UNIT 5 Section Ⅰ Starting out & Understanding ideas(课时跟踪检测)(学用Word)-【优学精讲】2025-2026学年高中英语选择性必修第四册（外研版）

Section Ⅰ　Starting out & Understanding ideas 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. 5.The ancient c　　　　　　 of Central and Latin America were founded upon corn. 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. 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. 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）. 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）. 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黑词汇对应的意思 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.　　　　　 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. 　　　　　 快速阅读下列句子并猜测句中加黑词汇的意思 2.Roads and bridges have been destroyed and crops ruined. 　　　　　 3.A rise in the temperature of the gas results in its expansion. 　　　　　 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. 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 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. 　　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. 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. 2.What does the underlined word “pristine” in paragraph 3 probably mean？（　　） A.Fresh. B.Suitable. C.Traditional. D.Convenient. 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. 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. 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 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. 　　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. 　　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. 　　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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 　　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 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”. 　　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.” 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. 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. 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. 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. 6 / 6 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $ Section Ⅰ　Starting out & Understanding ideas 基础知识自测 维度一 1.Canal　2.astronomy　3.abandoned　4.dismissed 5.civilisations 维度二 1.expansions　2.civilisation　3.dismissal　4.abandoned 5.application　6.buried 维度三 1.correspond with　2.fall into ruin　3.On top of　4.all the more 5.at its peak　6.Whatever difficulties you encounter 7.bringing about several cases of wildfire 维度四 1.①B　②D　③C　④A 2.v.毁坏，破坏　3.n.膨胀 素养能力提升 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。 1.B　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。 2.A　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。 3.D　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。 4.C　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。 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。 5.B　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。 6.A　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。 7.D　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。 8.C　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。 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。 9.D　段落大意题。根据第一段可知，第一段的主旨是蓝洞的定义。 10.C　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。 11.B　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”。 12.B　细节理解题。根据第三段可知，蓝洞有毒且黑暗。 6 / 6 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $