内容正文:
外刊英语阅读汇编
2026-2027高三英语二轮阅读理解专项练习(三)
分类:人与自我
篇目清单
Passage 1: 主动走出舒适区,直面恐惧的心理机制
Passage 2 :睡眠监测设备利弊与完美睡眠焦虑
Passage 3 :清醒可产生创意类梦境思维
Passage 4 :步态动作能够暴露内在情绪
一.阅读理解
Passage 1 :
The Hidden Benefits of Embracing Mild Fear and Discomfort
Recently, the author finished a tough 38-mile cross-country running journey in Zion National Park. Suffering from painful feet, dehydration and loss of appetite halfway, he began to wonder why human beings are willing to expose themselves to frightening and uncomfortable experiences, ranging from roller coasters, horror movies to extreme sports and first dates.
When people repeatedly step out of their comfort zones, they will first feel anxious, followed by a psychological process called habituation. Gradually getting familiar with tough situations helps them build confidence in dealing with pressure. Challenging experiences bring inner strength. Once frightening tasks become manageable after constant practice. The author used to consider a 38-mile desert run impossible, yet he improved his abilities step by step through various races and outdoor adventures.
Challenges bring more than physical hardships. Without self-doubt, anxiety and struggles, the running journey would be nothing special. It is those difficulties that offer chances for self-improvement. Besides, constant distractions and multitasking make people live mechanically and lose focus on the present. However, discomfort can drag people back into the moment. While exhausted during the run, the author could only feel his body, emotions and surrounding scenery, free from worries about work or daily chores.
Pressure also exposes people’s hidden weaknesses and core values. Hard times reveal how resilient and capable one truly is. The author watched many tandem BASE jumping videos, where novices went from panic to wild excitement within seconds after jumping. After overcoming fears, people gain a strong sense of achievement, and ordinary tasks seem much easier afterward.
The author finished the run at sunset with injured feet and thought all the hardships worthwhile. Properly choosing uncomfortable experiences brings growth, inner peace and vitality. Still, there is no need to seek suffering on purpose, and extreme anxiety will hold people back instead of benefiting them.
Questions
1.What change does habituation bring to people facing discomfort?
A. It helps them remove all worries in life instantly.
B. It builds their confidence to handle pressure.
C. It pushes them to avoid all tough tasks.
D. It makes them forget past failures completely.
2. What can be inferred about the author’s running experience?
A. He regretted taking part in the tough running.
B. Extreme anxiety brought him great progress.
C. Hardships during the run were rewarding.
D. He finished the run without any discomfort.
3. The word “resilient” in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ______.
A. flexible B. sensitive C. tough-minded D. easy-going
4. What is the main idea of the text?
A. Outdoor sports can remove people’s daily anxiety.
B. Proper discomfort contributes to personal growth.
C. Long-distance running benefits physical health.
D. People should actively seek extreme suffering.
Passage 2 :
Sleep Trackers—— Advantages and Hidden Risks
Nearly half of Americans and 40% of Britons use smart watches, sleep rings or mobile apps to track sleep. People hope these tools can guide them to ideal sleep length. A study published in *Nature* based on 500,000 people found that those sleeping 6.4 to 7.8 hours every night aged much slower physically and mentally than people with longer or shorter sleep time.
Sleep trackers collect data in different ways. Apps record movement and sound; smartwatches measure blood flow with weak light to calculate heart and breathing rates; sleep rings can also track skin temperature. Polysomnography, using electrodes to monitor brain signals and eye movements, is regarded as the gold standard for sleep testing. Research shows wearables can tell sleep and wakefulness correctly at a rate of around 95%. However, they perform poorly when distinguishing various sleep stages, with only 50% to 80% consistency compared with professional equipment.
Most sleep experts hold an objective attitude toward sleep trackers. On one hand, they offer users objective sleep data and motivate people to form better sleep habits. A survey shows 55% of users adjusted their daily routines after checking sleep data, and short-term use of trackers can improve people’s self-perceived sleep quality.
On the other hand, overfocus on sleep data brings risks. About 30% of users feel anxious about their sleep records, a condition called orthosomnia. Worrying about poor sleep ranks second only to financial stress as a major cause of sleeplessness. Experts remind people not to be troubled by sleep statistics. Instead, personal feelings after waking up serve as the most reliable standard to judge sleep quality.
Questions
1.What is the main disadvantage of wearable sleep trackers?
A. They cannot record users’ body movements.
B. They fail to accurately identify different sleep stages.
C. Their data on wakefulness is totally incorrect.
D. They rely too much on professional equipment.
2.Why does the author mention polysomnography?
A. To introduce the most reliable sleep testing method.
B. To prove the popularity of modern wearable devices.
C. To show the convenience of smart sleep trackers.
D. To explain the working principle of sleep apps.
3. What can we infer about orthosomnia?
A. It helps people develop regular sleep habits.
B. It is caused by financial pressure and workload.
C. It may worsen people’s sleeping problems.
D. It can be eliminated by using trackers properly.
4. What is the best title for the text?
A. The Best Way to Improve Sleep Quality
B. Hidden dangers of modern smart devices
C. Sleep Trackers: Benefits and Potential Risks
D. Ideal Sleep Length for Slower Ageing
Passage 3:
Weird Dream-like States Can Happen Even When Awake
Inventor Thomas Edison was accustomed to beating creative blocks with a special napping method. Holding a heavy steel ball, he would doze off and wake up the moment the ball dropped, right after entering the fuzzy state between sleep and wakefulness. Researches have long proved this twilight zone helps the brain form innovative connections. Now a study published in *Cell Reports* puts forward a surprising new finding: dream-like mental states can also occur while people are fully awake.
Neuroscientists from the Paris Brain Institute copied Edison’s approach to carry out experiments. They recruited 92 people who were good at describing their inner experiences, asking them to nap with EEG equipment on their heads and a bottle held in one hand. Once the falling bottle woke them, participants rated their mental feelings, while EEG recorded their brain activity depth.
Researchers sorted participants’ inner experiences into four types: fleeting memories, clear awareness of surroundings, bizarre images, and conscious thinking about future plans. Most importantly, these four mental patterns appeared regardless of whether the subjects were asleep or awake. Nicolas Decat, the author of the study, stressed that dream-like thoughts are not limited to sleep time. One volunteer even saw weird images of ants crawling on her body when wide awake.
EEG data uncovered the brain feature behind odd dream-like visions. Such strange sensations happen when the link between the occipital lobe and frontal lobe weakens. The occipital lobe creates visual pictures in dreams, while the frontal lobe controls rational thinking. When their connection reduces, clear logical reasoning gives way to vivid, dream-like feelings, which makes it easier for people to produce creative ideas.
The study suggests that cutting off partial brain connections can help break through creative barriers. Even if the trick fails to work, it offers a perfect excuse for anyone caught dozing off at work.
Questions
1. What is the key finding of the new study?
A. Edison’s napping method can improve memory greatly.
B. Dream-like mental states can arise in awake people.
C. EEG equipment can record people’s daily thoughts.
D. Sleep twilight zone is the only source of creativity.
2. What is the function of Paragraph 2?
A. To present the experiment process of the study.
B. To explain Edison’s creative working method.
C. To summarize the significance of the research.
D. To list different types of mental experiences.
3. The underlined word “bizarre” in Paragraph 3 means ______.
A. vivid B. logical C. strange D. common
4. What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?
A. Weakened lobe connection may boost creativity.
B. Strong brain connection leads to dreamy feelings.
C. People can only be creative during deep sleep.
D. The study fails to provide practical value.
Passage 4:
Human Walking Gaits Carry Clear Emotional Signals
Sad facial expressions are not the only way to tell one’s mood. A new study reveals that people’s walking styles, especially the swing range of arms and legs, can expose their inner emotions clearly. In experiments, volunteers watched walking clips and judged moods accurately: bigger limb swings were linked to aggression, while smaller swings suggested fear or sadness.
Mina Wakabayashi, the lead researcher from Kyoto, explains walking is the most familiar whole-body movement for humans, so emotional shifts naturally show in gaits. For the first experiment, actors were asked to recall memories of anger, joy, fear and sorrow and walk while holding those feelings. Researchers created point-light videos only showing body movement, removing facial expressions and other body signals.
A second test further confirmed the rule. Researchers edited neutral gait videos to either strengthen or weaken limb swings. Observers still viewed enlarged swings as aggressive and limited swings as sad or frightened.
This research also brings practical value. If technology can reliably read moods from walking, it can be applied to surveillance cameras to spot threatened or emotionally unstable people. It may also support wearable devices tracking mental health. One great advantage of gait recognition is that walking postures are much harder to fake than faces or voices.
Questions
1. What can we infer about point-light videos?
A. They contain detailed facial expressions.
B. They help researchers focus purely on walking gaits.
C. They record people’s walking speed accurately.
D. They are designed to improve people’s mood.
2. What is the advantage of gait-based emotion recognition?
A. It is harder for people to fake their walking styles.
B. It achieves 100% accuracy in mood judgment.
C. It works without any technical support.
D. It can cure people’s emotional problems.
3. What is the author’s attitude towards the research?
A. Doubtful B. Negative C. Objective D. Uncaring
4. What does the text mainly talk about?
A. Different kinds of human facial expressions.
B. Walking gaits reflect emotions and have practical uses.
C. How to control personal negative emotions.
D. New AI technology for recognizing human behaviors.
全新答案+逐题精细解析
Passage 1
文章主题:适度的不适与压力能够突破舒适区,锻炼抗压能力,最终助力个人成长与自我提升。
标准答案:1.B 2.C 3.C 4.B
逐题精析
1. 细节理解题:根据文章第二段“they will first feel anxious, followed by a psychological process called habituation... helps them build confidence in dealing with pressure”可知,习惯化能帮助人们建立应对压力的信心。A(立刻消除所有烦恼)、C(逃避困难)、D(彻底忘记失败)均表述绝对且无依据。选B。
2. 推理判断题:文章末尾作者表示所有艰辛都值得,且全文阐述挑战带来成长,可推断跑步过程的艰辛是有回报的。A(后悔参赛)、B(极度焦虑带来进步)、D(全程无不适)与原文相悖。选C。
3. 词义猜测题:第四段讲述困境能暴露人的内在能力与韧性,结合语境“Hard times reveal how resilient and capable one truly is”,resilient意为“坚韧的、抗压的”。A灵活的、B敏感的、D随和的,均不符合语境。选C。
4. 主旨大意题:全文围绕适度的不适和挑战展开,论证其能带来成长、内心平静与活力。A(运动消除焦虑)、C(长跑有益健康)片面;D(主动寻求极端苦难)与原文“无需刻意寻求苦难”相悖。选B。
Passage 2
文章主题:智能睡眠监测设备兼具辅助改善睡眠的优势,同时存在过度依赖引发睡眠焦虑等潜在隐患。
标准答案:1.B 2.A 3.C 4.C
逐题精析
1. 细节理解题:原文第二段指出,穿戴式睡眠设备区分不同睡眠阶段的准确率仅50%-80%,存在明显缺陷。A(无法记录肢体动作)、C(清醒数据完全错误)、D(依赖专业设备)均与原文不符。选B。
2. 写作目的题:作者提及多导睡眠监测技术,是为了引出目前最权威、最标准的睡眠检测金标准,以此对比突出民用穿戴设备的局限性。并非介绍设备原理、普及设备热度。选A。
3. 推理判断题:原文提到30%用户因睡眠数据产生焦虑(orthosomnia),而过度担忧睡眠是失眠的主要诱因之一,可推断这种睡眠焦虑会加重睡眠问题。A(帮助养成作息)、B(由经济压力导致)、D(可彻底消除)均错误。选C。
4. 主旨大意题:文章采用总分结构,先介绍睡眠监测设备普及背景,再分别阐述设备优势与过度使用的隐患。A 只讲改善睡眠方法、B 只谈弊端,均片面;D “延缓衰老的理想睡眠时间” 只是开篇一处细节,并非全文核心。故选 C。
Passage 3
文章主题:人在清醒状态下也会出现梦境式心理状态,大脑脑叶联结减弱会催生该状态,同时有助于激发创造力。
标准答案:1.B 2.A 3.C 4.A
逐题精析
1. 细节理解题:文章首段明确新研究核心发现:dream-like mental states can also occur while people are fully awake(人清醒时也会出现梦境心理状态)。A(改善记忆力)、C(记录日常想法)、D(梦境是唯一创造力来源)均错误。选B。
2. 段落功能题:第二段详细介绍科研人员的实验对象、实验设备、实验流程,是对研究实验过程的完整阐述。并非解释爱迪生方法、总结研究意义。选A。
3. 词义猜测题:结合上下文“weird images”“strange sensations”,bizarre与weird、strange同义,意为“怪异的、离奇的”。A生动的、B逻辑的、D普通的,均不符。选C。
4. 推理判断题:原文第四段指出,枕叶负责视觉画面,额叶掌控理性逻辑,二者神经联结减弱后,理性思考削弱,梦境式幻象浮现,更易迸发创意想法。B(强联结催生梦境)、C(仅深度睡眠有创造力)、D(研究无实用价值)与原文相悖。选A。
Passage 4
文章主题:人的行走步态能够清晰反映情绪状态,基于步态的情绪识别难以伪装,具备极高的现实应用价值。
标准答案:1.B 2.A 3.C 4.B
逐题精析
1. 推理判断题:原文第二段说明光点视频去除了面部表情等干扰,仅保留肢体运动信息,目的是让研究者专注研究步态与情绪的关联。A(含面部细节)、C(记录步速)、D(改善情绪)均错误。选B。
2. 细节理解题:原文第四段明确指出,步态识别最大优势是行走姿态比面部、声音更难伪装。B(100%准确率)、C(无需技术支持)、D(治愈情绪问题)表述错误。选A。
3. 作者态度题:全文客观介绍研究过程、研究结论及实际应用前景,无质疑、否定、漠视情绪,态度客观中立。选C。
4. 主旨大意题:文章核心分为两部分:步态可反映情绪、该研究具备多重实用价值。A(面部表情)、C(控制负面情绪)、D(AI行为识别)均偏离主题。选B。
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