的实验室技术发展为日常生活工具的普及化趋势，这为教育、零售和医疗等领域带来便利，但也伴随隐私和就业等挑战，需通过政策平衡其发展。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段中“The company revealed that training the AI required less than $6 million in computing resources, which is 10 times cheaper than what major tech giants spend on their latest systems. (该公司透露，训练人工智能所需的计算资源不到600万美元，比主要科技巨头在其最新系统上花费的成本便宜10倍。)”可知，训练DeepSeek的AI模型花费了不到600万美元。故选A项。 2．词句猜测题。根据画线词的上文“Small shops use AI tools to analyze customer preferences (小商店使用人工智能工具来分析顾客的偏好)”和下文“reducing waste and increasing profits (减少浪费，增加利润)”可知，商店基于对顾客偏好的分析，可以有效管理商品的库存，实现减少浪费，画线词意思应该是“商店待售的商品库存”。故选B项。 3．细节理解题。根据第三段中“Even healthcare clinics in remote areas benefit — AI-powered apps can now assist doctors in diagnosing common diseases by analyzing medical data, enabling timely treatment for patients who live far from big hospitals. (即使是偏远地区的医疗诊所也会受益——人工智能应用程序现在可以通过分析医疗数据来帮助医生诊断常见疾病，从而为远离大医院的患者提供及时治疗。)”可知，经济型AI的实际用途包括协助医生诊断常见疾病。故选D项。 4．推理判断题。根据第三段中“Affordable AI is already making a difference in daily life. In rural schools, AI tutors help students with personalized learning plans, filling gaps in subjects where teachers are in short supply. (可负担得起的人工智能已经在日常生活中发挥作用。在农村学校，人工智能导师帮助学生制定个性化的学习计划，填补教师短缺的学科空白。)”、第四段中“However, this progress comes with questions. Experts warn about potential risks like data privacy and unfair competition. (然而，这种进步也带来了问题。专家对数据隐私和不公平竞争等潜在风险提出了警告。)”和“There are also concerns that some jobs might be replaced by automation, especially those involving repetitive manual work. (还有人担心，一些工作可能会被自动化取代，尤其是那些涉及重复性体力劳动的工作。)”可知，经济型AI具有双面性，便利与风险并存，表明它既为社会带来好处，也提出挑战。故选C项。 In recent years, community gardens have sprouted up across the globe — from empty lots in New York City to rooftop spaces in Tokyo. Even in densely populated cities like Berlin, local residents have transformed old factory rooftops into “sky gardens”, where they grow strawberries and various green vegetables. These small, shared green areas are more than just places for growing produce; they play an important role in improving urban life both from an environmental and a social perspective. Environmentally, community gardens act as “urban lungs” that help fight against air pollution. A study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that a 100-square-meter community garden can absorb approximately 500 kilograms of carbon dioxide every year — this is equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road for an entire day. They also help reduce the “heat island effect”, a phenomenon where cities remain much warmer than nearby rural areas because of large areas of concrete that trap heat. Plants in these gardens release moisture through a process called transpiration, which cools the surrounding air by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the soil in community gardens can absorb rainwater, decreasing the risk of urban flooding by up to 30%, according to research from the University of California. This benefit is particularly critical as extreme weather events become more frequent. Socially, these gardens help strengthen community bonds. A survey of 500 city residents in London showed that 78% of those who participated in community gardens felt closer to their neighbors, and many even formed long-term friendships through shared gardening activities. Community gardens often organize workshops on topics such as composting and cooking with home-grown vegetables, which bring together people from different age groups and cultural backgrounds. For elderly people who live alone and often feel lonely, taking care of a small garden plot provides a sense of purpose and reduces feelings of isolation. A 2023 study published in the Journal of Urban Health linked regular participation in community gardens to a 25% reduction in depression symptoms among older adults. Moreover, schools in Toronto often cooperate with nearby community gardens to teach students about plant growth and environmental protection, helping young people develop a sense of responsibility toward nature. While community gardens face certain challenges — such as limited available space in city centers, difficulties in securing long-term access to land, and varying levels of commitment from participants — their benefits clearly outweigh these problems. They prove that even small changes to urban environments can create healthier and more connected cities. As urban populations continue to grow, community gardens may soon become essential for building livable communities around the world, showing that green spaces are not luxury items but necessary parts of urban life. 1．What can we infer about the “heat island effect” from the passage? A．It can be alleviated by the moisture from garden plants. B．It increases the amount of carbon dioxide in cities. C．It is caused by the overgrowth of community gardens. D．It makes cities cooler than rural areas in summer. 2．Which of the following can be inferred from the studies mentioned in the passage? A．A 100-square-meter garden can completely solve urban flooding problems. B．Elderly people who join community gardens are less likely to feel depressed. C．Community gardens have a greater impact on the environment than on society. D．All London residents have become more connected to neighbors through gardens. 3．According to the passage, what do schools in Toronto do to help students develop environmental responsibility? A．They organize students to clean up community gardens regularly. B．They ask students to grow vegetables in community gardens for their families. C．They invite experts from the University of California to give lectures on the environment. D．They cooperate with nearby community gardens to teach plant growth and environmental protection. 4．What can we infer about the author’s attitude toward the future of urban green spaces? A．The author doubts whether community gardens can solve urban population problems. B．The author worries that the challenges of community gardens will stop their development. C．The author believes green spaces will become a basic need rather than a luxury in cities. D．The author suggests urban governments should focus more on reducing population growth. 【答案】1．A 2．B 3．D 4．C 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了社区花园对城市的多重积极影响及意义。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段中“They also help reduce the “heat island effect”, a phenomenon where cities remain much warmer than nearby rural areas because of large areas of concrete that trap heat. Plants in these gardens release moisture through a process called transpiration, which cools the surrounding air by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius.(它们还有助于减少“热岛效应”，这种现象是由于大面积的混凝土吸收热量，使得城市比附近的农村地区温暖得多。这些花园里的植物通过一种叫做蒸腾作用的过程释放水分，使周围的空气温度降低2到3摄氏度)”可知，花园植物释放的水分可以缓解“热岛效应”。故选A。 2．推理判断题。根据第三段中“A 2023 study published in the Journal of Urban Health linked regular participation in community gardens to a 25% reduction in depression symptoms among older adults.(2023年发表在《城市健康杂志》上的一项研究发现，经常参加社区花园活动的老年人抑郁症状减少了25%)”可知，参加社区花园活动的老年人抑郁症状减少了。由此推知，加入社区花园的老年人不太可能感到抑郁。故选B。 3．细节理解题。根据第三段中“Moreover, schools in Toronto often cooperate with nearby community gardens to teach students about plant growth and environmental protection, helping young people develop a sense of responsibility toward nature.(此外，多伦多的学校经常与附近的社区花园合作，教授学生植物生长和环境保护知识，帮助年轻人培养对自然的责任感)”可知，多伦多的学校与附近的社区花园合作，教授学生植物生长和环境保护知识。故选D。 4．推理判断题。根据最后一段中“As urban populations continue to grow, community gardens may soon become essential for building livable communities around the world, showing that green spaces are not luxury items but necessary parts of urban life.(随着城市人口的不断增长，社区花园可能很快将成为世界各地建设宜居社区的必要条件，这表明绿地不是奢侈品，而是城市生活的必要组成部分)”可推知，作者认为绿地将成为城市的基本需求，而不是奢侈品。故选C。 The 20th century was a famously fruitful time for visions of the future, but the 21st century has failed to inspire them in the same way. Science fiction writer William Gibson has called this “future fatigue”, pointing out that we barely ever make reference to the 22nd century. One reason is that most of the ideas of the future that captured people’s imaginations in the 20th century have mutated since then. Plastic, for example, once billed as the material of the future, has become an environmental and health crisis — its durability and abundance turned downsides. The dominant images of the future that we are presented with at the moment all have long histories to them. They include space colonization, dystopian artificial intelligence and a longing to bring back the past — but a past that never was. This makes sense given the climate anxiety and dread about the future felt by many people. The future has started to feel like it is closing off rather than opening out. Jean- Louis Missika, a former deputy mayor of Paris, has written that “when the future is dark, people turn to an idealised past, a lost golden age. Nostalgia (怀旧) becomes a refuge against dangers, a cocoon against the announced declines.” It’s not that absolutely no new future visions have emerged this century. But it is notable that no major, forward-looking future visions have taken root in our collective imagination since smartphones came to dominate our way of communicating. I think about the future for a living and it is my experience that unified visions of desirable futures can inspire people to bring about change. They act as motivators and imagination engines. We can use them to visualise the society we want and then commit to work towards that future. Unifying visions of the future are also effectively used in architectural pictures, ads and TV shows; Star Trek has inspired technologists for decades. We’re in a crucial transition — from fossil fuels to renewables. This can feel terrifying, but also motivating. There are plenty of hotspots of innovation today: look at the rise of rooftop solar energy in Pakistan, where households and small businesses are energetically embarking on the shift to renewables. But we lack integration: future thinking that assembles these innovations together into unified visions, puts them in a social context and then constructs from the present into the future. In my new book, I look at four future visions being developed today: more-than-human futures reimagines our relationship with nature; degrowth redesigns the role of the economy; solarpunk recharges cultural innovation; and the metaverse immerses us in vivid digital worlds. But the future doesn’t stop with these — there should be many more visions emerging. We need to seed them, grow them and see what shape they take when we tell stories of the future once again. 1．Why does future fail to attract people in the 21st century? A．Because nostalgia replaces hope for tomorrow. B．Because it repeats old dreams in the 20th century. C．Because 20th-century visions have turned problematic. D．Because climate fear has destroyed people’s confidence. 2．What can be learned from the passage? A．The energy shift plays a key role in future thinking. B．Looking backward helps build stronger communities. C．The absence of shared visions holds back future progress. D．Rapid technological growth has restored people’s optimism. 3．Regarding the “future fatigue”, the author is ________. A．concerned B．critical C．doubtful D．approving 4．What is the author’s main purpose in writing this article? A．To explain why “future fatigue” exists. B．To promote her new book about future visions. C．To warn against widespread fatigue towards future. D．To inspire collective imagination of future narratives. 【答案】1．C 2．C 3．A 4．D 【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要探讨了21世纪人们缺乏对未来的憧憬这一现象，分析了原因，并强调了统一未来愿景的重要性，最后呼吁人们共同构建对未来的想象。 1．细节理解题。根据第二段“One reason is that most of the ideas of the future that captured people’s imaginations in the 20th century have mutated since then. Plastic, for example, once billed as the material of the future, has become an environmental and health crisis — its durability and abundance turned downsides.(其中一个原因是，20世纪那些曾激发人们无限遐想的未来构想，自那时起大多已然变味。以塑料为例，这种曾被标榜为“未来材料”的物质，如今已演变为一场环境与健康危机——它原本的耐用性与普及性，反倒成了弊端。)”可知，20世纪的愿景已经出现了问题，所以未来在21世纪无法吸引人们。故选C。 2．推理判断题。根据倒数第三段“But we lack integration: future thinking that assembles these innovations together into unified visions, puts them in a social context and then constructs from the present into the future.(但我们缺乏整合：将所有这些创新整合成统一的愿景，将它们置于社会背景中，然后从现在构建到未来的未来思维。)”可知，缺乏共同的愿景阻碍了未来的进步。故选C。 3．推理判断题。根据最后一段“But the future doesn’t stop with these — there should be many more visions emerging. We need to seed them, grow them and see what shape they take when we tell stories of the future once again.(但未来不会止步于此——应该会出现更多的愿景。我们需要播种它们，培育它们，看看当我们再次讲述未来的故事时，它们会呈现出什么样的形态。)”可推测出，作者对“未来疲劳”是担忧的。故选A。 4．推理判断题。文章主要讨论了21世纪人们对未来的憧憬减少的现象，并分析了原因，文章最后提到“But the future doesn’t stop with these — there should be many more visions emerging. We need to seed them, grow them and see what shape they take when we tell stories of the future once again.(但未来不会止步于此——应该会出现更多的愿景。我们需要播种它们，培育它们，看看当我们再次讲述未来的故事时，它们会呈现出什么样的形态。)”由此可知，作者写这篇文章的主要目的是激发对未来叙事的集体想象。故选D。 Climate change deniers love to point out that plants flourish when carbon dioxide levels rise, soaking up more carbon. As is often the case, there is an element of truth here. Yet the discovery in the 1960s that land is a carbon sink, came as a huge surprise to ecologists. You can think of it as a swimming pool. The water in the pool represents the carbon stored in all of the plants, animals and microbes above and below ground. Carbon trickles (缓慢移动) into the pool as plants grow and take up carbon dioxide. Carbon also leaks out as organisms decompose or burn. So long as more trickles into the pool than trickles out, this acts as a sink that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The underlying causes of the sink remains an area of debate, but there are four major factors that are broadly agreed on. The first is rising levels of carbon dioxide that enhance photosynthesis in plants. This effect is then boosted by nutrient pollution, such as run- off rich in fertilisers from farms. Another factor is forests growing back after they were cut or burned for agriculture in previous decades. Finally, rapidly rising temperatures in the Arctic have extended the growing season and led to parts of the region turning green faster than expected. This unexpected gift has historically removed between a quarter and a third of the carbon dioxide emissions each year — somewhat putting the brakes on climate change until we get our act together. But the missing link in climate denialist reasoning is that this carbon sink can’t continue forever. Ecological shocks due to climate change combined with Earth’s physical limits will cause it to reach the turning point some time this century. Without this land sink, a 2023 study estimated the planet would be 0.3°C hotter. Worryingly, there are signs that we are already reaching that point. In 2023 and 2024, the land carbon sink seems to have almost disappeared. Researchers are now investigating how diverse environments contribute to this delicately shifting balance. The good news is that there are a series of effective ways to save the sink, or slow down its end—even in the face of accelerating climate change. Constantin Zohner, a climate ecologist in Switzerland, says the most important steps are to protect, restore and manage ecosystems, in that order. If existing forests were left to grow undisturbed, modelling suggests a maximum potential uptake of 228 billion tonnes of carbon as they reach full maturity over decades. Another 87 billion tonnes could be captured by restoring forests in places where they once grew. Beyond this, better management of ecosystems could enhance the land carbon sink by several billion tonnes each year. This involves avoiding monster wildfires, rolling out climate- friendly farming practices like rotational grazing, and more sustainable harvesting of trees. If we want to hold onto the unexpected gift of a land carbon sink then we must stop “removing the allies that we have”, says Zohner — and try to keep growth ahead of death just a little bit longer. 1．What does the word “sink” underlined in Paragraph 1 most probably mean? A．A storage system. B．A swimming pool. C．A cycling device. D．A leaking container. 2．The author mentions the “unexpected gift” in Paragraph 4 mainly to _______. A．highlight a surprise B．explain a concept C．emphasize a risk D．acknowledge a role 3．What can we learn from the passage? A．Forests grow back because of increasing carbon and fertilisers. B．The land carbon sink stops climate change by removing carbon. C．The land sink can disappear if we ignore the conservation of the environment. D．Forests should be preserved since over 200 billion tonnes of carbon is consumed. 4．What does the author intend to tell us in the last paragraph? A．Growth must exceed loss. B．Climate change is unavoidable. C．We should collaborate internationally. D．Better management of ecosystems is needed. 【答案】1．A 2．D 3．C 4．A 【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要讨论了陆地碳汇的概念、作用、影响因素以及当前面临的挑战，并提出了保护和管理生态系统以维持碳汇功能的建议。 1．词句猜测题。根据第二段“You can think of it as a swimming pool. The water in the pool represents the carbon stored in all of the plants, animals and microbes above and below ground. Carbon trickles (缓慢移动) into the pool as plants grow and take up carbon dioxide. Carbon also leaks out as organisms decompose or burn. So long as more trickles into the pool than trickles out, this acts as a sink that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.( 我们可以用游泳池来打比方。池中的水，就好比储存在地表上下所有植物、动物与微生物体内的碳。植物生长、吸收二氧化碳的过程，就像碳缓缓汇入泳池；而生物腐烂分解或燃烧时，碳也会随之“泄漏”出去。只要碳的流入量大于流出量，这片区域就会成为一个sink，将大气中的二氧化碳清除掉。)”可知，第二段用游泳池类比解释碳汇的运作机制：植物生长吸收二氧化碳，碳就像水 “流入泳池”；生物分解或燃烧释放碳，碳就像水“流出泳池”，只要流入多于流出，陆地就会从大气中移除二氧化碳。由此可知，sink意为“一个储存系统”。故选A。 2．推理判断题。根据第四段“This unexpected gift has historically removed between a quarter and a third of the carbon dioxide emissions each year — somewhat putting the brakes on climate change until we get our act together.(这一意外的礼物每年能去除二氧化碳排放量的四分之一到三分之一——在一定程度上减缓了气候变化，直到我们采取行动。)”可知，作者提到“unexpected gift”主要是为了承认碳汇在减缓气候变化方面的作用。故选D。 3．细节理解题。根据第五段“Worryingly, there are signs that we are already reaching that point. In 2023 and 2024, the land carbon sink seems to have almost disappeared.(令人担忧的是，有迹象表明我们已经接近这一点。在2023年和2024年，陆地碳汇似乎几乎消失了。)”可知，如果我们忽视环境保护，陆地碳汇可能会消失。故选C。 4．主旨大意题。根据最后一段“If we want to hold onto the unexpected gift of a land carbon sink then we must stop “removing the allies that we have”, says Zohner — and try to keep growth ahead of death just a little bit longer.(如果我们想保住陆地碳汇这一意外的礼物，那么我们必须停止“移除我们现有的盟友”，并努力让增长比死亡稍微领先一点。)”可知，作者在最后一段想要告诉我们增长必须超过损失。故选A。 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $ 专题05 阅读理解之说明文15篇 (北京专用) 【题型知识点细目表】 题号 难度 知识点 1 适中 方法/策略,哲理感悟,说明文,文章大意,直接理解,逻辑推理 2 适中 科普知识 ,说明文 3 较难 科学技术 ,人工智能,说明文 4 适中 游戏,社会关系,说明文 5 适中 社会问题与社会现象,说明文 6 适中 说明文,动物 7 适中 环境保护,说明文 8 适中 人工智能,说明文 9 适中 社会问题与社会现象,说明文 10 适中 说明文,动物,科普知识 11 适中 社会问题与社会现象,说明文 12 适中 社会问题与社会现象,人工智能,说明文 13 适中 环境保护,说明文,人与动植物 14 适中 畅想未来,社会问题与社会现象,说明文 15 适中 环境保护,说明文,科普知识 【高考典例】 The call to “know yourself” has been there since ancient times, but our sense of self doesn’t always match what others perceive. Considering the stories we tell about ourselves can help us to change our minds for better. For many years, psychologists saw identity as a combination of someone’s values, beliefs, goals and social roles. Then, in the 1980s, Bob Johnson created the life story model of identity, in which he proposes that, as we go through life, these core features are built in with our memories to create a personal story through which we understand our lives. Our life story is something that starts coming together in our teenage years, when we begin to organise our lives into chapters around key events or life changes, and begin to see ourselves as both the central character and, to a varying extent, the story’s author. People with more consistent stories tend to have a stronger sense of identity, and they feel their life has more meaning, direction and sense of purpose. Such people show greater overall life satisfaction, too. Johnson has also investigated the link between well-being and certain story themes. He discovered that whether someone describes having had some control over events in their past is an important predictor of a person’s mental health. Another key theme involves finding some kind of positive meaning after stressful events. “People could talk about gaining knowledge or personal growth,” says Johnson. His research shows that this is often missing for people with mental health conditions. The good news is that there is evidence we can learn to change our own story. Lisa Green, another researcher, sounds a few notes of caution (谨慎). For instance, hearing about the power of redemptive (拯救性的) stories, many people may feel forced to find a positive angle on horrible events. She says that Western culture already pushes people to look for the silver lining behind every cloud. If you want to turn over a new leaf, though, one top tip is that it helps to choose a significant date that signals the start of a new “chapter”. Contrary to popular doubt, resolutions made on 1 January are more effective for this reason. So, whether your goal is saving money or getting fit, there is no better time to become the author of our own destiny (命运). 1．What can be inferred about personal stories? A．They are unrelated to health. B．Consistent ones lead to stress. C．They are relevant to happiness. D．Thematic ones hold back change. 2．What can we learn from this passage? A．Talking about gains from failure is negative. B．New Year resolutions are well received. C．The West tends to overvalue optimism. D．Social roles fail to be highlighted. 3．What does the author mainly do in this passage? A．Clarify a goal. B．Analyse an event. C．Make a comparison. D．Illustrate an approach. 4．What is the passage mainly about? A．How self-identity works. B．How story-tellers are made. C．How personal stories raise doubts. D．How timing affects personal identity. Franz Boas’s description of Inuit (因纽特人) life in the 19th century illustrates the probable moral code of early humans. Here, norms (规范) were unwritten and rarely expressed clearly, but were well understood and taken to heart. Dishonest and violent behaviours were disapproved of; leadership, marriage and interactions with other groups were loosely governed by traditions. Conflict was often resolved in musical battles. Because arguing angrily leads to chaos, it was strongly discouraged. With life in the unforgiving Northern Canada being so demanding, the Inuit’s practical approach to morality made good sense. The similarity of moral virtues across cultures is striking, even though the relative ranking of the virtues may vary with a social group’s history and environment. Typically, cruelty and cheating are discouraged, while cooperation, humbleness and courage are praised. These universal norms far pre-date the concept of any moralising religion or written law. Instead, they are rooted in the similarity of basic human needs and our shared mechanisms for learning and problem solving. Our social instincts (本能) include the intense desire to belong. The approval of others is rewarding, while their disapproval is strongly disliked. These social emotions prepare our brains to shape our behaviour according to the norms and values of our family and our community. More generally, social instincts motivate us to learn how to behave in a socially complex world. The mechanism involves a repurposed reward system originally used to develop habits important for self-care. Our brains use the system to acquire behavioural patterns regarding safe routes home, efficient food gathering and dangers to avoid. Good habits save time, energy and sometimes your life. Good social habits do something similar in a social context. We learn to tell the truth, even when lying is self-serving; we help a grandparent even when it is inconvenient. We acquire what we call a sense of right and wrong. Social benefits are accompanied by social demands: we must get along, but not put up with too much. Hence self-discipline is advantageous. In humans, a greatly enlarged brain boosts self-control, just as it boosts problem-solving skills in the social as well as the physical world. These abilities are strengthened by our capacity for language, which allows social practices to develop in extremely unobvious ways. 1．What can be inferred about the forming of the Inuit’s moral code? A．Living conditions were the drive. B．Unwritten rules were the target. C．Social tradition was the basis. D．Honesty was the key. 2．What can we learn from this passage? A．Inconveniences are the cause of telling lies. B．Basic human needs lead to universal norms. C．Language capacity is limited by self-control. D．Written laws have great influence on virtues. 3．Which would be the best title for this passage? A．Virtues: Bridges Across Cultures B．The Values of Self-discipline C．Brains: Walls Against Chaos D．The Roots of Morality What is life? Like most great questions, this one is easy to ask but difficult to answer. The reason is simple: we know of just one type of life and it’s challenging to do science with a sample size of one. The field of artificial life-called ALife for short — is the systematic attempt to spell out life’s fundamental principles. Many of these practitioners, so-called ALifers, think that somehow making life is the surest way to really understand what life is. So far no one has convincingly made artificial life. This track record makes ALife a ripe target for criticism, such as declarations of the field’s doubtful scientific value. Alan Smith, a complexity scientist, is tired of such complaints. Asking about “the point” of ALife might be, well, missing the point entirely, he says. “The existence of a living system is not about the use of anything.” Alan says. “Some people ask me, ‘So what’s the worth of artificial life?’ Do you ever think, ‘What is the worth of your grandmother?’” As much as many ALifers hate emphasizing their research’s applications, the attempts to create artificial life could have practical payoffs. Artificial intelligence may be considered ALife’s cousin in that researchers in both fields are enamored by a concept called open-ended evolution (演化). This is the capacity for a system to create essentially endless complexity, to be a sort of “novelty generator”. The only system known to exhibit this is Earth’s biosphere. If the field of ALife manages to reproduce life’s endless “creativity” in some virtual model, those same principles could give rise to truly inventive machines. Compared with the developments of Al, advances in ALife are harder to recognize. One reason is that ALife is a field in which the central concept — life itself — is undefined. The lack of agreement among ALifers doesn’t help either. The result is a diverse line of projects that each advance along their unique paths. For better or worse, ALife mirrors the very subject it studies. Its muddled (混乱的) progression is a striking parallel (平行线) to the evolutionary struggles that have shaped Earth biosphere. Undefined and uncontrolled, ALife drives its followers to repurpose old ideas and generated novelty. It may be, of course, that these characteristics aren’t in any way surprising or singular. They may apply universally to all acts of evolution. Ultimately ALife may be nothing special. But even this dismissal suggests something：perhaps, just like life itself throughout the universe, the rise of ALife will prove unavoidable. 1．Regarding Alan Smith’s defence of ALife, the author is . A．supportive B．puzzled C．unconcerned D．doubtful 2．What does the word “enamored” underlined in Paragraph 3 most probably mean? A．Shocked. B．Protected. C．Attracted. D．Challenged. 3．What can we learn from this passage? A．ALife holds the key to human future. B．ALife and AI share a common feature. C．AI mirrors the developments of ALife. D．AI speeds up the process of human evolution. 4．Which would be the best title for the passage? A．Life Is Undefined. Can AI Be a Way Out? B．Life Evolves. Can AI Help ALife Evolve, Too? C．Life Is Undefined. Can ALife Be Defined One Day? D．Life Evolves. Can Attempts to Create ALife Evolve, Too? 【热点话题练习】 Games have captivated humans for millennia, with a history dating back to ancient Hindu hymns that compared dice games to an addictive drug. The world’s first casino in Renaissance Venice even led to the bankruptcy of the ruling class. Today, the gaming market is as large as all other forms of entertainment combined. While play is often seen as trivial, it is evolutionarily ancient — many mammals, birds, and even insects engage in it. For neuroscientists, studying play is challenging because it’s difficult to suppress, revealing its deep roots in human and animal behavior. But why is play so deeply ingrained (根深蒂固的)? The brain builds models of the world to anticipate events, and games are centered on uncertainty. Unpredictability signals something is missing in the brain’s model, prompting curiosity and further learning. Children, for example, stop playing tic-tac-toe once they realize it always ends in a draw. Through play, we learn to handle the unknown. Animals, particularly social ones, play to explore their environment and understand each other. Research on young rats shows that play is essential for brain development. Play-deprived rats are more aggressive and struggle with social cues. Similarly, kittens learn to control their claws and bite gently through play. Long before modern neuroscientists, philosophers like Plato believed games were crucial for teaching children to follow rules. Medieval aristocrats learned chess to understand their character, and the ancient game of Go was praised for sharpening insight. Ultimately, competitive games teach us to cooperate, obey rules, and pursue goals fairly. Games also serve as a medium for moral lessons. Games like Snakes and Ladders and the Mansion of Happiness taught players about karma (因果报应) and virtues versus vices. Through play, we consider other people’s desires and strategies, laying the foundation for empathy. In the Renaissance, gamblers who studied dice to gain an advantage helped develop probability theory. This formalization of randomness revolutionized mathematics and science, as chance could now be studied and systematized. Probability theory later became a key component of the scientific revolution, though its application in real-world events has led to issues like the replication crises in science. Today, probability theory is foundational in business and economics, with stock markets and financial derivatives using similar principles. Games also shape modern social and economic systems. Game designers, like Reiner Knizia, emphasize the importance of scoring systems to influence behavior. In games like Monopoly, players must act like capitalists to win, regardless of personal values. Corporations design games that influence our choices, from ads to apps. Understanding how these games shape our behavior is crucial to ensuring we retain control over our values rather than letting the games play us. 1．Play is deeply rooted in human in that it . A．enhances brain development B．establishes new brain models C．functions as an addictive drug D．helps tackle uncertainty and learn 2．What can be inferred from the passage? A．Animals use play to teach appropriate social behaviors. B．Showing empathy results in better performance in play. C．People should recognize how games influence decisions. D．Games bring about revolutions in math and scientific fields. 3．The passage intends to . A．explain the evolution of games throughout history B．analyze the impact of play on the entertainment industry C．introduce the role of games in current economic systems D．stress the importance of play in human and animal development Consider these facts: The tennis champion Williams sisters are a generation apart, according to the Pew Research Center. Venus, born in 1980, is labelled “Gen X”; Serena, born in 1981, is a “millennial”. Meanwhile, Donald Trump and Michelle Obama both belong to the same generation. The former was born in 1946 while the latter was born in 1964, making them both “baby boomers”. Before you push these diverse personalities into generational stereotypes (刻板印象), let me stop you there: Just don’t. Generation labels, although widely adopted by the public, have no basis in social reality. In fact, in one recent survey, most people did not identify the correct generation for themselves, even when they were shown a list of options. This is not surprising since the labels are forced by survey researchers, journalists or marketing firms before the identities they are supposed to describe even exist. Instead of asking people which group they identify with and why, they just declare the labels and start making pronouncements about them. That’s not how social identity works. The practice of naming “generations” based on birth year goes back at least to the supposed “lost-generation” of the late 19th century. But as the tradition slid into a never-ending competition to be the first to propose the next name that sticks, it has produced gradually declining returns to social science and the public understanding. The supposed boundaries between generations are no more meaningful than the names they’ve been given. There is no research identifying the appropriate boundaries between generations, and there is no statistical basis for requiring the sweeping character traits (特征) that are believed to define them. In one article you might read that millennials are “liberal lions”, “downwardly mobile”, and “distrustful”; even though they also “get along well with their parents, respect their elders and work well with colleagues”. Ridiculous, clearly. But what’s the harm? Aren’t these labels just a bit of fun for writers? A method to attract readers and a way of communicating generational change, which no one would deny is a real phenomenon? We, in academic social science, study and teach social change, but we don’t study and teach these labels because they simply aren’t real. And in social science, reality still matters. Worse than irrelevant, such baseless labels drive people toward stereotyping and thoughtless character judgment. Measuring and describing social change is essential, and it can be useful to analyze the historical period in which people were born and raised, but drawing random lines between birth years and assigning names to them doesn’t help. Today there are lots of good alternatives to label generations. We can simply describe people by the decade in which they were born and define generational groups specifically related to a particular issue-such as 2020 school kids. With the arrival of “Generation Z”, there has never been a better time to get off this train. 1．According to the passage, the author may agree that ________. A．the generation label is a harmless device writers use to reflect reality B．generation boundaries are more meaningful than generation labels C．assigning character traits to a certain generation is misguided D．journalists should find alternative ways to judge character 2．The underlined word “sticks” in Paragraph 4 probably means ________. A．is understood B．is analyzed C．is described D．is accepted 3．Which of the following would be the best title for the passage? A．Generation labels: It’s high time to retire them B．Generation labels: The ongoing debate will never end C．Generation labels: What do they say about who we are? D．Generation labels: Expand or bridge generational differences? When we think about what makes humans unique, a good sense of humor is often high on the list. Laughter and playful teasing seem like traits only we possess. However, recent research suggests that animals — particularly great apes — may also engage in behavior that resembles humor. A study led by primatologist (灵长类动物学家) Isabelle Laumer at the Max Planck Institute reveals fascinating insights. “We documented young apes deliberately sneaking up to hit adults, then waiting expectantly for a reaction,” Laumer explains. “This isn’t random play — it meets all the criteria of intentional teasing.” Over 75 hours of video recordings showed this behavior mirrors how human children joke: repetitive, surprising, and aimed at seeking responses. The researchers noted that the apes even paused to watch for the adult’s reaction, much like a child waiting to see if their joke landed. But humor in animals may not be limited to apes. Dog owners often notice their pets making breathy, snorting sounds during play, which some scientists interpret as laughter. In a 2025 study, researchers found that playing these sounds to shelter dogs reduced their stress levels. Similarly, dolphins emit joyful sounds during play-fighting, elephants trumpet excitedly when playing, and some parrots tease other animals — like confusing dogs with whistles — just for fun. Why might animals exhibit humor? In humans, laughter strengthens social connections and eases tension. Scientists argue that playful teasing in apes or “laughter” in dogs could serve a similar purpose — breaking the ice and reinforcing relationships. Some researchers believe these behaviors may have evolved (进化) to help animals manage complex social ranks or reduce conflict. However, Laumer cautions that more research is needed to confirm this theory, as observing humor in animals remains challenging. While we may never know if animals understand punchlines, their behaviors hint at humor’s deep evolutionary roots. As Laumer reflects: “The line between human and animal laughter isn’t as sharp as we thought.” 1．What did Laumer’s study find about young apes? A．They enjoy teasing others. B．They often fight in groups. C．They seek adult protection. D．They learn from human kids. 2．What does the underlined word “trumpet” in paragraph 3 mean? A．Wag. B．Smile. C．Nod. D．Shout. 3．Why might animals show humor? A．To improve social status. B．To strengthen social bonds. C．To win in complex conflicts. D．To get much more pleasure. 4．What can be a suitable title for the text? A．Animal Social Behaviors B．Do Animals Copy Our Laughs? C．Animals Play Tricks Too D．Why Animals Understand Humor? Of all the weird and wonderful creatures living under the sea, perhaps the strangest are jellyfish — those rubbery, cone-shaped creatures found floating in the water, their long tentacles trailing behind. Some jellyfish species have a bad reputation for scaring away tourists, clogging up fishing nets, and even blocking power station pipes. But with more and more plastic rubbish ending up in the sea, these days you’re as likely to swim into a plastic bag as a jellyfish. Now scientific research is discovering that these rubbery sea creatures might provide an answer — a sticky solution to the problem of plastic pollution. In recent years, tiny pieces of plastic called microplastic have been a significant problem for the world’s seas and oceans. These plastics are not visible to the eye and aren’t caught by seawater treatment plants due to their small size, so they enter our system and harm our health. They’ve been found in many places — in Arctic ice, at the bottom of the sea and even inside animals. Slovenian scientist, Dr Ana Rotter, heads GoJelly, a European research team of jellyfish ecologists looking into the problem. Microplastics, plastics in general, are becoming an increasing problem. Dr Ana Rotter says when she was a child, people were more environmentally friendly — not harmful to the environment or having the least possible impact on it. At that time, there were very few single-use plastics — plastic items, like spoons and forks, designed to be used just once, then thrown away. The situation since then has changed dramatically. In fact, there’s been such an increase in microplastics that today the UN lists plastic pollution as one of the world’s top environmental threats. But how do jellyfish fit into the story? Well, it’s the ‘jelly’ part of jellyfish, and specifically their sticky, jelly-like mucus that is key. Jellyfish produce a thick, sticky liquid called mucus. Dr Ana Rotter has discovered that this mucus has strong absorptive capabilities—it can absorb, take in liquids and other substances. One of the substances jellyfish mucus absorbs are the particles that make up microplastics. Dr Rotter’s research is still in the early stages but it’s hoped that jellyfish mucus could hold the key to a future free of microplastic polluted oceans. Scientists are hoping that the mucus’s absorptive properties — its abilities to absorb liquids and other substances and hold them, will allow it to trap particles of plastic floating in the sea. By trapping these, the mucus acts like a magnet — an object that attracts certain materials, like metal, but in this case, microplastic waste. 1．Paragraph 3 mainly talks about ________. A．where microplastics can be found B．why microplastics can harm our health C．what problems the seas and oceans are facing D．how the research was carried out by the scientist 2．What can we learn from this passage? A．Jellyfish species cause a great threat to the sea. B．Jellyfish species like to swim and live in plastic bags. C．Jellyfish mucus can attract metals and break them down. D．Jellyfish mucus can absorb liquids and some other substances. 3．What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage? A．To show the harm that sea and ocean pollution brings to human beings. B．To introduce the living habits of the weird and wonderful creatures in the sea. C．To provide a new method for collecting data on environmental threats in the sea. D．To inform a promising scientific finding for dealing with plastic pollution in the sea. Too Much Information Computer hackers, in order to get more secret information, constantly improve at breaking into cyberdefenses (网络防御系统) to steal valuable documents. So some researchers propose using an artificial-intelligence algorithm (算法) to hopelessly confuse them, once they break in, by hiding the real deal in a mountain of misleading documents and information. The algorithm, called Word Embedding-based Fake Online Repository Generation Engine (WE-FORGE), creates decoys of patents under development. If hackers were after, say, the recipe for a new drug, they would have to find the relevant needle in a sea of false documents. This could mean checking each recipe in detail-and perhaps investing in a few dead-end ones. “The name of the game here is, ‘Make it harder, ” explains V. S Subrahmanian, its developer, Dartmouth College Cyber Security researcher. “Pain those stealing from you. ” Subrahmanian says he tackled this project after reading that companies are unaware of new kinds of cyberattacks for an average of 312 days after they begin. “Hackers have almost a year to decamp with all our documents, patents and intellectual property, ”he says. “They have stolen almost everything. It’s not just the crown jewels-it’s the crown jewels, and the jewels of the cleaning lady, and the watch of the secretary!” The documents produced by WE-FORGE could also act as hidden traps to confuse hackers, says Rachel Tobac, CEO of SocialProof Security. These documents might alert security when accessed. Companies have typically used human-created false copies for this strategy. But now the algorithm is able to do that for us. The system produces convincing traps by searching through a document for key words. For each one it finds, it calculates a list of related concepts and replaces the original term with one chosen at random. The process can produce dozens of documents that contain no patent information but still look credible. Subrahmanian and his team asked computer science and chemistry graduates to evaluate real and false patents from their respective fields. And the humans found the WE-FORGE-created documents highly believable. WE-FORGE might eventually expand its boundary. Both Subrahmanian and Tobac think this research will attract commercial interest. “I could definitely see an organization investing in this type of product ” Tobac says. “If this creates believable decoys without releasing sensitive details within those traps, then I think you’ve got a huge with there. ” 1．What does the underlined word “decoys” in Paragraph 2 refer to? A．Misleading documents. B．Original terms. C．Computer operating systems. D．Cyber securities. 2．In Paragraph 3, what Subrahmanian says indicates ______. A．the unreliability of the network B．the wealth of the companies C．the greediness of hackers D．the variety of intellectual property 3．What can we learn about WE-FORGE? A．It will sound alarm upon being operated. B．It is profitable for the users by avoiding their loss. C．It has attracted investors for its application in many fields. D．It can compose irrelevant concepts in the false documents. 4．What do we know about the documents created by WE-FORGE? A．They are more reliable than human-created false copies. B．They can be identified as fake by experts in specific fields. C．They are designed to release sensitive information while confusing hackers. D．They are created by replacing key words with randomly selected related concepts. Clothes were once used until they fell apart-repaired and sewed to be re-used, ending their lives as dishcloths. Not today. Clothing, footwear and upholstered furniture are increasingly frequently bought, thrown away and replaced with new fashions, which are themselves soon abandoned and replaced. ‘Fast fashion’ is so called partly because the fashion industry now releases new lines every week, when historically this happened four times a year. Today, fashion brands (品牌) produce almost twice the amount of clothing that they did in 2000. But incredibly, more than 50 billion clothes are deserted within a year of being made. The trend is having an astonishing environmental impact. Take water. The fashion industry, one of the world’s largest users of water, consumes anywhere from 20 trillion to 200 trillion litres every year. Besides, plastic fibres are released when we wash polyester (聚酯纤维) and other polymer-based textiles (纺织物), and make up between 20% and 35% of the microplastics choking the oceans. Added to this are specific chemicals used to make fabrics dirt resistant and the pesticides required to protect crops such as cotton. Change is badly needed, but will require the fashion industry to work harder to embrace more of what is known as the circular economy. That will involve at least two things: refocusing on making things that last, and so encouraging reuse; and more rapidly expanding the technologies for sustainable manufacturing (制造) processes, especially recycling. There is work to be done for researchers on improving and expanding textiles recycling. Most used textiles go to landfill (废物填埋场), in part because there are relatively few systems that collect, recycle and reuse materials. Such recycling requires the manual separation of fibres, as well as buttons and zips. Different fibres are not easy to identify by eye, and overall such manual processes are time-consuming. Machinery is being developed that can help. Technologies also exist to recycle used fibres chemically and to create high-quality fibres that can be reused in clothing. But these are nowhere near the scale (规模) needed. Another challenge for researchers is to work out how to get consumers and manufacturers to change their behaviour. Small steps are good, but big changes are needed. The shameful environmental cost of a new cupboard needs to be tackled immediately, at scale, with style. 1．What are the first two paragraphs mainly about? A．Clothes should be used until they fall apart. B．Fashion brands are replaced with new ones frequently. C．Fast fashion leads to a significant increase in fashion waste. D．Fashion brands produce twice more clothing than necessary. 2．According to the author, what does the circular economy focus on? A．Improving the production of natural textiles. B．Studying how fast fashion affects the environment. C．Releasing new lines four times a year instead of every week. D．Making durable things and expanding the technologies for recycling. 3．What can you infer from the passage? A．Consumers are fond of chemically recycled fibres. B．Systems that collect, recycle and reuse are insufficient. C．Manual separation of fibres is preferred by manufacturers. D．Environment damage is mainly caused by using chemicals. Hibernation For people who aren’t fans of winter, animals that hibernate seem to have the right idea: It’s the equivalent of burying your head under the covers until spring comes, isn’t it? Not quite. “Most of the physiological functions are extremely slowed down,” says Marina Blanco, a postdoctoral associate at the Duke Lemur (狐猴) Center in Durham, North Carolina. For example, when lemurs hibernate, they reduce their heart rates from over 300 beats per minute to fewer than six, says Blanco. And instead of breathing about every second, they can go up to 10 minutes without taking a breath. Their brain activity “becomes undetectable.” This is very different from sleep, which is gentle resting state where unconscious functions are still performed. Put simply: “Hibernation is a means of energy conservation,” says Kelly Drew, a neuropharmacologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks who studies the brain chemistry of hibernating Arctic ground squirrels. While hibernation is often seen as a seasonal behavior, it’s not limited to cold-weather animals. There are tropical hibernators that may do so to beat the heat. And “some species hibernate in response to food shortages,” notes Drew. For example, echidnas (针鼹) in Australia will hibernate after fires, waiting until food resources rebound to resume normal activities. To slow their metabolism (新陈代谢), animals cool their bodies by 5 to 10℃ on average. The Arctic ground squirrels Drew works on can take this much further, supercooling to subfreezing temperatures. Drew’s research has shown that cooling is likely regulated by levels of adenosine (腺苷) in the brain. Not only does adenosine increase in winter in ground squirrels, the receptors for the molecule become more sensitive to it. But species don’t stay in their cold, sleeping state for the duration of their dormant period. About 80 percent of their energy is spent intermittently (间歇地) waking and warming up. Why they do this is “one of the greatest mysteries” of the field, says Thomas Ruf, a professor of animal physiology at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna. Some think they need to turn back on their immune systems to fight disease, while others think they may simply awake so they can sleep. One bird and a variety of amphibians (两栖动物), reptiles and insects also exhibit hibernation-like states. There is even at least one fish — the Antarctic cod — that slows down its metabolism in winter, becoming 20 times less active. And, of course, there are lots of mammals. While bears might be the first that come to mind, most mammalian hibernators are on the smaller side. “The average hibernator weighs only 70 grams,” says Ruf. That’s because little bodies have high surface area to volume ratios, making it more taxing for them to stay warm in cold weather — so they need the seasonal energy savings more than larger animals. 1．How does the author distinguish between hibernation and sleep? A．By highlighting reasons. B．By presenting definitions. C．By introducing arguments. D．By comparing the data. 2．What does the introduction of “echidnas” in Paragraph 3 aim to show? A．animals cool their bodies by 5 to 10℃ on average B．tropical hibernators may hibernate to beat the heat C．some species hibernate in response to food shortage D．hibernation is most often seen as a seasonal behavior 3．What does the last paragraph mainly discuss? A．when certain animals hibernate B．why some animals hibernate C．what kinds of animals hibernate D．how animals hibernate Parenting tips obtained from hunter-gatherers in Africa may be the key to bringing up more contented children, researchers have suggested. The idea is based on studies of communities such as the Kung of Botswana, where each child is cared for by many adults. Kung children as young as four will help to look after younger ones and “baby-wearing”, in which infants are carried in slings(吊着), is considered the norm. According to Dr Nikhil Chaudhary, an evolutionary anthropologist at Cambridge University, these practices,known as alloparenting, could lead to less anxiety for children and parents. Dr Annie Swanepoel, a child psychiatrist, believes that there are ways to incorporate them into western life. In Germany, one scheme has paired an old people’s home with a nursery. The residents help to look after the children,an arrangement akin to alloparenting. Another measure could be encouraging friendships between children in different school years to mirror the unsupervised mixed-age playgroups in hunter-gatherer communities. In a paper published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, researchers said that the western nuclear family was a recent invention which broke with evolutionary history. This abrupt shift to an “intensive mothering narrative”, which suggests that mothers should manage childcare alone, was likely to have been harmful. “Such narratives can lead to maternal exhaustion and have dangerous consequences,” they wrote. By contrast, in hunter-gatherer societies adults other than the parents can provide almost half of a child’s care.One previous study looked at the Efé people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It found that infants had an average of 14 alloparents a day by the time they were 18 weeks old and were passed between caregivers eight times an hour. Chaudhary said that parents now had less childcare support from family and social networks than during most of humans’ evolutionary history, but introducing additional caregivers could reduce stress and maternal depression,which could have a “knock-on” benefit to a child’s wellbeing. An infant born to a hunter-gatherer society could have more than ten caregivers — this contrasts starkly to nursery settings in the UK where regulations call for a ratio of one carer to four children aged two to three. While hunter-gatherer children learnt from observation and imitation in mixed-age playgroups, researchers said that western “instructive teaching”, where pupils are asked to sit still, may contribute to conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Chaudhary said that Britain should explore the possibility that older siblings helping their parents “might also enhance their own social development”. 1．According to the first two paragraphs, alloparenting refers to the practice of _________. A．sharing childcare among community members B．assigning babies to specific adult caregivers C．teaching parenting skills to older children D．carrying infants around by their parents 2．The scheme in Germany is mentioned to illustrate _________. A．an attempt to facilitate intergenerational communication B．an approach to integrating alloparenting into western society C．the conventional parenting style in western culture D．the differences between western and African ways of living 3．What can be inferred about the nurseries in the UK? A．They tend to fall short of official requirements. B．They have difficulty finding enough caregivers. C．They ought to improve their carer-to-child ratio. D．They should try to prevent parental depression. 4．Which of the following would be the best title for the text? A．Instructive teaching: a dilemma for anxious parents B．For a happier family, learn from the hunter-gatherers C．Mixed-age playgroup, a better choice for lonely children D．Tracing the history of parenting: from Africa to Europe AI for Everyone: The Rise of Affordable Smart Technology Artificial intelligence (AI) was once a luxury limited to big tech companies. Building advanced AI models used to require millions of dollars in computing power and teams of top engineers. But today, a new wave of affordable AI is changing the game, making this technology accessible to small businesses, schools, and even individual users. Chinese tech start-up DeepSeek made headlines in 2025 with its open-source AI model. Unlike expensive competitors, this model delivers similar performance in tasks like coding, math problem-solving, and language translation — yet it costs only a fraction of the price to develop. The company revealed that training the AI required less than $6 million in computing resources, which is 10 times cheaper than what major tech giants spend on their latest systems. This breakthrough has challenged the old idea that only big companies can afford cutting-edge AI. What’s more, DeepSeek has made the model’s core framework open to the public, allowing developers and researchers to modify and upgrade it for free, thus speeding up the innovation of AI applications in various fields. Affordable AI is already making a difference in daily life. In rural schools, AI tutors help students with personalized learning plans, filling gaps in subjects where teachers are in short supply. Small shops use AI tools to analyze customer preferences and manage inventory more efficiently, reducing waste and increasing profits. Even healthcare clinics in remote areas benefit — AI-powered apps can now assist doctors in diagnosing common diseases by analyzing medical data, enabling timely treatment for patients who live far from big hospitals. However, this progress comes with questions. Experts warn about potential risks like data privacy and unfair competition. As more people use AI, protecting personal information becomes increasingly important. There are also concerns that some jobs might be replaced by automation, especially those involving repetitive manual work. But most experts agree that the key lies in finding a balance: using AI to improve lives while setting clear rules to guide its development. Governments around the world are also exploring policies to regulate AI use, ensuring that the technology serves the public good rather than just a small group of interests. From expensive laboratory projects to everyday tools, AI has come a long way. As affordable AI continues to grow, it promises to bring more innovation and convenience to the world — proving that advanced technology doesn’t have to come with a high price tag. 1．How much did it cost to train DeepSeek’s AI model? A．Less than $6 million. B．Exactly $6 million. C．10 million dollars. D．More than $60 million. 2．What does the underlined word “inventory” in Paragraph 3 mean? A．The total amount of money a shop earns. B．The stock of goods a shop has for sale. C．The list of customers a shop serves. D．The rules a shop follows for management. 3．Which of the following is a practical use of affordable AI according to the passage? A．Replacing all teachers in rural schools. B．Helping big tech companies earn more money. C．Stopping all data privacy problems. D．Assisting doctors in diagnosing common diseases. 4．What can we infer from the passage about affordable AI? A．It has solved all the problems of traditional AI. B．It is only used by small businesses and schools. C．It brings both benefits and challenges to society. D．It will completely replace human workers in the future. In recent years, community gardens have sprouted up across the globe — from empty lots in New York City to rooftop spaces in Tokyo. Even in densely populated cities like Berlin, local residents have transformed old factory rooftops into “sky gardens”, where they grow strawberries and various green vegetables. These small, shared green areas are more than just places for growing produce; they play an important role in improving urban life both from an environmental and a social perspective. Environmentally, community gardens act as “urban lungs” that help fight against air pollution. A study conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that a 100-square-meter community garden can absorb approximately 500 kilograms of carbon dioxide every year — this is equivalent to taking 100 cars off the road for an entire day. They also help reduce the “heat island effect”, a phenomenon where cities remain much warmer than nearby rural areas because of large areas of concrete that trap heat. Plants in these gardens release moisture through a process called transpiration, which cools the surrounding air by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the soil in community gardens can absorb rainwater, decreasing the risk of urban flooding by up to 30%, according to research from the University of California. This benefit is particularly critical as extreme weather events become more frequent. Socially, these gardens help strengthen community bonds. A survey of 500 city residents in London showed that 78% of those who participated in community gardens felt closer to their neighbors, and many even formed long-term friendships through shared gardening activities. Community gardens often organize workshops on topics such as composting and cooking with home-grown vegetables, which bring together people from different age groups and cultural backgrounds. For elderly people who live alone and often feel lonely, taking care of a small garden plot provides a sense of purpose and reduces feelings of isolation. A 2023 study published in the Journal of Urban Health linked regular participation in community gardens to a 25% reduction in depression symptoms among older adults. Moreover, schools in Toronto often cooperate with nearby community gardens to teach students about plant growth and environmental protection, helping young people develop a sense of responsibility toward nature. While community gardens face certain challenges — such as limited available space in city centers, difficulties in securing long-term access to land, and varying levels of commitment from participants — their benefits clearly outweigh these problems. They prove that even small changes to urban environments can create healthier and more connected cities. As urban populations continue to grow, community gardens may soon become essential for building livable communities around the world, showing that green spaces are not luxury items but necessary parts of urban life. 1．What can we infer about the “heat island effect” from the passage? A．It can be alleviated by the moisture from garden plants. B．It increases the amount of carbon dioxide in cities. C．It is caused by the overgrowth of community gardens. D．It makes cities cooler than rural areas in summer. 2．Which of the following can be inferred from the studies mentioned in the passage? A．A 100-square-meter garden can completely solve urban flooding problems. B．Elderly people who join community gardens are less likely to feel depressed. C．Community gardens have a greater impact on the environment than on society. D．All London residents have become more connected to neighbors through gardens. 3．According to the passage, what do schools in Toronto do to help students develop environmental responsibility? A．They organize students to clean up community gardens regularly. B．They ask students to grow vegetables in community gardens for their families. C．They invite experts from the University of California to give lectures on the environment. D．They cooperate with nearby community gardens to teach plant growth and environmental protection. 4．What can we infer about the author’s attitude toward the future of urban green spaces? A．The author doubts whether community gardens can solve urban population problems. B．The author worries that the challenges of community gardens will stop their development. C．The author believes green spaces will become a basic need rather than a luxury in cities. D．The author suggests urban governments should focus more on reducing population growth. The 20th century was a famously fruitful time for visions of the future, but the 21st century has failed to inspire them in the same way. Science fiction writer William Gibson has called this “future fatigue”, pointing out that we barely ever make reference to the 22nd century. One reason is that most of the ideas of the future that captured people’s imaginations in the 20th century have mutated since then. Plastic, for example, once billed as the material of the future, has become an environmental and health crisis — its durability and abundance turned downsides. The dominant images of the future that we are presented with at the moment all have long histories to them. They include space colonization, dystopian artificial intelligence and a longing to bring back the past — but a past that never was. This makes sense given the climate anxiety and dread about the future felt by many people. The future has started to feel like it is closing off rather than opening out. Jean- Louis Missika, a former deputy mayor of Paris, has written that “when the future is dark, people turn to an idealised past, a lost golden age. Nostalgia (怀旧) becomes a refuge against dangers, a cocoon against the announced declines.” It’s not that absolutely no new future visions have emerged this century. But it is notable that no major, forward-looking future visions have taken root in our collective imagination since smartphones came to dominate our way of communicating. I think about the future for a living and it is my experience that unified visions of desirable futures can inspire people to bring about change. They act as motivators and imagination engines. We can use them to visualise the society we want and then commit to work towards that future. Unifying visions of the future are also effectively used in architectural pictures, ads and TV shows; Star Trek has inspired technologists for decades. We’re in a crucial transition — from fossil fuels to renewables. This can feel terrifying, but also motivating. There are plenty of hotspots of innovation today: look at the rise of rooftop solar energy in Pakistan, where households and small businesses are energetically embarking on the shift to renewables. But we lack integration: future thinking that assembles these innovations together into unified visions, puts them in a social context and then constructs from the present into the future. In my new book, I look at four future visions being developed today: more-than-human futures reimagines our relationship with nature; degrowth redesigns the role of the economy; solarpunk recharges cultural innovation; and the metaverse immerses us in vivid digital worlds. But the future doesn’t stop with these — there should be many more visions emerging. We need to seed them, grow them and see what shape they take when we tell stories of the future once again. 1．Why does future fail to attract people in the 21st century? A．Because nostalgia replaces hope for tomorrow. B．Because it repeats old dreams in the 20th century. C．Because 20th-century visions have turned problematic. D．Because climate fear has destroyed people’s confidence. 2．What can be learned from the passage? A．The energy shift plays a key role in future thinking. B．Looking backward helps build stronger communities. C．The absence of shared visions holds back future progress. D．Rapid technological growth has restored people’s optimism. 3．Regarding the “future fatigue”, the author is ________. A．concerned B．critical C．doubtful D．approving 4．What is the author’s main purpose in writing this article? A．To explain why “future fatigue” exists. B．To promote her new book about future visions. C．To warn against widespread fatigue towards future. D．To inspire collective imagination of future narratives. Climate change deniers love to point out that plants flourish when carbon dioxide levels rise, soaking up more carbon. As is often the case, there is an element of truth here. Yet the discovery in the 1960s that land is a carbon sink, came as a huge surprise to ecologists. You can think of it as a swimming pool. The water in the pool represents the carbon stored in all of the plants, animals and microbes above and below ground. Carbon trickles (缓慢移动) into the pool as plants grow and take up carbon dioxide. Carbon also leaks out as organisms decompose or burn. So long as more trickles into the pool than trickles out, this acts as a sink that removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The underlying causes of the sink remains an area of debate, but there are four major factors that are broadly agreed on. The first is rising levels of carbon dioxide that enhance photosynthesis in plants. This effect is then boosted by nutrient pollution, such as run- off rich in fertilisers from farms. Another factor is forests growing back after they were cut or burned for agriculture in previous decades. Finally, rapidly rising temperatures in the Arctic have extended the growing season and led to parts of the region turning green faster than expected. This unexpected gift has historically removed between a quarter and a third of the carbon dioxide emissions each year — somewhat putting the brakes on climate change until we get our act together. But the missing link in climate denialist reasoning is that this carbon sink can’t continue forever. Ecological shocks due to climate change combined with Earth’s physical limits will cause it to reach the turning point some time this century. Without this land sink, a 2023 study estimated the planet would be 0.3°C hotter. Worryingly, there are signs that we are already reaching that point. In 2023 and 2024, the land carbon sink seems to have almost disappeared. Researchers are now investigating how diverse environments contribute to this delicately shifting balance. The good news is that there are a series of effective ways to save the sink, or slow down its end—even in the face of accelerating climate change. Constantin Zohner, a climate ecologist in Switzerland, says the most important steps are to protect, restore and manage ecosystems, in that order. If existing forests were left to grow undisturbed, modelling suggests a maximum potential uptake of 228 billion tonnes of carbon as they reach full maturity over decades. Another 87 billion tonnes could be captured by restoring forests in places where they once grew. Beyond this, better management of ecosystems could enhance the land carbon sink by several billion tonnes each year. This involves avoiding monster wildfires, rolling out climate- friendly farming practices like rotational grazing, and more sustainable harvesting of trees. If we want to hold onto the unexpected gift of a land carbon sink then we must stop “removing the allies that we have”, says Zohner — and try to keep growth ahead of death just a little bit longer. 1．What does the word “sink” underlined in Paragraph 1 most probably mean? A．A storage system. B．A swimming pool. C．A cycling device. D．A leaking container. 2．The author mentions the “unexpected gift” in Paragraph 4 mainly to _______. A．highlight a surprise B．explain a concept C．emphasize a risk D．acknowledge a role 3．What can we learn from the passage? A．Forests grow back because of increasing carbon and fertilisers. B．The land carbon sink stops climate change by removing carbon. C．The land sink can disappear if we ignore the conservation of the environment. D．Forests should be preserved since over 200 billion tonnes of carbon is consumed. 4．What does the author intend to tell us in the last paragraph? A．Growth must exceed loss. B．Climate change is unavoidable. C．We should collaborate internationally. D．Better management of ecosystems is needed. 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $