UNIT 5 Section Ⅰ Starting out & Understanding ideas-【优学精讲】2025-2026学年高中英语选择性必修第四册教用课件（外研版）

该高中英语课件围绕玛雅文明主题，系统呈现其建筑成就、历法精度、文字系统及兴衰原因，通过Pre-reading图片提问激活背景知识，建立“古文明特征—崩溃原因—现代启示”的知识脉络，以分步骤阅读任务为支架引导学生深入文本。 其亮点在于融合语言能力与思维品质培养，如While-reading环节通过架构分析、细节理解、难句剖析提升文本解读能力，Post-reading“保护现代文明”问题引导批判性思考。词汇句型部分结合教材原句拓展用法，辅以检测题巩固，助力学生提升语言运用与自主学习能力，也为教师提供结构化教学流程与多元评价工具。

Section Ⅰ　 Starting out & Understanding ideas 目 录 01 文本透析·剖语篇 02 篇章助解·释疑难 03 随堂检测·要过关 04 核心知识·巧突破 05 随堂检测·要过关 06 课时检测·提能力 文本透析·剖语篇 目 录 Pre-reading Look at the pictures and answer the questions. 1. What are they？And what do they have in common？ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ The first picture is Ancient Greece. The second picture is Ancient Babylon and the third picture is Ancient Egypt. They are all ancient civilisations and they were all prosperous and powerful at that time. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 2. What might be the reasons behind their collapse？ ⁠ ⁠ It might be the wars that led to their collapse. They were conquered by other empires. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） While-reading 第一步：析架构理清脉络 Read the passage quickly and fill in the blanks. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 第二步：知细节明察秋毫 Read the passage carefully and choose the best answers. 1. What is the purpose of paragraph 1？（　　） A. To introduce the topic. B. To introduce ancient star charts. C. To show us that William Gadoury was wrong. D. To give a short introduction of William Gadoury. √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 2. Why was Maya calendar so accurate？（　　） A. Because it was very complicated. B. Because the Maya had a writing system. C. Because there were many characters in it. D. Because the Maya made use of knowledge of mathematics and astronomy. √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 3. When did Maya civilisation reach its highest level？（　　） A. Before 700 BC. 　 B. By 700 AD. C. At around 900 AD. 　 D. In the early 16th century. A. By listing examples. B. By asking questions. C. By making a comparison. D. By analysing causes. √ 4. How does the author start paragraph 4？（　　） √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 5. What reduced the Maya people’s ability to deal with natural disasters？（　　） A. The growth of the Maya population. B. More and more natural disasters struck Maya. C. Conflicts between foreign nationalities and local people. D. Not following the laws of nature to change the landscape. √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 第三步：析难句表达升级 自主翻译： ⁠ ⁠ 玛雅社会的科技水平十分原始，这一事实使得玛雅的种 种成就更加令人难以置信、神秘莫测。　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 自主翻译： ⁠ ⁠ 许多科学家认为，这些旱灾是玛雅文明在不同地方以不 同速度衰落的主要原因。　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） Post-reading 第一步：拓思维品质提升 What can we do to help protect modern civilisations？ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ We human beings should respect nature and not violate the law of its development. On the one hand， we should follow the natural law and believe in the survival of the fittest. On the other hand， we should actively transform the world around us and bravely fight against kinds of disasters as possible as we can. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 第二步：课文语法填空 　　Maya civilisation has been a mystery 1. it was rediscovered in the 19th century.The Maya built many splendid structures，among which the step pyramids 2. （be） the most famous.What puzzles people is 3. they built these structures with their own hands. To people’s 4. （amaze）， they applied their understanding of mathematics and astronomy 5. the Maya calendar，which was accurate to within 30 seconds per year.They also developed a real writing system. It was so complicated that no one has been able to interpret it 6. （complete） so far. since　 are　 how　 amazement　 to　 completely　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　Why Maya civilisation collapsed remains a mystery. Some research seems 7. （indicate） that the people themselves were to blame for the downfall，while others also suggest that 8. ⁠ （nature） disasters may have led to the decline of it.Whatever the reasons， Maya civilisation left various 9. （mystery） for later people to solve.Meanwhile，the rise and fall of the civilisation must leave us 10. （think） about our own past， present and future. to indicate　 natural　 mysteries　 thinking　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 篇章助解·释疑难 目 录 The Mysteries of THE MAYA [1]Intrigued① by Maya civilisation② from a very young age， 15- year-old Canadian William Gadoury thought he had made an incredible discovery③ from his study of ancient star charts.Through comparison④， he found that the locations of the 117 known Maya cities correspond to⑤ the positions of the stars.Based on this， he believed he had spotted⑥ an unknown Maya city buried deep in the jungle.[2]  Although his theory has been dismissed⑦ by scholars， it shows how powerful the secrets of Ancient Maya civilisation are among people. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） It isn’t difficult to see why.Extending south from parts of what we now know as Mexico into Central America， Maya civilisation has been surrounded by mystery since its rediscovery in the 19th century.The Maya built impressive palaces and temples， including their representative⑧ step pyramids.What is most extraordinary about these complex structures is how they were built without the use of wheels， metal tools or even animal power⑨.The Maya’s understanding of mathematics⑩ and astronomy⑪ was also quite amazing.They applied⑫ this understanding to 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） the Maya calendar， which was accurate⑬ to within 30 seconds peryear. [3]On top of all this was an achievement unique in the Americas at that time： a true writing system.It contained more than 800 characters⑭， [4]with some signs representing⑮ animals， people and objects and others representing syllables⑯.It was a writing system so complicated that， so far， no one has been able to interpret⑰ it completely. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　[1]Intrigued by ...为过去分词短语作原因状语，表示“被…… 所吸引”。 [2]本句为主从复合句。Although引导让步状语从句；how引导 宾语从句。 [3]本句是一个完全倒装句。 [4]with的复合结构作状语。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） ①intrigue v.（因奇特或神秘而）激起……的兴趣，引起……的好 奇心 ②civilisation n.文明（社会） ③an incredible discovery一个惊人的发现 ④comparison n.对比，比较 ⑤correspond to与……相符；类似于 ⑥spot v.发现 ⑦dismiss v.拒绝考虑，否定 ⑧representative adj.典型的，有代表性的 ⑨power n.力量 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） ⑩mathematics n.数学 ⑪astronomy n.天文学 ⑫apply v.应用 apply ...to ...把……应用于…… ⑬accurate adj.精确的 ⑭character n.字母；符号 ⑮represent v.代表 ⑯syllable n.音节 ⑰interpret v.诠释；说明 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） [5]The fact that Maya society was technologically primitive⑱ makes its achievements all the more incredible and mysterious.[6]But the greatest mystery of all is what caused the Maya to abandon most of their great cities. By 700 AD， Maya civilisation was at its peak⑲.Yet， within just a couple of generations⑳， it began to mysteriously decline ㉑.The cities were left to be taken back by the jungle.When Europeans arrived in Central America in the early 16th century to claim its riches㉒ ， the remaining Maya people were living in small settlements㉓. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　[5]本句中that引导同位语从句；另外，本句还包含一个“make ＋宾语＋宾语补足语”结构，its achievements为宾语，all the more incredible and mysterious为宾语补足语。 [6]本句中what引导表语从句。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） ⑱primitive adj.原始的 ⑲at its peak在它的巅峰时期 ⑳a couple of generations几代 ㉑decline v.衰落，衰弱，衰败 ㉒ riches n.[pl.]财富；财产 claim its riches索取它的财富 ㉓settlement n.定居点 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　[7]Why Maya civilisation collapsed㉔ remains a mystery.Was it a natural disaster？ A deadly㉕ disease？ Conflicts between cities？ Or was it a combination of㉖ several different factors？ Some research seems to indicate㉗ that the Maya people themselves may have played a part in their downfall㉘.They had turned wetlands into fields for growing grains， and had dug huge canal systems.As their population expanded， yet more land was needed for agriculture and more trees for construction.[8]By changing the landscape in this way， it is possible that the Maya people unknowingly㉙ reduced their ability to deal with natural disasters. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） Research also suggests that those natural disasters may have led to the decline of the Maya.Some recent studies have found that there were far fewer tropical cyclones㉚ than usual between 700 AD and 1000 AD. This is likely to have led to a series of droughts， each lasting for a couple of years， including a “megadrought” around 900 AD. [9]Many scientists believe that these droughts were the main reason why Maya civilisation began to collapse at different rates in different places.These droughts would have led to food shortages， conflicts and， ultimately， the downfall of the cities. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） [10]Whatever the reasons， Maya civilisation largely disappeared within the deep jungle.Its once-great cities fell into ruin， [11]leaving various mysteries for later people to solve.Meanwhile， the rise and fall㉛ of this civilisation must also leave us thinking about our own past， present and future. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　[7]Why引导主语从句。 [8]本句含有主语从句，it作形式主语，真正的主语为that从句。 [9]本句中that引导宾语从句；why引导定语从句，修饰先行词 reason。 [10]Whatever引导让步状语从句，省略了be动词were。 [11]动词-ing短语作结果状语。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） ㉔collapse v.崩溃，瓦解；倒塌，坍塌 ㉕deadly adj.致命的 ㉖a combination of……的结合 ㉗indicate v.暗示；表明 ㉘downfall n.衰败 ㉙unknowingly adv.未意识到地，不知不觉地 ㉚tropical cyclone热带气旋 ㉛the rise and fall 兴衰 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 参考译文 玛雅之迷 十五岁的加拿大少年威廉·甘德瑞自幼便对玛雅文明着迷，他 认为自己通过研究古老星象图有了惊人发现。通过比较，他发现 117座已知玛雅城市的位置和星象的位置是对应的。据此，他相信 自己发现了一座隐藏于丛林深处的未知玛雅城市的位置。尽管学 者们对他的理论不予考虑，但是这表明古玛雅文明的奥秘在人们 心中是如此举足轻重。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 这背后的原因不难发现。玛雅文明的范围从现今墨西哥的部分区 域向南延伸至中美洲。自从19世纪玛雅文明再现，层层迷雾便一直围 绕着它。玛雅人建造了恢宏的宫殿和庙宇，其中包括代表性建筑阶梯 金字塔。这些复杂建筑最不同寻常之处在于，在没有使用机轮、金属 工具甚至畜力的情况下，玛雅人是如何建造它们的。玛雅人对数学和 天文学的认识也十分令人惊叹。他们将这一认识应用到了玛雅历中， 该历法精确程度极高，每年误差不超过30秒。除此之外，还有一项当 时美洲独有的成就：一个真正的文字系统。这种文字系统包含800多 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 个字符，有些符号代表动物、人和物，其他代表音节。这种文字系统 很复杂，以至于到目前为止没有人可以将其完全解读。 玛雅社会的科技水平十分原始，这一事实使得玛雅的种种成就更加令人难以置信、神秘莫测。但最大的谜团是为何玛雅人抛弃了绝大部分的大城市。到公元700年时，玛雅文明如日中天。然而，仅仅在几代之内，玛雅文明开始神秘地衰落。城市荒废，任凭丛林蚕食取代。16世纪早期，欧洲人来到中美洲攫取财富时，只剩下一些玛雅人居住在小型聚居区里。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　玛雅文明衰落的原因一直是一个谜团。究竟是因为自然灾害、致 死疾病、城市间的冲突、抑或是几个不同因素叠加所致？某些研究似 乎暗示，玛雅人自己也许就是导致衰落的掘墓人。他们将湿地变成了 种植庄稼的田地，还开凿了巨大的运河系统。随着人口增长，人们需 要更多土地以发展农业，需要更多树木以修建建筑物。通过这样改变 地貌，玛雅人可能在不知不觉中减弱了自己应对自然灾害的能力。 研究也表明，那些自然灾害可能导致了玛雅文明的衰落。最近一些研究发现，公元700年到公元1000年之间，热带气旋的数量远远少于 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 往常。这可能导致了一系列旱灾，每一次旱灾都持续若干年，其中就包括公元900年的一场“百年不遇的旱灾”。许多科学家认为，这些旱灾是玛雅文明在不同地方以不同速度衰落的主要原因。这些旱灾会导致食物短缺、冲突发生，最终导致城市的衰败。 无论原因如何，玛雅文明几乎消失在了丛林深处。曾经恢宏的城市沦为废墟，留下各种谜团等待后人解开。同时，玛雅文明的崛起与衰落必定也让我们思考自己的过去、现在与将来。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 随堂检测·要过关 目 录 Ⅰ.词块默写 1. 　自然现象 2. 　古代文明 3. 　精确到……以内 4. 　索取财富 5. 　一场自然灾害 6. 　食物短缺 7. 　……的兴衰 8. 　未解之谜 9. 　有惊人的发现 10. 　一套文字系统 natural phenomena　 ancient civilisations　 be accurate to within ...　 claim riches　 a natural disaster　 food shortages　 the rise and fall of ...　 unsolved mysteries　 make an incredible discovery　 a writing system　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） Ⅱ.课文原句默写 1. an achievement unique in the Americas at that time： a true writing system. 除此之外，还有一项当时美洲独有的成就：一个真正的文字系统。 On top of all this was　 2. ， Maya civilisation largely disappeared within the deep jungle. 无论原因如何，玛雅文明几乎消失在了丛林深处。 3. Its once-great cities fell into ruin， ⁠ ⁠. 曾经恢宏的城市沦为废墟，留下各种谜团等待后人解开。 Whatever the reasons　 leaving various mysteries for later people to solve　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 核心知识·巧突破 目 录 1. bury v. 将……埋在下面，埋葬；埋藏；遮盖，掩盖；掩藏（感 情、错误等）；使陷入 教材原句　Based on this， he believed he had spotted an unknown Maya city buried deep in the jungle. 据此，他相信自己发现了一座隐藏于丛林深处的未知玛雅城市的 位置。 核心词汇集释 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 【用法】 bury one’s face/head in one’s hands　　　　　　　用手捂住脸/头 　　埋头于/专心于…… 【佳句】　Embarrassed by the unexpected compliment， she buried her face in her hands， trying to hide her red cheeks. 因意外的赞美而感到尴尬，她双手掩面，试图藏起她通红的脸颊。　 （动作描写） 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 【联想】　“专心于”的其他表达方式： be absorbed in， absorb oneself in， be lost in， be devoted to， devote oneself to， concentrate on， focus on 【练透】　单句语法填空 ①Yuan Longping buried himself the development of the hybrid rice and made great achievements. in　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 【写美】　一句多译 ②由于专心准备比赛，她完全忽略了外界的干扰。 　（人物描写） → ， she completely ignored outside distractions. （动词-ing短语作状语） → ， she completely ignored outside distractions. （过去分词短语作状语） Burying herself in the competition preparations　 Buried in the competition preparations　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 2. apply ...to ... 把……应用于……；把……涂/敷到……上 教材原句　They applied this understanding to the Maya calendar， which was accurate to within 30 seconds per year. 他们将这一认识应用到了玛雅历中，该历法精确程度极高，每年误差 不超过30秒。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 【用法】 （1）apply to　　　　　适用于 apply （to sb） for　　（向某人）申请；请示得到 apply oneself to （doing） sth　　专心/致力于（做）某事 （2）applicant n.　　申请人 application n.　　申请（书）；应用；用途 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 【佳句】　Could you tell me how to apply the grammar rules you taught me to my writing？ 你能告诉我如何把你教我的语法规则应用到写作中吗？　（求助信） 【生义】　Bear in mind that you should apply the cream to the affected area twice a day. 记住：将药膏涂抹在感染处，每日两次。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 【练透】　单句语法填空 ①（2024·新课标Ⅰ卷） The latest engineering techniques are ⁠ （apply） to create this protective functional structure that is also beautiful. ②The job advertisement attracted many young （apply） who were eager to start their careers. ③I’d appreciate it if you could take my （apply） into account. applied　 applicants　 application　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 【写美】　完成句子 ④在这段困难时期，你应该专心照顾好自己的身体。　（安慰信） You should during this difficult time. apply yourself to taking good care of your health　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 重点句型解构 ◇句型公式：动词-ing短语作结果状语 教材原句　Its once-great cities fell into ruin， leaving various mysteries for later people to solve. 曾经恢宏的城市沦为废墟，留下各种谜团等待后人解开。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） （1）句中动词-ing短语作结果状语，表示由前面的事情引起的一种 自然而然的结果。 （2）动词不定式也可以作结果状语，但多表示出乎意料的结果，有 时前面加上only，以加强语气。 【用法】 【佳句】　The factory poured waste water into the river， causing serious pollution to the local environment. 工厂把废水排入河中，对当地环境造成了严重污染。　（短文投稿） 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 【写美】　微写作 ①他错过了最后一班公交车，结果别无选择，只能步行回家。　（告 知信） He missed the last bus， ⁠ ⁠. ②她没有定期复习功课，结果导致她很难通过期末考试。 She didn’t review the lessons regularly， ⁠ ⁠. leaving him with no choice but to walk home　 making it difficult for her to pass the final exam　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 随堂检测·要过关 目 录 Ⅰ.单词拼写 1. On the top of the mountain lie ancient （废墟）， hidden from the world for centuries， waiting to be explored. 2. The girl was sitting on the bench in the park， （将……埋 在下面） her head in the book in her hands. 3. Chinese citizens are to have their fingerprints recorded when （申请） for or changing their identity cards. ruins　 burying　 applying　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 4. The villagers had to a their homes when the floodwater rose rapidly. 5. The manager was d for violating company policies repeatedly. bandon　 ismissed　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） Ⅱ.补全句子 1. The charity event aims to help the villagers whose homes ⁠ （沦为废墟） by the flood rebuild their houses. 2. As a senior student， I’d like to share some tips on how to ⁠ （增加你的词汇量） during our high school study. 3. Mei Lanfang played a key role in bringing Peking Opera to the world， （使其获 得了国际地位和认可） that it has today. were left in ruins　 expand your vocabulary　 leading to the international status and recognition　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 课时检测·提能力 目 录 维度一：品句填词 1. As we know， the Panama （运河） has played a very important role in transportation. 2. I wonder if you know anything about （天文学）. 3. The lost car was found （遗弃） in the woods off the highway. 4. The case was d in the absence of any definite proof. Canal　 astronomy　 abandoned　 ismissed　 5. The ancient c of Central and Latin America were founded upon corn. ivilisations　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 维度二：词形转换 1. These （expand） into new worlds help us by giving us new perspectives. 2. They are the representatives of ancient （civilise） and the wisdom of ancient folks. 3. The employee’s （dismiss） was due to his consistent failure to meet the company’s performance standards. 4. In the last few years，Mr Black has adopted more than twenty （abandon） dogs. expansions　 civilisation　 dismissal　 abandoned　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 5. Students learned the practical （apply） of the theory they had learned in the classroom. 6. I found him （bury） in reading the novel when I came in the room， making no response to my questions. application　 buried　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 维度三：固定搭配和句式 1. Your actions should always （与……相符） your words to build trust. 2. Without regular maintenance， even the strongest structures will eventually （成为废墟）. 3. I have good grades in all subjects. （除……之外） that， I am also actively involved in various extracurricular activities. 4. Because of their courage， daring and idealism， we will miss them （更加）. correspond with　 fall into ruin　 On top of　 all the more　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 5. As we know， the British Empire was （在鼎盛时期） in the mid 19th century. 6. （无论你遇到什么困难）， never abandon your pursuit of knowledge. 7. The temperature keeps rising and no rain falls， ⁠ （引发了几场野火）. at its peak　 Whatever difficulties you encounter　 bringing about several cases of wildfire　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 维度四：一词多义/熟词生义 快速阅读下列句子并选出句中加蓝词汇对应的意思 1. dismiss A. v.解散 B. v.解雇，开除，免职 C. v.不考虑，不理会 D. v.去除；消除 ①Tom was dismissed from the job for incompetence last month and led a miserable life. 　 ⁠ B　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） ②I gently patted him on the shoulder to dismiss his fears from his mind. 　 ⁠ ③（译林选必三）For many years， some historians dismissed the records of these voyages as legends.　 ⁠ ④“Let’s call it a day and you are dismissed，” the teacher said at the end of the class. 　 ⁠ D　 C　 A　　 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 2. Roads and bridges have been destroyed and crops ruined. 　 ⁠ ⁠ 3. A rise in the temperature of the gas results in its expansion. 　 ⁠ v.毁 坏，破坏　 n.膨胀　 快速阅读下列句子并猜测句中加蓝词汇的意思 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 阅读理解 A 　　（2025·河北邯郸高二下期末） A group of scientists have uncovered a simple log structure （原木结构） from the Stone Age （石 器时代） that may be the oldest evidence of early humans building with wood. It’s nearly half a million years old. 　　The leader Larry Barham and his team dug up the log structure and a handful of wooden tools — from a riverbed site that sits above a waterfall. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） They think the crossed logs could have been the base for a bigger structure like a walkway or a platform. It suggests that humans were more advanced than previously thought and they were able to adjust to their environment and build structures to meet their needs， even in the tough Stone Age world. 　　Usually， wood is rarely found at such ancient sites as it usually rots （腐烂） and disappears when it comes into contact with elements. But these materials stayed underwater， which helped protect them. So when 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） the team uncovered the logs in 2019， they were still able to see signs that early humans had shaped them. “Everything just looks so pristine， causing you to think， ‘It cannot be this old，’” Barham said. 　　Figuring out more details was challenging， since traditional dating techniques couldn’t get deep enough into the past. During the process， the scientists used a new method called “luminescence dating”， which uses tiny minerals （矿物质） in the sand to measure how long materials have been buried. The new dating method has far-reaching effects， allowing scientists to date much further back in time. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　The log structure was made at least 476，000 years ago. However， the wooden tools were made 400，000 years ago. This is a time of Homo sapiens （智人）. The wooden tools would have been made by another kind of early human Homo heidelbergensis （海德堡人）. If these ancient humans were putting effort into the furniture of the site， it suggests they may have stayed for a while or made regular visits， according to Dirk Leder， who was not involved with the research. The log structure is an important window into what these humans were capable of. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了一个考古发现—— 一个石器时代的原木结构，它可能是早期人类用木材建造的最古老 的证据。 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了一个考古发现—— 一个石器时代的原木结构，它可能是早期人类用木材建造的最古老 的证据。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 1. What is the significance of the discovery of this log structure？ （　　） A. It reflects the richness and value of natural resources. B. It shows early humans’ intelligence and adaptability. C. It explains the natural challenges facing early humans. D. It suggests the existence of advanced building techniques. 解析：　推理判断题。根据第二段末句可知，这一发现表明早期人 类比之前认为的更先进，他们能够适应环境并建造结构来满足他们的 需求。由此推断，这展示了早期人类的智慧和适应性。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 2. What does the underlined word “pristine” in paragraph 3 probably mean？（　　） A. Fresh. B. Suitable. C. Traditional. D. Convenient. √ 解析：　词义猜测题。根据第三段第二句可知，这些材料一直留在 水下，所以保存完好。由此可知，画线词所在句意为：一切看起来都 很新鲜，让你觉得它不可能有这么古老。故画线词pristine意为“新鲜 的”，与fresh意思接近。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 3. Why was the “luminescence dating” method used？（　　） A. To research the early use of tiny minerals. B. To uncover previously unknown historical events. C. To prove the presence of Homo sapiens at the site. D. To enable more exact judgment of the materials’ age. 解析：　细节理解题。根据第四段前两句可知，由于传统的测年技 术无法追溯到久远的过去，所以科学家们使用了一种叫作“发光测 年”的新方法。由此可知，使用“发光测年”的新方法是为了更准确 地判断材料的年代。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 4. Which of the following does Dirk Leder probably agree with？ （　　） A. Homo sapiens shared living space with Homo heidelbergensis. B. Homo sapiens was the first to create wooden buildings. C. Early humans’ creation shows signs of their activity. D. Ancient humans led a competitive lifestyle. √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 解析：　推理判断题。根据最后一段倒数第二句可知，Dirk Leder认 为，如果这些远古人类在建造该遗址的家具上投入了精力，那就表明 他们可能在那里待了一段时间，或者经常来这里。由此可推知，Dirk Leder可能同意早期人类的创造显示了他们的活动迹象。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） B 　　（2025·浙江杭州高二下期末） A prehistoric fossil uncovered in Antarctica could be the oldest modern bird ever found and an ancestor of today’s ducks and geese. The discovery could help scientists continue piecing together the long evolutionary history of birds. 　　The nearly complete bird skull is about 69 million years old. Called Vegavis iaai， it belongs to a species of waterfowl （birds that include ducks， geese， and swans） that lived at the same time as dinosaurs like 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） Tyrannosaurus rex. Only the duck-like species survived when all dinosaurs that were not avian died out about 66 million years ago. 　　The mystery of Vegavis iaai began in 1993， when researchers discovered the fossil of a bird on Vega Island in Antarctica. It did not have a skull， which made it difficult to fully identify. Julia Clarke， a paleontologist （scientist who studies fossils） at the University of Texas， Austin， was one of the scientists who found the first fossil. She thought it was related to modern waterfowl but couldn’t prove that without the creature’s skull. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　Then， in 2011， researchers found a skull on Vega Island. They recently confirmed that it was a match for the skeleton from 1993， which provided an opportunity to determine whether Vegavis iaai was connected to today’s ducks and geese. 　　The researchers created a digital 3D model of the Vegavis iaai skull， which showed that its brain was shaped like the brains of today’s ducks and geese. However， it had a long， narrow beak and powerful jaw muscles that made it different from waterfowl and more like modern birds that dive and catch fish. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　Despite the range of characteristics， the study’s authors believe Vegavis iaai is related to today’s waterfowl. “It’s exactly the kind of thing we need to help fill in an evolutionary gap，” Christopher Torres， a co-author of the new study， told The New York Times. Other scientists are not convinced， however， and argue that more fossils of the species are needed to fully confirm the findings. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　Torres and his colleagues understand that there is more work to be done to support their findings and that their conclusions are controversial. “Few birds are as likely to start as many arguments among paleontologists as Vegavis，” Torres told Science News. 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了在南极洲发现的一 种古老鸟类化石Vegavis iaai，及其对研究现代鸟类进化关系的意义 和争议。 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了在南极洲发现的一 种古老鸟类化石Vegavis iaai，及其对研究现代鸟类进化关系的意义 和争议。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 5. What does the underlined word “avian” in paragraph 2 most likely mean？（　　） A. Related to water. B. Related to birds. C. Similar to dinosaurs. D. Related to fish. 解析：　词义猜测题。根据第二段第二、三句可知，在恐龙大灭绝 时，非“avian”的恐龙灭绝了，而类似鸭子的鸟类存活了下来。由此 推知，“avian”指的是与鸟类有关的。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 6. Why is the discovery in 1993 mentioned？（　　） A. To explain the challenges in confirming the identity of Vegavis iaai. B. To describe the process of fossil preservation in Antarctica. C. To highlight Julia Clarke’s contributions to paleontology. D. To introduce the final conclusion about Vegavis iaai’s evolution. 解析：　推理判断题。根据第三段前两句可推知，1993年的发现被 提及是为了解释确认Vegavis iaai身份所面临的挑战。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 7. Which of the following is TRUE according to the text？（　　） A. The 1993 fossil included a complete skull. B. Vegavis iaai lived only after the extinction of all dinosaurs. C. The study’s conclusions are widely accepted by all scientists. D. Vegavis iaai had a brain shape similar to modern fish-catching birds. 解析：　细节理解题。根据第五段可知，Vegavis iaai的大脑形状与 现代捕鱼鸟类相似。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 8. What will the follow-up study probably focus on？（　　） A. Creating more 3D models of ancient bird brains. B. Studying the impact of dinosaur extinction on waterfowl. C. Finding more fossils of Vegavis iaai to confirm its relationship to modern birds. D. Analyzing the differences in jaw muscles between Vegavis iaai and diving birds. 解析：　推理判断题。根据第六段末句以及末段首句可推知，后续 研究可能会集中在寻找更多的Vegavis iaai化石，以确认它与现代鸟类 的关系。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） C 　　（2025·山东临沂高二下期末） A blue hole is a special kind of underwater cave found inland or in the sea， which forms when the earth above a cave falls in and water fills the space. 　　An inland blue hole’s water is very still and has different layers. A layer of fresh rainwater floats on top of salt water； the fresh water keeps oxygen from the atmosphere from reaching the salt water； brightly colored bacteria live where the two layers meet. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　Diving into blue holes is extremely dangerous. Near the top of the blue hole， there is a layer of toxic gas， which causes itching， dizziness， and — in large amounts — death. Divers must also be fast. They have to get in and out of a cave before their oxygen runs out. Additionally， divers have to follow a guideline as they swim through a blue hole because it is very dark inside. Without the guideline， they may get lost. 　　If blue holes are so dangerous， why do explorers and scientists risk their lives to explore them？ The reason is that these underwater caves can 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） provide valuable scientific information. They provide clues about geology， archaeology， and biology. For example， some blue hole creatures， such as the remipede， probably haven’t changed for millions of years. 　　The blue holes could even provide clues about astrobiology. For example， divers have found bacteria there that can live without oxygen. Astrobiologist Kevin Hand says the bacteria may be similar to forms of life that might exist on Jupiter’s fourth largest moon， Europa. “Our study of life’s extremes on Earth，” he says， can help increase “our understanding of habitable environments off Earth”. 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 　　In addition， the oxygen-free environment of the blue holes preserves bones of humans and animals that fell into the caves long ago. By studying blue holes， we can understand what life was like in prehistoric times. As cave diver Kenny Broad says， “I can think of no other environment on Earth that is so challenging to explore and gives us back so much scientifically.” 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了“蓝洞”这一事 物、蓝洞的一些特性以及探索蓝洞的重要意义。 语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了“蓝洞”这一事 物、蓝洞的一些特性以及探索蓝洞的重要意义。 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 9. What’s the main idea of paragraph 1？（　　） A. The structure of a blue hole. B. The location of a blue hole. C. The formation of a blue hole. D. The definition of a blue hole. 解析：　段落大意题。根据第一段可知，第一段的主旨是蓝洞的 定义。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 10. Where can bright-colored bacteria be found？（　　） A. In the saltwater layer. B. In the freshwater layer. C. In between the freshwater and saltwater layers. D. In both of the freshwater and saltwater layers. 解析：　细节理解题。根据第二段可知，在淡水和咸水层之间可以 找到颜色鲜艳的细菌。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 11. Which of the following best explains the underlined word？（　　） A. The study of life on Earth. B. The study of life in the universe. C. The study of life in prehistoric times. D. The study of life in oxygen-free environment. 解析：　词义猜测题。根据画线词下文可知，蓝洞甚至可以提供有 关宇宙生命研究的线索。故画线词意为“宇宙生命的研究”。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） 12. Which of the following can best describe blue holes？（　　） A. They’re oxygen-free and lifeless. B. They’re poisonous and dark. C. They’re death zones and mazelike. D. They’re free of air and light. 解析：　细节理解题。根据第三段可知，蓝洞有毒且黑暗。 √ 目 录 英语·选择性必修第四册（WY） $