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冲刺2020年江苏高考英语——(阅读理解题)高考冲刺专练
写在前面的话
阅读理解在高考江苏卷中占整个总分的四分之一，计30分，其重要性不言而喻，因为阅读理解题的解题成败对我们高考英语成绩的高低影响非常明显。所以在冲刺阶段就高考阅读理解题专题练一练是非常有必要的。
题组一
A
Hair Loss(Alopecia)
Information about male pattern baldness(秃顶)causes, triggers and treatment in the UK
In contrary to popular belief, hair loss—or alopecia—can start at any age. While it is associated with mature males, and statistics show it does mainly affect men above 40, the reality is you can notice symptoms in your 30s, or even 20s and teen years. The NHS statistics state that 25% of men start losing their hair by the time they reach 30. The most common form of hair loss is male pattern baldness—also known as androgenic alopecia—that affects more than half of men around the world.
One option many men seek is treatment to avoid further hair loss, especially early on in the process. With treatments, such as Propecia, that specifically target male pattern baldness, it is possible to stop hair loss completely and even encourage fresh new hair growth.

What is alopecia?
Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss. Most commonly affecting males, hair loss in men is caused by an increased sensitivity to the male sex hormones(androgens). The type of alopecia you have(as well as hereditary and external factors)can influence levels of hair loss. The most common type of hair loss(alopecia)is male and female pattern baldness. Other types include：
◆Alopecia areata(patches of baldness, usually on the scalp)
◆Scarring alopecia(hair loss directly affecting the hair follicles)
◆Telogen effluvium(hair thinning over a larger area on the top of the head, rather than bald patches)
◆Anagen effluvium(most commonly caused by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy)
【语篇简析】本文为一篇说明文。文章就脱发的含义，病因，诱因及治疗做出了说明。
56. Which of the following statements is FALSE about Propecia?
A. It can stop hair loss almost in all cases. B. People can buy it online without doctor visit.
C. It encourages new hair growth in rare cases. D. it is especially effective on male pattern baldness.
【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段“With treatments, such as Propecia, that specifically target male pattern baldness, it is possible to stop hair loss completely and even encourage fresh new hair growth.”可知propecia可以完全阻止脱发，甚至鼓励新的头发生长，所以“C项在极少数情况下，它会促进新头发的生长”是错误的。故选C项。
57. The next part of the webpage is most likely to be about ________.
A. hair loss causes B. hair loss symptoms C. preventing hair loss D. treating hair loss
【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。通读全文，文章介绍了脱发的症状，及治疗和预防的propecia疗法，推理接下来可能会介绍脱发的案例。故选A项。
B
When you were at school, the last thing you probably wanted to do was spend your weekends going to work. There was homework to do, sport to play and fun to have. But our parents probably persuaded us to find a job to earn some money and get some life experience. When I was a teenager I had a paper round: delivering newspapers to people’s homes. I then progressed to a Saturday job in a supermarket: stacking shelves and working at the checkout.
Today in the UK you are allowed to work from the age of 13, and many children do take up part-time jobs. It’s one of those things that are seen almost as a rite of passage(成人仪式).It’s a taste of independence and sometimes a useful thing to put on your CV(简历).Teenagers agree that it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults and also about managing their money.
Some research has shown that not taking up a Saturday or holiday job could be deleterious to a person later on. A 2015 study by the UK Commission on Employment and Skills found that not participating in part-time work at school age had been blamed by employer’s organizations for young adults being ill-prepared for full-time employment, but despite this, recent statistics have shown that the number of schoolchildren in the UK with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.
So, does this mean that British teenagers are now afraid of hard work? Probably not. Some experts feel that young people feel going out to work will affect their performance at school, and they are under more pressure now to study hard and get good exam results and a good job in the long term. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told BBC News that “Properly regulated(控制的)part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives.” In reality, it’s all about getting the right balance between doing part-time work and having enough time to study and rest.
【语篇简析】本文为一篇议论文。研究和调查表明，适当的兼职会让学生们学会独立、获取阅历、为将来工作做好准备，同时还要在做兼职和有足够的时间学习和休息之间取得平衡。
58.How did the author feel about doing part-time jobs on weekends when he was a teenager?
A. Unwilling. B. Interested. C. Delighted. D. Angry.
【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题(观点态度)。根据第一段第一句“When you were at school，the last thing you probably wanted to do was spend your weekends going to work.”可知，作者认为当你在学校的时候，你可能最不想做的事情就是周末去上班。故作者的态度是不情愿的，选A。
59.Which of the following may NOT be the benefit of school children’s doing part-time jobs?
A. Learning to be independent. B. Gaining some life experience.
C. Being prepared for future jobs. D. Spending what they earn as they like.
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段中的“to find a job to earn some money and get some life experience”，第二段中的“It’s a taste of independence...it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults” 及第三段中的“not participating in part-time work...being ill-prepared for full-time employment”可知，兼职会让学生学会独立、获取生活阅历和为将来工作做好准备。故选D项。
60.What does the underlined word “deleterious” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Valuable. B. Harmful. C. Necessary. D. Impossible.
【答案】B
【解析】词义猜测题。根据画线词后的调研内容可知，该研究表明，雇主们一直将年轻人对全职工作准备不足归咎于他们在上学时没有做兼职工作。故学生不做兼职工作可能对以后的生活有害，选项B符合题意。
C
Technology offers conveniences such as opening the garage door from your car or changing the television station without touching the TV.
Now one American company is offering its employees a new convenience: a microchip implanted in their hands. Employees who have these chips can do all kinds of things just by waving their hands. Three Square Market is offering to implant microchips in all of their employees for free. Each chip costs $300 and Three Square Market will pay for the chip. Employees can volunteer to have the chips implanted in their hands. About 70 out of 80 employees have chosen to do so. The president of the company, his wife and their children are also getting chips implanted in their hands.
The chip is about the size of a grain of rice. Implanting the chip only takes about a second and is said to hurt only very briefly. The chips go under the skin between the thumb and forefinger. With a chip in the hand, a person can enter the office building, buy food, sign into computers and more, simply by waving that hand near a scanner. The chips will be also used to identify employees. Employees who want convenience, but do not want to have a microchip implanted under their skin, can wear a wristband or a ring with a chip instead. They can perform the same tasks with a wave of their hands as if they had an implanted chip.
Three Square Market is the first company in the United States to offer to implant chips in its employees. Epicenter, a company in Sweden, has been implanting chips in its employees for a while.
Three Square Market says the chip cannot track the employees. The company says scanners can read the chips only when they are within a few inches of them. “The chips protect against identity theft, similar to credit cards.” The U. S. Food and Drug Administration approved the chips back in 2004, so they should be safe for humans, according to the company.
In the future, people with the chips may be able to do more with them, even outside the office. Todd Westby is Chief Executive Officer of Three Square Market. He says, “Eventually, this technology will become standardized allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc.”
【语篇简析】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了美国一家公司通过给员工手里植入一种芯片的方式来提高员工的工作效率，还介绍了该芯片的有关情况以及人们对它的看法。
61. What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A. The substitutes of the chips. B. The potential risks of implanting the chips.
C. The places to implant the chips. D. The advantages of the chips.
【答案】D　
【解析】主旨大意题。通读本段可知，本段主要介绍了植入芯片后的好处，如方便购物、识别员工身份等。故D项正确。
62. What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 5 refer to?
A. The hands.　　　　　 B. The scanners. C. The employees. D. The credit cards.
【答案】B
【解析】采用猜测题(代词的指代)。根据第五段中的“the chip cannot track the employees. The company says scanners can read the chips only when they are within a few inches of them. ”可知，芯片不能跟踪员工，但当芯片在距离扫描仪几英寸之内时，扫描仪就能读取芯片的信息。由此可推知，画线词指代扫描仪。故B项正确。
63. What can we infer from the passage?
A. The chips have magic powers.
B. The price of the chips is reasonable.
C. The chips are very popular among the employees.
D. Most people suspect the application of the chips.
【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段倒数第二句“About 70 out of 80 employees have chosen to do so.”可推知，该芯片很受员工的欢迎。故C项正确。
64. Which of the following best describes Todd Westby’s attitude towards the chips?
A. Defensive. B. Disappointing. C. Casual. D. Optimistic.
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题(观点态度)。根据最后一段第三句“He says, ‘Eventually, this technology will become standardized allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc.’”可知，Todd Westby 认为芯片技术将最终将成为你生活中的好帮手。由此可推知，他对芯片的态度非常乐观。故D项正确。
D
Those who want to learn a foreign language, or want their children to, often feel they are racing against the clock. People seem to get worse at languages as they age. Children often learn their first language without any instruction, and can easily become multilingual with the right exposure. But the older people get, the harder it seems to be. Witness the rough edges on the grammar of many immigrants even after many years in their new countries.
Scientists mostly agree that children are better language learners, but do not know why. Some posit(认定)biological factors. Is it because young brains have an extreme kind of plasticity? Or, as Steven Pinker, a Harvard psychologist, argues an instinct for language-learning specifically, which fades as the brain ages and(in evolutionary terms)is no longer needed? Others think children have special environments and encouragements, not more intelligent brains. They have strong motivation to communicate with caregivers and imitate peers, and are not afraid of making mistakes in the way adults are.
Some believe any “critical period” may only apply to the sounds of a foreign tongue. Adults struggle with accents: eight decades after immigrating to America and four after serving as the Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger still sounds fresh off the boat from Fürth—in what is nevertheless elaborately accurate English.
But grammar is different, and some researchers have considered that with their greater reasoning powers, adults are not really a underdog relative to children. One study found that when adults and children are exposed to the same teaching materials for a new language for several months, the adults actually do better. Most such research has had to rely on a small number of subjects, given the difficulty of recruiting them; it is hard to know how meaningful the results are.
Now a large new study led by Joshua Hartshorne of Boston College(with Mr. Pinker and Joshua Tenenbaum as co-authors)has given strength to the “critical period” hypothesis(假说).The study ingeniously recruited 670,000 online test-takers by framing the exercise as a quiz that would guess the participants’ native language or dialect. This made it a vital hit. The real point was to test English learners’ knowledge of tricky bits of grammar, and to see how this correlates with the age at which their studies began.
Do younger beginners do better because their earlier start gave them more learning time, or because they learned faster in early years? It can be hard to tease apart these two questions. But testing a huge amount of data against a number of possible learning curves allowed Mr. Hartshorne to do precisely that. Many previous researchers had posited a drop-off at around puberty(青春期). The new study found it to be rather later, just after 17.
Despite that later cut-off, learners must begin at around ten if they are to get to near-native fluency.If they start at, say,14, they cannot accumulate enough expert knowledge in the critical period.Unfortunately,14 or so is precisely when many students, especially in America, are first introduced to a new language.(Even worse, this is an age when children are acutely sensitive to embarrassment in front of peers.)
Children who start at five don’t do noticeably better than those who start at ten over their lifetimes. But there is still reason to begin in the first years of school, as in Denmark and Sweden. Because mastery takes a long time—perhaps 30 years until improvement stops—those who begin at five and are forced to read and write English at university will by then have made much more progress than those who take the plunge(作出决定)at ten, even if their level is roughly the same by 40.
The existence of the critical period is not a reason for anyone 11 or older to give up. Some people remain excellent language students into adulthood. And Mr. Hartshorne tested some truly subtle features of grammar that take years to master. A language learned even to a lower level can still be extraordinarily useful at work or enjoyable during travelling. But for policymakers, the possible effect is clear.
【语篇简析】本篇为议论文。文章探讨的是关于语言学习“关键期”的问题。
65.According to the scientists, which cannot explain children’s being better language learners?
A. Pleasant surroundings. B. Powerful motivation.
C. Biological factors. D. Proper instruction.
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段中的“Some posit(认定)biological factors...needed”“children have special environments and encouragements”“They have strong motivation to communicate with caregivers and imitate peers...mistakes”可知，在科学家们看来，儿童能成为更好的语言学习者的原因可能是生理因素(他们的大脑的可塑性和语言学习的本能更好)、环境因素(儿童能享有更好的语言学习环境和语言刺激)、自身因素(儿童有很强的与他人交流和模仿同龄人的积极性，并且不害怕犯错误)。故选D。
66.Why is Henry Kissinger mentioned?
A. To stress his great achievement in language.
B. To prove adults have difficulty improving accents.
C. To explain language is not a barrier to one’s success.
D. To show the importance of mastering a foreign language.
【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段中所举的基辛格的例子及“Adults struggle with accents”可知，此处主要是突出在语言学习中，成人在改善口音上有困难。由此可知，提及基辛格就是为了说明这一问题。故选B。
67.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Adults are better at logical thinking than children.
B. Adults help a lot with children’s language learning.
C. Adults are not really at a disadvantage compared to children.
D. Adults have more trouble learning grammar than children.
【答案】C
【解析】句意猜测题。根据第四段中的“with their greater reasoning powers” “when adults and children are exposed to the same teaching materials for a new language for several months, the adults actually do better”可知，成人的推理能力比儿童的好，同样的时间内学习同样的语法知识，成人的学习效果要比儿童的好。由此可知，画线句的意思是“与儿童相比，成人不一定就处于劣势”。故选C。
68.Which statement may Mr Hartshorne agree with?
A. Age 14 is a turning point for foreign language learners.
B. A drop-off in learning results appears after the age of 17.
C. The critical period is of vital importance in grammar learning.
D. The critical period for language learning varies from person to person.
【答案】B
【解析】细节理解题。根据第六段中的“Many previous researchers had posited a drop-off...The new study found it to be rather later, just after 17.”可知，Hartshorne 主导的新研究发现，语言学习效果的下降出现在17岁之后，较之前研究者认为出现在约青春期时要稍晚些。故选B。
69.What’s the main theme of the passage?
A. It’s never too late to begin to learn a foreign language.
B. You should start learning early to master a new language.
C. Language learning should start at the beginning of school.
D. Longer learning periods lead to native-like language fluency.
【答案】B
【解析】主旨大意题。纵观全文，尤其是倒数第三段中的“learners must begin at around ten if they are to get to near-native fluency”和倒数第二段中的“there is still reason to begin in the first years of school” 等信息可知，语言学习“关键期”的说法有其合理性，而要达到接近母语的流利程度，就应该早接触，早学习。故选B。
70.What may be discussed in the following paragraph?
A. The impact the critical period has on policymakers.
B. The application of the critical period to policymaking.
C. The importance of the critical period in policymaking.
D. The attitude policymakers hold toward the critical period.
【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。通读最后一段可知，文章接下来可能会涉及语言学习“关键期”对政策制定者有什么样的影响。故选A。
题组二
A
Rhyme Rhythm Reason By Paul Drakefordwww.xlibris.com.au (?http:?/??/?www.xlibris.com.au?)Hardback|Paperback|E-book$27.59 |$13.79| $4.99 Here we have a few giggles and chuckles for those who remember the three Rs and wished there were something better. Have fun reading Paul Drakeford’s Rhyme Rhythm Reason!
Ghost No More By CeeCee Jameswww.amazon.com (?http:?/??/?www.amazon.com?)Paperback | Kindle Edition$9.99 | $0.00 Behind the glitz and the glamour of the beauty queen mother lies a web of secrets. CeeCee is a child desperate for a touch of approval, the love of her mother. Her reality is her mom’s retreating back, abandoning CeeCee in front of a burning car.
Atlantis By Shirley Andrewswww.authorhouse.com (?http:?/??/?www.authorhouse.com?)Hardback|Paperback|E-book$31.99|$20.99|$3.99 Shirley Andrews uncovers the living legacy in Atlantis: Insights from a Lost Civilization, a compelling new look at a legendary country once situated on the Atlantic Ridge.
InbetweennessBy Sunnie D.Kidd/Jim Kiddwww.xlibris.com (?http:?/??/?www.xlibris.com?)Hardback|Paperback|E-book$29.99|$19.99|$3.99 Sunnie D.Kidd coined the term “Inbetweenness”. Inbetweenness is a shared resonating spiritual field of movement and vibration, which is the root of all spiritual experiences and scientific investigation.
【语篇简析】本篇为应用文(广告)。短文介绍了四本书。
56.A student interested in poetry and history might choose _______.
A. Rhyme Rhythm Reason and Atlantis B. Ghost No More and Inbetweenness
C. Ghost No More and Atlantis D. Rhyme Rhythm Reason and Inbetweenness
【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。根据Rhyme Rhythm Reason简介中的“Have fun reading Paul Drakeford’s Rhyme Rhythm Reason!”和Atlantis简介中的“Insights from a Lost Civilization, a compelling new look at a legendary country once situated on the Atlantic Ridge”可知，这两本书分别与诗歌和历史有关。故选A。
57.How much do you have to pay if you read all the 4 books in the electronic version?
A. $99.56. B. $91.57. C. $64.76. D. $12.97.
【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题(数字计算)。根据原文可知，四本书中有三本有电子版，价格分别是$4.99、$3.99、$3.99，还有一本有免费的Kindle版，所以总价是$12.97。故选D。
B
Recent summer temperatures in parts of Australia were high enough to melt asphalt. As global warming speeds up the heat and climatic events increase, many plants may be unable to cope. But at least one species of eucalyptus tree can resist extreme heat by continuing to “sweat” when other essential processes stop, a new study finds.
As plants change sunlight into food, or photosynthesize(起光合作用), they absorb carbon dioxide through pores on their leaves. These pores also release water via transpiration, which circulates nutrients through the plant and helps cool it by evaporation. But exceptionally high temperatures are known to greatly reduce photosynthesis—and most existing plant models suggest this should also decrease transpiration, leaving trees in danger of fatally overheating. Because it is difficult for scientists to control and vary trees’ conditions in their natural environment, little is known about how individual species handle this situation.
Ecologist John Drake of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and his colleagues grew a dozen Parramatta red gum trees in large, climate-controlled plastic pods that separated the trees from the surrounding forest for a year in Richmond, Australia. Six of the trees were grown at normal air temperatures and six at temperatures three degrees Celsius higher. The researchers took water away from the surface soil of all 12 trees for a month to imitate a mild dry environment, then induced a four-day “extreme” heat wave: they raised the maximum temperatures in half of the pods (three with surrounding temperatures and three of the warmer ones)—to 44 degrees Celsius.
Photosynthesis ground to a near halt in the trees facing the artificial heat wave. But to the researchers’ surprise, these trees continued to transpire at close-to-normal levels, effectively cooling themselves and their surroundings. The trees grown in warmer conditions coped just as well as the others, and photosynthesis rates bounced back to normal after the heat wave passed, Drake and his colleagues reported online in Global Change Biology.
The researchers think the Parramatta red gums were able to effectively sweat—even without photosynthesis—because they are particularly good at tapping into water deep in the soil. “But if a heat wave and a severe drought were to hit at the same time and the groundwater was depleted, the trees may not be so lucky, ” Drake says.
Other scientists call the finding encouraging. “It’s definitely good news, ” says Trevor Keenan, an ecologist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who was not part of the study. “It would be very interesting to know how this translates to other species, ” he adds. Drake hopes to conduct similar experiments with trees common in North America.
【语篇简析】本篇为说明文。短文介绍了一项新的研究发现：澳大利亚的帕拉玛塔赤桉树能够通过“出汗”来对抗高温。
58.What can we learn from the second paragraph?
A. It’s easy to control a plant’s conditions in its natural environment.
B. High temperatures lead to much more photosynthesis by plants.
C. Plants’ transpiration mainly releases water rather than circulates nutrients.
D. Most plants are in danger if they suffer serious overheating.
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段中的“But exceptionally high temperatures are known to greatly reduce photosynthesis—and most existing plant models suggest this should also decrease transpiration, leaving trees in danger of fatally overheating.”可知，异常高温会使很多植物处于危险之中。故选项D正确。
59.The experiment on Parramatta red gum trees shows that _______.
A. at higher temperatures the trees completely stop the photosynthesis
B. water deep in the soil saves the trees in a high-temperature environment
C. high temperatures have little effect on the trees’ photosynthesis
D. high temperatures greatly increase the trees’ transpiration
【答案】B
【解析】细节理解题。根据倒数第二段第一句可知，关于帕拉玛塔赤桉树的实验表明，帕拉玛塔赤桉树特别擅长在土壤深处挖掘到水。由此可知，土壤深处的水在高温环境下救了这些树。故选项B符合题意。
60.What does the underlined word “depleted” in the fifth paragraph mean?
A. Taken in. B. Cut off. C. Used up. D. Made use of.
【答案】C
【解析】词义猜测题。综合第五段的内容尤其是“But if a heat wave and a severe drought were to hit at the same time and the groundwater was depleted, the trees may not be so lucky”可知，帕拉玛塔赤桉树特别擅长在土壤深处挖掘到水。但是，如果热浪和严重旱灾同时发生，以及地下水枯竭时，这些树木就不会那么幸运了。故选项C符合题意。
C
We human beings need to stay in touch with nature-many studies show how much better people feel when in sight of trees. Yet even more importantly, nature itself needs us to stay in touch. Many politicians and scientists have told us that we can “conquer” nature, but in reality nature will always be beyond our control—we do have the power to destroy it. The fate of all the animals and their habitats depends largely on our attitude towards them. Whether or not we ourselves survive depends on how well we look after the rest. For our sake as well as theirs, we need to consider it seriously.
But how can we care at all if we spend our lives indoors? Born in South London at the end of the Second World War, at least I knew what a sparrow was(they’re rare now)and you couldn’t put a spade into our tiny garden without cutting a worm in half. We knew, too, that milk comes from cows and that old men can grow amazing carrots on poor land. Ultra-urban(极度城市化)as we may have been, at least we were in touch.
“Now we have a generation who frankly are not in touch.” So how can they care if the countryside is sold off to the highest bidders, and used to park helicopters, and our crops come free from Monsanto and our livestock live in factories? They will know no other way.
But if we settle for the ultra-urban life, if we allow all wilderness to be compromised and hand our farming over to industrial chemists then, quite simply, the world will fall apart--as it has been doing already. We have to rethink what agriculture is really for, and why conservation matters to us, as well as to other creatures. Changes of strategies begin with attitude and attitude begins with awareness.
【语篇简析】本文是一篇说明文，介绍了新一代的年轻人似乎对超级城市化的问题漠不关心，但是我们必须重新思考农业的真正用途，以及为什么保护农农业对我们和其他生物都很重要，人类应该与自然和谐相处。
61. Which of the following opinions will the author be for?
A. Technology will help humans control nature completely.
B. Conquering nature is the policy of human society.
C. Humans have to find a way to live in harmony with nature.
D. We will lose control of nature with the development of society.
【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段中的“For our sake as well as theirs，we need to consider it seriously.”可知，为了我们自己的利益，也为了自然的利益，我们需要认真考虑人与自然这个问题，由此可知，作者赞成人类与自然和谐相处，故C项正确。
62. The second paragraph is intended to tell us that city people in the pas _______.
A. were in close touch with nature B. managed to survive in the war
C. killed the worms in the earth cruelly D. had a healthier diet than us
【答案】A
【解析】主旨大意题。根据第二段内容，特别是“Ultra-urban(极度城市化)as we may have been，at least we were in touch.”可知，尽管可能是超级城市化，但他们至少接触自然，由此可知，本段介绍的是过去的城市居民曾和自然亲密接触，故A项正确。
63. The new generation show no concern about the ultra-urban pattern just because _______.
A. modern agriculture doesn’t need hard work B. high profits can be made by selling city land
C. they are cut off from nature D. livestock living in factories are tastier
【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段中的“Now we have a generation who frankly are not in touch.”可知，新一代的年轻人不关心超级城市化模式是因为他们与自然完全隔离了，故C项正确。
64. From the passage we can guess that Monsanto is likely to be _______.
A. a chemical fertilizer plant B. a scientist good at farming
C. a construction corporation D. a big agricultural company
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段中的“and our crops come free from Monsanto”可知，我们的粮食来自Monsanto，由此可知，Monsanto可能是一家大型农业公司，故D项正确。
D
The concept of a “born leader” seems so fanciful that it belongs on the cover of a bad business book. But it turns out that born leaders are real, and researchers have discovered a key factor, which isn’t genes, parents, or peers, but birth order.
First-born children are 30 percent more likely to be CEOs or politicians, according to a new paper by several economists, Sandra E. Black at the University of Texas-Austin, and Bjorn Ockert and Erik Gronqvist at Sweden’s Institute for Evaluation of Labor Market and Education Policy. The paper, which only looked at boys, found that first-borns stay in school longer, make more money, have a higher IQ, and even spend more time on homework than on television.
The idea that birth order might shape personality goes back at least to the 1920s, when Alfred Adler theorized that first-born children develop a “taste for power” at a young age, since they can dominate their younger siblings. He went on to say young children are spoiled and become dependent on their parents (the “baby of the family” effect), while middle children, being often in a war for their parents’ attention, are status-conscious and naturally competitive.
Obtaining personality from birth may strike you. But Adler’s hypotheses(假说) have held up in numerous studies. In a 2013 paper, Strategic Parenting, Birth Order and School Performance, V.Joseph Hotz, a professor of economics at Duke University, and Juan Pantano, a professor of economics at Washington University in St. Louis, used American data to show that school performance declines with birth order.
The researchers chalked their findings up to what they called the “reputational model of strategic parenting”. Put simply, parents invest a lot of time in establishing rules for their first child, building a reputation for toughness that they hope will pass down to later children. As a result, first-borns are doubly blessed—having too much of their parents’ attention, and then entrusted to act as the rules enforcer of the family, which helps them build intelligence, discipline, and leadership qualities. In the survey, parents report that they consider their older children more successful, and they are less likely to discipline their later-born children for improper behaviors, such as acting up or not doing homework.
This new study relies on Swedish data, and it comes to a similar conclusion. First-borns aren’t just healthier or smarter, but also they score higher on “emotional stability, persistence, social outgoingness, willingness to assume responsibility and ability to take the initiative”. Its researchers ruled out genetic factors; in fact, they uncovered evidence that later-born children might be healthier than first-borns.
Instead, the differences among siblings had everything to do with family dynamics in the children’s early years. First, having more children means parents can spend less time on each child, and as the parental investment declines, so may IQ.
Second, the most important effect, the researchers said, might not be the “strategic parenting” but something more like “strategic brothering”. As siblings compete for their parents’ love (or ice cream, or toys), they occupy certain positions—older siblings demonstrate their competence and power, while younger siblings develop more creative strategies to get attention. This effect seems particularly strong among later-born boys with older brothers. Younger brothers are much more likely to enter “creative” occupations—like architect, writer, actor, singer, or photographer—if they have older brothers, rather than older sisters. In other words, among young brothers, specialization within the family forecasts specialization in the workforce.
There is a considerable implication in this idea that family dynamics during childhood can shape adult personality. Young children are highly sensitive to their environment, in ways that often have lasting effects.
【语篇简析】本文是一篇议论文。“天生的领导者”这一概念似乎太异想天开了，以至于它应该出现在一本糟糕的商业书籍的封面上。但事实证明，天生的领导者是真实存在的，研究人员发现了一个关键因素，不是基因、父母或同伴，而是出生顺序。
65.First-born children are more likely to be CEOs or politicians because _______.
A. they are born to have leadership qualities
B. teachers and parents invest more time in educating them
C. later-born children need them to set good examples
D. they have a lot of practice in bossing around their younger siblings
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段第一句可知，长子长女更有可能成为CEO或政治家，因为他们有很多对弟弟妹妹发号施令的习惯。故选D。
66.What can we learn about Alfred Adler?
A. His research was based on American data.
B. His hypotheses were applied in many studies.
C. He held the idea that first-born children should be independent.
D. He thought that children’s personality was affected by birth order.
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段内容可知，艾尔弗雷德·阿德勒认为孩子的性格会受出生顺序的影响。故选D。
67.According to the 2013 paper, if a child does not behave as well as his elder brother at school, it may be due to the fact that he _______.
A. has a lower IQ and EQ B. is badly treated by school teachers
C. receives less attention from his parents D. is spoiled too much by other family members
【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据第五段中“As a result, first-borns are doubly blessed—having too much of their parents’ attention...and they are less likely to discipline their later-born children for improper behaviors, such as acting up or not doing homework.”可知，根据2013年的论文，如果一个孩子在学校的表现不如他的哥哥，这可能是因为他受到父母的关注相对较少。故选C。
68.What are the findings of the new study based on?
A. Swedish data on boys.
B. Controlled experiments on children.
C. Differences between first-borns and later-borns.
D. The observation of children’s development across Sweden.
【答案】A
【解析】细节理解题。根据第六段第一句“This new study relies on Swedish data, and it comes to a similar conclusion.”可知，这项新研究的发现是基于瑞典男孩的数据。故选A。
69.The new study has found that later-born children _______.
A. feel disappointed at their parents’ attitude to them
B. are always in a process of self-discovery
C. may be more trustworthy and creative
D. might be physically strong
【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据第六段最后一句“...in fact，they uncovered evidence that later-born children might be healthier than first-borns.”可知，新的研究发现，出生较晚的孩子可能比第一个出生的孩子身体强壮。故选D。
70.According to the author, _______.
A. parents should create a good family environment for their children
B. children should be given equal attention by their parents
C. girls’ development is seldom affected by birth order
D. boys should be forbidden to order others around
【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。根据最后一段内容可知，作者认为，父母应该为他们的孩子创造一个良好的家庭环境。故选A。
题组三
A
Corfu, Greece
Corfu may be well-known for its party atmosphere, but it’s beneath the surface of its shining Mediterranean waters that things get really lively.
Here, you can put on your diving equipment on the beach and
head out into the bay where you’ll find a rock wall reaching to
depths of around 30 meters, sheltering a wide variety of
impressive wildlife.
Normandy, France
As one of the most fascinating dive sites in the world, the shores off the coast of Normandy in France offer divers a look into the destruction of the Second World War’s most memorable battle.
This Normandy dive is a beautiful, yet haunting view into the
past, the dark and cloudy waters only adding to the fascinating
atmosphere of the location.
Lanzarote, Spain
Out on the eastern reaches of the Atlantic Ocean, Lanzarote sits in
the Canary Islands and is the finest of the lots when it comes to diving.
An active volcanic island. The explosive power of Lanzarote has
carved out some truly beautiful landscapes over the years, both
above and below the water’s surface. Just off the coast of the
island, you’ll find deep rock walls, caves and trenches;
striking, dramatic and teeming with(遍布)life.
Lofoten, Norway
Set in the southern reaches of the Arctic Ocean, the waters that surround the Lofoten Islands of Norway are teeming with life. The Lofoten Islands offer striking scenery as a backdrop to your Arctic diving adventure.
Beneath the waves, Lofoten is just as magnificent. Large species
of coral, plants, fishes, crustaceans(甲壳纲动物)and jellyfish all call
the waters around Lofoten home, making for some truly breathtaking
diving experiences.
语篇解读：本文是一篇应用文。文章介绍了欧洲四个著名的潜水胜地。
56. Where should people go to enjoy scenery produced by volcanos?
A. Lanzarote, Spain.　　 B. Normandy, France. C. Lofoten, Norway. D. Corfu, Greece.
【答案】A
【解析】细节理解题。根据Lanzarote, Spain部分中的“An active volcanic island. The explosive power of Lanzarote has carved out some truly beautiful landscapes”可知，人们在西班牙的兰萨罗特岛可以欣赏到火山造就的景色。故选A。
57. What do the four places have in common?
A. They all feature deep rock walls. B. They are all home to rare wildlife.
C. They are all diving destinations. D. They all have some historical background.
【答案】C
【解析】选细节理解题。根据Corfu, Greece部分中的“you can put on your diving equipment on the beach and head out into the bay”， Normandy, France部分中的“As one of the most fascinating dive sites in the world”，Lanzarote, Spain部分中的“is the finest of the lots when it comes to diving”和Lofoten, Norway部分中的“your Arctic diving adventure” “breathtaking diving experiences”可知，这四个地方的共同之处在于它们都是潜水胜地。故选C。
B
KING LEAR Act 3
NARRATOR: As soon as Goneril has got all she can from her father, she begins treating him disrespectfully. When Lear wants to speak to her, Goneril tells her servant, Oswald, to say she is sick. She encourages her staff to be disrespectful towards Lear and begins complaining about the hundred soldiers Lear has brought with him. However, King Lear soon has a friend by his side. The Duke of Kent, who Lear ordered to leave Britain, cannot abandon his king. He therefore comes to Lear disguised(伪装)as a servant called Caius and asks for a job.
(Enter Lear, several of Lear’s soldiers and Kent disguised as a servant.)
LEAR: OK, Caius. I’ll give you a trial. And if you prove to be good at your job, I’ll keep you on as my servant.(Oswald enters.)Hey, you there. Where’s my daughter?(Oswald ignores the king and hurries out of the room.)Hey. What’s going on? Call him back. Is he deaf?(A Soldier rushes out after Oswald.)It’s as though the whole world has gone to sleep.(Soldier reenters.)Where’s that servant? Why didn’t he come back when I called?
SOLDIER: Sir, he answered me very rudely and said he would not come back. LEAR: I don’t believe it!
SOLDIER: Sir, I am sorry, to tell you this, but it seems to me that you are not being treated with the respect due to a king. Everyone here, including your daughter, is behaving very coldly towards you.
LEAR:Mmm. I suspected the same, but I kept telling myself it was my imagination. Please tell my daughter I wish to speak with her.(Soldier bows and leaves. Oswald enters.)Ah, come here my man and answer me. Who am I?
OSWALD: My lady’s father.
LEAR: Your lady’s father? Is that all I am to you, you dog, you slave!(Lear raises his arm as though to strike Oswald.)
OSWALD: I’ll not be hit, my Lord.
KENT:(Kent kicks Oswald’s feet out from under him.)And you won’t be laid flat on your back either, I suppose. Now get up and get out of here.(Oswald leaves.)
LEAR: My thanks, Caius. I can see you will be a most valuable servant.
(Enter Goneril.)What’s up, daughter? You always seem to be frowning lately.
GONERIL: Is it any wonder that I frown when your soldiers are continually drinking and fighting? I thought when I told you about their behaviour you would make them behave, but now I hear you have insulted(侮辱)Oswald. I do believe you are encouraging your soldiers in their bad behaviour.
LEAR: Is this my daughter scolding me?
GONERIL: I have had enough of your soldiers. They are expensive to keep and you don’t need them. Besides, their drunken behaviour and bad manners are disgusting. You will send half of them away. And unless you want me to get rid of the rest of them too, I suggest you teach them how to behave properly.
LEAR: That’s a lie. My soldiers are good men who know how to behave properly. I won’t stay here to be insulted. I still have one more daughter. She’ll scratch out your eyes when she hears how you’ve treated me. Men! Get my horses ready and collect my baggage. I’ll leave immediately. I won’t stay where I’m not welcome.(Lear and companions leave.)
NARRATOR: Lear sends Kent on ahead to the castle of his other daughter, Regan, to tell her that he will soon be arriving. Goneril sends her servant Oswald to Regan to tell her side of the story.
【语篇简析】这是一则剧本选段。本文讲述的李尔王被女儿驱逐的片段。
58. Why did the Duke of Kent disguise himself as a servant?
A. To find a chance to meet Goneril. B. To share some of the king’s wealth.
C. To find a job in the court. D. To serve and help his king Lear.
【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段提到The Duke of Kent, who Lear ordered to leave Britain, cannot abandon his king. He therefore comes to Lear disguised as a servant called Caius and asks for a job.(李尔王下令离开英国的肯特公爵不能抛弃他的国王。因此，他来到李尔王身边伪装成一个叫凯厄斯的仆人，并要求一份工作。)肯特公爵不会抛弃他的国王，所以装作是他的仆人，可知肯特公爵把自己伪装成一个仆人是为了来侍奉和帮助他的李尔王。故选D项。
59. Why does Oswald behave coldly to King Lear?
A. Because he doesn’t know he is the king.
B. Because King Lear raises his arm to strike him.
C. Because King Lear’s soldiers don’t behave properly.
D. Because his master treats King Lear disrespectfully.
【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段中She encourages her staff to be disrespectful towards Lear(她鼓励她的仆人对李尔王无礼)可知奥斯瓦德对李尔王表现得很冷淡，是因为他的主人不尊重李尔王。故选D。
60. According to the passage which of the following can BEST describe King Lear?
A. Selfish. B. Cautious. C. Greedy. D. Stupid.
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章提到李尔王被女儿驱逐，以他的士兵行为不当作为借口，而李尔王竟然看不出来，可知李尔王很愚蠢。故选D项。
C
My Grandpa Forgets Who I Am

A few days ago I visited my grandfather in hospital. He has Alzhemier’s—a degenerative disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time. I thought I was prepared to see him. I knew chances were slim that he’d actually recognize me.
He didn’t. As a matter of fact, he had no idea that he even had grandchildren. But he was excited that somebody came to visit him. I tried to explain to him who I was. But after he told me multiple times that he didn’t have grandchildren, I gave up. And my heart broke into a million little pieces.
I was tired of explaining things to him. So I just smiled. He smiled back. It’s a genuine smile. Like a long time ago, when he’d take me by the hand and made this big world a little bit less scary for me. Now I have to take his hand.
We sat in silence for a little while, before he told me to call my grandma. This was the first time I had tried so hard to hold back tears. My grandma died four years ago and he didn’t remember. He thought she was stuck on her way to pick him up.
My grandpa used to be a strong, hard-working man. He was the person you turned to when you needed your car fixed, your tires changed or something heavy to be carried. Sadly, that man left this world a long time ago, and left behind a man that is lost and scared.
I want to help him. I want to make him feel better. I want to tell him about his old life, and how great it was. So I sat with him and I held his hand, and every once in a while I told him how good he looked and how much I liked the color of his shirt and how it brought out the blue in his eyes. I told him that my grandma was on her way whenever he asked about her, and I made sure the glass in his hand was always filled with water.
I can’t take away his pain. I can’t help him remember. I can’t make the disease go away. All I can do is hold on to the memories—hold on for both of us.
【语篇简析】这是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了作者的爷爷患有阿尔茨海默氏症，不记得她是谁了。通过在医院陪伴爷爷，作者意识到她无法消除爷爷的痛苦，帮不了爷爷记住，也不能使疾病消失，所能做的就是留住他们的回忆。文章表达了作者对爷爷深深的爱。
61. When the author first saw her grandpa in hospital _______.
A. she gave up on him B. they were both excited
C. he didn’t recognize her D. they talked about the past
【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第一段中“I thought I was prepared to see him. I knew chances were slim that he’d actually recognize me.”可知，作者的爷爷认不出她了。结合选项，故选C。
62. The author was close to tears because _______.
A. grandma died about four years ago B. grandpa needed to be taken care of
C. grandma didn’t make it to the hospital D. grandpa believed grandma was still alive
【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第四段中“This was the first time I had tried so hard to hold back tears. My grandma died four years ago and he didn’t remember.”可知，作者努力忍住眼泪的原因是爷爷不记得奶奶已经过世了，认为奶奶还活着。结合选项，故选D。
63. Which of the following best describe the author?
A. Tolerant and merciful. B. Considerate and patient.
C. Warm-hearted and grateful. D. Strong-minded and generous.
【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段中“I told him that my grandma was on her way whenever he asked about her, and I made sure the glass in his hand was always filled with water.”可知，作者为了不让爷爷伤心，没有告诉他奶奶已经去世了，而且总是确保爷爷的杯子里面总是有水，说明作者是一个体贴的人。以及根据本段中“So I sat with him and I held his hand, and every once in a while I told him how good he looked and how much I liked the color of his shirt and how it brought out the blue in his eyes.”可知，作者不厌其烦的跟爷爷交谈，一遍一遍的告诉爷爷他长得多好看，喜欢爷爷身上衬衫的颜色等等，说明作者是一个有耐心的人。结合选项，故选B。
64. The author wrote this passage to _______.
A. show pity towards her grandpa B. record memories of her grandpa
C. express deep love for her grandpa D. call on further study on Alzheimer’s
【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。文章主要讲述了作者的爷爷患有阿尔茨海默氏症，不记得她是谁了。通过在医院陪伴爷爷，作者意识到她无法消除爷爷的痛苦，帮不了爷爷记住，也不能使疾病消失，所能做的就是留住他们的回忆。表明了作者对爷爷深深的爱。结合选项，故选C。
D
You are given many opportunities in life to choose to be a victim or creator. When you choose to be a victim, the world is a cold and difficult place. “They” did things to you which caused all of your pain and suffering. “They” are wrong and bad, and life is terrible as long as “they” are around. Or you may blame yourself for all your problems, thus internalizing(内化)your victimization. The truth is, your life is likely to stay that way as long as you feel a need to blame yourself or others.
Those who choose to be creators look at life quite differently. They know there are individuals who might like to control their lives, but they don’t let this get in the way. They know they have their weaknesses, yet they don’t blame themselves when they fail. Whatever happens, they have choice in the matter. They believe their dance with each sacred(神圣的)moment of life is a gift and that storms are a natural part of life which can bring the rain needed for emotional and spiritual growth.
Victims and creators live in the same physical world and deal with many of the same physical realities, yet their experience of life is worlds apart. Victims relish(沉溺)in anger, guilt, and other emotions that cause others — and even themselves — to feel like victims, too. Creators consciously choose love, inspiration, and other qualities which inspire not only themselves, but all around them. Both victims and creators always have choice to determine the direction of their lives.
In reality, all of us play the victim or the creator at various points in our lives. One person, on losing a job or a special relationship, may feel as if it is the end of the world and sink into terrible suffering for months, years, or even a lifetime. Another with the same experience may choose to first experience the grief, then accept the loss and soon move on to be a powerful creative force in his life.
In every moment and every circumstance, you can choose to have a fuller, richer life by setting a clear intention to transform the victim within, and by inviting into your life the powerful creator that you are.
【语篇简析】本文是议论文。文章讲述了两种截然不同的人，一种是消极悲观怨天尤人的“受害者”，另一种是积极主动主宰自己命运的“缔造者”。在挫折面前他们表现出不同的态度，作者建议人们要转变心态从命运的“受害者”变成自己命运的创造者。
65. What does the word “they” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?
A. Creators and their choices. B. Opportunities and problems.
C. People and things around you. D. Victims and their sufferings.
【答案】C
【解析】词义猜测题。根据第一段中划线词所在句的下文 “They” are wrong and bad, and life is terrible as long as “they” are around. Or you may blame yourself for all your problems, thus internalizing(内化)your victimization.(“他们”是错误的、糟糕的，只要有“他们”在，生活就是可怕的。或者你可能会为你所有的问题责备自己，从而将你的受害内化)可知，造成痛苦的是yourself或者是they，所以they与yourself是相对的。由此可知，they应该指的是除了自己以外的其他人或事。故选C。
66. According to Paragraph 2, creators ________.
A. have potential to create something new B. possess the ability to predict future life
C. seem willing to experience failures in life D. handle ups and downs of life wisely
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段中的They believe their dance with each sacred(神圣的)moment of life is a gift and that storms are a natural part of life which can bring the rain needed for emotional and spiritual growth.(他们相信他们与生命中每一个神圣的时刻共舞是一份礼物，风暴是生命中自然的一部分，它能带来情感和精神成长所需的雨水)可推知，那些创造者是一些积极乐观的人们，他们能明智地对待人生的坎坷起伏。故选D。
67. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
A. Creators and victims are masters of their lives.
B. Victims can influence more people than creators.
C. Compared with victims, creators are more emotional.
D. Creators and victims face quite different things in life.
【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段中的Both victims and creators always have choice to determine the direction of their lives.(受害者和创造者都可以选择自己的人生方向)可知，创造者和受害者都是自己命运的主人，主宰着自己人生的方向。故选A。
68. The examples mentioned in Paragraph 4 show that _______.
A. people need family support to deal with challenger in life
B. strong attachment to sufferings in life pulls people into victims
C. it takes creators quite a long time to get rid of their pains
D. one’s experiences determine his attitude toward life
【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据第四段中的例子One person, on losing a job or a special relationship, may feel as if it is the end of the world and sink into terrible suffering for months, years, or even a lifetime. Another with the same experience may choose to first experience the grief, then accept the loss and soon move on to be a powerful creative force in his life.(一个人在失去工作或一段特殊的关系时，可能会觉得这是世界末日，陷入数月、数年甚至一生的痛苦之中。另一个有同样经历的人可能会选择先经历悲伤，然后接受损失，很快成为生活中强大的创造力)可推知，对生活中苦难的强烈依恋使人成为受害者。故选B。
69. The passage is organized by _______.
A. giving definitions B. making a contrast C. giving examples D. telling stories
【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段中的You are given many opportunities in life to choose to be a victim or creator. When you choose to be a victim, the world is a cold and difficult place.(你在生活中有很多机会选择成为一个受害者或创造者。当你选择成为一个受害者，世界是一个寒冷和困难的地方)及第二段中的Those who choose to be creators look at life quite differently.(那些选择成为创造者的人看待生活的方式非常不同)及其他段落陈述可知，本篇文章是通过对比来组织的。故选B。
70. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A. To define victims and creators.
B. To evaluate victims against creators.
C. To explain the relationship between victims and creators.
D. To suggest the transformation from victims to creators.
【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。文章讲述了两种人对待挫折困境的不同态度，不同做法。最后一段提出文章中心即作者的观点In every moment and every circumstance, you can choose to have a fuller, richer life by setting a clear intention to transform the victim within, and by inviting into your life the powerful creator that you are.(在每一个时刻、每一种情况下，你都可以通过设定一个明确的意图来改变内在的受害者，通过邀请强大的创造者进入你的生活，来选择一个更充实、更丰富的生活)，由此可知，作者写这篇文章的目的是建议人们要转变心态从命运的“受害者”变成自己命运的创造者。故选D。
题组四
A
“Museum of the World” Travel Plan

Here’s the travel plan for some of the more unusual museums on our “Museum of the World” tour. I’ll send you the full itinerary(行程)next week. The Museum of Bad Art(MOBA)(Boston, USA)shows what it describes as “art too bad to be ignored”. The museum hopes to bring the worst of art to the widest possible audience. As part of the visit, we’ll be shown some truly awful portraits, landscapes and sculptures.

The Devil’s Rope Museum(in Mclean, Texas)and The Kansas Barbed Wire Museum(in Lacrosse, Kansas)both claim to have the best barbed(有刺的)wire collections, telling the story of the wire’s role in the development of America. We’ll be visiting both of these.

The Washington Banana Museum(Auburn, Washington, USA)contains 4,000 objects related to the history of what the museum describes as “the world’s most perfect fruit.” During a guided tour around the museum, we’ll learn all sorts of interesting things, such as the fact that bananas were introduced to the USA in 1878 in the same exhibition as Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone, and that banana is now the US’s number-one selling fruit.

The Hair Museum(Avanos, Turkey)is located in a cave in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. It contains 16,000 samples of people’s hair. You’ll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection. Later in the year, the museum manager selects 10 donors to attend a pottery workshop.
The Hair Museum(Avanos, Turkey)is located in a cave in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. It contains 16,000 samples of people’s hair. You’ll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection. Later in the year, the museum curator selects 10 donors to attend a pottery workshop. If you’re one of them, you’ll be invited to stay in his guest house.
【语篇解读】这是一篇说明文。文章介绍了以世界各地的著名博物馆为看点的旅行路线，以及各博物馆的特色。
56. What do these four Museums have in common?
A. They are all located in the USA. B. They accept exhibits donated by visitors.
C. They exhibit the things with a long history. D. They show some odd things around the world.
【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据文章倒数第二段可知“The Hair Museum”位于土耳其，其他三间博物馆位于美国，故A项错误。倒数第二段可知“You’ll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection.”只有The Hair Museum才接收游客将自己的头发加入到收藏品中，其他博物馆并无此要求，故B项错误。分析文章可知，全文并未提到各项藏品的时间，故C项错误。The Museum of Bad Art提到该博物馆展出的是“awful portraits, landscapes and sculptures.”可怕的肖像、景观和雕塑。The Washington Banana Museum展出的是最完美的水果，The Devil’s Rope Museum 展示的是绳索，The Hair Museum展示是人的头发，由此可判断四家博物馆展示的收藏品都很奇怪，D项符合题意，故选D。
57. Why was Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone mentioned in paragraph 4?
A. To explain the origin of bananas. B. To arouse visitors’ interest in the museum.
C. To emphasize the importance of the exhibition. D. To compare the value of bananas and telephones.
【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。第四段提到“the fact that bananas were introduced to the USA in 1878 in the same exhibition as Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone”，香蕉与1878年引入美国，与贝尔的电话在同一展览中，贝尔的电话是非常著名的发明，将香蕉与电话一起提到可以说明香蕉的重要性和其历史，从而引起游客的兴趣，B项符合题意，故选B。
B
The key to getting people to work together effectively could be giving them the freedom to choose their collaborators(合作者)and the comfort of working with established contacts, new research suggests.
In the study, David Melamed, an assistant professor of sociology at the Ohio State University and lead author of the study, and his co-authors found participants through the Amazon Mechanical Turk website — a service that allows researchers to hire people from around the world for a variety of purposes. For this study, all participants were from the United States.
Those who agreed to participate played online games in which each player started out with 1,000 monetary units that translated to $1 in real money they could pocket. If one player agreed to pay another player 50 monetary units, that second person would actually acquire 100 units. Each of the 16-round games included about 25 participants, some of whom participated in multiple games. In all, 810 people participated in the research.
Some of the games included random networks, where certain people could interact. Others included clustered(群集的)networks, in which a small group had multiple connections — an arrangement that was designed to mimic(模拟)real life, where humans often run their lives in packs. And the networks were either static(静态的)or dynamic(动态的). In static networks, a player could interact only with the appointed partners. In dynamic networks, participants could cut their ties with another player and form new connections. Furthermore, some of the games included reputation information. Participants were labeled based on their history of willingness to share money. The idea was to test whether those known to collaborate were favored by other players based on reputation — a factor shown in previous research to play a significant role in whether a person is likely to partner with another.
Melamed and his research partners were surprised to find that whether people are likely to partner with others had nothing to do with reputation in this study. The findings might have departed from previous studies because of the difference in size and study design, he said, explaining that much of the previous work in this area was conducted in groups of 100 or fewer and mostly involved student subjects. The Turk network used for the new study has been shown to be representative of the U.S. population in terms of age, race and other factors and the introduced players had no previous connections.
Cooperation rates overall were high — and highest when the participants were cooperating in clusters and had the ability to drop a partner in favor of another. “What really seems to matter is the ability to change the structure of a network,” Melamed said. “And the patterns of relationships also made a difference. Those in a known cluster with multiple connections cooperated more.”
【语篇解读】本文是一篇说明文。一项新的研究表明，让人们有效地合作的关键在于让他们有选择合作者的自由，以及与已建立联系的人一起工作的舒适感。David Melamed领导的这项研究的目的是发现是什么导致人们最愿意合作。
58. What did David Melamed and his partners do for their study?
A. They hired 810 people globally.
B. They gave each participant $1,000.
C. They designed 16-round online games.
D. They asked each participant to take part in only one game.
【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段中Each of the 16-round games included about 25 participants, some of whom participated in multiple games. In all, 810 people participated in the research.可知，David Melamed和他的伙伴们在他们的研究中他们设计了16轮在线游戏。故选C。
59. Compared with previous research, the new study found that _______.
A. reputation played no role in cooperation
B. student subjects were more likely to partner with others
C. players having connections before were more cooperative
D. cooperation rates were influenced by age, race and other factors
【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。根据第五段中Melamed and his research partners were surprised to find that whether people are likely to partner with others had nothing to do with reputation in this study. The findings might have departed from previous studies because of the difference in size and study design,可知，与之前的研究相比，新的研究发现声誉在合作中没有作用。故选A。
60. It can be inferred that the purpose of the study led by David Melamed is to discover _______.
A. how to change the patterns of relationships
B. what leads people to collaborate most willingly
C. what kind of person is the most popular in a team
D. whether it’s proper to drop a partner in favor of another
【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据最后一段Cooperation rates overall were high — and highest when the participants were cooperating in clusters and had the ability to drop a partner in favor of another. “What really seems to matter is the ability to change the structure of a network,” Melamed said. “And the patterns of relationships also made a difference. Those in a known cluster with multiple connections cooperated more.”可知，由此可以推断，David Melamed领导的这项研究的目的是发现是什么导致人们最愿意合作。故选B。
C
Learning a second language is tricky at any age(and it only gets tougher the longer you wait to open that dusty French book). Now, in a new study, scientists have pinpointed the exact age at which your chances of reading fluency in a second language seems to plummet: 10.
The study, published in the journal Cognition, found that it’s “nearly impossible” for language learners to reach native - level fluency if they start learning a second tongue after 10. But that doesn’t seem to be because language skills go downhill. “It turns out you’re still learning fast. It’s just that you run out of time, because your ability to learn starts dropping at around 17 or 18 years old,” says study co-author Joshua Hartshorne, an assistant professor of psychology at Boston College.
Kids may be better than adults at learning new languages for many reasons. Children’s brains are more plastic than those of adults, meaning they’re better able to adapt and respond to new information. “All learning involves the brain changing,” Hartshorne says, “and children’s brains seem to be a lot more skilled at changing.”
Kids may also be more willing to try new things(and to potentially look foolish in the process)than adults are. Their comparatively new grasp on their native tongue may also be advantageous. Unlike adults, who tend to default(默认)to the rules and patterns of their first language, kids may be able to approach a new one with a blank slate(石板).
These findings may seems discouraging, but it was heartening for scientists to learn that the critical period for fluent language acquisition might be longer than they previously thought. Some scientists believed that the brief window closes shortly after birth, while others stretched it only to early adolescence. Compared to those estimates, 17 or 18—when language learning ability starts to drop off—seems relatively old. “People fared better when thy learned by immersion(沉浸), rather than simply in a classroom. And moving to a place where our desired language is spoken is the best way to learn as an adult. If that’s not an option, you can mimic an immersive environment by finding ways to have conversations with native speakers in their own communities,” Hartshorne says. By doing so, it’s possible to become conversationally proficient—even without the advantage of a child’s brain.
【语篇解读】本文是一篇说明文，介绍了为什么孩子比成年人学第二语言更容易。
61. The word “plummet” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “_______”.
A. decrease B. rise C. end D. vary
【答案】A
【解析】词义猜测题。根据画线词前的“Learning a second language is tricky at any age(and it only gets tougher the longer you wait to open that dusty French book).”可知，言在任何年龄段都是很难的(而且你等的时间越长就越难打开那本满是灰尘的法语书)，因此此处承接等的时间越长，学习与研究会变的越难这一话题，说明随着年龄的增长，语言学习能力开始下降，此处说的是科学家们已经确定了你读第二语言流利程度下降的确切年龄：10岁，由此可知画线词词义为“下降”，故A项正确。
62. What can be inferred from Joshua Hartshorne’s words?
A. Age 10 -18 is the best time to learn a second language.
B. Children are too young to grasp a second language.
C. Communicating with native speakers enables you to master all the language skills.
D. Adults go beyond the






中小学教育资源及组卷应用平台


冲刺2020年江苏高考英语——(阅读理解题)高考冲刺专练
写在前面的话
阅读理解在高考江苏卷中占整个总分的四分之一，计30分，其重要性不言而喻，因为阅读理解题的解题成败对我们高考英语成绩的高低影响非常明显。所以在冲刺阶段就高考阅读理解题专题练一练是非常有必要的。
题组一
A
Hair Loss(Alopecia)
Information about male pattern baldness(秃顶)causes, triggers and treatment in the UK
In contrary to popular belief, hair loss—or alopecia—can start at any age. While it is associated with mature males, and statistics show it does mainly affect men above 40, the reality is you can notice symptoms in your 30s, or even 20s and teen years. The NHS statistics state that 25% of men start losing their hair by the time they reach 30. The most common form of hair loss is male pattern baldness—also known as androgenic alopecia—that affects more than half of men around the world.
One option many men seek is treatment to avoid further hair loss, especially early on in the process. With treatments, such as Propecia, that specifically target male pattern baldness, it is possible to stop hair loss completely and even encourage fresh new hair growth.

What is alopecia?
Alopecia is the medical term for hair loss. Most commonly affecting males, hair loss in men is caused by an increased sensitivity to the male sex hormones(androgens). The type of alopecia you have(as well as hereditary and external factors)can influence levels of hair loss. The most common type of hair loss(alopecia)is male and female pattern baldness. Other types include：
◆Alopecia areata(patches of baldness, usually on the scalp)
◆Scarring alopecia(hair loss directly affecting the hair follicles)
◆Telogen effluvium(hair thinning over a larger area on the top of the head, rather than bald patches)
◆Anagen effluvium(most commonly caused by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy)
56. Which of the following statements is FALSE about Propecia?
A. It can stop hair loss almost in all cases. B. People can buy it online without doctor visit.
C. It encourages new hair growth in rare cases. D. it is especially effective on male pattern baldness.
57. The next part of the webpage is most likely to be about ________.
A. hair loss causes B. hair loss symptoms C. preventing hair loss D. treating hair loss
B
When you were at school, the last thing you probably wanted to do was spend your weekends going to work. There was homework to do, sport to play and fun to have. But our parents probably persuaded us to find a job to earn some money and get some life experience. When I was a teenager I had a paper round: delivering newspapers to people’s homes. I then progressed to a Saturday job in a supermarket: stacking shelves and working at the checkout.
Today in the UK you are allowed to work from the age of 13, and many children do take up part-time jobs. It’s one of those things that are seen almost as a rite of passage(成人仪式).It’s a taste of independence and sometimes a useful thing to put on your CV(简历).Teenagers agree that it teaches valuable lessons about working with adults and also about managing their money.
Some research has shown that not taking up a Saturday or holiday job could be deleterious to a person later on. A 2015 study by the UK Commission on Employment and Skills found that not participating in part-time work at school age had been blamed by employer’s organizations for young adults being ill-prepared for full-time employment, but despite this, recent statistics have shown that the number of schoolchildren in the UK with a part-time job has fallen by a fifth in the past five years.
So, does this mean that British teenagers are now afraid of hard work? Probably not. Some experts feel that young people feel going out to work will affect their performance at school, and they are under more pressure now to study hard and get good exam results and a good job in the long term. However, Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, told BBC News that “Properly regulated(控制的)part-time work is a good way of helping young people learn skills that they will need in their working lives.” In reality, it’s all about getting the right balance between doing part-time work and having enough time to study and rest.
58.How did the author feel about doing part-time jobs on weekends when he was a teenager?
A. Unwilling. B. Interested. C. Delighted. D. Angry.
59.Which of the following may NOT be the benefit of school children’s doing part-time jobs?
A. Learning to be independent. B. Gaining some life experience.
C. Being prepared for future jobs. D. Spending what they earn as they like.
60.What does the underlined word “deleterious” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Valuable. B. Harmful. C. Necessary. D. Impossible.
C
Technology offers conveniences such as opening the garage door from your car or changing the television station without touching the TV.
Now one American company is offering its employees a new convenience: a microchip implanted in their hands. Employees who have these chips can do all kinds of things just by waving their hands. Three Square Market is offering to implant microchips in all of their employees for free. Each chip costs $300 and Three Square Market will pay for the chip. Employees can volunteer to have the chips implanted in their hands. About 70 out of 80 employees have chosen to do so. The president of the company, his wife and their children are also getting chips implanted in their hands.
The chip is about the size of a grain of rice. Implanting the chip only takes about a second and is said to hurt only very briefly. The chips go under the skin between the thumb and forefinger. With a chip in the hand, a person can enter the office building, buy food, sign into computers and more, simply by waving that hand near a scanner. The chips will be also used to identify employees. Employees who want convenience, but do not want to have a microchip implanted under their skin, can wear a wristband or a ring with a chip instead. They can perform the same tasks with a wave of their hands as if they had an implanted chip.
Three Square Market is the first company in the United States to offer to implant chips in its employees. Epicenter, a company in Sweden, has been implanting chips in its employees for a while.
Three Square Market says the chip cannot track the employees. The company says scanners can read the chips only when they are within a few inches of them. “The chips protect against identity theft, similar to credit cards.” The U. S. Food and Drug Administration approved the chips back in 2004, so they should be safe for humans, according to the company.
In the future, people with the chips may be able to do more with them, even outside the office. Todd Westby is Chief Executive Officer of Three Square Market. He says, “Eventually, this technology will become standardized allowing you to use this as your passport, public transit, all purchasing opportunities, etc.”
61. What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A. The substitutes of the chips. B. The potential risks of implanting the chips.
C. The places to implant the chips. D. The advantages of the chips.
62. What does the underlined word “them” in paragraph 5 refer to?
A. The hands.　　　　　 B. The scanners. C. The employees. D. The credit cards.
63. What can we infer from the passage?
A. The chips have magic powers.
B. The price of the chips is reasonable.
C. The chips are very popular among the employees.
D. Most people suspect the application of the chips.
64. Which of the following best describes Todd Westby’s attitude towards the chips?
A. Defensive. B. Disappointing. C. Casual. D. Optimistic.
D
Those who want to learn a foreign language, or want their children to, often feel they are racing against the clock. People seem to get worse at languages as they age. Children often learn their first language without any instruction, and can easily become multilingual with the right exposure. But the older people get, the harder it seems to be. Witness the rough edges on the grammar of many immigrants even after many years in their new countries.
Scientists mostly agree that children are better language learners, but do not know why. Some posit(认定)biological factors. Is it because young brains have an extreme kind of plasticity? Or, as Steven Pinker, a Harvard psychologist, argues an instinct for language-learning specifically, which fades as the brain ages and(in evolutionary terms)is no longer needed? Others think children have special environments and encouragements, not more intelligent brains. They have strong motivation to communicate with caregivers and imitate peers, and are not afraid of making mistakes in the way adults are.
Some believe any “critical period” may only apply to the sounds of a foreign tongue. Adults struggle with accents: eight decades after immigrating to America and four after serving as the Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger still sounds fresh off the boat from Fürth—in what is nevertheless elaborately accurate English.
But grammar is different, and some researchers have considered that with their greater reasoning powers, adults are not really a underdog relative to children. One study found that when adults and children are exposed to the same teaching materials for a new language for several months, the adults actually do better. Most such research has had to rely on a small number of subjects, given the difficulty of recruiting them; it is hard to know how meaningful the results are.
Now a large new study led by Joshua Hartshorne of Boston College(with Mr. Pinker and Joshua Tenenbaum as co-authors)has given strength to the “critical period” hypothesis(假说).The study ingeniously recruited 670,000 online test-takers by framing the exercise as a quiz that would guess the participants’ native language or dialect. This made it a vital hit. The real point was to test English learners’ knowledge of tricky bits of grammar, and to see how this correlates with the age at which their studies began.
Do younger beginners do better because their earlier start gave them more learning time, or because they learned faster in early years? It can be hard to tease apart these two questions. But testing a huge amount of data against a number of possible learning curves allowed Mr. Hartshorne to do precisely that. Many previous researchers had posited a drop-off at around puberty(青春期). The new study found it to be rather later, just after 17.
Despite that later cut-off, learners must begin at around ten if they are to get to near-native fluency.If they start at, say,14, they cannot accumulate enough expert knowledge in the critical period.Unfortunately,14 or so is precisely when many students, especially in America, are first introduced to a new language.(Even worse, this is an age when children are acutely sensitive to embarrassment in front of peers.)
Children who start at five don’t do noticeably better than those who start at ten over their lifetimes. But there is still reason to begin in the first years of school, as in Denmark and Sweden. Because mastery takes a long time—perhaps 30 years until improvement stops—those who begin at five and are forced to read and write English at university will by then have made much more progress than those who take the plunge(作出决定)at ten, even if their level is roughly the same by 40.
The existence of the critical period is not a reason for anyone 11 or older to give up. Some people remain excellent language students into adulthood. And Mr. Hartshorne tested some truly subtle features of grammar that take years to master. A language learned even to a lower level can still be extraordinarily useful at work or enjoyable during travelling. But for policymakers, the possible effect is clear.
65.According to the scientists, which cannot explain children’s being better language learners?
A. Pleasant surroundings. B. Powerful motivation.
C. Biological factors. D. Proper instruction.
66.Why is Henry Kissinger mentioned?
A. To stress his great achievement in language.
B. To prove adults have difficulty improving accents.
C. To explain language is not a barrier to one’s success.
D. To show the importance of mastering a foreign language.
67.What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Adults are better at logical thinking than children.
B. Adults help a lot with children’s language learning.
C. Adults are not really at a disadvantage compared to children.
D. Adults have more trouble learning grammar than children.
68.Which statement may Mr Hartshorne agree with?
A. Age 14 is a turning point for foreign language learners.
B. A drop-off in learning results appears after the age of 17.
C. The critical period is of vital importance in grammar learning.
D. The critical period for language learning varies from person to person.
69.What’s the main theme of the passage?
A. It’s never too late to begin to learn a foreign language.
B. You should start learning early to master a new language.
C. Language learning should start at the beginning of school.
D. Longer learning periods lead to native-like language fluency.
70.What may be discussed in the following paragraph?
A. The impact the critical period has on policymakers.
B. The application of the critical period to policymaking.
C. The importance of the critical period in policymaking.
D. The attitude policymakers hold toward the critical period.
题组二
A
Rhyme Rhythm Reason By Paul Drakefordwww.xlibris.com.au (?http:?/??/?www.xlibris.com.au?)Hardback|Paperback|E-book$27.59 |$13.79| $4.99 Here we have a few giggles and chuckles for those who remember the three Rs and wished there were something better. Have fun reading Paul Drakeford’s Rhyme Rhythm Reason!
Ghost No More By CeeCee Jameswww.amazon.com (?http:?/??/?www.amazon.com?)Paperback | Kindle Edition$9.99 | $0.00 Behind the glitz and the glamour of the beauty queen mother lies a web of secrets. CeeCee is a child desperate for a touch of approval, the love of her mother. Her reality is her mom’s retreating back, abandoning CeeCee in front of a burning car.
Atlantis By Shirley Andrewswww.authorhouse.com (?http:?/??/?www.authorhouse.com?)Hardback|Paperback|E-book$31.99|$20.99|$3.99 Shirley Andrews uncovers the living legacy in Atlantis: Insights from a Lost Civilization, a compelling new look at a legendary country once situated on the Atlantic Ridge.
InbetweennessBy Sunnie D.Kidd/Jim Kiddwww.xlibris.com (?http:?/??/?www.xlibris.com?)Hardback|Paperback|E-book$29.99|$19.99|$3.99 Sunnie D.Kidd coined the term “Inbetweenness”. Inbetweenness is a shared resonating spiritual field of movement and vibration, which is the root of all spiritual experiences and scientific investigation.
56.A student interested in poetry and history might choose _______.
A. Rhyme Rhythm Reason and Atlantis B. Ghost No More and Inbetweenness
C. Ghost No More and Atlantis D. Rhyme Rhythm Reason and Inbetweenness
57.How much do you have to pay if you read all the 4 books in the electronic version?
A. $99.56. B. $91.57. C. $64.76. D. $12.97.
B
Recent summer temperatures in parts of Australia were high enough to melt asphalt. As global warming speeds up the heat and climatic events increase, many plants may be unable to cope. But at least one species of eucalyptus tree can resist extreme heat by continuing to “sweat” when other essential processes stop, a new study finds.
As plants change sunlight into food, or photosynthesize(起光合作用), they absorb carbon dioxide through pores on their leaves. These pores also release water via transpiration, which circulates nutrients through the plant and helps cool it by evaporation. But exceptionally high temperatures are known to greatly reduce photosynthesis—and most existing plant models suggest this should also decrease transpiration, leaving trees in danger of fatally overheating. Because it is difficult for scientists to control and vary trees’ conditions in their natural environment, little is known about how individual species handle this situation.
Ecologist John Drake of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and his colleagues grew a dozen Parramatta red gum trees in large, climate-controlled plastic pods that separated the trees from the surrounding forest for a year in Richmond, Australia. Six of the trees were grown at normal air temperatures and six at temperatures three degrees Celsius higher. The researchers took water away from the surface soil of all 12 trees for a month to imitate a mild dry environment, then induced a four-day “extreme” heat wave: they raised the maximum temperatures in half of the pods (three with surrounding temperatures and three of the warmer ones)—to 44 degrees Celsius.
Photosynthesis ground to a near halt in the trees facing the artificial heat wave. But to the researchers’ surprise, these trees continued to transpire at close-to-normal levels, effectively cooling themselves and their surroundings. The trees grown in warmer conditions coped just as well as the others, and photosynthesis rates bounced back to normal after the heat wave passed, Drake and his colleagues reported online in Global Change Biology.
The researchers think the Parramatta red gums were able to effectively sweat—even without photosynthesis—because they are particularly good at tapping into water deep in the soil. “But if a heat wave and a severe drought were to hit at the same time and the groundwater was depleted, the trees may not be so lucky, ” Drake says.
Other scientists call the finding encouraging. “It’s definitely good news, ” says Trevor Keenan, an ecologist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, who was not part of the study. “It would be very interesting to know how this translates to other species, ” he adds. Drake hopes to conduct similar experiments with trees common in North America.
58.What can we learn from the second paragraph?
A. It’s easy to control a plant’s conditions in its natural environment.
B. High temperatures lead to much more photosynthesis by plants.
C. Plants’ transpiration mainly releases water rather than circulates nutrients.
D. Most plants are in danger if they suffer serious overheating.
59.The experiment on Parramatta red gum trees shows that _______.
A. at higher temperatures the trees completely stop the photosynthesis
B. water deep in the soil saves the trees in a high-temperature environment
C. high temperatures have little effect on the trees’ photosynthesis
D. high temperatures greatly increase the trees’ transpiration
60.What does the underlined word “depleted” in the fifth paragraph mean?
A. Taken in. B. Cut off. C. Used up. D. Made use of.
C
We human beings need to stay in touch with nature-many studies show how much better people feel when in sight of trees. Yet even more importantly, nature itself needs us to stay in touch. Many politicians and scientists have told us that we can “conquer” nature, but in reality nature will always be beyond our control—we do have the power to destroy it. The fate of all the animals and their habitats depends largely on our attitude towards them. Whether or not we ourselves survive depends on how well we look after the rest. For our sake as well as theirs, we need to consider it seriously.
But how can we care at all if we spend our lives indoors? Born in South London at the end of the Second World War, at least I knew what a sparrow was(they’re rare now)and you couldn’t put a spade into our tiny garden without cutting a worm in half. We knew, too, that milk comes from cows and that old men can grow amazing carrots on poor land. Ultra-urban(极度城市化)as we may have been, at least we were in touch.
“Now we have a generation who frankly are not in touch.” So how can they care if the countryside is sold off to the highest bidders, and used to park helicopters, and our crops come free from Monsanto and our livestock live in factories? They will know no other way.
But if we settle for the ultra-urban life, if we allow all wilderness to be compromised and hand our farming over to industrial chemists then, quite simply, the world will fall apart--as it has been doing already. We have to rethink what agriculture is really for, and why conservation matters to us, as well as to other creatures. Changes of strategies begin with attitude and attitude begins with awareness.
61. Which of the following opinions will the author be for?
A. Technology will help humans control nature completely.
B. Conquering nature is the policy of human society.
C. Humans have to find a way to live in harmony with nature.
D. We will lose control of nature with the development of society.
62. The second paragraph is intended to tell us that city people in the pas _______.
A. were in close touch with nature B. managed to survive in the war
C. killed the worms in the earth cruelly D. had a healthier diet than us
63. The new generation show no concern about the ultra-urban pattern just because _______.
A. modern agriculture doesn’t need hard work B. high profits can be made by selling city land
C. they are cut off from nature D. livestock living in factories are tastier
64. From the passage we can guess that Monsanto is likely to be _______.
A. a chemical fertilizer plant B. a scientist good at farming
C. a construction corporation D. a big agricultural company
D
The concept of a “born leader” seems so fanciful that it belongs on the cover of a bad business book. But it turns out that born leaders are real, and researchers have discovered a key factor, which isn’t genes, parents, or peers, but birth order.
First-born children are 30 percent more likely to be CEOs or politicians, according to a new paper by several economists, Sandra E. Black at the University of Texas-Austin, and Bjorn Ockert and Erik Gronqvist at Sweden’s Institute for Evaluation of Labor Market and Education Policy. The paper, which only looked at boys, found that first-borns stay in school longer, make more money, have a higher IQ, and even spend more time on homework than on television.
The idea that birth order might shape personality goes back at least to the 1920s, when Alfred Adler theorized that first-born children develop a “taste for power” at a young age, since they can dominate their younger siblings. He went on to say young children are spoiled and become dependent on their parents (the “baby of the family” effect), while middle children, being often in a war for their parents’ attention, are status-conscious and naturally competitive.
Obtaining personality from birth may strike you. But Adler’s hypotheses(假说) have held up in numerous studies. In a 2013 paper, Strategic Parenting, Birth Order and School Performance, V.Joseph Hotz, a professor of economics at Duke University, and Juan Pantano, a professor of economics at Washington University in St. Louis, used American data to show that school performance declines with birth order.
The researchers chalked their findings up to what they called the “reputational model of strategic parenting”. Put simply, parents invest a lot of time in establishing rules for their first child, building a reputation for toughness that they hope will pass down to later children. As a result, first-borns are doubly blessed—having too much of their parents’ attention, and then entrusted to act as the rules enforcer of the family, which helps them build intelligence, discipline, and leadership qualities. In the survey, parents report that they consider their older children more successful, and they are less likely to discipline their later-born children for improper behaviors, such as acting up or not doing homework.
This new study relies on Swedish data, and it comes to a similar conclusion. First-borns aren’t just healthier or smarter, but also they score higher on “emotional stability, persistence, social outgoingness, willingness to assume responsibility and ability to take the initiative”. Its researchers ruled out genetic factors; in fact, they uncovered evidence that later-born children might be healthier than first-borns.
Instead, the differences among siblings had everything to do with family dynamics in the children’s early years. First, having more children means parents can spend less time on each child, and as the parental investment declines, so may IQ.
Second, the most important effect, the researchers said, might not be the “strategic parenting” but something more like “strategic brothering”. As siblings compete for their parents’ love (or ice cream, or toys), they occupy certain positions—older siblings demonstrate their competence and power, while younger siblings develop more creative strategies to get attention. This effect seems particularly strong among later-born boys with older brothers. Younger brothers are much more likely to enter “creative” occupations—like architect, writer, actor, singer, or photographer—if they have older brothers, rather than older sisters. In other words, among young brothers, specialization within the family forecasts specialization in the workforce.
There is a considerable implication in this idea that family dynamics during childhood can shape adult personality. Young children are highly sensitive to their environment, in ways that often have lasting effects.
65.First-born children are more likely to be CEOs or politicians because _______.
A. they are born to have leadership qualities
B. teachers and parents invest more time in educating them
C. later-born children need them to set good examples
D. they have a lot of practice in bossing around their younger siblings
66.What can we learn about Alfred Adler?
A. His research was based on American data.
B. His hypotheses were applied in many studies.
C. He held the idea that first-born children should be independent.
D. He thought that children’s personality was affected by birth order.
故选D。
67.According to the 2013 paper, if a child does not behave as well as his elder brother at school, it may be due to the fact that he _______.
A. has a lower IQ and EQ B. is badly treated by school teachers
C. receives less attention from his parents D. is spoiled too much by other family members
68.What are the findings of the new study based on?
A. Swedish data on boys.
B. Controlled experiments on children.
C. Differences between first-borns and later-borns.
D. The observation of children’s development across Sweden.
69.The new study has found that later-born children _______.
A. feel disappointed at their parents’ attitude to them
B. are always in a process of self-discovery
C. may be more trustworthy and creative
D. might be physically strong
70.According to the author, _______.
A. parents should create a good family environment for their children
B. children should be given equal attention by their parents
C. girls’ development is seldom affected by birth order
D. boys should be forbidden to order others around
题组三
A
Corfu, Greece
Corfu may be well-known for its party atmosphere, but it’s beneath the surface of its shining Mediterranean waters that things get really lively.
Here, you can put on your diving equipment on the beach and
head out into the bay where you’ll find a rock wall reaching to
depths of around 30 meters, sheltering a wide variety of
impressive wildlife.
Normandy, France
As one of the most fascinating dive sites in the world, the shores off the coast of Normandy in France offer divers a look into the destruction of the Second World War’s most memorable battle.
This Normandy dive is a beautiful, yet haunting view into the
past, the dark and cloudy waters only adding to the fascinating
atmosphere of the location.
Lanzarote, Spain
Out on the eastern reaches of the Atlantic Ocean, Lanzarote sits in
the Canary Islands and is the finest of the lots when it comes to diving.
An active volcanic island. The explosive power of Lanzarote has
carved out some truly beautiful landscapes over the years, both
above and below the water’s surface. Just off the coast of the
island, you’ll find deep rock walls, caves and trenches;
striking, dramatic and teeming with(遍布)life.
Lofoten, Norway
Set in the southern reaches of the Arctic Ocean, the waters that surround the Lofoten Islands of Norway are teeming with life. The Lofoten Islands offer striking scenery as a backdrop to your Arctic diving adventure.
Beneath the waves, Lofoten is just as magnificent. Large species
of coral, plants, fishes, crustaceans(甲壳纲动物)and jellyfish all call
the waters around Lofoten home, making for some truly breathtaking
diving experiences.
56. Where should people go to enjoy scenery produced by volcanos?
A. Lanzarote, Spain.　　 B. Normandy, France. C. Lofoten, Norway. D. Corfu, Greece.
57. What do the four places have in common?
A. They all feature deep rock walls. B. They are all home to rare wildlife.
C. They are all diving destinations. D. They all have some historical background.
B
KING LEAR Act 3
NARRATOR: As soon as Goneril has got all she can from her father, she begins treating him disrespectfully. When Lear wants to speak to her, Goneril tells her servant, Oswald, to say she is sick. She encourages her staff to be disrespectful towards Lear and begins complaining about the hundred soldiers Lear has brought with him. However, King Lear soon has a friend by his side. The Duke of Kent, who Lear ordered to leave Britain, cannot abandon his king. He therefore comes to Lear disguised(伪装)as a servant called Caius and asks for a job.
(Enter Lear, several of Lear’s soldiers and Kent disguised as a servant.)
LEAR: OK, Caius. I’ll give you a trial. And if you prove to be good at your job, I’ll keep you on as my servant.(Oswald enters.)Hey, you there. Where’s my daughter?(Oswald ignores the king and hurries out of the room.)Hey. What’s going on? Call him back. Is he deaf?(A Soldier rushes out after Oswald.)It’s as though the whole world has gone to sleep.(Soldier reenters.)Where’s that servant? Why didn’t he come back when I called?
SOLDIER: Sir, he answered me very rudely and said he would not come back. LEAR: I don’t believe it!
SOLDIER: Sir, I am sorry, to tell you this, but it seems to me that you are not being treated with the respect due to a king. Everyone here, including your daughter, is behaving very coldly towards you.
LEAR:Mmm. I suspected the same, but I kept telling myself it was my imagination. Please tell my daughter I wish to speak with her.(Soldier bows and leaves. Oswald enters.)Ah, come here my man and answer me. Who am I?
OSWALD: My lady’s father.
LEAR: Your lady’s father? Is that all I am to you, you dog, you slave!(Lear raises his arm as though to strike Oswald.)
OSWALD: I’ll not be hit, my Lord.
KENT:(Kent kicks Oswald’s feet out from under him.)And you won’t be laid flat on your back either, I suppose. Now get up and get out of here.(Oswald leaves.)
LEAR: My thanks, Caius. I can see you will be a most valuable servant.
(Enter Goneril.)What’s up, daughter? You always seem to be frowning lately.
GONERIL: Is it any wonder that I frown when your soldiers are continually drinking and fighting? I thought when I told you about their behaviour you would make them behave, but now I hear you have insulted(侮辱)Oswald. I do believe you are encouraging your soldiers in their bad behaviour.
LEAR: Is this my daughter scolding me?
GONERIL: I have had enough of your soldiers. They are expensive to keep and you don’t need them. Besides, their drunken behaviour and bad manners are disgusting. You will send half of them away. And unless you want me to get rid of the rest of them too, I suggest you teach them how to behave properly.
LEAR: That’s a lie. My soldiers are good men who know how to behave properly. I won’t stay here to be insulted. I still have one more daughter. She’ll scratch out your eyes when she hears how you’ve treated me. Men! Get my horses ready and collect my baggage. I’ll leave immediately. I won’t stay where I’m not welcome.(Lear and companions leave.)
NARRATOR: Lear sends Kent on ahead to the castle of his other daughter, Regan, to tell her that he will soon be arriving. Goneril sends her servant Oswald to Regan to tell her side of the story.
58. Why did the Duke of Kent disguise himself as a servant?
A. To find a chance to meet Goneril. B. To share some of the king’s wealth.
C. To find a job in the court. D. To serve and help his king Lear.
59. Why does Oswald behave coldly to King Lear?
A. Because he doesn’t know he is the king.
B. Because King Lear raises his arm to strike him.
C. Because King Lear’s soldiers don’t behave properly.
D. Because his master treats King Lear disrespectfully.
60. According to the passage which of the following can BEST describe King Lear?
A. Selfish. B. Cautious. C. Greedy. D. Stupid.
C
My Grandpa Forgets Who I Am

A few days ago I visited my grandfather in hospital. He has Alzhemier’s—a degenerative disease that usually starts slowly and gets worse over time. I thought I was prepared to see him. I knew chances were slim that he’d actually recognize me.
He didn’t. As a matter of fact, he had no idea that he even had grandchildren. But he was excited that somebody came to visit him. I tried to explain to him who I was. But after he told me multiple times that he didn’t have grandchildren, I gave up. And my heart broke into a million little pieces.
I was tired of explaining things to him. So I just smiled. He smiled back. It’s a genuine smile. Like a long time ago, when he’d take me by the hand and made this big world a little bit less scary for me. Now I have to take his hand.
We sat in silence for a little while, before he told me to call my grandma. This was the first time I had tried so hard to hold back tears. My grandma died four years ago and he didn’t remember. He thought she was stuck on her way to pick him up.
My grandpa used to be a strong, hard-working man. He was the person you turned to when you needed your car fixed, your tires changed or something heavy to be carried. Sadly, that man left this world a long time ago, and left behind a man that is lost and scared.
I want to help him. I want to make him feel better. I want to tell him about his old life, and how great it was. So I sat with him and I held his hand, and every once in a while I told him how good he looked and how much I liked the color of his shirt and how it brought out the blue in his eyes. I told him that my grandma was on her way whenever he asked about her, and I made sure the glass in his hand was always filled with water.
I can’t take away his pain. I can’t help him remember. I can’t make the disease go away. All I can do is hold on to the memories—hold on for both of us.
61. When the author first saw her grandpa in hospital _______.
A. she gave up on him B. they were both excited
C. he didn’t recognize her D. they talked about the past
62. The author was close to tears because _______.
A. grandma died about four years ago B. grandpa needed to be taken care of
C. grandma didn’t make it to the hospital D. grandpa believed grandma was still alive
63. Which of the following best describe the author?
A. Tolerant and merciful. B. Considerate and patient.
C. Warm-hearted and grateful. D. Strong-minded and generous.
64. The author wrote this passage to _______.
A. show pity towards her grandpa B. record memories of her grandpa
C. express deep love for her grandpa D. call on further study on Alzheimer’s
D
You are given many opportunities in life to choose to be a victim or creator. When you choose to be a victim, the world is a cold and difficult place. “They” did things to you which caused all of your pain and suffering. “They” are wrong and bad, and life is terrible as long as “they” are around. Or you may blame yourself for all your problems, thus internalizing(内化)your victimization. The truth is, your life is likely to stay that way as long as you feel a need to blame yourself or others.
Those who choose to be creators look at life quite differently. They know there are individuals who might like to control their lives, but they don’t let this get in the way. They know they have their weaknesses, yet they don’t blame themselves when they fail. Whatever happens, they have choice in the matter. They believe their dance with each sacred(神圣的)moment of life is a gift and that storms are a natural part of life which can bring the rain needed for emotional and spiritual growth.
Victims and creators live in the same physical world and deal with many of the same physical realities, yet their experience of life is worlds apart. Victims relish(沉溺)in anger, guilt, and other emotions that cause others — and even themselves — to feel like victims, too. Creators consciously choose love, inspiration, and other qualities which inspire not only themselves, but all around them. Both victims and creators always have choice to determine the direction of their lives.
In reality, all of us play the victim or the creator at various points in our lives. One person, on losing a job or a special relationship, may feel as if it is the end of the world and sink into terrible suffering for months, years, or even a lifetime. Another with the same experience may choose to first experience the grief, then accept the loss and soon move on to be a powerful creative force in his life.
In every moment and every circumstance, you can choose to have a fuller, richer life by setting a clear intention to transform the victim within, and by inviting into your life the powerful creator that you are.
65. What does the word “they” in Paragraph 1 probably refer to?
A. Creators and their choices. B. Opportunities and problems.
C. People and things around you. D. Victims and their sufferings.
66. According to Paragraph 2, creators ________.
A. have potential to create something new B. possess the ability to predict future life
C. seem willing to experience failures in life D. handle ups and downs of life wisely
67. What can we learn from Paragraph 3?
A. Creators and victims are masters of their lives.
B. Victims can influence more people than creators.
C. Compared with victims, creators are more emotional.
D. Creators and victims face quite different things in life.
68. The examples mentioned in Paragraph 4 show that _______.
A. people need family support to deal with challenger in life
B. strong attachment to sufferings in life pulls people into victims
C. it takes creators quite a long time to get rid of their pains
D. one’s experiences determine his attitude toward life
69. The passage is organized by _______.
A. giving definitions B. making a contrast C. giving examples D. telling stories
70. What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A. To define victims and creators.
B. To evaluate victims against creators.
C. To explain the relationship between victims and creators.
D. To suggest the transformation from victims to creators.
题组四
A
“Museum of the World” Travel Plan

Here’s the travel plan for some of the more unusual museums on our “Museum of the World” tour. I’ll send you the full itinerary(行程)next week. The Museum of Bad Art(MOBA)(Boston, USA)shows what it describes as “art too bad to be ignored”. The museum hopes to bring the worst of art to the widest possible audience. As part of the visit, we’ll be shown some truly awful portraits, landscapes and sculptures.

The Devil’s Rope Museum(in Mclean, Texas)and The Kansas Barbed Wire Museum(in Lacrosse, Kansas)both claim to have the best barbed(有刺的)wire collections, telling the story of the wire’s role in the development of America. We’ll be visiting both of these.

The Washington Banana Museum(Auburn, Washington, USA)contains 4,000 objects related to the history of what the museum describes as “the world’s most perfect fruit.” During a guided tour around the museum, we’ll learn all sorts of interesting things, such as the fact that bananas were introduced to the USA in 1878 in the same exhibition as Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone, and that banana is now the US’s number-one selling fruit.

The Hair Museum(Avanos, Turkey)is located in a cave in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. It contains 16,000 samples of people’s hair. You’ll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection. Later in the year, the museum manager selects 10 donors to attend a pottery workshop.
The Hair Museum(Avanos, Turkey)is located in a cave in Cappadocia, in Central Anatolia. It contains 16,000 samples of people’s hair. You’ll be offered a chance to add your own hair to the collection. Later in the year, the museum curator selects 10 donors to attend a pottery workshop. If you’re one of them, you’ll be invited to stay in his guest house.
56. What do these four Museums have in common?
A. They are all located in the USA. B. They accept exhibits donated by visitors.
C. They exhibit the things with a long history. D. They show some odd things around the world.
57. Why was Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone mentioned in paragraph 4?
A. To explain the origin of bananas. B. To arouse visitors’ interest in the museum.
C. To emphasize the importance of the exhibition. D. To compare the value of bananas and telephones.
B
The key to getting people to work together effectively could be giving them the freedom to choose their collaborators(合作者)and the comfort of working with established contacts, new research suggests.
In the study, David Melamed, an assistant professor of sociology at the Ohio State University and lead author of the study, and his co-authors found participants through the Amazon Mechanical Turk website — a service that allows researchers to hire people from around the world for a variety of purposes. For this study, all participants were from the United States.
Those who agreed to participate played online games in which each player started out with 1,000 monetary units that translated to $1 in real money they could pocket. If one player agreed to pay another player 50 monetary units, that second person would actually acquire 100 units. Each of the 16-round games included about 25 participants, some of whom participated in multiple games. In all, 810 people participated in the research.
Some of the games included random networks, where certain people could interact. Others included clustered(群集的)networks, in which a small group had multiple connections — an arrangement that was designed to mimic(模拟)real life, where humans often run their lives in packs. And the networks were either static(静态的)or dynamic(动态的). In static networks, a player could interact only with the appointed partners. In dynamic networks, participants could cut their ties with another player and form new connections. Furthermore, some of the games included reputation information. Participants were labeled based on their history of willingness to share money. The idea was to test whether those known to collaborate were favored by other players based on reputation — a factor shown in previous research to play a significant role in whether a person is likely to partner with another.
Melamed and his research partners were surprised to find that whether people are likely to partner with others had nothing to do with reputation in this study. The findings might have departed from previous studies because of the difference in size and study design, he said, explaining that much of the previous work in this area was conducted in groups of 100 or fewer and mostly involved student subjects. The Turk network used for the new study has been shown to be representative of the U.S. population in terms of age, race and other factors and the introduced players had no previous connections.
Cooperation rates overall were high — and highest when the participants were cooperating in clusters and had the ability to drop a partner in favor of another. “What really seems to matter is the ability to change the structure of a network,” Melamed said. “And the patterns of relationships also made a difference. Those in a known cluster with multiple connections cooperated more.”
58. What did David Melamed and his partners do for their study?
A. They hired 810 people globally.
B. They gave each participant $1,000.
C. They designed 16-round online games.
D. They asked each participant to take part in only one game.
59. Compared with previous research, the new study found that _______.
A. reputation played no role in cooperation
B. student subjects were more likely to partner with others
C. players having connections before were more cooperative
D. cooperation rates were influenced by age, race and other factors
60. It can be inferred that the purpose of the study led by David Melamed is to discover _______.
A. how to change the patterns of relationships
B. what leads people to collaborate most willingly
C. what kind of person is the most popular in a team
D. whether it’s proper to drop a partner in favor of another
C
Learning a second language is tricky at any age(and it only gets tougher the longer you wait to open that dusty French book). Now, in a new study, scientists have pinpointed the exact age at which your chances of reading fluency in a second language seems to plummet: 10.
The study, published in the journal Cognition, found that it’s “nearly impossible” for language learners to reach native - level fluency if they start learning a second tongue after 10. But that doesn’t seem to be because language skills go downhill. “It turns out you’re still learning fast. It’s just that you run out of time, because your ability to learn starts dropping at around 17 or 18 years old,” says study co-author Joshua Hartshorne, an assistant professor of psychology at Boston College.
Kids may be better than adults at learning new languages for many reasons. Children’s brains are more plastic than those of adults, meaning they’re better able to adapt and respond to new information. “All learning involves the brain changing,” Hartshorne says, “and children’s brains seem to be a lot more skilled at changing.”
Kids may also be more willing to try new things(and to potentially look foolish in the process)than adults are. Their comparatively new grasp on their native tongue may also be advantageous. Unlike adults, who tend to default(默认)to the rules and patterns of their first language, kids may be able to approach a new one with a blank slate(石板).
These findings may seems discouraging, but it was heartening for scientists to learn that the critical period for fluent language acquisition might be longer than they previously thought. Some scientists believed that the brief window closes shortly after birth, while others stretched it only to early adolescence. Compared to those estimates, 17 or 18—when language learning ability starts to drop off—seems relatively old. “People fared better when thy learned by immersion(沉浸), rather than simply in a classroom. And moving to a place where our desired language is spoken is the best way to learn as an adult. If that’s not an option, you can mimic an immersive environment by finding ways to have conversations with native speakers in their own communities,” Hartshorne says. By doing so, it’s possible to become conversationally proficient—even without the advantage of a child’s brain.
61. The word “plummet” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “_______”.
A. decrease B. rise C. end D. vary
62. What can be inferred from Joshua Hartshorne’s words?
A. Age 10 -18 is the best time to learn a second language.
B. Children are too young to grasp a second language.
C. Communicating with native speakers enables you to master all the language skills.
D. Adults go beyond the critical period for learning a second language.
63. What might be the reason why adults can’t reach native-level fluency in a second language?
A. Adults are less influenced by their mother tongues
B. Adults are only too willing to experience something awkward in the process.
C. Adults spend more time responding to new information.
D. Adults prefer an immersive environment to a classroom in learning a second language.
【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段中的“Children’s brains are more plastic than those of adults, they’re better able to adapt and respond to new information. ”可知，儿童的大脑比成人的大脑更具可塑性，他们能够更好地适应和应对新的信息，由此可知，成年人花更多的时间对新信息做出反应，这可能使他们学习第二语言不能达到母语的流利程度，故C项正确。
64. The passage is mainly about _______.
A. the approaches to learning a second language
B. the best age to learn a second language.
C. why kids learn a second language more easily than adults
D. whether adults can learn a second language like their younger selves
D
US mathematician Karen Keskulla Uhlenbeck has won the 2019 Abel Prize—one of the field’s most famous awards—for her wide-ranging work in analysis, geometry and mathematical physics. Uhlenbeck is the first woman to win the 6-million-kroner(US$702,500)prize, which is given out by the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, since it was first awarded in 2003.
Uhlenbeck is famous for her skill with partial differential equations, which link variable quantities and their rates of change, and are at the heart of?most physical laws (?https:?/??/?www.nature.com?/?news?/?the-new-thermodynamics-how-quantum-physics-is-bending-the-rules-1.22937?). But her long career has stretched across many fields.
One of her most influential results—and the one that she says she’s most proud of—is the discovery of a phenomenon called bubbling(鼓泡), as part of work she did with mathematician Jonathan Sacks. She applied similar techniques to do fundamental work in the mathematical theory of gauge fields(规范场).
The work of other prizewinning mathematicians has been rooted in techniques introduced by Uhlenbeck. These include 1986 Fields Medal winner Simon Donaldson—who applied gauge theory to the topology(拓扑学)of four-dimensional spaces—and 2009 Abel laureate Mikhail Gromov, who studied a mathematical analogue(类似物)of the ‘strings’ of string theory, in which he found the bubbling idea to be crucial.
Haskins, a Uhlenbeck’s doctoral student, says Uhlenbeck is one of those mathematicians who have “an inborn sense of what should be true”, even if they cannot always explain why. He recalls sometimes being baffled by her answers to his questions. “Your immediate reaction was that Karen had misheard you, because she had answered a different question,” Haskins says. But “maybe weeks later, you would realize that you had not asked the correct question”.
Karen Keskulla was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1942, and grew up in part in New Jersey, intensely interested in learning. “I read all of the books on science in the library and was frustrated when there was nothing left to read,” she wrote in a 1996 autobiographical essay.
After an initial interest in physics, she earned her PhD in mathematics in 1968 from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. She was one of the few women in her department; some academics there recognized her unusual talent and encouraged her, but others did not. “We were told that we couldn’t do math because we were women,” she wrote in the 1996 essay. “I liked doing what I wasn’t supposed to do, it was a sort of rebellion(反抗).”
Uhlenbeck held positions at several universities—initially ignored by male colleagues, she says — before settling at the University of Texas at Austin in 1987, where she stayed until she retired in 2014.
Uhlenbeck has been a never-ceasing advocate for women in mathematics, and founded the Women and Mathematics programme at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey. She has been an enormous role model and mentor for many generations of women.
In 1990, she gave a speech at the International Congress of Mathematicians—the only woman to have done so apart from?Emmy Noether, the founder of modern algebra (?https:?/??/?www.nature.com?/?articles?/?d41586-018-06658-w?), who spoke at the 1932 meeting. Uhlenbeck has earned several other top recognitions, including the US National Medal of Science in 2000.
Uhlenbeck was at first a reluctant role model. But after a few successes by female mathematicians of her generation, she realized that the path towards fair representation would be harder than expected. “We all thought that once the legal barriers were down, women and minorities would walk through the doors of academia and take their rightful place. But fixing universities was easier than fixing the culture in which people grow up,”says Uhlenbeck. She hopes that her prize will inspire new generations of girls to go into maths.
65. Why did Karen Keskulla Uhlenbeck win the Abel Prize?
A. She set a good example to generations of girls.
B. She kept following her dream in her long career.
C. She first discovered a phenomenon called bubbling.
D. She made pioneering achievements ina lot of fields.
66. Simon Donaldson and Mikhail Gromov are mentioned to illustrate _______.
A. Uhlenbeck’s work has a fundamental impact on them
B. Uhlenbeck’s theory is crucial to every scientific field
C. other prizewinning mathematicians admire Uhlenbeck
D. mathematicians can succeed by means of physics laws
67. What does the underlined word “baffled” in Paragraph 5 probably mean?
A. Amazed. B. Confused. C. Embarrassed. D. Interested.
68. According to the passage, Uhlenbeck can be described as _______.
A. talented, determined and inspiring B. creative, cooperative and generous
C. professional, enthusiastic and kind D. cautious, ambitious and productive
69. What can be inferred in the last passage?
A. The legal barriers should be cleared for women.
B. Young girls have no example to follow in science.
C. Gender discrimination exists in all the universities.
D. Cultural prejudices prevent women going into maths.
70. What’s the passage mainly about ?
A. A great mathematician’s lifetime. B. Uhlenbeck’s inspiration for women.
C. The first woman to win the Abel Prize. D.The importance ofUhlenbeck’s theory.
题组五
A
Shipping containers are gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional houses. These 20-or 40-foot containers can be obtained for a little as several hundred US dollars apiece, and it’s not surprising that some industry professionals and even city planners consider them the future of home building. Below are details of some amazing homes made out of shipping containers.

London Container City(I and II)
London’s Container City first sprang up in the heart of the docklands in 2001. It took just five months to complete the original 12 work studios. Shortly after that, a fourth floor of studios and living apartments was built on top of these. The first container city was so successful that another—Container City II—was added to it.

Los Angeles Redondo Beach house
With its modern lines and appealing spaces, the award-winning Redondo Beach House is a luxury beachside showpiece built from eight recycled steel shipping containers, along with some traditional building materials. According to the architects, the modified containers are “nearly indestructible”.

Amsterdam Keetwonen
Amsterdam’s massive Keetwonen complex houses 1,000 students and it is the largest container city in the world. The housing project is a roaring success and features units that are quiet and comfortable. Each resident enjoys a bathroom, kitchen and separate sleeping and studying quarters. The complex even has central heating and high-speed internet as well as areas for parking bikes.

Mexico M2ATK Container House
M2ATK designed this unique container house for an artist. It’s fully equipped with heating and cooling, a kitchen and bathroom. On the bottom floor of the house are ‘‘public spaces” such as the kitchen and living room. The second floor is the bedroom, and the top floor is a studio space in which to work, read and “let fly the imagination”.
56. Compared to traditional houses, container houses are _______.
A. easier to maintain B. less expensive to build
C. more comfortable to live in D. more fashionable in style
57. What can be learned about Amsterdam’s Keetwonen complex?
A. It is the first container city in the world. B. It’s equipped with modern facilities.
C. It features a luxury and unique style. D. It includes living space and car parks.
B
Following Christmas dinner, my family was relaxing around the table. We had all enjoyed traditional turkey and sweet potatoes lightly shining with brown sugar. The good cooking smells still filled the air; and the oven remained warm. My sister, our chef, was enjoying the admiration.
My nephew, never one to sit still for long, began dribbling(运球)his basketball around the table. Upon nearing Dad, he stopped — almost uncertainly. With shaking wrinkled hands, Dad had reached out for the ball. The boy, confused, looked up and over at us.
I watched my father closely to see what he would do. The twinkle in his eyes shone brighter than any Christmas lights. Holding the ball and reaching forward with a playful smile, Dad bounced it and then caught it.
This action was repeated. Gently throwing the ball away, Dad began a game of catch. The ball continued to be passed through eager pairs of outstretched hands. Cries of “Over here!” rang through the warm kitchen. Dad’s active participation was remarkable to me, for he had advanced Alzheimer’s disease, which had robbed him of many memories and the recognition ability. Despite this, Dad clearly recognized the ball and what you could do with it.
In my younger years, playing with Dad was rare. To his credit, Dad worked hard and provided for us. He was very private and never showed nor shared much emotion; his game of choice was chess, which he did eventually teach me how to play. As an adult, I had become a caregiver as Dad declined. Connecting moments between father and son had been few and far between before he took the basketball.
I’m not sure how long we played catch. What I do know is that our game ended all too soon, and it was time to face the reality of dirty dishes piled high on countertops. The moment, though, will certainly last forever.
58. What can we know about the family’s Christmas dinner?
A. Dishes were cleaned up. B. All food was sugar-free.
C. It was a sweet moment. D. It was disturbed by the game.
59. Why was Dad’s active participation in the game remarkable to me?
A. He rarely played basketball. B. He had severe Alzheimer’s disease.
C. He had astonishing skills. D. He played with family members.
60. What can be the best title for the passage?
A. A game of catch B. A devoted father
C. A dinner of reunion D. A bond between father and son
C
For several decades, there has been an extensive and organized campaign intended to generate distrust in science, funded by regulated industries and libertarian think tanks(自由主义智囊团)whose interests and beliefs are threatened by the findings of modern science. In response, scientists have tended to stress the success of science. After all, scientists have been right about most things, from the structure of the universe to the relativity of time and space.
Quoting successes isn’t wrong, but for many people it’s not persuasive. What is typically declared to be the scientific method—develop a supposition, then design an experiment to test it—isn’t what scientists actually do. Science is active so that new methods get invented and old ones get abandoned. The scientific method doesn’t always work. False theories can produce true results, so even if an experiment works, it doesn’t prove that the theory it was designed to test it true.
If there is no identifiable scientific method, then what is the guarantee for trust in science?
The answer is the methods by which those claims are evaluated. A scientific claim is never accepted as true until it has gone through a long process of examination by fellow scientists. Until this point, scientific feedback is typically fairly friendly. But the next step is different: once the paper is ready, it is presented to a scientific journal, where things get a whole lot tougher. Editors deliberately send scientific papers to people who are not friends or colleagues of the authors, and the job of the reviewer is to find errors or other inadequacies. We call this process “peer review” because the reviewers are scientific peers but they act in the role of a superior who has both the right and the obligation to find fault. It is only after the reviewers and the editor are satisfied that any problems have been fixed that the paper is accepted for publication and enters the body of “science.”
Does this process ever go wrong? Of course. Scientists are human. But if we look carefully at historical cases where science went wrong, typically there was no agreement reached by all. Some people argue that we should not trust science because scientists are “always changing their minds.” While examples of truly settled science being overturned are far fewer than is sometimes claimed, they do exist. But the beauty of this scientific process is that it explains what might otherwise appear paradoxical(矛盾的): that science produces both novelty(新颖性)and stability. New observations, ideas, interpretations introduce novelty: trans-formative questioning leads to collective decisions and the stability of scientific knowledge. Scientists do change their minds in the face of new evidence, but this is a strength of science, not a weakness.
61. Distrust in science has been found because _______.
A. scientists’ citing successes isn’t persuasive for many people to some extent
B. most scientists have tended to lay too much emphasis on the success of science
C. a wide-ranging and organized campaign has been founded in some industries and think tanks
D. someone’s benefits and beliefs are endangered by the findings of modern science
62. Which of the following statements will the author agree with about a scientific method?
A. A scientific method doesn’t necessarily take effect because science is changing.
B. A scientific method is not right because it isn’t what scientists actually do.
C. A successful experiment can guarantee the truthfulness of a claim by a scientific method.
D. True theories can produce false results because the scientific method doesn’t work.
63. What purpose does “peer review” in evaluating a scientific claim mainly serve?
A. The scientific claim can be completely accepted by the reviewers in the same field.
B. The scientific peers can draw right conclusions by finding its faults or other inadequacies.
C. The scientific claim can be published and recognized as true in science.
D. The scientific paper can be successfully submitted to a scientific journal.
64. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that _______.
A. Not all the claims about the falsehood of well-established science lead to its being overturned
B. It is inevitable that science sometimes goes wrong because it appears paradoxical
C. The beauty of science lies in the paradox of being both novel and stable
D. Science is not trustful because scientists always change their minds.
D
From time to time, life can be unbelievably difficult. We are faced with challenges and events that can seem overwhelming(势不可挡的)，life-destroying to the point where it may be hard to decide whether to keep going. But you always have a choice. Jessica Heslop shares her powerful，inspiring journey from the worst times in her life to the new life she has created for herself：
I worked in a finance job that I hated and I lived in a concrete jungle city with little green color. I occupied my time with meaningless relationships and spent large quantities of money on something worthless. I was searching for happiness and had no idea where to find it.
Then I fell ill with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome(慢性疲劳综合征)and became actually difficult to get up from bed.I had to quit my job and then was left with no income. I lived with my boyfriend of then only 3 months who financially supported me and our relationship was put under great pressure. I eventually regained my physical health，but not long after that I got a call from my family at home to say that my father’s cancer had fiercely progressed and that he had been admitted to hospital.
I left the city and I went home to be with him. He died six months later.
My father was a complete inspiration to me. He was always so strong that，for a minute after he drew his last breath，I honestly thought he would come back to life. I couldn’t believe I would never again be against his big warm chest and feel safe no matter what.
The deep sorrow that followed was strong for all of us 5 children and our mother，but we had each other. But my eldest sister at that time complained of a bad back. It got so bad after 2 months that she too was admitted to hospital. They discovered that she had highly advanced cancer in her bones and that there was nothing that they could do. She died one month later.
I c

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