2026届高三英语重点中学联考阅读专项训练七（D篇）

1.2026届高考英语第一次模拟考试练习卷（浙江专用） D It’s a surprising fact that over the past 20,000 years, the human brain has decreased in size by about 10% — a change that seems controversial as human civilization keeps advancing. This puzzling phenomenon has motivated widespread curiosity among scientists and the public, with several mainstream and reasonable explanations. Early humans relied entirely on their brains to track animals during hunting, distinguish safe plants from poisonous ones in the wild, and remember complex survival skills passed down from generation to generation. But now, with tools like calculators and smartphones, mature writing systems, and the convenient Internet, we can easily store and process information externally. For example, we no longer need to memorize a large number of mathematical formulas or complicated addresses by heart, as electronic devices can help us record and recover them quickly. Thus, the brain no longer needs to maintain a large size to carry more memories and skills. As humans turned to farming from hunting and gathering, their diet shifted from wild animals and fruits to grains and cooked food, which are more advanced and easier to digest. Compared with the unstable diet in the hunting-gathering era, this kind of regular diet provides energy more efficiently. Since the brain consumes nearly 20% of the body’s total energy, it can contract appropriately without affecting normal functions, helping the body save energy for other important activities. Group cooperation may be another key factor. Humans live in groups, sharing knowledge and dividing labor. Some people specialize in technology research, some in medical care, and others in education and management. Individual brains do not need to be omnipotent. The clear division of labor and close cooperation among group members ensure the group’s high efficiency, leading individual brain size to tend to be smaller. In fact, brain size is not directly linked to intelligence. The contracting brain may be a sign of human evolution adapting to the living environment, helping us save energy and better integrate into social life. 32．Why is the brain change a puzzling phenomenon? A．Its scale is considerable. B．Its explanations are lacking. C．It contradicts human progress. D．It has been ongoing for ages. 33．Which of the following is a cause of a smaller human brain? A．Universal human laziness. B．Lessened memory load. C．Demands for high efficiency. D．Irregular eating habits. 34．What does the underlined word “omnipotent” in paragraph 4 mean? A．All-powerful. B．Discontinuous. C．Passive. D．Consistent. 35．What does the text mainly talk about? A．The explanation of human’s smaller brain. B．The process of human brain contracting. C．Brain size makes no difference to intelligence. D．Human civilization promotes brain growth. 【答案】32．C 33．B 34．A 35．A 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍人类大脑在过去两万年缩小10%的现象，并分析背后的三大主流原因。 32．细节理解题。根据第一段中的“It’s a surprising fact that over the past 20,000 years, the human brain has decreased in size by about 10% — a change that seems controversial as human civilization keeps advancing. This puzzling phenomenon has motivated widespread curiosity(一个令人惊讶的事实是，在过去的 2 万年里，人类大脑的体积缩小了约 10%—— 这一变化看起来颇具争议，因为人类文明一直在不断进步。这一令人费解的现象引发了人们的广泛好奇。）”可知，人类大脑缩小之所以是费解的现象，是因为它和人类文明的进步相矛盾。故选C项。 33．推理判断题。根据第二段中的“we can easily store and process information externally. For example, we no longer need to memorize a large number of mathematical formulas  or complicated addresses by heart, as electronic devices can help us record and recover them quickly. Thus, the brain no longer needs to maintain a large size to carry more memories and skills.(我们可以借助外界工具轻松地存储和处理信息。例如，我们不再需要牢记大量的数学公式或复杂的地址，因为电子设备能够帮助我们快速地记录和调取这些信息。因此，大脑也就无需再维持较大的体积，去承载更多的记忆和技能)”可知，人类记忆负担的减轻，是大脑体积变小的原因之一。故选B项。 34．词句猜测题。根据第四段中的“Humans live in groups, sharing knowledge and dividing labor. Some people specialize in technology research, some in medical care, and others in education and management(人类过着群居生活，共享知识且分工明确。有人专攻技术研究，有人从事医疗行业，还有人投身教育与管理领域)”可知，在分工合作的社会中，个体无需掌握所有技能。因此omnipotent的含义是“全能的、无所不能的”，与All-powerful意思一致。故选A项。 35．主旨大意题。通读全文，第一段提出人类大脑缩小的费解现象，第二、三、四段分别从“外部工具分担记忆负担”“饮食结构变化节约能量”“群体分工降低个体能力需求”三个角度分析原因，最后一段总结大脑体积与智力无直接关联，缩小是适应环境的进化。因此全文核心是解释人类大脑缩小的原因。故选A项。 2.2026届高考英语第一次模拟考试练习卷（江苏专用） D Sugary drinks, already linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, may also fuel the spread of advanced colorectal cancer (直肠癌), according to new research from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The study found that the specific glucose-fructose mixture  (葡萄糖-果糖混合物) common in most sugary drinks directly promotes metastasis (转移) — the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body, which is the leading cause of death in colorectal cancer patients. “To fully understand the danger, we needed to see whether they can make existing cancers more aggressive, not just increase initial cancer risk,” explained Dr. Jihye Yun, lead author of the study. The research compared the effects of combined glucose-fructose to either sugar alone using preclinical models. Only the mixture made cancer cells more mobile, accelerating their spread to the liver — the most common site for colorectal cancer spread. The mechanism involves the activation of an enzyme (酶) called sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD) by the sugar blend. SORD boosts glucose metabolism and triggers a cholesterol (胆固醇) pathway that ultimately drives metastasis. Notably, this is the same pathway targeted by cholesterol-lowering statin drugs (他汀类药物). Blocking SORD slowed cancer spread even in the presence of the sugar mix, suggesting a potential therapeutic target. The study broadens the definition of sugary drinks beyond sodas to include energy drinks, sweetened coffees, nutritional supplements, and fruit juices. This is significant given that over half of U.S. adults and nearly two-thirds of youth consume such sugary drinks daily — a trend paralleling a concerning rise in early-onset colorectal cancer. While the findings are from laboratory models and require human trials for confirmation, they offer a crucial insight: dietary changes, even after tumor formation, may slow disease progression. Alongside reducing sugary drink intake, targeting the SORD pathway could offer opportunities to reduce colorectal cancer spread and improve outcomes for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. 33．What is the main purpose of the research mentioned in the passage? A．To prove that sugary drinks cause colorectal cancer B．To compare the effects of glucose and fructose on human health C．To investigate how sugary drinks might accelerate cancer spread in advanced cases D．To develop new drugs for treating early-stage colorectal cancer 34．According to the passage, what makes the glucose-fructose mix particularly significant? A．It is the only sugar combination that causes obesity B．It alone made cancer cells more mobile and likely to spread C．It is rarely found in common sugary drinks D．It has no effect on cholesterol levels 35．What potential treatment approach is suggested by the discovery about SORD? A．Developing drugs that block this enzyme to slow cancer spread B．Increasing statin dosage for all cancer patients C．Eliminating all cholesterol from patients' diets D．Using sugary drinks to activate the enzyme more effectively 36．What does Dr. Yun emphasize about the definition of "sugary drinks"? A．It should be limited to traditional soft drinks B．It excludes drinks given to cancer patients C．It includes a wider range of drinks than people might realize D．It only refers to drinks containing artificial sweeteners 【答案】33．C 34．B 35．A 36．C 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。 文章主要讲述了德克萨斯大学MD安德森癌症中心的一项新研究发现，含糖饮料中的葡萄糖-果糖混合物可能促进晚期结直肠癌的扩散，并探讨了其机制和潜在的治疗方法。 33．推理判断题。根据第一段“Sugary drinks, already linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, may also fuel the spread of advanced colorectal cancer (直肠癌), according to new research from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The study found that the specific glucose-fructose mixture (葡萄糖-果糖混合物) common in most sugary drinks directly promotes metastasis (转移) — the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body, which is the leading cause of death in colorectal cancer patients. (德克萨斯大学MD安德森癌症中心的一项新研究表明，含糖饮料已经与肥胖、2型糖尿病和心脏病有关，可能还会促进晚期结直肠癌的扩散。研究发现，大多数含糖饮料中常见的特定葡萄糖-果糖混合物直接促进转移——癌细胞扩散到身体其他部位，这是结直肠癌患者死亡的主要原因。)”以及第二段““To fully understand the danger, we needed to see whether they can make existing cancers more aggressive, not just increase initial cancer risk,” explained Dr. Jihye Yun, lead author of the study. (该研究的主要作者Jihye Yun博士解释说：“为了充分了解危险性，我们需要看看它们是否会使现有的癌症更具侵袭性，而不仅仅是增加初始癌症风险。” )”可知，这项研究的主要目的是调查含糖饮料如何加速晚期癌症的扩散。故选C项。 34．细节理解题。根据第二段“The research compared the effects of combined glucose-fructose to either sugar alone using preclinical models. Only the mixture made cancer cells more mobile, accelerating their spread to the liver — the most common site for colorectal cancer spread. (该研究使用临床前模型比较了葡萄糖-果糖混合物与单独使用糖的效果。只有这种混合物使癌细胞更具移动性，加速了它们向肝脏的扩散——肝脏是结直肠癌最常见的扩散部位。)”可知，葡萄糖-果糖混合物特别显著的原因是只有这种混合物使癌细胞更具移动性，更有可能扩散。故选B项。 35．细节理解题。根据第三段“Notably, this is the same pathway targeted by cholesterol-lowering statin drugs (他汀类药物). Blocking SORD slowed cancer spread even in the presence of the sugar mix, suggesting a potential therapeutic target. (值得注意的是，这是降低胆固醇的他汀类药物靶向的相同途径。即使在存在糖混合物的情况下，阻断SORD也能减缓癌症扩散，这表明了一个潜在的治疗靶点。)”可知，关于SORD的发现表明，开发阻断这种酶的药物可以减缓癌症扩散。故选A项。 36．细节理解题。根据第四段“The study broadens the definition of sugary drinks beyond sodas to include energy drinks, sweetened coffees, nutritional supplements, and fruit juices. (这项研究将含糖饮料的定义从苏打水扩大到包括能量饮料、加糖咖啡、营养补充剂和果汁。)”可知，Jihye Yun博士强调“含糖饮料”的定义包括比人们可能意识到的更广泛的饮料范围。故选C项。 3.安徽省滁州市2025-2026学年高三上学期2月期末英语试题 D The Amazon rainforest is often called the “lungs of the Earth” and credited with producing 20 percent of the world’s oxygen. But that’s a misleading claim. “There are a number of reasons why you keep the Amazon in place, but oxygen just isn’t any one of them,” remarks Earth systems scientist Michael Coe. To Coe, the claim doesn’t make any sense because there isn’t enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for trees to photosynthesize (光合作用). For carbon dioxide molecules (分子)trees pull out of the air, they push a comparable number of oxygen molecules back out. The atmosphere contains less than half a percent of carbon dioxide, and 21 percent of oxygen. It’s impossible for the Amazon to generate that much oxygen. Yadvinder Malhi, an ecosystem ecologist at Oxford University, estimates tropical forests are responsible for around 34 percent of photosynthesis occurring on land. Based on its size, the Amazon would account for about half of that, which means the Amazon generates around 17 percent of oxygen produced on land. The oxygen we breathe is the gift of plankton (浮游生物)in the ocean that have over billions of years steadily accumulated oxygen that made the atmosphere breathable. This oxygen could only accumulate because the plankton became trapped at the bottom of the ocean before they could rot. Otherwise, their breaking-up by other microbes would have used up that oxygen. However, the 20 percent claim has been making the rounds for decades. Malhi and Coe think it comes from the fact that the Amazon contributes around 20 percent of the oxygen produced by photosynthesis on land — which may have mistakenly slipped into public knowledge as “20 percent of the oxygen in the atmosphere.” Obviously, none of this is to say that the Amazon isn’t important. “It pulls tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, which cools the planet,” notes climate scientist Carlos Nobre, “The Amazon is also the most bio-diverse ecosystem on land and one of nature’s most powerful tools for easing climate change, playing an important role in stabilizing rainfall cycles in South America.” For its importance to the world, the Amazon might as well be a pair of “lungs”. 12. What is a widespread misunderstanding of the Amazon? A. It features rich biodiversity. B. It eases climate change effectively. C. It produces 20% of Earth’s oxygen. D. It breathes in oxygen like human lungs. 13. Why does Michael Coe doubt the claim? A. Oxygen is mainly from plankton. B. CO2 is too little for photosynthesis. C. The Amazon is not large enough. D. The Amazon generates little oxygen. 14. Why do ocean plankton contribute most to the breathable atmosphere? A. They absorb more CO2. B. They spread across vast ocean regions. C. They photosynthesize faster. D. They build up oxygen over long periods. 15. What can we infer from Carlos Nobre’s words in the last paragraph? A. He denies the claim on the Amazon. B. He underestimates the Amazon’s function. C. He stresses the Amazon’s ecological value. D. He confirms the Amazon’s role in carbon reduction. 【答案】12. C 13. B 14. D 15. C 【解析】 【导语】本文是一篇说明文。主要澄清亚马逊雨林产生全球20%氧气的误解，同时阐述其真正重要的生态价值。 【12题详解】 细节理解题。根据第一段中的“The Amazon rainforest is often called the ‘lungs of the Earth’ and credited with producing 20 percent of the world’s oxygen. But that’s a misleading claim.(亚马逊雨林常被称为“地球之肺”，并被认为产生了全球20%的氧气。但这是一个具有误导性的说法)”可知，关于亚马逊雨林，一个普遍的误解是它产生了全球20%的氧气。故选C项。 【13题详解】 细节理解题。根据第二段中的“To Coe, the claim doesn’t make any sense because there isn’t enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for trees to photosynthesize (光合作用).(在科看来，这种说法毫无意义，因为大气中没有足够的二氧化碳供树木进行光合作用)”可知，迈克尔·科质疑这一说法的原因是大气中二氧化碳含量太少，不足以支撑树木通过光合作用产生大量氧气。故选B项。 【14题详解】 细节理解题。根据第四段中的“The oxygen we breathe is the gift of plankton (浮游生物)in the ocean that have over billions of years steadily accumulated oxygen that made the atmosphere breathable.(我们呼吸的氧气是海洋中浮游生物的馈赠，它们在数十亿年的时间里稳步积累氧气，使大气变得适合呼吸)”可知，海洋浮游生物对可呼吸大气贡献最大的原因是它们在漫长的时间里持续积累氧气。故选D项。 【15题详解】 推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“Obviously, none of this is to say that the Amazon isn’t important. ‘It pulls tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, which cools the planet,’ notes climate scientist Carlos Nobre, “The Amazon is also the most bio-diverse ecosystem on land and one of nature’s most powerful tools for easing climate change, playing an important role in stabilizing rainfall cycles in South America.”(显然，这并不是说亚马逊不重要。气候科学家卡洛斯·诺布雷指出：“它从大气中吸收大量二氧化碳，从而冷却地球。亚马逊也是陆地上生物多样性最丰富的生态系统，是自然界缓解气候变化最有力的工具之一，在稳定南美洲的降雨周期方面发挥着重要作用。”)”可推断，卡洛斯·诺布雷的话强调了亚马逊雨林重要的生态价值。故选C项。 4.山东省青州第一中学2025-2026学年高三上学期期末模拟（三）英语试题 D Needles, though essential for delivering many vital medicines, are not popular among patients. Many people experience discomfort or anxiety at the sight of a needle, making injections (注射) an unpleasant experience. Now, new research led by Giovanni Traverso at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers a way to give medicine without this discomfort—by copying how squids (鱿鱼) shoot ink and water. Dr. Traverso’s tiny automated injectors are packaged in capsules that patients can swallow. Once inside the digestive system, the capsules break down, releasing the injectors, which then deliver drugs through the surface layer of stomach or other digestive organs and into the subsurface tissues below. This method allows patients to receive treatment without seeing or feeling a needle. Although the technique is promising, it is not yet entirely reliable. For an injector to work effectively, it must be positioned almost perfectly upright against the target tissue. With skin injections, a medical professional can adjust the angle by hand, but inside the digestive system, this is much more difficult. To solve this problem, Dr. Traver so turned to squids, which can shoot ink and water at high pressure in multiple directions. Inspired by this natural ability, he and his team worked with a medical company to develop tiny spring-loaded devices that release fast streams of medicine when activated. Tests on digestive tissues from pigs and dogs showed that the devices can effectively give injections even at angles below 70°. While human trials have yet to begin, Dr. Traver so hopes the technology will soon help people with diabetes, a disease that requires the patients to get multiple injections daily. A more convenient delivery system could make treatment easier and less stressful. But the potential applications extend beyond diabetes—similar devices may one day be used to administer vaccines, making immunization (免疫接种) more accessible. If all goes well, fear of needles could become a thing of the past. 12. What can we learn about the new injectors from the first two paragraphs? A. They are made from squid ink. B. They are invisible to human eyes. C. They enjoy popularity among patients. D. They operate within the digestive system. 13. What challenge does Traverso’s technique face? A. Keeping the injector at a correct angle. B. Finding a proper site for drug delivery. C. Having reliable medical professionals. D. Accessing the deep digestive system. 14. What can we infer about the technology from the last paragraph? A. It proves effective in human trials. B. It may cure people of needle anxiety. C. It shows promises for future applications. D. It will reduce the cost of diabetes treatment. 15. Which of the following is the best title for the text? A. The Secret of Squid Ink Shooting B. Painless Injection: A Gift from Squid C. Nature: A Guide for Medical Innovation D. The Development of Injection Techniques 【答案】12. D 13. A 14. C 15. B 【解析】 【导语】本文是说明文。本文介绍了一种新型无痛注射技术，灵感来源于鱿鱼喷射墨水的机制。 【12题详解】 细节理解题。根据第二段“Dr. Traverso’s tiny automated injectors are packaged in capsules that patients can swallow. Once inside the digestive system, the capsules break down, releasing the injectors, which then deliver drugs through the surface layer of stomach or other digestive organs and into the subsurface tissues below. This method allows patients to receive treatment without seeing or feeling a needle.(Traverso博士的微型自动注射器被包装在胶囊中，病人可以吞下。一旦进入消化系统，胶囊就会分解，释放出注射器，然后注射器通过胃或其他消化器官的表层将药物输送到下面的皮下组织。这种方法可以让患者在看不到或感觉不到针头的情况下接受治疗)”可知，注射器在消化系统内操作。故选D项。 【13题详解】 细节理解题。根据第三段“Although the technique is promising, it is not yet entirely reliable. For an injector to work effectively, it must be positioned almost perfectly upright against the target tissue. With skin injections, a medical professional can adjust the angle by hand, but inside the digestive system, this is much more difficult.(虽然这项技术很有前途，但还不是完全可靠。为了使注射器有效地工作，它必须几乎完全垂直地放置在目标组织上。通过皮肤注射，医学专业人员可以手动调整角度，但在消化系统内，这要困难得多)”可知，技术面临的主要挑战是保持注射器的正确角度。故选A项。 【14题详解】 推理判断题。根据最后一段“While human trials have yet to begin, Dr. Traver so hopes the technology will soon help people with diabetes, a disease that requires the patients to get multiple injections daily. A more convenient delivery system could make treatment easier and less stressful. But the potential applications extend beyond diabetes—similar devices may one day be used to administer vaccines, making immunization (免疫接种) more accessible. If all goes well, fear of needles could become a thing of the past.(虽然人体试验尚未开始，但特拉弗博士希望这项技术能很快帮助糖尿病患者，这种疾病需要患者每天多次注射。一个更方便的输送系统可以使治疗更容易，压力更小。但潜在的应用范围不仅限于糖尿病——类似的设备可能有一天会被用于接种疫苗，使免疫接种更容易获得。如果一切顺利，对针头的恐惧可能会成为过去)”可推知，该技术在未来具有广阔的应用前景，故选C项。 【15题详解】 主旨大意题。根据第一段“Needles, though essential for delivering many vital medicines, are not popular among patients. Many people experience discomfort or anxiety at the sight of a needle, making injections (注射) an unpleasant experience. Now, new research led by Giovanni Traverso at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers a way to give medicine without this discomfort—by copying how squids (鱿鱼) shoot ink and water.(尽管针头对于输送许多重要药物至关重要，但在患者中并不受欢迎。许多人一看到针头就感到不适或焦虑，这使得注射成为一种不愉快的经历。现在，麻省理工学院（MIT）的乔瓦尼·特拉弗索（Giovanni Traverso）领导的一项新研究提供了一种不用这种不适就能给药的方法——模仿鱿鱼喷射墨水和水的方式)”以及纵观全文可知，本文主要介绍了一种基于鱿鱼喷射机制的无痛注射技术，强调了其创新性和对患者的潜在益处，所以B项“无痛注射：来自乌贼的礼物”是本文最好的标题。故选B项。 5.广西河池市2025-2026学年秋季上学期高三期末学业水平质量检测英语试卷 D Artificial intelligence is replacing white-collar jobs, analysis suggests, and translators, sales representatives and financial advisers will be the first victims. Staff in research-intensive roles are the most vulnerable to the rise of machine learning and a switch to automation in the workplace, according to research by Microsoft, which analysed more than 200,000 conversations between users of its Copilot’s chatbot to find out how and when users use AI. “AI is coming for your job — at least if you are a white-collar worker,” Joachim Klement, an analyst at a City investment firm, which studied the findings. Interpreters and translators, passenger attendants, management analysts and sales representatives in the services industry are among those set to take the biggest hit from the growing adoption of AI by employers. Nurses, ship engineers, plasterers and water treatment operators were among occupations considered the safest. “The researchers did not show average pay for each of these jobs, and that working as a water treatment plant operator stinks, literally and from a financial perspective when compared with working in finance,” Klement said. Microsoft, which is investing almost £70 billion on building its AI services, analysed how people were using generative AI and its success in completing a desired task, with information gathering, communication and working with the public coming out top. It compared the results against a list of occupations that spent most time researching and finding information, and then writing the results in documents for clients or the public. Entry-level jobs are expected to be badly hit by the replacement caused by AI, according to a report by the British Standards Institution. Sebastian, who cofounded the “buy now, pay later” company in 2005, said he had shrunk its workforce from 7,400 people to about 3,000 while increasing revenues and customers. Andy Jassy, the boss of Amazon, told staff in June that the introduction of generative AI systems would reduce its workforce in the future. 32. Which is less likely to be affected by AI? A. Medical staff and ship engineers. B. Management analysts. C. Interpreters and translators. D. Passenger attendants. 33. Why does Microsoft conduct the research according to the text? A. To recommend the best occupations. B. To stress the importance of using AI. C. To find out what users use AI for. D. To improve the financial situation of company. 34. Why does the author mention Sebastian and Andy Jassy? A. To show they are cruel to workers. B. To prove that AI has impacted workers. C. To demonstrate that they attach importance to AI. D. To highlight that AI has a promising future. 35. What is the suitable title for the text? A. The advantages and disadvantages of AI. B. AI helps company cut its cost. C. All the jobs will be replaced by AI. D. AI is coming for white-collar jobs. 32-35 ACBD 【导语】微软公司做了一项调查人们使用 AI 的用途，发现 AI 正取代一些白领行业的工作，行业的老板采取裁员和即将裁员来论证人工智能的影响。 32. 选 A，细节题。题意为哪一个更不可能受到人工智能影响？根据第三段 BCD 都容易受影响，而 Nurses, ship engineers are among occupations considered safest. 护士和轮船工程师被认为最安全的，故选 A。 33. 选 C，推断题。文章第一段最后一句 to find out how and when users use AI. 可知微软开展研究的目的是发现用户用 AI 来做什么，故选 C。 34. 选 B，推断题。文章最后一段说，入门级工作预计最容易被 AI 替代，然后举例说明，第一个是 Sebastian 已经裁员且效果不错，第二个是 Andy Jassy 说创新 AI 的使用在接下来几年会减少公司劳动力，都是说明 AI 确实已经影响了白领工人的工作，故选 B。 35. 选 D，归纳题。文章第一段说的是微软研究目的，第二段哪些行业受影响，第三段微软研究的内容，最后一段是举例两位老板证明人工智能实实在在地影响了就业，故选 D。 6.青海西宁二中教育集团2025-2026学年第一学期高三英语期末考试题 D Psychological science is full of interesting topics, many of which tell a coherent picture of human nature, but some of which create seemingly contradictory stories. A case in point is the tricky and misunderstood overlap (重叠) between strength-based science and the research on narcissism (自恋). There is now convincing evidence to show that narcissism is on the rise, especially in our youth. In my own research on strength-based parenting, it is common for people to wrongly label this approach as a recipe for narcissism. Their argument seems to be that a child who knows their strengths will automatically view themselves as better than everyone else. It is argued that the self-assurance that comes with identifying and using their positive qualities will make a child arrogant, selfish and uncaring. Genuine confidence about one’s strengths is categorized as over-confidence; desirable self-knowledge is branded as excessive self-admiration. Why does this occur? It’s partly because more is known about narcissism than strengths. While strengths psychology has largely stayed within the limit of academic journals or has been applied only within certain contexts such as the workplace, research on narcissism has made its way into the mass media and into our collective consciousness. The New York Times noted that narcissism is a favored “go-to” topic and that people everywhere are diagnosing others with it. The fear that a strength-based approach will cause narcissism also occurs because we unknowingly fall prey to binary (非此即彼) thinking. We mistakenly believe that one cannot be both confident and humble. We focus on Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian rather than Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. There’s no way that Gandhi and Mother Teresa could have achieved what they did without confidence in their strengths, and yet they are both pillars of modesty and selflessness. When we assume that strength-focus is the same as a self-focus, we fail to entertain the idea that people who know their strengths are, actually, more likely to be pro-social and focus on helping others. It’s tempting to conclude that every young person is at risk of becoming a narcissist but I’d like to stand up for the thousands of young kids I have worked with who are caring, thoughtful and humble—even when they use their strengths. 12. Which does the underlined word “coherent” possibly mean? A. Reasonable. B. Primary. C. Complicated. D. Beneficial. 13. Why teenagers’ strengths are often mistaken for narcissism? A. Teenagers with strengths are always arrogant, selfish and uncaring. B. The public are more exposed to research on narcissism. C There is a lack of strengths in our collective consciousness. D Numbers of people are diagnosed with narcissism by doctors. 14. The author mentions Gandhi and Teresa in paragraph 4 to show that ________. A. they are both victims of binary thinking B. public figures unknowingly fall prey to narcissism C. confidence is quite important for celebrities D. one can be both modest and sure of himself 15. What’s the author’s attitude towards young kids’ strength-based approaches? A. Skeptical. B. Neutral. C. Favorable. D. Cautious. 【答案】12. A 13. B 14. D 15. C 【解析】 【导语】本文为一篇议论文。一直以来，人们对个人优势和自恋两者之间认识不足，导致了对青少年的自信产生误解。作者解释了对青少年的自信被误解为自恋的这一现象，及其产生原因，并认为：以突出孩子们优势为基础的教养方式是有益的。 【12题详解】 词句猜测题。由文章第一段中“but some of which create seemingly contradictory stories. (但其中一些创造了看似矛盾的故事)”可知，but前后为转折关系，所以but前应表达“其中许多讲述了合乎逻辑的故事”，划线词的含义为“合理的”。A. Reasonable合理的；B. Primary初级的；C. Complicated复杂的；D. Beneficial有益的。故选A。 【13题详解】 推理判断题。根据第二段最后一句“Genuine confidence about one’s strengths is categorized as over-confidence; desirable self-knowledge is branded as excessive self-admiration. (对自己实力的真正自信被归类为过度自信；合适的自我认识被认为是过度的自我欣赏。)”，以及第三段中的“Why does this occur? It’s partly because more is known about narcissism than strengths. While strengths psychology has largely stayed within the limit of academic journals, research on narcissism has made its way into the mass media and our daily life. (为什么会出现这种情况？这在一定程度上是因为人们对自恋的了解多于对优点的了解。虽然优势心理学在很大程度上还停留在学术期刊的范围内，但对自恋的研究已经进入了大众媒体和我们的日常生活。)”可知，青少年因优势产生的自信常常被误认为是自恋，是因为大众对自恋很熟悉，而对优势心理学接触较少、相对陌生。故选B项。 【14题详解】 推理判断题。根据倒数第四段中的 “We mistakenly believe that one cannot be both confident and humble. We focus on Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian rather than Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. There’s no way that Gandhi and Mother Teresa could have achieved what they did without confidence in their strengths, and yet they are both pillars of modesty and selflessness.(我们关注的是唐纳德·特朗普和金·卡戴珊，而不是圣雄甘地和特蕾莎修女。如果对自己的力量没有信心，甘地和特蕾莎修女不可能取得他们所取得的成就，但他们都是谦虚和无私的支柱。)”可知，这一段，作者认为人们的看法——一个人不可能既自信又谦虚——是错误的。由此推知，作者以甘地和特蕾莎为例，来证明自己的观点，即一个人既自信又谦虚是可能的。故选D。 【15题详解】 推理判断题。根据第二段中“In my own research on strength-based parenting, it is common for people to wrongly label this approach as a recipe for narcissism. (在我自己对以力量为基础的养育方式的研究中，人们通常会错误地将这种方式贴上自恋的标签。)”和最后一段“It’s tempting to conclude that every young person is at risk of becoming a narcissist but I’d like to stand up for the thousands of young kids I have worked with who are caring, thoughtful and humble—even when they use their strengths. (人们很容易得出这样的结论:每个年轻人都有成为自恋者的风险，但我想为我接触过的成千上万的年轻人挺身而出，他们关心他人、体贴他人、谦逊——即使他们在发挥自己的优势时也是如此。)”可推知，作者很赞成基于优势的育儿方法。故选C。 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $ 1.2026届高考英语第一次模拟考试练习卷（浙江专用） D It’s a surprising fact that over the past 20,000 years, the human brain has decreased in size by about 10% — a change that seems controversial as human civilization keeps advancing. This puzzling phenomenon has motivated widespread curiosity among scientists and the public, with several mainstream and reasonable explanations. Early humans relied entirely on their brains to track animals during hunting, distinguish safe plants from poisonous ones in the wild, and remember complex survival skills passed down from generation to generation. But now, with tools like calculators and smartphones, mature writing systems, and the convenient Internet, we can easily store and process information externally. For example, we no longer need to memorize a large number of mathematical formulas or complicated addresses by heart, as electronic devices can help us record and recover them quickly. Thus, the brain no longer needs to maintain a large size to carry more memories and skills. As humans turned to farming from hunting and gathering, their diet shifted from wild animals and fruits to grains and cooked food, which are more advanced and easier to digest. Compared with the unstable diet in the hunting-gathering era, this kind of regular diet provides energy more efficiently. Since the brain consumes nearly 20% of the body’s total energy, it can contract appropriately without affecting normal functions, helping the body save energy for other important activities. Group cooperation may be another key factor. Humans live in groups, sharing knowledge and dividing labor. Some people specialize in technology research, some in medical care, and others in education and management. Individual brains do not need to be omnipotent. The clear division of labor and close cooperation among group members ensure the group’s high efficiency, leading individual brain size to tend to be smaller. In fact, brain size is not directly linked to intelligence. The contracting brain may be a sign of human evolution adapting to the living environment, helping us save energy and better integrate into social life. 32．Why is the brain change a puzzling phenomenon? A．Its scale is considerable. B．Its explanations are lacking. C．It contradicts human progress. D．It has been ongoing for ages. 33．Which of the following is a cause of a smaller human brain? A．Universal human laziness. B．Lessened memory load. C．Demands for high efficiency. D．Irregular eating habits. 34．What does the underlined word “omnipotent” in paragraph 4 mean? A．All-powerful. B．Discontinuous. C．Passive. D．Consistent. 35．What does the text mainly talk about? A．The explanation of human’s smaller brain. B．The process of human brain contracting. C．Brain size makes no difference to intelligence. D．Human civilization promotes brain growth. 2.2026届高考英语第一次模拟考试练习卷（江苏专用） D Sugary drinks, already linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, may also fuel the spread of advanced colorectal cancer (直肠癌), according to new research from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. The study found that the specific glucose-fructose mixture  (葡萄糖-果糖混合物) common in most sugary drinks directly promotes metastasis (转移) — the spread of cancer cells to other parts of the body, which is the leading cause of death in colorectal cancer patients. “To fully understand the danger, we needed to see whether they can make existing cancers more aggressive, not just increase initial cancer risk,” explained Dr. Jihye Yun, lead author of the study. The research compared the effects of combined glucose-fructose to either sugar alone using preclinical models. Only the mixture made cancer cells more mobile, accelerating their spread to the liver — the most common site for colorectal cancer spread. The mechanism involves the activation of an enzyme (酶) called sorbitol dehydrogenase (SORD) by the sugar blend. SORD boosts glucose metabolism and triggers a cholesterol (胆固醇) pathway that ultimately drives metastasis. Notably, this is the same pathway targeted by cholesterol-lowering statin drugs (他汀类药物). Blocking SORD slowed cancer spread even in the presence of the sugar mix, suggesting a potential therapeutic target. The study broadens the definition of sugary drinks beyond sodas to include energy drinks, sweetened coffees, nutritional supplements, and fruit juices. This is significant given that over half of U.S. adults and nearly two-thirds of youth consume such sugary drinks daily — a trend paralleling a concerning rise in early-onset colorectal cancer. While the findings are from laboratory models and require human trials for confirmation, they offer a crucial insight: dietary changes, even after tumor formation, may slow disease progression. Alongside reducing sugary drink intake, targeting the SORD pathway could offer opportunities to reduce colorectal cancer spread and improve outcomes for patients with advanced colorectal cancer. 33．What is the main purpose of the research mentioned in the passage? A．To prove that sugary drinks cause colorectal cancer B．To compare the effects of glucose and fructose on human health C．To investigate how sugary drinks might accelerate cancer spread in advanced cases D．To develop new drugs for treating early-stage colorectal cancer 34．According to the passage, what makes the glucose-fructose mix particularly significant? A．It is the only sugar combination that causes obesity B．It alone made cancer cells more mobile and likely to spread C．It is rarely found in common sugary drinks D．It has no effect on cholesterol levels 35．What potential treatment approach is suggested by the discovery about SORD? A．Developing drugs that block this enzyme to slow cancer spread B．Increasing statin dosage for all cancer patients C．Eliminating all cholesterol from patients' diets D．Using sugary drinks to activate the enzyme more effectively 36．What does Dr. Yun emphasize about the definition of "sugary drinks"? A．It should be limited to traditional soft drinks B．It excludes drinks given to cancer patients C．It includes a wider range of drinks than people might realize D．It only refers to drinks containing artificial sweeteners 3.安徽省滁州市2025-2026学年高三上学期2月期末英语试题 D The Amazon rainforest is often called the “lungs of the Earth” and credited with producing 20 percent of the world’s oxygen. But that’s a misleading claim. “There are a number of reasons why you keep the Amazon in place, but oxygen just isn’t any one of them,” remarks Earth systems scientist Michael Coe. To Coe, the claim doesn’t make any sense because there isn’t enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere for trees to photosynthesize (光合作用). For carbon dioxide molecules (分子)trees pull out of the air, they push a comparable number of oxygen molecules back out. The atmosphere contains less than half a percent of carbon dioxide, and 21 percent of oxygen. It’s impossible for the Amazon to generate that much oxygen. Yadvinder Malhi, an ecosystem ecologist at Oxford University, estimates tropical forests are responsible for around 34 percent of photosynthesis occurring on land. Based on its size, the Amazon would account for about half of that, which means the Amazon generates around 17 percent of oxygen produced on land. The oxygen we breathe is the gift of plankton (浮游生物)in the ocean that have over billions of years steadily accumulated oxygen that made the atmosphere breathable. This oxygen could only accumulate because the plankton became trapped at the bottom of the ocean before they could rot. Otherwise, their breaking-up by other microbes would have used up that oxygen. However, the 20 percent claim has been making the rounds for decades. Malhi and Coe think it comes from the fact that the Amazon contributes around 20 percent of the oxygen produced by photosynthesis on land — which may have mistakenly slipped into public knowledge as “20 percent of the oxygen in the atmosphere.” Obviously, none of this is to say that the Amazon isn’t important. “It pulls tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere, which cools the planet,” notes climate scientist Carlos Nobre, “The Amazon is also the most bio-diverse ecosystem on land and one of nature’s most powerful tools for easing climate change, playing an important role in stabilizing rainfall cycles in South America.” For its importance to the world, the Amazon might as well be a pair of “lungs”. 12. What is a widespread misunderstanding of the Amazon? A. It features rich biodiversity. B. It eases climate change effectively. C. It produces 20% of Earth’s oxygen. D. It breathes in oxygen like human lungs. 13. Why does Michael Coe doubt the claim? A. Oxygen is mainly from plankton. B. CO2 is too little for photosynthesis. C. The Amazon is not large enough. D. The Amazon generates little oxygen. 14. Why do ocean plankton contribute most to the breathable atmosphere? A. They absorb more CO2. B. They spread across vast ocean regions. C. They photosynthesize faster. D. They build up oxygen over long periods. 15. What can we infer from Carlos Nobre’s words in the last paragraph? A. He denies the claim on the Amazon. B. He underestimates the Amazon’s function. C. He stresses the Amazon’s ecological value. D. He confirms the Amazon’s role in carbon reduction. 4.山东省青州第一中学2025-2026学年高三上学期期末模拟（三）英语试题 D Needles, though essential for delivering many vital medicines, are not popular among patients. Many people experience discomfort or anxiety at the sight of a needle, making injections (注射) an unpleasant experience. Now, new research led by Giovanni Traverso at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers a way to give medicine without this discomfort—by copying how squids (鱿鱼) shoot ink and water. Dr. Traverso’s tiny automated injectors are packaged in capsules that patients can swallow. Once inside the digestive system, the capsules break down, releasing the injectors, which then deliver drugs through the surface layer of stomach or other digestive organs and into the subsurface tissues below. This method allows patients to receive treatment without seeing or feeling a needle. Although the technique is promising, it is not yet entirely reliable. For an injector to work effectively, it must be positioned almost perfectly upright against the target tissue. With skin injections, a medical professional can adjust the angle by hand, but inside the digestive system, this is much more difficult. To solve this problem, Dr. Traver so turned to squids, which can shoot ink and water at high pressure in multiple directions. Inspired by this natural ability, he and his team worked with a medical company to develop tiny spring-loaded devices that release fast streams of medicine when activated. Tests on digestive tissues from pigs and dogs showed that the devices can effectively give injections even at angles below 70°. While human trials have yet to begin, Dr. Traver so hopes the technology will soon help people with diabetes, a disease that requires the patients to get multiple injections daily. A more convenient delivery system could make treatment easier and less stressful. But the potential applications extend beyond diabetes—similar devices may one day be used to administer vaccines, making immunization (免疫接种) more accessible. If all goes well, fear of needles could become a thing of the past. 12. What can we learn about the new injectors from the first two paragraphs? A. They are made from squid ink. B. They are invisible to human eyes. C. They enjoy popularity among patients. D. They operate within the digestive system. 13. What challenge does Traverso’s technique face? A. Keeping the injector at a correct angle. B. Finding a proper site for drug delivery. C. Having reliable medical professionals. D. Accessing the deep digestive system. 14. What can we infer about the technology from the last paragraph? A. It proves effective in human trials. B. It may cure people of needle anxiety. C. It shows promises for future applications. D. It will reduce the cost of diabetes treatment. 15. Which of the following is the best title for the text? A. The Secret of Squid Ink Shooting B. Painless Injection: A Gift from Squid C. Nature: A Guide for Medical Innovation D. The Development of Injection Techniques 5.广西河池市2025-2026学年秋季上学期高三期末学业水平质量检测英语试卷 D Artificial intelligence is replacing white-collar jobs, analysis suggests, and translators, sales representatives and financial advisers will be the first victims. Staff in research-intensive roles are the most vulnerable to the rise of machine learning and a switch to automation in the workplace, according to research by Microsoft, which analysed more than 200,000 conversations between users of its Copilot’s chatbot to find out how and when users use AI. “AI is coming for your job — at least if you are a white-collar worker,” Joachim Klement, an analyst at a City investment firm, which studied the findings. Interpreters and translators, passenger attendants, management analysts and sales representatives in the services industry are among those set to take the biggest hit from the growing adoption of AI by employers. Nurses, ship engineers, plasterers and water treatment operators were among occupations considered the safest. “The researchers did not show average pay for each of these jobs, and that working as a water treatment plant operator stinks, literally and from a financial perspective when compared with working in finance,” Klement said. Microsoft, which is investing almost £70 billion on building its AI services, analysed how people were using generative AI and its success in completing a desired task, with information gathering, communication and working with the public coming out top. It compared the results against a list of occupations that spent most time researching and finding information, and then writing the results in documents for clients or the public. Entry-level jobs are expected to be badly hit by the replacement caused by AI, according to a report by the British Standards Institution. Sebastian, who cofounded the “buy now, pay later” company in 2005, said he had shrunk its workforce from 7,400 people to about 3,000 while increasing revenues and customers. Andy Jassy, the boss of Amazon, told staff in June that the introduction of generative AI systems would reduce its workforce in the future. 32. Which is less likely to be affected by AI? A. Medical staff and ship engineers. B. Management analysts. C. Interpreters and translators. D. Passenger attendants. 33. Why does Microsoft conduct the research according to the text? A. To recommend the best occupations. B. To stress the importance of using AI. C. To find out what users use AI for. D. To improve the financial situation of company. 34. Why does the author mention Sebastian and Andy Jassy? A. To show they are cruel to workers. B. To prove that AI has impacted workers. C. To demonstrate that they attach importance to AI. D. To highlight that AI has a promising future. 35. What is the suitable title for the text? A. The advantages and disadvantages of AI. B. AI helps company cut its cost. C. All the jobs will be replaced by AI. D. AI is coming for white-collar jobs. 6.青海西宁二中教育集团2025-2026学年第一学期高三英语期末考试题 D Psychological science is full of interesting topics, many of which tell a coherent picture of human nature, but some of which create seemingly contradictory stories. A case in point is the tricky and misunderstood overlap (重叠) between strength-based science and the research on narcissism (自恋). There is now convincing evidence to show that narcissism is on the rise, especially in our youth. In my own research on strength-based parenting, it is common for people to wrongly label this approach as a recipe for narcissism. Their argument seems to be that a child who knows their strengths will automatically view themselves as better than everyone else. It is argued that the self-assurance that comes with identifying and using their positive qualities will make a child arrogant, selfish and uncaring. Genuine confidence about one’s strengths is categorized as over-confidence; desirable self-knowledge is branded as excessive self-admiration. Why does this occur? It’s partly because more is known about narcissism than strengths. While strengths psychology has largely stayed within the limit of academic journals or has been applied only within certain contexts such as the workplace, research on narcissism has made its way into the mass media and into our collective consciousness. The New York Times noted that narcissism is a favored “go-to” topic and that people everywhere are diagnosing others with it. The fear that a strength-based approach will cause narcissism also occurs because we unknowingly fall prey to binary (非此即彼) thinking. We mistakenly believe that one cannot be both confident and humble. We focus on Donald Trump and Kim Kardashian rather than Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa. There’s no way that Gandhi and Mother Teresa could have achieved what they did without confidence in their strengths, and yet they are both pillars of modesty and selflessness. When we assume that strength-focus is the same as a self-focus, we fail to entertain the idea that people who know their strengths are, actually, more likely to be pro-social and focus on helping others. It’s tempting to conclude that every young person is at risk of becoming a narcissist but I’d like to stand up for the thousands of young kids I have worked with who are caring, thoughtful and humble—even when they use their strengths. 12. Which does the underlined word “coherent” possibly mean? A. Reasonable. B. Primary. C. Complicated. D. Beneficial. 13. Why teenagers’ strengths are often mistaken for narcissism? A. Teenagers with strengths are always arrogant, selfish and uncaring. B. The public are more exposed to research on narcissism. C There is a lack of strengths in our collective consciousness. D Numbers of people are diagnosed with narcissism by doctors. 14. The author mentions Gandhi and Teresa in paragraph 4 to show that ________. A. they are both victims of binary thinking B. public figures unknowingly fall prey to narcissism C. confidence is quite important for celebrities D. one can be both modest and sure of himself 15. What’s the author’s attitude towards young kids’ strength-based approaches? A. Skeptical. B. Neutral. C. Favorable. D. Cautious. 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $