上海市育才中学2025-2026学年第二学期高二期中诊断英语试题

2025学年第二学期高二英语期中诊断试卷 2026. 4 (本试卷满分115分 考试时间105分钟) I. Grammar and Vocabulary (20’) Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank. Empires in Conversation Despite the thousands of miles separating them and the big differences in their peoples,two rulers in 17th-century Europe and China were nevertheless the driving force behind a grand cultural exchange. The two men were the Kangxi Emperor of China’s Qing Dynasty and King Louis XIV of France. A symbolic image from the period captured the exchange: European ambassadors (使臣), ____1____ (dress) in the robes of Qing officials, stood beside an armillary sphere in the court of the Kangxi Emperor. The astronomy, mathematics, physics, and chemistry they brought ____2____ (fascinate) the young emperor, who was particularly interested in the heavenly bodies. Through their instruction, Kangxi gained a rich knowledge. On one visit to southern China, he used a spirit level (水平仪) to measure the water, and found a mistake in ____3____ his ministers were controlling the water in the Hongze lake. It is natural for many of us ____4____ (marvel) at the Chinese emperor’s good knowledge of Western technologies. But Kangxi’s interests extended ____5____ the hard sciences: He tried to organize information about these foreign lands and spread ____6____among the public. He asked his third prince, Yinzhi, to establish a museum of mathematics ____7____ talented scholars would engage in research and observation of mathematical laws and the universe. In court speeches, Kangxi would hold forth on the natural sciences from Europe, ____8____ (lecture) young princes about astronomy, calendar systems and arithmetic. Outstanding students ____9____ (send) to the institution of astronomy or other key departments. _____10_____ the visitors from the West came to the East mainly to spread their culture, upon arriving in that ancient kingdom, they discovered its people already possessed their own well-established understanding of the world. There was the Golden Mean of Confucius, and the unknowable Tao of Lao Tzu. And these left a deep impression on the traveling Europeans. Section B Directions: Complete the following passage by using the words in the box. Each word can only be used once. Note that there is one word more than you need. A. persisted B. recognized C. contradicting D. unquestionably E. practical F. deliberately G. equipment H. limit I. underlying J. medium K. captured Fine art involves the application of skill and-imagination to produce aesthetic experiences. Photography is regarded by some as a form of fine art because it entails creative decision-making processes similar to those ____11____ painting or sculpture. Nevertheless, photography cannot be ____12____classified as art, because despite certain-similarities, a fundamental difference remains between creating images by hand — using paint, clay or other tools — and pointing a mechanical device at something interesting and clicking. It is arguable that photography can be appreciated on the same level as other ____13____ forms of visual art. Sometimes decisions involved in creating a photograph closely resemble those made by any other artist. A photograph is not always just a record of the world, but a(n) ____14____ created image with its own artistic features. Ansel Adams, the American photographer, commented on this point when he noted that take is not the right verb for a photograph. Instead, he said, one makes a photograph. To this end, there is a growing trend for photographers to identify themselves as artists. A photograph by artist Edward Steichen, for example, recently sold for $11.8 million. No one would likely pay that much for a photograph unless the photographer presents himself as an artist. Although some photography can be abstract, most photographs are basically records of events that occurred in particular places. While viewers may perceive beauty in a photograph, such beauty often derives from the time and place ____15____rather than from the photographer’s creative input. Also, sophisticated and expensive ____16____ often plays a greater role in the success of a photograph than the photographer’s creativity. Even some of the greatest photographers acknowledge that there is a(n) ____17____ to the amount of influence they can have on a final product. Henri Cartier-Bresson, the renowned French photographer, admitted that luck was the most important factor. Finally, photography is so widely used for ____18____functions that have little or nothing to do with art, such as police work, advertising and news reporting. The debate over whether photography qualifies as art has ____19____since its earliest practitioners presented their work. A photographer may make the same aesthetic choices as a fine artist: subject matter, lighting, colour or even a message. However, cameras can also be purely functional tools, capturing visual records and presenting information. All in all, photography is a(n) _____20_____ that can be used to make art, but that does not mean that all photography is art. II. Reading Comprehension (45’) Section A (15’) Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context. People who live in cities are starting to get a lot more information to help plan their daily lives. Smarter City systems are telling residents about traffic jams, the time the next bus will arrive, the ____21____ for flooding, and other useful updates. This is happening because cities are ____22____ the streams of information from sensors to manage urban systems better. The number of ____23____ like these sensors will reach 50 billion by 2020. Cities are complex systems of systems that have always ____24____ vast amounts of information. Information flowing in from many small subsystems, such as local flood catch-basins, is integrated with other ____25____ to provide guidance on the overall operation of a city. This integrated data, from such systems of systems, is then given to city administrators in useful formats that can change ____26____ for the better. ____27____, in many cities, the coming population growth will challenge even the most skilled city managers, and the old infrastructure of many such cities is not equipped with the ability to gather the data needed to ____28____ city operations. Despite the seeming ____29____ of data gathering infrastructure, another option exists, considering the shift from desktop computing to mobile devices and tablets. Mobile technology has ____30____ dramatically in the past decade to the point where a lightweight smartphone may gather all kinds of data, such as its location, local temperature and background noise levels. Furthermore, in the near future, additional ____31____ are easily imagined, where sensors will be able to detect chemical pollution, local lighting conditions, vibration levels, and more. This will enable a new era where citizens are able to participate in city management, where the very data required to improve city operations is in part ____32____ provided by its citizens via smartphone apps. It also raises complex ____33____ issues that must be dealt with as we face this new era, but similarly provides opportunities for the citizens to play an active role in the improvement of their ____34____ , not only in the reporting of critical environmental and transportation data, but in taking an active role in solving the problems they have encountered. It will be a cooperative and informed effort, with information technology enabling social transformation, to ____35____ the growing challenges facing our cities in the coming decades. 21. A. reason B. potential C. hope D. occasion 22. A. upgrading B. enlarging C. altering D. employing 23. A. systems B. applications C. devices D. guides 24. A. weathered B. generated C. adored D. existed 25. A. sources B. users C. overseers D. means 26. A. city living B. urban planning C. traffic flow D. basic facilities 27. A. Therefore B. Besides C. However D. Thus 28. A. guide B. apply C. advise D. order 29. A. specialty B. need C. decrease D. lack 30. A. decreased B. reformed C. advanced D. increased 31. A. talents B. capabilities C. qualities D. performances 32. A. accidentally B. surprisingly C. willingly D. determinedly 33. A. confidential B. efficiency C. biological D. social 34. A. community B. performance C. unity D. recreation 35. A. overlook B. increase C. predict D. address Section B (22’) Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read. Just the Ticket Shetara Sims had weathered some tough years. In 2012, her eldest daughter was murdered during an argument in Kansas City, Missouri. Last year, the single mother lost her job in the recession (经济衰退). She had only $7 in her pocket as she headed into the grocery store one day last July with her 12-year-old daughter, Rakiya Edmondson. And then Lady Luck finally cut Sims some slack. She and her daughter found a dollar bill in the parking lot. Maybe this was their day, they told each other. So they bought a lottery ticket (彩票) --and won $100. But before they could spend their unexpected gain, Rakiya had an idea. The news in Kansas City that week had been filled with stories about a police officer, Tyler Moss, who had been shot in the head in the line of duty. He was in critical condition. Rakiya and her mother had never forgotten how kind the police had been after their own family member was killed. “The detectives were really there for us,” Sims says. “They came to see my kids. They were fathers, therapists. They were everything.” Rakiya wanted to give their lottery winning to Officer Moss’s family. Her mom readily agreed. On July 10, Sims called the police and made an anonymous (匿名的) donation. Moved by her generous expression of thanks, the officers did what they do best --they tracked Sims down. When she explained the family’s motivation, the officers could hardly believe it. “With her current financial hardship, we encouraged her to keep the money,” the department later explained. “She refused, saying the officer’s family needed it and police needed to know they were supported.” By then, that feeling of support was mutual. The police set up a GoFundMe page for Sims, whom they called “The Woman with the Heart of Gold.” Their goal was $10,000. As of January 11, they had raised $165,405. Even better: Officer Moss, who had a 1 percent chance of survival, is out of the hospital and recovering. 36. Which of the following is NOT one of the hardships Shetara Sims went through? A. Having to bring up children all by herself. B. Losing a lot of money buying lottery tickets. C. Losing her job during the economic decline. D. Her eldest daughter being killed in an argument. 37. The underlined phrase “cut Sims some slack” is closest in meaning to _________. A. gave Sims a break B. criticized Sims sharply C. ignored Sims completely D. conducted a test on Sims 38. Why was Sims called “The Woman with the Heart of Gold”? A. She supported Moss’s family with the money raised on GoFundMe. B. She wrote an anonymous letter to express her gratitude to Officer Moss. C. She donated all the lottery winning despite her own financial hardships. D. She forgave the murderer and encouraged Rakiya to embrace a new life. 39. Which of the following statement is TRUE? A. The police tracked Sims down secretly and returned the money to her. B. The police launched a fundraising campaign for Sims among policeman. C. Officer Moss got injured when arresting the man who killed Sims' daughter. D. Officer Moss’s survival was truly a miracle, given his slim chances. (B) COOL INVENTIONS BETTER’LEATHER’ These shoes are ‘grown’ by bacteria! Leather is a material that’s made from the skin of animals. It’s used to create lots of products. From shoes to handbags to furniture. But the chemicals typically used to preserve the animal skins are bad for the environment. The chemicals pollute the water and air nearby, and they can make the leather workers sick. Plus, livestock farmers cut down trees in forests so the cows used for leather and meat have room to graze. But in the future, you might slip on a more sustainable pair of shoes. National Geographic Explorer Theanoe Schiros is experimenting with bacteria and living things — to “grow” shoes with a similar texture to real leather! The shoes are zero waste, chemical free, fully decomposable and still super strong. Discover how these cool kicks come to life. 3 Then the microbes spin the sugar into threads of cellulose (纤维素) to create protective shells around themselves to keep from drying out. (Cellulose is the same stuff that trees are made of! ) 2 The team places the microbes in a vessel like this beaker, along with food waste like fruit pulp. The microbes eat the sugar in the food. 1 Schiros and her team start with bacteria cells that are too small to see without a microscope. Seventy of these rod-shaped (杆状的) microbes would fit across the width of a human hair! 4 A lot of microbes + a lot of sugar =a mass of cellulose! 5 Next the team cleans the mass and treats it with a sunflower seed-based recipe to make the material soft and strong—similar to traditional leather. Then it’s dried flat. 6 Want it to be colored? A natural dye made of indigo will work. For black, use the bark (树枝) from the acacia tree followed by a dip in iron-filled water (The iron comes from old carpentry nails! ) Around a hundred billion pieces of clothing are made each year. Of that clothing, about 90percent eventually gets thrown away. HOW CAN YOU HELP? Don’t toss out damaged shoes! Instead, take them to a shoe mender to be fixed. You’ve outgrown them? Host a clothing exchange with friends. 7 Each piece of cellulose can be specially grown into the shape of the part of the shoe it will become. The pieces are then sewn together. These shoes grew in just 30 days, and they’ll last for years! 40. The bacteria-grown shoes have been developed to _________. ① produce shoes of better quality ② improve visual design ③ protect the health of leather workers ④ reduce environmental pollution A. ①③ B. ②④ C. ③④ D. ①④ 41. Which of the following statements is true about the procedure of growing leather? A. The raw materials include microbes about the width of a human hair. B. The microbes can be transformed into a mass of cellulose after consuming sugar. C. With a special treatment, the material can possess a texture similar to genuine leather. D. The material can be dyed black after a dip in natural dye made from indigo. 42. Who is this article most likely intended for? A. Chemistry majors. B. Materials science experts. C. Shoe manufacturers. D. General science readers. (C) Sarcasm (讽刺) and jazz have something surprisingly in common: You know them when you hear them. Sarcasm is mostly understood through tone of voice, which is used to portray the opposite of the literal words. For example, when someone says, “Well, that’s exactly what I need right now,” their tone can tell you it’s not what they need at all. Most frequently, sarcasm highlights an irritation or is, quite simply, mean. If you want to be happier and improve your relationships, cut out sarcasm. Why? Because sarcasm is actually hostility disguised as humor. Despite smiling outwardly, many people who receive sarcastic comments feel put down and often think the sarcastic person is rude, or contemptible (可鄙的). Indeed, it’s not surprising that the origin of the word sarcasm derives from the Greek word “sarkazein” which literally means “to tear or strip the flesh off.” Hence, it’s no wonder that sarcasm is often used after the word “cutting” and that it hurts. What’s more, since actions strongly determine thoughts and feelings, when a person consistently acts sarcastically it may only serve to heighten their underlying hostility and insecurity. After all, when you come right down to it, sarcasm can be used as a subtle form of bullying—and most bullies are angry, insecure, or cowardly. Alternatively, when a person stops voicing negative comments, especially sarcastic ones, they may soon start to feel happier and more self-confident. Also, other people in their life benefit even more because they no longer have to hear the emotionally hurtful language of sarcasm. Now, I’m not saying all sarcasm is bad. It may just be better used sparingly—like a powerful spice in cooking. Too much of the spice, and the dish will be overwhelmed by it. Similarly, an occasional dash of sarcastic wit can spice up a chat and add an element of humor to it. But a big or steady serving of sarcasm will overwhelm the emotional flavor of any conversation and can taste very bitter to its recipient. So, tone down the sarcasm and work on clever wit instead, which is usually without any hostility and thus more appreciated by those you’re communicating with. In essence, sarcasm is easy while true, harmless wit takes talent. Thus, the main difference between wit and sarcasm is that, as already stated, sarcasm is often hostility disguised as humor. It can be intended to hurt and is often bitter and biting. Witty statements are usually in response to someone’s unhelpful remarks or behaviors, and the intent is to untangle and clarify the issue by emphasizing its ridicule. Sarcastic statements are expressed in a cutting manner; witty remarks are delivered with undisguised and harmless humor. 43. Why does the author say sarcasm and jazz have something surprisingly in common? A. Both are recognized when heard. B. Both have exactly the same tone. C. Both mean the opposite of what they appear to. D. Both have hidden in them an evident irritation. 44. What happens when a person consistently acts sarcastically? A. They feel their dignity greatly heightened. B. They feel increasingly insecure and hostile. C. They endure hostility under the disguise of humor. D. They taste bitterness even in pleasant interactions. 45. What does the author say about people quitting sarcastic comments? A. It makes others happier and more self-confident. B. It restrains them from being irritating and bullying. C. It benefits not only themselves but also those around them. D. It shields them from negative comments and outright hostility. 46. What is the chief difference between a speaker’s wit and sarcasm? A. Their intention. B. Their appreciation. C. Their emphasis. D. Their clarity. Section C (8’) Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need. Twilight of the Brands It’s a truism of business-book thinking that a company’s brand is its “most important asset,” more valuable than technology or patents or manufacturing prowess. But brands have never been more fragile. The reason is simple: consumers are supremely well informed and far more likely to investigate the real value of products than to rely on logos. Absolute Value, a new book by Itamar Simonson and Emanuel Rosen, shows that, historically, the rise of brands was a response to an information-poor environment. ____47____ If a car was made by G.M., or a ketchup by Heinz, you assumed that it was pretty good. It was hard to figure out if a new product from an unfamiliar company was reliable or not, so brand loyalty was a way of reducing risk. Today, consumers can read much research about whatever they want to buy. This started back with Consumer Reports, which did objective studies of products. ____48____ It has given ordinary consumers easy access to expert reviews, user reviews, and detailed product data, in an array of categories. A recent study found that eighty per cent of consumers look at online reviews before making major purchases, and a host of studies have logged the strong influence those reviews have on the decisions people make. ____49____ An undesirable product can become a laughingstock (笑柄) in a matter of hours. In the old days, you might buy a Sony television set because you’d owned one before, or because you trusted the brand. Today, such considerations matter much less than reviews on Amazon and Engadget and CNET. As Simonson said, “each product now has to prove itself on its own. ” It’s been argued that in a world where consumers are overwhelmed with information, the information will actually make brands more valuable. Indeed, the role a brand plays in people’s lives has become all the more important. But information overload is largely a myth. ____50____ And this has made customer loyalty pretty much a thing of the past. Only twenty-five per cent of American respondents in a recent study said that brand loyalty affected how they shopped. A. But what’s really weakened the power of brands is the Internet. B. For consumers this is ideal: heightened competition has raised quality and held down prices. C. When consumers had to rely on advertisements and their past experience with a company, brands served as a guarantee for quality. D. A large quantity of consumers fail to get a great deal of information efficiently and effectively. E. The rise of social media has sped up the trend to an astonishing degree. F. Most consumers figure out how to find what they’re looking for without spending huge amounts of time online. III. Summary writing (10’) 51. Directions: Read the following passage. Summarize the main idea and the main point (s) of the passage in no more than 60 words. Use your own words as far as possible. Are touchscreens in cars dangerous? For years almost every new car sold has come with a high-tech, futuristic screen, which controls everything from the air conditioning to the music. Even safety features like automatic lane-keeping are sometimes screen-controlled. But are touchscreens safe? The case for the accusation is straightforward. If fiddling with the screen of a smartphone while driving is distracting, and therefore dangerous, then doing likewise with your car’s is probably risky too. Drivers can learn the location of physical controls, and press buttons or twiddle dials without taking their eyes off the road. A touchscreen offers no physical feedback, making that much harder. And because a screen must do dozens of jobs, finding a particular setting often means tapping through several sub-menus. The result, say critics, is a dangerous distraction built into the car itself. Research backs that up. A study, done in 2024 by researchers at SINTEF, a Norwegian contract-research organisation, used gaze-tracking cameras to compare how long drivers were distracted while performing different tasks on a touchscreen. Even the quickest job — changing the temperature — meant three and a half seconds, on average, of not looking at the road. Finding a new radio station took 11 seconds, and putting a new address into the satellite navigation took 16. An analysis published in 2020 by the Transport Research Laboratory, a British organisation, found that touchscreens impaired a driver’s reaction time more than driving over the legal alcohol limit. Safety organisations are beginning to notice. From January new rules from Euro NCAP, an organisation that provides safety ratings for cars sold in Europe, will mean no car can get a full five-star score unless certain crucial functions — indicators, for instance, or the windscreen wipers — are controlled by real switches. Euro NCAP’s safety guidelines have no legal force. But carmakers use its ratings as a selling-point. But innovation never stops. Even as touchscreens are falling out of favour, many manufacturers are turning their attention to voice control — though that is a subject for another story. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ IV. Translation (15’) Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets. 52. 这个培训项目是为帮助初学者学习编程而量身定制的。 (tailor) (汉译英) ________________________________________________________________ 53. 我把手机充满电，以防老板突然给我强加一项紧急任务。(impose) (汉译英) ________________________________________________________________ 54. 我突然意识到，一个人越依恋故土，就越舍不得远走他乡。 (strike) (汉译英) ________________________________________________________________ 55. 破晓时分，摄影师把劳动者们真诚的微笑定格在时光里，创造了时代奋斗者的群像。 (freeze) (汉译英) ________________________________________________________________ V. Guided Writing (25’) 56. Directions: Write an English composition in 120-150 words according to the instructions given below in Chinese. 假设你是明启中学高三学生赵磊，你的外国朋友William一直对中国文化很感兴趣。近日，他在网上了解到有两个相关的线上节目（节目信息如下表所示），但他对节目选择有些茫然，想听听你的建议。请给William回复一封邮件，邮件内容须包括： （1）推荐其中一个节目； （2）通过比较两个节目的信息，说明你推荐该节目的理由。 节目名称 故宫里的国宝 Treasures of the Forbidden City 寻访中国美食 Exploring Chinese Cuisine 节目内容 介绍故宫里的国宝及其背后的故事 介绍中国传统美食及其烹饪方式 节目形式 纪录片 短视频 节目语言 英语解说 无字幕 (subtitles) 中文解说 英语字幕 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2025学年第二学期高二英语期中诊断试卷 2026. 4 (本试卷满分115分 考试时间105分钟) I. Grammar and Vocabulary (20’) 【1~10题答案】 【答案】1. dressed 2. fascinated 3. how 4. to marvel 5. beyond 6. it 7. where 8. lecturing 9. were sent 10. Although##Though##While Section B 【11~20题答案】 【答案】11. I 12. D 13. B 14. F 15. K 16. G 17. H 18. E 19. A 20. J II. Reading Comprehension (45’) Section A (15’) Directions: For each blank in the following passage there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D. Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context. 【21~35题答案】 【答案】21. B 22. D 23. C 24. B 25. A 26. A 27. C 28. A 29. D 30. C 31. B 32. C 33. D 34. A 35. D Section B (22’) Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are four choices marked A, B, C, and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage you have just read. 【36~39题答案】 【答案】36. B 37. A 38. C 39. D (B) 【40~42题答案】 【答案】40. C 41. C 42. D (C) 【43~46题答案】 【答案】43. A 44. B 45. C 46. A Section C (8’) Directions: Read the following passage. Fill in each blank with a proper sentence given in the box. Each sentence can be used only once. Note that there are two more sentences than you need. 【47~50题答案】 【答案】47. C 48. A 49. E 50. F III. Summary writing (10’) 【51题答案】 【答案】 Most new cars are equipped with touchscreens controlling various functions, but they’re dangerous as they lack physical feedback and require complex sub-menu operations, distracting drivers. Studies show they cause long distraction and impair reaction time more than drunk driving. Euro NCAP will introduce new rules requiring real switches for key functions, while carmakers are shifting to voice control. IV. Translation (15’) Directions: Translate the following sentences into English, using the words given in the brackets. 【52题答案】 【答案】This training program is tailored to help beginners learn programming. 【53题答案】 【答案】I charged my phone to full capacity in case my boss suddenly imposed an urgent task on me. 【54题答案】 【答案】It suddenly strikes me that the more attached one is to their hometown, the less willing they are to leave for a distant land. 【55题答案】 【答案】At daybreak, the photographer froze the sincere smiles of the workers in time, creating a group portrait of the striving people of the era. V. Guided Writing (25’) 【56题答案】 【答案】Dear William, Having learnt you are interested in Chinese culture and that you cannot decide whether to opt for the Treasures of the Forbidden City or the Exploring Chinese Cuisine, I am writing to put forward my own idea that the second option might be more suitable for you. The reasons behind the choice, as far as I can see, can be analyzed in three aspects. To begin with, as is universally acknowledged, delicious cuisine is always a popular topic around the whole world. In this programme, you will be introduced the process of making Chinese traditional food, which is also a part of the Chinese culture. In addition, it won't cost you much time since it is presented by short video, so that you can choose your time freely. Last but not least, although the programme is spoken in Chinese, there are English subtitles for you to have a full understanding of the content. To sum up, it is advisable that you choose the second one. Hope the above might be of any help to you. Thank you for your time and wish you a great success in learning about the Chinese culture. Yours, Zhao Lei 第1页/共1页 学科网（北京）股份有限公司 $