2017高考英语阅读理解解析版汇编（73）
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A,B,C或D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A recent study of ancient and modern elephants has come up with the unexpected conclusion that the African elephant is divided into two distinct (不同的) species.
The discovery was made by researchers at York and Harvard Universities when they were examining the genetic relationship between the ancient woolly mammoth and mastodon to modern elephants—the Asian elephant, African forest elephant, and African savanna elephant.
Once they obtained DNA sequences (序列) from two fossils (化石), mammoths and mastodons, the team compared them with DNA from modern elephants. They found to their amazement that modern forest and savanna elephants are as distinct from each other as Asian elephants and mammoths.
The scientists used detailed genetic analysis to prove that the African savanna elephant and the African forest elephant have been distinct species for several million years. The divergence of the two species took place around the time of the divergence of Asian elephants and woolly mammoths. This result amazed all the scientists.
There has long been debate in the scientific community that the two might be separate species, but this is the most convincing scientific evidence so far that they are indeed different species.
Previously, many naturalists believed that African savanna elephants and African forest elephants were two populations of the same species, despite the elephants’ significant size differences. The savanna elephant has an average shoulder height of 3. 5 metres while the forest elephant has an average shoulder height of 2. 5 metres. The savanna elephant weighs between six and seven tons, roughly double the weight of the forest elephant. But the fact that they look so different does not necessarily mean they are different species. However the proof lay in the analysis of the DNA.
Alfred Roca, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois, said, “We now have to treat the forest and savanna elephants as two different units for conservation purposes. Since 1950, all African elephants have been conserved as one species. Now that we know the forest and savanna elephants are two very distinctive animals, the forest elephant should become a bigger priority (优先) for conservation purposes.”
1. One of the fossils studied by the researchers is that of .
A. the Asian elephant B. the forest elephant
C. the savanna elephantD. the mastodon elephant
2. The underlined word “divergence” in Paragraph 4 means “ ."
AA. evolutionB. exhibition C. separationD. examination
3. The researchers’ conclusion was based on a study of the African elephant’s .
A. DNAB. heightC. weightD. population
4. What are Alfred Roca’s words mainly about?
A. The conservation of African elephants.
B. The purpose of studying African elephants.
C. The way to divide African elephants into two units.
D. The reason for the distinction of African elephants.
5. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A. Naturalists’ Beliefs about Elephants
B. Amazing Experiments about Elephants
C. An Unexpected Finding about Elephants
D. A Long Scientific Debate about Elephants
参考答案1-5 DCAAC
较难题目特训：节能环保类
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A,B,C或D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
The Goldman Environmental Foundation recently recognized a group of individuals (个体) for their efforts to protect the environment. Each year, the American-based group honors environmental activists from six different areas.
The first three winners of the 2017 Goldman Prize are from Kenya, the Philippines and China.
The Goldman Environmental Foundation says Ikal Angelei is a hero to those who live around Lake Turkana. The Kenyan woman received the award because of her efforts to stop a dam project on a river in Ethiopia. Critics say the dam will harm the lake and restrict (限制) the flow of water for people who live nearby.
The Philippine island of Mindoro is home to those who depend on the area’s natural resources for food and jobs. Edwin Gariguez became concerned when a European company announced plans to mine for nickel (镍) on the island. The Roman Catholic minister said waste materials from the mining project would pollute the water and destroy the forests. So he started a campaign to stop the project.
In China, Ma June is working with businesses to clean up their pollution. He formed a group that collects information about pollution, and publishes it on the Internet.
The Goldman Prize was also awarded to activists from Argentina, Russia and the United States.
Sofia Gatica of Argentina is from a town where farmers commonly use pesticide (杀虫剂) products to protect soybean crops from insects. The town also has a high rate of cancer. Sofia Gatica believed that pesticide use was responsible for the death of her baby. She worked with other mothers to get government officials to ban the use of chemicals near populated areas.
Evgenia Chirikova objects to the plans to build a road through a protected forest just outside Moscow. She has demanded that Russian officials redirect the road away from the forest. She and her followers have been arrested for their activities. However, their campaign has gained widespread public support.
The sixth winner is American Caroline Cannon—a community leader in Point Hope, Alaska. Miz Cannon is fighting to keep Arctic waters safe from oil and gas exploration.
1. We can know from the passage that ______.
A. the dam project has been prevented
B. the first three activists are all from Asia
C. a European company is going to dig for nickel
D. Ma June is trying to stop oil and gas exploration
2. From the 7th paragraph, we can know that ______.
A. pesticide use accounts for a high-rate of cancer
B. Sofia managed to ban the use of chemicals
C. the farmers mainly live on unpolluted products
D. the death of the baby was due to delayed treatment
3. What do we know about Evgenia Chirikova？
A. She plans to build a road to protect the forest.
B. She is in charge of a project far away from the road.
C. She persuaded the government to set her followers free.
D. Her environmental action has been widely acknowledged.
4. What would be the best title for the passage?
A. Six Advanced Individuals for Hard Work
B. Efforts to Create a Clean and Beautiful World
C. Six Environmental Activists Win Goldman Prize
D. The Goldman Environmental Foundation Prize
【参考答案】1—4、CADC
较难题目特训：节能环保类
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A,B,C或D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
SCS Global Services （SCS） has evaluated a new methodology for measuring the carbon sequestration（封存） ability of soil under the Verified（验证） Carbon Standard （VCS）, a leading greenhouse gas （GHG） accounting system. The methodology, developed by The Earth Partners, will allow land managers who sequester GHGs in grasslands and farmlands to produce carbon credits for sale in the voluntary market.
Managers of grasslands and farmlands can increase carbon sequestration in soil by practices such as changing grazing（放牧） practices and operating treatments designed to improve the variety and productivity of plant groups. The Earth Partners is presently piloting this methodology with farmers across seven million acres of the Palouse River and Columbia Plateau regions in the Pacific Northwest.
“The VCS program has achieved an important milestone in now combining grassland and rangeland carbon offset（抵消，补偿） projects," said Dr. Robert J. Hrubes, Executive Vice President of SCS."SCS looks forward to approving and verifying agricultural carbon offset projects that use this very powerful new methodology."
The VM0021 Soil Carbon Quantification Methodology is based on decades of soil carbon research and testing conducted by top soil scientists. The methodology was developed by The Earth Partners and verified by Environmental Services, Inc. as well as SCS Global Services. It is the first soil carbon methodology to be approved for use under the VCS.
"This widely tested methodology is the first to specially deal with soils in a market," said Steven I. Apfelbaum, Chairman of Applied Ecological Services, Inc. and Director of Science with The Earth Partners. According to Apfelbaum, soils represent the second largest living sink of carbon on the planet.
1. The new methodology is assessed according to .
A. The Earth Partners
B. the Verified Carbon Standard
C. Environmental Services, Inc. D. Applied Ecological Services, Inc.
2. Carbon sequestration in soil can be strengthened by .
A. selling carbon credits in the voluntary market
B. changing grazing practices and operating treatments
C. reducing the variety and productivity of plant groups
D. decreasing farmlands in the Pacific Northwest
3. Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. The VCS program proves to be successful in carbon offset projects.
B. Many soil Carbon Methodologies have already been approved for use.
C. The new methodology has been tested in many fields including soil.
D. Soils seem to be the largest living sink of carbon on the planet.
4. What is the attitude of SCS towards the new methodology?
A. Opposed.B. Cautious.C. Doubtful.D. Approving.
【参考答案】1—4、BBAD
阅读理解
Somali pirates(海盗) robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77 sailors on board nearly l，200 Miles off the Somali coast，the farthest-off-shore attack to date，an officer said Tuesday.
Pirates have gone farther south and east in answer to increased patrols(巡逻)by warships off the Somali shore. The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600 miles outside the normal operation area for the international force，said a spokesman．
The spokesman said the attack so far out at sea was a clear sign that the international patrols against pirates were having a “marked effect on pirate activity in the area”.
“Once they start attacking that far out，you’re not even really talking about the Somali basin or areas of water that have any connection with Somalia,” said an officer，Roger Middleton. “Once you’re that far out，it's just the Indian Ocean，and it means you’re looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia，from Asia to South Africa.”
"This is the farthest robbing to date. They are now operating near the Maldives and India,” said another officer.
The three ships--the MV Prantalay 11，12，and l 4—had 77 members on board in total．All of them are Thai, the spokesman said. Before the Sunday robbing，pirates held l l ships and 228 sailors.
Pirates have increased attacks over the past year in hopes。f catching more dollar payments. Because of increased patrols and defenses on board ships，the success rate(率)has gone down，though the number of successful attacks has stayed the same year over year.
(
) 1. The pirate attack reported in the text happened
.
A. far out in the Indian Ocean
B. in the normal patrol area
C. near the Somali, coast
D. in the south of Africa
(
) 2. According to the text, which can best describe the situation of the pirate problems?
A. More goods on board are lost.
B. Pirate attacks happen in a larger area now.
C. The number of attacks has stayed the same these years.
D. Pirate attacks are as serious as before along the Somali coast.
(
) 3. Which is true about the warship patrols according to the text?
A. The patrols are of little effect.
B. The patrols are more difficult.
C. More patrols are quite necessary even in Asia.
D. The patrols only drive the pirates to other areas.
(
) 4. How many sailors were held by the pirates up to the time of the report?
A. 228.
B. 77.
C. 383.
D. 305.
语篇分析：本篇文章为资讯报道类文体。报道索马里海盗周日抢劫三艘泰国渔船，并引用部分官员的话，让读者了解当前的索马里海盗的形势。
1.答案：A
考点：细节理解
解析：由 “The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600 miles outside the normal operation area for the international force…”以及 “Once you’re that far out，it's just the Indian Ocean”句意为“这次海盗袭击发生在国际保卫队正常保护区域六百英里外”，“一旦你到了那么远，那就是印度洋了”可得出答案。
2.答案：B
考点： 主旨大意
解析：文章主要报道发生在周末的对泰国渔船的袭击，就此事引出索马里海盗的袭击已经超越国际保护队的正常护卫范围，而进入更深的海域。
3. 答案：B
考点：细节理解
解析：依据… patrols against pirates were having a “marked effect on pirate activity in the area”及 “Once you’re that far out，it's just the Indian Ocean，and it means you’re looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia，from Asia to South Africa.”可知巡逻明显见效，又有一旦再超过那么远，那就是印度洋，那就意味着你在看管从波斯湾到亚洲，从亚洲到南美洲的所有行线。可知应是巡逻难度加大了。
4．答案D
考点：推理计算题。
解析：由文章首句Somali pirates robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77 sailors on board……及Before the Sunday robbing, pirates held 11 ships and 228 sailors.可知到发报到为止，索马里海盗应劫持水手77+228=305人。
较难题目特训：节能环保类
阅读下列四篇短文，从每小题后所给的A,B,C或D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Rainforest is home to around two-thirds of all plant and animal species found on land—in addition to millions of people who depend on them for survival—our remaining ancient forests are some of the most diverse ecosystems known to science. They are also vitally important to the health of our planet, especially when it comes to regulating the climate. But ancient forests around the world are under attack.
Protecting rainforests is on the global agenda (议事日程) in a big way. Governments now recognize the importance of protecting tropical forests in order to avoid dangerous climate change, and there is now much debate. As governments try to thrash out the details of a new international agreement, expected to be signed at the end of 2009, they are discussing how best to include measures to save rainforests, and therefore address one of the major causes of climate change. Worldwide, forest destruction causes more greenhouse gas emissions (排放) each year than do all the trains, planes and cars on the planet. So if we are to deal with global warming, there is an urgent need to find ways to reduce the 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions caused by forest destruction each year, and to keep the remaining forests standing.
We need to protect the planet’s remaining forests not only to stop climate change from getting worse, but to ensure that we can stand the impacts of global warming. Healthy forests absorb and store quantities of carbon, helping to regulate temperature and generate rain. When they are destroyed, this carbon is released into the atmosphere. Thus keeping forests standing is both a critical part of regulating climate change and of adapting to a warmer world.
To date, most of the talk has focused on how to pay for reducing deforestation (滥伐森林), rather than on how to actually go about doing it. We believe governments need to support local people to protect their environment, as we have been showing for 20 years can be a very effective way of saving rainforests.
1. The best title for the passage is .
A. Rainforest and Climate Change
B. Strategies on Protecting Rainforest
C. Serious Deforestation to Rainforest
D. Present Situation of Rainforest
2. From the first paragraph we can infer that .
A. we have little rainforest left until now
B. the ancient forests are being destroyed
C. rainforest control the planet in many ways
D. Rainforest is home to all plants and animals on earth
3. The underlined part “thrash out” in the second paragraph means .
A. try to understandB. come up with
C. hide away
D. have a thorough discussion
4. Greenhouse gas emissions caused by forest destruction .
A. are the same amount by transport on earth
B. take 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions
C. can be avoided by setting measures only
D. have nothing to do with climate change
5. From the text we can learn that healthy forest .
A. can keep us healthy and happy
B. can increase the effect from global warming
C. can be helpful in adjusting the temperature
D. can give out large amounts of carbon
【参考答案】1—5、ABDBC