【英语】2020届二轮复习阅读理解（科教科普类）原创试题训练学案之八

【英语】2020届二轮复习阅读理解（科教科普类）原创试题训练学案之八

‎2020届 二轮复习 阅读理解（科教科普类）原创试题训练学案之八 ‎1、    A large male emperor penguin waddles(蹒跚行走) slowly across the ice to the water. He dives deep into the cold salt water and then springs back onto the ice. Nearby a female penguin sleeps as her baby rests on the top of her feet. The penguins are enjoying another beautiful day of sunshine and freezing temperatures in the Penguin Encounter, a special home built for them in sunny California.‎ ‎    The Penguin Encounter is located at SeaWorld in San Diego. It was built to help study the emperor penguin,the largest of all penguins. The emperor penguins’ natural home is in the Antarctic, near the South Pole. Increases in Earth’s temperatures could cause large amounts of ice to break up. Scientists feared that this drastic(剧烈的) change in the environment could destroy the emperor penguins’ nesting areas. This would cause the number of emperor penguins to greatly decrease. A new home for them seemed to be the perfect solution.‎ ‎    Scientists wanted to make the Penguin Encounter a comfortable home for the black-and-white feathered birds. A team of scientists was sent to the Antarctic to learn more about the emperor penguins Scientist Frank Todd led the team. Todd is an expert on penguins. He has spent more than 25 years studying them.‎ ‎    Getting close to the emperor penguins in the Antarctic wasn’t difficult for the group of scientists. Sometimes they would waddle close to Todd and his team. The scientists concluded that this behavior could be the result of poor eyesight. Penguins are nearsighted, which allows them to see better in the water than on land. Another possible reason for their behavior was that they had little to fear on the ice. Their enemies, such as leopard seals and killer whales,hunt mainly in the water.‎ ‎    Todd and his team spent many months studying the diet and social habits of the emperor penguins. It was easy to get close to the penguins, but it wasn't easy to study them.‎ ‎    In the Antarctic, the temperature rarely rises above zero degree, which is perfect for penguins, hut not for scientists. Once Todd and his team had finally gathered enough information, they made plans for a new home in California for a number of emperor penguins. Scientists hoped to study the birds in conditions that were more scientist-friendly. When the "new Antarctic" was completed, Todd and his team brought several hundred emperor penguins to California from the Antarctic.‎ ‎1.Which of the following words can replace the underlined word in the first paragraph? A.Moves. B.Jumps. C.Holds. D.Flies. 2.Why did scientists need to study penguins in the Antarctic before building the Penguin ‎ Encounter? A.They were afraid that the emperor penguins’ homes would be destroyed. B.They wanted the Penguin Encounter just to be like the emperor penguins' natural home. C.They wanted to see how the emperor penguins reacted to the rising temperatures. D.They knew it would take long to gather enough emperor penguins for the Penguin Encounter. 3.Why do emperor penguins have little to fear on the ice? A.It is easy to see their enemies on the white ice. B.Their enemies usually hunt in the water. C.They can easily escape on the smooth ice. D.It is too cold for other animals to survive on the ice. 4.The passage mainly emphasizes _______. A.scientists working as a team in the Antarctic B.a science team finding a way to stop global wanning C.how to protect the emperor penguins at Sea World D.scientists building a special home to learn more about the emperor penguins ‎2、From the moment you open your eyes in the morning, you can feel sweat (汗水)running down your body, even if you're barely moving at all. That's what most people in China felt like this summer. In fact, the ‎ entire northern hemisphere(半球 )saw high temperatures in July. The Arctic Circle(北极圈) was no exception(例外). Temperatures in the city of Norilsk, which is in the Arctic Circle, reached a record high of 32 ℃, The Atlantic reported. Temperatures there are usually just 10 ℃at this time of the year.‎ The heat wave in the Arctic is mainly a long-term result of global warming, according to the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences. In fact, while the whole world is getting warmer, the Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. This is called the polar amplification effect（极地放大效应）.‎ The most direct impact（影响） of Arctic warming is the melting of Arctic ice. According to NASA, Arctic sea ice is now disappearing at a rate of 13.2 percent every 10 years. NASA said that if this continues, the Arctic will have no ice by the year 2040. This has put some Arctic animals, like polar bears, in danger. The ice that the bears live on has shrunk(缩小), the Toronto Star reported.‎ Melting ice can also cause sea levels to rise in the long term. Since 1993, sea levels have risen at a rate of 3.2 cm every 10 years, the Guardian reported. Some countries, such as Tuvalu（图瓦鲁） in the South Pacific Ocean and Maldives（马尔代夫） in the Indian Ocean, are at risk of disappearing into the sea.‎ ‎1. Which of the following is true?‎ A. Some countries in the ocean will disappear in 10 years.‎ B. China is the hottest in the northern hemisphere this summer.‎ C. The temperatures in Norilsk used to be lower than this summer.‎ D. The world gets warmer because of the heat wave in the Arctic.‎ ‎2. What does the underlined word "this" in the third paragraph refer to?‎ A. The heat wave in the Arctic B. The result of global warming C. Getting warmer in the world D. The Arctic getting warm faster ‎3. What may be the result of the melting of Arctic ice?‎ A. The polar will become dangerous B. Sea levels rise in the long term C. There will be an end of water shortage D. There will be no ice in the world by 2040‎ ‎4. What is the main idea of this passage?‎ A. Heat hits Arctic B. Arctic animals are in danger C. The world became hotter than before D. Some countries may disappear into the sea ‎3、Why are photos and videos of cats high-fiving suddenly popping up on social media?‎ Ask Jackson Galaxy, who launched Cat Pawsitive last year, a program that encourages animal shelters to teach cats how to do tricks to make them more attractive for adoption.‎ The idea is simple. A kitty that can sit on command or give a high five shows that it can listen to instructions and connect with others. A high five can make a shy cat open up, Galaxy said.‎ ‎“Big life changes can lead to cats losing their confidence, and we help those cats to feel more confident and to feel safe interacting with new people.” Christie Rogero, program manager for Cat Pawsitive, said.‎ And Stephen Holdeman, training manager at the KC Pet Project, added: “All we need to train a cat to do tricks is the right amount of patience, timing and motivation.” He uses a technique called “operant conditioning (操作性条件反射)”, which associates a cat’s action with getting a reward such as a favorite food or treat.‎ He also uses a clicker—a training device that makes a clicking noise. “In the initial stage, we get the cat used to the idea that when it hears the sound of the clicker, one of its favorite treats appears. After we have bridged these two ideas together we can use the clicker to reinforce different actions the cat does to let it know that if it repeats the action, it will get a treat.”‎ After several repetitions, the cat starts to link everything together. Now all you need to do is let your extended hand be the target, and we’ve got a high five.‎ ‎1.According to the text, how can learning tricks benefit cats at animal shelters? A.It is a good way for shelters to raise money. B.It allows them to pick up skills to stay safe. C.It helps them interact more with each other. D.It helps them build confidence and get adopted. 2.According to the text, what should be done from the start to train cats to learn tricks? A.Teaching them different actions. B.Teaching them how to use a clicker. C.Making them patient enough to repeat actions. D.Helping them connect the sound of a clicker with treats. 3.What does the underlined word “reinforce” in paragraph 6 probably mean? A.record B.strengthen C.ignore D.reward 4.What is the main purpose of the article? A.To explain how to train cats to perform tricks. B.To show how cats are treated at animal ‎ shelters. C.To describe the popularity of cats on social media. D.To inform us of a program that trains cats to do tricks.‎ ‎4、The majority of people on this planet live through ego(自我意识). They feel that they are themselves special, apart from the crowd in some way. Also, they aren't willing to acknowledge other people's specialness, and feel that they are threatened by the people who are different from them.‎ Besides, there are many different 'exclusive clubs' which people join under certain conditions, like Colour of skin clubs, Sports clubs, and so on. What many people fail to acknowledge, however, is that there is in fact only one club The Human Being club.‎ Our diversity is what makes life interesting. I love watching people who dance or create music beautifully, draw out emotions through their acting skills, or are accomplished athletes. I also understand myself well enough to know that I don't have enough passion for any of these things to make the sacrifices necessary to come close to their level of excellence.‎ I believe that it is human nature to communicate and cooperate with people who are like us, but what a lot of people see as 'like us' is narrowed down to very superficial(表面) characteristics. I remember my Jamaican friend's sister being most put out. She had been the only black woman in her company and then another black woman was employed.‎ ‎ They were automatically put to work together because they were both black and obviously had a lot in common - so thought the employer! The truth was that they had nothing in common, didn't come from the same country and actively disliked each other. It's always a mistake to assume anything on a purely superficial basis.‎ I have many friends who are members of a variety of the above mentioned clubs and each one of them has taught me so much about different cultures and life styles, and has enriched my life in the process. I encourage anyone to strike up a conversation with someone who doesn't look like them - you might be surprised at exactly how much you have in common.‎ ‎1.According to the first two paragraphs people tend to _________.‎ A.feel they are special B.feel they are lack of ego C.admit others are special D.admit only one club exist ‎2.How is the Paragraph 3 mainly developed?‎ A.By analyzing causes. B.By setting an example.‎ C.By giving a description. D.By making comparisons.‎ ‎3.The author mentioned his Jamaican friend’s sister to show ___________.‎ A.black women have a lot in common indeed B.it is human ‎ nature to cooperate with people C.people understand “like us” in a narrow way D.people often make mistakes in judging others ‎4.What does the author advise people to do in the last paragraph?‎ A.To enrich their own life. B.To join an exclusive club.‎ C.To talk to different people. D.To experience different life.‎ ‎5、People generally like to feel happy, but achieving a state of happiness takes time and effort. Aekyoung Kim of Rutgers University in the U.S. and Sam Maglio of the University of Toronto Scarborough in Canada have conducted four studies in which they studied how the pursuit of happiness as well as the state of being happy influenced people’s perception (看法) of time.‎ In the studies, some participants were either instructed to list things that would make them happier or asked to try to make themselves feel happy while watching a boring movie about building bridges, thus showing happiness as a goal to pursue. The other participants came to think of happiness as a goal that they had already accomplished, achieved by watching a comedy or listing things showing that they were already happy. Afterwards, all participants reported how much free time they felt they had.‎ The researchers’ main finding showed that a person’s perception of time scarcity (缺乏) is influenced by their pursuit of (often unattainable)‎ ‎ happiness. The feeling that time was scarce became less strong for participants who said that they had attained their goal of being happy to some degree.‎ ‎“Time seems to disappear during the pursuit of happiness, but only when it’s seen as a goal requiring continued pursuit,” explain the researchers. “This finding suggests that the pursuit of happiness can destroy well-being.” According to the researchers, the finding implies that while happiness can hurt positive emotions, it need not necessarily do so. Instead, if someone believes they have achieved happiness, they are left with the time to appreciate this. The research further explains that people have different concepts about happiness, which in turn may well influence how they perceive the time they have to achieve happiness.‎ ‎“Because going through experiences and sharing feelings require more time compared with only, for example, buying material goods, feeling that time is lacking also leads people to prefer material possessions rather than enjoying pleasant experiences,” the researchers continue. “Encouraging people to worry less about pursuing happiness as a never-ending goal might just end up giving them more time and, in turn, more happiness.”‎ ‎1.The tasks given to the two groups of participants differ in __________.‎ A.how they spent their free time B.how they drew up shopping lists C.what kind of movies interested them D.whether they ‎ had acquired happiness ‎2.We can infer from the finding in Paragraph 4 that __________.‎ A.happiness is determined by time B.happiness is a matter of choice C.happiness is a never-ending goal D.happiness can hurt positive emotions ‎3.Which of the following would be the best title of the text?‎ A.Will time-saving tasks make you happier? ‎ B.Is emotion management training necessary?‎ C.Can pursuing happiness make you unhappy? ‎ D.Should you express your unhappiness in hard times?‎ ‎6、A culture's values can be mirrored by its humor.Humor has been evaluated by many great minds such as Thomas Hobbes,who disliked humor,"Laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from some sudden thought of feeling far better than others."He thought humor to be a negative quality of human narrow-mindedness.‎ However, Mordechai Gordon,PhD of Education,insists,"Humor allows us to view the world from an angle that is amusing rather than serious."I agree with Gordon.Learning to look at the world through humour is important.‎ In the United States,every four years an election occurs.Without humor as a way to express their feelings,how else would Americans keep from clawing their eyes out and going the way of lemming? Television ‎ shows like“The Daily Show”have become important parts of American culture.They are mothering the masses by metaphorically airplane-ing politics into our mouths.They make politics fun.‎ Of course,politics is only one type of humor.Social humor helps people through the twists and turns of the human condition.American pop culture promotes an unhealthy self-image.On the topic of self-image,Hari Kondabolu stands out.He has a joke about the popular musical group“The Pussycat Dolls”,describing their hit song"Don't Cha”as a negative representation of women.He points out an obvious offence in American culture.‎ A study from Loyola University of Maryland has shown that humor is one determining factor for selecting a mating partner.Amongst other things,mates look for an outstanding funny bone in a potential partner.‎ Of course,humor is not always used for good purposes.Humor can be linked to vulgarity and racism,but,like everything else,it has potential to unite human beings by allowing us to laugh at ourselves,our failures and our connection with one another.‎ Though life may seem tough and depressing at times,all I have to do is look in the mirror at my increased wrinkles to know that there is a comedy out there that even Chaplin wasn't aware of.‎ With that in mind,remember to laugh with humanity and sometimes at humanity.‎ ‎1.Hobbes believed that humor___________.‎ A.was only a way to laugh at others to make oneself feel better B.resulted in narrow-mindedness of human beings C.had the power to mirror personal glory and national values D.was for people to view the world from another angle ‎2.What is the author's attitude towards political humor?‎ A.Worried. B.Disappointed. C.Curious. D.Appreciative.‎ ‎3.The fourth paragraph is developed mainly A.by example B.by process C.by comparison D.by classification ‎4.What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?‎ A.Chaplin wasn't aware of being laughed at.‎ B.The author feels helpless and sad about getting older.‎ C.Never be the one who laughs at other people.‎ D.The author is determined to face life with a sense of humor.‎ ‎7、    Sharks use their good sense of smell to search for prey(猎物). But a new study shows that the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the ocean could reduce sharks' ability to find food. It's bad news for a healthy ocean. Sharks are top predators(掠食动物) and are like the ocean’s weed controllers.‎ ‎    Dixson works at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Her earlier work has shown that clown fish in acidifying(酸化的) water act strangely. “We want to expand this research to sharks because we know how important it is for sharks to find their food through their sense of smell," said Dixson.‎ ‎    Her team started by placing sharks in each of three different pools for five days. Each pool had a different level of carbon dioxide in it. The first had the same amount as today s ocean water. The second had a level of carbon dioxide that scientists expect to reach by 2050. The third pool had the highest level of carbon dioxide that could develop by the year 2100.‎ ‎    Sharks weren't allowed to eat any food while in the pools. This made sure that they would be hungry. Then, Dixson released the sharks—one at a time—into a pool with two side-by-side streams of flowing water. In one stream, the researchers pumped water, in which a dead squid had been overnight. This water smelled strongly of squid. The other stream contained ocean water with no scent(气味). Because each stream flowed at the same rate and in the same direction, the squid smell stayed in its stream. The sharks could choose to swim in either stream.‎ ‎    Sharks that had been swimming for five days in pools of regular ocean water spent more than 60 percent of their time in the squid-scented stream. The same was true for sharks that had been in water with the carbon dioxide level that could develop by the year 2050. But sharks exposed to ‎ the highest level of carbon dioxide spent just 15 percent of their time in the squid-scented stream.‎ ‎1.Why did the writer mention the sharks’ smell at the beginning of the passage? A.Because the writer appreciates its ability to find food. B.Because the writer considers it dangerous to human beings. C.Because the writer intends to show how to control weed in the ocean. D.Because the writer worries about the sharks in the ocean. 2.What is Paragraph 3 mainly about? A.What the ocean in the future will be like. B.Who helped Dixson conduct the study. C.What kinds of pools were used during the study. D.What the levels of carbon dioxide will be at in the ocean in the future. 3.The researchers pumped water where a dead squid had been overnight to _________. A.help the sharks look for food B.test the sharks’ sense of smell C.prove that sharks like eating squids D.explain why carbon dioxide in the ocean affects sharks 4.What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph suggest? A.Sharks like the squid-scented stream better. B.Sharks like the stream with the high level of carbon ‎ dioxide. C.Sharks spent 15% of their time in the squid-scented stream. D.The high level of carbon dioxide can affect the sharks’ ability to smell.‎ ‎8、    Today, many people use plants from other places to design their yards. Well, do they have any influence on animals living nearby? As we know, plants supply food for things like insects and plant-eating animals. In turn, birds and meat-eating animals feed on these insects and plant-eating animals. It is easy to see how important plants are.     Although foreign plants may look beautiful, they can cause problems when there are too many of them. I live in Virginia, USA, and sometimes see a plant—commonly known as Kudzu —that seems to cover everything in the area, even climbing over whole trees and houses.     Kudzu is an unbelievable plant since it grows very fast. It was first brought to the United States from south-east Asia around the 1870’s as a crop that farmers could grow. However, Kudzu quickly came to be considered harmful throughout the southern United States.     Since Kudzu grows fast in many different environments, it can completely cover areas of land quickly. The plant is also not eaten by any insects or birds in the United States so it can grow unchecked. Kudzu can cover trees, bushes, and even houses. It costs the United States 500 million dollars a year to just keep Kudzu from growing too fast. The plant is a perfect example of what scientists call an invasive (侵略性的) species, which grows more quickly than other native ‎ plants.     All foreign plants have the possibility to spread quickly. Not only are they costly, but planting them in gardens actually takes away food from insects. If everyone filled their garden with plants native to where they live, many lovely butterflies and other native creatures would be attracted to their backyards! So, take a look out of your window — how does your garden grow? 1.We can learn from the text that Kudzu in Virginia _______. A.is very popular B.is difficult to grow C.can cause big trouble D.can make air cleaner 2.Which of the following is TRUE of Kudzu? A.It served as food at first in America. B.It came to America in the early 19th century. C.It grows fast in Asia, but slowly in America. D.It is often eaten by insects or birds in America. 3.How does the author sound when telling of these foreign plants? A.Sad. B.Worried. C.Proud. D.Excited. 4.What does the author mainly discuss in the text? A.Everyone should learn to love nature. B.It is a hard job to grow plants in yards. C.Gardening has become a serious hobby. D.It is important to say no to foreign plants.‎ ‎9、If you have ever had a cat, or have watched one of the many funny cat videos online, you’ll know that cats have a mind of their own. A lot of the things they do are hard to understand—they like to climb up tall furniture, fit themselves in small spaces and attack small objects for no reason at all.‎ Now scientists have managed to figure out what exactly is going on in the brains of our little friends. According to Tony Buffington, a professor at Ohio State University in the US, cats’ strange behavior largely comes from their way of life back in the wild. “Cats today still have many of the same instincts(本能) that allowed them to live in the wild for millions of years.” he said in a TED Talk. “To them, our homes are their jungles.”‎ In the wild, cats are hunters. Their bodies and great balancing abilities allow them to climb to high spots to better look at the environment. Even though they don’t have to hunt anymore in human houses, they still keep the old habit of viewing the living room from, for example, the top of the refrigerator.‎ Cats’ hunting instinct is also what makes them attack small things like keys and USB drives. In the wild, they hunt whatever they can get, and most of the animals they kill are small.‎ However, cats can also be prey. This explains why they like to stay in small spaces like drawers or washing machines—they are hiding, or they ‎ think they are hiding, from more dangerous animals. This is also why cats prefer a clean box: a smelly one could easily show enemies where they are.‎ Knowing how cats’ minds work is not only useful for better understanding them. It may also help cats’ owners to better meet cats’ needs. For example, owners could try to make climbing easier for cats by moving their furniture around. They could also use “food puzzles” to make eating feel more like hunting instead of just giving food to the cats.‎ ‎1.According to Tony Buffington,              .‎ A.cats’ strange behavior is hard for people to understand B.cats are more used to living in the wild than in humans’ homes C.cats behave strangely mainly because of some instincts in the wild D.cats’ instincts are as helpful to them today as they were millions of year ago ‎2.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?‎ A.Cats like to climb up high because they want to hide from dangerous animals B.Cats attack keys and USB drives because they have a habit of hunting small animals C.Cats enjoy staying in small spaces because they usually live in small caves in the wild D.Cats’ preference for a clean box probably has something to do with ‎ their hunting instincts ‎3.The underlined word “prey” in Paragraph 5 probably means                .‎ A.an animal that is too lazy B.an animal that likes hiding games C.an animal that keeps itself clean D.an animal that is hunted ‎4.This article is mainly written to               .‎ A.explore the reasons behind cats’ strange behavior B.describe cats’ past wild experience to readers C.tell cat owners how to make life easier for cats D.compare cats’ behavior in human homes with that in the wild ‎10、Runners who encounter visual and auditory(听觉的) distractions may be more likely to suffer leg injuries, according to research by the Association of Academic Physiatrists in Las Vegas. Runners often seek distractions from the task at hand. Whether it is music, texting, daydreaming, taking in the sights,or propping a book up on the treadmill(跑步机),more often than not a distraction is welcome. But, researchers from the University of Florida have recently discovered that those distractions may lead to injury.‎ Daniel Herman, MD, assistant professor at the University of Florida, and his team conducted research on the effects of visual and auditory distractions on 14 runners to determine what effect these distractions would have on things such as the heart rate, how many times a runner breathes per minute and how much oxygen is consumed by the body.‎ The runners were all injury-free at the time of the study and ran 31 miles each week. Dr. Herman^ team had each participant run on a treadmill three separate times. The first time was without any distractions. The second time added a visual distraction, during which the runners concentrated on2 a screen displaying different letters in different colors with the runners having to notice when a specific letter-color combination appeared. The third time added an auditory distraction similar to the visual distraction, with the runners having to notice when a particular word was spoken by a particular voice.‎ When compared to running without distractions, the participants had faster application of force to their left and right legs, called the loading rate, with auditory and visual distractions. They also experienced an increased amount of force from the ground on both legs, called ground reaction force, with auditory distractions. Finally, the runners tended to breathe heavier and had higher heart rates with visual and auditory distractions than without any distractions at all.‎ ‎“ Running in environments with different distractions may unfavorably affect running performance and injury risk," explains Dr. Herman. "Sometimes these things cannot be avoided, but you may be able to minimize potentially cumulative(累积的) effects. For example,when running a new route in a chaotic environment such as ‎ during a marathon, you may want to skip listening to something which may require more attention—like a new playlist."‎ Dr. Herman’s team will continue to investigate the potential relationship between distracted running and leg injuries, and any effect this relationship has on different training techniques that use auditory or visual cues.‎ ‎1.Paragraph 2 tells us the research ______.‎ A.process B.questions C.results D.reflection ‎2.Based on the research, runners with auditory distractions tended to ____.‎ A.breathe heavier and have lower heart rates B.gain a faster speed with slower loading rates C.apply more force with less oxygen consumption D.get an increased amount of ground reaction force ‎3.What can we infer from the passage?‎ A.Running with distractions becomes uncommon nowadays.‎ B.Listening to a new song while running guarantees performance.‎ C.Runners are advised to minimize distractions in a destination of marathon.‎ D.Runners are more likely to get injured in an environment without distractions.‎ ‎4.What is probably the next task for Dr. Herman's team?‎ A.What determines training techniques. B.What effective ways can cure leg injuries.‎ C.Why runners use auditory and visual cues. D.How distractions should be used in training.‎ ‎11、Have you ever heard of a pawpaw? If not,do not feel bad. Most Americans do not know of the fruit, although it is native to the United States. Once, however, it was one of the most popular fruits in Noilh America. Happily, those who love the pawpaw are trying to return it to its former position in American foods.‎ The pawpaw is a kind of fruit that grows on trees found all over the eastern United States. It is similar in size to a typical mango. It has a dull green-colored skin, and a soft, almost creamy orange inside. Most people agree that it tastes like a combination of bananas, apricots and mangoes. Most people are very suprised by its sweet taste. The fruit has a very short harvest season, for two to three weeks in September and October.‎ The pawpaw has never been sold commercially, the fruit requires a very special environment—low, wet areas that are sometimes flooded. In addition, it is good to eat for only two to three days after harvesting, which makes it hard to sell anywhere distant from the pawpaw trees.‎ But farmers are still growing pawpaw trees and harvesting the fruit. In several states the farmers have organized "pawpaw festivals" to reintroduce the fruit to people.‎ Farmers are trying to grow all kinds of pawpaws that will be easier to ship and sell commercially. Donna and Jim Davis are pawpaw farmers in Westminster, Maryland. They told National Public Radio that they purchased their pawpaw trees in the 1990s and now sell the fruit at farmer markets and online.‎ So, in the near future, maybe the pawpaw will show up at a market near your house.‎ ‎1.What is the pawpaw's most outstanding nature? A.Its harvest season is autumn. B.It tastes like an apricot. C.It looks like a banana. D.It is rich in sugar. 2.Why is it difficult for the pawpaw to become a big business? A.Because it has small production. B.Because it needs floods to grow well. C.Because it is hard to keep it fresh long. D.Because it requires special living conditions. 3.What do farmers do to deal with the disadvantage of pawpaws? A.Reintroduce pawpaws to people. B.Plant improved pawpaw trees. C.Organize festivals for the pawpaw. D.Sell the fruit at farmer markets. 4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text? A.A forgotten American fruit has become popular again B.The pawpaw plays an important part in ‎ America C.Most people hardly eat fresh pawpaws D.A traditional fruit comes on a new look ‎12、    NASA might be famous for sending rockets up to space quickly. But it will be more famous for making your next holiday come more quickly.‎ ‎    The space agency is working on a new plane, which could solve the problems of supersonic(超音速的) flight and vastly increase the speed of journeys abroad. If successful, the plane would be able to fly between New York and London in just three hours. And it would reduce the time spent flying other journeys by a half, since it could be used more broadly. Until now, the problem with such planes has been the sonic boom(声爆), made famous by the original Concorde. That happens when a plane reaches supersonic speeds.‎ ‎    It is a thunderous noise that upsets people on the ground---- disturbing animals and even causing physical problems to materials and houses underneath. It was that effect that led Congress to ban such planes from being used over the US land, a decision that in turn was responsible for Concorde’s failing to be commercially used.‎ ‎    In view of the problem, the space agency has developed a new technology and tried it out in wind tunnels, and now believes that it could be put to commercial use. That plane will fly as high as 55,000 feet---- far higher than normal planes---and make a sound of only 60 decibels. That’s ‎ far less than 90 decibels thrown out by normal planes, and is roughly in line with a car on the motorway or a busy restaurant.‎ ‎    “As long as we can get endorsement from the general public, the plane will probably be something that’s acceptable,” said Peter Coen, project manager for NASA’s commercial supersonic research team, in a new Bloomberg report. “If we get approved, we will have the full-sized version of the plane tried out and the plane will be put into use.”‎ ‎1.Why does the author mention Concorde? A.To suggest the rapid development of planes. B.To stress the negative effect of sonic booms. C.To introduce how a commercial plane is designed. D.To show Congress’ important role in making planes. 2.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about? A.The basic data of the new plane. B.The working principle of the new plane. C.The problems of the new plane. D.The potential market of the new plane. 3.What does the underlined word “endorsement” in paragraph 5‎ ‎ mean? A.Response B.Commitment. C.Investment D.Agreement 4.What is the purpose of the passage? A.To inform people of NASA’s new plane. B.To prove the disadvantages of supersonic flight. C.To explain why speed matters in supersonic flight. D.To clarify some misunderstandings about commercial planes.‎ ‎13、Do you have trouble trying to create the next big idea? Sometimes the answer isn’t to just force an idea out of your mind. Instead, you might want to try sitting back, relaxing and letting your mind wander. Yes, you heard that correctly. If you are in need of a new idea, try daydreaming.‎ Researchers from the university of California, Santa Barbara, found an association between daydreaming and creative problem-solving.  Their study includes having participants first do an “unusual-use task”. They had to try to come up with as many different ways to use an object as they could.‎ Then, the participants chose to do one of the following four things before doing the “unusual-use task” again: complete a difficult task; complete an easy task; take a 12-minute break; or skip the 12-minute break and move right on to the task exercise again.‎ Surprisingly, the group that performed best was the one that completed the easy task. Many participants reported that they were ‎ daydreaming while performing the easy task. So the researchers believed that this daydreaming might have helped unlock their creativity.‎ But how could daydreaming help the brain come up with creative ways? The answer is something known as “unconscious thought”. Even when you are not actively working to solve a problem, it is still in the back of your mind. Your brain is still thinking about the problem, but in a much more subtle (不易察觉的) way.‎ When you daydream, your mind is allowed to think in ways it normally would not. Because it is free of control, it can create completely new and out-of-the-box ideas.‎ Great ideas never come easily, but that does not mean you always have to work hard to get them. Feel free to do what you want and let your mind wander.‎ ‎1.The “unusual-use task” in Paragraph 2 means that participants ______. A.complete an easy task B.complete a very difficult task C.take a 12-minute break D.think of various ways to use an object 2.Why did the participants who completed the easy task perform best? A.They were not actively working to solve the easy task. B.They daydreamed and it helped them be more creative. C.They were daydreaming while performing the difficult task. D.They skipped the 12-minute break to complete the task ‎ again. 3.What does the underlined phrase “unconscious thought” in Paragraph 5 mean? A.Your brain wander in a subtle way within your control. B.Your brain knows clearly what you’re thinking and doing. C.Your brain is thinking about a problem outside of your awareness. D.Your brain refuses to receive any information from the outside world. 4.The passage mainly wants to tell us that ______. A.brainstorming is important to creative ideas B.daydreaming is a way to improve creativity C.problem-solving skills are important in our lives D.the more we exercise brains, the more ideas we’ll get ‎14、When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly as possible and head for safety. But there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm. These people are willing to risk being killed by floods or 100-kilometer-an-hour winds for the excitement of watching the storm close up.‎ ‎“Storm chasing (追逐)” is becoming an increasingly popular hobby, especially in the Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July. A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to 1,000 kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop.‎ Although anyone can do it, storm chasing is very dangerous. The power of a big storm can throw a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds. Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents caused by driving in a heavy rain. If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm-chasing vacations during the storm season. Even then, storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement. “Storm chasing is 95% driving,” says Daniel Lynch, who spends most of his summer storm-chasing. “Sometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers. ”‎ However, for storm chasers, it is all worth it. “When you get close to a storm, it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life,” says Jasper Morley. “Every storm is an example of the power of nature. It is the greatest show on Earth”.‎ ‎1.For storm chasing, the first thing storm chasers do is to _____.‎ A.head straight for the center of the storm B.get into the car for safety C.wait patiently for the storm to develop D.collect information about a coming storm ‎2.Beginners of storm chasing are advised _____.‎ A.not to drive in a heavy rain B.to do it in an organized way C.not to get too close to a storm D.to spend more time on it in ‎ summer ‎3.By saying “it is all worth it” in the last paragraph, the author means that _____.‎ A.storm chasing costs a lot of money B.storm chasing is worth hours of waiting C.efforts in storm chasing are well paid D.a storm present is the greatest show on Earth ‎4.What can we learn from the text?‎ A.Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment.‎ B.Many storm chasers get killed in the storms.‎ C.Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world.‎ D.Storm chasing is only fit for young people.‎ ‎15、Have you ever found yourself in this situation: You hear a song you used to sing when you were a child – a bit of nostalgia(怀旧) or “blast from the past,” as we say. But it is not a distant childhood memory. The words come back to you as clearly as when you sang them all those years ago.‎ Researchers at the University of Edinburgh studied the relationship between music and remembering a foreign language. They found that remembering words in a song was the best way to remember even one of the most difficult languages.‎ Here is what they did. Researchers took 60 adults and randomly divided them into three groups of 20. Then they gave the groups three different types of “listen-and-repeat” learning conditions. Researchers had one group simply speak the words. They had the second group speak the words to a rhythm, or beat. And they asked the third group to sing the words.‎ All three groups studied words from the Hungarian language for 15 minutes. Then they took part in a series of language tests to see what they remembered.‎ Why Hungarian, you ask? Researchers said they chose Hungarian because not many people know the language. It does not share any roots with Germanic or Romance languages, such as Italian or Spanish. After the tests were over, the singers came out on top. The people who learned these new Hungarian words by singing them showed a higher overall performance. They did the best in four out of five of the tests. They also performed two times better than those who simply learned the words by speaking them.‎ Dr. Katie Overy says singing could lead to new ways to learn a foreign language. The brain likes to remember things when they are contained in a catchy 3, or memorable 4, tune 5.‎ Dr. Ludke said the findings could help those who struggle to learn foreign languages. On the University of Edinburgh’s website Dr. Ludke ‎ writes, “This study provides the first experimental evidence that a listen-and-repeat singing method can support foreign language learning, and opens the door for future research in this area.”‎ ‎1.The “song” mentioned in the first paragraph is intended to__________.‎ A.recall the past B.attract the readers C.introduce the topic D.compare the childhood with the present ‎2.According to the passage which language doesn’t share the same root with Germanic or Romance languages?‎ A.Hungarian. B.Spanish. C.Italian. D.English.‎ ‎3.Based on the last two paragraphs, we can conclude that __________.‎ A.singing is the best way to learn a language.‎ B.the brain probably works best when the foreign language learners sing the words.‎ C.a listen-repeat method is very effective for any language learner.‎ D.Dr. Katie Overy and Dr. Ludke disagree with each other.‎ ‎4.In which situation can the finding of the research be applied?‎ A.A mother is going to teach her baby how to speak.‎ B.A child is going to have his first music lesson.‎ C.A student is going to learn a new English song.‎ D.An American is going to learn some Chinese.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 答案以及解析 ‎1答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.B; 2.B; 3.B; 4.D 解析：1.考查词义猜测。从上下文可知,这里应该是讲这只皇企鹅跳回了冰面上,故选B。 2.考查细节理解。由文章第三段可知,科学家想让 Penguin Encounter成为适合皇企鹅居住的舒适家园,而为了达到这个目的,他们要先去南极地区了解皇企鹅的生活习性,这样才能使Penguin Encounter的环境更加适合皇企鹅。 3.考查细节理解。由文章第四段最后一句可知,皇企鹅的敌人通常会在水下捕食,因此在冰面上的时候它们并不怎么害怕。 4.考查主旨大意。通读全文可知,科学家在圣地亚哥为原本生活在南极的皇企鹅建设了一个新家园,以便更方便地研究皇企鹅,因此应选D项。 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎2答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.C; 2.D; 3.B; 4.A 解析：‎ ‎1.推理判断题。根据第一段Temperatures in the city of Norilsk, which is in the Arctic Circle, reached a record high of 32 ℃, The Atlantic reported. ‎ Temperatures there are usually just 10 ℃at this time of the year.可知,Norilsk的气温曾经低于今年夏天 2.词义猜测题。根据第二段中In fact, while the whole world is getting warmer, the Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the planet. This is called the polar amplification effect(极地放大效应). 事实上,当整个世界变暖的时候,北极的变暖速度是地球其他地方的两倍。这就是所谓的极性放大效应。由此推知划线词This指的是“北极变暖得更快” 3.推理判断题。根据最后一段第一句Melting ice can also cause sea levels to rise in the long term.可知,北极冰层融化的结果可能是从长远来看,海平面会上升 4.主旨大意题。根据第三段第一句The heat wave in the Arctic is mainly a long-term result of global warming,和第四段第一句The most direct impact of Arctic warming is the melting of Arctic ice.可知,本文讲述的是“热在冲击北极” ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎3答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.D; 2.D; 3.B; 4.D 解析：1.推理判断题.根据文章第二行a program that encourages animal shelters to teach cats how to do tricks to make them more attractive for adoption可知,动物之家的learning tricks 对猫的好处是能让猫更加招人喜爱从而有更多地猫被收养.故选D. 2.推理判断题.根据文章倒数第三行In the initial stage, we get the cat ‎ used to the idea that when it hears the sound of the clicker, one of its favorite treats appears可知,从开始initial stage就训练猫能把clicker的声音和美食treats联系起来. 故选D. 3.词义猜测题.根据文章倒数第二行After we have bridged these two ideas together we can use the clicker to reinforce different actions the cat does to let it know that if it repeats the action, it will get a treat可知,在我们将两个想法结合起来之后,我们使用clicker来强化猫做的不同的动作,让猫知道重复clicker,就会有美食吃,所以"reinforce"是"加强.强化"之意,故选B. 4.写作目的题.根据根据文章第二行a program that encourages animal shelters to teach cats how to do tricks to make them more attractive for adoption可知,动物之家对猫进行训练从而有更多地猫被收养,这是一个活动项目program. 所以,文章主要是介绍了一个项目,故选D.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎4答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.A; 2.B; 3.C; 4.C 解析：1.细节理解题。根据第一段中“They feel that they are themselves special, apart from the crowd in some way.”可知人们倾向于认为自己很特别。 2.文章结构题。根据文章写作手法,作者举了自己的例子证明差异和多样性使得生活有趣。 3.推理判断题。根据第四段,作者举例为了论证观点“what a lot of people ‎ see as 'like us' is narrowed down to very superficial characteristics.”可知答案C正确。 4.推理判断题。根据最后一段“I encourage anyone to strike up a conversation with someone who doesn't look like them”可知作者鼓励人们去与他人交流,因此答案C正确。‎ ‎ ‎ ‎5答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.D; 2.B; 3.C 解析：1.细节理解题.根据文章第二段,In the studies, some participants were either instructed to list things that would make them happier or asked to try to make themselves feel happy while watching a boring movie about building bridges, thus showing happiness as a goal to pursue. The other participants came to think of happiness as a goal that they had already accomplished, achieved by watching a comedy or listing things showing that they were already happy.在研究中,一些参与者被要求列出能让他们更快乐的事情,或者在看一部关于搭桥的无聊电影时试着让自己感到快乐,从而把快乐作为一个追求的目标.其他参与者开始把快乐看作一个他们已经完成的目标,并通过看喜剧或听音乐来他们表现他们已经得到快乐的事实.可知,二组人不同的地方在于他们是否已经得到快乐了,结合选项,故选D. 2.推理判断题.根据文章第四段,Instead, if someone believes they have achieved happiness, they are left with the time to appreciate this. The ‎ research further explains that people have different concepts about happiness, which in turn may well influence how they perceive the time they have to achieve happiness相反,如果有人相信他们已经获得了幸福,他们就有时间去欣赏它.研究进一步解释了人们对幸福有不同的概念,这反过来可能会影响他们如何看待他们获得幸福的时间.可知,研究表明幸福的关键在于人们的选择,选择幸福快乐,就能幸福快乐.结合选项,故选B. 3.主旨大意题.根据文章内容,主要讲述了人们对于幸福的追求和定义.研究表明,幸福与否很大程度上在于人们的选择,选择幸福快乐,就能幸福快乐.结合选项,故选C.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎6答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.A; 2.D; 3.A; 4.D 解析：1.细节题.根据第一段Laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from sudden thought of feeling far better than others.笑声不过是突然想到比别人好得多而产生的优越感.可知Thomas Hobbes不喜欢幽默,因为他认为幽默是嘲笑别人使自己开心的一种方式,是人性狭隘的表现,故选A项. 2.推断题.根据最后一段最后一段话提到With that in mind,remember to laugh with humanity and sometimes at humanity考虑到这一点,记得微笑,故是一种欣赏的态度,故选D项. 3.结构分析题.作者通过列举Hari ‎ Kondabolu的例子来证明自己的观点,社会幽默反应了一个时代的文化情况,故选A项. 4.推理判断题.根据倒数第二段Though 1ife may seem tough and depressing at times, all I have to do is look in the mirror at my increased wrinkles to know that there is a comedy out there that even Chaplin wasn't aware of. 尽管生活有时候会很艰难并且令人沮丧,我要做的是看着镜子里自己日益增加的皱纹,告诉自己生活中总是有一些卓别林都没意识到的欢乐.可知作者支持生活中保持幽默,故选D项.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎7答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.D; 2.C; 3.B; 4.D 解析：1.推理判断题。作者作第一段中提到鲨鱼的嗅觉,主要是引出主题,即:海洋环境的改变会对鲨鱼的觅食能力造成危靠。因此可推知作者担心生活在海洋中的鲨鱼。 2.段落大意题。根据第三段的内容可知,本段主要是讲Dixson和她的团队把鲨鱼放在哪些池子里做实验。 3.细节理解题。根据第四段的内容可知,研究人员往水池里放了带鱿鱼味的水,其目的是测试鲨鱼在特定的环境下能否闻到那种气味,故选B。 4.推理判断题。画线句子的意思是“但是暴露在最高浓度的二氧化碳中的鲨鱼只在有鱿鱼味的水中花费了仅仅15%的时间”。由此可知,Dixson团队的实验发现,鲨鱼的嗅觉的确受到二氧化碳浓度的影响。 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎8答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.C; 2.A; 3.B; 4.D 解析：1.细节理解题。根据第三段最后一句话可知,野葛在美国南部造成了危害。故正确答案为C。 2.细节理解题。根据第三段中的“It was first brought to the Uniled States from South-East Asia around the 1870s as a crop that farmers could grow. ”可知,起初这种植物在美国被当作一种农民可以种植的庄稼。故正确答案为A。 3.推理判断题。根据文章内容,尤其是最—段中的“how does your garden grow”可知,作者讲述外来植物时是充满担心的。故正确答案为B。 4.推理判断题。这篇文章以野葛为例,讲述了外来植物对当地造成的巨大危害,所以对外来植物说“不”是很重要的。故正确答案为D。 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎9答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.C; 2.B; 3.D; 4.A 解析：1.细节理解题。由第二段中的 cats’ strange behavior largely comes from their way of life back in the wild 可知答案. 2.细节理解题.由第四段首句 Cats’ hunting instinct is also what makes them attack small things like keys and USB ‎ drives.可知B项正确。由第三段第二句可排除A项;由第五段第二句可排除C项;由第五段尾句可排除D项。 3.词义猜测题。由画线词后面的描述可知,猫喜欢躲藏在狭小空间的原因是躲避更危险的动物。故答案为D项。 4.主旨大意题通读文章尤其是第二段可知,本文主要是探索猫的奇怪行为的原因。故答案为A项。‎ ‎ ‎ ‎10答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.B; 2.D; 3.C; 4.D 解析：1.推理判断題由第二段“...to determine what effect these distractions would have on things such as the heart rate, how many...and how much..." 可知,他们都是具体的研究问题.故选B。 2.细节理解题。由第四段第二句“在有听觉干扰时,他们也将会受到来自地面对双腿更大的力,称为地面反作用力”与D项为同义转述,故选D, 3.推理判断题。由第五段第二句“有些时候一些事情不能避免,但是你可以尽量将潜在的影响最小化可知,这里所说的“ potentially cumulative effects”就是“distractions”,与C项中的意思相近,属于同义转换,故为答案。 4.推理判断题。由尾段“Herman博士的团队将继续研究跑步受到的干扰和腿部受伤的潜在关系,以及这种关系对运用听觉和视觉信息的不同训练技巧有何影响”可推知Herman博士的团队下一步的工作将是研究如何将听觉和视觉干扰运用到训练当中。故选D。‎ ‎ ‎ ‎11答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.D; 2.C; 3.B; 4.A 解析： 1.推理判断题。根据第二段倒数第二句Most people are very surprised by its sweet taste.可知,大部分人对它的甜味感到惊讶,由此可推断出含糖量高是其突出特点。 2.细节理解题。根据第三段第三句中的it is good to eat for only two to three days after harvesting 可知,原因是这种水果保鲜期太短。 3.推理判断题。根据第五段第一句Farmers are trying to grow all kinds of pawpaws that will be easier to ship and sell commercially. 可知,现在农民们正在努力种植更易于运输和商业化买卖的木瓜,也就是通过改良品种来解决木瓜存在的问题。 4.主旨大意题。根据第一段的内容可知,木瓜曾经是北美洲最流行的水果之一,而现在木瓜种植者正在恢复其原来的地位。 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎12答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.B; 2.A; 3.D; 4.A 解析：1.推断题。根据第2、3段可知，作者提到协和式超音速客机是为了强调声爆的负面影响。‎ ‎2.主旨题。通读第4段可知，该段介绍了这款新式飞机的一些基本资料。‎ ‎3.词义推断题。根据画线词所在句的句意和最后一 句中的If we get approved 可推断,endorsement 意为 “同意;认同”。‎ ‎4.主旨题。本文主要介绍了美国国家航空航天局新研发的一款飞机。‎ ‎ ‎ ‎13答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.D; 2.B; 3.C; 4.B 解析：1.细节理解题;根据原文 Their study includes having participants (参与者) first do an "unusual﹣use task". They had to try to come up with as many different ways to use an object as they could.他们的研究包括让参与者首先完成一项"不寻常用途的任务".他们必须尽可能想出许多不同的方法来使用对象.结合选项,可知选D. 2.细节理解题;根据原文Many participants reported that they were daydreaming while performing the easy task. So the researchers believed that this daydreaming might have helped unlock their creativity.许多参与者报告说,他们做白日梦的同时,执行简单的任务.因此,研究人员认为,这种白日梦可能有助于解锁他们的创造力.可知完成简单任务的参与者表现最好,原因是因为他们有时间做白日梦,这可能有助于解放他们的创造力. 结合选项可知选B. 3.词义猜测题;根据原文Even when you are not actively working to solve a problem, it is still in the back of your mind. Your brain is still thinking about the problem, but in a much more subtle (不易察觉的) way.即使你没有积极地解决问题,它仍然在你的脑海里.你的大脑仍然在思考这个问题,但是以一种更微妙的方式.结合选项,可知选C. 4.总结大意题;根据原文Yes, you heard that correctly. If you are in need ‎ of a new idea, try daydreaming.是的,你听对了.如果你需要一个新的想法,试着做白日梦.可知白日做梦是提高创造力的一种方式.故选B.‎ ‎ ‎ ‎14答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.D; 2.B; 3.C; 4.A 解析： 1.解析:这是一道细节推断题。根据第二段最后一句“A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the last weather reports”可以推断出storm chaser做的第一件事是搜集天气信息。 2.解析:这是一道细节推断题。根据“storm chasing is extremely dangerous”和“If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm-chasing vacations during the storm season.”可知追逐风暴十分危险,初学者最后加入团队一起行动。 3.解析:这是一道推理题。It is all worth it.的意思是一切都十分值得,虽然可能要等待很长时间,但是“it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life”所以付出得到了回报。 4.解析:这是一道细节推断题。根据第三段最后一句“Sometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers”可以推断出有时风暴并不会来临,所以选A。其他三项在短文中都没有提到。‎ ‎ ‎ ‎15答案及解析：‎ 答案：1.C; 2.A; 3.B; 4.D 解析：本文讲述的是一项关于音乐和外语学习之间关系的研究。‎ ‎1.C 细节理解题。本文开头通过举例导入话题,人们都清楚地记得儿时唱歌的歌词是因为音乐有助于记忆,故选C。‎ ‎2.A 细节理解题。根据文章第五段“It does not share any roots with Germanic or Romance languages, such as Italian or Spanish.”可知A项正确。故选A。‎ ‎3.B 细节理解题。根据最后两段对研究的具体描述可知B项正确。故选B。‎ ‎4.D 推理判断题。从最后一段可知,此项研究对于外语学习者非常有用,可知D项正确。故选D。‎ ‎ ‎