高二期中卷-上海市2026-2027学年高二上学期英语期中模拟卷

高二期中卷-上海市2026-2027学年高二上学期英语期中模拟卷

II. Grammar and Vocabulary (20’)

Section A

Directions: After reading the passages below, fill in the blanks to make the passages 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.

A Mind-Controlled Future

In 2026, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to three scientists for their work on optogenetics, a method _____1_____ (allow) researchers to control nerve cells with light. This technology makes it possible to switch specific brain cells on or off _____2_____ (precise) within milliseconds.

The story began with a single-celled green alga. Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel discovered a protein called channelrhodopsin in the alga’s cell membrane. _____3_____ exposed to blue light, this protein opens a channel through which charged ions flow into the cell. Karl Deisseroth later introduced the gene for this protein into nerve cells from rats. In 2005, his team showed _____4_____ flashes of blue light could trigger nerve signals. Two years later, the approach _____5_____ (use) in the brains of living mice.

Before optogenetics, scientists could only observe that certain brain activity and behavior were linked. They could not tell _____6_____ one directly caused the other. Optogenetics changed that by allowing researchers _____7_____ (activate) selected neurons and observe what happened next. _____8_____ the method is still mainly a research tool, clinical research has begun. Scientists are exploring _____9_____ (it) potential in restoring vision for patients with a rare genetic eye disease. The three laureates _____10_____ (lay) the foundation of a new era in neuroscience, one that may eventually help us understand the brain’s deepest mysteries.

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. acquire     B. assumption    C. demanding    D. devoted    E. impact    F. isolation G. mechanisms      H. recruits   I. rewarding       J. sponsored      K. sustain

Volunteering has long been regarded as a noble act of giving, yet a growing body of research suggests that helpers themselves may be the biggest winners. In a study of more than 2,000 teenagers, those who have ____11____ themselves to community service reported lower stress levels and higher life satisfaction than their peers. The findings challenge the ____12____ that giving is a sacrifice rather than a gain.

So what makes volunteering so powerful? Psychologists point to several ____13____. First, helping others builds a sense of belonging, which protects young people from feelings of ____14____. Second, volunteering pushes teenagers out of their comfort zones, forcing them to ____15____ practical skills such as public speaking and problem-solving. Third, witnessing the positive ___16___ of their efforts — a cleaner park, a brighter smile — strengthens their belief that they can make a difference.

Take the “Sunshine Readers”program, which ____17____ university students to read aloud to children in hospitals. Initially ____18____ by a local charity, the program has grown into a citywide movement as more schools have joined in. For the volunteers themselves, the experience has proved highly ____19____; many describe it as a turning point in their lives.

Of course, volunteering is not always smooth sailing. It can be time-consuming and even emotionally ____20____. Yet for most young volunteers, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. As one participant put it, “I went there hoping to change others’ lives, but I ended up changing my own.” Perhaps that is why an increasing number of schools are integrating volunteering into their curricula, determined to cultivate a caring generation.

III. 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.

Why do some people seem to bounce back from failure while others are crushed by it? New research suggests that the answer may lie not in talent or luck, but in how we explain bad events to ourselves.

Psychologists call this “explanatory style.” When something goes wrong, optimists tend to see the setback as temporary, specific, and external. Pessimists, _____21_____, view it as permanent, universal, and personal. A student who fails a math test may think, “I’m no good at math” (permanent, universal, personal) or “I didn’t prepare well for this test” (temporary, specific, external). The first explanation _____22_____ future effort; the second leaves room for change.

This pattern has real consequences. Studies following students through college found that those with an optimistic explanatory style earned higher grades and were less likely to drop out. They were also _____23_____ more likely to seek help when struggling, because they did not see asking for assistance as a sign of personal _____24_____.

The good news is that explanatory style is not fixed. It can be _____25_____ through practice. One technique is “disputation”: when you catch yourself making a pessimistic explanation, _____26_____ it. Ask yourself: What evidence do I have? Is there another way to see this? A student who thinks “I failed because I’m stupid” can learn to _____27_____ that thought: “I failed because I did not understand chapter five. I can ask my teacher for help.”

Schools are beginning to take notice. Some have introduced programs that teach students to _____28_____ their self-talk and challenge negative explanations. The results are promising. Students who learn these skills show lower rates of anxiety and depression, and they _____29_____ better academically.

Of course, optimism is not about ignoring problems. It is about believing that problems can be _____30_____. As one researcher put it, “The goal is not to tell people everything is fine. The goal is to help them see that things can change, and that they have the power to help make that change happen.”

21．A．in contrast     B．in addition     C．for example    D．as a result

22．A．encourages    B．discourages     C．predicts       D．explains

23．A．hardly        B．equally        C．significantly    D．barely

24．A．strength       B．weakness      C．achievement    D．failure

25．A．learned       B．inherited       C．hidden         D．forgotten

26．A．accept        B．ignore         C．challenge      D．repeat

27．A．hold on to     B．give in to      C．replace         D．record

28．A．notice        B．silence        C．avoid           D．share