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专题12 阅读理解说明文、议论文
1.（2025年全国高考一卷）
While safety improvements might have been made to our streets in recent years, transport studies also show declines in pedestrian (行人) mobility, especially among young children. Many parents say there’s too much traffic on the roads for their children to walk safely to school, so they pack them into the car instead.
Dutch authors Thalia Verkade and Marco te Br mmelstroet are bothered by facts like these. In their new book Movement: How to Take Back Our Streets and Transform Our Lives, they call for a rethink of our streets and the role they play in our lives.
Life on city streets started to change decades ago. Whole neighbourhoods were destroyed to make way for new road networks and kids had to play elsewhere. Some communities fought back. Most famously, a Canadian journalist who had moved her family to Manhattan in the early 1950s led a campaign to stop the destruction of her local park. Describing her alarm at its proposed replacement with an expressway, Jane Jacobs called on her mayor (市长) to champion “New York as a decent place to live, and not just rush through.” Similar campaigns occurred in Australia in the late 1960s and 1970s as well.
Although these campaigns were widespread, the reality is that the majority of the western cities were completely redesigned around the needs of the motor car. The number of cars on roads has been increasing rapidly. In Australia we now have over twenty million cars for just over twenty-six million people, among the highest rate of car ownership in the world.
We invest a lot in roads that help us rush through, but we fail to account for the true costs. Do we really recognise what it costs us as a society when children can’t move safely around our communities The authors of Movement have it right: it’s time to think differently about that street outside your front door.
25. What phenomenon does the author point out in paragraph 1
A. Cars often get stuck on the road. B. Traffic accidents occur frequently.
C. People walk less and drive more. D. Pedestrians fail to follow the rules.
26. What were the Canadian journalist and other campaigners trying to do
A. Keep their cities livable. B. Promote cultural diversity.
C. Help the needy families. D. Make expressways accessible.
27. What can be inferred about the campaigns in Australia in the late 1960s and 1970s
A. They boosted the sales of cars. B. They turned out largely ineffective.
C. They won government support. D. They advocated building new parks.
28. What can be a suitable title for the text
A. Why the Rush B. What’s Next
C. Where to Stay D. Who to Blame
【答案】25. C 26. A 27. B 28. A
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章主要介绍了西方城市过度围绕汽车设计导致行人流动性下降，尤其是儿童步行减少的现象，并通过历史案例和现状分析呼吁反思街道功能，重视城市宜居性。
【25题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第一段“While safety improvements might have been made to our streets in recent years, transport studies also show declines in pedestrian (行人) mobility, especially among young children. Many parents say there’s too much traffic on the roads for their children to walk safely to school, so they pack them into the car instead. (虽然近年来我们的街道可能已经改善了安全性，但交通研究也表明行人的流动性下降，尤其是年轻儿童。许多家长说，路上的交通太拥挤，他们的孩子无法安全步行上学，所以他们把孩子塞进车里)”可知，作者指出的现象是人们步行减少、开车增多。故选C。
【26题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章第三段“Most famously, a Canadian journalist who had moved her family to Manhattan in the early 1950s led a campaign to stop the destruction of her local park. Describing her alarm at its proposed replacement with an expressway, Jane Jacobs called on her mayor (市长) to champion “New York as a decent place to live, and not just rush through.” (最著名的是，一位加拿大记者在20世纪50年代初举家迁往曼哈顿，她领导了一场阻止当地公园被毁的运动。在描述她对用高速公路取代公园的提议感到震惊时，Jane Jacobs呼吁她的市长捍卫“纽约作为适宜居住的地方，而不仅是匆匆穿过的通道”)”可推知，加拿大记者和其他运动参与者旨在保持城市宜居性。故选A。
【27题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段“Although these campaigns were widespread, the reality is that the majority of the western cities were completely redesigned around the needs of the motor car. The number of cars on roads has been increasing rapidly. (尽管这些运动很普遍，但现实是大多数西方城市完全围绕汽车需求重新设计。道路上的汽车数量一直在迅速增加)”可推知，20世纪60年代末和70年代澳大利亚的竞选活动未能阻止汽车发展，基本上没有效果。故选B。
【28题详解】
主旨大意题。通读全文，并根据文章最后一段“We invest a lot in roads that help us rush through, but we fail to account for the true costs. Do we really recognise what it costs us as a society when children can’t move safely around our communities (我们在帮助我们快速通过的道路上投入了大量资金，但我们没有考虑到真正的成本。我们真的认识到当孩子们不能在我们的社区安全地移动时，我们作为一个社会将会付出什么代价吗)”可推知，本文批判城市过度追求交通效率、忽视行人需求的现象，A项“Why the Rush (为何匆匆？)”质问“rush through (匆匆通行)”的规划理念，契合主旨，最适合作为本文标题。故选A。
2.（2025年全国高考一卷）
Microplastics have become a common source of pollution across the Earth — they have settled in the deep sea and on the Himalayas, stuck inside volcanic rocks, filled the stomachs of seabirds and even fallen in fresh Antarctic snow. They are even appearing inside humans.
Now, new research suggests that a simple, cheap measure may significantly reduce the level of microplastics in water from your tap (水龙头): boiling and filtering (过滤) it. In a study published Wednesday in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, researchers from China found that boiling tap water for just five minutes — then filtering it after it cools — could remove at least 80 percent of its microplastics.
Crucially, this process relies on the water containing enough calcium carbonate (碳酸钙) to trap the plastics. In the study, boiling hard water containing 300 milligrams of calcium carbonate led to an almost 90 percent drop in plastics. But in samples with less than 60 milligrams of calcium carbonate, boiling reduced the level of plastics by just 25 percent. Additionally, the research didn’t include all types of plastics. The team focused only on three common types — polystyrene, polyethylene and polypropylene — and they didn’t study other chemicals previously found in water such as vinyl chloride.
Still, the findings show a potential path forward for reducing microplastic exposure — a task that’s becoming increasingly difficult. Even bottled water, scientists found earlier this year, contains 10 to 1,000 times more microplastics than originally thought.
Scientists are still trying to determine how harmful microplastics are — but what they do know has raised concerns. The new study suggests boiling tap water could be a tool to limit intake. “The way they demonstrated how microplastics were trapped through the boiling process was nice,” Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay, an environmental engineer of the University of Glasgow in Scotland who was not involved in the research, tells New Scientist. “We should be looking into upgrading drinking water treatment plants so they remove microplastics.”
29. How does the author present the issue in the first paragraph
A. By quoting an expert. B. By defining a concept.
C. By giving examples. D. By providing statistics.
30. What determines the effectiveness of trapping microplastics in water
A. The hardness of water. B. The length of cooling time.
C. The frequency of filtering. D. The type of plastic in water.
31. What does the author try to illustrate by mentioning bottled water in paragraph 4
A. The importance of plastic recycling. B. The severity of the microplastic problem.
C. The danger in overusing pure water. D. The difficulty in treating polluted water.
32. What is Gauchotte-Lindsay’s suggestion about
A. Choice of new research methods. B. Possible direction for further study.
C. Need to involve more researchers. D. Potential application of the findings.
【答案】29. C 30. A 31. B 32. D
【解析】
【导语】本文是说明文。文章主要介绍了一项关于减少自来水中微塑料污染的新研究。微塑料污染已遍及全球，甚至进入人体。中国研究人员发现，将自来水煮沸五分钟并冷却后过滤可能会显著降低自来水中的微塑料含量。研究虽未涵盖所有塑料类型和化学物质，但揭示了一种潜在解决方案。苏格兰环境工程师指出，该研究展示了煮沸法的有效性，并建议升级饮用水处理厂以推广应用。
【29题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章第一段中“Microplastics have become a common source of pollution across the Earth — they have settled in the deep sea and on the Himalayas, stuck inside volcanic rocks, filled the stomachs of seabirds and even fallen in fresh Antarctic snow. They are even appearing inside humans. (微塑料已经成为地球上常见的污染源——它们出现在在深海和喜马拉雅山上，被困在火山岩中，填满海鸟的胃，甚至落在南极的新雪中。它们甚至出现了在人类体内)”可推知，作者通过举例提出微塑料污染的问题。故选C。
【30题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第二段中“Crucially, this process relies on the water containing enough calcium carbonate (碳酸钙) to trap the plastics. In the study, boiling hard water containing 300 milligrams of calcium carbonate led to an almost 90 percent drop in plastics. But in samples with less than 60 milligrams of calcium carbonate, boiling reduced the level of plastics by just 25 percent. (至关重要的是，这一过程依赖于含有足够碳酸钙的水来截留塑料。在这项研究中，将含有300毫克碳酸钙的硬水煮沸后，塑料含量下降了近90%。但在碳酸钙含量低于60毫克的样品中，煮沸只降低了25%的塑料含量)”可知，决定在水中截留微塑料的有效性的是水的硬度。故选A。
【31题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章第四段中“Still, the findings show a potential path forward for reducing microplastic exposure — a task that’s becoming increasingly diffcult. Even bottled water, scientists found earlier this year, contains 10 to 1,000 times more microplastics than originally thought. (尽管如此，研究结果显示了减少微塑料接触的潜在途径——这一任务正变得越来越困难。今年早些时候，科学家们发现，即使是瓶装水，其微塑料含量也比原先想象的高出10到1000倍。)”可推断，作者提到瓶装水是为了说明微塑料污染的严重性。故选B。
【32题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章最后一段中““The way they demonstrated how microplastics were trapped through the boiling process was nice,” Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay, an environmental engineer of the University of Glasgow in Scotland who was not involved in the research, tells New Scientist. “We should be looking into upgrading drinking water treatment plants so they remove microplastics.” (苏格兰格拉斯哥大学的环境工程师Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay没有参与这项研究，她告诉《新科学家》杂志：“他们展示微塑料如何在煮沸过程中被截留的方式很不错。”“我们应该考虑升级饮用水处理厂，以便它们能去除微塑料”)”可推知，Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay的建议是关于这项研究结果的潜在应用，即升级饮用水处理厂。故选D。
3.（2025年全国高考二卷）
When Sonja Detrinidad opened her online shop selling houseplants, she didn’t have high hopes for it. But the opposite happened: She was flooded, shipping out 1,200 orders in June of 2020 alone. In the past year, Detrinidad sent out more than 70,000 plants. Her success is just one example of increased time at home leading to an explosion in the houseplant industry.
“Plants are in fashion right now,” says Dr. Melinda Knuth, a researcher from the University of Florida. “People who live in plant-rich environments report a higher life satisfaction rating, ” she says. “Adding more nature to our environment can change our mood and how we think.” Plants can improve our state of mind in a few ways but the biggest is by decreasing our level of cortisol, the stress hormone (激素) in our body.
“Students who are around plants perform better academically than students who are in a classroom without plants,” says Knuth. “This productivity also translates into the workplace for adults. Our study showed that there was a 30% decrease in sick leave for people who were in plant-rich workplaces.”
If you’re among the groups of people who are enjoying the mental and physical health benefits of surrounding yourself with plants, don’t beat yourself up if one (or a few!) doesn’t make it. “Doctors practice medicine and lawyers practice law and you should allow yourself the practice it takes to sustain a plant. Tending to plants is an exercise in patience and learning. Be invested in taking care of it, but if it dies, go get another one,” Detrinidad says.
8. How was Detrinidad’s business when it started
A. It faced tough competition. B. It suffered a great loss.
C. It got lots of financial support. D. It went surprisingly well.
9. What is one of Knuth’s findings about plants
A. They appeal more to students. B. They purify the environment.
C. They raise the cortisol level. D. They enhance productivity.
10. What does Detrinidad try to explain by mentioning doctors and lawyers
A. The necessity of social skills. B. The meaning of sustainability.
C. The importance of repeated efforts. D. The value of professional opinions.
11. What can be a suitable title for the text
A. Time to Replace Houseplants B. Plants Boost Your Mood
C. Tips on Choosing Houseplants D. Plants Brighten Your Home
【答案】8 D 9. D 10. C 11. B
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要通过Detrinidad的创业经历和专家研究，说明室内植物对人们心理健康和工作效率的积极影响，以及近年来居家趋势推动了室内植物产业的发展。
【8题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段中的“When Sonja Detrinidad opened her online shop selling houseplants, she didn’t have high hopes for it. But the opposite happened: She was flooded, shipping out 1,200 orders in June of 2020 alone. (当Sonja Detrinidad开设她的网店售卖室内植物时，她并没有抱太大的期望。但结果却恰恰相反：订单如潮水般涌来，仅在2020年6月就寄出了1200份订单)”可知，Sonja Detrinidad刚开始开网店卖室内植物时，并没有抱太大希望，但实际情况是订单很多，生意出奇地好。故选D。
【9题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段中的““Students who are around plants perform better academically than students who are in a classroom without plants,” says Knuth. “This productivity also translates into the workplace for adults. Our study showed that there was a 30% decrease in sick leave for people who were in plant-rich workplaces.”(Knuth表示：“身处植物周围的学生，其学业表现比在没有植物的教室里的学生更出色。这种效率提升同样适用于成年人的工作场合。我们的研究显示，在植物丰富的工作环境中，人们的病假率降低了 30%。”)”可知，Knuth的研究发现，接触植物的学生学业表现更好，成年人在植物丰富的工作环境中生产率提高，病假率降低，因此，“植物能提升生产率”是她的发现之一。故选D。
【10题详解】
推理判断题。根据最后一段中的““Doctors practice medicine and lawyers practice law and you should allow yourself the practice it takes to sustain a plant. Tending to plants is an exercise in patience and learning. Be invested in taking care of it, but if it dies, go get another one,” Detrinidad says. (Detrinidad说：“医生需要不断实践医术，律师需要持续精进法律实务，而养护植物同样需要给自己练习的机会。照料植物是一种培养耐心和学习的过程。要用心呵护它，但如果它枯萎了，就再养一株新的。”)”可知，Detrinidad通过类比医生和律师需要不断实践来强调“照顾植物需要反复尝试”。她认为养植物失败是正常的，重要的是持续努力。由此推断，她提到医生和律师是为了解释“重复努力的重要性”。故选C。
【11题详解】
主旨大意题。文章第一段以Detrinidad的成功为例引出室内植物行业的兴起，第二段至第三段通过Knuth的研究说明植物能通过降低皮质醇水平改善心情、提升生产率，第四段鼓励人们尝试养植物。全文核心围绕“植物对情绪和健康的积极影响”展开。选项B“Plants Boost Your Mood (植物改善你的情绪)”最能概括文章主旨，适合作为文章的标题。故选B。
4.（2025年全国高考二卷）
Does your soul die a little every time you throw away unused food Mine does. Maybe that feeling comes from growing up in South Africa, where the phrase “there are children starving in Africa” was more of an uncomfortable reminder of fact than a prayer at dinner time.
Food waste is a growing concern in the restaurant, supermarket, and supply chain industries. From technological solutions to educational campaigns, food producers and sellers are looking for ways to use more of what we’re already growing. But last month, one popular New York City restaurant tried a different way: It changed its menu to exclusively (专门) offer food that would otherwise be thrown away.
For two weeks in March, Greenwich Village’s Blue Hill restaurant was renamed wastED, and served items like fried skate cartilage, a juice pulp burger, and a dumpster diver’s vegetable salad. Each dish was tailor-made to raise awareness regarding food waste.
A study by the Food Waste Alliance determined that the average restaurant generates 33 pounds of food waste for every $1,000 in revenue (收入), and of that waste only 15.7% is donated or recycled. Up to 84.3% is simply thrown out. Restaurants like Silo in the UK have experimented with zero-waste systems, but wastED took the concept to its logical conclusion.
It should be noted that none of the items on wastED’s menu was technically made from garbage. Instead, all the ingredients (配料) used were examples of meat cuts and produce that most restaurants would never consider serving. Things like kale ribs, fish collars, rejected sweet potatoes, and cucumber butts were all re-appropriated and, with the help of a number of good chefs, turned into excellent cuisine.
Though wastED received enthusiastic reviews, it was designed from the start as a short-lived experiment; Blue Hill has since returned to its regular menu. Nevertheless, it serves as a reminder that there are many ways to address problems of sustainability, and that you can make an amazing meal out of almost anything.
12. What can be inferred about the author’s early life
A. He witnessed food shortage. B. He enjoyed the local cuisine.
C. He donated food to Africans. D. He helped to cook at home.
13. Why did Blue Hill carry out the experiment
A. To customize dishes for guests. B. To make the public aware of food waste.
C. To test a food processing method. D. To improve the UK’s zero-waste systems.
14. What is paragraph 5 mainly about
A. Why the ingredients were used. B. Which dishes were best liked.
C. What the dishes were made of. D. Where the ingredients were bought.
15. What can we learn about wastED
A. It has ended as planned. B. It is creating new jobs.
C. It has regained popularity. D. It is criticized by top chefs.
【答案】12. A 13. B 14. C 15. A
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了食物浪费问题，并以纽约一家餐厅的短期实验项目“wastED”为例，该餐厅通过创意改造本该被丢弃的食材制作菜品，以此提高人们对可持续饮食的关注。
【12题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章第一段中“Maybe that feeling comes from growing up in South Africa where the phrase “there are children starving in Africa” was more of an uncomfortable reminder of fact than a prayer at dinner time. (这种感觉或许源于在南非的成长经历 —— 在那里，“非洲还有孩子在挨饿” 这句话与其说是晚餐时的祈祷，不如说是对现实令人不安的提醒)” 可知，作者在南非长大，那里有孩子挨饿是事实，由此可推断作者早年目睹了食物短缺的情况。故选A。
【13题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第三段中“Each dish was tailor-made to raise awareness regarding food waste. (每道菜都是量身定制的，以提高人们对食物浪费的认识)”可知，Blue Hill餐厅进行这个实验，将菜单改为只提供原本会被扔掉的食物，是为了提高公众对食物浪费的认识。故选B。
【14题详解】
主旨大意题。根据文章第五段“It should be noted that none of the items on wastED’s menu was technically made from garbage. Instead, all the ingredients (配料) used were examples of meat cuts and produce that most restaurants would never consider serving. Things like kale ribs, fish collars, rejected sweet potatoes, and cucumber butts were all re-appropriated and, with the help of a number of good chefs, turned into excellent cuisine. (值得注意的是，从技术上讲，wastED的菜单上没有一项是由垃圾制成的。相反，所有使用的食材都是大多数餐馆永远不会考虑供应的肉类部位和农产品。羽衣甘蓝茎、鱼颈肉、被挑拣的红薯和黄瓜蒂等东西都被重新利用，在许多优秀厨师的助力下，变成了美味的菜肴)”可知，本段主要介绍了wastED菜单上的菜品所用的配料，如羽衣甘蓝茎、鱼颈肉、被挑拣的红薯和黄瓜蒂等，所以本段主要讲的是这些菜肴是由什么做成的。故选C。
【15题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章最后一段中“Though wastED received enthusiastic reviews, it was designed from the start as a short-lived experiment; Blue Hill has since returned to its regular menu. (尽管 wastED 餐厅收获了热烈的评价，但它从一开始就被设计为短期实验项目；此后，Blue Hill 餐厅已回归常规菜单)”可知，wastED从一开始就被设计为短期实验，现在餐厅已恢复常规菜单，从而推断，实验项目“wastED”已经按计划结束了。故选A。
5.（2025年1月浙江首考）
A novel design approach to gardening has been gaining in popularity worldwide. Referred to as matrix planting, this approach aims for nature to do a lot more of the heavy lifting in the garden, and even some of the designing. Eschewing fertilizers (化肥) and power tools, it’s based on an elegantly simple principle: to garden more like nature does.
The concept was born when German city planners sought to plant large areas of parkland after World War II in a reproducible way that would need minimal maintenance. Planners created planting mixes that could be used modularly (模块化). In a matrix garden, plants with similar cultural needs are grouped so that they will grow together above and below ground, forming a cooperative ecosystem that conserves water and discourages weeds.
Dutch plantsman and designer Piet Oudolf’s gardens popularized this style, adding artistic flavors to the planting mixes while playing with color and form, including four-season interest and serving the needs of wildlife. Beautiful year-round, they invite you to enjoy the smallest detail, from the sound of grasses in the gentle wind to the sculpture of odd-looking seed heads.
It takes a lot of thought to look this natural. While matrix gardens appear wild, they are carefully planned, with cultural needs the first consideration. Led by the concept of “right plant, right place,” they match plants that enjoy the same soil, sun and weather conditions, and arrange them according to their patterns of growth.
The benefits are substantial for both gardener and planet. With human inputs dramatically reduced, the garden’s ecology can develop well. Established matrix gardens should not need the life support we give most gardens: fertilizer, dividing, regular pared to traditional garden plots, they increase carbon absorption, reduce stormwater runoff and boost habitat and biodiversity significantly.
28. What does the underlined word “Eschewing” in the first paragraph mean
A. Running out of. B. Keeping away from.
C. Putting up with. D. Taking advantage of.
29. Why was the idea of matrix planting introduced
A. To control weeds in large gardens. B. To bring in foreign species of plants.
C. To conserve soil and water resources. D. To develop low-maintenance parkland.
30. Which of the following best describes Piet Oudolf’s gardens
A. Traditional. B. Odd-looking.
C. Tasteful. D. Well-protected.
31. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text
A. The future of gardening is WILD. B. Nature treats all lives as EQUALS.
C. Matrix gardens need more CARE. D. Old garden plots work WONDERS.
【答案】28. B 29. D 30. C 31. A
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章介绍了一种新型园艺设计方法——矩阵种植。
【28题详解】
词句猜测题。根据上文“Referred to as matrix planting, this approach aims for nature to do a lot more of the heavy lifting in the garden, and even some of the designing.(这种被称为矩阵种植的方法旨在让大自然在花园中承担更多繁重的工作，甚至承担一些设计工作)”可知，矩阵种植是让大自然自身承接更多的工作；结合常识和划线词所在句“Eschewing fertilizers (化肥) and power tools, it’s based on an elegantly simple principle: to garden more like nature does.(Eschewing化肥和电动工具，它基于一个极其简单的原则：更像大自然那样进行园艺种植)”中“to garden more like nature does”可推知，要像大自然那样进行园艺种植，让大自然自身承接更多的工作，就不需要使用化肥和电动工具。所以划线词“Eschewing”的意思是“避开、远离”，与“Keeping away from.”同义。故选B项。
【29题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段中“The concept was born when German city planners sought to plant large areas of parkland after World War II in a reproducible way that would need minimal maintenance.(这个概念诞生于二战后，当时德国城市规划者试图以一种可复制且需要最少维护的方式种植大片公园绿地)”可知，引入矩阵种植的想法是为了开发低维护成本的公园绿地。故选D项。
【30题详解】
推理判断题。根据第三段中“Dutch plantsman and designer Piet Oudolf’s gardens popularized this style, adding artistic flavors to the planting mixes while playing with color and form, including four season interest and serving the needs of wildlife.(荷兰植物学家兼设计师Piet Oudolf的花园推广了这种风格，在种植组合中增添了艺术气息，同时玩转色彩和形态，四季都有看点，还满足了野生动物的需求)”可知，Piet Oudolf的花园有艺术气息，很有品味。故选C项。
【31题详解】
主旨大意题。通读全文，根据第一段中“Referred to as matrix planting, this approach aims for nature to do a lot more of the heavy lifting in the garden, and even some of the designing. Eschewing fertilizers (化肥) and power tools, it’s based on an elegantly simple principle: to garden more like nature does.(这种被称为矩阵种植的方法旨在让大自然在花园中承担更多繁重的工作，甚至承担一些设计工作。它避开化肥和电动工具，基于一个极其简单的原则：更像大自然那样进行园艺种植)”和最后一段中“With human inputs dramatically reduced, the garden’s ecology can develop well. Established matrix gardens should not need the life support we give most gardens: fertilizer, dividing, regular pared to traditional garden plots, they increase carbon absorption, reduce stormwater runoff and boost habitat and biodiversity significantly.(随着人类投入的大幅减少，花园的生态系统可以良好发展。成熟的矩阵花园不需要我们给予大多数花园的维持手段：化肥、分株、定期浇水。与传统花园地块相比，它们增加了碳吸收，减少了雨水径流，并显著改善了栖息地和生物多样性)”可知，文章主要介绍了矩阵种植这种新型园艺设计方法，它让花园更接近自然、野生的状态，未来园艺可能会朝着这种更自然、野生的方向发展。故A项“The future of gardening is WILD(园艺的未来是自然的)”能概括文章主旨，适合做文章标题。故选A项。
6.（2025年1月浙江首考）
As new technologies take on increasingly humanlike qualities, there’s been a push to make them genderless. “People are stereotyping (形成刻板印象) their gendered objects in very traditional ways,” says Ashley Martin, a Stanford associate professor of organizational behavior. Removing gender from the picture altogether seems like a simple way to fix this. Yet as Martin has found in her work, gender is one of the fundamental ways people form connections with objects, particularly those designed with human characteristics.
In her study, Martin asked participants to rate their attachment to male, female, and genderless versions of a digital voice assistant and a self-driving car known as “Miuu.” It was found that gender increased users’ feelings of attachment to these devices and their interest in purchasing them. For example, participants said they would be less likely to buy a genderless voice assistant than versions with male or female voices.
While gendering a product may be good marketing, it may also strengthen outdated or harmful ideas about power and identity. The stereotypes commonly associated with men, such as competitiveness and dominance, are more valued than those associated with women. These qualities, in turn, are mapped onto products that have been assigned a gender.
Martin’s study also found that creating a genderless object was difficult. For instance, if an object’s name was meant to sound genderless, like Miuu, participants would still assign a gender to it — they would assume Miuu was a “he” or “she.”
Martin sees a silver lining, however: She believes that anthropomorphism (拟人化) “provides an opportunity to change stereotypes.” When women are put into positions of leadership like running companies, it reduces negative stereotypes about women. Similarly, anthropomorphized products could be created to take on stereotype-inconsistent roles — a male robot that assists with nursing or a female robot that helps do calculations, for instance.
32. What is the purpose of making new technologies genderless
A. To reduce stereotypes. B. To meet public demand.
C. To cut production costs. D. To encourage competition.
33. What were the participants probably asked to do in the study
A. Design a product. B. Respond to a survey.
C. Work as assistants. D. Take a language test.
34. Why is it difficult to create genderless objects
A. They cannot be mass-produced. B. Naming them is a challenging task.
C. People assume they are unreliable. D. Gender is rooted in people’s mind.
35. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about
A. The quality of genderless products. B. The upside of gendering a product.
C. The meaning of anthropomorphism. D. The stereotypes of men and women.
【答案】32. A 33. B 34. D 35. B
【解析】
【导语】本文为说明文。文章讲述了新技术呈现人类特质时人们试图使其去性别化，但性别是人们与物体建立联系的基本方式，且创造无性别物体很难，拟人化或能改变刻板印象。
【32题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段中“‘People are stereotyping (形成刻板印象) their gendered objects in very traditional ways,’ says Ashley Martin, a Stanford associate professor of organizational behavior. Removing gender from the picture altogether seems like a simple way to fix this. (斯坦福大学组织行为学副教授阿什利·马丁说：“人们以非常传统的方式对有性别的物品形成刻板印象。”完全去除物品的性别似乎是解决这个问题的简单方法)”可知，人们对有性别的物品存在刻板印象，让新技术无性别化的目的是减少这种刻板印象。故选A项。
【33题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段中“In her study, Martin asked participants to rate their attachment to male, female, and genderless versions of a digital voice assistant and a self driving car known as ‘Miuu.’ (在她的研究中，马丁让参与者对数字语音助手和名为‘Miuu’的自动驾驶汽车的男性、女性和无性别版本的喜爱程度进行评分)”可知，参与者被要求对不同版本的产品进行评价，这类似于对调查做出回应。故选B项。
【34题详解】
细节理解题。根据第四段中“Martin’s study also found that creating a genderless object was difficult. For instance, if an object’s name was meant to sound genderless, like Miuu, participants would still assign a gender to it — they would assume Miuu was a ‘he’ or ‘she.’ (马丁的研究还发现，创造无性别对象很困难。例如，如果一个物品的名字听起来是无性别化的，比如Miuu，参与者仍然会给它赋予一个性别——他们会认为Miuu是‘他’或‘她’)”可知，因为性别观念根深蒂固在人们的脑海中，所以即使物品本身试图设计成无性别，人们还是会赋予其性别，这导致创造无性别对象很困难。故选D项。
【35题详解】
主旨大意题。根据最后一段中“Martin sees a silver lining, however: She believes that anthropomorphism (拟人化) ‘provides an opportunity to change stereotypes.’ (然而，马丁看到了一线希望：她认为拟人化‘提供了改变刻板印象的机会’)”以及后文所举的例子可知，最后一段主要讲了赋予产品性别有积极的一面，即可以通过拟人化改变刻板印象。故选B项。
7.（2025高考北京卷）
Not too long ago, on a cold winter night, there was a teenager who wanted more screen time and a parent who said no. The teenager was advocating for her right to scroll (翻屏) for an extra 30 minutes. The parent argued that none of her friends’ parents let them have screens after 9 o’clock. “I thought, in this family, we don’t compare ourselves with other people, Dad ” the teenager replied. The parent — who was me, by the way — just got served. Since they were young, I have told my kids not to compare themselves with other people. I have argued countless times that comparisons are the “thief of joy”.
Although my daughter didn’t win, she did help expose one of the worst pieces of advice I have ever given. In my defence, I did what we’ve all done before, which is repeat received wisdom without exploring the nuances. But now is the time to set the record straight, which starts with questioning the idea that all social comparison is unhealthy.
Social comparisons do, of course, often get us into emotional trouble. But they can be harnessed (利用) for our betterment if we understand how they work. The social comparisons we make — ones that lead us to feel good or bad about ourselves — are vital to our ability to thrive (成长). Science provides a guide we can use to harness the way we perform these comparisons to reduce their negative emotional impacts.
Comparing yourself with someone who is outperforming you could result in feelings of envy if you focus on the things they have and you don’t, or it can be energizing and inspiring if you use these comparisons as a source of motivation, for example, “If they can achieve that, so can I.” Comparing yourself with someone who is doing worse than you could result in fear and worry if you think about how you could fall into similar circumstances, or it can draw out feelings of gratitude and appreciation if you use that comparison to broaden your views — for example, “Wow, things could be much worse; I’m doing great.”
What I wish I taught my daughter earlier are these nuances. How we feel about ourselves rests not just on whom we compare ourselves with but also on how we think about that comparison. That’s something we all have control over.
28. How did the author feel about his daughter’s argument
A. Excited. B. Inspired. C. Energized. D. Relieved.
29. What does the word “nuances” underlined in Paragraph 2 most probably mean
A. Major achievements. B. Complex feelings.
C. Significant impacts. D. Fine differences.
30. Which would be the best title for the passage
A. Comparing Ourselves with Others Can Become a Healthy Habit
B. Comparing Ourselves with Others Can Strengthen Family Ties
C. Social Comparisons Can Get Us into Emotional Trouble
D. Social Comparisons Can Be Controlled by Science
【答案】28. B 29. D 30. A
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。作者通过讲述自己和女儿关于能否延长看屏幕时间的争论，引出对社会比较这一观念的思考，指出并非所有社会比较都不健康，若理解其原理，可加以利用促进自我提升。
【28题详解】
推理判断题。根据第二段“Although my daughter didn’t win, she did help expose one of the worst pieces of advice I have ever given. (虽然我女儿没有赢，但她确实帮助揭露了我曾经给出的最糟糕的建议之一。)” 以及后文作者对社会比较的重新思考可知，作者从女儿的争论中得到了启发。故选B。
【29题详解】
词句猜测题。根据第二段“ In my defence, I did what we’ve all done before, which is repeat received wisdom without exploring the nuances. But now is the time to set the record straight, which starts with questioning the idea that all social comparison is unhealthy. (为自己辩护一下，我做了我们所有人都做过的事，就是重复那些大家都认可的观点，却没有探究其中的____。但现在是时候纠正这个观点了，首先要质疑所有社会比较都是不健康的这一想法。)” 可知，作者之前只是重复普遍观点，没有深入探究不同情况，现在要重新审视，所以“nuances”意思可能是 “细微差别”。故选D。
【30题详解】
主旨大意题。根据第三段“Social comparisons do, of course, often get us into emotional trouble. But they can be harnessed (利用) for our betterment if we understand how they work. (当然，社会比较常常会给我们带来情感困扰。但如果我们了解其运作原理，就可以利用它们来提升自我。)”，以及第四段 “Comparing yourself with someone who is outperforming you could result in feelings of envy if you focus on the things they have and you don’t, or it can be energizing and inspiring if you use these comparisons as a source of motivation (如果你关注那些比你表现出色的人所拥有而你没有的东西，与他们比较可能会导致嫉妒之情；但如果你将这些比较作为动力来源，它也可以让你充满活力并受到鼓舞)” 等内容，表明了社会比较并非全然有害，若运用得当可成为健康习惯，助力个人发展。所以选项 A“与他人比较可以成为一种健康的习惯”为最佳标题，故选A。
8.（2025高考北京卷）
The call to “know yourself” has been there since ancient times, but our sense of self doesn’t always match what others perceive. Considering the stories we tell about ourselves can help us to change our minds for better.
For many years psychologists saw identity as a combination of someone’s values, beliefs, goals and social roles. Then, in the 1980s, Bob Johnson created the life story model of identity, in which he proposes that, as we go through life, these core features are built in with our memories to create a personal story through which we understand our lives.
Our life story is something that starts coming together in our teenage years, when we begin to organise our lives into chapters around key events or life changes, and begin to see ourselves as both the central character and, to a varying extent, the story’s author. People with more consistent stories tend to have a stronger sense of identity, and they feel their life has more meaning, direction and sense of purpose. Such people show greater overall life satisfaction, too.
Johnson has also investigated the link between well-being and certain story themes. He discovered that whether someone describes having had some control over events in their past is an important predictor of a person’s mental health. Another key theme involves finding some kind of positive meaning after stressful events. “People could talk about gaining knowledge or personal growth,” says Johnson. His research shows that this is often missing for people with mental health conditions. The good news is that there is evidence we can learn to change our own story.
Lisa Green, another researcher, sounds a few notes of caution (谨慎). For instance, hearing about the power of redemptive (拯救性的) stories, many people may feel forced to find a positive angle on horrible events. She says that Western culture already pushes people to look for the silver lining behind every cloud.
If you want to turn over a new leaf, though, one top tip is that it helps to choose a significant date that signals the start of a new “chapter”. Contrary to popular doubt, resolutions made on I January are more effective for this reason. So, whether your goal is saving money or getting fit, there is no better time to become the author of our own destiny (命运).
31. What can be inferred about personal stories
A. They are unrelated to health. B. Consistent ones lead to stress.
C They are relevant to happiness. D. Thematic ones hold back change.
32. What can we learn from this passage
A. Talking about gains from failure is negative. B. New Year resolutions are well received.
C. The West tends to overvalue optimism. D. Social roles fail to be highlighted.
33. What does the author mainly do in this passage
A. Clarify a goal. B. Analyse an event.
C. Make a comparison. D. Illustrate an approach.
34. What is the passage mainly about
A. How self-identity works. B. How story-tellers are made.
C. How personal stories raise doubts. D. How timing affects personal identity.
【答案】31. C 32. C 33. D 34. A
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要讲述了个人故事与自我认同、幸福感之间关系及如何改变个人故事。
【31题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段中“People with more consistent stories tend to have a stronger sense of identity, and they feel their life has more meaning, direction and sense of purpose. Such people show greater overall life satisfaction, too. (拥有更一致故事的人往往有更强的身份认同感，他们觉得自己的生活更有意义、更有方向、更有目标感。这样的人总体上对生活的满意度也更高。)”可知，个人故事与幸福感相关。故选C。
【32题详解】
推理判断题。根据第五段中“She says that Western culture already pushes people to look for the silver lining behind every cloud. (她说，西方文化已经促使人们在每一片乌云背后寻找一线希望。)”可知，西方倾向于过度重视乐观主义。故选C。
【33题详解】
推理判断题。通读全文，尤其是由文章第一段“The call to “know yourself” has been there since ancient times, but our sense of self doesn’t always match what others perceive. Considering the stories we tell about ourselves can help us to change our minds for better. (“认识你自己”这一呼吁自古便有，但我们对自己的认知并不总是与他人对我们的看法相吻合。思考我们讲述的关于自己的故事，能帮助我们以更好的方式改变自己的想法。)”和第二段中“Then, in the 1980s, Bob Johnson created the life story model of identity, in which he proposes that, as we go through life, these core features are built in with our memories to create a personal story through which we understand our lives. (然后，在20世纪80年代，鲍勃·约翰逊创造了身份的生活故事模型，他提出，在我们的一生中，这些核心特征与我们的记忆一起构建了一个个人故事，我们通过这个故事来理解我们的生活。)”和第四段中“Johnson has also investigated the link between well-being and certain story themes. (约翰逊还研究了幸福感与某些故事主题之间的联系。)”可知，文章主要阐述了个人故事与自我认同、幸福感之间的关系，并举例说明了如何通过改变个人故事来影响自我认同和幸福感，因此作者主要是在阐述一种方法。故选D。
【34题详解】
主旨大意题。根据尤其是由文章第一段“The call to “know yourself” has been there since ancient times, but our sense of self doesn’t always match what others perceive. Considering the stories we tell about ourselves can help us to change our minds for better. (“认识你自己”这一呼吁自古便有，但我们对自己的认知并不总是与他人对我们的看法相吻合。思考我们讲述的关于自己的故事，能帮助我们以更好的方式改变自己的想法。)”和第二段中“Then, in the 1980s, Bob Johnson created the life story model of identity, in which he proposes that, as we go through life, these core features are built in with our memories to create a personal story through which we understand our lives. (然后，在20世纪80年代，鲍勃·约翰逊创造了身份的生活故事模型，他提出，在我们的一生中，这些核心特征与我们的记忆一起构建了一个个人故事，我们通过这个故事来理解我们的生活。)”和第四段中“Johnson has also investigated the link between well-being and certain story themes. (约翰逊还研究了幸福感与某些故事主题之间的联系。)”可知，全文围绕“个人生活故事如何构建自我认知并影响幸福感”展开，分析了其形成、作用及相关研究。“How self-identity works. (自我认同是如何运作的。)”符合题意。故选A。
1.（2024年新高考I卷）In the race to document the species on Earth before they go extinct, researchers and citizen scientists have collected billions of records. Today, most records of biodiversity are often in the form of photos, videos, and other digital records. Though they are useful for detecting shifts in the number and variety of species in an area, a new Stanford study has found that this type of record is not perfect.
“With the rise of technology it is easy for people to make observations of different species with the aid of a mobile application,” said Barnabas Daru, who is lead author of the study and assistant professor of biology in the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. “These observations now outnumber the primary data that comes from physical specimens (标本), and since we are increasingly using observational data to investigate how species are responding to global change, I wanted to know: Are they usable ”
Using a global dataset of 1.9 billion records of plants, insects, birds, and animals, Daru and his team tested how well these data represent actual global biodiversity patterns.
“We were particularly interested in exploring the aspects of sampling that tend to bias (使有偏差) data, like the greater likelihood of a citizen scientist to take a picture of a flowering plant instead of the grass right next to it,” said Daru.
Their study revealed that the large number of observation-only records did not lead to better global coverage. Moreover, these data are biased and favor certain regions, time periods, and species. This makes sense because the people who get observational biodiversity data on mobile devices are often citizen scientists recording their encounters with species in areas nearby. These data are also biased toward certain species with attractive or eye-catching features.
What can we do with the imperfect datasets of biodiversity
“Quite a lot,” Daru explained. “Biodiversity apps can use our study results to inform users of oversampled areas and lead them to places — and even species — that are not well-sampled. To improve the quality of observational data, biodiversity apps can also encourage users to have an expert confirm the identification of their uploaded image.”
32. What do we know about the records of species collected now
A. They are becoming outdated. B. They are mostly in electronic form.
C. They are limited in number. D. They are used for public exhibition.
33. What does Daru’s study focus on
A. Threatened species. B. Physical specimens.
C. Observational data. D. Mobile applications.
34. What has led to the biases according to the study
A. Mistakes in data analysis. B. Poor quality of uploaded pictures.
C. Improper way of sampling. D. Unreliable data collection devices.
35. What is Daru’s suggestion for biodiversity apps
A. Review data from certain areas. B. Hire experts to check the records.
C. Confirm the identity of the users. D. Give guidance to citizen scientists.
【答案】32. B 33. C 34. C 35. D
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了斯坦福大学的一项研究发现，数字生物多样性记录存在偏见，建议应用程序引导公民科学家获取更好的数据。
【32题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段“Today, most records of biodiversity are often in the form of photos, videos, and other digital records. (今天，大多数生物多样性记录通常以照片、视频和其他数字记录的形式出现。)”可知，现在收集的物种记录大多是以电子形式存在的。故选B。
【33题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段“These observations now outnumber the primary data that comes from physical specimens (标本), and since we are increasingly using observational data to investigate how species are responding to global change, I wanted to know: Are they usable (这些观察结果现在超过了来自物理标本的原始数据，而且由于我们越来越多地使用观察数据来研究物种如何应对全球变化，我想知道：它们有用吗 )”和第四段““We were particularly interested in exploring the aspects of sampling that tend to bias (使有偏差) data, like the greater likelihood of a citizen scientist to take a picture of a flowering plant instead of the grass right next to it,” said Daru. (Daru说“我们特别感兴趣的是探索取样容易产生数据偏差的方面，比如公民科学家更有可能拍摄开花植物的照片，而不是它旁边的草。”)”可知，Daru的研究聚焦于观察数据，即人们通过移动应用记录的物种观察数据。故选C。
【34题详解】
细节理解题。根据第四段““We were particularly interested in exploring the aspects of sampling that tend to bias (使有偏差) data, like the greater likelihood of a citizen scientist to take a picture of a flowering plant instead of the grass right next to it,” said Daru. (Daru说“我们特别感兴趣的是探索取样容易产生数据偏差的方面，比如公民科学家更有可能拍摄开花植物的照片，而不是它旁边的草。”)”以及第五段“This makes sense because the people who get observational biodiversity data on mobile devices are often citizen scientists recording their encounters with species in areas nearby.( 这是有道理的，因为在移动设备上获得观察生物多样性数据的人通常是公民科学家，他们记录了他们在附近地区与物种的接触。)”可知，导致数据偏差的原因是采样方式的不当。故选C。
【35题详解】
推理判断题。根据最后一段“Biodiversity apps can use our study results to inform users of oversampled areas and lead them to places — and even species — that are not well-sampled. To improve the quality of observational data, biodiversity apps can also encourage users to have an expert confirm the identification of their uploaded image. (生物多样性应用程序可以使用我们的研究结果来告知用户样本过多的地区，并将他们引导到样本不足的地方，甚至是物种。为了提高观测数据的质量，生物多样性应用程序还可以鼓励用户让专家确认他们上传的图像的身份。)”可知，Daru 建议生物多样性应用应该给公民科学家提供指导。故选D。
2.（2024年新高考II卷）We all know fresh is best when it comes to food. However, most produce at the store went through weeks of travel and covered hundreds of miles before reaching the table. While farmer’s markets are a solid choice to reduce the journey, Babylon Micro-Farm (BMF) shortens it even more.
BMF is an indoor garden system. It can be set up for a family. Additionally, it could serve a larger audience such as a hospital, restaurant or school. The innovative design requires little effort to achieve a reliable weekly supply of fresh greens.
Specifically, it’s a farm that relies on new technology. By connecting through the Cloud, BMF is remotely monitored. Also, there is a convenient app that provides growing data in real time. Because the system is automated, it significantly reduces the amount of water needed to grow plants. Rather than watering rows of soil, the system provides just the right amount to each plant. After harvest, users simply replace the plants with a new pre-seeded pod (容器) to get the next growth cycle started.
Moreover, having a system in the same building where it’s eaten means zero emissions (排放) from transporting plants from soil to salad. In addition, there’s no need for pesticides and other chemicals that pollute traditional farms and the surrounding environment.
BMF employees live out sustainability in their everyday lives. About half of them walk or bike to work. Inside the office, they encourage recycling and waste reduction by limiting garbage cans and avoiding single-use plastic. “We are passionate about reducing waste, carbon and chemicals in our environment,” said a BMF employee.
8. What can be learned about BMF from paragraph 1
A. It guarantees the variety of food. B. It requires day-to-day care.
C. It cuts the farm-to-table distance. D. It relies on farmer’s markets.
9. What information does the convenient app offer
A. Real-time weather changes. B. Current condition of the plants.
C. Chemical pollutants in the soil. D. Availability of pre-seeded pods.
10. What can be concluded about BMF employees
A. They have a great passion for sports.
B. They are devoted to community service.
C. They are fond of sharing daily experiences.
D They have a strong environmental awareness.
11. What does the text mainly talk about
A. BMF’s major strengths. B. BMF’s general management.
C. BMF’s global influence. D. BMF’s technical standards.
【答案】8. C 9. B 10. D 11. A
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了巴比伦微农场（BMF）的一些主要优势，包括减少食物运输距离、通过云技术远程监控、自动化系统节约水资源、减少化学污染、以及员工的环保生活方式等。
【8题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段“While farmer’s markets are a solid choice to reduce the journey, Babylon Micro-Farm (BMF) shortens it even more. (虽然农贸市场是减少旅程的可靠选择，但巴比伦微型农场（BMF）甚至缩短了旅程)”可知，巴比伦微型农场（BMF）进一步缩短了从农场到餐桌的距离。故选C。
【9题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段“Also, there is a convenient app that provides growing data in real time. (此外，还有一个便捷的应用程序，可以实时提供增长数据)”可知，这个便捷的应用程序提供了植物生长的实时数据。故选B。
【10题详解】
推理判断题。根据最后一段“BMF employees live out sustainability in their everyday lives. About half of them walk or bike to work. Inside the office, they encourage recycling and waste reduction by limiting garbage cans and avoiding single-use plastic. “We are passionate about reducing waste, carbon and chemicals in our environment,” said a BMF employee. (BMF员工在日常生活中追求可持续发展。大约一半的人步行或骑自行车上班。在办公室里，他们通过限制垃圾桶和避免一次性塑料来鼓励回收和减少浪费。BMF的一名员工表示：“我们热衷于减少环境中的废物、碳和化学品。”)”可知，BMF员工具有强烈的环保意识。故选D。
【11题详解】
主旨大意题。根据第一段“While farmer’s markets are a solid choice to reduce the journey, Babylon Micro-Farm (BMF) shortens it even more. (虽然农贸市场是减少旅程的可靠选择，但巴比伦微型农场（BMF）甚至缩短了旅程)”、第三段“By connecting through the Cloud, BMF is remotely monitored. Also, there is a convenient app that provides growing data in real time. Because the system is automated, it significantly reduces the amount of water needed to grow plants. Rather than watering rows of soil, the system provides just the right amount to each plant. (通过云连接，对BMF进行远程监控。此外，还有一个方便的应用程序可以实时提供不断增长的数据。由于该系统是自动化的，因此大大减少了种植植物所需的水量。该系统不是给一排排土壤浇水，而是为每株植物提供合适的水量)”以及最后一段“BMF employees live out sustainability in their everyday lives. About half of them walk or bike to work. Inside the office, they encourage recycling and waste reduction by limiting garbage cans and avoiding single-use plastic. “We are passionate about reducing waste, carbon and chemicals in our environment,” said a BMF employee. (BMF员工在日常生活中追求可持续发展。大约一半的人步行或骑自行车上班。在办公室里，他们通过限制垃圾桶和避免一次性塑料来鼓励回收和减少浪费。BMF的一名员工表示：“我们热衷于减少环境中的废物、碳和化学品。”)”可知，文章主要介绍了巴比伦微农场（BMF）的一些主要优势，包括减少食物运输距离、通过云技术远程监控、自动化系统节约水资源、减少化学污染、以及员工的环保生活方式等。故选A。
3.（2024年新高考II卷）Given the astonishing potential of AI to transform our lives, we all need to take action to deal with our AI-powered future, and this is where AI by Design: A Plan for Living with Artificial Intelligence comes in. This absorbing new book by Catriona Campbell is a practical roadmap addressing the challenges posed by the forthcoming AI revolution (变革).
In the wrong hands, such a book could prove as complicated to process as the computer code (代码) that powers AI but, thankfully, Campbell has more than two decades’ professional experience translating the heady into the understandable. She writes from the practical angle of a business person rather than as an academic, making for a guide which is highly accessible and informative and which, by the close, will make you feel almost as smart as AI.
As we soon come to learn from AI by Design, AI is already super-smart and will become more capable, moving from the current generation of “narrow-AI” to Artificial General Intelligence. From there, Campbell says, will come Artificial Dominant Intelligence. This is why Campbell has set out to raise awareness of AI and its future now-several decades before these developments are expected to take place. She says it is essential that we keep control of artificial intelligence, or risk being sidelined and perhaps even worse.
Campbell’s point is to wake up those responsible for AI-the technology companies and world leaders-so they are on the same page as all the experts currently developing it. She explains we are at a “tipping point” in history and must act now to prevent an extinction-level event for humanity. We need to consider how we want our future with Al to pan out. Such structured thinking, followed by global regulation, will enable us to achieve greatness rather than our downfall.
AI will affect us all, and if you only read one book on the subject, this is it.
12. What does the phrase “In the wrong hands” in paragraph 2 probably mean
A. If read by someone poorly educated. B. If reviewed by someone ill-intentioned.
C. If written by someone less competent. D. If translated by someone unacademic.
13. What is a feature of AI by Design according to the text
A. It is packed with complex codes. B. It adopts a down-to-earth writing style.
C. It provides step-by-step instructions. D. It is intended for AI professionals.
14. What does Campbell urge people to do regarding AI development
A. Observe existing regulations on it.
B. Reconsider expert opinions about it.
C. Make joint efforts to keep it under control.
D. Learn from prior experience to slow it down.
15. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text
A. To recommend a book on AI. B. To give a brief account of AI history.
C. To clarify the definition of AI. D. To honor an outstanding AI expert.
【答案】12. C 13. B 14. C 15. A
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了Catriona Campbell所著AI by Design: A Plan for Living with Artificial Intelligence一书。该书作为应对AI革命挑战的实用指南，以商业视角阐述AI发展现状与前景，强调控制AI的重要性，呼吁各界协同确保人工智能安全发展，以防潜在危机。
【12题详解】
词句猜测题。根据文章第二段“such a book could prove as complicated to process as the computer code (代码) that powers AI but, thankfully, Campbell has more than two decades' professional experience translating the heady into the understandable. She writes from the practical angle of a business person rather than as an academic, making for a guide which is highly accessible and informative and which, by the close, will make you feel almost as smart as AI. (这样一本书可能会像驱动人工智能的计算机代码一样复杂，但值得庆幸的是，坎贝尔有20多年的专业经验，可以将令人兴奋的内容转化为可理解的内容。她从商业人士的实际角度而不是学者的角度出发，撰写了一本非常通俗易懂、内容丰富的指南，读完后会让你觉得自己几乎和人工智能一样聪明)”可知，坎贝尔撰写的这本书是通俗易懂的，如果别人写这本书的话可能就不是这样了，推测划线短语表示 “如果是由能力较差的人写的”。故选C项。
【13题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章第二段“thankfully, Campbell has more than two decades’ professional experience translating the heady into the understandable. She writes from the practical angle of a business person rather than as an academic, making for a guide which is highly accessible and informative and which, by the close, will make you feel almost as smart as AI.(值得庆幸的是，坎贝尔有20多年的专业经验，可以将令人兴奋的内容转化为可理解的内容。她从商业人士的实际角度而不是学者的角度出发，撰写了一本非常通俗易懂、内容丰富的指南，读完后会让你觉得自己几乎和人工智能一样聪明)”可知，坎贝尔在书中将令人兴奋的内容转化为可理解的内容，这本书的特点是通俗易懂，推测它采用了接地气的写作风格。故选B项。
【14题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章倒数第二段“She says it is essential that we keep control of artificial intelligence, or risk being sidelined and perhaps even worse. (她说，我们必须保持对人工智能的控制，否则就有被边缘化甚至更糟的风险)”和文章最后一段“We need to consider how we want our future with AI to pan out. Such structured thinking, followed by global regulation, will enable us to achieve greatness rather than our downfall. (我们需要考虑我们希望人工智能的未来如何发展。这种结构化的思维，加上全球监管，将使我们走向伟大，而不是走向衰败)”可知，坎贝尔敦促人们保持对人工智能的控制，考虑人工智能的未来应如何发展，所以关于人工智能的发展，坎贝尔敦促人们共同努力将其控制住。故选C项。
【15题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章第一段“Given the astonishing potential of AI to transform our lives, we all need to take action to deal with our AI-powered future, and this is where AI by Design: A Plan for Living with Artificial Intelligence comes in. This absorbing new book by Catriona Campbell is a practical roadmap addressing the challenges posed by the forthcoming AI revolution (变革). (考虑到人工智能改变我们生活的惊人潜力，我们都需要采取行动来应对人工智能驱动的未来，这正是AI by Design: A Plan for Living with Artificial Intelligence的用武之地。卡特里奥娜·坎贝尔撰写的这本引人入胜的新书是一本实用的路线图，旨在应对即将到来的人工智能革命带来的挑战)”和文章最后一段“AI will affect us all, and if you only read one book on the subject, this is it. (人工智能将影响我们所有人，如果你只读一本关于这个主题的书，那就是这本书)”可知，本文主要介绍了Catriona Campbell所著AI by Design: A Plan for Living with Artificial Intelligence一书，该书作为应对AI革命挑战的实用指南，以商业视角阐述AI发展现状与前景，强调控制AI的重要性，呼吁各界协同确保人工智能安全发展，以防潜在危机，所以作者写这篇文章的目的是推荐一本关于人工智能的书。故选A项。
4.（2024年全国甲卷）Animals can express their needs using a lot of ways. For instance, almost all animals have distinct vocals (声音) that they rely on to either ask for help, scare away any dangerous animals or look for shelter. But cats are special creatures who possess amazing vocalization skills. They are able to have entire conversations with humans using meows and you're able to interpret it. If a pet cat is hungry, it will keep meowing to attract attention and find food. However, when a cat is looking for affection, they tend to produce stretched and soft meows. Meowing starts as soon as a baby cat is brought to life and uses it to get the mother's attention and be fed.
Cats have many heightened senses, but their sense of smell is quite impressive. They use their noses to assess their environment and look out for any signs of danger. They will sniff out specific areas before they choose a place to relax. However, another way the cats are able to distinguish between situations is by looking for familiar smells. Your cat will likely smell your face and store the smell in its memory and use it to recognize you in the future. That's why most pet cats are able to tell immediately if their owners were around any other cats, which they don't usually like.
Dogs are known for their impressive fetching habit, but cats take this behavior up a notch. Many cats will find random objects outside and bring them to their owners. This is a very old habit that's been present in all kinds of predators (食肉动物). Cats bring gifts for their owners to show they love you. These adorable little hunters are just doing something that it's been in their nature since the beginning of time. So just go along with it!
4. What can be learned about cats' meowing from the first paragraph
A. It's a survival skill. B. It's taught by mother cats.
C. It's hard to interpret. D. It's getting louder with age.
5. How does a pet cat assess different situations
A. By listening for sounds. B. By touching familiar objects.
C. By checking on smells. D. By communicating with other cats.
6. Which best explains the phrase "take. . . up notch" in paragraph 3
A. Perform appropriately. B. Move faster. C. Act strangely. D. Do better.
7. What is a suitable title for the text
A. Tips on Finding a Smart Cat B. Understanding Your Cat's Behavior
C. Have Fun with Your Cat D. How to Keep Your Cat Healthy
【答案】4. A 5. C 6. D 7. B
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了猫通过叫声、嗅觉和带回礼物来表达需求、评估环境和展示爱意。
【4题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段“Animals can express their needs using a lot of ways. For instance, almost all animals have distinct vocals (声音) that they rely on to either ask for help, scare away any dangerous animals or look for shelter. (动物可以用很多方式来表达他们的需求。例如，几乎所有的动物都有独特的声音，它们依靠这些声音来寻求帮助，吓跑危险的动物或寻找庇护。)”和“Meowing starts as soon as a baby cat is brought to life and uses it to get the mother’s attention and be fed. (猫宝宝一出生就开始喵喵叫，喵喵叫是为了引起妈妈的注意和被喂食。)”可知，猫叫声是一种生存技能。故选A。
【5题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段“Cats have many heightened senses, but their sense of smell is quite impressive. They use their noses to assess their environment and look out for any signs of danger. (猫有许多敏锐的感官，但它们的嗅觉令人印象深刻。它们用鼻子来评估周围的环境，寻找任何危险的迹象。)”可知，宠物猫通过检查气味来评估不同情况。故选C。
【6题详解】
词句猜测题。根据第三段划线词前半句“Dogs are known for their impressive fetching habit, (狗以其令人印象深刻的抓取习惯而闻名)”和后句“Many cats will find random objects outside and bring them to their owners. (许多猫会在外面随意找到一些东西，并把它们带给主人。)”可知，狗以取回东西而闻名，但猫可以从外边找到东西带回来，因此在这一行为上更上一层楼。短语take ... up a notch是用来形容猫在带回东西这一行为上做得更好或更出色。故选D。
【7题详解】
主旨大意题。根据第一段“Animals can express their needs using a lot of ways.( 动物可以用很多方式来表达他们的需求。)”及全文可知，文章都在介绍和解释猫的各种行为方式，包括叫声、嗅觉和带回礼物的习惯，以及这些行为背后的原因和意义。所以“Understanding Your Cat’s Behavior(了解你的猫的行为)”作文文章标题最为合适。故选B。
5.（2024年全国甲卷）The Saint Lukas train doesn’t accept passengers—it accepts only the sick. The Saint Lukas is one of five government-sponsored medical trains that travel to remote towns in central and eastern Russia. Each stop lasts an average of two days, and during that time the doctors and nurses on board provide rural(乡村)populations with basic medical care, X-ray scans and prescriptions.
“People started queuing to make an appointment early in the morning,” says Emile Ducke, a German photographer who traveled with the staff of the Saint Lukas for a two-week trip in November through the vast regions(区域)of Krasnoyarsk and Khakassia.
Russia’s public health care service has been in serious need of modernization. The government has struggled to come up with measures to address the problem, particularly in the poorer, rural areas east of the Volga River, including arranging doctor’s appointments by video chat and expanding financial aid programs to motivate doctors to practice medicine in remote parts of the country like Krasnoyarsk.
The annual arrival of the Saint Lukas is another attempt to improve the situation. For 10 months every year, the train stops at about eight stations over two weeks, before returning to the regional capital to refuel and restock(补给). Then it starts all over again the next month. Most stations wait about a year between visits.
Doctors see up to 150 patients every day. The train’s equipment allows for basic checkups. “I was very impressed by the doctors and their assistants working and living in such little space but still staying focused and very concerned,” says Ducke. “They were the best chance for many rural people to get the treatment they want. ”
8. How is the Saint Lukas different from other 专题12 阅读理解说明文、议论文
1.（2025年全国高考一卷）
While safety improvements might have been made to our streets in recent years, transport studies also show declines in pedestrian (行人) mobility, especially among young children. Many parents say there’s too much traffic on the roads for their children to walk safely to school, so they pack them into the car instead.
Dutch authors Thalia Verkade and Marco te Br mmelstroet are bothered by facts like these. In their new book Movement: How to Take Back Our Streets and Transform Our Lives, they call for a rethink of our streets and the role they play in our lives.
Life on city streets started to change decades ago. Whole neighbourhoods were destroyed to make way for new road networks and kids had to play elsewhere. Some communities fought back. Most famously, a Canadian journalist who had moved her family to Manhattan in the early 1950s led a campaign to stop the destruction of her local park. Describing her alarm at its proposed replacement with an expressway, Jane Jacobs called on her mayor (市长) to champion “New York as a decent place to live, and not just rush through.” Similar campaigns occurred in Australia in the late 1960s and 1970s as well.
Although these campaigns were widespread, the reality is that the majority of the western cities were completely redesigned around the needs of the motor car. The number of cars on roads has been increasing rapidly. In Australia we now have over twenty million cars for just over twenty-six million people, among the highest rate of car ownership in the world.
We invest a lot in roads that help us rush through, but we fail to account for the true costs. Do we really recognise what it costs us as a society when children can’t move safely around our communities The authors of Movement have it right: it’s time to think differently about that street outside your front door.
25. What phenomenon does the author point out in paragraph 1
A. Cars often get stuck on the road. B. Traffic accidents occur frequently.
C. People walk less and drive more. D. Pedestrians fail to follow the rules.
26. What were the Canadian journalist and other campaigners trying to do
A. Keep their cities livable. B. Promote cultural diversity.
C. Help the needy families. D. Make expressways accessible.
27. What can be inferred about the campaigns in Australia in the late 1960s and 1970s
A. They boosted the sales of cars. B. They turned out largely ineffective.
C. They won government support. D. They advocated building new parks.
28. What can be a suitable title for the text
A. Why the Rush B. What’s Next
C. Where to Stay D. Who to Blame
2.（2025年全国高考一卷）
Microplastics have become a common source of pollution across the Earth — they have settled in the deep sea and on the Himalayas, stuck inside volcanic rocks, filled the stomachs of seabirds and even fallen in fresh Antarctic snow. They are even appearing inside humans.
Now, new research suggests that a simple, cheap measure may significantly reduce the level of microplastics in water from your tap (水龙头): boiling and filtering (过滤) it. In a study published Wednesday in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, researchers from China found that boiling tap water for just five minutes — then filtering it after it cools — could remove at least 80 percent of its microplastics.
Crucially, this process relies on the water containing enough calcium carbonate (碳酸钙) to trap the plastics. In the study, boiling hard water containing 300 milligrams of calcium carbonate led to an almost 90 percent drop in plastics. But in samples with less than 60 milligrams of calcium carbonate, boiling reduced the level of plastics by just 25 percent. Additionally, the research didn’t include all types of plastics. The team focused only on three common types — polystyrene, polyethylene and polypropylene — and they didn’t study other chemicals previously found in water such as vinyl chloride.
Still, the findings show a potential path forward for reducing microplastic exposure — a task that’s becoming increasingly difficult. Even bottled water, scientists found earlier this year, contains 10 to 1,000 times more microplastics than originally thought.
Scientists are still trying to determine how harmful microplastics are — but what they do know has raised concerns. The new study suggests boiling tap water could be a tool to limit intake. “The way they demonstrated how microplastics were trapped through the boiling process was nice,” Caroline Gauchotte-Lindsay, an environmental engineer of the University of Glasgow in Scotland who was not involved in the research, tells New Scientist. “We should be looking into upgrading drinking water treatment plants so they remove microplastics.”
29. How does the author present the issue in the first paragraph
A. By quoting an expert. B. By defining a concept.
C. By giving examples. D. By providing statistics.
30. What determines the effectiveness of trapping microplastics in water
A. The hardness of water. B. The length of cooling time.
C. The frequency of filtering. D. The type of plastic in water.
31. What does the author try to illustrate by mentioning bottled water in paragraph 4
A. The importance of plastic recycling. B. The severity of the microplastic problem.
C. The danger in overusing pure water. D. The difficulty in treating polluted water.
32. What is Gauchotte-Lindsay’s suggestion about
A. Choice of new research methods. B. Possible direction for further study.
C. Need to involve more researchers. D. Potential application of the findings.
3.（2025年全国高考二卷）
When Sonja Detrinidad opened her online shop selling houseplants, she didn’t have high hopes for it. But the opposite happened: She was flooded, shipping out 1,200 orders in June of 2020 alone. In the past year, Detrinidad sent out more than 70,000 plants. Her success is just one example of increased time at home leading to an explosion in the houseplant industry.
“Plants are in fashion right now,” says Dr. Melinda Knuth, a researcher from the University of Florida. “People who live in plant-rich environments report a higher life satisfaction rating, ” she says. “Adding more nature to our environment can change our mood and how we think.” Plants can improve our state of mind in a few ways but the biggest is by decreasing our level of cortisol, the stress hormone (激素) in our body.
“Students who are around plants perform better academically than students who are in a classroom without plants,” says Knuth. “This productivity also translates into the workplace for adults. Our study showed that there was a 30% decrease in sick leave for people who were in plant-rich workplaces.”
If you’re among the groups of people who are enjoying the mental and physical health benefits of surrounding yourself with plants, don’t beat yourself up if one (or a few!) doesn’t make it. “Doctors practice medicine and lawyers practice law and you should allow yourself the practice it takes to sustain a plant. Tending to plants is an exercise in patience and learning. Be invested in taking care of it, but if it dies, go get another one,” Detrinidad says.
8. How was Detrinidad’s business when it started
A. It faced tough competition. B. It suffered a great loss.
C. It got lots of financial support. D. It went surprisingly well.
9. What is one of Knuth’s findings about plants
A. They appeal more to students. B. They purify the environment.
C. They raise the cortisol level. D. They enhance productivity.
10. What does Detrinidad try to explain by mentioning doctors and lawyers
A. The necessity of social skills. B. The meaning of sustainability.
C. The importance of repeated efforts. D. The value of professional opinions.
11. What can be a suitable title for the text
A. Time to Replace Houseplants B. Plants Boost Your Mood
C. Tips on Choosing Houseplants D. Plants Brighten Your Home
4.（2025年全国高考二卷）
Does your soul die a little every time you throw away unused food Mine does. Maybe that feeling comes from growing up in South Africa, where the phrase “there are children starving in Africa” was more of an uncomfortable reminder of fact than a prayer at dinner time.
Food waste is a growing concern in the restaurant, supermarket, and supply chain industries. From technological solutions to educational campaigns, food producers and sellers are looking for ways to use more of what we’re already growing. But last month, one popular New York City restaurant tried a different way: It changed its menu to exclusively (专门) offer food that would otherwise be thrown away.
For two weeks in March, Greenwich Village’s Blue Hill restaurant was renamed wastED, and served items like fried skate cartilage, a juice pulp burger, and a dumpster diver’s vegetable salad. Each dish was tailor-made to raise awareness regarding food waste.
A study by the Food Waste Alliance determined that the average restaurant generates 33 pounds of food waste for every $1,000 in revenue (收入), and of that waste only 15.7% is donated or recycled. Up to 84.3% is simply thrown out. Restaurants like Silo in the UK have experimented with zero-waste systems, but wastED took the concept to its logical conclusion.
It should be noted that none of the items on wastED’s menu was technically made from garbage. Instead, all the ingredients (配料) used were examples of meat cuts and produce that most restaurants would never consider serving. Things like kale ribs, fish collars, rejected sweet potatoes, and cucumber butts were all re-appropriated and, with the help of a number of good chefs, turned into excellent cuisine.
Though wastED received enthusiastic reviews, it was designed from the start as a short-lived experiment; Blue Hill has since returned to its regular menu. Nevertheless, it serves as a reminder that there are many ways to address problems of sustainability, and that you can make an amazing meal out of almost anything.
12. What can be inferred about the author’s early life
A. He witnessed food shortage. B. He enjoyed the local cuisine.
C. He donated food to Africans. D. He helped to cook at home.
13. Why did Blue Hill carry out the experiment
A. To customize dishes for guests. B. To make the public aware of food waste.
C. To test a food processing method. D. To improve the UK’s zero-waste systems.
14. What is paragraph 5 mainly about
A. Why the ingredients were used. B. Which dishes were best liked.
C. What the dishes were made of. D. Where the ingredients were bought.
15. What can we learn about wastED
A. It has ended as planned. B. It is creating new jobs.
C. It has regained popularity. D. It is criticized by top chefs.
5.（2025年1月浙江首考）
A novel design approach to gardening has been gaining in popularity worldwide. Referred to as matrix planting, this approach aims for nature to do a lot more of the heavy lifting in the garden, and even some of the designing. Eschewing fertilizers (化肥) and power tools, it’s based on an elegantly simple principle: to garden more like nature does.
The concept was born when German city planners sought to plant large areas of parkland after World War II in a reproducible way that would need minimal maintenance. Planners created planting mixes that could be used modularly (模块化). In a matrix garden, plants with similar cultural needs are grouped so that they will grow together above and below ground, forming a cooperative ecosystem that conserves water and discourages weeds.
Dutch plantsman and designer Piet Oudolf’s gardens popularized this style, adding artistic flavors to the planting mixes while playing with color and form, including four-season interest and serving the needs of wildlife. Beautiful year-round, they invite you to enjoy the smallest detail, from the sound of grasses in the gentle wind to the sculpture of odd-looking seed heads.
It takes a lot of thought to look this natural. While matrix gardens appear wild, they are carefully planned, with cultural needs the first consideration. Led by the concept of “right plant, right place,” they match plants that enjoy the same soil, sun and weather conditions, and arrange them according to their patterns of growth.
The benefits are substantial for both gardener and planet. With human inputs dramatically reduced, the garden’s ecology can develop well. Established matrix gardens should not need the life support we give most gardens: fertilizer, dividing, regular pared to traditional garden plots, they increase carbon absorption, reduce stormwater runoff and boost habitat and biodiversity significantly.
28. What does the underlined word “Eschewing” in the first paragraph mean
A. Running out of. B. Keeping away from.
C. Putting up with. D. Taking advantage of.
29. Why was the idea of matrix planting introduced
A. To control weeds in large gardens. B. To bring in foreign species of plants.
C. To conserve soil and water resources. D. To develop low-maintenance parkland.
30. Which of the following best describes Piet Oudolf’s gardens
A. Traditional. B. Odd-looking.
C. Tasteful. D. Well-protected.
31. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text
A. The future of gardening is WILD. B. Nature treats all lives as EQUALS.
C. Matrix gardens need more CARE. D. Old garden plots work WONDERS.
6.（2025年1月浙江首考）
As new technologies take on increasingly humanlike qualities, there’s been a push to make them genderless. “People are stereotyping (形成刻板印象) their gendered objects in very traditional ways,” says Ashley Martin, a Stanford associate professor of organizational behavior. Removing gender from the picture altogether seems like a simple way to fix this. Yet as Martin has found in her work, gender is one of the fundamental ways people form connections with objects, particularly those designed with human characteristics.
In her study, Martin asked participants to rate their attachment to male, female, and genderless versions of a digital voice assistant and a self-driving car known as “Miuu.” It was found that gender increased users’ feelings of attachment to these devices and their interest in purchasing them. For example, participants said they would be less likely to buy a genderless voice assistant than versions with male or female voices.
While gendering a product may be good marketing, it may also strengthen outdated or harmful ideas about power and identity. The stereotypes commonly associated with men, such as competitiveness and dominance, are more valued than those associated with women. These qualities, in turn, are mapped onto products that have been assigned a gender.
Martin’s study also found that creating a genderless object was difficult. For instance, if an object’s name was meant to sound genderless, like Miuu, participants would still assign a gender to it — they would assume Miuu was a “he” or “she.”
Martin sees a silver lining, however: She believes that anthropomorphism (拟人化) “provides an opportunity to change stereotypes.” When women are put into positions of leadership like running companies, it reduces negative stereotypes about women. Similarly, anthropomorphized products could be created to take on stereotype-inconsistent roles — a male robot that assists with nursing or a female robot that helps do calculations, for instance.
32. What is the purpose of making new technologies genderless
A. To reduce stereotypes. B. To meet public demand.
C. To cut production costs. D. To encourage competition.
33. What were the participants probably asked to do in the study
A. Design a product. B. Respond to a survey.
C. Work as assistants. D. Take a language test.
34. Why is it difficult to create genderless objects
A. They cannot be mass-produced. B. Naming them is a challenging task.
C. People assume they are unreliable. D. Gender is rooted in people’s mind.
35. What does the last paragraph mainly talk about
A. The quality of genderless products. B. The upside of gendering a product.
C. The meaning of anthropomorphism. D. The stereotypes of men and women.
7.（2025高考北京卷）
Not too long ago, on a cold winter night, there was a teenager who wanted more screen time and a parent who said no. The teenager was advocating for her right to scroll (翻屏) for an extra 30 minutes. The parent argued that none of her friends’ parents let them have screens after 9 o’clock. “I thought, in this family, we don’t compare ourselves with other people, Dad ” the teenager replied. The parent — who was me, by the way — just got served. Since they were young, I have told my kids not to compare themselves with other people. I have argued countless times that comparisons are the “thief of joy”.
Although my daughter didn’t win, she did help expose one of the worst pieces of advice I have ever given. In my defence, I did what we’ve all done before, which is repeat received wisdom without exploring the nuances. But now is the time to set the record straight, which starts with questioning the idea that all social comparison is unhealthy.
Social comparisons do, of course, often get us into emotional trouble. But they can be harnessed (利用) for our betterment if we understand how they work. The social comparisons we make — ones that lead us to feel good or bad about ourselves — are vital to our ability to thrive (成长). Science provides a guide we can use to harness the way we perform these comparisons to reduce their negative emotional impacts.
Comparing yourself with someone who is outperforming you could result in feelings of envy if you focus on the things they have and you don’t, or it can be energizing and inspiring if you use these comparisons as a source of motivation, for example, “If they can achieve that, so can I.” Comparing yourself with someone who is doing worse than you could result in fear and worry if you think about how you could fall into similar circumstances, or it can draw out feelings of gratitude and appreciation if you use that comparison to broaden your views — for example, “Wow, things could be much worse; I’m doing great.”
What I wish I taught my daughter earlier are these nuances. How we feel about ourselves rests not just on whom we compare ourselves with but also on how we think about that comparison. That’s something we all have control over.
28. How did the author feel about his daughter’s argument
A. Excited. B. Inspired. C. Energized. D. Relieved.
29. What does the word “nuances” underlined in Paragraph 2 most probably mean
A. Major achievements. B. Complex feelings.
C. Significant impacts. D. Fine differences.
30. Which would be the best title for the passage
A. Comparing Ourselves with Others Can Become a Healthy Habit
B. Comparing Ourselves with Others Can Strengthen Family Ties
C. Social Comparisons Can Get Us into Emotional Trouble
D. Social Comparisons Can Be Controlled by Science
8.（2025高考北京卷）
The call to “know yourself” has been there since ancient times, but our sense of self doesn’t always match what others perceive. Considering the stories we tell about ourselves can help us to change our minds for better.
For many years psychologists saw identity as a combination of someone’s values, beliefs, goals and social roles. Then, in the 1980s, Bob Johnson created the life story model of identity, in which he proposes that, as we go through life, these core features are built in with our memories to create a personal story through which we understand our lives.
Our life story is something that starts coming together in our teenage years, when we begin to organise our lives into chapters around key events or life changes, and begin to see ourselves as both the central character and, to a varying extent, the story’s author. People with more consistent stories tend to have a stronger sense of identity, and they feel their life has more meaning, direction and sense of purpose. Such people show greater overall life satisfaction, too.
Johnson has also investigated the link between well-being and certain story themes. He discovered that whether someone describes having had some control over events in their past is an important predictor of a person’s mental health. Another key theme involves finding some kind of positive meaning after stressful events. “People could talk about gaining knowledge or personal growth,” says Johnson. His research shows that this is often missing for people with mental health conditions. The good news is that there is evidence we can learn to change our own story.
Lisa Green, another researcher, sounds a few notes of caution (谨慎). For instance, hearing about the power of redemptive (拯救性的) stories, many people may feel forced to find a positive angle on horrible events. She says that Western culture already pushes people to look for the silver lining behind every cloud.
If you want to turn over a new leaf, though, one top tip is that it helps to choose a significant date that signals the start of a new “chapter”. Contrary to popular doubt, resolutions made on I January are more effective for this reason. So, whether your goal is saving money or getting fit, there is no better time to become the author of our own destiny (命运).
31. What can be inferred about personal stories
A. They are unrelated to health. B. Consistent ones lead to stress.
C They are relevant to happiness. D. Thematic ones hold back change.
32. What can we learn from this passage
A. Talking about gains from failure is negative. B. New Year resolutions are well received.
C. The West tends to overvalue optimism. D. Social roles fail to be highlighted.
33. What does the author mainly do in this passage
A. Clarify a goal. B. Analyse an event.
C. Make a comparison. D. Illustrate an approach.
34. What is the passage mainly about
A. How self-identity works. B. How story-tellers are made.
C. How personal stories raise doubts. D. How timing affects personal identity.
1.（2024年新高考I卷）In the race to document the species on Earth before they go extinct, researchers and citizen scientists have collected billions of records. Today, most records of biodiversity are often in the form of photos, videos, and other digital records. Though they are useful for detecting shifts in the number and variety of species in an area, a new Stanford study has found that this type of record is not perfect.
“With the rise of technology it is easy for people to make observations of different species with the aid of a mobile application,” said Barnabas Daru, who is lead author of the study and assistant professor of biology in the Stanford School of Humanities and Sciences. “These observations now outnumber the primary data that comes from physical specimens (标本), and since we are increasingly using observational data to investigate how species are responding to global change, I wanted to know: Are they usable ”
Using a global dataset of 1.9 billion records of plants, insects, birds, and animals, Daru and his team tested how well these data represent actual global biodiversity patterns.
“We were particularly interested in exploring the aspects of sampling that tend to bias (使有偏差) data, like the greater likelihood of a citizen scientist to take a picture of a flowering plant instead of the grass right next to it,” said Daru.
Their study revealed that the large number of observation-only records did not lead to better global coverage. Moreover, these data are biased and favor certain regions, time periods, and species. This makes sense because the people who get observational biodiversity data on mobile devices are often citizen scientists recording their encounters with species in areas nearby. These data are also biased toward certain species with attractive or eye-catching features.
What can we do with the imperfect datasets of biodiversity
“Quite a lot,” Daru explained. “Biodiversity apps can use our study results to inform users of oversampled areas and lead them to places — and even species — that are not well-sampled. To improve the quality of observational data, biodiversity apps can also encourage users to have an expert confirm the identification of their uploaded image.”
32. What do we know about the records of species collected now
A. They are becoming outdated. B. They are mostly in electronic form.
C. They are limited in number. D. They are used for public exhibition.
33. What does Daru’s study focus on
A. Threatened species. B. Physical specimens.
C. Observational data. D. Mobile applications.
34. What has led to the biases according to the study
A. Mistakes in data analysis. B. Poor quality of uploaded pictures.
C. Improper way of sampling. D. Unreliable data collection devices.
35. What is Daru’s suggestion for biodiversity apps
A. Review data from certain areas. B. Hire experts to check the records.
C. Confirm the identity of the users. D. Give guidance to citizen scientists.
2.（2024年新高考II卷）We all know fresh is best when it comes to food. However, most produce at the store went through weeks of travel and covered hundreds of miles before reaching the table. While farmer’s markets are a solid choice to reduce the journey, Babylon Micro-Farm (BMF) shortens it even more.
BMF is an indoor garden system. It can be set up for a family. Additionally, it could serve a larger audience such as a hospital, restaurant or school. The innovative design requires little effort to achieve a reliable weekly supply of fresh greens.
Specifically, it’s a farm that relies on new technology. By connecting through the Cloud, BMF is remotely monitored. Also, there is a convenient app that provides growing data in real time. Because the system is automated, it significantly reduces the amount of water needed to grow plants. Rather than watering rows of soil, the system provides just the right amount to each plant. After harvest, users simply replace the plants with a new pre-seeded pod (容器) to get the next growth cycle started.
Moreover, having a system in the same building where it’s eaten means zero emissions (排放) from transporting plants from soil to salad. In addition, there’s no need for pesticides and other chemicals that pollute traditional farms and the surrounding environment.
BMF employees live out sustainability in their everyday lives. About half of them walk or bike to work. Inside the office, they encourage recycling and waste reduction by limiting garbage cans and avoiding single-use plastic. “We are passionate about reducing waste, carbon and chemicals in our environment,” said a BMF employee.
8. What can be learned about BMF from paragraph 1
A. It guarantees the variety of food. B. It requires day-to-day care.
C. It cuts the farm-to-table distance. D. It relies on farmer’s markets.
9. What information does the convenient app offer
A. Real-time weather changes. B. Current condition of the plants.
C. Chemical pollutants in the soil. D. Availability of pre-seeded pods.
10. What can be concluded about BMF employees
A. They have a great passion for sports.
B. They are devoted to community service.
C. They are fond of sharing daily experiences.
D They have a strong environmental awareness.
11. What does the text mainly talk about
A. BMF’s major strengths. B. BMF’s general management.
C. BMF’s global influence. D. BMF’s technical standards.
3.（2024年新高考II卷）Given the astonishing potential of AI to transform our lives, we all need to take action to deal with our AI-powered future, and this is where AI by Design: A Plan for Living with Artificial Intelligence comes in. This absorbing new book by Catriona Campbell is a practical roadmap addressing the challenges posed by the forthcoming AI revolution (变革).
In the wrong hands, such a book could prove as complicated to process as the computer code (代码) that powers AI but, thankfully, Campbell has more than two decades’ professional experience translating the heady into the understandable. She writes from the practical angle of a business person rather than as an academic, making for a guide which is highly accessible and informative and which, by the close, will make you feel almost as smart as AI.
As we soon come to learn from AI by Design, AI is already super-smart and will become more capable, moving from the current generation of “narrow-AI” to Artificial General Intelligence. From there, Campbell says, will come Artificial Dominant Intelligence. This is why Campbell has set out to raise awareness of AI and its future now-several decades before these developments are expected to take place. She says it is essential that we keep control of artificial intelligence, or risk being sidelined and perhaps even worse.
Campbell’s point is to wake up those responsible for AI-the technology companies and world leaders-so they are on the same page as all the experts currently developing it. She explains we are at a “tipping point” in history and must act now to prevent an extinction-level event for humanity. We need to consider how we want our future with Al to pan out. Such structured thinking, followed by global regulation, will enable us to achieve greatness rather than our downfall.
AI will affect us all, and if you only read one book on the subject, this is it.
12. What does the phrase “In the wrong hands” in paragraph 2 probably mean
A. If read by someone poorly educated. B. If reviewed by someone ill-intentioned.
C. If written by someone less competent. D. If translated by someone unacademic.
13. What is a feature of AI by Design according to the text
A. It is packed with complex codes. B. It adopts a down-to-earth writing style.
C. It provides step-by-step instructions. D. It is intended for AI professionals.
14. What does Campbell urge people to do regarding AI development
A. Observe existing regulations on it.
B. Reconsider expert opinions about it.
C. Make joint efforts to keep it under control.
D. Learn from prior experience to slow it down.
15. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text
A. To recommend a book on AI. B. To give a brief account of AI history.
C. To clarify the definition of AI. D. To honor an outstanding AI expert.
4.（2024年全国甲卷）Animals can express their needs using a lot of ways. For instance, almost all animals have distinct vocals (声音) that they rely on to either ask for help, scare away any dangerous animals or look for shelter. But cats are special creatures who possess amazing vocalization skills. They are able to have entire conversations with humans using meows and you're able to interpret it. If a pet cat is hungry, it will keep meowing to attract attention and find food. However, when a cat is looking for affection, they tend to produce stretched and soft meows. Meowing starts as soon as a baby cat is brought to life and uses it to get the mother's attention and be fed.
Cats have many heightened senses, but their sense of smell is quite impressive. They use their noses to assess their environment and look out for any signs of danger. They will sniff out specific areas before they choose a place to relax. However, another way the cats are able to distinguish between situations is by looking for familiar smells. Your cat will likely smell your face and store the smell in its memory and use it to recognize you in the future. That's why most pet cats are able to tell immediately if their owners were around any other cats, which they don't usually like.
Dogs are known for their impressive fetching habit, but cats take this behavior up a notch. Many cats will find random objects outside and bring them to their owners. This is a very old habit that's been present in all kinds of predators (食肉动物). Cats bring gifts for their owners to show they love you. These adorable little hunters are just doing something that it's been in their nature since the beginning of time. So just go along with it!
4. What can be learned about cats' meowing from the first paragraph
A. It's a survival skill. B. It's taught by mother cats.
C. It's hard to interpret. D. It's getting louder with age.
5. How does a pet cat assess different situations
A. By listening for sounds. B. By touching familiar objects.
C. By checking on smells. D. By communicating with other cats.
6. Which best explains the phrase "take. . . up notch" in paragraph 3
A. Perform appropriately. B. Move faster. C. Act strangely. D. Do better.
7. What is a suitable title for the text
A. Tips on Finding a Smart Cat B. Understanding Your Cat's Behavior
C. Have Fun with Your Cat D. How to Keep Your Cat Healthy
5.（2024年全国甲卷）The Saint Lukas train doesn’t accept passengers—it accepts only the sick. The Saint Lukas is one of five government-sponsored medical trains that travel to remote towns in central and eastern Russia. Each stop lasts an average of two days, and during that time the doctors and nurses on board provide rural(乡村)populations with basic medical care, X-ray scans and prescriptions.
“People started queuing to make an appointment early in the morning,” says Emile Ducke, a German photographer who traveled with the staff of the Saint Lukas for a two-week trip in November through the vast regions(区域)of Krasnoyarsk and Khakassia.
Russia’s public health care service has been in serious need of modernization. The government has struggled to come up with measures to address the problem, particularly in the poorer, rural areas east of the Volga River, including arranging doctor’s appointments by video chat and expanding financial aid programs to motivate doctors to practice medicine in remote parts of the country like Krasnoyarsk.
The annual arrival of the Saint Lukas is another attempt to improve the situation. For 10 months every year, the train stops at about eight stations over two weeks, before returning to the regional capital to refuel and restock(补给). Then it starts all over again the next month. Most stations wait about a year between visits.
Doctors see up to 150 patients every day. The train’s equipment allows for basic checkups. “I was very impressed by the doctors and their assistants working and living in such little space but still staying focused and very concerned,” says Ducke. “They were the best chance for many rural people to get the treatment they want. ”
8. How is the Saint Lukas different from other trains
A. It runs across countries. B. It reserves seats for the seniors.
C. It functions as a hospital. D. It travels along a river.
9. What can we infer from paragraph 3 about Krasnoyarsk
A. It is heavily populated. B. It offers training for doctors.
C. It is a modern city. D. It needs medical aid.
10. How long can the Saint Lukas work with one supply
A. About a year. B. About ten months.
C. About two months. D. About two weeks.
11. What is Ducke’s attitude toward the Saint Lukas’ services
A. Appreciative. B. Doubtful C. Ambiguous. D. Cautious.
6.（2024年浙江卷1月）On September 7, 1991, the costliest hailstorm (花暴) in Canadian history hit Calgary’s southern suburbs. As a result, since 1996 a group of insurance companies have spent about $2million per year on the Alberta Hail Suppression Project. Airplanes seed threatening storm cells with a chemical to make small ice crystals fall as rain before they can grow into dangerous hailstones. But farmers in east-central Alberta — downwind of the hail project flights — worry that precious moisture (水分) is being stolen from their thirsty land by the cloud seeding.
Norman Stienwand, who farms in that area, has been addressing public meetings on this issue for years “Basically, the provincial government is letting the insurance companies protect the Calgary-Edmonton urban area from hail,” Mr. Stienwan d says, “but they’re increasing drought risk as far east as Saskatchewan.”
The Alberta hail project is managed by Terry Krauss, a cloud physicist who works for Weather Modification Inc. of Fargo, North Dakota. “We affect only a very small percentage of the total moisture in the air, so we cannot be cousing drought.” Dr. Krauss says. “In fact, we may be helping increase the moisture downwind by creating wetter ground.”
One doubter about the safety of cloud seeding is Chuck Doswell, a research scientist who just retired from the University of Oklahoma. “In 1999, I personally saw significant tornadoes (龙卷风) form from a seeded storm cell in Kansas,” Dr. Doswell says. “Does cloud seeding create killer storms or reduce moisture downwind No one really knows, of course, but the seeding goes on.”
Given the degree of doubt, Mr. Stienwand suggests, “it would be wise to stop cloud seeding.” In practice, doubt has had the opposite effect. Due to the lack of scientific proof concerning their impacts, no one has succeeded in winning a lawsuit against cloud-seeding companies. Hence, private climate engineering can proceed in relative legal safety.
8. What does the project aim to do
A. Conserve moisture in the soil. B. Prevent the formation of hailstones.
C. Forecast disastrous hailstorms. D. Investigate chemical use in farming.
9. Who are opposed to the project
A. Farmers in east-central Alberta. B. Managers of insurance companies.
C. Provincial government officials. D. Residents of Calgary and Edmonton
10. Why does Dr. Doswell mention the tornadoes he saw in 1999
A. To compare different kinds of seeding methods.
B. To illustrate the development of big hailstorms.
C. To indicate a possible danger of cloud seeding.
D. To show the link between storms and moisture.
11. What can we infer from the last paragraph
A. Scientific studies have proved Stienwand right.
B. Private climate engineering is illegal in Canada.
C. The doubt about cloud seeding has disappeared.
D. Cloud-seeding companies will continue to exist.
7.（2024年浙江卷1月）The Stanford marshmallow (棉花糖) test was originally conducted by psychologist Walter Mischel in the late 1960s. Children aged four to six at a nursery school were placed in a room. A single sugary treat, selected by the child, was placed on a table. Each child was told if they waited for 15 minutes before eating the treat, they would be given a second treat. Then they were left alone in the room. Follow-up studies with the children later in life showed a connect ion between an ability to wait long enough to obtain a second treat and various forms of success.
As adults we face a version of the marshmallow test every day. We’ re not tempted (诱惑) by sugary treats, but by our computers, phones, and tablets — all the devices that connect us to the global delivery system for various types of information that do to us what marshmallows do to preschoolers.
We are tempted by sugary treats because our ancestors lived in a calorie-poor world, and our brains developed a response mechanism to these treats that reflected their value — a feeling of reward and satisfaction. But as we’ve reshaped the world around us, dramatically reducing the cost and effort involved in obtaining calories, we still have the same brains we had thousands of years ago, and this mismatch is at the heart of why so many of us struggle to resist tempting foods that we know we shouldn’t eat.
A similar process is at work in our response to information. Our formative environment as a species was information-poor, so our brains developed a mechanism that prized new information. But global connectivity has greatly changed our information environment. We are now ceaselessly bombarded (轰炸) with new information. Therefore, just as we need to be more thoughtful about our caloric consumption, we also need to be more thoughtful about our information consumption, resisting the temptation of the mental “junk food” in order to manage our time most effectively.
12. What did the children need to do to get a second treat in Mischel’s test
A. Take an examination alone. B. Show respect for the researchers.
C. Share their treats with others. D. Delay eating for fifteen minutes.
13. According to paragraph 3, there is a mismatch between ___________.
A. the calorie-poor world and our good appetites
B. the shortage of sugar and our nutritional needs
C. the rich food supply and our unchanged brains
D. the tempting foods and our efforts to keep fit
14. What does the author suggest readers do
A. Absorb new information readily. B. Be selective information consumers.
C. Use diverse information sources. D. Protect the information environment.
15. Which of the following is the best title for the text
A. Eat Less, Read More B. The Bitter Truth about Early Humans
C. The Later, the Better D. The Marshmallow Test for Grownups
8.（2024年新高考I卷）Is comprehension the same whether a person reads a text onscreen or on paper And are listening to and viewing content as effective as reading the written word when covering the same material The answers to both questions are often “no”. The reasons relate to a variety of factors, including reduced concentration, an entertainment mindset (心态) and a tendency to multitask while consuming digital content.
When reading texts of several hundred words or more, learning is generally more successful when it’s on paper than onscreen. A large amount of research confirms this finding. The benefits of print reading particularly shine through when experimenters move from posing simple tasks — like identifying the main idea in a reading passage — to ones that require mental abstraction — such as drawing inferences from a text.
The differences between print and digital reading results are partly related to paper’s physical properties. With paper, there is a literal laying on of hands, along with the visual geography of distinct pages. People often link their memory of what they’ve read to how far into the book it was or where it was on the page.
But equally important is the mental aspect. Reading researchers have proposed a theory called “shallowing hypothesis (假说)”. According to this theory, people approach digital texts with a mindset suited to social media, which are often not so serious, and devote less mental effort than when they are reading print.
Audio (音频) and video can feel more engaging than text, and so university teachers increasingly turn to these technologies — say, assigning an online talk instead of an article by the same person. However, psychologists have demonstrated that when adults read news stories, they remember more of the content than if they listen to or view identical pieces.
Digital texts, audio and video all have educational roles, especially when providing resources not available in print. However, for maximizing learning where mental focus and reflection are called for, educators shouldn’t assume all media are the same, even when they contain identical words.
28. What does the underlined phrase “shine through” in paragraph 2 mean
A Seem unlikely to last. B. Seem hard to explain.
C. Become ready to use. D. Become easy to notice.
29. What does the shallowing hypothesis assume
A. Readers treat digital texts lightly. B. Digital texts are simpler to understand.
C. People select digital texts randomly. D. Digital texts are suitable for social media.
30. Why are audio and video increasingly used by university teachers
A. They can hold students' attention. B. They are more convenient to prepare.
C. They help develop advanced skills. D. They are more informative than text.
31. What does the author imply in the last paragraph
A. Students should apply multiple learning techniques.
B. Teachers should produce their own teaching material.
C. Print texts cannot be entirely replaced in education.
D. Education outside the classroom cannot be ignored.
9.（2024年全国甲卷）“I didn’t like the ending,” I said to my favorite college professor. It was my junior year of undergraduate, and I was doing an independent study on Victorian literature. I had just finished reading The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot, and I was heartbroken with the ending. Prof. Gracie, with all his patience, asked me to think about it beyond whether I liked it or not. He suggested I think about the difference between endings that I wanted for the characters and endings that were right for the characters, endings that satisfied the story even if they didn’t have a traditionally positive outcome. Of course, I would have preferred a different ending for Tom and Maggie Tulliver, but the ending they got did make the most sense for them.
This was an aha moment for me, and I never thought about endings the same way again. From then on, if I wanted to read an ending guaranteed to be happy, I’d pick up a love romance. If I wanted an ending I couldn’t guess, I’d pick up a mystery (悬疑小说). One where I kind of knew what was going to happen, historical fiction. Choosing what to read became easier.
But writing the end—that’s hard. It’s hard for writers because endings carry so much weight with readers. You have to balance creating an ending that's unpredictable, but doesn’t seem to come from nowhere, one that fits what’s right for the characters.
That’s why this issue (期) of Writer’s Digest aims to help you figure out how to write the best ending for whatever kind of writing you’re doing. If it’s short stories, Peter Mountford breaks down six techniques you can try to see which one helps you stick the landing. Elizabeth Sims analyzes the final chapters of five great novels to see what key points they include and how you can adapt them for your work.
This issue won’t tell you what your ending should be—that’s up to you and the story you’re telling—bu it might provide what you need to get there.
12. Why did the author go to Prof. Gracie
A. To discuss a novel. B. To submit a book report.
C. To argue for a writer. D. To ask for a reading list.
13. What did the author realize after seeing Gracie
A. Writing is a matter of personal preferences.
B. Readers are often carried away by character.
C. Each type of literature has its unique end.
D. A story which begins well will end well.
14. What is expected of a good ending
A It satisfies readers’ taste. B. It fits with the story development.
C. It is usually positive. D. It is open for imagination.
15. Why does the author mention Peter Mountford and Elizabeth Sims
A. To give examples of great novelists. B. To stress the theme of this issue.
C. To encourage writing for the magazine. D. To recommend their new books.
1.（2023年新高卷I卷）
The goal of this book is to make the case for digital minimalism, including a detailed exploration of what it asks and why it works, and then to teach you how to adopt this philosophy if you decide it’s right for you.
To do so, I divided the book into two parts. In part one, I describe the philosophical foundations of digital minimalism, starting with an examination of the forces that are making so many people’s digital lives increasingly intolerable, before moving on to a detailed discussion of the digital minimalism philosophy.
Part one concludes by introducing my suggested method for adopting this philosophy: the digital declutter. This process requires you to step away from optional online activities for thirty days. At the end of the thirty days, you will then add back a small number of carefully chosen online activities that you believe will provide massive benefits to the things you value.
In the final chapter of part one, I’ll guide you through carrying out your own digital declutter. In doing so, I’ll draw on an experiment I ran in 2018 in which over 1,600 people agreed to perform a digital declutter. You’ll hear these participants’ stories and learn what strategies worked well for them, and what traps they encountered that you should avoid.
The second part of this book takes a closer look at some ideas that will help you cultivate (培养) a sustainable digital minimalism lifestyle. In these chapters, I examine issues such as the importance of solitude (独处) and the necessity of cultivating high-quality leisure to replace the time most now spend on mindless device use. Each chapter concludes with a collection of practices, which are designed to help you act on the big ideas of the chapter. You can view these practices as a toolbox meant to aid your efforts to build a minimalist lifestyle that words for your particular circumstances.
8. What is the book aimed at
A. Teaching critical thinking skills. B. Advocating a simple digital lifestyle.
C. Solving philosophical problems. D. Promoting the use of a digital device.
9. What does the underlined word “declutter” in paragraph 3 mean
A. Clear-up. B. Add-on. C. Check-in. D. Take-over.
10. What is presented in the final chapter of part one
A. Theoretical models. B. Statistical methods.
C. Practical examples. D. Historical analyses.
11. What does the author suggest readers do with the practices offered in part two
A. Use them as needed. B. Recommend them to friends.
C. Evaluate their effects. D. Identify the ideas behind them.
2.（2023年新高卷I卷）
On March 7, 1907, the English statistician Francis Galton published a paper which illustrated what has come to be known as the “wisdom of crowds” effect. The experiment of estimation he conducted showed that in some cases, the average of a large number of independent estimates could be quite accurate.
This effect capitalizes on the fact that when people make errors, those errors aren’t always the same. Some people will tend to overestimate, and some to underestimate. When enough of these errors are averaged together, they cancel each other out, resulting in a more accurate estimate. If people are similar and tend to make the same errors, then their errors won’t cancel each other out. In more technical terms, the wisdom of crowds requires that people’s estimates be independent. If for whatever reasons, people’s errors become correlated or dependent, the accuracy of the estimate will go down.
But a new study led by Joaquin Navajas offered an interesting twist (转折) on this classic phenomenon. The key finding of the study was that when crowds were further divided into smaller groups that were allowed to have a discussion, the averages from these groups were more accurate than those from an equal number of independent individuals. For instance, the average obtained from the estimates of four discussion groups of five was significantly more accurate than the average obtained from 20 independent individuals.
In a follow-up study with 100 university students the researchers tried to get a better sense of what the group members actually did in their discussion. Did they tend to go with those most confident about their estimates Did they follow those least willing to change their minds This happened some of the time, but it wasn’t the dominant response. Most frequently, the groups reported that they “shared arguments and reasoned together.” Somehow, these arguments and reasoning resulted in a global reduction in error. Although the studies led by Navajas have limitations and many questions remain the potential implications for group discussion and decision-making are enormous.
12. What is paragraph 2 of the text mainly about
A. The methods of estimation. B. The underlying logic of the effect.
C. The causes of people’s errors. D. The design of Galton’s experiment.
13. Navajas’ study found that the average accuracy could increase even if ________.
A. the crowds were relatively small B. there were occasional underestimates
C. individuals did not communicate D. estimates were not fully independent
14. What did the follow-up study focus on
A. The size of the groups. B. The dominant members.
C. The discussion process. D. The individual estimates.
15. What is the author’s attitude toward Navajas’ studies
A. Unclear. B. Dismissive. C. Doubtful. D. Approving.
3.（2023年新高卷II卷）
Reading Art: Art for Book Lovers is a celebration of an everyday object — the book, represented here in almost three hundred artworks from museums around the world. The image of the reader appears throughout history, in art made long before books as we now know them came into being. In artists’ representations of books and reading, we see moments of shared humanity that go beyond culture and time.
In this “book of books,” artworks are selected and arranged in a way that emphasizes these connections between different eras and cultures. We see scenes of children learning to read at home or at school, with the book as a focus for relations between the generations. Adults are portrayed (描绘) alone in many settings and poses —absorbed in a volume, deep in thought or lost in a moment of leisure. These scenes may have been painted hundreds of years ago, but they record moments we can all relate to.
Books themselves may be used symbolically in paintings to demonstrate the intellect (才智), wealth or faith of the subject. Before the wide use of the printing press, books were treasured objects and could be works of art in their own right. More recently, as books have become inexpensive or even throwaway, artists have used them as the raw material for artworks — transforming covers, pages or even complete volumes into paintings and sculptures.
Continued developments in communication technologies were once believed to make the printed page outdated. From a 21st-century point of view, the printed book is certainly ancient, but it remains as interactive as any battery-powered e-reader. To serve its function, a book must be activated by a user: the cover opened, the pages parted, the contents reviewed, perhaps notes written down or words underlined. And in contrast to our increasingly networked lives where the information we consume is monitored and tracked, a printed book still offers the chance of a wholly private, “off-line” activity.
8. Where is the text most probably taken from
A. An introduction to a book. B. An essay on the art of writing.
C. A guidebook to a museum. D. A review of modern paintings.
9. What are the selected artworks about
A. Wealth and intellect. B. Home and school.
C. Books and reading. D. Work and leisure.
10. What do the underlined words “relate to” in paragraph 2 mean
A. Understand. B. Paint.
C. Seize. D. Transform.
11. What does the author want to say by mentioning the e-reader
A. The printed book is not totally out of date.
B. Technology has changed the way we read.
C. Our lives in the 21st century are networked.
D. People now rarely have the patience to read.
4.（2023年新高卷II卷）As cities balloon with growth, access to nature for people living in urban areas is becoming harder to find. If you’re lucky, there might be a pocket park near where you live, but it’s unusual to find places in a city that are relatively wild.
Past research has found health and wellness benefits of nature for humans, but a new study shows that wildness in urban areas is extremely important for human well-being.
The research team focused on a large urban park. They surveyed several hundred park-goers, asking them to submit a written summary online of a meaningful interaction they had with nature in the park. The researchers then examined these submissions, coding (编码) experiences into different categories. For example, one participant’s experience of “We sat and listened to the waves at the beach for a while” was assigned the categories “sitting at beach” and “listening to waves.”
Across the 320 submissions, a pattern of categories the researchers call a “nature language” began to emerge. After the coding of all submissions, half a dozen categories were noted most often as important to visitors. These include encountering wildlife, walking along the edge of water, and following an established trail.
Naming each nature experience creates a usable language, which helps people recognize and take part in the activities that are most satisfying and meaningful to them. For example, the experience of walking along the edge of water might be satisfying for a young professional on a weekend hike in the park. Back downtown during a workday, they can enjoy a more domestic form of this interaction by walking along a fountain on their lunch break.
“We’re trying to generate a language that helps bring the human-nature interactions back into our daily lives. And for that to happen, we also need to protect nature so that we can interact with it,” said Peter Kahn, a senior author of the study.
12. What phenomenon does the author describe at the beginning of the text
A. Pocket parks are now popular. B. Wild nature is hard to find in cities.
C. Many cities are overpopulated. D. People enjoy living close to nature.
13. Why did the researchers code participant submissions into categories
A. To compare different types of park-goers. B. To explain why the park attracts tourists.
C. To analyze the main features of the park. D. To find patterns in the visitors’ summaries.
14. What can we learn from the example given in paragraph 5
A. Walking is the best way to gain access to nature.
B. Young people are too busy to interact with nature.
C. The same nature experience takes different forms.
D. The nature language enhances work performance.
15. What should be done before we can interact with nature according to Kahn
A. Language study. B. Environmental conservation.
C. Public education. D. Intercultural communication.
5.（2023年浙江卷1月）According to the Solar Energy Industry Association, the number of solar panels installed(安装)has grown rapidly in the past decade, and it has to grow even faster to meet climate goals. But all of that growth will take up a lot of space, and though more and more people accept the concept of solar energy, few like large solar panels to be installed near them.
Solar developers want to put up panels as quickly and cheaply as possible, so they haven’t given much thought to what they put under them. Often, they’ll end up filling the area with small stones and using chemicals to control weeds. The result is that many communities, especially in farming regions, see solar farms as destroyers of the soil.
“Solar projects need to be good neighbors,” says Jordan Macknick, the head of the Innovative Site Preparation and Impact Reductions on the Environment(InSPIRE)project. “They need to be protectors of the land and contribute to the agricultural economy.” InSPIRE is investigating practical approaches to “low-impact” solar development, which focuses on establishing and operating solar farms in a way that is kinder to the land. One of the easiest low-impact solar strategies is providing habitat for pollinators(传粉昆虫).
Habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change have caused dramatic declines in pollinator populations over the past couple of decades, which has damaged the U.S. agricultural economy. Over 28 states have passed laws related to pollinator habitat protection and pesticide use. Conservation organizations put out pollinator-friendliness guidelines for home gardens, businesses, schools, cities—and now there are guidelines for solar farms.
Over the past few years, many solar farm developers have transformed the space under their solar panels into a shelter for various kinds of pollinators, resulting in soil improvement and carbon reduction. “These pollinator-friendly solar farms can have a valuable impact on everything that’s going on in the landscape,” says Macknick.
32．What do solar developers often ignore
A．The decline in the demand for solar energy.
B．The negative impact of installing solar panels.
C．The rising labor cost of building solar farms.
D．The most recent advances in solar technology.
33．What does InSPIRE aim to do
A．Improve the productivity of local farms.
B．Invent new methods for controlling weeds.
C．Make solar projects environmentally friendly.
D．Promote the use of solar energy in rural areas.
34．What is the purpose of the laws mentioned in paragraph 4
A．To conserve pollinators. B．To restrict solar development.
C．To diversify the economy. D．To ensure the supply of energy.
35．Which of the following is the best title for the text
A．Pollinators: To Leave or to Stay B．Solar Energy: Hope for the Future
C．InSPIRE: A Leader in Agriculture D．Solar Farms: A New Development
6.（2023年全国甲卷）I was about 13 when an uncle gave me a copy of Jostein Gaarder’s Sophie’s World. It was full of ideas that were new to me, so I spent the summer with my head in and out of that book. It spoke to me and brought me into a world of philosophy (哲学).
That love for philosophy lasted until I got to college. Nothing kills the love for philosophy faster than people who think they understand Foucault, Baudrillard, or Confucius better than you — and then try to explain them.
Eric Weiner’s The Socrates Express: In Search of Life Lessons from Dead Philosophers reawakened my love for philosophy. It is not an explanation, but an invitation to think and experience philosophy.
Weiner starts each chapter with a scene on a train ride between cities and then frames each philosopher’s work in the context (背景) of one thing they can help us do better. The end result is a read in which we learn to wonder like Socrates, see like Thoreau, listen like Schopenhauer, and have no regrets like Nietzsche. This, more than a book about understanding philosophy, is a book about learning to use philosophy to improve a life.
He makes philosophical thought an appealing exercise that improves the quality of our experiences, and he does so with plenty of humor. Weiner enters into conversation with some of the most important philosophers in history, and he becomes part of that crowd in the process by decoding (解读) their messages and adding his own interpretation.
The Socrates Express is a fun, sharp book that draws readers in with its apparent simplicity and gradually pulls them in deeper thoughts on desire, loneliness, and aging. The invitation is clear: Weiner wants you to pick up a coffee or tea and sit down with this book. I encourage you to take his offer. It’s worth your time, even if time is something we don’t have a lot of.
28．Who opened the door to philosophy for the author
A．Foucault. B．Eric Weiner.
C．Jostein Gaarder. D．A college teacher.
29．Why does the author list great philosophers in paragraph 4
A．To compare Weiner with them.
B．To give examples of great works.
C．To praise their writing skills.
D．To help readers understand Weiner’s book.
30．What does the author like about The Socrates Express
A．Its views on history are well-presented.
B．Its ideas can be applied to daily life.
C．It includes comments from readers.
D．It leaves an open ending.
31．What does the author think of Weiner’s book
A．Objective and plain.
B．Daring and ambitious.
C．Serious and hard to follow.
D．Humorous and straightforward.
7.（2023年全国甲卷）Grizzly bears, which may grow to about 2.5 m long and weigh over 400 kg, occupy a conflicted corner of the American psyche — we revere (敬畏) them even as they give us frightening dreams. Ask the tourists from around the world that flood into Yellowstone National Park what they most hope to see, and their answer is often the same: a grizzly bear.
“Grizzly bears are re-occupying large areas of their former range,” says bear biologist Chris Servheen. As grizzly bears expand their range into places where they haven’t been seen in a century or more, they’re increasingly being sighted by humans.
The western half of the US was full of grizzlies when Europeans came, with a rough number of 50,000 or more living alongside Native Americans. By the early 1970s, after centuries of cruel and continuous hunting by settlers, 600 to 800 grizzlies remained on a mere 2 percent of their former range in the Northern Rockies. In 1975, grizzlies were listed under the Endangered Species Act.
Today, there are about 2,000 or more grizzly bears in the US. Their recovery has been so successful that the US Fish and Wildlife Service has twice attempted to delist grizzlies, which would loosen legal protections and allow them to be hunted. Both efforts were overturned due to lawsuits from conservation groups. For now, grizzlies remain listed.
Obviously, if precautions (预防) aren’t taken, grizzlies can become troublesome, sometimes killing farm animals or walking through yards in search of food. If people remove food and attractants from their yards and campsites, grizzlies will typically pass by without trouble. Putting electric fencing around chicken houses and other farm animal quarters is also highly effective at getting grizzlies away. “Our hope is to have a clean, attractant-free place where bears can pass through without learning bad habits,” says James Jonkel, longtime biologist who manages bears in and around Missoula.
32．How do Americans look at grizzlies
A．They cause mixed feelings in people.
B．They should be kept in national parks.
C．They are of high scientific value.
D．They are a symbol of American culture.
33．What has helped the increase of the grizzly population
A．The European settlers’ behavior.
B．The expansion of bears’ range.
C．The protection by law since 1975.
D．The support of Native Americans.
34．What has stopped the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service from delisting grizzlies
A．The opposition of conservation groups.
B．The successful comeback of grizzlies.
C．The voice of the biologists.
D．The local farmers’ advocates.
35．What can be inferred from the last paragraph
A．Food should be provided for

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