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2026届高考模拟卷·英语
(120分钟 150分)
本试卷分第Ⅰ卷和第Ⅱ卷两部分。
第Ⅰ卷
第一部分 听力 (共两节，满分30分)
第一节 (共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分)
听下面五段对话，每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的 A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后，你都将有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
1. Where will the man go first
A. Chicago. B. New York. C. Washington D. C.
2. When is Peter’s father’s birthday
A. On September 1st. B. On September 20th. C. On September 10th.
3. What will the speakers probably do next
A. Buy something to eat. B. Make some coffee. C. Find their seats on the train.
4. What are the speakers talking about
A. Finishing studies. B. Finding a job. C. Working in a company.
5. Where does the conversation take place
A. At home. B. At a canteen. C. At a restaurant.
第二节 (共15小题；每小题1.5分，满分22.5分)
听下面五段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟，听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。
6. What is the relationship between the speakers
A. Husband and wife. B. Teacher and student. C. Friends.
7. Why is Cindy unhappy
A. She doesn’t like her teacher. B. The training course is hard. C. Miss Gale can’t help her.
听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。
8. What does Tim remind Lisa to bring for the trip
A. Drinks. B. An umbrella. C. Snacks.
9. What did Tim do last night
A. He watched TV. B. He played games. C. He finished his homework.
10. What is Lisa most excited to see at the museum
A. Statues. B. Paintings. C. Handicrafts.
听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。
11. What do the speakers say about bioenergy in their country
A. It has many stations. B. It’s the most common energy. C. It’s being increasingly used.
12. How many factors in solar energy’s efficiency are mentioned
A. 3. B. 4. C. 5.
13. What should renewable energy investors do according to Dr. Smith
A. Cooperate with locals. B. Conduct in-depth research. C. Explore special energy.
听第9段材料，回答第14至17题。
14. How is the woman going to Paris
A By bus. B. By air. C. By car.
15. Who will go to see the woman off
A. John. B. The man. C. John and the man.
16. What can we conclude from the dialogue
A. The man wants to meet Thomas Gross in Paris.
B. The man and Thomas Gross studied in the same college.
C. The man don’t know much about Thomas Gross.
17. How long will the man be with the woman next Friday
A. The whole afternoon. B. More than 45 minutes. C. Less than 45 minutes.
听第10段材料，回答第18至20题。
18. What is Joe Wrigley’s book based on
A. A sorrowful story. B. Advice from his fans. C. His personal experience.
19. Who is The A-Z of Photography intended for
A. Camera repairmen. B. Photography beginners. C. Professional photographers.
20. What is the speaker
A. A presenter. B. A bookseller. C. An editor.
第Ⅱ卷
第二部分 阅读 (共两节，满分50分)
第一节 (共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的 A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Birch Aquarium (水族馆).
Our volunteers shape the experience of guests from around the world. They help visitors learn about the marine (海洋的) life on our planet. We encourage protection and showcase groundbreaking research at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego.
Every year, more than 400 volunteers work here. From students and working adults to retired (退休的) professionals, Birch Aquarium has been enriched by service and knowledge from volunteers of all backgrounds.
Volunteers are asked to work for at least six months, volunteering one 4-hour shift (班) per week — no short-term or summer volunteer projects are open right now.
Requirements
Be at least 18 years old.
Have two reference letters (推荐信).
Be comfortable speaking with people of all ages and backgrounds.
Experience is an advantage and training is provided without considering past experience.
Knowing a second language is an advantage.
Responsibilities
Welcome first-time and returning guests alike, providing way-finding information and answering general questions.
Do water changes, prepare food for the animals and possibly help with feedings.
Help create a clean and healthy environment for the animals.
Help teachers in the classroom with a hands-on program covering a lot of marine topics.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 3
A. The volunteering is full of importance.
B. The volunteers can choose summer volunteer projects.
C. The volunteers can’t be over 60 years old.
D. The volunteers have various backgrounds.
2. What requirement do the volunteers need to meet
A Being aged 18 or over. B. Having one year’s experience.
C. Providing one reference letter. D. Being able to speak a second language.
3. The text is probably written for people who want to ________.
A. pay a visit to an aquarium. B. gain volunteering experience.
C. do research on marine life. D. apply for a position at a university.
B
As a young boy, I knew what people said was not always what they meant or were feeling. And I knew it was possible to get others to do what I wanted if I read their real feelings and responded suitably to their needs. At the age of eleven, I sold sponge rubber (海绵橡胶) door to door after school and quickly worked out how to tell if someone was likely to buy. When I knocked on a door, if someone told me to go away but his hands were open and he showed his palms (the inside surfaces of his hands), I knew it was safe to continue with my presentation because he was not angry or threatening although he may have a negative attitude. If someone told me to go away in a soft voice but used a pointed finger or closed hand, I knew it was time to leave.
As a teenager, I became a pots and pans (炊具) salesperson, and my ability to read people earned me enough money to buy my first house. Selling gave me the chance to meet people and study them closely and to know whether they would buy or not simply by watching their body language.
I joined the life insurance business at the age of twenty. And I went on to break several sales records in my company, becoming the youngest person to sell over a million dollars’ worth of business in my first year. This achievement allowed me to become a member of the well -known Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT, which recognizes the world’s top achievers in life insurance). I was lucky that the skills I’d learned as a boy in watching body language while selling pots and pans could be used in this new area, and were directly related to the success I could have in any business closely connected with people.
4. Which of the following meant the author must go away
A. A customer’s soft voice.
B. A customer’s pointed finger.
C. A customer’s open palms.
D. A customer’s dismissive expression.
5. What does the underlined phrase “new area”in the last paragraph refer to
A. The study of selling products.
B. The life insurance business.
C. The pots and pans industry.
D. The work for the MDRT.
6. What was the key to the author’s success
A. Listening to customers’ words.
B. Understanding customers’ habits.
C. Trying to satisfy customers’ needs.
D. Reading customers’ body language.
7. How does the text mainly develop
A. By following the order of time.
B. By giving clear explanations.
C. By giving well known examples.
D. By following the order of importance.
C
Do you ever hear a friend speak on a topic with the belief that “everyone” thinks the same way Do you often find yourself surrounded in a social media feed that is completely tailored to you and your beliefs, reading along without the immediate realization
A social media echo chamber (回音室) is when one experiences a tailored media experience that leaves out opposing viewpoints and differing voices. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube connect groups of like-minded users together based on shared content preferences. As a result, people see and take in information according to our preexisting beliefs and opinions. Social media companies therefore rely on algorithms (算法) to assess our interests and flood us with information that will keep our attention. The algorithms focus on what we “like”, and “share” to keep feeding content that makes us comfortable.
In order to truly get access to all information and to evaluate our media, we must give ourselves the opportunity to step out of our comfort zone. While this becomes increasingly challenging, there are things we can do. The first step is to improve your media consumption sources. Adding in a few media sources with differing opinions will allow you to at least understand what people are saying outside of your echo chamber. Next, read each thing you see with a critical eye. Make sure that each thing you accept as truth is truly fact. Lastly, attempt to search out reliable new sources that are known for trying their best to leave out false information. By accepting that our media buffet on social media is a product of our present beliefs and opinions, we can work to make sure we are not simply stuck in a social media echo chamber.
8. What is the main purpose of the author’s two questions at the beginning
A. To criticize social media algorithms.
B. To suggest solutions for diverse information access.
C. To introduce the concept of an echo chamber.
D. To emphasize the importance of fact-checking.
9. What is a result of the social media echo chamber
A. People contact like-minded online users effectively.
B. People keep reading for more differing viewpoints.
C. People rely on algorithms to evaluate their interests.
D. People only get information confirming their beliefs.
10. Which of the following can help us get out of the echo chamber
A. Criticizing fake news on social media. B. Exposing ourselves to opposing voices.
C. Researching primary sources of information. D. Accepting our present beliefs and opinions.
11. What is the purpose of the text
A. To call on people to use algorithms frequently.
B. To ask people not to take in information blindly.
C. To promote the use of various social media sites.
D. To inform people of new technology developments.
D
Rise with the sun and rest at sunset — this was the way of life for our ancestors. Thanks to artificial light, which improves visibility at night, we can enjoy a much safer society and around-the-clock productivity. For wildlife, however, studies have shown it disturbs animals’ natural sleep cycles, affects amphibian (两栖的) reproduction and throws migrating birds off course.
New research in Frontiers in Plant Science investigated how artificial light impacts plant-insect relationships. Researchers from Chinese Academy of Sciences noticed tree leaves in cities typically showed fewer signs of insect damage than those outside of cities, so they analyzed 5,500 leaf samples from two tree species throughout Beijing. Researchers found more artificial light in a given area meant tougher leaves. And the tougher the leaf, the less evidence of hungry insects. They don’t fully understand why, but assume that trees under artificial light at night might be extending their photosynthesis (光合作用) time.
“Plants distribute their limited resources, such as nutrients, water and energy, among various functions like growth, reproduction and defense, depending on the environment. Light can affect how plants use resources,” says Ellen Cieraad, a plant ecologist from New Zealand. “Since plants use light for growth, artificial night light could be unnaturally increasing the time trees spend on photosynthesis, allocating more resources to chemical compounds that make leaves tougher.”
“If the same applied to leaves of other species, this would be bad news for insects,” researchers said. Changes in plants, and in interactions between plants and animals, can significantly impact the entire urban ecosystem. Herbivorous insects, which rely on leaves for food, may struggle to survive, disrupting the food chain. Fewer herbivorous insects could lead to declines in predators like birds, affecting biodiversity. Insects also play vital roles as pollinators (传粉媒介) and eat decaying plants, helping to break down leaves and returning nutrients to soil. In cities, healthy soil and healthy plant life supported by insects are good for humans, as plants provide shade and reduce heat trapped in cities. Moving forward, researchers are committed to refining their discovery, aiming to guide people to take corresponding actions.
12. What influence does artificial light bring according to the text
A. It toughens tree leaves.
B. It shortens animals’ sleep hours.
C. It illuminates birds’ migrating routes.
D. It increases amphibian reproduction rates.
13. Why is Ellen Cieraad quoted in paragraph 3
A. To raise a concern. B. To introduce a concept.
C. To support an assumption. D. To clarify a misunderstanding.
14. Which of the following best summarizes the phenomenon in paragraph 4
A. Time heals all wounds. B. Nature always finds a way.
C. A chain is as strong as its weakest link. D. A small move may affect the bigger picture.
15. What will the following research probably focus on
A. Approaches to enhancing soil quality.
B. Ways of improving urban biodiversity.
C. Standards for selecting plant species in cities.
D. Solutions to reducing impacts of nighttime light.
第二节 (共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分)
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Throughout our lives, we usually look for just one answer to each question we encounter, like when we ask what 2+2 equals or what the capital of India is. ____16____ The “one-problem, one-answer” mindset is deeply rooted in how we think.
But what happens if we’re asked to generate different responses instead of one correct answer ____17____ I asked them, “What if there is more than one way to record the answer to 2+2 ” They voiced varied answers, such as of 8, how Lincoln began “The Gettysburg Address”, the number of runners on a relay team, and the number following 3, etc. These kids weren’t “boxed in” by the artificial “requirement” of finding a single right answer. Rather, they were asked a question beginning with the two words “What if…… ” ____18____
What lies behind the issue then Ken Robinson has observed that our educational systems often don't help students develop their natural creativity. ____19____ Studies have shown that teachers claim to value qualities of independent thinking and curiosity, yet they reward behaviors of obedience. Thus, a workforce emerges that prioritizes conformity(顺从) over creativity. Simply stated, we tell students to color inside the lines and then expect adults to think outside the box.
____20____ Ask open-ended questions more often to encourage students to explore different ways of thinking. On top of this, a safe environment should be created where students feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes. By doing so, students are better equipped to face complex problems with greater flexibility and innovation in the future.
A. Avoiding risks is a natural tendency.
B. However, they have the potential to succeed.
C. To find out, I approached a group of fourth-graders.
D. Instead, they promote uniformity and standardization.
E. The results, as you can see, were diverse and inventive.
F. Seldom do we consider the possibility of multiple answers.
G. It’s time to break free from the “single right answer” mindset.
第三部分 语言运用 (共两节，满分30分)
第一节 (共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的 A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Six years as a space reporter taught me that chaos rules everything. Nothing is completely predictable or controlled. I have watched enough go wrong to know that no view of a celestial (天空的) event is ever truly promised to us ____21____ on the earth.
So when my mother and I decided to drive out to Erie, Pennsylvania, to see the April 8 total solar eclipse (日全食) this year, I knew this would be a trip of two ____22____ attitudes. I’ d be ____23____ about the weather and convinced we’d be victims of the randomness that governs the world while my mom would have strong faith that order would ____24____ and the skies would let us glimpse an eclipse like this for the first time in our lives. I told her not to ____25____ the universe for this one; she told me she wouldn’t depend on anything else.
Once again, I was profoundly taught a ____26____. I’ve learned time and time again: Mama knows best. Erie’s forecast that morning was looking ____27____, but by the time first contact between the sun and the moon began a little after 2 p. m., the clouds over the city’s bay began to clear. The pale yellow sun under the eclipse lenses rapidly crested (达到顶峰), concentrating into a ____28____ orange glow.
The eclipse ____29____ at 3:16 p. m. A thin white glow came out from the edge of a clean black circle. The sunset-like ____30____ glowed and bloomed in the distance. I could spot solar prominences (日珥) sticking out from the sides of the sun ____31____ slightly bright red and pink. Jupiter and Venus also played roles in this performance. It felt like ____32____ something close to a miracle.
Four minutes later, the eclipse ____33____. The sun brightened again. And the clouds ____34____ violently, swallowing up the moon and the sun and the sky in gray. But for four incredible minutes, the universe seems to have ____35____ a promise to my mother.
21. A. analysts B. observers C. investigators D. astronauts
22. A. consistent B. conflicting C. amusing D. agreeable
23. A. optimistic B. confused C. pessimistic D. curious
24. A. win B. lose C. delay D. fail
25. A. feed on B. count on C. focus on D. go on
26. A. plan B. skill C. lesson D. practice
27. A. usual B. average C. beautiful D. terrible
28. A. bright B. weak C. dark D. dim
29. A. disappeared B. exploded C. died D. struck
30. A. shapes B. sizes C. colors D. scenes
31. A. in B. on C. with D. for
32. A. ignoring B. denying C. witnessing D. missing
33. A. continued B. progressed C. ticked D. ended
34. A. quit B. returned C. left D. faded
35. A. made good on B. take action on C. took account of D. kept track of
第二节 (共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分)
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Lamps (灯) from the Han Dynasty exhibited a diverse range ____36____ forms, featuring patterns such as wild goose feet, the Vermillion Birds, oxen, sheep, and others.
One ____37____ (impress) example is the “Painted Bronze Lamp in the Shape of Goose Carrying Fish,” a 2,000-year-old art piece that shows a standing goose with ____38____ (it) head turned back. The whole lamp is made of four sections, specifically the goose head and long neck with fish in its beak (喙), the body, the lamp tray (托盘) ____39____ the lamp shade.
The goose has a full-bodied shape with two wings on both ____40____ (side), a short upward tail and two feet. The lamp tray has a handle on the back of the goose, and the lamp shade is made up of two curved plates. The tray and shade can be opened and closed by turning, ____41____ serves not only as a windscreen, but also to adjust the brightness of the light. The fish body, the goose neck and its body are empty and connected ____42____ (hold) the smoke. All parts can ____43____ (take) apart for cleaning. Such a smart design makes it a perfect ____44____ (unite) of function and form and a piece of rare art treasure.
This splendid piece, _____45_____ (measure) 53 cm in height and 34.5 cm in length, was unearthed in 1985 in Shuozhou, Shanxi Province.
第四部分 写作 (共两节，满分40分)
第一节 (满分15分)
46. 你校发起“Silk Road: Heritage in Innovation”国际青年项目，聚焦丝绸之路文化与现代科技的融合创新。作为项目负责人李华，给海外友好学校的学生写一封邮件：
1. 阐释项目核心；
2. 介绍项目活动；
3. 强调参与价值。
注意：
1. 写作词数应为80个左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Dear students,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
第二节 (满分25分)
47. 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之成为一篇完整的短文。
My Forever Tree
When you live a long time with trees, they become part of you.
So it hurt me to take down the old sugar maple, my tree like a holy place, one piece at a time. Her death wasn’t from fire but an underground attack of root fungus. Small honey-colored mushrooms growing at her base were “the clue,” said the tree expert.
The tree was old when we moved to the farm 36 years ago, about the age of this farmhouse — we guessed 160 years. I know she was here in the 1940s because we have an old photo showing her smaller then, not yet ruling the side yard as she did later.
In her old age, she reached about 90 feet high. And she had personality. Not straight, but unique: her trunk split into four parts, branches spread out like a dancer stretching her arms wide. I felt lucky to have lived under her leaves for years.
But lately, heavy rains and dry weather hurt her. Summers are hotter, winters less cold. Little snow covered her roots. Climate change likely made her weaker against the root fungus, the expert said.
“She’s not doing well,” my husband said. Then, in one season, her whole left side began to fall. Branches crashed onto the garden shed below, bark pieces everywhere. Ant nests appeared at her base. Plants growing in the cracks of her bark looked weaker.
Even birds left. I saw no nests in her branches like last year, nor found smooth white dove eggs on the ground. Maybe birds knew those branches weren’t safe anymore.
Still, I hoped we could save her. What had she seen in her long life Horse carriages, farmers in log houses with corn-stalk walls, barn buildings, snowy winters, more birds, more insects, many bats — now nearly gone from the farm.
注意：
(1)续写词数应为150左右;
(2)请按如下格式在答题纸相应位置作答。
But I could fool myself no longer because it had become too dangerous to walk underneath her.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Now, instead of gazing up at the tree, I can hold her in my hands.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2026届高考模拟卷·英语
(120分钟 150分)
本试卷分第Ⅰ卷和第Ⅱ卷两部分。
第Ⅰ卷
第一部分 听力 (共两节，满分30分)
第一节 (共5小题；每小题1.5分，满分7.5分)
听下面五段对话，每段对话后有一个小题，从题中所给的 A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听完每段对话后，你都将有10秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。每段对话仅读一遍。
1. Where will the man go first
A. Chicago. B. New York. C. Washington D. C.
2. When is Peter’s father’s birthday
A. On September 1st. B. On September 20th. C. On September 10th.
3. What will the speakers probably do next
A. Buy something to eat. B. Make some coffee. C. Find their seats on the train.
4. What are the speakers talking about
A. Finishing studies. B. Finding a job. C. Working in a company.
5. Where does the conversation take place
A. At home. B. At a canteen. C. At a restaurant.
第二节 (共15小题；每小题1.5分，满分22.5分)
听下面五段对话或独白。每段对话或独白后有几个小题，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。听每段对话或独白前，你将有时间阅读各个小题，每小题5秒钟，听完后，各小题将给出5秒钟的作答时间。每段对话或独白读两遍。
听第6段材料，回答第6、7题。
6 What is the relationship between the speakers
A. Husband and wife. B. Teacher and student. C. Friends.
7. Why is Cindy unhappy
A. She doesn’t like her teacher. B. The training course is hard. C. Miss Gale can’t help her.
听第7段材料，回答第8至10题。
8. What does Tim remind Lisa to bring for the trip
A. Drinks. B. An umbrella. C. Snacks.
9. What did Tim do last night
A. He watched TV. B. He played games. C. He finished his homework.
10. What is Lisa most excited to see at the museum
A. Statues. B. Paintings. C. Handicrafts.
听第8段材料，回答第11至13题。
11. What do the speakers say about bioenergy in their country
A. It has many stations. B. It’s the most common energy. C. It’s being increasingly used.
12. How many factors in solar energy’s efficiency are mentioned
A. 3. B. 4. C. 5.
13. What should renewable energy investors do according to Dr. Smith
A. Cooperate with locals. B. Conduct in-depth research. C. Explore special energy.
听第9段材料，回答第14至17题。
14. How is the woman going to Paris
A. By bus. B. By air. C. By car.
15. Who will go to see the woman off
A. John. B. The man. C. John and the man.
16. What can we conclude from the dialogue
A. The man wants to meet Thomas Gross in Paris.
B. The man and Thomas Gross studied in the same college.
C. The man don’t know much about Thomas Gross.
17. How long will the man be with the woman next Friday
A. The whole afternoon. B. More than 45 minutes. C. Less than 45 minutes.
听第10段材料，回答第18至20题。
18. What is Joe Wrigley’s book based on
A. A sorrowful story. B. Advice from his fans. C. His personal experience.
19. Who is The A-Z of Photography intended for
A. Camera repairmen. B. Photography beginners. C. Professional photographers.
20. What is the speaker
A. A presenter. B. A bookseller. C. An editor.
第Ⅱ卷
第二部分 阅读 (共两节，满分50分)
第一节 (共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的 A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
【1~3题答案】
【答案】1. D 2. A 3. B
B
【4~7题答案】
【答案】4. B 5. B 6. D 7. A
C
【8~11题答案】
【答案】8. C 9. D 10. B 11. B
D
【12~15题答案】
【答案】12. A 13. C 14. D 15. D
第二节 (共5小题；每小题2.5分，满分12.5分)
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
【16~20题答案】
【答案】16. F 17. C 18. E 19. D 20. G
第三部分 语言运用 (共两节，满分30分)
第一节 (共15小题；每小题1分，满分15分)
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的 A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
【21~35题答案】
【答案】21. B 22. B 23. C 24. A 25. B 26. C 27. D 28. A 29. D 30. C 31. A 32. C 33. D 34. B 35. A
第二节 (共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分)
【36~45题答案】
【答案】36. of 37. impressive
38. its 39. and
40. sides 41. which
42. to hold
43. be taken
44. unity 45. measuring
第四部分 写作 (共两节，满分40分)
第一节 (满分15分)
【46题答案】
【答案】例文
Dear students
Our school has launched the “Silk Road: Heritage in Innovation” project, which ingeniously integrates the time-honored Silk Road culture with cutting-edge technology.
Activities include VR tours of historic sites, AI-driven cultural relic restoration workshops, and cross-border innovation contests. Not only will participating broaden your cultural horizons, but it will also equip you with future-ready tech skills.
Blend tradition with creativity, shape new narratives, and leave a unique mark on how the world experiences art, heritage, and human expression. Don’t miss this chance to become a cultural innovator!
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
第二节 (满分25分)
【47题答案】
【答案】One possible version:
But I could fool myself no longer because it had become too dangerous to walk underneath her. My husband and another helper tied ropes to her branches. I could feel her impending fall in my bones. I didn’t want to look. They used long-handled cutters and chainsaws: dangerous noisy work. They were experienced but not with such a big tree. We had to call a tree expert with a lifting truck, more people and stronger chainsaws. But he was so busy dealing with dead and sick trees in our small town that he said he’d cut her down but not clean up the mess. She was down. I tried to turn her into bowls, spoons, lamps and similar things.
Now, instead of gazing up at the tree, I can hold her in my hands. The bowls are smooth as silk, not rough like her bark; light-colored, not dark; small, not dignified. But they are the old maple living again, though in a different form. Some of her will stay here, where she grew deep roots, but other parts will travel out into a wider world because Snyder said he liked working with the wood so much that he wanted to make more things. The birds that once lived in the old maple have had to move on to sing elsewhere. So must I.
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