五年高考（2011-2015）英语试题分项精解：专题23 阅读理解之科普知识类（解析版）

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　　1.【2015·湖北卷】D

　　The oddness of life in space never quite goes away. Here are some examples.

　　First consider something as simple as sleep. Its position presents its own challenges. The main question is whether you want your arms inside or outside the sleeping bag. If you leave your arms out, they float free in zero gravity, often giving a sleeping astronaut the look of a funny balled （芭蕾）dancer. “I’m an inside guy,” Mike Hopkins says, who returned from a six-month tour on the International Space Station. “I like to be wrapped up.”

　　On the station, the ordinary becomes strange. The exercise bike for the American astronauts has no handlebars. It also has no seat. With no gravity, it’s just as easy to pedal violently. You can watch a movie while you pedal by floating a microcomputer anywhere you want. But station residents have to be careful about staying in one place too long. Without gravity to help circulate air, the carbon dioxide you exhale (呼气) has a tendency to form an invisible （隐形的）cloud around you head. You can end up with what astronauts call a carbon-dioxide headache.

　　Leroy Chiao, 54, an American retired astronaut after four flights, describes what happens even before you float out of your seat,”Your inner ear thinks you’re falling . Meanwhile your eyes are telling you you’re standing straight. That can be annoying—that’s why some people feel sick.” Within a couple days —truly terrible days for some —astronauts’ brains learn to ignore the panicky signals from the inner ear, and space sickness disappears.

　　Space travel can be so delightful but at the same time invisibly dangerous. For instance, astronauts lose bone mass. That’s why exercise is considered so vital that National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) puts it right on the workday schedule. The focus on fitness is as much about science and the future as it is about keeping any individual astronauts return home, and, more importantly, how to maintain strength and fitness for the two and a half years or more that it would take to make a round-trip to Mars.

　　63.What is the major challenge to astronauts when they sleep in space?

　　A. Deciding on a proper sleep position

　　B. Choosing a comfortable sleeping bag

　　C. Seeking a way to fall asleep quickly

　　D. Finding a right time to go to sleep.

　　64.The astronauts will suffer from a carbon-dioxide headache when _____.

　　?A. the y circle around on their bikes

　　B. they use microcomputers without a stop

　　C. they exercise in one place for a long time

　　D. they watch a movie while pedaling

　　65.Some astronauts feel sick on the station during the first few days because _____.

　　A. their senses stop working

　　B. they have to stand up straight

　　C. they float out of their seats unexpectedly

　　D. whether they are able to go back to the station

　　66.One of the NASA’s major concerns about astronauts is _____.

　　A. how much exercise they do on the station

　　B. how they can remain healthy for long in space

　　C. whether they can recover after returning home

　　D. whether they are able to go back to the station

　　how maintain strength and fitness…”可知美国国家宇航局对宇航员主要的担心之一是如何在太空长久地保持健康。故选B项。

　　【名师点睛】科普类历来是高考阅读理解命题的重点文章逻辑性强，条理清楚，主要考查学生对语篇的整体把握和领悟能力以及对特定细节的认读和处理能力。3. 在进行推理判断时，考生一定要以阅读材料所提供的科学事实为依据，同时所得出的结论还应符合基本的科普常识。

　　2.【2015·北京卷】C

　　Life in the Clear

　　Transparent animals let light pass through their bodies the same way light passes through a window. These animals typically live between the surface of the ocean and a depth of about 3,300 feet—as far as most light can reach. Most of them are extremely delicate and can be damaged by a simple touch. Sonke Johnsen, a scientist in biology, says, “These animals live through their life alone. They never touch anything unless they’re eating it, or unless something is eating them.”

　　And they are as clear as glass. How does an animal become see-through? It’s trickier than you might think.

　　The objects around you are visible because they interact with light. Light typically travels in a straight line. But some materials slow and scatter(散射) light, bouncing it away from its original path. Others absorb light, stopping it dead in its tracks. Both scattering and absorption make an object look different from other objects around it, so you can see it easily.

　　But a transparent object doesn’t absorb or scatter light, at least not very much, Light can pass through it without bending or stopping. That means a transparent object doesn’t look very different from the surrounding air or water. You don’t see it ----you see the things behind it.

　　To become transparent, an animal needs to keep its body from absorbing or scattering light. Living materials can stop light because they contain pigments(色素) that absorb specific colors of light. But a transparent animal doesn’t have pigments, so its tissues won’t absorb light. According to Johnsen, avoiding absorption is actually easy. The real challenge is preventing light from scattering.

　　Animals are built of many different materials----skin, fat, and more----and light moves through each at a different speed. Every time light moves into a material with a new speed, it bends and scatters. Transparent animals use different tricks to fight scattering. Some animals are simply very small or extremely flat. Without much tissue to scatter light, it is easier to be see—through. Others build a large, clear mass of non-living jelly-lie(果冻状的)material and spread themselves over it .

　　Larger transparent animals have the biggest challenge, because they have to make all the different tissues in their bodies slow down light exactly as much as water does. They need to look uniform. But how they’re doing it is still unknown. One thing is clear for these larger animals, staying transparent is an active process. When they die, they turn a non-transparent milky white.

　　63. According to Paragraph 1, transparent animals_______.

　　A. stay in groups

　　B. can be easily damaged

　　C. appear only in deep ocean

　　D. are beautiful creatures

　　64. The underlined word “dead” in Paragraph 3 means__________.

　　A. silently

　　B. gradually

　　C. regularly

　　D. completely

　　65. One way for an animal to become transparent is to ________.

　　A. change the direction of light travel

　　B. gather materials to scatter light.

　　C. avoid the absorption of light

　　D. grow bigger to stop light.

　　66. The last paragraph tells us that larger transparent animals________.

　　A. move more slowly in deep water

　　B. stay see-through even after death

　　C. produce more tissues for their survival

　　D. take effective action to reduce light spreading

　　【解析】

　　试题分析：文章解释了生活在海洋的透明生物的特点，透明原理，以及形成机制。

　　【考点定位】科技类说明文

　　【名师点睛】做科技类说明文时，考生应能：理解语篇主旨要义，理解文中具体信息，根据上下文提供的线索推测生词的词义，根据文中事实和线索作出简单的判断和推理。此次出现了新型科技类说明文。往年科技类说明文的阅读难点在于专业类词汇，但是今年的“新型耳机”在问题设置上难度不大，属于文章难但题目不难的题目。所以要理解好文章做好此题就不是难题。

　　3.【2015·江苏】B

　　In the United States alone, over 100 million cell-phones are thrown away each year. Cell-phones are part of a growing mountain of electronic waste like computers and personal digital assistants. The electronic waste stream is increasing three times faster than traditional garbage as a whole.

　　Electronic devices contain valuable metals such as gold and silver. A Swiss study reported that while the weight of electronic goods represented by precious metals was relatively small in comparison to total waste, the concentration (含量) of gold and other precious metals was higher in

　　So-called e-waste than in naturally occurring minerals.

　　Electronic wastes also contain many poisonous metals. Even when the machines are recycled and the harmful metals removed, the recycling process often is carried out in poor countries, in practically uncontrolled ways which allow many poisonous substances to escape into the environment.

　　Creating products out of raw materials creates much more waste material, up to 100 times more, than the material contained in the finished products. Consider again the cell-phone, and imagine the mines that produced those metals, the factories needed to make the box and packaging(包装) it came in. Many wastes produced in the producing process are harmful as well.

　　The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that most waste is dangerous in that “the production, distribution, and use of products ?as well as management of the resulting waste ?all result in greenhouse gas release.se” Individuals can reduce their contribution by creating less waste at the start ?for instance, buying reusable products and recycling.s

　　In many countries the concept of extended producer responsibility is being considered or has been put in place as an incentive (动机) for reducing waste. If producers are required to take back packaging they use to sell their products, would they reduce the packaging in the first place?

　　Governments’ incentive to require producers to take responsibility for the packaging they produce is usually based on money. Why, they ask, should cities or towns be responsible for paying to deal with the bubble wrap (气泡垫) that encased your television?

　　From the governments’ point of view, a primary goal of laws requiring extended producer responsibility is to transfer both the costs and the physical responsibility of waste management from the government and tax-payers back to the producers.

　　58.By mentioning the Swiss study, the author intends to tell us that _________ .

　　A. the weight of e-goods is rather small

　　B. E-waste deserves to be made good use of

　　C. natural minerals contain more precious metals

　　D. the percentage of precious metals is heavy in e-waste

　　59.The responsibility of e-waste treatment should be extended _________ .

　　A. from producers to governments

　　B. from governments to producers

　　C. from individuals to distributors

　　D. from distributors to governments

　　60. What does the passage mainly talk about?

　　A. The increase in e-waste.

　　B. The creation of e-waste.

　　C. The seriousness of e-waste.

　　D. The management of e-waste.

　　【考点定位】科普说明文阅读

　　【名师点睛】科普类文章逻辑性强，条理清楚，主要考查学生对语篇的整体把握和领悟能力以及对特定细节能力。选材时代气息浓厚，与经济、科技的发展和变化密切相关。3. 在进行推理判断时，考生一定要以阅读材料所提供的科学事实为依据，同时所得出的结论还应符合基本的科普常识。

　　4.C

　　Suppose you become a leader in an organization. It’s very likely that you’ll want to have volunteers to help with the organization’s activities. To do so, it should help to understand why people undertake volunteer work and what keeps their interest in the work.

　　Let’s begin with the question of why people volunteer. Researchers have identified several factors that motivate people to get involved. For example, people volunteer to express personal values related to unselfishness, to expand their range of experiences, and to strengthen social relationships. If volunteer positions do not meet these needs, people may not wish to participate. To select volunteers, you may need to understand the motivations of the people you wish to attract.

　　People also volunteer because they are required to do so. To increase levels of community service, some schools have launched compulsory volunteer programs. Unfortunately, these programs can shift people’s wish of participation from an internal factor (e.g., 揑 volunteer because ito’s important to me”) to an external factor (e.g., 揑 volunteer because I.’m required to do so”). When that happens, people become less likely to volunteer in the future. People must be sensitive to this possibility when they make volunteer activities a must.

　　Once people begin to volunteer, what leads them to remain in their positions over time? To answer this question, researchers have conducted follow-up studies in which they track volunteers over time. For instance, one study followed 238 volunteers in Florida over a year. One of the most important factors that influenced their satisfaction as volunteers was the amount of suffering they experienced in their volunteer positions. Although this result may not surprise you, it leads to important practical advice. The researchers note that attention should be given to 搕raining methods that would prepare volunteers for troublesome situations or provide them with strategies for coping with the problem they do experiencei”.

　　Another study of 302 volunteers at hospitals in Chicago focused on individual differences in the degree to which people view 搗olunteeru” as an important social role. It was assumed that those people for whom the role of volunteer was most part of their personal identity would also be most likely to continue volunteer work. Participants indicated the degree to which the social role mattered by responding to statements such as 揤olunteering in Hospital is an important part of who I am.a” Consistent with the researchers’ expectations, they found a positive correlation (正相关) between the strength of role identity and the length of time people continued to volunteer. These results, once again, lead to concrete advice: “Once an individual begins volunteering, continued efforts might focus on developing a volunteer role identity.... Items like T-shirts that allow volunteers to be recognized publicly for their contributions can help strengthen role identity”.

　　61.People volunteer mainly out of ______ .

　　A. academic requirements

　　B. social expectations

　　C. financial rewards

　　D. internal needs

　　62.What can we learn from the Florida study?

　　A. Follow-up studies should last for one year.

　　B. Volunteers should get mentally prepared.

　　C. Strategy training is a must in research.

　　D. Volunteers are provided with concrete advice.

　　63.What is most likely to motivate volunteers to continue their work?

　　A. Individual differences in role identity.

　　B. Publicly identifiable volunteer T-shirts.

　　C. Role identity as a volunteer.

　　D. Practical advice from researchers.

　　64.What is the best title of the passage?

　　A. How to Get People to Volunteer

　　B. How to Study Volunteer Behaviors

　　C. How to Keep Volunteers’ Interest

　　D. How to Organize Volunteer Activities

　　【考点定位】议论文阅读

　　【名师点睛】1．一般按提出问题、分析问题、解决问题的方法写作。作者一般从日常生活中的热点问题、社会上的重大问题、与读者息息相关的问题入手，即提出问题。然后，分析利弊，举例说明，推理判断，即分析问题。最后，阐述观点，提出办法，即解决问题。2．以作者的观点或情感为核心，对细节推理等方面进行考查。3．文章的主题一般是生活中的热点问题、重大问题或与生活息息相关的问题等。考生应注意抓住作者提出的观点、给出的例证及最后得出的结论。同时，理清作为论据的诸多事例和理由之间以及它们和观点/结论之间的内在联系，把握文章的结构。

　　5.【2015·广东】C

　　Daniel Anderson, a famous psychologist, believes it’s important to distinguish television’s influences on children from those of the family. We tend to blame TV, he says, for problems it doesn’t really cause, overlooking our own roles in shaping children’s minds.

　　One traditional belief about television is that it reduces a child’s ability to think and to understand the world. While watching TV, children do not merely absorb words and images (影像). Instead, they learn both explicit and hidden meanings from what they see. Actually, children learn early the psychology of characters in TV shows. Furthermore, as many teachers agree, children understand far more when parents watch TV with them, explaining new words and ideas. Yet, most parents use an educational program as a chance to park their kids in front of the set and do something in another room.

　　Another argument against television is that it replaces reading as a form of entertainment. But according to Anderson, the amount of time spent watching television is not related to reading ability. TV doesn’t take the place of reading for most children; it takes the place of similar sorts of recreation, such as listening to the radio and playing sports. Things like parents’ educational background have a stronger influence on a child’s reading. “A child’s reading ability is best predicted by how much a parent reads.” Anderson says.

　　Traditional wisdom also has it that heavy television-watching lowers IQ (智商) scores and affects school performance. But here, too, Anderson notes that no studies have proved it. In fact, research suggests that it’s the other way around. “If you’re smart young, you’ll watch less TV when you’re older,” Anderson says. Yet, people of lower IQ tend to be lifelong television viewers.

　　For years researchers have attempted to show that television is dangerous to children. However, by showing that television promotes none of the dangerous effects as conventionally believed, Anderson suggests that television cannot be condemned without considering other influences.

　　36. By watching TV, children learn _________.

　　A. images through words

　　B. more than explicit meanings

　　C. more about images than words

　　D. little about people’s psychology

　　37.

　　An educational program is best watched by a child _________.

　　A. on his own

　　B. with other kids

　　C. with his parents

　　D. with his teachers

　　38. Which of the following is most related to children’s reading ability?

　　A. Radio-listening

　　B. Television-watching

　　C. Parents’ reading list

　　D. Parents’ educational background

　　39.

　　Anderson believed that _________.

　　A. the more a child watches TV, the smarter he is

　　B. the younger a child is, the more he watches TV

　　C. the smarter a child is, the less likely he gets addicted to TV

　　D. the less a child watches TV, the better he performs at school

　　40.

　　What is the main purpose of the passage?

　　A. To advise on the educational use of TV.

　　B. To describe TV’s harmful effects on children.

　　C. To explain traditional views on TV influences.

　　D. To present Anderson’s unconventional ideas.

　　40. D推理判断题。根据最后一段的Anderson suggests that television cannot condemned without considering other influences.“Anderson认为不应该按照常规，不考虑电视的其他影响而去谴责电视”故推断这篇文章的目的是呈现Anderson打破常规的想法，故选D。

　　【考点定位】 教育类短文阅读。

　　【名师点睛】本文侧重考查学生的细节理解能力。问题设置巧妙，根据题干要求，学生自己阅读，就能在文中找到答案。尤其第40题，充分考查了学生的语篇理解能力。同时，这篇短文提出的一种与常规不一样的看法，看电视对孩子是有好处的。

　　6.【2015·陕西】C

　　The production of coffee beans is a huge, profitable business, but, unfortunately, full-sun production is taking over the industry and bringing about a lot of damage. The change in how coffee is grown from shade-grown production to full-sun production endangers the very existence of, certain animals and birds, and even disturbs the world’s ecological balance.

　　On a local level, the damage of the forest required by full-sun fields affects the area’s birds and animals. The shade of the forest trees provides a home for birds and other special(物种) that depend on the trees’ flowers and fruits. Full-sun coffee growers destroy this forest home. As a result, many special are quickly dying out.

　　On a more global level, the destruction of the rainforest for full-sun coffee fields also threatens(威胁)human life. Medical research often makes use of the forests' plant and animal life, and the destruction of such species could prevent researchers from finding cures for certain diseases. In addition, new coffee-growing techniques are poisoning the water locally, and eventually the world's groundwater.

　　Both locally and globally, the continued spread of full-sun coffee plantations (种植园)could mean the destruction of the rainforest ecology. The loss of shade trees is already causing a slight change in the world's climate, and studies show that loss of oxygen-giving trees also leads to air pollution and global warming. Moreover, the new growing techniques are contributing to acidic(酸性的) soil conditions.

　　It is obvious that the way much coffee is grown affects many aspects many aspects of life, from the local environment to the global ecology. But consumers do have a choice. They can purchase shade-grown coffee whenever possible, although at a higher cost. The future health of the planet and mankind is surely worth more than an inexpensive cup of coffee.

　　54. What can we learn about full-sun coffee production from Paragraph 4?

　　A. It limits the spread of new growing techniques.

　　B. It leads to air pollution and global warming.

　　C. It slows down the loss of shade trees.

　　D. It improves local soil conditions.

　　55. The purpose of the text is to

　　.

　　A. entertain

　　B. advertise

　　C. instruct

　　D. persuade

　　56. Where does this text probably come from ?

　　A. An agricultural magazine.

　　B. A medical journal.

　　C. An engineering textbook.

　　D. A tourist guide.

　　57.Which of the following shows the structure of the whole text?

　　【考点定位】环保类阅读理解

　　【名师点睛】这篇文章篇幅适中。考查全面，除了抓住主旨，理解细节题，还需要适当的推理，如：判断文章的出处，作者的意图，文章的结构。这些不是某个句子可以体现的，要对文章有整体把握。

　　Their cheery song brightens many a winter's day. But robins are in danger of wearing themselves out by singing too much. Robins are singing all night一as well as during the day, British-based researchers say.

　　David Dominoni, of Glasgow University, said that light from street lamps, takeaway signs and homes is affecting the birds' biological clocks, leading to them being wide awake when they should be asleep.

　　Dr Dominoni, who is putting cameras inside nesting boxes to track sleeping patterns, said lack of sleep could put the birds’ health at risk. His study shows that when robins are exposed to light at night in the lab, it leads to some genes being active at the wrong time of day. And the more birds are exposed to light, the more active they are at night.

　　He told people at a conference, "There have been a couple of studies suggesting they are increasing their song output at night and during the day they are still singing. Singing is a costly behaviour and it takes energy. So by increasing their song output, there might be some costs of energy."

　　And it is not just robins that are being kept awake by artificial light. Blackbirds and seagulls are also being more nocturnal. Dr Dominoni said, "In Glasgow where I live, gulls are a serious problem. I have people coming to me saying `You are the bird expert. Can you help us kill these gulls?'.During the breeding(繁殖)season, between April and June, they are very active at night and very noisy and people can't sleep."

　　Although Dr Dominoni has only studied light pollution, other research concluded that robins living in noisy cities have started to sing at night to make themselves heard over loud noise.

　　However, some birds thrive(兴旺)in noisy environments. A study from California Polytechnic University found more hummingbirds in areas with heavy industrial machinery. It is thought that they are capitalising on their predators(天敌)fleeing to quieter areas.

　　42.According to Dr Dominoni's study, what cause robins to sing so much?

　　A. The breeding season.

　　B. The light in modern life

　　C. The dangerous environment.

　　D. The noise from heavy machinery.

　　43.What is the researchers' concern over the increase of birds' song output?

　　A. The environment might be polluted.

　　B. The birds' health might be damaged.

　　C. The industry cost might be increased.

　　D. The people's hearing might be affected.

　　44.What does the underlined word "nocturnal" in Paragraph 5 mean?

　　A. Active at night.

　　B. Inactive at night.

　　C. Active during the day.

　　D. Inactive during the day.

　　45.Why do some birds thrive in noisy environments?

　　A. Because there are fewer dangers.

　　B. Because there is more food to eat.

　　C. Because there is less light pollution

　　D. Because there are more places to take shelter.

　　【考点定位】 考查说明文阅读

　　【名师点睛】本篇文章考查了科普说明文的阅读。科普说明文是高考阅读理解中的重点与难点。在阅读此类文章时，考生会觉得篇幅长、生词多、逻辑性强、长句多、话题陌生且枯燥，表达方式专业化。因此，要求考生要掌握相对的解题技巧与能力。在读此类文章时，要弄清文章的主题，本文主题为人造光影响了鸟类的生物钟，使得它们晚上还在歌唱，影响了鸟类的健康。在设题时，此类文章常考词义辨析题，如，要求考生要从上文的具体现象中概括出生词词义。

　　8.【2015·四川】E

　　No one is sure how the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids near Cairo. But a new study suggests they used a little rock憂抮oll. Long-ago builders could have attached wooden pole s to the stones and rolled then across the sand, the scientists say.er

　　揟echnically, I think what they抮e proposing is possible,?physicist Daniel Bonn said.tud

　　People have long puzzled over how the Egyptians moved such huge rocks. And there抯 no obvious answer. On average, each of the two million big stones weighed about as much as a large pickup truck. The Egyptians somehow moved the stone blocsks to the pyramid site from about one kilometer away.

　　The most popular view is that Egyptian workers slid the blocks along smooth paths. Many scientists suspect workers first would have put the blocks on sleds(滑板). Then they would have dragged them along paths. To make the work easier, workers may have lubricated the paths either with wet clay or with the fat from cattle. Bonn has now tested this idea by building small sleds and dragging heavy objects over sand.

　　Evidence from the sand supports this idea. Researchers found small amounts of fat, as well as a large amount of stone and the remains of paths.

　　However, physicist Joseph West thinks there might have been a simpler way , who led the new study . West said , 揑 was inspired while watching a television program showing how sleds might have helped with pyramid construction . I thought , s‘Why don抰 they just try rolling the things?e’ “A square could be turned into a rough sort of wheel by attaching wooden poles to its sides , he realized . That , he notes , should make a block of stone” a lot easier to roll than a square?h

　　So he tried it.

　　He and his students tied some poles to each of four sides of a 30-kilogram stone block. That action turned the block into somewhat a wheel. Then they placed the block on the ground.

　　They wrapped one end of a rope around the block and pulled. The researchers found they could easily roll the block along different kinds of paths. They calculated that rolling the block required about as much force as moving it along a slippery(滑的)path.

　　West hasn’t tested his idea on larger blocks, but he thinks rolling has clear advantages over sliding. At least, workers wouldn’t have needed to carry cattle fat or water to smooth the paths.

　　46.It抯 widely believed that the stone blocks were moved to the pyramid site by ______.i

　　A. rolling them on roads

　　B. pushing them over the sand

　　C. sliding them on smooth paths

　　D. dragging them on some poles

　　47.The underlined part “lubricated the paths” in Paragraph 4 means____.

　　A. made the path wet

　　B. made the path hard

　　C. made the path wide

　　D. made the path slippery

　　48.What does the underlined word 搃t攊n Paragraph 7 refer to?th

　　A. Rolling the blocks with poles attached.

　　B. Rolling the blocks on wooden wheels.

　　C. Rolling poles to move the blocks.

　　D. Rolling the blocks with fat.

　　49.Why is rolling better than sliding according to West ?

　　A. Because more force is needed for sliding.

　　B. Because rolling work can be done by fewer cattle.

　　C. Because sliding on smooth road is more dangerous.

　　D. Because less preparation on path is needed for rolling.

　　50.What is the text mainly about ?

　　A. An experiment on ways of moving blocks to the pyramid site.

　　B. An application of the method of moving blocks to the pyramid site.

　　C. An argument about different methods of moving blocks to the pyramid site.

　　D. An introduction to a possible new way of moving blocks to the pyramid site.

　　【解析】

　　【考点定位】 考查说明文阅读

　　【名师点睛】本篇文章考查了科普说明文的阅读。科普说明文是高考阅读理解中的重点与难点。在阅读此类文章时，考生会觉得篇幅长、生词多、逻辑性强、长句多、话题陌生且枯燥，表达方式专业化。因此，要求考生要掌握相对的解题技巧与能力。设题时，常会考查生词词义判断题，如要求考生从上下文理解中概括出生词词义。以及代词指代判断题，如，此类试题常以it、them等代词为命题特色，要求考生推断其指代对象。通常在上文出现。

　　9.【2015·天津】B

　　Whether in the home or the workplace, social robots are going to become a lot more common in the next few years. Social robots are about to bring technology to the everyday world in a more humanized way, said Cynthia Breazeal, chief scientist at the robot company Jibo.

　　While household robots today do the normal housework, social robots will be much more like companions than mere tools. For example, these robots will be able to distinguish when someone is happy or sad. This allows them to respond more appropriately to the user.

　　The Jibo robot, arranged to ship later this year, is designed to be a personalized assistant. You can talk to the robot, ask it questions, and make requests for it to perform different tasks. The robot doesn’t just deliver general answers to questions; it responds based on what it learns about each individual in the household. It can do things such as reminding an elderly family member to take medicine or taking family photos.

　　Social robots are not just finding their way into the home. They have potential applications in everything from education to health care and are already finding their way into some of these spaces.

　　Fellow Robots is one company bringing social robots to the market. The company’s “Oshbot” robot is built to assist customers in a store, which can help the customers find items and help guide them to the product’s location in the store. It can also speak different languages and make recommendations for different items based on what the customer is shopping for.

　　The more interaction the robot has with humans, the more it learns. But Oshbot, like other social robots, is not intended to replace workers, but to work alongside other employees. “We have technologies to train social robots to do things not for us, but with us,” said Breazeal.

　　41. How are social robots different from household robots?

　　A. They can control their emotions.

　　B. They are more like humans.

　　C. They do the normal housework.

　　D. They respond to users more slowly.

　　42.

　　What can a Jibo robot do according to Paragraph 3?

　　A. Communicate with you and perform operations.

　　B. Answer your questions and make requests.

　　C. Take your family pictures and deliver milk.

　　D. Obey your orders and remind you to take pills.

　　43. What can Oshbot work as?

　　A. A language teacher.

　　B. A tour guide.

　　C. A shop assistant.

　　D. A private nurse.

　　44.

　　We can learn from the last paragraph that social robots will ______.

　　A. train employees

　　B. be our workmates

　　C. improve technologies

　　D. take the place of workers

　　45.

　　What does the passage mainly present?

　　A. A new design idea of household robots.

　　B. Marketing strategies for social robots.

　　C. Information on household robots.

　　D. An introduction to social robots.

　　【解析】

　　【考点定位】科技类短文阅读

　　【名师点睛】本文是一篇科技类短文阅读，整体难度中等偏易，多数考查细节理解题，只需通过关键词定位可得出答案。倒数第二题需要稍加推理才能判断出答案，最后一题是对文章的主旨大意的考查，考生做题时尤其注意切切不能以偏概全，干扰选择项要多回到原文的原句反复斟酌。

　　10.【2015·浙江】C

　　If humans were truly at home under the light of the moon and stars，we would go in darkness happily，the midnight world as visible to us as it is to the vast number of nocturnal(夜间活动的) species on this planet. Instead，we are diurnal creatures, with eyes adapted to living in the sun’s light. This is a basic evolutionary fact, even though most of us don’t think of ourselves as diurnal beings. Yet it’s the only way to explain what we’ve done to the night: We’ve engineered it to

　　receive us by filling it with light.

　　The benefits of this kind of engineering come with consequences 一 called light pollution 一 whose effects scientists are only now beginning to study. Light pollution is largely the result of bad

　　lighting design，which allows artificial light to shine outward and upward into the sky. III-designed lighting washes out the darkness of night and completely changes the light levels 一 and light

　　rhythms — to which many forms of life, including, ourselves, have adapted. Wherever human light spills into the natural world, some aspect or life is affected .

　　In most cities the sky looks as though it has been emptied of stars, leaving behind a vacant haze(霾) that mirrors our fear of the dark. We’ve grown so used to this orange haze that the original glory of an unlit nigh, - dark enough for the planet Venus to throw shadow on Earth, is wholly beyond our experience, beyond memory almost.

　　We’ve lit up the night as if it were an unoccupied country, when nothing could be further form the truth. Among mammals alone, the number of nocturnal species is astonishing, Light is a powerful biological force, and on many species it acts as a magnet(磁铁). The effect is so powerful that scientists speak of songbirds and seabirds being “captured” by searchlights on land or by the light from gas flares on marine oil platforms. Migrating at night, birds tend to collide with brightly lit tall buildings.

　　Frogs living near brightly lit highways suffer nocturnal light levels that are as much as a million times righter than normal, throwing nearly every aspect of their behavior out of joint including most other creatures ,we do need darkness .Darkness is as essential to our biological welfare, to our internal clockwork, as light itself.

　　Living in a glare of our making,we have cut ourselves off from our evolutionary and cultural heritage—the light of the stars and the rhythms of day and night .In a very real sense light pollution causes us to lose sight of our true place in the universe, to forget the scale of our being, which is best measured against the dimensions of a deep night with the Milky Way—the edge of our galaxy arching overhead.

　　50.

　　According to the passage, human being

　　.

　　A. prefer to live in the darkness

　　B. are used to living in the day light

　　C. were curious about the midnight world

　　D. had to stay at home with the light of the moon

　　51. What does “it”(Paragraph 1) most probably refer to?

　　A. The night.

　　B. The moon

　　C. The sky

　　D. The planet

　　52. The writer mentions birds and frogs to

　　.

　　A. provide examples of animal protection

　　B. show how light pollution affects animals

　　C. compare the living habits of both species

　　D. explain why the number of certain species has declined

　　53. It is implied in the last paragraph that

　　.

　　A. light pollution dose harm to the eyesight of animals

　　B. light pollution has destroyed some of the world heritages

　　C. human beings cannot go to the outer space

　　D. human beings should reflect on their position in the universe

　　54. What might be the best title for the passage?

　　A. The Magic light.

　　B. The Orange Haze.

　　C. The Disappearing Night.

　　D. The Rhythms of Nature.

　　【考点定位】这是一篇夹叙夹议的文章

　　【名师点睛】对于这种文章，一定要读懂作者的观点是什么？留意作者看法的用词，即是文章所使用的形容词是支持还是反对。ed to living in the sun’s light.如果人类真的在家里的月亮和星星的光下，我们会在黑暗中快乐，午夜的世界，我们可见的是夜间的大量在这个星球上的物种。相反，我们是日行动物，眼睛适应了太阳的光线。”

　　11.【2015·安徽】C

　　As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remember less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory, your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.

　　In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow conducted some experiments. She and her research team wanted to know the Internet is changing memory. In the first experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information. The second group understood that the computer would not save it. Later, the second group remembered the information better. People in the first group knew they could find the information again, so they did not try to remember it.

　　In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder (文件夹). Surprisingly, people later remember the folder location (位置) better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called "transactive memory (交互记忆)".

　　According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memories as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive memories; that is, people are learning how to organize huge quantities of information so that they are able to access it at a later date. This doesn't mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.

　　64. The passage begins with two questions to ______.

　　A. introduce the main topic

　　B. show the author's altitude

　　C. describe how to use the Interne.

　　D. explain how to store information

　　65. What can we learn about the first experiment?

　　A. Sparrow's team typed the information into a computer.

　　B. The two groups remembered the information equally well.

　　C. The first group did not try to remember the formation.

　　D. The second group did not understand the information.

　　66. In transactive memory, people ______.

　　A. keep the information in mind

　　B. change the quantity of information

　　C. organize information like a computer

　　D. remember how to find the information

　　67. What is the effect of the Internet according to Sparrow's research?

　　A. We are using memory differently.

　　B. We are becoming more intelligent.

　　C. We have poorer memories than before. D. We need a better way to access information.

　　【答案】

　　64. A

　　65. C

　　66. D

　　67. A

　　【考点定位】心理类短文阅读

　　【名师点睛】一般来说，举例的目的是为了引出即将讨论的话题，可以从例子后面找到总结性的话语。“Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.”就是举例的意图。后三道题都属于细节理解题，可以直接从文章找到提示性的语句；最后一道题有一定的难度，需要进行一些推理和排除。

　　12.【2015·湖南】B

　　In its early history, Chicago had floods frequently, especially in the spring, making the streets so muddy that people, horses, and carts got stuck. An old joke that was popular at the time went something like this: A man is stuck up to his waist in a muddy Chicago street. Asked if he needs help, he replies, "No, thanks. I've got a good horse under me."

　　The city planner decided to build an underground drainage (排水) system, but there simply wasn't enough difference between the height of the ground level and the water level. The only two options were to lower the Chicago River or raise the city.

　　An engineer named Ellis Chesbrough convinced me the city that it had no choice but to build the pipes above ground and then cover them with dirt. This raised the level of the city's streets by as much as 12 feet.

　　This of course created a new problem: dirt practically buried the first floors of every building in Chicago. Building owners were faced with a choice: either change the first floors of their buildings into basements, and the second stories into main floors, or hoist the entire buildings to meet the new street level. Small wood-frame buildings could be lifted fairly easily. But what about large, heavy structures like Tremont Hotel, which was a six-story brick building?

　　That's where George Pullman came in. He had developed some house-moving skills successfully. To lift a big structure like the Tremont Hotel, Pullman would place thousands of jackscrews (螺旋千斤顶) beneath the building's foundation. One man was assigned to operate each section of roughly 10 jackscrews. At Pullman's signal each man turned his jackscrew the same amount at the same time, thereby raising the building slowly and evenly. Astonishingly, the Tremont Hotel stay open during the entire operation, and many of its guests didn't even notice anything was happening. Some people like to say that every problem has a solution. But in Chicago's early history, every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem. Now that Chicago's waste water was draining efficiently into the Chicago River, the city's next step was to clean the polluted river.

　　61.The author mentions the joke to show ______.

　　A. horses were fairly useful in Chicago

　　B. Chicago's streets were extremely muddy

　　C. Chicago was very dangerous in the spring

　　D. the Chicago people were particularly humorous

　　62.The city planners were convinced by Ellis Chesbrough to_______.

　　A. get rid of the street dirt

　　B. lower the Chicago River

　　C. fight against heavy floods

　　D. build the pipes above ground

　　63.The underlined word "hoist" in Paragraph 4 means "_______".

　　A. change

　　B. lift

　　C. repair

　　D. decorate

　　64.What can we conclude about the moving operation of the Tremont Hotel?

　　A. It went on smoothly as intended.

　　B. It interrupted the business of the hotel.

　　C. It involved Pullman turning ten jackscrews.

　　D. It separated the building from its foundation.

　　65.The passage is mainly about the early Chicago's ______.

　　A. popular life styles and their influences

　　B. environmental disasters and their causes

　　C. engineering problems and their solutions

　　D. successful businessmen and their achievements

　　【答案】

　　61．B

　　62．D

　　63．B

　　64．A

　　65．C

　　【考点定位】科普类短文阅读。

　　【名师点睛】这是一篇科普类的文章，主要是考查上下文理解和对文章细节的把握，明白作者的构思在文章中给出的自己想法和观点以及对文章的总结。例如最后一段：Some people like to say that every problem has a solution. But in Chicago's early history, every engineering solution seemed to create a new problem. Now that Chicago's waste water was draining efficiently into the Chicago River, the city's next step was to clean the polluted river.可知作者觉得所有的解决办法都会解决了原有的问题后又产生出一个新的问题。这是对文章的一个总结。

　　13.【2015·新课标全国II】B

　　Your house may have an effect on your figure. Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off. you can make your environment work for you instead of against you. Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.

　　Open the curtains and turn up the lights. Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating, for people are often less self-conscious(难为情) when they’re in poorly lit places – and so more likely to eat lots of food. If your home doesn’t have enough window light, get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.

　　Mind the colors. Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites. In one study, people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room. Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing, while cold colors make us less hungry. So when it’s time to repaint, go blue.

　　Don’t forget the clock – or the radio. People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories(卡路里) per meal than those who rush through their meals. Begin keeping track of the time, and try to make dinner last at 30 minutes. And while you’re at it, actually sit down to eat. If you need some help slowing down, turning on relaxing music. It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.

　　Downsize the dishes. Big serving bowls and plants can easily makes us fat. We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12-inch plate instead of a 10-inch plate. When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one, total intake(摄入) jumps by 14 percent. And we’ll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short, wide glass than a tall, skinny glass.

　　25. The text is especially helpful for those who care about ____.

　　their home comforts

　　their body shape

　　house buying

　　healthy diets

　　26. A home environment in blue can help people ____.

　　digest food better

　　reduce food intake

　　burn more calories

　　regain their appetites

　　27. What are people advised to do at mealtimes?

　　Eat quickly.

　　Play fast music

　　Use smaller spoons

　　Turn down the lights

　　28. What can be a suitable title for the text?

　　Is Your House Making You Fat?

　　Ways of Serving Dinner

　　Effects of Self-Consciousness

　　Is Your Home Environment Relaxing?

　　【答案】

　　25. B

　　26. B

　　27. C

　　28. A

　　【考点定位】科普类短文阅读

　　【名师点睛】本文的结构清楚。 主题句Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.在第一段，抓住就可以理清文章的脉络，接下来是4条建议，一段一条。题目中的第三题考查对文章的全面了解，并要求理解四个选项的意思才能做好。平时还应该多练习对文章结构的分析。

　　14.【2015·新课标全国I】D

　　Conflict is on the menu tonight at the café La Chope. This evening, as on every Thursday night, psychologist Maud Lehanne is leading two of France’s favorite pastimes, coffee drinking and the “talking cure”. Here they are learning to get in touch with their true feelings. It isn’t always easy. They customers - some thirty Parisians who pay just under $2 (plus drinks) per session - care quick to intellectualize (高谈阔论)，slow to open up and connect. “You are forbidden to say ‘one feels,’ or ‘people think’,” Lehane told them. “Say ‘I think,’ ‘Think me’.”

　　A café society where no intellectualizing is allowed? It couldn’t seem more un-French. But Lehanne’s psychology café is about more than knowing oneself: It’s trying to help the city’s troubled neighborhood cafes. Over the years, Parisian cafes have fallen victim to changes in the French lifestyle - longer working hours, a fast food boom and a younger generation’s desire to spend more time at home. Dozens of new theme cafes appear to change the situation. Cafes focused around psychology, history, and engineering are catching on, filling tables well into the evening.

　　The city’s psychology cafes, which offer great comfort, are among the most popular places. Middle-aged homemakers, retirees, and the unemployed come to such cafes to talk about love, anger, and dreams with a psychologist. And they come to Lehanne’s group just to learn to say what they feel. “There’s a strong need in Paris for communication,” says Maurice Frisch, a cafe La Chope regular who works as a religious instructor in a nearby church. “People have few real friends. And they need to open up.” Lehanne says she’d like to see psychology cafes all over France. “If people had normal lives, these cafes wouldn’t exist”, she says, “If life weren’t a battle, people wouldn’t need a special place just to speak.” But them, it wouldn’t be France.

　　32. What are people encouraged to do at the cafe La Chope?

　　A. Learn a new subject

　　B. Keep in touch with friends.

　　C. Show off their knowledge.

　　D. Express their true feelings.

　　33.

　　How are cafes affected by French lifestyle changes?

　　A. They are less frequently visited.

　　B. They stay open for longer hours.

　　C. They have bigger night crowds.

　　D. They start to serve fast food.

　　34. What are theme cafes expected to do?

　　A. Create more jobs.

　　B. Supply better drinks.

　　C. Save the cafe business.

　　D. Serve the neighborhood.

　　35.

　　Why are psychology cafes becoming popular in Paris?

　　A. They bring people true friendship.

　　B. They give people spiritual support.

　　C. They help people realize their dreams.

　　D. They offer a platform for business links.

　　【答案】

　　32. D

　　33. A

　　34. C

　　35. B

　　【考点定位】社会类短文阅读

　　【名师点睛】这是一篇社会类短文阅读。难度中等偏上，学生不易读懂。但是第32和33题均为考查细节理解题，问题设计比较简单，考生只需通过关键词定位即可得出答案。其中第34和35题需要在原文的内容的基础之上作出推理，才能判断出正确的答案。考生做此类阅读时要注意前后之间的联系与对比，选择答案时切不可以以偏概全。

　　2017年高考试题 2017·北京卷]

　　C

　　Choosing the right resolution(决定)

　　Millions of Americans began 2017 with the same resolution they started 2017

　　with, a goal of losing weight. However，setting weight lose as a goal is a mistake.

　　To reach our goal of losing weight—the output, we need to control what we eat—the input(输入). That is, we tend to care about the output but not to control the input.This is a bad way to construct goals. The alternative is to focus your resolution on the input. Instead of resolving to lose weight, try an actionable resolution: “I'll stop having dessert for lunch，” or “I'll walk every day for 20 minutes.”Creating a goal that focuses on a well­specified input will likely be more effective than concentrating on the outcome.

　　Recently a new science behind incentives(激励), including in education, has been discussed. For example, researcher Roland Fryer wanted to see what works best in motivating children to do better in school. In some cases, he gave students incentives based on input, like reading certain books, while in others, the incentives were based on output, like results on exams. His main finding was that incentives increased achievement when based on input but had no effect when based on output. Fryer's conclusion was that the incentives for inputs might be more effective because students do not know how to do better on an exam, aside from general rules like “study harder”. Reading certain books, on the other hand, is a well­set task over which they have much more control.

　　As long as you have direct control over your goal, you have a much higher chance of success. And it's easier to start again if you fail, because you know exactly what you need to do.

　　If you want to cut down on your spending, a good goal would be making morning coffee at home instead of going to a cafe, for example. This is a well­specified action­based goal for which you can measure your success easily. Spending less money isn't a goal because it's too general . Similarly, if you want to spend more time with your family, don't stop with this general wish. Think about an actionable habit that you could adopt and stick to, like a family movie night every Wednesday.

　　In the long run, these new goals could become a habit.

　　63. The writer thinks that setting weight loss as a goal is a mistake because ________．

　　A. it is hard to achieve for most Americans

　　B. it is focused too much on the result

　　C. it is dependent on too many

　　things

　　D. it is based on actionable decisions

　　64. In Roland Fryer's research, some students did better than the others because ________．

　　A. they obeyed all the general rules

　　B. they paid more attention to exams

　　C. they were motivated by their classmates

　　D. they were rewarded for reading some books

　　65. According to the writer, which of the following statements is a good goal?

　　A. “I'll give up dessert.”

　　B. “I'll study harder.”

　　C. “I'll cut down my expenses.”

　　D. “I'll spend more time with my family.”

　　66. The writer strongly believes that we should ________．

　　A. develop good habits and focus on the outcome

　　B. be optimistic about final goals and stick to them

　　C. pick specific actions that can be turned into good habits

　　D. set ambitious goals that can balance the input and output

　　2017·广东卷]

　　D

　　Scientists today are making greater effort to study ocean currents(洋流). Most do it using satellites and other hightech equipment. However, ocean expert Curtis Ebbesmeyer does it in a special way—by studying movements of random floating garbage. A scientist with many years' experience, he started this type of research in the early 1990s when he heard about hundreds of athletic shoes washing up on the shores of the north­west coast of the United States. There were so many shoes that people were setting up swap_meets to try and match left and right shoes to sell or wear.

　　Ebbesmeyer found out in his researches that the shoes—about 60，000 in total—fell into the ocean in a shipping accident. He phoned the shoe company and asked if they wanted the shoes back. As expected, the company told him that they didn't. Ebbesmeyer realized this could be a great experiment. If he learned when and where the shoes went into the water and tracked where they landed, he could learn a lot about the patterns of ocean currents.

　　The Pacific Northwest is one of the world's best areas for beachcombing(海滩搜寻) because winds and currents join here, and as a result, there is a group of serious beachcombers in the area. Ebbesmeyer got to know a lot of them and asked for their help in collecting information about where the shoes landed. In a year he collected reliable information on

　　1，600 shoes. With this data, he and a colleague were able to test and improve a computer programme designed to model ocean currents, and publish the findings

　　of their study.

　　As the result of his work, Ebbesmeyer has become known as the scientist to call with questions about any unusual objects found floating in the ocean. He has even started an association of beachcombers and ocean experts, with 500 subscribers from West Africa to New Zealand. They have recorded all lost objects ranging from potatoes to golf gloves.

　　41. The underlined phrase “swap meets” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “________”．

　　A. fitting rooms

　　B. trading fairs

　　C. business talks

　　D. group meetings

　　42. Ebbesmeyer phoned the shoe company to find out ________．

　　A. what caused the shipping accident

　　B. when and where the shoes went missing

　　C. whether it was all right to use their shoes

　　D. how much they lost in the shipping accident

　　43. How did Ebbesmeyer prove his assumption?

　　A. By collecting information from beachcombers.

　　B. By studying the shoes found by beachcombers.

　　C. By searching the web for ocean currents models.

　　D. By researching ocean currents data in the library.

　　44. Ebbesmeyer is most famous for ________．

　　A. travelling widely the coastal cities of the world

　　B.

　　making records for any lost objects on the sea

　　C. running a global currents research association

　　D.

　　phoning about any doubtful objects on the sea

　　45. What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?

　　A. To call people's attention to ocean pollution.

　　B. To warn people of shipping safety in the ocean.

　　C. To explain a unique way of studying ocean currents.

　　D. To give tips on how to search for lost objects on the beach.

　　等转折词，转折后是作者要表达的重点。根据第一段的“However, ocean expert Curtis Ebbesmeyer does it in a special way－by studying movements of random floating garbage.”可知作者的写作目的是解释研究洋流的一种特殊的方法。故选C。

　　2017·湖北卷]

　　C

　　Working with a group of baboons(狒狒) in the Namibian desert, Dr Alecia Carter of the Department of Zoology, Cambridge University set baboons learning tasks involving a novel food and a familiar food hidden in a box. Some baboons were given the chance to watch another baboon who already knew how to solve the task, while others had to learn for themselves. To work out how brave or anxious the baboons were, Dr Carter presented them either with a novel food or a threat in the form of a model of a poisonous snake.

　　She found that personality had a major impact on learning. The braver baboons learnt, but the shy ones did not learn the task although they watched the baboon perform the task of finding the novel food just as long as the brave ones did. In effect, despite being made aware of what to do, they were still too shy to do what the experienced baboon did.

　　The same held true for anxious baboons compared with calm ones. The anxious individuals learnt the task by observing others while those who were relaxed did not, even though they spent more time watching.

　　This mismatch between collecting social information and using it shows that personality plays a key role in social learning in animals, something that has previously been ignored in studies on how animals learn to do things. The findings are significant because they suggest that animals may perform poorly in cognitive(认知的) tasks not because they aren't clever enough to solve them, but because they are too shy or nervous to use the social information.

　　The findings may impact how we understand the formation of culture in societies through social learning. If some individuals are unable to get information from others because they don't associate with the knowledgeable individuals, or they are too shy to use the information once they have it, information may not travel between all group members, preventing the formation of a culture based on social learning.

　　59. What is the first paragraph mainly about?

　　A.

　　The design of Dr Carter's research.

　　B.

　　The results of Dr Carter's research.

　　C.

　　The purpose of Dr Carter's research.

　　D.

　　The significance of Dr Carter's research.

　　60. According to the research, which baboons are more likely to complete a new learning task?

　　A. Those that have more experience.

　　B. Those that can avoid potential risks.

　　C. Those that like to work independently.

　　D. Those that feel anxious about learning.

　　61. Which best illustrates the “mismatch” mentioned in Paragraph 4?

　　A. Some baboons are intelligent but slow in learning.

　　B. Some baboons are shy but active in social activities.

　　C. Some baboons observe others but don't follow them.

　　D. Some baboons perform new tasks but don't concentrate.

　　62. Dr Carter's findings indicate that our culture might be formed through ________．

　　A. storing information

　　B. learning from each other

　　C. understanding different people

　　D. travelling between social groups

　　2017·江苏卷]

　　C

　　Most damagingly, anger weakens a person's ability to think clearly and keep control over his behaviour. The angry person loses objectivity in evaluating the emotional significance of the person or situation that arouses his anger.

　　Not everyone experiences anger in the same way; what angers one person may amuse another. The specific expression of anger also differs from person to person based on biological and cultural forces. In contemporary culture, physical expressions of anger are generally considered too socially harmful to be tolerated. We no longer regard duels(决斗) as an appropriate expression of anger resulting from one person's awareness of insulting behaviour on the part of another.

　　Anger can be identified in the brain, where the electrical activity changes. Under most conditions EEG(脑电图) measures of electrical activity show balanced activity between the right and left prefrontal(额叶前部) areas. Behaviourally this corresponds to the general even­handed disposition(意向) that most of us possess most of the time. But when we are angry the EEG of the right and left prefrontal areas aren't balanced and, as a result of this, we're likely to react. And our behavioural response to anger is different from our response to other emotions, whether positive or negative.

　　Most positive emotions are associated with approach behaviour: we move closer to people we like. Most negative emotions, in contrast, are associated with avoidance behaviour: we move away from people and things that we dislike or that make us anxious. But anger is an exception to this pattern. The angrier we are, the more likely we are to move towards the object of our anger. This corresponds to what psychologists refer to as offensive anger: the angry person moves closer in order to influence and control the person or situation causing his anger. This approach­and­confront behaviour is accompanied by a leftward prefrontal asymmetry(不对称) of EEG activity. Interestingly, this asymmetry lessens if the angry person can experience empathy(同感) towards the individual who is bringing forth the angry response. In defensive anger, in contrast, the EEG asymmetry is directed to the right and the angry person feels helpless in the face of the anger­inspiring situation.

　　61．The “duels” example in Paragraph 2 proves that the expression of anger

　　________．

　　A．usually has a biological basis

　　B．varies among people

　　C．is socially and culturally shaped

　　D．influences one's thinking and evaluation

　　62．What changes can be found in an angry brain?

　　A．Balanced electrical activity can be spotted.

　　B．Unbalanced patterns are found in prefrontal areas.

　　C．Electrical activity corresponds to one's behaviour.

　　D．Electrical activity agrees with one's disposition.

　　63．Which of the following is typical of offensive anger?

　　A．Approaching the source of anger.

　　B．Trying to control what is disliked.

　　C．Moving away from what is disliked.

　　D．Feeling helpless in the face of anger.

　　64．What is the key message of the last paragraph?

　　A．How anger differs from other emotions.

　　B．How anger relates to other emotions.

　　C．Behavioural responses to anger.

　　D．Behavioural patterns of anger.

　　2017·辽宁卷]

　　A

　　A new study shows students who write notes by hand during lectures perform better on exams than those who use laptops(笔记本电脑)．

　　Students are increasingly using laptops for note­taking because of speed and legibility(清晰度)．But the research has found laptop users are less able to remember and apply the concepts they have been taught.

　　Researchers performed experiments that aimed to find out whether using a laptop increased the tendency to make notes “mindlessly” by taking down word for word what the professors said.

　　In the first experiment，students were given either a laptop or pen and paper.They listened to the same lectures and were told to use their usual note­taking skills.Thirty minutes after the talk，they were examined on their ability to remember facts and on how well they understood concepts.

　　The researchers found that laptop users took twice as many notes as those who wrote by hand.However，the typists performed worse at remembering and applying the concepts.Both groups scored similarly when it came to memorizing facts.

　　The researchers' report said，“While more notes are beneficial，if the notes are taken mindlessly，as is more likely the case on a laptop，the benefit disappears.”

　　In another experiment aimed at testing long­term memory，students took notes as before but were tested a week after the lecture.This time，the students who wrote notes by hand performed significantly better on the exam.

　　These two experiments suggest that handwritten notes are not only better for immediate learning and understanding，but that they also lead to superior revision in the future.

　　21．More and more students favour laptops for note­taking because they can ________.

　　A．write more notes

　　B．digest concepts better

　　C．get higher scores

　　D．understand lectures better

　　22．While taking notes，laptop users tend to be ________.

　　A．skillful

　　B．mindless

　　C．thoughtful

　　D．tireless

　　23．The author of the passage aims to ________.

　　A．examine the importance of long­term memory

　　B．stress the benefit of taking notes by hand

　　C．explain the process of taking notes

　　D．promote the use of laptops

　　24．The passage is likely to appear in ________.

　　A．a newspaper advertisement

　　B．a computer textbook

　　C．a science magazine

　　D．a finance report

　　2017·辽宁卷]

　　C

　　Would it surprise you to learn that，like animals，trees communicate with each other and pass on their wealth to the next generation?

　　UBC Professor Simard explains how trees are much more complex than most of us ever imagined.Although Charles Darwin thought that trees are competing for survival of the fittest，Simard shows just how wrong he was.In fact，the_opposite_is_true：trees survive through their co­operation and support，passing around necessary nutrition “depending on who needs it”．

　　Nitrogen(氮) and carbon are shared through miles of underground fungi(真菌) networks，making sure that all trees in the forest ecological system give and receive just the right amount to keep them all healthy.This hidden system works in a very similar way to the networks of neurons(神经元) in our brains，and when one tree is destroyed，it affects all.

　　Simard talks about “mother trees”，usually the largest and oldest plants on which all other trees depend.She explains how dying trees pass on the wealth to the next generation，transporting important minerals to young trees so they may continue to grow.When humans cut down “mother trees” with no awareness of these highly complex “tree societies” or the networks on which they feed，we are reducing the chances of survival for the entire forest.

　　“We didn't take any notice of it，” Simard says sadly.“Dying trees move nutrition into the young trees before dying，but we never give them chance.” If we could put across the message to the forestry industry，we could make a huge difference towards our environmental protection efforts for the future.

　　29．The underlined sentence “the opposite is true” in Paragraph 2 probably means that trees ________.

　　A．compete for survival

　　B．protect their own wealth

　　C．depend on each other

　　D．provide support for dying trees

　　30．“Mother trees” are extremely important because they ________.

　　A．look the largest in size in the forest

　　B．pass on nutrition to young trees

　　C．seem more likely to be cut down by humans

　　D．know more about the complex “tree societies”

　　31．The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to ________.

　　A．how “tree societies” work

　　B．how trees grow old

　　C．how forestry industry develops

　　D．how young trees survive

　　32．What would be the best title for the passage?

　　A．Old trees communicate like humans

　　B．Young trees are in need of protection

　　C．Trees are more awesome than you think

　　D．Trees contribute to our society

　　2017·山东卷]

　　D

　　How fit are your teeth? Are you lazy about brushing them? Never fear: an inventor is on the case. An electric toothbrush senses how long and how well you brush, and it lets you track your performance on your phone.

　　The Kolibree toothbrush was exhibited at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week. It senses how it is moved and can send the information to an Android phone or iPhone via a Bluetooth wireless connection.

　　The toothbrush will be able to teach you to brush right (don't forget the insides of the teeth！) and make sure you're brushing long enough. “It's kind of like having a dentist actually watch your brushing on a day­to­day basis，” says Thomas Serval, the French inventor.

　　The toothbrush will also be able to talk to other applications on your phone, so developers could, for instance, create a game controlled by your toothbrush. You could score points for beating monsters among your teeth. “We try to make it smart but also fun，” Serval says.

　　Serval says he was inspired by his experience as a father. He would come home from work and ask his kids if they had brushed their teeth. They said “yes”， but Serval would find their toothbrush heads dry. He decided he needed a brush that really told him how well his children brushed.

　　The company says the Kolibree will go on sale this summer, for $99 to $199, developing on features. The US is the first target market.

　　Serval says that one day, it'll be possible to replace the brush on the handle with a brushing unit that also has a camera. The camera can even examine holes in your teeth while you brush.

　　56．Which is one of the features of the Kolibree toothbrush?

　　A．It can sense how users brush their teeth.

　　B．It can track users' school performance.

　　C．It can detect users' fear of seeing a dentist.

　　D．It can help users find their phones.

　　57．What can we learn from Serval's words in Paragraph 3?

　　A．You will find it enjoyable to see a dentist.

　　B．You should see your dentist on a day­to­day basis.

　　C．You can brush with the Kolibree as if guided by a dentist.

　　D．You'd like a dentist to watch you brush your teeth every day.

　　58．Which of the following might make the Kolibree toothbrush fun?

　　A．It can be used to update mobile phones.

　　B．It can be used to play mobile phone games.

　　C．It can send messages to other users.

　　D．It can talk to its developers.

　　59．What is Paragraph 5 mainly about?

　　A．How Serval found out his kids lied to him.

　　B．Why Serval thought brushing teeth was necessary.

　　C．How Serval taught his kids to brush their teeth.

　　D．What inspired Serval to invent the toothbrush.

　　60．What can we infer about Serval's children?

　　A．They were unwilling to brush their teeth.

　　B．They often failed to clean their toothbrushes.

　　C．They preferred to use a toothbrush with a dry head.

　　D．They liked brushing their teeth after Serval came home.

　　61．What can we learn about the future development of the Kolibree?

　　A．The brush handle will be removed.

　　B．A mobile phone will be built into it.

　　C．It will be used to fill holes in teeth.

　　D．It will be able to check users' teeth.

　　2017·陕西卷]

　　C

　　Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers conclude that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favourite TV show is over.

　　According to Dr Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers' markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high­quality meats for each meal.

　　After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don't Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.

　　In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity—or

　　extreme overweight—among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17%—and is growing.

　　53. In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr Joseph Mercola?

　　A. They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently.

　　B. They squeeze eating between the other daily activities.

　　C. They regard eating as a key part of their life style.

　　D. They usually eat too much canned and frozen food.

　　54. This text is mainly the relationship between ________．

　　A. Americans and the French

　　B. life style and obesity

　　C. children and adults

　　D. fast food and overweight

　　55. The text is mainly developed ________．

　　A. by contrast

　　B. by space

　　C. by process

　　D. by classification

　　56. Where does this text probably come from?

　　A. A TV interview.

　　B. A food advertisement.

　　C. A health report.

　　D. A book review.

　　2017·四川卷]

　　E

　　Women are friendly. But men are more competitive. Why? Researchers have found it's all down to the hormone oxytocin(荷尔蒙催生素). Although known as the love hormone, it affects the sexes differently.

　　“Women tend to be social in their behaviour. They often share with others. But men lend to be competitive. They are trying to improve their social status，” said Professor Ryan.

　　Generally, people believe that the hormone oxytocin is let out in our body in various social situations and our body creates a large amount of it during positive social interactions (互动) such as falling in love or giving birth.

　　But in a previous experiment Professor Ryan found that the hormone is also let out in our body during negative social interactions such as envy.

　　Further researches showed that in men the hormone oxytocin improves the ability to recognize competitive relationships, but in women it raises the ability to recognize friendship.

　　Professor Ryan's recent experiment used 62 men and women aged 20 to 37.

　　Half of the participants(参与者) received oxytocin. The other half received placebo(安慰剂)．

　　After a week, the two groups switched with participants. They went through the same procedure with the other material.

　　Following each treatment, they were shown some video pictures with different social interactions. Then they were asked to analyze the relationships by answering some questions. The questions were about telling friendship from competition. And their answers should be based on gestures, body language and facial expressions.

　　The results indicated that, after treatment with oxytocin, men's ability to correctly recognize competitive relationships improved, but in women it was the ability to correctly recognize friendship that got better.

　　Professor Ryan thus concluded, “Our experiment proves that the hormone oxytocin can raise people's abilities to better distinguish different social interactions. And the behaviour differences between men and women are caused by biological factors(因素) that are mainly hormonal.”

　　47. What causes men and women to behave differently according to the text?

　　A. Placebo.

　　B. Oxytocin.

　　C. The gesture.

　　D. The social status.

　　48. What can we learn from Professor Ryan's previous experiment?

　　A. Oxytocin affects our behaviour in a different way.

　　B. Our body lets out oxytocin when we are deep in love.

　　C. Our body produces oxytocin when we feel unhappy about others' success.

　　D. Oxytocin improves our abilities to understand people's behaviour differences.

　　49. Why did Professor Ryan conduct the recent experiment?

　　A. To test the effect of oxytocin on the ability to recognize social interactions.

　　B. To know the differences between friendship and competition.

　　C. To know people's different abilities to answer questions.

　　D. To test people's understanding of body language.

　　50. The author develops the text by ________．

　　A. explaining people's behaviours

　　B. describing his own experiences

　　C. distinguishing sexual differences

　　D. discussing research experiments

　　这种能力。

　　50. D　推理判断题。文章是通过讨论所做的不同的实验而展开的，故选D。

　　2017·天津卷]

　　B

　　A world­famous Canadian author, Margaret Atwood, has created the world's first long­distance signing device(装置), the LongPen.

　　After many tiring book­signing tours from city to city, Atwood thought there must be a better way to do them. She hired some technical experts and started her own company in 2004. Together they designed the LongPen. Here's how it works: the author writes a personal message and signature on a computer tablet(手写板) using a special pen. On the receiving end, in another city, a robotic arm fitted with a regular pen signs the book. The author and fan can talk with each other via webcams(网络摄像机) and computer screens.

　　Work on the LongPen began in Atwood's basement(地下室). At first, they had no idea it would be as hard as it turned out to be. The device went through several versions, including one that actually had smoke coming out of it. The inventing finally completed, test runs were made in Ottawa, and the LongPen was officially launched at the 2006 London Book Fair. From here, Atwood conducted two transatlantic book signings of her latest book for fans in Toronto and New York City.

　　The LongPen produces a unique signature each time because it copies the movement of the author in real time. It has several other potential applications. It could increase credit card security and allow people to sign contracts from another province. The video exchange between signer and receiver can be recorded on DVD for proof when legal documents are used.

　　“It's really fun，” said the owner of a bookstore, who was present for one of the test runs. “Obviously you can't shake hands with the author, but there are chances for a connection that you don't get from a regular book signing.”

　　The response to the invention hasn't been all favourable. Atwood has received criticism from authors who think she's trying to end book tours. But she said, “It will be possible to go to places that you never got sent to before because the publishers couldn't

　　afford it.”

　　41. Why did Atwood decide to invent the LongPen?

　　A. To set up her own company.

　　B. To win herself greater popularity.

　　C. To write her books in a new way.

　　D. To make book signings less tiring.

　　42. How does the LongPen work?

　　A. It copies the author's signature and prints it on a book.

　　B. It signs a book while

　　receiving the author's signature.

　　C. The webcam sends the author's signature to another city.

　　D. The fan uses it to copy the author's signature himself.

　　43. What do we know about the invention of the LongPen?

　　A. It has been completed but not put into use.

　　B. The basement caught fire by accident.

　　C. Some versions failed before its test run.

　　D. The designers were well­prepared for the difficulty.

　　44. How could the LongPen be used in the future?

　　A. To draft legal documents.

　　B. To improve credit card security.

　　C. To keep a record of the author's ideas.

　　D. To allow author and fan to exchange videos.

　　45. What could be inferred from Paragraphs 5 and 6?

　　A. Atwood doesn't mean to end book tours.

　　B. Critics think the LongPen is of little use.

　　C. Bookstore owners don't support the LongPen.

　　D. Publishers dislike the LongPen for its high cost.

　　2017·浙江卷]

　　C

　　Last summer，two nineteenth­century cottages were rescued from remote farm fields in Montana，to be moved to an Art Deco building in San Francisco.The houses were made of wood.These cottages once housed early settlers as they worked the dry Montana soil；now they hold Twitter engineers.

　　The cottages could be an example of the industry's odd love affair with “low technology”， a concept associated with the natural world，and with old­school craftsmanship(手艺) that exists long before the Internet era.Low technology is not virtual(虚拟的)—so，to take advantage of it，Internet companies have had to get creative.The rescued wood cottages，fitted by hand in the late eighteen­hundreds，are an obvious example，but Twitter's designs lie on the extreme end.Other companies are using a broader interpretation(阐释) of low technology that focuses on nature.

　　Amazon is building three glass­spheres filled with trees，so that employees can “work and socialize in a more natural，park­like setting”．At Google's office，an entire floor is carpeted in grace.Facebook's second Menlo Park camping will have a rooftop park with a walking trail.

　　Olle Lundberg，the founder of Lundberg Design，has worked with many tech companies over the years.“We have lost the connection to the maker in our lives，and our tech engineers are the ones who

　　feel most impoverished(贫乏的)，because they're surrounded by the digital world，”he says.“They're looking for a way to regain their individual identity，and we've found that introducing real crafts is one way to do that.”

　　This craft­based theory is rooted in history.William Morris，the English artist and writer，turned back to pre­industrial arts in the eighteen­sixties，just after the Industrial Revolution.The Arts and Crafts movement defined itself against machines.“Without creative human occupation，people became disconnected from life，” Morris said.

　　Research has shown that natural environments can restore(恢复) our mental capacities.In Japan，patients are encouraged to “forest­bathe”， taking walks through woods to lower their blood pressure.

　　These health benefits apply to the workplace as well.Rachel Kaplan，a professor of environmental psychology，has spent years researching the restorative effects of natural environments.Her research found that workers with access to nature at the office—even simple views of trees and flowers—felt their jobs were less stressful and more satisfying.If low­tech offices can potentially nourish the brains and improve the mental health of employees then，fine，bring on the cottages.

　　50．The writer mentions the two nineteenth­century cottages to show that ________.

　　A．Twitter is having a hard time

　　B．old cottages are in need of protection

　　C．early settlers once suffered from a dry climate in Montana

　　D．Internet companies have rediscovered the benefits of low technology

　　51．Low technology is regarded as something that ________.

　　A．is related to nature

　　B．is out of date today

　　C．consumes too much energy

　　D．exists in the virtual world

　　52．The main idea of Paragraph 5 is that human beings ________.

　　A．have destroyed many pre­industrial arts

　　B．have a tradition of valuing arts and crafts

　　C．can become intelligent by learning history

　　D．can regain their individual identity by using machines

　　53．The writer's attitude to “low technology” can best be described as ________.

　　A．positive

　　B．defensive

　　C．cautious

　　D．doubtful

　　54．What might be the best title for the passage?

　　A．Past glories, future dreams

　　B．The virtual world，the real challenge

　　C．High­tech companies, low­tech offices

　　D．The more craftsmanship，the less creativity

　　2017·重庆卷]

　　C

　　The idea of being able to walk on water has long interested humans greatly. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever accomplishing such a thing without artificial aid—we simply weigh too much，and all our mass pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink.

　　However, several types of animals can walk on water.

　　One of the most interesting is the common basilisk Basilicus basilicus, a lizard (蜥蜴) native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several metres, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet. The lizard will take as many as 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans to do this, we'd need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create adequate “hitting”．

　　But fortunately there is an alternative: cornflour. By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot), you can create a “non­Newtonian” liquid that doesn't behave like normal water. Now, if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles(粒子) in the water group together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of an adequately thick liquid of cornflour.

　　Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice. If you must do it, then keep the water wings handy in case you start to sink—and take a shower afterwards!

　　44. Walking on water hasn't become a reality mainly because humans ________．

　　A. are not interested in it

　　B. have biological limitations

　　C. have not invented proper tools

　　D. are afraid to make an attempt

　　45. What do we know about Basilicus basilicus from the passage?

　　A. It is light enough to walk on water.

　　B. Its huge feet enable it to stay above water.

　　C. It can run

　　across water at a certain speed.

　　D. Its unique skin keeps it from getting wet in water.

　　46. What is the function of the cornflour according to the passage?

　　A. To create a thick liquid.

　　B. To turn the water into solid.

　　C. To help the liquid behave normally.

　　D. To enable the water to move rapidly.

　　47. What is the author's attitude towards the idea of humans' walking on water?

　　A. It is risky but beneficial.

　　B. It is interesting and worth trying.

　　C. It is crazy and cannot become a reality.

　　D. It is impractical though theoretically possible.

　　2017年高考试题

　　(C)2017·上海卷]

　　A team of engineers at Harvard University has been inspired by Nature to create the first robotic fly. The mechanical fly has become a platform for a series of new high-tech systems. Designed to do what a fly does naturally, the tiny machine is the size of a fat housefly. Its mini wings allow it to stay in the air and perform controlled flight tasks.

　　“It’s extremely important for us to think about this as a whole system and not just the sum of a bunch of individual components(元件), ”said Robert Wood, the Harvard engineering professor who has been working on the robotic fly project for over a decade. A few years ago, his team got the go-ahead to start piecing together the components. “The added difficulty with a project like this is that actually none of those components are off the shelf and so we have to develop them all on our own,” he said.

　　They engineered a series of systems to start and drive the robotic fly. “The seemingly simple system which just moves the wings has a number of interdependencies on the individual components, each of which individually has to perform well, but then has to be matched well to everything it’s connected to,” said Wood. The flight device was built into a set of power, computation, sensing and control systems. Wood says the success of the project proves that the flying robot with these tiny components can be built and manufactured.

　　While this first robotic flyer is linked to a small, off-board power source, the goal is eventually to equip it with a built-in power source, so that it might someday perform data-gathering work at rescue sites, in farmers’ fields or on the battlefield. “Basically it should be able to take off, land and fly around,” he said.

　　Wood says the design offers a new way to study flight mechanics and control at insect-scale. Yet, the power, sensing and computation technologies on board could have much broader applications. “You can start thinking about using them to answer open scientific questions, you know, to study biology in ways that would be difficult with the animals, but using these robots instead,” he said. “So there are a lot of technologies and open interesting scientific questions that are really what drives us on a day-to-day basis.”

　　72. The difficulty the team of engineers met with while making the robotic fly was that ________.

　　A. they had no model in their mind

　　B. they did not have sufficient time

　　C. they had no ready-made components

　　D. they could no assemble the components

　　73. It can be inferred from paragraphs 3 and 4 that the robotic fly_________.

　　A. consists of a flight device and a control system

　　B. can just fly in limited areas at the present time

　　C. can collect information from many sources

　　D. has been put into wide application

　　74. Which of the following can be learned from the passage?

　　A. The robotic flyer is designed to learn about insects.

　　B. Animals are not allowed in biological experiments.

　　C. There used to be few ways to study how insects fly.

　　D. Wood’s design can replace animals in some experiments.

　　75. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

　　A. Father of Robotic Fly

　　B. Inspiration from Engineering Science

　　C. Robotic Fly Imitates Real Life Insect

　　D. Harvard Breaks Through in Insect Study

　　【语篇解读】本文为一篇说明文，讲述机器人苍蝇的研发，面临的困难以及前景。

　　段落 关键词、句 大意推测

　　第一部分（Para. 1） create the first robotic fly; the mechanical fly; a platform for a series of new high-tech systems;

　　what a fly does naturally; the size of a fat housefly; mini wings; perform controlled flight tasks. 哈佛大学的一组技师在自然界的激发下，创造了第一部机器人苍蝇。进而描述了机器人苍蝇的样子与用途。

　　第二部分（Para. 2）

　　extremely important; as a whole system;

　　not just the sum of a bunch of individual components(元件); has been working on；for over a decade；got the go-ahead to start piecing together the components.；the added difficulty; off the shelf; have to develop them all on our own 机器人苍蝇要的是一套完整的体系，而不是一组独立原件简单地相加。哈佛大学Robert Wood教授数十年都在致力于研究机器人苍蝇这个课题。几年前，他的团队就开始了拼装原件。但这个项目也遇到了困难：那些元件没有一件能现货供应的，只能自己做。

　　第三部分（Para. 3-4） a series of systems to start and drive…；has a number of interdependencies on the individual components; was built into a set of power, computation, sensing and control systems; …the success of the project proves that…; these tiny components can be built and manufactured; is linked to; a small, off-board power source;

　　equip it with; a built-in power source; someday perform data-gathering work at rescue sites, in farmers’ fields or on the battlefield; be able to take off, land and fly around. 从两个方面说明机器人苍蝇：一.机器人苍蝇所需要的一套体系。看上去相当简单地能够移动翅膀的系统却在那些单个原件中有很多相互依赖的成份，每个成分不仅要各自运转良好，还要和与它相连的所有成分都配合好。二. 机器人苍蝇配有内置电源，是为了将来有一天能在营救点，在牧场上或者战场上从事数据收集工作。

　　第四部分（Para. 5）

　　a new way to study flight mechanics and control at insect-scale; …on board could have much broader applications; open scientific questions; difficult with the animals; using…instead; drives us on … 此设计为研究飞行力学和控制昆虫规模提供了一种崭新的方法。然而(搭载的)动力设备，传感以及运算技术会有更广泛的应用。Wood设计的机器人苍蝇在某些动物实验方面可以用来代替动物。

　　2017·安徽卷] D

　　D

　　“People are ruder today because they are rushed and more ‘time poor’ than ever before，” says Patsy Rowe, “Manners_have_fallen_off_the_radar(雷达)．” Due to our strong attraction to electronic equipment it is a wonder more people don't wake up each morning and greet the singing birds with a complaint(抱怨)about the noise. Here are some examples of rudeness.

　　Some people prefer to do almost everything over the Internet. To them, dealing with an actual human is like an evolutionary step backward. It feels very slow because humans don't work at 4G speeds. When you have dinner with friends, you will often notice someone paying more attention to his mobile phone. We have programmed ourselves to think that every new message brings life－changing news, so taking calls and checking our texts are more important than talking to the people we are with. What is worse, some people even tend to send anonymous(匿名的) rude messages by email.

　　However, rudeness is never acceptable. Don't assume it is OK to be rude if the person you're in touch with won't recognize you. If you have something awful to say, have the courage to face the person and say it, write a letter or email and sign it, or forget it. Upsetting people with unsigned messages is cruel and disgusting.

　　We shouldn't blame technology for our shortcomings.Technology is here to help us，but we should not allow it to take over our lives. An important step is acknowledging our shortcomings.People spend a lot of time pointing out bad manners but it would be even more helpful if we'd publicly acknowledge good manners when we see them.

　　68．What can be inferred from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1?

　　A．People can tell good from bad behavior.

　　B．Radar is able to observe human behavior.

　　C．People care little about their behavior.

　　D．Radar can be used to predict human behavior.

　　69．Some people are less willing to deal with humans because ________．

　　A．they are becoming less patient

　　B．they are growing too independent

　　C．they have to handle many important messages

　　D．they have to follow an evolutionary step backward

　　70．The author thinks sending unsigned awful messages is ________．

　　A．ridiculous

　　B．disgusting

　　C．acceptable

　　D．reasonable

　　71．What can we learn from the last paragraph?

　　A．We should applaud good behavior.

　　B．Technology can never be blamed.

　　C．We should keep pointing out mistakes.

　　D．Technology will take over our lives one day.

　　2017·北京卷] D

　　D

　　Multitasking

　　People who multitask all the time may be the worst at doing two things at once, a new research suggests. The findings, based on performances and self－evaluations by about 275 college students, indicate that many people multitask not out of a desire to increase productivity, but because they are easily distracted (分心) and can't focus on one activity. And “those people turn out to be the worst at handling different things，” said David Sanbonmatsu, a psychologist at the University of Utah.

　　Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues gave the students a set of tests and asked them to report how often they multitasked, how good they thought they were at it, and how sensation－seeking (寻求刺激) or impulsive (冲动) they were. They then evaluated the participants' multitasking ability with a tricky mental task that required the students to do simple mathematical calculations while remembering a set of letters.

　　Not surprisingly, the scientists said, most people thought they were better than average at multitasking, and those who thought they were better at it were more likely to report using a cellphone while driving or viewing multiple kinds of media at once. But those who frequently deal with many things at the same time were found to perform the worst at the actual multitasking test. They also were more likely to admit to sensation－seeking and impulsive behavior, which connects with how easily people get bored and distracted.

　　“People multitask not because it's going to lead to greater productivity, but because they're distractible, and they get sucked into things that are not as important，” Sanbonmatsu said.

　　Adam Gazzaley, a researcher at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not a member of the research group, said one limitation of the study was that it couldn't find out whether people who start out less focused tend toward multitasking or whether people's recognizing and understanding abilities change as a result of multitasking.

　　The findings do suggest, however, why the sensation－seekers who multitask the most may enjoy risky distracted driving. “People who are multitasking are generally less sensitive to risky situations，” said Paul Atchley, another researcher not in the group. “This may partly explain why people go in for these situations even though they're dangerous.”

　　67. The research led by Sanbonmatsu indicates that people who multitask

　　________．

　　A. seek high productivity constantly

　　B. prefer handling different things when getting bored

　　C. are more focused when doing many things at a time

　　D. have the poorest results in doing various things at the same time

　　68．When Sanbonmatsu and his colleagues conducted their research, they

　　________．

　　A. assessed the multitasking ability of the students

　　B. evaluated the academic achievements of the students

　　C. analyzed the effects of the participants' tricky mental tasks

　　D. measured the changes of the students' understanding ability

　　69．According to Sanbonmatsu, people multitask because of their

　　________．

　　A. limited power in calculation

　　B. interests in doing things differently

　　C. inability to concentrate on one task

　　D. impulsive desire to try new things

　　70．From the last paragraph, we can learn that multitaskers usually

　　________．

　　A. drive very skillfully

　　B. go in for difficult tasks

　　C. fail to react quickly to potential dangers

　　D. refuse to explain the reasons for their behavior

　　2017·大纲全国卷] E

　　E

　　The oldest and most common source(来源)of renewable energy known to man, biomass is one of the most important forms of energy production in the United States and elsewhere.Since such a wide variety of biomass materials is everywhere—from trees and grasses to agricultural and city—life wastes—biomass promises to play a continuing role in providing power and heat for millions of people around the world.

　　According to the Union of Concerned Scientists(UCS), biomass is a kind of renewable energy source that produces no carbon dioxide(二氧化碳), because the energy it contains comes from the sun.When plant matter is burned, it gives off the sun's energy.In this way, biomass serves as a sort of natural battery(电池)for storing the sun's energy.As long as biomass is produced continuously—with only as much grown as is used—the “battery” lasts forever.

　　According to the Energy Information Administration, biomass has been one of the leading renewable energy sources in the United States for several years running through 2007, making up between 0.5 and 0.9 percent of the nation's total electricity supply.In 2008—although the numbers aren't all in yet—wind power probably took over first place because of the rapid development of wind farms across the country.

　　Producing power from biomass helps reduce some 11 million tons of carbon dioxide each year.Some homeowners also try to make their own heat by using biomass materials.Such practice may save homeowners' money, but it also produces a lot of pollution.So, the best way is to encourage power plants to use it.

　　72．Why is biomass considered as “a sort of natural battery”？

　　A．It burns merely plant matter.

　　B．It keeps producing electricity.

　　C．It stores the energy from the sun.

　　D．It produces zero carbon dioxide.

　　73．We learn from the text that in 2008

　　________．

　　A．wind power could

　　be the leader of renewable energy

　　B. there was a rapid growth of electricity production

　　C．biomass might become the main energy source

　　D．0.5～0.9% of power supply came from biomass

　　74．Why does the author encourage power plants to use biomass?

　　A．To prevent the waste of energy.

　　B．To increase production safety.

　　C．To reduce pollution.

　　D．To save money.

　　75．Where does the text probably come from?

　　A．A research plan.

　　B．A science magazine.

　　C．A book review.

　　D．A business report.

　　2017·江苏] C

　　C

　　If a diver surfaces too quickly，he may suffer the bends.Nitrogen(氮)dissolved(溶解)in his blood is suddenly liberated by the reduction of pressure.The consequence，if the bubbles(气泡)accumulate in a joint，is sharp pain and a bent body—thus the name.If the bubbles form in his lungs or his brain，the consequence can be death.

　　Other air－breathing animals also suffer this decompression (减压) sickness if they surface too fast：whales, for example.And so, long ago, did ichthyosaurs.That these ancient sea animals got the bends can be seen from their bones.If bubbles of nitrogen form inside the bone they can cut off its blood supply.This kills the cells in the bone，and consequently weakens it，sometimes to the point of collapse.Fossil(化石) bones that have caved in on themselves are thus a sign that the animal once had the bends.

　　Bruce Rothschild of the University of Kansas knew all this when he began a study of ichthyosaur bones to find out how widespread the problem was in the past.What he particularly wanted to investigate was how ichthyosaurs adapted to the problem of decompression over the 150 million years.To this end, he and his colleagues traveled the world's natural－history museums, looking at hundreds of ichthyosaurs from the Triassic period and from the later Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.

　　When he started, he assumed that signs of the bends would be rarer in younger fossils, reflecting their gradual evolution of measures to deal with decompression.Instead，he was astonished to discover the opposite.More than 15% of Jurassic and Cretaceous ichthyosaurs had suffered the bends before they died，but not a single Triassic specimen(标本)showed evidence of that sort of injury.

　　If ichthyosaurs did evolve an anti－decompression means, they clearly did so quickly—and, most strangely, they lost it afterwards.But that is not what Dr Rothschild thinks happened.He suspects it was evolution in other animals that caused the change.

　　Whales that suffer the bends often do so because they have surfaced to escape a predator (捕食动物)such as a large shark.One of the features of Jurassic oceans was an abundance of large sharks and crocodiles，both of which were fond of ichthyosaur lunches.Triassic oceans，by contrast，were mercifully shark－ and crocodile－free.In the Triassic, then, ichthyosaurs were top of the food chain.In the Jurassic and Cretaceous，they were prey(猎物)as well as predator—and often had to make a speedy exit as a result.

　　61．Which of the following is a typical symptom of the bends?

　　A．A twisted body.

　　B．A gradual decrease in blood supply.

　　C．A sudden release of nitrogen in blood.

　　D．A drop in blood pressure.

　　62．The purpose of Rothschild's study is to see

　　________．

　　A．how often ichthyosaurs caught the bends

　　B．how ichthyosaurs adapted to decompression

　　C．why ichthyosaurs bent their bodies

　　D．when ichthyosaurs broke their bones

　　63．Rothschild's finding stated in Paragraph 4

　　________．

　　A．confirmed his assumption

　　B．speeded up his research process

　　C．disagreed with his assumption

　　D．changed his research objectives

　　64．Rothschild might have concluded that ichthyosaurs

　　________.

　　A．failed to evolve an anti－decompression means

　　B．gradually developed measures against the bends

　　C．died out because of large sharks and crocodiles

　　D．evolved all anti－decompression means but soon lost it

　　2017·辽宁卷] C

　　C

　　Here is an astonishing and significant fact: Mental work alone can't make us tired.It sounds absurd.But a few years ago, scientists tried to find out how long the human brain could labor without reaching a stage of fatigue(疲劳)．To the amazement of these scientists, they discovered that blood passing through the brain, when it is active, shows no fatigue at all! If we took a drop of blood from a day laborer, we would find it full of fatigue toxins(毒素) and fatigue products.But if we took blood from the brain of an Albert Einstein, it would show no fatigue toxins at the end of the day.

　　So far as the brain is concerned, it can work as well and swiftly at the end of eight or even twelve hours of effort as at the beginning.The brain is totally tireless.So what makes us tired?

　　Some scientists declare that most of our fatigue comes from our mental and emotional(情感的) attitudes.One of England's most outstanding scientists, J．A. Hadfield, says, “The greater part of the fatigue from which we suffer is of mental origin.In fact, fatigue of purely physical origin is rare.” Dr.Brill, a famous American scientist, goes even further.He declares, “One hundred percent of the fatigue of a sitting worker in good health is due to emotional problems.”

　　What kinds of emotions make sitting workers tired? Joy? Satisfaction? No! A feeling of being bored, anger, anxiety, tenseness, worry, a feeling of not being appreciated—those are the emotions that tire sitting workers.Hard work by itself seldom causes fatigue.We get tired because our emotions produce nervousness in the body.

　　64．What surprised the scientists a few years ago?

　　A．Fatigue toxins could hardly be found in a lborer's blood.

　　B．Albert Einstein didn't feel worn out after a day's work.

　　C．The brain could work for many hours without fatigue.

　　D．A mental worker's blood was filled with fatigue toxins.

　　65．According to the author, which of the following can make sitting workers tired?

　　A．Challenging mental work.

　　B．Unpleasant emotions.

　　C．Endless tasks.

　　D．Physical labor.

　　66．What's the author's attitude towards the scientists' ideas?

　　A．He agrees with them.

　　B．He doubts them.

　　C．He argues against them.

　　D．He hesitates to accept them.

　　67．We can infer from the passage that in order to stay energetic, sitting workers need to

　　________．

　　A．have some good food

　　B．enjoy their work

　　C．exercise regularly

　　D．discover fatigue toxins

　　2017·新课标全国卷Ⅰ] B

　　B

　　The baby is just one day old and has not yet left hospital. She is quiet but alert(警觉). Twenty

　　centimeters from her face researchers have placed a white card with two black spots on it.She stares at it carefully. A researcher removes the card and replaces it by another, this time with the spots differently spaced. As the cards change from one to the other，her gaze(凝视) starts to lose its focus—until a third, with three black spots, is presented. Her gaze returns：she looks at it for twice as long as she did at the previous card. Can she tell that the number two is different from three, just 24 hours after coming into the world?

　　Or do newborns simply prefer more to fewer? The same experiment，but with three spots shown before two, shows the same return of interest when the number of spots changes.Perhaps it is just the newness? When slightly older babies were shown cards with pictures of objects(a comb，a key，an orange and so on)，changing the number of objects had an effect separate from changing the objects themselves.Could it be the pattern that two things make，as opposed to three? No again.Babies paid more attention to squares moving randomly on a screen when their number changed from two to three, or three to two. The effect even crosses between senses.Babies who were repeatedly shown two spots became more excited when they then heard three drumbeats than when they heard just two; likewise(同样地) when the researchers started with drumbeats and moved to spots.

　　60．The experiment described in Paragraph 1 is related to the baby's________．

　　A．sense of hearing

　　B．sense of sight

　　C．sense of touch

　　D．sense of smell

　　61．Babies are sensitive to the change in ________．

　　A．the size of cards

　　B．the colour of pictures

　　C．the shape of patterns

　　D．the number of objects

　　62．Why did the researchers test the babies with drumbeats?

　　A．To reduce the difficulty of the experiment.

　　B．To see how babies recognize sounds.

　　C．To carry their experiment further.

　　D．To keep the babies' interest.

　　63．Where does this text probably come from?

　　A．Science fiction.

　　B．Children's literature.

　　C．An advertisement.

　　D．A science report.

　　2017·江西卷] C

　　C

　　Many people think that listening is a passive business. It is just the opposite. Listening well is an active exercise of our attention and hard work. It is because they do not realize this, or because they are not willing to do the work, that most people do not listen well.

　　Listening well also requires total concentration upon someone else. An essential part of listening well is the rule known as‘bracketing'. Bracketing includes the temporary giving up or setting aside of your own prejudices and desires, to experience as far as possible someone else's world from the inside, stepping_into_his_or_her_shoes. Moreover, since listening well involves bracketing, it also involves a temporary acceptance of the other person. Sensing this acceptance, the speaker will seem quite willing to open up the inner part of his or her mind to the listener. True communication is under way. The energy required for listening well is so great that it can be accomplished only by the will to extend oneself for mutual growth.

　　Most of the time we lack this energy. Even though we may feel in our business dealings or social relationships that we are listening well, what we are usually doing is listening selectively. Often we have a prepared list in mind and wonder, as we listen, how we can achieve certain desired results to get the conversation over as quickly as possible or redirected in ways more satisfactory to us. Many of us are far more interested in talking than in listening, or we simply refuse to listen to what we don't want to hear.

　　It wasn't until toward the end of my doctor career that I have found the knowledge that one is being truly listened to is frequently therapeutic(有疗效的). In about a quarter of the patients I saw, surprising improvement was shown during the first few months of the psychotherapy(心理疗法), before any of the roots of problems had been uncovered or explained. There are several reasons for this phenomenon, but chief among them, I believe, was the patient's sense that he or she was being truly listened to, often for the first time in years, and for some, perhaps for the first time ever.

　　66. The phrase “stepping into his or her shoes” in Paragraph 2 probably means ________．

　　A. preparing a topic list first

　　B. focusing on one's own mind

　　C. directing the talk to the desired results

　　D. experiencing the speaker's inside world

　　67．What is mainly discussed in Paragraph 2?

　　A. How to listen well.

　　B. What to listen to.

　　C. Benefits of listening.

　　D. Problems in listening.

　　68．According to the author, in communication people tend to ________．

　　A. listen actively

　　B. listen purposefully

　　C. set aside their prejudices

　　D. open up their inner mind

　　69．According to the author, the patients improved mainly because ________．

　　A. they were taken good care of

　　B. they knew they were truly listened to

　　C. they had partners to talk to

　　D. they knew the roots of problems

　　70．What type of writing is the article likely to be?

　　A. Science fiction.

　　B. A news report.

　　C. A medical report.

　　D. Popular science.

　　2017·山东卷] C

　　C

　　You can't always predict a heavy rain or remember your umbrella. But designer Mikhail Belyaev doesn't think that forgetting to check the weather forecast before heading out should result in you getting wet. That's why he created Lampbrella, a lamp post with its own rain－sensing umbrella.

　　The designer says he came up with the idea after watching people get wet on streets in Russia. “Once, I was driving on a central Saint Petersburg street and saw the street lamps lighting up people trying to hide from the rain. I thought it would be appropriate to have a canopy(伞篷)built into a street lamp，” he said.

　　The Lampbrella is a standard－looking street lamp fitted with an umbrella canopy. It has a built－in electric motor which can open or close the umbrella on demand. Sensors(传感器)then ensure that the umbrella offers pedestrians shelter whenever it starts raining.

　　In addition to the rain sensor, there's also a 360° motion sensor on the fiberglass street lamp which detects whether anyone is using the Lampbrella.After three minutes of not being used the canopy is closed.

　　According to the designer, the Lampbrella would move at a relatively low speed, so as not to cause harm to the pedestrians. Besides, it would be grounded to protect from possible lightning strike. Each Lampbrella would offer enough shelter for several people. Being installed(安装) at 2 meters off the ground, it would only be a danger for the tallest of pedestrians.

　　While there are no plans to take the Lampbrella into production, Belyaev says he recently introduced his creation to one Moscow Department, and insists his creation could be installed on any street where a lot of people walk but there are no canopies to provide shelter.

　　66. For what purpose did Belyaev create the Lampbrella?

　　A. To predict a heavy rain.

　　B. To check the weather forecast.

　　C. To protect people from the rain.

　　D. To remind people to take an umbrella.

　　67．What do we know from Belyaev's words in Paragraph 2?

　　A. His creation was inspired by an experience.

　　B. It rains a lot in the city of Saint Petersburg.

　　C. Street lamps are protected by canopies.

　　D. He enjoyed taking walks in the rain.

　　68．Which of the following shows how the Lampbrella works?

　　A. motor→canopy→sensors

　　B. sensors→motor→canopy

　　C. motor→sensors→canopy

　　D. canopy→motor→sensors

　　69．What does Paragraph 5 mainly tell us about the Lampbrella?

　　A. Its moving speed.

　　B. Its appearance.

　　C. Its installation.

　　D. Its safety.

　　70．What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

　　A. The designer will open a company to promote his product.

　　B. The Lampbrella could be put into immediate production.

　　C. The designer is confident that his creation is practical.

　　D. The Lampbrella would be put on show in Moscow.

　　2017·四川卷] E

　　E

　　Fear may be felt in the heart as well as in the head，according to a study that has found a link between the cycles of a beating heart and the chance of someone feeling fear.

　　Tests on healthy volunteers found that they were more likely to feel a sense of fear at the moment when their hearts are contracting(收缩)and pumping blood around their bodies，compared with the point when the heartbeat is relaxed.Scientists say the results suggest that the heart is able to influence how the brain responds to a fearful event，depending on which point it is at in its regular cycle of contraction and relaxation.

　　Sarah Garfinkel at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School said：“Our study shows for the first time that the way in which we deal with fear is different depending on when we see fearful pictures in relation to our heart.”

　　The study tested 20 healthy volunteers on their reactions to fear as they were shown pictures of fearful faces.Dr Garfinkel said，“The study showed that fearful faces are better noticed when the heart is pumping than when it is relaxed.Thus our hearts can also affect what we see and what we don't see—and guide whether we see fear.”

　　To further understand this relationship，the scientists also used a brain scanner(扫描仪)to show how the brain influences the way the heart changes a person's feeling of fear.

　　“We have found an important mechanism by which the heart and brain ‘speak’ to each other to change our feelings and reduce fear，” Dr Garfinkel said.

　　“We hope that by increasing our understanding about how fear is dealt with and ways that it could be reduced, we may be able to develop more successful treatments for anxiety disorders，and also for those who may be suffering from serious stress disorder.”

　　47．What is the finding of the study?

　　A. One's heart affects how he feels fear.

　　B. Fear is a result of one's relaxed heartbeat.

　　C. Fear has something to do with one's health.

　　D. One's fast heartbeats are likely to cause fear.

　　48．The study was carried out by analyzing

　　________.

　　A. volunteers' heartbeats when they saw terrible pictures

　　B. the time volunteers saw fearful pictures and their health conditions

　　C. volunteers' reactions to horrible pictures and data from their brain scans

　　D. different pictures shown to volunteers and their heart－brain communication

　　49．Which of the following is closest in meaning to “mechanism” in Paragraph 6?

　　A. Order.

　　B. System.

　　C. Machine.

　　D. Treatment.

　　50．This study may contribute to

　　________．

　　A. treating anxiety and stress better

　　B. explaining the cycle of fear and anxiety

　　C. finding the key to the heart－brain communication

　　D. understanding different fears in our hearts and heads

　　2017·天津卷] B

　　B

　　Last night's meteor(流星)shower left many people in the community dissatisfied and demanding answers.According to Gabe Rothschild, Emerald Valley's mayor, people gathered in the suburbs of the city, carrying heavy telescopes, expecting to watch the brightly burning meteors passing through the sky.What they found instead was a sky so brightened by the city's lights that it darkened the light of the meteors passing overhead.

　　“My family was so frustrated，” admitted town resident Duane Cosby.“We wanted to make this an unforgettable family outing, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment.”

　　Astronomers—scientists who study stars and planets—have been complaining about this problem for decades.They say that light pollution prevents them from seeing objects in the sky that they could see quite easily in the past.They call on people and the government to take measures to fight against it.

　　There is yet a population besides professional and amateur star observers that suffers even more from light pollution. This population consists of birds, bats, frogs，snakes，etc.For example, outdoor lighting severely affects migrating (迁徙的)birds.According to the International Dark－Sky Association，“100 million birds a year throughout North America die in crashes with lighted buildings and towers.”

　　Countless more animal casualties(伤亡) result from the use of artificial lighting.Clearly，people enjoy the benefits of lighting their evenings, but some scientists think it can be harmful for humans，too.They worry that exposure to light while sleeping can increase a person's chances of getting cancer.

　　Emerald Valley is only one community that is becoming aware of the negative effects of light pollution.For years, Flagstaff, Arizona, has enforced lighting regulations in its city in order to assist astronomers at the Lowell Observatory.Similar efforts have been made worldwide, and a movement is underway to remind us to turn off lights when we are not using them, so that other creatures can share the night.

　　41．It happened last night that

　　________．

　　A. the city's lights affected the meteor watching

　　B．the meteors flew past before being noticed

　　C．the city light show attracted many people

　　D．the meteor watching ended up a social outing

　　42．What do the astronomers complain about?

　　A．Meteor showers occur less often than before.

　　B．Their observation equipment is in poor repair.

　　C．Light pollution has remained unsolved for years.

　　D．Their eyesight is failing due to artificial lighting.

　　43．What is the author concerned about according to Paragraph 4?

　　A. Birds may take other migration paths.

　　B．Animals' living habits may change suddenly.

　　C．Varieties of animals will become sharply reduced.

　　D．Animals' survival is threatened by outdoor lighting.

　　44．Lighting regulations in Flagstaff, Arizona are put into effect to________．

　　A．lessen the chance of getting cancer

　　B．create an ideal observation condition

　　C．ensure citizens a good sleep at night

　　D．enable all creatures to live in harmony

　　45．What message does the author most want to give us?

　　A．Saving wildlife is saving ourselves.

　　B．Great efforts should be made to save energy.

　　C．Human activities should be environmentally friendly.

　　D．New equipment should be introduced for space study.

　　B篇【2017浙江卷】B

　　B

　　Below is a selection from a popular science book.

　　If blood is red, why are veins (静脉）blue?

　　Actually, veins are not blue at all. They are more of a clear, yellowish colour. Although blood looks red when it’s outside the body, when it’s sitting in a vein near the surface of the skin, it's more of a dark reddish purple colour. At the right depth, these blood-filled veins reflect less red light than the surrounding skin, making them look blue by comparison.

　　Which works harder, your heart or your brain?

　　That kind of depends on whether you are busy thinking or busy exercising. Your heart works up to three times harder during exercise, and shifts enough blood over a lifetime to fill a supertanker. But, in the long run, your brain probably tips it, because even when you're sitting still your brain is using twice as much energy as your heart, and it takes four to five times as much blood to feed it.

　　Why do teeth fall out, and why don't they grow back in grown-ups?

　　Baby (or “milk") teeth do not last long; they fall out to make room for bigger, stronger adult teeth later oil Adult teeth fall out when they become damaged, decayed and infected by bacteria. Once this second set of teeth has grown in, you're done. When they are gone, they're gone. This is because nature figures you’re set for life, and what controls regrowth of your teeth switches off.

　　Do old people shrink as they age?

　　Yes and no. Many people do get shorter as they age. But, when they do, it isn’t because they’re shrinking all over. They simply lose height as their spine (脊柱)becomes shorter and more curved due to disuse and the effects of gravity (重力）.Many (but not all) men and women do lose height as they get older. Men lose an average of 3-4 cm in height as they age, while women may lose 5 cm or more. If you live to be 200 years old, would you keep shrinking till you were, like 60 cm tall, like a little boy again? No, because old people don’t really shrink! It is not that they are growing backwards --- their legs, arms and backbones getting shorter. When they do get shorter, it's because the spine has shortened a little. Or, more often become more bent and curved.

　　Why does spinning make you dizzy(眩晕的)？

　　Because your brain gets confused between what you’re seeing and what you’re feeling. The brain senses that you’re spinning using special gravity-and-motion-sensing organs in your inner ear, which work together with your eyes to keep your vision and balance stable. But when you suddenly stop spinning the system goes out of control, and your brain thinks you're moving while you’re not!

　　Where do feelings and emotions come from?

　　Mostly from an ancient part of the brain called the limbic system. All mammals have this brain area — from mice to dogs, cats, and humans. So all mammals feel basic emotions like fear, pain and pleasure. But since human feelings also involve other, newer bits of the brain, we feel more complex emotions than any other animal on the planet.

　　If exercise wears you out, how can it be good for you?

　　Because our bodies adapt to everything we do to them. And as far as your body is concerned, it’s “use it, or lose it"! It’s not that exercise makes you healthy; it’s more than a lack of exercise leaves your body weak and easily affected by disease.

　　46.

　　What is the colour of blood in a vein near the surface of the akin?

　　A. Blue. B. Light yellow.

　　Red. D. Dark reddish purple.

　　47.

　　Why do some old people look a little shrunken as they age?

　　Because their spine is in active use.

　　Because they are more easily affected by gravity.

　　Because they keep growing backwards.

　　Because their spine becomes more bent.

　　48. Which of the following statements about our brain is true?

　　In the long run, our brain probably works harder than our heart.

　　When our brain senses the spinning, we will feel dizzy.

　　The brains of the other mammals are as complex as those of humans.

　　Our feelings and emotions come from the most developed area in our brain.

　　49. What is the main purpose of the selection?

　　To give advice on how to stay healthy.

　　To provide information about our body.

　　To challenge new findings in medical research.

　　To report the latest discoveries in medical science.

　　【2017浙江卷】

　　2017年高考试题

　　科普知识类

　　2017·浙江卷]

　　B

　　Below is a selection about some Guinness(吉尼斯) World Records.

　　Top 6 Unusual Guinness World Records

　　Fastest 100 m running on all fours

　　The 2008 Guinness World Records Day was, according to GWR，their biggest day of record­breaking ever, with more than 290,000 people taking part in record attempts in 15 different countries. Kenichi Ito's record attempt was part of this special day. He is just another example of Japanese with “super powers”. His “super power” is to run with great speed on all fours. Kenichi Ito ran 100 m on all fours in 18.58 seconds. The Japanese set this record at Setagaya Kuritsu Sogo Undojyo, Tokyo, in 2008.

　　◆Most people inside a soap bubble◆Longest ears on a dog◆Most living generations

　　Did you ever wonder what is the Guinness World Record for most living generations in one family? Seven is the answer.

　　The ultimate authority on record­breaking mentions on the website that the youngest great­great­great­great grandparent of this family was Augusta Bung “aged 109 years 97 days, followed by her daughter aged 89, her granddaughter aged 70, her great grand­daughter aged 52, her great­great grand­daughter aged 33 and her great­great­great granddaughter aged 15 on the birth of her great­great­great­great grandson on January 21, 1989”．

　　◆Most T­shirts worn at once◆Heaviest pumpkin

　　46．Why is Kenichi Ito described as a man with a “super power”？

　　A．He set a good example to all Japanese.

　　B．He made record attempts in 15 different countries.

　　C．He set a new record for “Fastest 100 m running on all fours”．

　　D．He participated in the 2008 Guinness World Records Day activities.

　　47．Jeffries is the name of ________.

　　A．the owner of the dog with the longest ears

　　B．the grandfather of the dog with the longest ears

　　C．the present holder of the record for “Longest ears on a dog”

　　D．the former holder of the record for “Longest ears on a dog”

　　48．How many T­shirts had Krunoslav Budiseli put on before he felt it difficult to go on?

　　A．68.

　　B．120.

　　C．238.

　　D．245.

　　49．According to the given information, which Guinness World Record was most recently set?

　　A．The record for “Most people inside a soap bubble”．

　　B．The record for “Most living generations”．

　　C．The record for “Most T­shirts worn at once”．

　　D．The record for “Heaviest pumpkin”．

　　2017·四川卷]

　　E

　　Plants are flowering faster than scientists predicted(预测)in reaction to climate change, which could have long damaging effects on food chains and ecosystems.

　　Global warming is having a great effect on hundreds of plant and animal species around the world, changing some living patterns, scientists say.

　　Increased carbon dioxide(CO2)in the air from burning coal and oil can have an effect on how plants produce oxygen, while higher temperatures and changeable rainfall patterns can change their patterns of growth.

　　“Predicting species’ reaction to climate change is a major challenge in ecology，” said the researchers of several U．S. universities. They said plants had been the key object of study because their reaction to climate change could have an effect on food chains and ecosystem services.

　　The study, published on the Nature website, uses the findings from plant life cycle studies and experiments across four continents and 1,634 species. It found that some experiments had underestimated(低估) the speed of flowering by 8.5 times and leafing by 4 times.

　　“Across all species, the experiments under­predicted the speed of the advance－for both leafing and flowering－that results from temperature increases，” the study said.

　　The design of future experiments may need to be improved to better predict how plants will react to climate change, it said.

　　Plants are necessary for life on the Earth. They are the base of the food chain, using photosynthesis(光合作用)to produce sugar from carbon dioxide and water. They let out oxygen which is needed by nearly every organism on the planet.

　　Scientists believe the world’s average temperature has risen by about 0.8℃ since 1900, and nearly 0.2℃ every ten years since 1979.

　　So far, efforts to cut emissions(排放)of planet­warming greenhouse gases are not seen as enough to prevent the Earth heating up beyond 2 this century—a point scientists say will bring the danger of a changeable climate in which weather extremes are common, leading to drought, floods, crop failures and rising sea levels.

　　57. What is the key information the author wants to give in Paragraph 1?

　　A．Plants’ reaction to weather could have damaging effects on ecosystems.

　　B．The increasing speed of flowering is beyond scientists’ expectation.

　　C．Climate change leads to the change of food production patterns.

　　D．Food chains have been seriously damaged because of weather.

　　58. We can learn from the study published on the Nature website that ________.

　　A．plants’ flowering is 8.5 times faster than leafing

　　B．there are 1,634 plant species on the four continents

　　C．scientists should improve the design of the experiments

　　D．the experiments failed to predict how plants react to climate change

　　59. Scientists pay special attention to the study of plants because________.

　　A．they can prove the climate change clearly

　　B．they are very important in the food chains

　　C．they play a leading role in reducing global warming

　　D．they are growing and flowering much faster than before

　　60. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs about the world’s temperature?

　　A．It has risen nearly 0.2℃ since 1979.

　　B．Its change will lead to weather extremes.

　　C．It is 0.8 higher in 1979 than that of 1900.

　　D．It needs to be controlled within 2 in this century.

　　2017·山东卷]

　　D

　　For those who are tired of doing the laundry, Samsung has found an answer: a washing machine that can tell you when your laundry is done via a smartphone app(application).

　　Strange though it may seem—“my wife already does that” was a common response among attendees viewing the device when it was introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show(CES)this week—Samsung is just one of many appliance makers racing to install(安装)a large number of Internet­connected features in machines in an effort to make them “smart”．

　　Last year, it was a refrigerator that tweeted. This year, it's Wi­Fi­enabled laundry machines and fridges that can tell you when your groceries are going bad.

　　The washers and dryers, available starting in the spring, connect to any smartphone through a downloadable application. The phone can then be used as a remote control, so the machines can be turned on and off while their owner is at work or on the bus.

　　Samsung says it's not just something new—the app connection actually has some practical uses.

　　“If you started to dry clothes in the morning and forgot to take them out, you can go to your phone and restart your dryer for the time when you come home, so your clothes are refreshed and ready to go，” said spokesperson Amy Schmidt.

　　The company also says that with electricity rates(电价)varying depending on the time of day, more control over when the machines are used can help save money.

　　Perhaps, but what they will probably really accomplish is what all good technologies do—enable laziness. Rather than getting up to check on whether the laundry is done, users will instead monitor it on their phones while watching TV.

　　72. What can be inferred from the common response of the attendees at the CES?

　　A. The machine will be a big success.

　　B. Their wives like doing the laundry.

　　C. The machine is unrelated to their lift.

　　D. This kind of technology is familiar to them.

　　73. What can we learn about the new laundry machines?

　　A. They can tell you when your clothes need washing.

　　B. They can be controlled with a smartphone.

　　C. They are difficult to operate.

　　D. They are sold at a low price.

　　74. We can conclude from Samsung's statements that

　　________.

　　A. the app connection makes life easier

　　B. it is better to dry clothes in the morning

　　C. smartphones can shorten the drying time

　　D. we should refresh clothes back at home

　　75. What is the main idea of the last paragraph?

　　A. The laundry should be frequently checked.

　　B. Lazy people like using such machines.

　　C. Good technologies also cause problems.

　　D. Television may help do the laundry.

　　do—enable laziness.告诉我们，该项技术能使人们变懒，也就是C项所说的“优良技术也会带来问题”。故选C。

　　2017·全国卷Ⅱ]

　　B．

　　You may think that sailing is a difficult sport, but it is really not hard to learn it. You do not need to be strong. But you need to be quick. And you need to understand a few basic rules about the wind.

　　First, you must ask yourself，“Where is the wind coming from? Is it coming from ahead or behind or from the side？” You must think about this all the time on the boat. The wind direction tells you what to do with the sail.

　　Let's start with the wind blowing from behind. This means the wind and the boat are going in the same direction. Then you must always keep the sail outside the boat. It should be at a 90°angle(角度)to the boat. Then it will catch the wind best.

　　If the wind is blowing from the side, it is blowing across the boat. In this case, you must keep the sail half way outside the boat. It should be at a 45°angle to the boat. It needs to be out far enough to catch the wind, but it shouldn't flap(摆动)．It shouldn't look like a flag on a flagpole. If it is flapping, it is probably out too far, and the boat will slow down.

　　Sailing into the wind is not possible. If you try, the sail will flap and the boat will stop. You may want to go in that direction. It is possible, but you can't go in a straight line. You must go first in one direction and then in another. This is called tacking. When you are tacking, you must always keep the sail inside the boat.

　　45. What should you consider first while sailing?

　　A．Sailors' strength.

　　B．Wave levels.

　　C．Wind directions.

　　D．Size of sails.

　　46．What does the word “It” underlined in Paragraph 4 refer to?

　　A．The boat.

　　B．The wind.

　　C．The sail.

　　D．The angle.

　　47．What do you have to do when sailing against the wind?

　　A．Move in a straight line.

　　B．Allow the sail to flap.

　　C．Lower the sail.

　　D．Tack the boat.

　　48．Where can you probably find the text?

　　A．In a popular magazine.

　　B．In a tourist guidebook.

　　C．In a physics textbook.

　　D．In an official report.

　　2017·辽宁卷] B

　　Astronauts on shorter shuttle missions(使命)often work very long days. Tasks are scheduled so tightly that break times are often used to finish the day's work. This type of schedule is far too demanding for long missions on the International Space Station(ISS)．ISS crewmembers usually live in space for at least a quarter of a year. They work five days on and two days off to mimic the normal way they do things on Earth as much as possible. Weekends give the crew valuable time to rest and do a few hours of housework. They can communicate with family and friends by email, Internet phone and through private video conferences.

　　While astronauts cannot go to a baseball game or a movie in orbit, there are many familiar activities that they can still enjoy. Before a mission, the family and friends of each ISS crewmember put together a collection of family photos, messages, videos and reading material for the astronauts to look at when they will be floating 370 kilometers above the Earth. During their mission, the crew also receives care packages with CDs, books, magazines, photos and letters. And as from early 2010, the Internet became available on the ISS, giving astronauts the chance to do some “web surfing(冲浪)” in their personal time. Besides relaxing with these more common entertainments, astronauts can simply enjoy the experience of living in space.

　　Many astronauts say that one of the most relaxing things to do in space is to look out the window and stare at the universe and the Earth. Both the shuttle and the ISS circle the planet several times each day, and every moment offers a new view of the Earth's vast land mass and oceans.

　　60．What does the word “mimic” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

　　A．Find.

　　B．Copy.

　　C．Change.

　　　D．Lose.

　　61．Which of the following best describes the families of the astronauts on the ISS?

　　A．They are caring and thoughtful.

　　B．They are worried and upset.

　　C．They are impatient and annoyed.

　　D．They are excited and curious.

　　62．In the final paragraph, the author shows that astronauts ________.

　　A．get more pleasure in space than on the Earth

　　B．find living in space a bit boring and tiring

　　C．regard space life as common

　　D．love to see the Earth from space

　　63．The passage mainly discusses how astronauts ________.

　　A．work for longer missions in space

　　B．connect with people on the Earth

　　C．observe the Earth from space

　　D．spend their free time in space

　　2017·江苏卷]

　　C

　　Medical drugs sometimes cause more damage than they cure. One solution to this problem is to put the drugs inside a capsule, protecting them from the body—and the body from them—until they can be released at just the right spot. There are lots of ways to trigger (引发) this release，including changing temperature, acidity, and so on. But triggers can come with their own risks—burns, for example. Now, researchers in California have designed what could be a harmless trigger to date: shining near­infrared light (NIR, 近红外线) on the drug in the capsule.

　　The idea of using light to liberate the drug in the capsule isn't new. Researchers around the globe have developed polymers (聚合物) and other materials that begin to break down when they absorb either ultraviolet (UV, 紫外线) or visible light. But tissues also readily absorb UV and visible light, which means the drug release can be triggered only near the skin, where the light can reach the capsule. NIR light largely passes through tissues, so researchers have tried to use it as a trigger. But few compounds (化合物) absorb NIR well and go through chemical changes.

　　That changed last year when Adah Almutairi, a chemist at the University of California, San Diego, reported that she and her colleagues had designed a polymer that breaks down when it absorbs NIR light. Their polymer used a commercially available NIR­absorbing group called

　　o­nitrobenzyl (ONB). When they catch the light, ONB groups fall off the polymer, leading to its breakdown. But ONB is only a so­so NIR absorber, and it could be poisonous to cells when it separates from the polymer.

　　So Almutairi and her colleagues reported creating a new material for capsules that's even better. This one consists of a long chain of compounds called cresol groups linked in a polymer. Cresol contains reactive (易反应的) components that make it highly unstable in its polymeric form, a feature Almutairi and her colleagues use to their advantage. After polymerizing the cresols, they cap each reactive component with a light­absorbing compound called Bhc. When the Bhcs absorb NIR light, the reactive groups are exposed and break the long polymer into two short chains. Shining additional light continues this breakdown, potentially releasing any drugs in the capsule. What's more, Almutairi says, Bhc is 10 times better at absorbing NIR than is ONB and is not poisonous to cells.

　　63. According to the passage, which of the following could be the best trigger?

　　A. Temperature change.

　　B. NIR light.

　　C. Acidity change.

　　D. UV light.

　　64. Why is ONB unsatisfactory?

　　A. It breaks down when it absorbs NIR light.

　　B. It falls off the polymer and triggers drug release.

　　C. It has not come onto the market up till now.

　　D. It is not effective enough and could be poisonous.

　　65. Which word can be used to complete the following process of changes?

　　⇨⇨⇨

　　A. protected

　　B. formed

　　C. exposed

　　D. combined

　　2017·湖南卷]

　　C

　　Harvard researchers have created a tough, low­cost, biodegradable(可生物降解的) material inspired by insects' hard outer shells. The material's inventors say it has a number of possible uses and someday could provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic. The material, made from shrimp (虾) shells and proteins produced from silk, is called “shrilk.” It is thin, clear, flexible and strong.

　　A major benefit of the material is its biodegradability. Plastic's toughness and flexibility represented a revolution in materials science during the 1950s and '60s. Decades later, however, plastic's very durability (耐用性) is raising questions about how appropriate it is for one­time products such as plastic bags, or short­lived consumer goods, used in the home for a few years and then cast into a landfill where they will degrade for centuries. What is the point of making something that lasts 1,000 years?

　　Shrilk not only will degrade in a landfill, but its basic components are used as fertilizer (肥料), and so will enrich the soil.

　　Shrilk has great potential, the inventors said. Materials from which it is made are plentiful in nature, found in everything ranging from shrimp shells, insect bodies to living plants. That makes shrilk low­cost, and its mass

　　production possible should it be used for products demanding a lot of material.

　　Work on shrilk is continuing in the lab. The inventors said the material becomes flexible

　　when wet, so they’re exploring ways to use it in wet environments. They’re also developing

　　simpler production processes, which could be used for non­medical products，like for

　　computer cases and other products inside the home. They’re even exploring combining it with other materials，like carbon fibers, to give it new properties.

　　66. Paragraph 1 of the passage is mainly about shrilk's ________.

　　A．remarkable design

　　B．interesting name

　　C．major features

　　D．basic elements

　　67. What has become a concern about plastic?

　　A．Using it properly.

　　B．Producing it cheaply.

　　C．Developing its properties quickly.

　　D．Evaluating its contributions fairly.

　　68. According to the inventors，shrilk has great potential partly because ________.

　　A．it can help plastic degrade

　　B．it can be found in living things

　　C．its mass production has been realized

　　D．its raw materials are abundant in nature

　　69. What are the inventors doing in the lab?

　　A．Replacing carbon fibers with shrilk.

　　B．Testing shrilk's use in wet conditions.

　　C．Making shrilk out of used household goods.

　　D．Improving shrilk’s flexibility for medical purposes.

　　70. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

　　A．Recent Progress in Environmental Protection

　　B．Benefits of Insects in Scientific Research

　　C．The Harm of One­time Products

　　D.A Possible Alternative to Plastic

　　2017·湖北卷]

　　E

　　Brrriiinnng. The alarm clock announces the start of another busy weekday in the morning. You jump out of bed, rush into the shower, into your clothes and out the door with hardly a moment to think. A stressful journey to work gets your blood pressure climbing. Once at the office, you glance through the newspaper with depressing stories or reports of disasters. In that sort of mood, who can get down to work, particularly some creative, original problem­solving work?

　　The way most of us spend our mornings is exactly opposite to the conditions that promote flexible, open­minded thinking. Imaginative ideas are most likely to come to us when we're unfocused. If you are one of those energetic morning people, your most inventive time comes in the early evening when you are relaxed. Sleepy people's lack of focus leads to an increase in creative problem solving. By not giving yourself time to tune_into_your_wandering_mind,_you're missing out on the surprising solutions it may offer.

　　The trip you take to work doesn't help, either. The stress slows down the speed

　　with which signals travel between neurons (神经细胞), making inspirations less likely to occur. And while we all should read a lot about

　　what's going on in the world, it would not make you feel good for sure, so put that news website or newspaper aside until after the day's work is done.

　　So what would our mornings look like if we wanted to start them with a full capacity for creative problem solving? We'd set the alarm a few minutes early and lie awake in bed, following our thoughts where they lead. We'd stand a little longer under the warm water of the shower, stopping thinking about tasks in favor of a few more minutes of relaxation. We'd take some deep breaths on our way to work, instead of complaining about heavy traffic. And once in the office—after we get a cup of coffee—we'd click on links not to the news of the day but to the funniest videos the web has to offer.

　　67．According to the author, we are more creative when we are ________.

　　A．focused

　　B．relaxed

　　C．awake

　　D．busy

　　68．What does the author imply about newspapers?

　　A．They are solution providers.

　　B．They are a source of inspiration.

　　C．They are normally full of bad news.

　　D．They are more educational than websites.

　　69．By “tune into your wandering mind” (in Para. 2), the author means “________”．

　　A．wander into the wild

　　B．listen to a beautiful tune

　　C．switch to the traffic channel

　　D．stop concentrating on anything

　　70．The author writes the last paragraph in order to ________.

　　A．offer practical suggestions

　　B．summarize past experiences

　　C．advocate diverse ways of life

　　D．establish a routine for the future

　　2017·广东卷]

　　B

　　I have been consistently opposed to feeding a baby regularly. As a doctor,

　　mother and scientist in child development I believe there is nothing to recommend it, from the baby's point of view.

　　Mothers, doctors and nurses alike have no idea of where a baby's blood sugar level lies. All we know is that a low level is harmful to brain development and makes a baby easily annoyed. In this state, the baby is difficult to calm down and sleep is impossible. The baby asks for attention by crying and searching for food with its mouth.

　　It is not just unkind but also dangerous to say a four­hourly feeding schedule will make a baby satisfied. The first of the experts to advocate a strict clock­watching schedule was Dr Frederic Truby King who was against feeding in the night. I've never heard anything so ridiculous. Baby feeding shouldn't follow a timetable set by the mum. What is important is feeding a baby in the best way, though it may cause some inconvenience in the first few weeks.

　　Well, at last we have copper­bottomed research that supports demand feeding and points out the weaknesses of strictly timed feeding. The research finds out that babies who are fed on demand do better at school at age 5, 7, 11 and 14, than babies fed according to the clock. By the age of 8, their IQ (智商) scores are four to five percent higher than babies fed by a rigid timetable. This research comes from Oxford and Essex University using a sample (样本) of 10,419 children born in the early 1990s, taking account of parental education, family income, a child's sex and age, the mother's health and feeding style. These results don't surprise me. Feeding according to schedule runs the risk of harming the rapidly growing brain by taking no account of sinking blood sugar levels.

　　I hope this research will put an end to advocating strictly timed baby feeding practices.

　　31. According to Paragraph 2, one reason why a baby cries is that it feels ________.

　　A．sick

　　B．upset

　　C．sleepy

　　D．hungry

　　32. What does the author think about Dr King?

　　A．He is strict.

　　B．He is unkind.

　　C．He has the wrong idea.

　　D．He sets a timetable for mothers.

　　33. The word copper­bottomed in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to________.

　　A．basic

　　B．reliable

　　C．surprising

　　D．interesting

　　34. What

　　does the research tell us about feeding a baby on demand?

　　A．The baby will sleep well.

　　B．The baby will have its brain harmed.

　　C．The baby will have a low blood sugar level.

　　D．The baby will grow to be wiser by the age of 8.

　　35. The author supports feeding the baby ________.

　　A．in the night

　　B．every four hours

　　C．whenever it wants food

　　D．according to its blood sugar level

　　babies fed by a rigid timetable.看出答案。故选D。

　　2017·福建卷]

　　D

　　Do you know how it is when you see someone yawn and you start yawning too? Or how hard it is to be among people laughing and not laugh yourself? Well, apparently it's because we have mirror neurons(神经元)in our brains.

　　Put simply, the existence of mirror neurons suggests that every time we see someone else do something, our brains imitate(模仿)it, whether or not we actually perform the same action. This explains a great deal about how we learn to smile, talk, walk, dance or play sports. But the idea goes further: mirror neurons not only appear to explain physical actions, they also tell us that there is a biological basis for the way we understand other people.

　　Mirror neurons can undoubtedly be found all over our brains, but especially in the areas which relate to our ability to use languages, and to understand how other people feel. Researchers have found that mirror neurons relate strongly to language. A group of researchers discovered that if they gave people sentences to listen to (for example：“The hand took hold of the ball”), the same mirror neurons were triggered as when the action was actually performed (in this example, actually taking hold of a ball)．

　　Any problems with mirror neurons may well result in problems with behavior. Much research suggests that people with social and behavioral problems have mirror neurons which are not fully functioning. However, it is not yet known exactly how these discoveries might help find treatments for social disorders.

　　Research into mirror neurons seems to provide us with ever more information concerning how humans behave and interact(互动)．Indeed, it may turn out to be the equivalent(相等物)for neuroscience of what Einstein's theory of relativity was for physics. And the next time you feel the urge to cough in the cinema when someone else does—well, perhaps you'll understand why.

　　67．Mirror neurons can explain ________.

　　A．why we cry when we are hurt

　　B．why we cough when we suffer from a cold

　　C．why we smile when we see someone else smile

　　D．why we yawn when we see someone else stay up late

　　68．The underlined word “triggered” in the third paragraph probably means “________”．

　　A．set off

　　B．cut off

　　C．built up

　　D．broken up

　　69．We can learn from the passage that mirror neurons ________.

　　A．relate to human behavior and interaction

　　B．control human physical actions and feelings

　　C．result in bad behavior and social disorders

　　D．determine our knowledge and language abilities

　　70．What is the passage mainly about?

　　A．Ways to find mirror neurons.

　　B．Problems of mirror neurons.

　　C．Existence of mirror neurons.

　　D．Functions of mirror neurons.

　　2017·北京卷]

　　C

　　Decision­making under Stress

　　A new review based on a research shows that acute stress affects the way the brain considers the advantages and disadvantages, causing it to focus on pleasure and ignore the possible negative(负面的) consequences of a decision.

　　The research suggests that stress may change the way people make choices in predictable ways.

　　“Stress affects how people learn，” says Professor Mara Mather.“People learn better about positive than negative outcomes under stress.”

　　For example, two recent studies looked at how people learned to connect images(影像)with either rewards or punishments. In one experiment, some of the participants were first stressed by having to give a speech and do difficult math problems in front of an audience; in the other, some were stressed by having to keep their hands in ice water. In both cases, the stressed participants remembered the rewarded material more accurately and the punished material less accurately than those who hadn't gone through the stress.

　　This phenomenon is likely not surprising to anyone who has tried to resist eating cookies or smoking a cigarette while under stress—at those moments, only the pleasure associated with such activities comes to mind. But the findings further suggest that stress may bring about a double effect. Not only are rewarding experiences remembered better, but negative consequences are also easily recalled.

　　The research also found that stress appears to affect decision­making differently in men and women. While both men and women tend to focus on rewards and less on consequences under stress, their responses to risk turn out to be different.

　　Men who had been stressed by the cold­water task tended to take more risks in the experiment while women responded in the opposite way. In stressful situations in which risk­taking can pay off big, men may tend to do better; when caution weighs more, however, women will win.

　　This tendency to slow down and become more cautious when decisions are risky might also help explain why women are less likely to become addicted than men: they may more often avoid making the risky choices that eventually harden into addiction.

　　64．We can learn from the passage that people under pressure tend to ________.

　　A．keep rewards better in their memory

　　B．recall consequences more effortlessly

　　C．make risky decisions more frequently

　　D．learn a subject more effectively

　　65．According to the research, stress affects people most probably in their ________.

　　A．ways of making choices

　　B．preference for pleasure

　　C．tolerance of punishments

　　D．responses to suggestions

　　66．The research has proved that in a stressful situation, ________.

　　A．women find it easier to fall into certain habits

　　B．men have a greater tendency to slow down

　　C．women focus more on outcomes

　　D．men are more likely to take risks

　　2017·安徽卷]

　　A

　　Welcome to one of the largest collections of footwear(鞋类)in the world that will make you green with envy. Here at the Footwear Museum you can see exhibits(展品)from all over the world. You can find out about shoes worn by everyone from the Ancient Egyptians to pop stars.

　　Room 1

　　The celebrity(名人)footwear section is probably the most popular in the entire museum. Started in the 1950s there is a wide variety of shoes and boots belonging to everyone from queens and presidents to pop stars and actors! Most visitors find the celebrities' choice of footwear extremely interesting.

　　Room 2

　　Most of our visitors are amazed—and shocked—by the collection of “special purpose” shoes on exhibition here at the Museum of Footwear. For example, there are Chinese shoes made of silk that were worn by women to tie their feet firmly to prevent them from growing too much！

　　Room 3

　　As well as shoes and boots, the museum also exhibits shoe­shaped objects. The variety is unbelievable. For example, there is a metal lamp that resembles a pair of shoes, and Greek wine bottles that look like legs！

　　The Footwear Library

　　People come from all over the world to study in our excellent footwear library. Designers and researchers come here to look up information on anything and everything related to the subject of footwear.

　　56. Where would you find a famous singer's shoes?

　　A. Room 1.

　　B. Room 2.

　　C. Room 3.

　　D. The Footwear Library.

　　57. All exhibits each room ________.

　　A. share the same theme

　　B. have the same shape

　　C. are made of the same material

　　D. belong to the same social class

　　58. Which of the following is true according to the text?

　　A. The oldest exhibits in Room 1 were made in the 1950s.

　　B. Room

　　2 is the most visited place in the museum.

　　C. Room 3 has a richer variety of exhibits than the other two.

　　D. Researchers come to the Footwear Library for data.

　　59. The purpose of the text is to get more people to ________.

　　A. do research

　　B. design shoes

　　C. visit the museum

　　D. follow celebrities

　　【解题导语】本文讲述世界上最大的收集鞋类的博物馆之一——Footwear Museum。

　　2017·安徽卷]

　　E

　　Welcome to your future life!

　　You get up in the morning and look into the mirror. Your face is firm and young­looking. In 2035, medical technology is better than ever. Many people your age could live to be 150，so at 40, you're not old at all. And your parents just had an anti­aging(抗衰老的) treatment. Now, all three of you look the same age!

　　You say to your shirt, “Turn red.” It changes from blue to red. In 2035, “smart clothes” contain particles(粒子) much smaller than the cells in your body. The particles can be programmed to change your clothes' color or pattern.

　　You walk into the kitchen. You pick up the milk, but a voice says，“ You shouldn't drink that！” Your fridge has read the chip (芯片) that contains information about the milk, and it knows the milk is old. In 2035, every article of food in the grocery store has such a chip.

　　It's time to go to work. In 2035, cars drive themselves. Just tell your “smart car” where to go. On the way, you can call a friend using your jacket sleeve. Such “smart technology” is all around you.

　　So will all these things come true? “For new technology to succeed，” says scientist Andrew Zolli ，“it has to be so much better that it replaces what we have already.” The Internet is one example—what will be the next?

　　72. We can learn from the text that in the future ________.

　　A. people will never get old

　　B. everyone will look the same

　　C. red will be the most popular color

　　D. clothes will be able to change their pattern

　　73. What can be inferred from Paragraph 4?

　　A. Milk will be harmful to health.

　　B. More drinks will be available for sale.

　　C. Food in the grocery store will carry electronic information.

　　D. Milk in the grocery store will stay fresh much longer.

　　74. Which of the following is mentioned in the text?

　　A. Nothing can replace the Internet.

　　B. Fridges will know what people need.

　　C. Jacket sleeves can be used as a guide.

　　D. Cars will be able to drive automatically.

　　75．What is the text mainly about?

　　A. Food and clothing in 2035.

　　B. Future technology in everyday life.

　　C. Medical treatments of the future.

　　D. The reason for the success of new technology.

　　2017·福建卷]

　　D

　　Do you know how it is when you see someone yawn and you start yawning too? Or how hard it is to be among people laughing and not laugh yourself? Well, apparently it's because we have mirror neurons(神经元)in our brains.

　　Put simply, the existence of mirror neurons suggests that every time we see someone else do something, our brains imitate(模仿)it, whether or not we actually perform the same action. This explains a great deal about how we learn to smile, talk, walk, dance or play sports. But the idea goes further: mirror neurons not only appear to explain physical actions, they also tell us that there is a biological basis for the way we understand other people.

　　Mirror neurons can undoubtedly be found all over our brains, but especially in the areas which relate to our ability to use languages, and to understand how other people feel. Researchers have found that mirror neurons relate strongly to language. A group of researchers discovered that if they gave people sentences to listen to (for example：“The hand took hold of the ball”), the same mirror neurons were triggered as when the action was actually performed (in this example, actually taking hold of a ball)．

　　Any problems with mirror neurons may well result in problems with behavior. Much research suggests that people with social and behavioral problems have mirror neurons which are not fully functioning. However, it is not yet known exactly how these discoveries might help find treatments for social disorders.

　　Research into mirror neurons seems to provide us with ever more information concerning how humans behave and interact(互动)．Indeed, it may turn out to be the equivalent(相等物)for neuroscience of what Einstein's theory of relativity was for physics. And the next time you feel the urge to cough in the cinema when someone else does—well, perhaps you'll understand why.

　　67．Mirror neurons can explain ________.

　　A．why we cry when we are hurt

　　B．why we cough when we suffer from a cold

　　C．why we smile when we see someone else smile

　　D．why we yawn when we see someone else stay up late

　　68．The underlined word “triggered” in the third paragraph probably means “________”．

　　A．set off

　　B．cut off

　　C．built up

　　D．broken up

　　69．We can learn from the passage that mirror neurons ________.

　　A．relate to human behavior and interaction

　　B．control human physical actions and feelings

　　C．result in bad behavior and social disorders

　　D．determine our knowledge and language abilities

　　70．What is the passage mainly about?

　　A．Ways to find mirror neurons.

　　B．Problems of mirror neurons.

　　C．Existence of mirror neurons.

　　D．Functions of mirror neurons.

　　2017·课标全国卷]

　　B

　　Honey from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious. Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees' nest and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for honey have a strange and unexpected helper—a little bird called a honey guide.

　　The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax in the beehives (蜂房). The little bird cannot reach this wax, which is deep inside the bees' nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the_follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.

　　Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit.

　　60. Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?

　　A. It's small in size.

　　B. It's hidden in trees.

　　C. It's covered with wax.

　　D. It's hard to recognize.

　　61. What do the words “the follower” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

　　A. A bee.

　　B. A bird.

　　C. A honey seeker.

　　D. A beekeeper.

　　62. The honey guide is special in the way ________.

　　A. it gets its food

　　B. it goes to church

　　C. it sings in the forest

　　D. it reaches into bees' nests

　　63. What can be the best title for the text?

　　A. Wild Bees

　　B. Wax and Honey

　　C. Beekeeping in Africa

　　D. Honey­Lover's Helper

　　2017·陕西卷]

　　C

　　Eating too much fatty food, exercising too little and smoking can raise your future risk of heart disease. But there is another factor that can cause your heart problems more immediately：the air you breathe.

　　Previous studies have linked high exposure(暴露)to environmental pollution to an increased risk of heart problems，but

　　two analyses now show that poor air quality can lead to heart attack or stroke(中风)within as little as a few hours after exposure. In one review of the research，scientists found that people exposed to high levels of pollutants(污染物) were up to 5% more likely to suffer a heart attack within days of exposure than those with lower exposure. A separate study of stroke patients showed that even air that the U．S. Environmental

　　Protection Agency (EPA)considers to be of “moderate”(良好) quality and relatively safe for our health can raise the risk of stroke as much as 34% within 12 to 14 hours of exposure.

　　The authors of both studies stress that these risks are relatively small for healthy people and certainly modest compared with other risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure. However, it is important to be aware of these dangers because everyone is exposed to air pollution regardless of lifestyle choices. So stricter regulation by the EPA of

　　pollutants may not only improve environmental air quality but could also become necessary to protect public health.

　　53．The text mainly discusses the relationship between________.

　　A．heart problems and air quality

　　B．heart problems and exercising

　　C．heart problems and smoking

　　D．heart problems and fatty food

　　54.

　　The underlined word“modest”in Paragraph 3 most probably means ________.

　　A．relatively high

　　B．extremely low

　　C．relatively low

　　D．extremely high

　　55．What can we learn from the text?

　　A．Eating fatty food has immediate effects on your heart.

　　B．The EPA conducted many studies on air quality.

　　C．Moderate air quality is more harmful than smoking.

　　D．Stricter regulations on pollutants should be made.

　　56．The author's purpose of writing the text is most likely to________.

　　A．inform

　　B．persuade

　　C．describe

　　D．entertain

　　2011年高考题

　　1.（2011·陕西卷）D

　　Ever since they were first put on the market in the early 1990s, gentically modified (GM, 转基因) foods have been increasingly developed and marketed in many countries in the word,mainly on the basis of their promise to end the worldwide food crisis. But can GM technology solve world hunger problems? Even if it would ,is it the best solution?

　　Despite what it promises,GM

　　technology actually has not increased the production potential of any corp. In fact

　　Studies show that the most

　　crown GM crop.

　　GM soybeans, has suffered reduced productivity. For instance, a report than analysed nearly two decades of research on major GM food crops shows that GM engineering has failed to significantly increase US crop production.

　　Something else, however, has been on the rise, While GM seeds are expensive, GM companies tell farmers that they will make good profits by saving money on pesticides（杀虫剂）. On the contrary, US government data show that GM crops in the US have produced an overall increase in pesticide use compared to traditional crops. “ The

　　promise was that you could use less chemicals and boost production. But nether is true,” said Bill Christison, President of the US National Farm Coalition.

　　At the same time, the authors of the book World Hunger: Twelve Myths argue that there actually is more than enough food in the world and that the hunger crisis is not caused by production, but by problems in food distribution and politics. These indeed deserve our efforts and money. Meanwhile, the rise in food prices results from the increased use of crops for fuel rather than food, according to a 2008 World Bank report.

　　As a matter of fact ,scientists see better ways to feed the world. Another World Bank report concluded that GM crops have little to offer to the challenges of worldwide poverty and hunger, because better ways out are available, among which “green” farming is supposed to be the first choice.

　　The author develops the second paragraph mainly

　　.

　　A. by classification

　　B. by comparison

　　C. by example

　　D. by process

　　What does the underlined word “boost ” in the third paragraph probably mean?

　　A. Control.

　　B. Evaluate

　　C. Obtain.

　　D. Increase.

　　59. GM companies promise farmers that they will benefit from ______________.

　　A. practicing “green” farming

　　B. use of less chemicals

　　C. fair distribution of their crops

　　D. using more crops for fuel

　　60. Which of the following best describes the attitude of the author towards GM technology?

　　Optimistic

　　B. Defensive

　　C. Disapproving

　　D. Casual

　　2.（2011·重庆卷）C

　　Getting rid of dirt, in the opinion of most people, is a good thing. However, there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt.

　　In the early 16th century, people thought that dirt on the skin was a means to block out disease, as medical opinion had it that washing off dirt with hot water could open up the skin and let ills in. A particular danger was thought to lie in public baths. By 1538, the French king had closed the bath houses in his kingdom. So did the king of England in 1546. Thus began a long time when the rich and the poor in Europe lived with dirt in a friendly way. Henry IV, King of France, was famously dirty. Upon learning that a nobleman had taken a bath, the king ordered that, to avoid the attack of disease, the nobleman should not go out.

　　Though the belief in the merit of dirt was long-lived, dirt has no longer been regarded as a nice neighbor ever since the 18th century. Scientifically speaking, cleaning away dirt is good to health. Clean water supply and hand washing are practical means of preventing disease. Yet, it seems that standards of cleanliness have moved beyond science since World War Ⅱ. Advertisements repeatedly sell the idea: clothes need to be whiter than white, cloths ever softer, surfaces to shine. Has the hate for dirt, however, gone too far?

　　Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays. Many first-time parents nervously try to warn their children off touching dirt, which might be responsible for the spread of disease.On the contrary, Mary Ruebush, an American immunologist(免疫学家)，encourages children to play in the dirt to build up a strong immune system. And the latter position is gaining some ground.

　　64. The kings of France and England in the 16th century closed bath houses because

　　.

　　A. they lived healthily in a dirty environment.

　　B. they thought bath houses were too dirty to stay in

　　C. they believed disease could be spread in public baths

　　D. they considered bathing as the cause of skin disease

　　65.Which of the following best describes Henry IV’s attitude to bathing?

　　A. Afraid.

　　B. Curious.

　　C. Approving.

　　D. Uninterested.

　　66. How does the passage mainly develop?

　　A. By providing examples.

　　B. By making comparisons.

　　C. By following the order of time.

　　D. By following the order of importance.

　　67. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

　　A. To stress the role of dirt.

　　B. To introduce the history of dirt.

　　C. To call attention to the danger of dirt.

　　D. To present the change of views on dirt.

　　【答案】CA CD

　　66. 答案C

　　【解析】【解析】3.（2011·湖南卷）C

　　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 elephants and the African forest elephants 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 3.5metres while the forest elephant has an average shoulder height of 2.5metres. 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 Minois, said, “We now have to treat the forest and savanna elephants as two different units for conservation purpose. Since 1950 all African elephants have been conserved as one species. Now that we know the forest and savanna elephants are two very distinct animals, the forest elephant should become a bigger priority (优先)for conservation purpose .”

　　66. One of the fossils studied by the researchers is that of ________.

　　A. the Asian elephant

　　B. the forest elephant

　　C. the savanna elephant

　　D. the mastodon elephant

　　67. The underlined word “divergence” in paragraph 4means “________”

　　A. evolution

　　B. exhibition

　　C. separation

　　D. examination

　　68. The researcher’s conclusion was based on a study of the African elephant’s ____________

　　A. DNA

　　B. height

　　C. weight

　　D. population

　　69. What were Alfred Roca’s words mainly about?

　　A. The conversation 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

　　70. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

　　A. Naturalist’s Belief about Elephants.

　　B. Amazing Experiment about Elephants

　　C. An Unexpected Finding about Elephants

　　D. A Long scientific Debate about Elephants

　　4.（2011·江西卷）D

　　Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits? Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.

　　Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup(基因构成) as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.

　　Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.

　　Exploration also allows minerals and other potential (潜在的) resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products (副产品)

　　of technological developments in the space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.

　　While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human being to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.

　　While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.

　　71. Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph1?

　　A. To express his doubts.

　　B. To compare different ideas.

　　C. To introduce points for discussion.

　　D. To describe the conditions on Earth.

　　72. What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph2?

　　A. Humans are nature-born to do so.

　　B. Humans have the tendency to fight.

　　C. Humans may find new sources of food.

　　D. Humans don’t like to stay in the same place.

　　73. The underlined word“spin-offs” in Paragraph 4 probably refers to______.

　　A. survival chances

　　B. potential resources

　　C. unexpected benefits

　　D. physical possessions

　　74. What makes it possible for humans to live on other planets?

　　A. O ur genetic makeup.

　　B. Resources on the earth..

　　C. The adaptive ability of humans.

　　D. By-products in space exploration.

　　5.（2011·江苏卷）A

　　We know the famous ones—the Thomas Edisons and the Alexander Graham Bells —but what about the less famous inventors? What about the people who invented the traffic light and the windshield wiper(雨刮器)？Shouldn’t we know who they are?

　　Joan Mclean think so. In fact, Mclean, a professor of physics at Mountain University in Range, feels so strongly about this matter that she’s developed a course on the topic. In addition to learning “who”invented”what”, however, Mclean also likes her students to learn the answers to the”why” and ”how” questions. According to Mclean,”When students learn the answers to these questions, they are better prepared to recognize opportunities for inventing and more motivated to give inventing a try.”

　　So,just what is the story behind the windshield wiper? Well,Mary Anderson came up with the idea in 1902 after a visit to Mew York City.The day was cold and stormy, but Anderson still wanted to see the sights ,so she jumped aboard a streetcar. Noticing that the driver was struggling to see through the snow covering the winshield,she found herself wondering why there couldn’t be a built-in device for cleaning the window. Still wondering about this when she returned home to Birmingham, Alabama, Anderson started drafting out solutions. One of her ideas, a lever(操作杆)on the inside of a vehicle that would contrl an arm on the outside, became the first windshield wiper.

　　Today we benefit from countless inventions and innovations，It’s hard to imagine driving without Garrett A.Morgan’s traffic light. It’s equally impossible to picture a world without Katherine J.Blodgett’s innovation that makes glass invisible, Can you picture life without clear windows and eyeglasses?

　　56.By mentioning “traffic light”and “windshield wiper”,the author indicates that countless inventions are

　　.

　　A.beneficial,because their inventors are famous

　　B. beneficial,though their inventors are less

　　famous

　　C.not useful, because their inventors are less famous

　　D. not useful, though their inventors are

　　famous

　　57.Professor Joan McLean’s course aims to_____.

　　A. add colour and variety to students’ campus life

　　B. inform students of the windshield wiper’s invention

　　C. carry out the requirements by Mountain University

　　D. preare students to try their own invention

　　58．Tommy Lee’s invention of the unbreakable umbrella was _________.

　　A. not eventually accepted by the umbrella producer

　　B. inspired by the story behind the windshield wiper

　　C. due to his dream of being caught in a rainstorm

　　D. not related to Professor Joan McLean’s lectures

　　59. Which 0f the following can best serve as the title of this passage?

　　A

　　How to Help Students to Sell Their Inventions to Producers?

　　B

　　How to Design a Built-in Device for Cleaning the Window?

　　C

　　Shouldn’t We Know Who invented the Windshield Wiper?

　　D

　　Shouldn’t We Develop Invention Courses in Universities?

　　6.（2011·江苏卷）C

　　According to the US government, wind farms off the Pacific coast could produce 900 gig watts of electricity every year.Unfortunately,the water there is far too deep for even the tallest windmills(see picture)to touch bottom. An experiment under way off the coast of Norway,however,could help put them anywhere.

　　The project, called Hywind,is the world’s first large-scale deepwater wind turbine(涡轮发电机).Although it uses a fairly standard 152-ton,2.3-megawatt turbine,Hywind represents totally new technology. The turbine will be fixed 213 feet above the water on a floating spar(see picture),a technology Hywind’s creator,the Norwegian company Statoil Hydro,has developed recently. The steel spar, which is filled with stones and goes 328 feet below the sea surface, will be tied to the ocean floor by three cable(缆索)；these will keep the spar stable and prevent the turbine from moving up and down in the waves.Hywind’s stability(稳定性)in the cold and rough sea would prove that even the deepest corners of the ocean are suitable for wind power. If all goes according to plan, the turbine will start producing electricity six miles off the coast of southwestern Norway as early as September.

　　To produce electricity on a large scale, a commercial wind farm will have to use bigger turbines than Hywind does, but it’s difficult enough to balance such a large turbine so high on a floating spar in the middle of the ocean. To make that turbine heavier, the whole spar’s to design a new kind of wind turbine, one whose gearbox(变速箱) sits at sea level rather than behind the blades (see picture )

　　Hywind is a test run, but the benefits for perfecting floating wind-farm technology could be extremely large. Out at sea, the wind is often stronger and steadier than close to shore, where all existing offshore windmills are planted. Deep-sea farms are invisible from land, which helps overcome the windmill-as-eyesore objection. If the technology catches on, it will open up vast areas of the planet’s surface to one of the best low-carbon power sources available.

　　63. The Hywind project uses totally new technology to ensure the stability of _______.

　　A. the cables which tie the spar to the ocean floor

　　B. the spar which is floating in deep-sea water

　　C. the blades driven by strong and steady sea wind

　　D. the stones filled in the spar below the sea surface

　　64. To balance a bigger turbine high on a flatting spar, a new type of turbine is to be designed with its gearbox sitting ____________.

　　A. on the sea floor

　　B. on the spar top

　　C. at sea level

　　D. behind the blades

　　65. Wide applications of deepwater wind power technology can ____________.

　　A. solve the technical problems of deepwater windmills

　　B. make financial profits by producing more turbines

　　C. settle the arguments about environmental problems

　　D. explore low-carbon power resources available at sea

　　63. B

　　细节理解题。根据第二段倒数第三句可知，该工程采用了全新的技术，是为了确保漂浮在深海水域中的圆材的稳定。

　　7.（2011·湖北卷）B

　　Howling is a behavior commonly observed among a wolf nark. An animals, wolves work together to hunt and rely on howling was an important means of communication each other. There are different explants of a wolf’s howl and it appears that there may be more to discover.

　　One theory is that wolves howl to bend better together. It’s almost as if howling together helps the pack stay together. Perhaps something similar to people feeling a sense of involvement with each other when singing a song together . But this theory may be wrong, explains Fred H. Harrington, a professor who studies wolf behavior.

　　Indeed, there have been tines when wolves have been seen one moment howling in a exhorts, and the next, quarreling anions each other. It appears that usually the lowest-tanking members of the pack may actually be “punished” for Joining in the chorus at times. So is howling a way to strengthen a social bond or just a way to reconfirm status among its members? ——Why do wolves howl for sure?

　　What is cleat, however, is that howling is often used among packmates to locate each other. Hunting grounds are distant and it happens that wolves may separate from one another at times. When this happens, howling appears to be an excellent means of gathering.

　　Howling, interestingly, is a contagious behaviour. When one wolf starts to howl, very likely others will follow. This is often seen to occur in the morning, as if wolves were doing some sort of “roll rall”where wolves all howl together to howl, very likely others will follow. This is often seen to occur in the morning, as if wolves were doing w some sort of “roll call”where wolves all howl together to report their presence.

　　55.What the possible similarity between wolves’ how humans singing in chorus?

　　A.The act of calling each other.

　　B.the sense of accomplishment.

　　C.The act of hunting for something.

　　D.The sense of belonging to a group.

　　56.Why does Harrington think the“social bond”theory may be wrong?

　　A.Wolves separate from each other after howling.

　　B.Wolves tend to protect their hunting grounds.

　　C.Wolves sometimes have quarrels after howling together.

　　D.Wolves of low rank are encouraged to join in the chorus.

　　57.Researchers are sure that wolves often howl to______.

　　A.show their ranks

　　B. find their companions

　　C.report the missing ones

　　D.express their loneliness

　　58.“Howling… is a contagious behaviour”(in the last paragraph)means_______.

　　A.howling is a signal for hunting

　　B.howling is a way of communication

　　C.howling often occurs in the morning

　　D.howling spreads from one to another

　　【答案】DCBD

　　55. What the possible similarity between wolves’ howling together and human’s singing in chorus?

　　A. The act of calling each other. B. the sense of accomplishment.

　　C. The act of hunting for something. D. The sense of belonging to a group.

　　【答案】D

　　【答案】C

　　8.（2011·湖北卷）E

　　Which are you more likely to have wth you at sny given moment—your cell phone or your wallet? Soon you may be able to throw your wallet away and pay for things with a quick wave of your smart phone over an electronic scanner.

　　In January, Starbucks announced that customers could start using their phones to buy coffee in 6,800 of its states. This is the first pay by phone practice in the U.S., but we’re likely to see more witeless payment alternatives as something called near field communication(NFC)GETS IN TO America’s consumer electronics. Last December some new smart phones which contain an NFC chip were introduced to the public.

　　Already in use in part of Asia and Europe, NFC their plan a few inches live a payment terminal a one a few problems need to be worked out, like who will get to collect the profitable transaction(交易)fees. Although some credit card providers have been experimenting with wave and pay systems that use NFC enabled credit cards, cellphone service providers ay try to muscle their way into the point of sale (POS)market. Three big cellphone service providers have formed a joint venture(合资企业)that will go into opetion over the next 15 months. Its goal is“to lead the U.S. payments industry from cards to mobile phone.”

　　The other big NFC sue, apart from how payments will be processed, is security, For instance, what’s to stop a thief from digitally pickpocketing you? “We’re still not at the point where an attacker can just brush against you in a crowd and steal all the money out of your phone,”says Jimmy Shah. A mobile security researcher, “Users may also be able to set transaction limits,requiring a password to be entered for larger purchases.

　　Still uneasy about this digital-wallet business? Keep in mind you lost your smart phone, it can be located on a located on a map and remotely ned Plus, your phone can be password protected, Your wallet isn’t.

　　67.What is predicted to happen in the U.S.?

　　A.The expansion of cellphone companies.

　　B. The boom of pay by phone business.

　　C. The disappearance of credit cards.

　　D. The increase of Starbucks sales.s

　　68.The NFC technology can be used to________.

　　A. ensure the safety of shoppers

　　B. collect transaction fees easily

　　C. make purchase faster

　　and simpler

　　D. improve the quality of cellphones

　　69.Three cellphone service providers form a joint venture to__________.

　　A. strengthen their relationship

　　B .get a share in the payments industry

　　C .sell more cellphones

　　D. test the NFC technology

　　70. According to the passage, what can users do if they lose their smart phones ?

　　A. Stop the functioning of their phones. B. Set up a password.

　　C. Get all the money out of their phones. D. Cancel large purchases.

　　【答案】BCBA

　　67. What is predicted to happen in the U.S. ?

　　A. The expansion of cell phone companies. B. The boom of pay-by-phone business.

　　C. The disappearance of credit cards. D. The increase of Starbucks sales.

　　【答案】B

　　9.（2011·广东卷）B

　　Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cats are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new recipe of success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. Two-thirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.

　　However, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals were just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same

　　signals submission.

　　In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behaviour. They are learning how to talk each other’s language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk ‘dog’, and dogs can learn how to talk ‘Cat’.

　　What’s interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn to read each other’s body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than was preciously suspected. Once familiar with each other’s presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together in the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom(梳理) each other.

　　The significance of this research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets----to people who don’t get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance.

　　31. The underlined word swimmingly in paragraph1 is closest in meaning to______.

　　A. early

　　B.sweetly

　　C.quickly

　　D. smoothly

　　32. Some cats and dogs may fight when_________.

　　A. they are cold to each other

　　B. they look away from each other

　　C. they misunderstand each other’s signals

　　D. they are introduced at an early age

　　33. What is found surprising about cats and dogs?

　　A. They eat and sleep together

　　B. They observe each other’s behaviors

　　C. They learn to speak each other’s language

　　D. They know something from each other’s voice

　　34. It is suggested in paragraph 4 that cats and dogs_______.

　　A. have common interests

　　B. are less different than was thought

　　C. have a common body language

　　D. are less intelligent than was expected

　　35. What can we human beings learn from cats and dogs?

　　A. We should learn to live in harmony

　　B. We should knows more about animals

　　C. We should live in peace with animals

　　D. We should learn more body languages

　　10.（2011·浙江卷）A

　　One evening in February 2007 . a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote in Wales . She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path . That's when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train.Her Renault Clio parked across a railway line. Second later,she watched

　　the train drag her car almost a kilometre down the railway tracks.

　　Ceely's

　　near miss

　　made the news because she blamed it on her GPS device(导航仪).She had never driven the route before .It was dark and raining heavily . Ceely was relying on her GPS. But it made no mention of the crossing ."I put my complete trust in the device and it led me right into the path of a speeding train ,"she told the BBC.

　　W ho is to blame here ? Rick Stevenson ,who tells Ceely's story in his book When Machines Fail US, finger at the limitations of technology. We put our faith in digital devices, he says,

　　but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job. They are filled with small

　　problems. And it’s not just GPS devices: Stevenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless key boards.

　　The problem with his argument in the book is that it’s

　　not clear why he only focuses digital technology,while

　　there may be a number of other possible

　　causes. A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map. Maybe we should blame Ceely for not paying attention. perhaps the railway authorities are at fault for poor signaling system. Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the CPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn’t say.

　　It’s a problem that runs through the book. In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an accout of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars. He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country. He says that once once again not all new locks have proved reliable. Perhaps, but maybe it’s also due to the shortage of policemen on the streets. Or changing social circumstances. Or some combination of these factors .

　　The game between humans and their smart devices

　　is complex. It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in. Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be

　　way a wiser use of technology.

　　If there is such a way, it should involve more than just

　　an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines. After all, we have lived with them for thousands

　　of years. They have probably been fooling us for just as long .

　　 41 .What did Paula Ceely think was the cause of her accident?           

　　 A. She was not familiar with the road.           

　　 B. It was dark and raining heavily then.   

　　C. The railway works failed to give the signal.

　　D. Her GPS device didn’t tell her about the crossing

　　   42.The phrase” near miss” (paragraph 2 ) can best be replaced by _______.             

　　A. close bit                    B. heavy loss             C.narrow escape         D. big mistake      

　　  43.Which of the following would Rick Stevenson most probably agree with?             

　　A. Modern technology is what we can’t live without.            

　　B. Digital technology often falls short of out expectation.            

　　C. Digital devices are more reliable than they used to be.             

　　D. GPS error is not the only cause for Celery’s accident. 

　　44.In the writer’s opinion, Stevenson’s argument is________.

　　A. one-sided

　　B. reasonable

　　C.puzzling

　　D.well-based

　　45.What is the real concern of the writer of this article?

　　A.The major causes of traffic accidents and car thefts.

　　B.The relationship between humans and technology

　　C. The shortcomings of digital devices we use.           

　　D. The human unawareness  of technical problems.

　　【答案】DCBAB

　　11.（2011·上海卷）(C)

　　Human remains of ancient settlements will be reburied and lost to science under a law that threatens research into the history of humans in Britain, a group of leading archaeologists(考古学家) says. I a letter addressed to the justice secretary, Ken Clarke, 40 archaeologists write of their “deep and widespread concern” about the issue. It centers on the law introduced by the Ministry of Justice in 2008 which requires all human remains unearthed in England and Wales to be reburied within two years, regardless of their age. The decision means scientists have too little time to study bones and other human remains of national and cultural significance.

　　“Your current requirement that all archaeologically unearthed human remains should be reburied, whether after a standard period of two years or further special extension, is contrary to basic principles of archaeological and scientific research and of museum practice,” they write.

　　The law applies to any pieces of bone uncovered at around 400 dig sites, including the remains of 60 or so bodies found at Stonehenge in 2008 that date back to 3,000 BC. Archaeologists have been granted a temporary extension to give them more time, but eventually the bones will have to be returned to the ground.

　　The arrangements may result in the waste of future discoveries at sites such as Happisburgh in Norfolk, where digging is continuing after the discovery of stone tools made by early humans 950,000 years ago. If human remains were found at Happisburgh, they would be the oldest in northern Europe and the first indication of what this species was. Under the current practice of the law those remains would have to be reburied and effectively destroyed.

　　Before 2008, guidelines allowed for the proper preservation and study of bones of sufficient age and historical interest, while the Burial Act 1857 applied to more recent remains. The Ministry of Justice assured archaeologists two years ago that the law was temporary, but has so far failed to revise it.

　　Mike Parker Pearson, an archaeologist at Sheffield University, said: “Archaeologists have been extremely patient because we wee led to believe the ministry was sorting out this problem, but we feel that we cannot wait any longer.”

　　The ministry has no guidelines on where or how remains should be reburied, or on what records should be kept.

　　72. According to the passage, scientists are unhappy with the law mainly because _________.

　　A. it is only a temporary measure on the human remains

　　B. it is unreasonable and thus destructive to scientific research

　　C. it was introduced by the government without their knowledge

　　D. it is vague about where and how to rebury human remains

　　73. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?

　　A. Temporary extension of two years will guarantee scientists enough time.

　　B. Human remains of the oldest species wee dug out at Happisburgh.

　　C. Human remains will have to be reburied despite the extension of time.

　　D. Scientists have been warned that the law can hardly be changed.

　　74. What can be inferred about the British law governing human remains?

　　A. The Ministry of Justice did not intend it to protect human remains.

　　B. The Burial Act 1857 only applied to remains uncovered before 1857.

　　C. The law on human remains hasn’t changed in recent decades.

　　D. The Ministry of Justice has not done enough about the law.

　　75. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

　　A. New discoveries should be reburied, the government demands.

　　B. Research time should be extended, scientists require.

　　C. Law on human remains needs thorough discussion, authorities say.

　　D. Law could bury ancient secrets for ever, archaeologists warn.

　　【答案】ＢＣＤＤ

　　12.（2011·上海卷）(B)

　　Humpback whales

　　Blowhole

　　dorsal fin

　　Pectoral fin

　　Humpback whales are sometimes called performers of

　　the ocean. This is because they can make impressive

　　movements when they dive. The name “humpback”, which

　　is the common name for this whale, refers to the typical

　　curve shape the whale’s back forms as it dives.

　　Sometimes the humpback will dive with a fantastic

　　movement known as a breach. During breaching the whale

　　uses its powerful tail flukes to lift nearly two-thirds of its

　　body out of the water in a giant leap. A breach might also

　　include a sideways twist with fins stretched out like wings,

　　as the whale reaches the height of the breach.

　　A humpback whale breathes air at the surface of the

　　Water through two blowholes which are located near the top

　　of the head. It blows a double stream of water that can rise

　　up to 4 meters above the water.

　　The humpback has a small dorsal fin located towards

　　the tail flukes about two-thirds of the way down its back.

　　other distinguishing features include large pectoral fins,

　　which may be up to a third of the body length, and unique

　　black and white spots on the underside of the tail flukes.

　　These markings are like fingerprints: no two are the same.

　　Humpback whales live in large groups. They

　　communicate with each other through complex “songs”.

　　69. According to Quick Facts, a humpback whale _____.

　　A. cannot survive in waters near the shore B. doesn’t live in the same waters all the time

　　C. lives mainly on underwater plants

　　D. prefers t work alone when hunting food

　　70. To make a breach, a humpback whale must _____

　　A. use its tail flukes to leap out of the water

　　B. twist its body sideways t jump high

　　C. blow two streams of water

　　D. communicate with a group of humpbacks

　　71. From the passage we can learn that a humpback whale ________.

　　A. has its unique markings on its tail flukes B. has black and white fingerprints

　　C. gets its name from the way it hunts

　　D. is a great performer due to its songs

　　【答案】BAA

　　13.（2011·全国II）B

　　For those who study the development of intelligence（智力）in the animal world, self-awareness is an important measurement. An animal that is aware（意识）of itself has a high

　　level of intelligence.

　　Awareness can be tested by studying whether the animal recognizes itself in the mirror, that is, its own reflected image（反射出的影像）．Many animals fail this exercise bitterly, paying very little attention to the reflected image. Only humans, and some intelligent animals like apes and dolphins, have been shown to recognize that the image in the mirror is of themselves.

　　Now another animal has joined the club. In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers report that an Asian elephant has passed the mirror self-reflection test. "We thought that elephants were the next important animal," said Diana Reiss of the Wildlife Conservation Society, an author of the study with Joshua M. Plotnik and Fans B．M. de Waal of Emory University. With their large brains, Reiss said, elephants "seemed like cousins to apes and

　　dolphins."

　　The researchers tested Happy, Maxine and Patty, three elephants at the Bronx Zoo. They put

　　an 8-foot-square mirror on a wall of the animals' play area (out of the sight of zoo visitors) and recorded what happened with cameras, including one built in the mirror.

　　The elephants used their long noses to find what was behind it, and to examine parts of their bodies.

　　Of the three, Happy then passed the test, in which a clear mark was painted on one side of her face. She could tell the mark was there by looking in the mirror, and she used the mirror to touch the mark with her long nose.

　　Diana Reiss said, "We knew elephants were intelligent, but now we can talk about their intelligence in a better way."

　　45. What can mirror tests tell us about animals?

　　A. Whether they have large brains.

　　B ．Whether they have self-awareness.

　　C. Whether they enjoy outdoor exercises.

　　D. Whether they enjoy playing with mirrors.

　　46. Why does the author mention apes and dolphins in the text?

　　A. They are most familiar to readers.

　　B ．They are big favorites with zoo visitors.

　　C. They are included in the study by Reiss.

　　D. They are already known to be intelligent.

　　47. What made Happy different from Maxine and Patty?

　　A. She used her nose to search behind the mirror.

　　B. She recognized her own image in the mirror.

　　C. She painted a mark on her own face.

　　D. She found the hidden camera.

　　【答案】BDB

　　14.（2011·四川卷）C

　　The pound new Library of Birmingham（LoB）will be the most visible sign of the way the city is accepting the digitalization（数字化）of everyday life.

　　Set to open in 2017, the £188m LoB is already beginning to tale shape next to the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, with which it will share some equipment.

　　As digital media（媒介）is important to its idea. the project is already providing chances for some of the many small new local companies working at the new technologies.

　　Brian Gambles, the LoB project director, says it is about giving people the right tools for learning,“The aim is to mix the physical with the digital. Providing 24-hour services which can be used through, many different ways. It is important to enable us to reach more people, more effectively.”

　　The digital library will, he says, be as important as the physical one, allowing the distant use of the services, making sure that it is never closed to the public.

　　Even before the LoB is complete, the public has been able to go online to visit the Virtual（虚拟的）LoB, designed by Baden, the Birmingham virtual worlds specialists. Not only have the public been able to learn about LoB, but the virtual one has also enabled those working on the LoB to understand the building and how it will work before it even opens.

　　Two other small Birmingham-based digital companies are working on the LoB projects. Substrat, a digital design company, is developing what it calls an example of an “enlarged

　　reality” project. It is about the use of an exciting smart phone, an important part of the

　　which is the early stages of development

　　is an online library of figures of the city being built up by a content company in Cahoots, in which users with the encouraged to add to and comment on the material.

　　Gambles says: “Technology will enable us to make the library’s

　　and services open to citizens as sever before.”

　　49.The underline part “its idea” in Paragraph 3 refers to the idea of____

　　A. the equipment

　　B.

　　the project

　　C. the digital media

　　D.

　　the physical library

　　50.While visiting the Virtual LoB, the public can_____

　　A. get a general idea of the LoB

　　B. meet more world-famous experts

　　C. learn how to put up a library building

　　D. understand how the specialists work on the project

　　51.Which of the following is true of the LoB when it opens?

　　a. It offers better learning tools

　　b. It reaches users in different ways

　　c. It provides users with smart phone

　　d. It allows users to enrich its material

　　e. It gives non-stop physical and digital services

　　A. a, b, d

　　B. a, c ,e

　　C. b, c, d

　　D. b, d, e

　　52.This ext more from

　　.

　　A. a put book

　　B. a library guide

　　C. a handbook

　　D. newspaper report

　　【答案】BA AD

　　49. B 考查推理判断。根据第二部分中的“…the project is already providing chances for some of the many small new local companies working at the new technologies.”可知its即是the project。

　　15.（2011·福建卷）E

　　The

　　internet will open up new vistas (前景),creat the global village- -you can make new friends all around the world. That,at least, is what it promised us. The difficulty is that

　　It did not take the human mind into account. The reality is that we cannot keep relationship than a limited number of people. No matter how hard the internet tries to put

　　You in communication, its best efforts will be defeated by your mind.

　　The problem is twofold（双重的）. First, there is a limit on the number of people we can hole in mind and have a meaningful relationship with. That number is about 150 and is set by the size of our brain. Second, the quality of your relationships depends on the amount of time you invest （投入） in then. We invest a lot in a small number of people and then distribute what’s left among as many others as we can. The problem is that if we invest little time in a person, our engagement with that person will decline （减弱）until eventually it dies into “someone I once knew”.

　　This is not, of course, to say that the internet doesn’t serve a socially valuable function. Of course it does. But the question is not that it allows you to increase the size of your social circle to include the rest of the world, but that you can keep your relationships with your existing friends going even though you have to more to the other side of the world.

　　In one sense, that’s a good thing. But it also has a disadvantage. If you continue to invest in your old friends even though you can no longer see then, then certainly you aren’t using your time to make new friends where you now live. And I suspect that probably isn’t the best use of your time. Meaningful relationships are about being able to communicate with each other, face to face. The internet will slow down the rate with which relationships end, but it won’t stop that happening eventually.

　　72. What is stressed in the first paragraph?

　　A. The present situation of the internet.

　　B. The difficulty in communication on the internet.

　　C. The socially valuable function of the internet.

　　D. The role of the human mind in the internet communication.

　　73. The underlined word “engagement” in the second paragraph probably means “____”.

　　A. appointment

　　B. connection

　　C. interview

　　D. agreement

　　74. According to the passenger, the author holds the view that____.

　　A. the internet fails to play so valuable a role in communication as it promised

　　B. the internet determines the quality of social relationships

　　C. the internet greatly increases the size of social circles

　　D. the internet communication is no less effective than the

　　face-to-face talk

　　75. What is the author’s attitude towards the use of the internet to strengthen relationships?

　　A. He is uncertain about it.

　　B. He is hopeful of it.

　　C. He approves of it.

　　D. He doubts it.

　　【答案】DBAD

　　语篇解读]一般认为网络在增进人与人之间的交流方面起到了非常重要的作用。而本文作者对此却持怀疑态度。他认为网络在加强人与人之间的关系方面并没有起到应有的作用。

　　tail

　　flukes

　　Quick Facts

　　Size:

　　14m-18m in length;

　　30-50 tons in weight

　　Living:

　　Open ocean and

　　shallow coastline

　　waters

　　Environment: From warm tropical(热带的) waters, where they breed, to cold

　　polar waters, where they eat

　　Diet:

　　Shellfish, plants and

　　fish of small size

　　Hunting: Sometimes in groups, in which several whales form a circle under the water, blowing bubbles that form a “net” around a school of fish. The fish are then forced up to the surface in a concentrated mass.

　　Current state; endangered; it

　　is estimated that there

　　are about 5000-7500

　　humpback whales

　　worldwide