【备战2023高考】英语考点全复习——考点33 阅读理解说明文（重难题型）（全国通用）

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考点33 阅读理解说明文（重难题型）

说明文是对事物或事理进行客观说明的一种文体，它以说明为主要表达方式，通过解说事物或阐明事理，达到教人以知识的目的，在结构上往往采用总分、递进等方式按一定的顺序（如时间、空间、从现象到本质）进行说明。说明文的特点是客观、简练、语言准确、明了，文章很少表达作者的感情倾向。阅读说明文的重点在于读懂它说明的事物或事理，了解事物的性质、构造、成因、功能等，了解事理的含意、特点等。最近五年，说明文的出现变化不大，一直很稳定，选材通常是各学科的前沿问题；高科技领域的科研成果；人们比较关心的社会问题；人文方面的经典。由于阅读理解题的设置采用渐进式，即由简到难的方式，因此说明文是高考试卷中阅读理解题中相对比较难的，通常后置。阅读理解试题的中要考点之一是考查学生对词汇和句式的掌握。说明文的词汇和句式的运用较别的体裁的文章难度更大。词汇运用灵活，同一词的不同词性的用法交替出现，未列入考纲的生词较多，通常达到了4-5%。不过考生可以通过说明文的语言特点来帮助理解语篇，例如，下定义、解释、举例、同义词、反义词、上下义词以及标点符号（如破折号、冒号都有表示解释和说明）等。
命题方式
考向一 细节理解题
说明文中考查的细节理解题大致与记叙文相似。命题区域都有其共同点：⑴在列举处命题，如用first(1y)、second(1y)、third(1y)finally、not only„but also、then、in addition等表示顺承关系的词语列举出事实。试题要求考生从列举出的内容中选出符合题干要求的答案项。⑵在例证处命题，句中常用由as、such as、for example、for instance等引导的短语或句子作为例证，这些例句或比喻就成为命题者设问的焦点。⑶在转折对比处命题，一般通过however、but、yet、in fact等词语来引导。对比用unlike、until、not so much…as等词语引导，命题者常对用来对比的双方属性进行考查。⑷在比较处命题，无端的比较、相反的比较、偷换对象的比较，经常出现在干扰项中，考生要标记并且关注到原文中的比较，才能顺利地排除干扰。⑸在复杂句中命题，包括同位词、插入语、定语、从句、不定式等，命题者主要考查考生对句子之间的指代关系和语法关系。  
细节类问题一般都能在原文中找到出处，只要仔细就可以在文中找到答案。但正确的选择项不可能与阅读材料的原文完全相同，而是用不同的语句成句型表达相同的意思。      
考向二 语意猜测题
 说明文为了把自然规律，事物的性质等介绍清楚或把事理阐述明白，因此学术性强的生词较多，所以常进行生词词义判断题的考查。命题方式多以the underlined part … in paragraph…refers to…或what does the underlined word mean?或what is the meaning of the underlined word?为设问方式。解题时考生应认真阅读原文，分析其对某些科学原理是如何定义、如何解释的，并以此为突破口抽象概括出生词词义。也可以通过上下文来猜测某个陌生词语的语意。或者找出某个词语在文章中的同义词。要注意破折号、同位语从句、定语从句、插入语等具有解释、说明作用的语言成分。说明文在阐述说明对象时易发生动作变换、人称转变的现象，这类题目常以it，they，them 等代词为命题点，因此考生要根据上下文语境，认真阅读原文，分析动作转换背景，弄清动作不同执行者，以便准确判断代词的其实际指代对象。      
考向三 主旨大意题
    说明文常用文章大意判断题考查考生对通篇文意的理解。即对文章的主题或中心意思的概括和归纳。主要考查考生对文章的整体理解能力。命题形式常以this passage mainly talks about ____. what is the main idea of the passage? 为设问方式。
答题时首先阅读题干，掌握问题的类型，了解试题题干以及各个选项所包含的信息，然后有针对性地对文章进行扫读，对有关信息进行快速定位，再将相关信息进行整合、甄别、分析、对比，有根有据地排除干扰项，选出正确答案。  
考向四 判断推理题  
这种试题常以(1)the passage is intended to...(2) the author suggests that...(3) the story implies that…(4) which point of view may the author agree to?(5) from the passage we can conclude that...(6) the purpose of the passage is to...为设问方式。这种题型的答案在原文中不是直接就能找到的，它要求考生进行合理的推断。如因果关系，文中的某些用词、语气也往往具有隐含意义，考生要将这种含义读出来。说明文常出现图示判断题，这种试题可以事物之间正确的依赖关系为命题点，要求考生判断其正确的流程顺序相互关系等。考生一定要认真阅读原文，并对照原文介绍的情况，弄清图示的差异，根据题干需要最终做出正确判断。如：动物介绍性说明文常出现动物能力判断题，考查考生对特定动物所具有能力的判断。解题时考生应认真阅读原文对动物形态活动能力的判断，了解动物的生存环境和是否会使用工具，是否善于爬行、飞翔和游泳等。     观点态度题也是判断推理题考查的内容之一。说明文的对象为客观事实,但设题以议论的表达方式抒发对该说明对象的想法。如对某种新发明的赞赏,或对某个事物的批判。这类题目常见的题干表达方式有what was the author’s attitude towards ...? 等。

高考阅读理解中，说明文为主要体裁之一。高考阅读理解题的设问主要围绕以下四方面：细节事实题、主旨大意题、推理判断题、猜测词义题。其中，说明文主要以细节事实、主旨大意和猜测词义三方面问题为主。
一、词义猜测类题型
阅读理解题中常要求学生猜测某些单词或短语的意思。历年英语高考题中均有此类题目，有的文章尽管没有专门设题，但由于文章中常常出现生词，因此，词义的猜测还是贯穿在文章的阅读理解之中。解这类题目一般是通过上下文去理解或根据构词法去猜测。判断一个单词的意思不但离不开句子，而且还需要把句子放在上下文中，根据上下文提供的线索加以猜测。运用构词法,语境等推测关键词义，可以根据以下几种方法猜测：
（一）内在逻辑关系
根据内在逻辑关系推测词义是指运用语言知识分析和判断相关信息之间存在的逻辑关系，然后根据逻辑关系推断生词词义。
1.通过同义词和反义词的关系猜词
通过同义词猜词，一是要看由and或or连接的同义词词组，如happy and gay，即使我们不认识gay这个词，也可以知道它是愉快的意思.这是高三册第八单元阅读第五段的句子：
The word ＂secure＂ in paragraph 5 line is closest in meaning to_________.
A. freefromanxiety B. anxious C. nervous D. happy
根据上下文和同义词，可以选出答案A。
二是看在进一步解释的过程中使用的同义词，如Man has known something about the planets Venus，Mars，and Jupiter with the help of spaceships. 此句中的Venus（金星）,Mars（火星）,Jupiter（木星）均为生词，但只要知道planets就可猜出这几个词都属于＂行星＂这一义域.通过反义词猜词，一是看表转折关系的连词或副词，如but，while，however等；二是看与not搭配的或表示否定意义的词语，如：He is so homely，not at all as handsome as his brother.根据not at all...handsome我们不难推测出homely的意思，即不英俊,不漂亮的意思。
2.根据因果关系猜测词义
通过因果关系猜词，首先是找出生词与上下文之间的逻辑关系，然后才能猜词。有时文章借助关联词（如because，as，since，for，so，thus，as a result，of course，therefore等等）表示前因后果。例如：
You shouldn’t have blamed him for that，for it wasn’t his fault.通过for引出的句子所表示的原因（那不是他的错），可猜出blame的词义是＂责备＂。
3.通过定义或释义关系来推测词义
例如：But sometimes，no rain falls for a long，long time. Then there is a dry period，or drought.
从drought所在句子的上文我们得知很久不下雨，于是便有一段干旱的时期，即drought，由此可见drought意思为＂久旱＂，＂旱灾＂。而a dry period和drought是同义语。这种同义或释义关系常由is，or，that is，in other words，be called或破折号等来表示。
4.通过句法功能来推测词义
例如：Bananas，oranges，pineapples，coconuts and some other kind of fruit grow in warm areas.假如pineapples和coconuts是生词，我们可以从这两个词在句中所处的位置来判断它们大致的意思。从句中不难看出pineapples，coconuts和bananas，oranges是同类关系，同属fruit类，因此它们是两样水果，准确地说，是菠萝和椰子。
5.通过描述猜词
描述即作者为帮助读者更感性地了解某人或某物而对该人或该物作出的外在相貌或内在特征的描写。例如The penguin is a kind of sea bird living in the South Pole. It is fat and walks in a funny way. Although it cannot fly，it can swim in the icy water to catch the fish.从例句的描述中可以得知penguin是一种生活在南极的鸟类.后面更详尽地描述了该鸟类的生活习性。
（二）外部相关因素
外部相关因素是指篇章（句子或段落）以外的其他知识，有时仅靠分析篇章内在逻辑关系无法猜出词义。这时，就需要运用生活经验和普通常识确定词义。例如：The snakes lithered through the grass.根据有关蛇的生活习性的知识，我们可以推断出slither词义为＂爬行＂。
（三）构词法
在阅读文章时，我们总会遇上一些新词汇，有时很难根据上下文来推断其词意，而它们对文章的理解又有着举足轻重的作用，此时，如掌握了一些常用的词根,前缀,后缀,合成等构词法知识，这些问题便不难解决了。
1.根据前缀猜测词义
例如：He fell into a ditch and lay there，semi-conscious，for a few minutes.根据词根conscious（清醒的，有意识的），结合前缀semi（半，部分的，不完全的），我们便可猜出semiconscious词义＂半清醒的，半昏迷的。＂I’m illiterate about such things.词根lit-erate意为＂有文化修养的，通晓的＂，前缀il表示否定，因此illiterate指＂一窍不通，不知道的＂。
2.根据后缀猜测词义
例如：Insecticide is applied where it is needed.后缀cide表示＂杀者，杀灭剂＂，结合大家熟悉的词根insect（昆虫），不难猜出insecticide意为＂杀虫剂＂。Then the vapor may change into droplets.后缀let表示＂小的＂，词根drop指＂滴，滴状物＂。将两个意思结合起来，便可推断出droplet词义＂小滴，微滴＂。
3.根据复合词的各部分猜测词义
例如：Growing economic problems were high-lighted by a slowdown in oil output. Hightlight或许是一个生词，但是分析该词结构后，就能推测出其含义。它是由high（高的，强的）和light（光线）两部分组成，合在一起便是＂以强光照射，使突出＂的意思。Bullfight is very popular in Spain. Bull（公牛）和fight（打，搏斗）结合在一起，指一种在西班牙颇为流行的体育运动—斗牛。
二、主旨大意类题型
主旨大意类题型主要测试学生对文章全面理解和概括的能力，提问的内容可能是全文的大意，也可能是某段的段落大意，一般不易在文中直接找到答案。怎样把握主旨大意题呢？通常有以下几种方法：
（一）阅读文章的标题或副标题
文章的标题是一篇文章的题眼，通过阅读标题或副标题可以迅速把握文章的主旨大意。
（二）寻找文章的主题句
分析篇章结构，找出文章主题。在许多情况下，尤其在阅读说明文和议论文时，根据其篇章特点我们可以通过仔细阅读短文的第一句或第二句,即文章的主题句来归纳出文章的主题.若短文由若干段组成，除仔细阅读第一段的首句外，还须仔细阅读每一段的第一句，即段落中心.通常文章的中心思想包含在文章的首句，有时也在文章的末句，其他句子都是用来说明和阐述主题句。因此，在确定文章的中心思想时，要求学生重视阅读文章的首句和末句。但也有一些文章，中心思想常常贯穿在全文中，因此要求学生综观全文，对段落的内容要融会贯通，对文章透彻理解后归纳总结。主题句的特点是：1.相对于其他句子，它表达的意思比较概括；2.主题句一般结构简单；3.段落中其他句子必定是用来解释,支撑或发展主题句所表达的思想的。
总之，为提高阅读理解能力，在阅读时应抓中心思想,作者意图及关键词语，运用联想、比较、归纳、推测等方法，得出最佳结论，选择最佳答案，不能主观臆测，把自己的观点强加进去，与文章的观点混为一谈。经过长时间有计划,有目的的系统训练，使学生加快阅读速度，提高阅读的正确性，使两者有机地统一起来，以提高学生阅读英语和运用英语进行交际的能力，为继续学习和运用英语切实打好基础.阅读是一种综合性很强的语言实际活动。我们只有进行大量的课内外阅读，掌握一定的阅读技巧，正确运用阅读方法，才能有效地提高阅读理解能力。


Passage 1
（2022·青海海东·一模）There are people living in almost every corner of our crowded planet. From the tops of mountains to deep underground, we’ve always been able to find habitable places to make a home. But with space at apremium (稀少), we’ve started to look even deeper for somewhere to live.
Throughout history, people have been fascinated by the idea of living underwater. More recently, the effects of human activity on the land have led some to look to the oceans for natural resources. Oceanographers and architects have looked at designing vessels, labs and underwater habitats to enable people to live and work in a underwater world. But, while dreams of an underwater city have remained a fantasy, how close are we to making our home on the seabed a reality?
The pioneer of undersea living was Ian Koblick. He claimed technology already existed to create underwater colonies supporting up to a hundred people. He even opened La Chalupa, once the largest and most advanced underwater habitat and research facility in the world.
A more recent and ambitious design for an underwater city is Ocean Spiral. Designed by the Japanese Shimizu Corporation, it’s-a huge transparent globe attached to the seabed. It’s got a tower running through it to the surface, providing space for homes, offices and even an amusement park for five thousand residents.
Of course, there are engineering challenges in constructing an oceanic metropolis. And living underwater would have major effects on the human body, especially as there is an increase in atmospheric pressure, which could lead to the bends. So, maybe it’s too soon to be packing our bags and setting up a new life three thousand metres under the sea!
1．Why are people looking forward to living underwater?
A．Space on land is in short supply. B．Living underwater is very easy.
C．The world underwater is fantastic. D．They are tired of living on land.
2．What’s the author’s attitude towards living underwater?
A．Indifferent. B．Critical. C．Negative. D．Objective.
3．What can we infer from the passage?
A．Living underwater does harm to the human body.
B．Ocean Spiral can contain five thousand residents.
C．People can look forward to the future of underwater life.
D．We can pack our bags and set up a new life underwater.
4．Where is this text most likely from?
A．A journal of history. B．A science website.
C．An international newspaper. D．A travel guidebook.
【解析】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了人们尝试让水下生活成为现实的计划，以及人们在水下安家之前需要克服的困难。
1．【答案】A
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段“There are people living in almost every corner of our crowded planet. From the tops of mountains to deep underground, we’ve always been able to find habitable places to make a home. But with space at apremium (稀少), we’ve started to look even deeper for somewhere to live.(在我们这个拥挤的星球上，几乎每个角落都有人居住。从山顶到地下深处，我们总能找到适合安家的地方。但随着空间的稀少，我们开始更深入地寻找居住的地方。)”可知，人们想去水下居住是因为地表空间不足。故选A。
2．【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段“He claimed technology already existed to create underwater colonies supporting up to a hundred people.(他声称已经有技术可以在水下建立可以养活100人的居住地。)”、第四段“A more recent and ambitious design for an underwater city is Ocean Spiral. Designed by the Japanese Shimizu Corporation, it’s-a huge transparent globe attached to the seabed.(一个更近期、更有野心的水下城市设计是海洋螺旋。它是由日本清水公司设计的，是一个连接在海底的巨大透明球体。)”以及第五段“Of course, there are engineering challenges in constructing an oceanic metropolis. And living underwater would have major effects on the human body, especially as there is an increase in atmospheric pressure, which could lead to the bends.(当然，建设海洋大都市也存在工程上的挑战。生活在水下会对人体产生重大影响，尤其是随着大气压力的增加，这可能会导致减压病。)”可推断，作者只是在客观地陈述这些事实。选项A“Indifferent (漠不关心的)”；选项B“Critical (批判的)”；选项C“Negative (否定的)”；选项D“Objective (客观的)”。故选D。
3．【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章第三段“He claimed technology already existed to create underwater colonies supporting up to a hundred people.(他声称已经有技术可以在水下建立可以养活100人的居住地。)”以及第四段“A more recent and ambitious design for an underwater city is Ocean Spiral. Designed by the Japanese Shimizu Corporation, it’s-a huge transparent globe attached to the seabed.(一个更近期、更有野心的水下城市设计是海洋螺旋。它是由日本清水公司设计的，是一个连接在海底的巨大透明球体。)”可推断，人们已经有了一些在水下生活的尝试，只是还有些困难没有克服。所以在水下生活从长远来看是值得期待的，或许在将来有可能实现。故选C。
4．【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章内容可知，文章主要讲述的是未来水下生活的可能性以及面临的挑战，这些都是和科学相关的。所以文章最有可能来自科学网站。故选B。
Passage 2
（2022·青海海东·一模）The latest video of a group of robots dancing to the song “Do You Love Me” has-been popular on the Internet and received more than 23 million views during its first week.
The performance shows two Boston Dynamics (an American technology company) humanoid robots called Atlas, doing several dance moves—such as the twist, the mashed potato and others.
Speaking to The Associated Press, Boston Dynamics founder and chairman Marc Raibert admits the video is fun to watch. But he said the real success behind the experiment was the valuable lessons the project taught his team.
“It turned out that we needed to improve the robots in the middle of development,” Raibert said. He said that step was necessary for the robots to be strong enough and have enough energy to do the whole performance without stopping. “So that was a real benefit to the design,” he added.
The difficulty of teaching robots to dance also pushed Boston Dynamics engineers to develop better notion- programming tools. These tools helped the robots do several things (balance, bounce and perform dance moves without breaks).
Some social media users who watched the video commented that the robots’ dancing was so similar to a human that they could not believe their eyes. Some praised the robots’ moves and the technology, Dowering them. Others suggested that what they were seeing was probably computer-generated imagery(图像), or CGI.
But Raibert said it was all real, the result of long and hard work, and fueled by a strong desire to Program a robot that could dance to the beat. “We wanted it to do human dancing and. when a human dances, the music has a beat and their whole body moves to it—their hands, their body, and their head.”
Raibert added: “It looked like the robot was having fun and really moved with the music. And I think that had a lot to do with the result of the production.”
5．What has the success of dancing robots brought to Raibert’s team?
A．The large profit. B．The experts’ attention.
C．The precious experience. D．The larger market.
6．How does the author introduce dancing robots?
A．By making some comparisons. B．By listing some figures.
C．By describing the performances. D．By designing some powerful parts.
7．Which of the following can best describe Raibert’s team?
A．The early bird catches the worm.
B．Don’t judge a book by its cover.
C．Lost years are worse than lost dollars.
D．Nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it.
8．What do Raibert’s words imply in the last paragraph?
A．The team has gained many awards.
B．The team has a long way to go.
C．The dancing robots are popular with people.
D．The dancing robots have replaced the actors.
【解析】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了美国技术公司Boston Dynamics最近走红的一群机器人跳舞的视频非常受人们喜爱，该公司创始人兼董事长马克·雷伯特认为实验背后的真正成功是该项目教给他的团队的宝贵经验。
5．【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段“But he said the real success behind the experiment was the valuable lessons the project taught his team.(但他说，这项实验背后真正的成功是该项目教给他的团队的宝贵经验。)”可知，他认为真正的成功是这些宝贵的经验。故选C。
6．【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“But Raibert said it was all real, the result of long and hard work, and fueled by a strong desire to Program a robot that could dance to the beat. “We wanted it to do human dancing and. when a human dances, the music has a beat and their whole body moves to it—their hands, their body, and their head.”(但雷伯特说，这一切都是真实的，是长期艰苦工作的结果，是由一种强烈的愿望驱动的，即编写一个可以随着节奏跳舞的机器人。“我们想让它跳人类的舞蹈。当一个人跳舞时，音乐有一个节拍，他们的整个身体随之移动——他们的手、他们的身体和他们的头。”)”可推断，作者是通过描写机器人栩栩如生的表演来介绍跳舞机器人。故选C。
7．【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第五段“The difficulty of teaching robots to dance also pushed Boston Dynamics engineers to develop better notion- programming tools.(教机器人跳舞的困难也促使波士顿动力公司的工程师开发出更好的概念编程工具。)”以及第七段“But Raibert said it was all real, the result of long and hard work, and fueled by a strong desire to Program a robot that could dance to the beat.(但雷伯特说，这一切都是真实的，是长期艰苦工作的结果，是由一种强烈的愿望驱动的，即编写一个可以随着节奏跳舞的机器人。)”可知，为了制造出跳舞机器人，该团队付出了努力。选项A“The early bird catches the worm. (早起的鸟儿有虫吃。)”；选项B“Don’t judge a book by its cover. (不要以貌取人)”；选项C“Lost years are worse than lost dollars. (一寸光阴一寸金)”；选项D“Nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it. (世上无难事只怕有心人。)”。D选择项最能描述Raibert的团队。故选D。
8．【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据最后一段“Raibert added: “It looked like the robot was having fun and really moved with the music. And I think that had a lot to do with the result of the production.”(雷伯特补充说:“看起来机器人很开心，真的随着音乐而动。我认为这与这部电影的制作结果有很大关系。”)”可推断，其深层的意思是如果机器人能真正像人一样随音乐舞动，能表情达意，还有很长的一段路要走。故选B。
Passage 3
（2022·山东·济南市历城第二中学模拟预测）The sunk cost effect is the ongoing investment of time, money and effort that an individual makes in any attempt, even if rationally the results appear unpromising. When any individual has already made an investment of time, money or effort, it becomes difficult to withdraw from the task. An error of judgement occurs when we fail to cut our losses—the sunk cost.
The simplest method of beating this error of judgement is to simply stop investing when it’s not producing results. As the age-old proverb goes, ‘Why cry over split milk?’ But we still can’t seem to do it ! Why?
People perceive the same amount of losses and gains in a different light. This means that the same amount of losses will hurt more than an equal amount of gain. For example, if a business is going through heavy losses, one must decide to either shut it down or continue. Shutting it down is a definite loss of money, time and effort. People become risk-seeking when they are facing a definite loss. They will pump more money as a gamble to achieve a positive outcome. If there is a positive outcome and the business starts making a profit, this has given them a higher utility( 效用) than simply making profits from the beginning. They managed to rise up from a heavy loss, thereby giving higher satisfaction about the decision to continue investing.
We, however, will not choose to honor sunk costs on every occasion. This is especially true in the case of insurance. Let’s say that you have taken home insurance and probably never used it. You are not going to burn your house down just so you can utilize your house insurance.
9．What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 probably refer to?
A．Crying over split milk. B．Stopping investing.
C．Refusing judgement. D．Keeping finishing the task.
10．Which of the following situations may lead to sunk cost?
A．Going on investing when your sales are increasing.
B．Breaking up with those who aren’t interested in you.
C．Continuing eating ordered food even if it tastes bad.
D．Keeping on working out when you’re a little thinner.
11．What might be the main cause of sunk effect?
A．Fear of loss and expectation for better. B．Spirit of adventure and unwise decision.
C．Endless desire and ambition. D．Positive attitude and behavior.
12．Why is “house insurance” mentioned in the last paragraph?
A．To describe. B．To persuade. C．To argue. D．To explain.
【解析】这是一篇说明文。主要说明了“沉没成本效应”在我们实际生活中的体现。
9．【答案】B
【解析】词句猜测题。根据第二段的“The simplest method of beating this error of judgement is to simply stop investing when it’s not producing results. As the age-old proverb goes, ‘Why cry over split milk?’(克服这种判断错误的最简单的方法就是在没有结果的时候停止投资。正如那句古老的谚语所说:“牛奶洒了，何必哭呢？”)”，这里的it指的是 “Stopping investing”，故选B。
10．【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段的“The sunk cost effect is the ongoing investment of time, money and effort that an individual makes in any attempt, even if rationally the results appear unpromising. When any individual has already made an investment of time, money or effort, it becomes difficult to withdraw from the task. An error of judgement occurs when we fail to cut our losses—the sunk cost.(沉没成本效应是指个人在任何尝试中持续投入的时间、金钱和努力，即使从理性上看结果似乎不太理想。当个人已经投入了时间、金钱或精力时，就很难从任务中抽身。当我们无法减少损失，即沉没成本时，就会出现判断失误。)”可知，A选项“即使食物味道并不好，但依然继续吃自己点的食物”符合题意，故选C。
11．【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。由第三段的“People become risk-seeking when they are facing a definite loss. They will pump more money as a gamble to achieve a positive outcome.(当人们面临明确的损失时，他们就会变得冒险。他们将投入更多的资金作为一种赌博，以获得积极的结果。)”可知，沉没效应的主要原因可能是害怕失去，期待更好。故选A。
12．【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据最后一段的“We, however, will not choose to honor sunk costs on every occasion. This is especially true in the case of insurance.(然而，我们不会选择在任何场合都尊重沉没成本。在保险业中尤其如此。)”可知，提及“家庭保险”是为了进一步解释说明“我们不会在任何情况下都考虑沉没成本”，故选D。

【2022年高考真题】
1. 【2022新高考1卷C篇】
The elderly residents (居民) in care homes in London are being given hens to look after to stop them feeling lonely.
The project was dreamed up by a local charity (慈善组织) to reduce loneliness and improve elderly people’s wellbeing, It is also being used to help patients suffering dementia, a serious illness of the mind. Staff in care homes have reported a reduction in the use of medicine where hens are in use.
Among those taking part in the project is 80-year-old Ruth Xavier. She said: “I used to keep hens when I was younger and had to prepare their breakfast each morning before I went to school. ”
“I like the project a lot. I am down there in my wheelchair in the morning letting the hens out and down there again at night to see they’ve gone to bed.”
“It’s good to have a different focus. People have been bringing their children in to see the hens and residents come and sit outside to watch them. I’m enjoying the creative activities, and it feels great to have done something useful.”
There are now 700 elderly people looking after hens in 20 care homes in the North East, and the charity has been given financial support to roll it out countrywide.
Wendy Wilson, extra care manager at 60 Penfold Street, one of the first to embark on the project, said: “Residents really welcome the idea of the project and the creative sessions. We are looking forward to the benefits and fun the project can bring to people here.”
Lynn Lewis, director of Notting Hill Pathways, said: “We are happy to be taking part in the project. It will really help connect our residents through a shared interest and creative activities.”
28. What is the purpose of the project?
A. To ensure harmony in care homes. B. To provide part-time jobs for the aged.
C. To raise money for medical research. D. To promote the elderly people’s welfare.
29. How has the project affected Ruth Xavier?
A. She has learned new life skills. B. She has gained a sense of achievement.
C. She has recovered her memory. D. She has developed a strong personality.
30. What do the underlined words “embark on” mean in paragraph 7?
A. Improve. B. Oppose. C. Begin. D. Evaluate.
31. What can we learn about the project from the last two paragraphs?
A. It is well received. B. It needs to be more creative.
C. It is highly profitable. D. It takes ages to see the results.
【分析】本文是一篇说明文。主要讲述了旨在减少孤独，改善老年人的健康状况的项目。
28.【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章第二段“The project was dreamed up by a local charity (慈善组织) to reduce loneliness and improve elderly people’s wellbeing (该项目由当地一家慈善机构构想，旨在减少孤独，改善老年人的健康状况)”可知，这个项目的目的是为了提高老年人的幸福。故选D。
29.【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章第五段““It’s good to have a different focus. People have been bringing their children in to see the hens and residents come and sit outside to watch them. I’m enjoying the creative activities, and it feels great to have done something useful.” (有不同的关注点很好。人们把自己的孩子带进来看母鸡，居民们也来外面坐着看它们。我喜欢创造性的活动，做一些有用的事情的感觉很好)”可推知，Ruth Xavier通过该项目获得了一种成就感。故选B。
30.【答案】C
【解析】词义猜测题。根据文章倒数第二段“Residents really welcome the idea of the project and the creative sessions. We are looking forward to the benefits and fun the project can bring to people here. (居民们非常欢迎该项目的想法和创意会议。我们期待这个项目能给这里的人们带来好处和乐趣)”以及划线处前的“one of the first (第一批人之一)”可知Wendy Wilson是着手这项工程的人之一，划线处的含义与C项：“Begin (开始)”含义相近。故选C。
31.【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章倒数第二段“Residents really welcome the idea of the project and the creative sessions. We are looking forward to the benefits and fun the project can bring to people here. (居民们非常欢迎该项目的想法和创意会议。我们期待这个项目能给这里的人们带来好处和乐趣)”以及最后一段“Lynn Lewis, director of Notting Hill Pathways, said: “We are happy to be taking part in the project. It will really help connect our residents through a shared interest and creative activities.” (“诺丁山路径”的负责人林恩·刘易斯说:我们很高兴能参与这个项目。它将通过共同的兴趣和创造性活动真正帮助我们的居民联系起来)”可知，该项目的反响很好。故选A。
2.【2022新高考1卷D篇】
Human speech contains more than 2,000 different sounds, from the common “m” and “a” to the rare clicks of some southern African languages. But why are certain sounds more common than others? A ground-breaking, five-year study shows that diet-related changes in human bite led to new speech sounds that are now found in half the world’s languages.
More than 30 years ago, the scholar Charles Hockett noted that speech sounds called labiodentals, such as “f” and “v”, were more common in the languages of societies that ate softer foods. Now a team of researchers led by Damián Blasi at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, has found how and why this trend arose.
They discovered that the upper and lower front teeth of ancient human adults were aligned (对齐), making it hard to produce labiodentals, which are formed by touching the lower lip to the upper teeth. Later, our jaws changed to an overbite structure (结构), making it easier to produce such sounds.
The team showed that this change in bite was connected with the development of agriculture in the Neolithic period. Food became easier to chew at this point. The jawbone didn’t have to do as much work and so didn’t grow to be so large.
Analyses of a language database also confirmed that there was a global change in the sound of world languages after the Neolithic age, with the use of “f” and “v” increasing remarkably during the last few thousand years. These sounds are still not found in the languages of many hunter-gatherer people today.
This research overturns the popular view that all human speech sounds were present when human beings evolved around 300,000 years ago. ”The set of speech sounds we use has not necessarily remained stable since the appearance of human beings, but rather the huge variety of speech sounds that we find today is the product of a complex interplay of things like biological change and cultural evolution,“ said Steven Moran, a member of the research team.
32. Which aspect of the human speech sound does Damián Blasi’s research focus on?
A. Its variety. B. Its distribution. C. Its quantity. D. Its development.
33. Why was it difficult for ancient human adults to produce labiodentals?
A. They had fewer upper teeth than lower teeth.
B. They could not open and close their lips easily.
C. Their jaws were not conveniently structured.
D. Their lower front teeth were not large enough.
34. What is paragraph 5 mainly about?
A. Supporting evidence for the research results.
B. Potential application of the research findings.
C. A further explanation of the research methods.
D. A reasonable doubt about the research process.
35. What does Steven Moran say about the set of human speech sounds?
A. It is key to effective communication. B. It contributes much to cultural diversity.
C. It is a complex and dynamic system. D. It drives the evolution of human beings.
【答案】32. D 33. C 34. A 35. C
【文章大意】本篇是一篇说明文。主要介绍因为饮食的改变导致了现在在世界上一半的语言中发现了新的语音。
32.【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第一段中的“More than 30 years ago, the scholar Charles Hockett noted that speech sounds called labiodentals, such as “f” and "v", were more common in the languages of societies that ate softer foods. Now a team of researchers led by Damian Blasi at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, has found how and why this trend arose.（30多年前，学者Charles Hockett注意到，被称为唇齿音的语音，如“f”和“v”，在吃软食物的社会的语言中更常见。现在，瑞士苏黎世大学的Damian Blasi领导的一组研究人员发现了这一趋势产生的方式和原因。）”可知Damian Blasi的研究重点是在语言的演变上。故选D项。
33.【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段中的“They discovered that the upper and lower front teeth of ancient human adults were aligned，making it hard to produce labiodentals，which are formed by touching the lower lip to the upper teeth. Later, our jaws changed to an overbite structure , making it easier to produce such sounds.（他们发现，古人类的上门牙和下门牙是对齐的，因此很难产生唇齿音，唇齿音是通过下唇接触上牙齿而形成的。后来，我们的下颚变成了覆盖咬合结构，更容易发出这样的声音）”可知，因为古代成年人的下颚结构使他们很难发出唇齿音。故选C项。
34.【答案】A
【解析】主旨大意题。根据第五段中的“Analyses of a language database also confirmed that there was a global change in the sound of world languages after the so Neolithic age, with the use of “f” and “v”increasing remarkably during the last few thousand years. These sounds are still not found in the languages of many hunter-gatherer people today.（对语言数据库的分析也证实，在新石器时代之后，世界语言的发音发生了全球性的变化，在过去几千年里，“f”和“v”的使用显著增加。这些声音在今天许多狩猎采集者的语言中仍然没有发现）”可知，第五段主要是通过列明数据分析结果来进一步证明研究结果。故选A项。
35.【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据文章最后一段中““The set of speech sounds we use has not necessarily remained stable since the appearance of human beings, but rather the huge variety of speech sounds that we find today is the product of a complex interplay of things like biological change and cultural evolution,” said Steven Moran, a member of the research team.（研究小组成员Steven Moran说:“自从人类出现以来，我们使用的语音不一定保持稳定，我们今天发现的各种语音都是生物变化和文化进化等复杂相互作用的产物。”）”可知，Steven Moran认为语音是一个复杂的动态系统。故选C项。
3.【2022年全国甲卷B篇】
Goffin’s cockatoos, a kind of small parrot native to Australasia, have been shown to have similar shape-recognition abilities to a human two-year-old. Though not known to use tools in the wild, the birds have proved skilful at tool use while kept in the cage. In a recent experiment, cockatoos were presented with a box with a nut inside it. The clear front of the box had a “keyhole” in a geometric shape, and the birds were given five differently shaped “keys” to choose from. Inserting the correct “key” would let out the nut.
In humans, babies can put a round shape in a round hole from around one year of age, but it will be another year before they are able to do the same with less symmetrical (对称的) shapes. This ability to recognize that a shape will need to be turned in a specific direction before it will fit is called an “allocentric frame of reference”. In the experiment, Goffin’s cockatoos were able to select the right tool for the job, in most cases, by visual recognition alone. Where trial-and-error was used, the cockatoos did better than monkeys in similar tests. This indicates that Goffin’s cockatoos do indeed possess an allocentric frame of reference when moving objects in space, similar to two-year-old babies.
The next step, according to the researchers, is to try and work out whether the cockatoos rely entirely on visual clues (线索), or also use a sense of touch in making their shape selections.
24. How did the cockatoos get the nut from the box in the experiment?
A. By following instructions. B. By using a tool.
C. By turning the box around. D. By removing the lid.
25. Which task can human one-year-olds most likely complete according to the text?
A. Using a key to unlock a door. B. Telling parrots from other birds.
C. Putting a ball into a round hole. D. Grouping toys of different shapes.
26. What does the follow-up test aim to find out about the cockatoos?
A. How far they are able to see. B. How they track moving objects.
C. Whether they are smarter than monkeys. D. Whether they use a sense of touch in the test.
27. Which can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Cockatoos: Quick Error Checkers B. Cockatoos: Independent Learners
C. Cockatoos: Clever Signal-Readers D. Cockatoos: Skilful Shape-Sorters
【答案】24. B 25. C 26. D 27. D
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了一种会识别形状的凤头鹦鹉。
【24题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第一段“Though not known to use tools in the wild, the birds have proved skilful at tool use while kept in the cage. (虽然人们不知道这些鸟在野外会使用工具，但事实证明，它们在关在笼子里时就能熟练地使用工具)”以及“the birds were given five differently shaped “keys” to choose from. Inserting, the correct “keys” would let out the nut. (研究人员给了这些鸟5把形状各异的“钥匙”供它们选择。插入，正确的“钥匙”会让坚果出来)”可知，在实验中，凤头鹦鹉是通过使用工具从盒子里取出坚果的。故选B。
【25题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第二段“In humans, babies can put a round shape in a round hole from around one year of age (在人类身上，婴儿从一岁左右就可以把一个圆形的物品放进一个圆形的洞里)”结合选项，可知，一岁儿童最有可能完成“将一个球放进一个圆形的洞里”的任务。故选C。
【26题详解】
推理判断题。通过文章最后一段“The next step, according to the researchers, is to try and work out whether the cockatoos rely entirely on visual clues, or also use a sense of touch in making their shape selections. (根据研究人员的说法，下一步是尝试弄清楚凤头鹦鹉是完全依靠视觉线索，还是也使用触觉来选择它们的形状)”可推知，后续测试的目的是了解凤头鹦鹉在测试中是否使用触觉。故选D。
【27题详解】
主旨大意题。通读全文，再结合文章第一段“Coffin’s cockatoos, a kind of small parrot native to Australasia, have been shown to have similar shape-recognition abilities to a human two-year-old. (科芬的凤头鹦鹉是一种原产于大洋洲的小鹦鹉，它的形状识别能力与两岁的人类相似)”可推知，本文主要介绍了会识别形状的凤头鹦鹉。D项“Cockatoos: Skilful Shape-Sorters (凤头鹦鹉：识别形状的熟练工)”符合文意，最适合作为本文标题。故选D。
5.【2022全国乙卷C篇】
Can a small group of drones (无人机) guarantee the safety and reliability of railways and, at the same time, help railway operators save billions of euros each year? That is the very likely future of applying today’s “eyes in the sky” technology to making sure that the millions of kilometres of rail tracks and infrastructure (基础设施) worldwide are safe for trains on a 24/7 basis.
Drones are already being used to examine high-tension electrical lines. They could do precisely the same thing to inspect railway lines and other vital aspects of rail infrastructure such as the correct position of railway tracks and switching points. The more regularly they can be inspected, the more railway safety, reliability and on-time performance will be improved. Costs would be cut and operations would be more efficient (高效) across the board.
That includes huge savings in maintenance costs and better protection of railway personnel safety. It is calculated that European railways alone spend approximately 20 billion euros a year on maintenance, including sending maintenance staff, often at night, to inspect and repair the rail infrastructure. That can be dangerous work that could be avoided with drones assisting the crews’ efforts.
By using the latest technologies, drones could also start providing higher-value services for railways, detecting faults in the rail or switches, before they can cause any safety problems. To perform these tasks, drones for rail don’t need to be flying overhead. Engineers are now working on a new concept: the rail drones of the future. They will be moving on the track ahead of the train, and programmed to run autonomously. Very small drones with advanced sensors and AI and travelling ahead of the train could guide it like a co-pilot. With their ability to see ahead, they could signal any problem, so that fast-moving trains would be able to react in time.
28. What makes the application of drones to rail lines possible?
A. The use of drones in checking on power lines. B. Drones’ ability to work at high altitudes.
C. The reduction of cost in designing drones. D. Drones’ reliable performance in remote areas.
29. What does “maintenance” underlined in paragraph 3 refer to?
A. Personnel safety. B. Assistance from drones.
C. Inspection and repair. D. Construction of infrastructure.
30. What function is expected of the rail drones?
A. To provide early warning. B. To make trains run automatically.
C To earn profits for the crews. D. To accelerate transportation.
31. Which is the most suitable title for the text?
A. What Faults Can Be Detected with Drones
B. How Production of Drones Can Be Expanded
C. What Difficulty Drone Development Will Face
D. How Drones Will Change the Future of Railways
【答案】28. B 29. C 30. A 31. D
【解析】
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文。应用今天的“空中之眼”的技术，无人机能在保证铁路安全可靠的同时又能帮助铁路运营商每年节省数十亿欧元。
【28题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章第二段“Drones are already being used to examine high-tension electrical lines. They could do precisely the same thing to inspect railway lines and other vital aspects of rail infrastructure such as the correct position of railway tracks and switching points.(无人机已经被用于检查高压电线。他们完全可以做同样的事情来检查铁路线路和铁路基础设施的其他重要方面，如铁路轨道和换乘点的正确位置)”可推知，无人机在高空工作的能力使无人机应用于铁路线路成为可能。故选B。
【29题详解】
词义猜测题。根据后文“It is calculated that European railways alone spend approximately 20 billion euros a year on maintenance, including sending maintenance staff, often at night, to inspect and repair the rail infrastructure. (据统计，仅欧洲铁路公司每年在铁路维护上的花费就约为200亿欧元，其中包括经常在夜间派遣维修人员检查和维修铁路基础设施)”可知花在maintenance上的费用是用于“inspect and repair the rail infrastructure （检查和维修铁路基础设施”，由此可知“That includes huge savings in maintenance costs and better protection of railway personnel safety”是指大幅节省检修成本和更好地保护铁路人员安全，划线词和 C项：Inspection and repair(检修)含义相近。故选C。
【30题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章最后一段 “Very small drones with advanced sensors and AI and travelling ahead of the train could guide it like a co-pilot. With their ability to see ahead, they could signal any problem, so that fast-moving trains would be able to react in time.(带有先进传感器和人工智能的非常小的无人机可以像副驾驶一样在火车前面行驶。 凭借他们的预见能力，他们可以发出任何问题的信号，以便快速行驶的火车能够及时做出反应。)”可知对于无人机期待的功能是提前发现问题。故选A。
【31题详解】
主旨大意题。根据文章主题段第一段“Can a small group of drones(无人机)guarantee the safety and reliability of railways and, at the same time, help railway operators save billions of euros each year? That is the very likely future of applying today’s “eyes in the sky” technology to making sure that the millions of kilometers of rail tracks and infrastructure(基础设施)worldwide are safe for trains on a24/7 basis.(一小群无人机能否在保证铁路安全可靠的同时，帮助铁路运营商每年节省数十亿欧元?这很可能是应用今天的“空中之眼”技术的未来，以确保全球数百万公里的铁路轨道和基础设施全天候安全运行。)”以及后文第二段讲到了使用无人机检查电力线路使无人机应用于铁路线路成为可能;第三段讲到了使用无人机大幅节省维护成本和更好地保护铁路人员安全；第四段讲到了通过使用最新的技术，无人机还可以开始为铁路提供更高的价值，可知文章主要讲述了无人机将如何改变铁路的未来，所以D项“无人机将如何改变铁路的未来。”符合文章中心思想，适合作为本文的最佳标题。故选D。
6.【2022年全国甲卷D篇】
The Government’s sugar tax on soft drinks has brought in half as much money as Ministers first predicted it would generate, the first official data on the policy has shown.
First announced in April, 2016, the tax which applies to soft drinks containing more than 5g of sugar per 100ml, was introduced to help reduce childhood obesity (肥胖). It is believed that today’s children and teenagers are consuming three times the recommended level of sugar, putting them at a higher risk of the disease.
Initially the sugar tax was expected to make £520m a year for the Treasury. However, data of the first six months showed it would make less than half this amount. At present it is expected to generate £240m for the year ending in April 2019, which will go to school sports.
It comes after more than half of soft drinks sold in shops have had their sugar levels cut by manufacturers (制造商) so they can avoid paying the tax. Drinks now contain 45 million fewer kilos of sugar as a result of manufacturers’ efforts to avoid the charge, according to Treasury figures. Since April drinks companies have been forced to pay between 18p and 24p for every litre of sugary drink they produce or import, depending on the sugar content.
However some high sugar brands, like Classic Coca Cola, have accepted the sugar tax and are refusing to change for fear of upsetting consumers. Fruit juices, milk-based drinks and most alcoholic drinks are free of the tax, as are small companies manufacturing fewer than 1m litres per year.
Today’s figures, according to one government official, show the positive influence the sugar tax is having by raising millions of pounds for sports facilities (设施) and healthier eating in schools. Helping the next generation to have a healthy and active childhood is of great importance, and the industry is playing its part.
32. Why was the sugar tax introduced?
A To collect money for schools. B. To improve the quality of drinks.
C. To protect children’s health. D. To encourage research in education.
33. How did some drinks companies respond to the sugar tax?
A. They turned to overseas markets. B. They raised the prices of their products.
C. They cut down on their production. D. They reduced their products’ sugar content.
34. From which of the following is the sugar tax collected?
A. Most alcoholic drinks. B. Milk-based drinks. C. Fruit juices. D. Classic Coke.
35. What can be inferred about the adoption of the sugar tax policy?
A. It is a short-sighted decision. B. It is a success story.
C. It benefits manufacturers. D. It upsets customers.
【答案】32. C 33. D 34. D 35. B
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了英国政府对软饮料征收的糖税来解决儿童以及青少年的健康问题，同时该收入用于学校体育。
【32题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第二段中的“First announced in April, 2016, the tax which applies to soft drinks containing more than 5g of sugar per 100ml, was introduced to help reduce childhood obesity .（该税于2016年4月首次宣布，适用于每100毫升含糖超过5g的软饮料，旨在帮助减少儿童肥胖）”可知，征收糖税的目的是帮助儿童减少肥胖，保护儿童健康。故选C项。
【33题详解】
细节理解题。根据第四段中的“It comes after more than half of soft drinks sold in shops have had their sugar levels cut by manufacturers so they can avoid paying the tax.（此前，制造商已经降低了商店中销售的超过一半的软饮料的含糖量，以避免纳税）”可知，一些饮料公司通过降低了产品的含糖量来避税。故选D项。
【34题详解】
细节理解题。根据第五段中的“However, some high sugar brands, like Classic Coca Cola, have accepted the sugar tax and are refusing to change for fear of upsetting consumers. Fruit juices, milk-based drinks and most alcoholic drinks are free of the tax, as are small companies manufacturing fewer than 1m litres per year.（然而，一些高糖品牌，如经典可口可乐，已经接受了糖税，并拒绝改变，因为担心会惹恼消费者。果汁、以牛奶为原料的饮料和大多数酒精饮料是免税的，每年生产不到100万升的小公司也是免税的）”可知，糖税主要来自经典可口可乐这些高糖品牌。故选D项。
【35题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章最后一段中“Today’s figures, according to one government official, show the positive influence the sugar tax is having by raising millions of pounds for sports facilities and healthier eating in schools.（根据一位政府官员的说法，今天的数据显示了糖税的积极影响，它为学校的体育设施和健康饮食筹集了数百万英镑）”可推断，糖税政策的实施是一个成功的政策。故选B项。
7.【2022年新高考2卷C篇】
Over the last seven years, most states have banned texting by drivers, and public service campaigns have tried a wide range of methods to persuade people to put down their phones when they are behind the wheel.
Yet the problem, by just about any measure, appears to be getting worse. Americans are still texting while driving, as well as using social networks and taking photos. Road accidents, which had fallen for years, are now rising sharply.
That is partly because people are driving more, but Mark Rosekind, the chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said distracted（分心）driving was "only increasing, unfortunately. "
"Big change requires big ideas. " he said in a speech last month, referring broadly to the need to improve road safety. So to try to change a distinctly modern behavior, lawmakers and public health experts are reaching back to an old approach: They want to treat distracted driving like drunk driving.
An idea from lawmakers in New York is to give police officers a new device called the Textalyzer. It would work like this: An officer arriving at the scene of a crash could ask for the phones of the drivers and use the Textalyzer to check in the operating system for recent activity. The technology could determine whether a driver had just texted, emailed or done anything else that is not allowed under New York's hands-free driving laws.
"We need something on the books that can change people's behavior,” said Félix W. Ortiz, who pushed for the state's 2001 ban on hand-held devices by drivers. If the Textalyzer bill becomes law, he said, "people are going to be more afraid to put their hands on the cell phone. "
8. Which of the following best describes the ban on drivers' texting in the US?
A. Ineffective. B. Unnecessary.
C. Inconsistent. D. Unfair.
9. What can the Textalyzer help a police officer find out?
A. Where a driver came from. B. Whether a driver used their phone.
C. How fast a driver was going. D. When a driver arrived at the scene.
10. What does the underlined word "something" in the last paragraph refer to?
A. Advice. B. Data. C. Tests. D. Laws.
11. What is a suitable title for the text?
A. To Drive or Not to Drive? Think Before You Start
B. Texting and Driving? Watch Out for the Textalyzer
C. New York Banning Hand-Held Devices by Drivers.
D. The Next Generation Cell Phone: The Textalyzer.
【答案】8. A 9. B 10. D 11. B
【导语】本文一篇说明文。为解决司机在开车时使用手机造成“分神”，引发交通事故的问题，纽约的一名立法者提出使用Textalyzer（短信监控器）的技术来监控司机在开车的时候是否使用了手机。
【8题详解】
推理判断题。根据第一段中“Over the last seven years, most states have banned texting by drivers, and public service campaigns have tried a wide range of methods to persuade people to put down their phones when they are behind the wheel. ”（在过去的七年里，大多数州都禁止司机发短信，公共服务活动也尝试了各种各样的方法来说服人们在开车时放下手机。）以及第二段中“Yet the problem, by just about any measure, appears to be getting worse. ”（然而，无论以何种标准衡量，这个问题似乎都在恶化。）可知，大多数州使用了各种各样的方法说服司机们在开车的时候放下手机，可是情况却越来越糟糕。所以各种方法是无效的。A选项ineffective意为“无效的”，与此相符。故选A。
【9题详解】
细节理解题。根据倒数第二段中“The technology could determine whether a driver had just texted, emailed or done anything else that is not allowed under New York's hands-free driving laws. ”（这项技术可以确定司机是否发了短信、发了邮件，或者做了纽约免提驾驶法不允许的其他事情。）可知，Textalyzer能够确定的是司机是否使用了手机发短信、邮件以及其他驾驶法不允许的行为。B 选项意为“是否司机使用了手机。”与此相符，故选B。
【10题详解】
词义猜测题。根据句中的“We need something on the books that can change people's behavior. ”（我们需要一些能改变人们行为的东西，）可知，something是能够改变人们的行为的事情。根据下文的“If the Textalyzer bill becomes law, he said, "people are going to be more afraid to put their hands on the cell phone. ”（他说，如果Textalyzer法案成为法律，“人们会更害怕拿起手机。）可知，人们的行为会改变的条件是当Textalyzer法案成为法律。收到法律的约束和惩罚，司机们才不会在开车的时候使用手机。故something指代的是法律。故选D。
【11题详解】
主旨大意题。纵观全文，第一段和第二段阐述的是“虽然大多数州已经尝试了各种各样的方法来说服人们在开车时放下手机。可是问题却越来越严重”。第三段中“That is partly because people are driving more. ”（部分原因是开车的人越来越多）可知，解释了该行为产生的部分原因。第四段至第五段讲述的是为了解决该问题是纽约立法者提出了一个新的想法即利用Textalyzer技术，来监控司机在开车的时候是否使用了手机。最后一段讲述的是：相关人士呼吁该项技术能够成为真正的法案由此才能真正的改变人们的行为。故B选项Texting and Driving? Watch Out for the Textalyzer（发短信还是在开车？防范短信监控器。）适合文章的标题。故选B。
8.【2022年新高考2卷D篇】
As we age, even if we’re healthy, the heart just isn’t as efficient in processing oxygen as it used to be. In most people the first signs show up in their 50s or early 60s. And among people who don’t exercise, the changes can start even sooner.
“Think of a rubber band. In the beginning, it is flexible, but put it in a drawer for 20 years and it will become dry and easily broken,” says Dr. Ben Levine, a heart specialist at the University of Texas. That’s what happens to the heart. Fortunately for those in midlife, Levine is finding that even if you haven’t been an enthusiastic exerciser, getting in shape now may help improve your aging heart.
Levine and his research team selected volunteers aged between 45 and 64 who did not exercise much but were otherwise healthy. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first group participated in a program of nonaerobic (无氧) exercise—balance training and weight training—three times a week. The second group did high-intensity aerobic exercise under the guidance of a trainer for four or more days a week. After two years, the second group saw remarkable improvements in heart health.
“We took these 50-year-old hearts and turned the clock back to 30-or 35-year-old hearts,” says Levine. “And the reason they got so much stronger and fitter was that their hearts could now fill a lot better and pump (泵送) a lot more blood during exercise. ” But the hearts of those who participated in less intense exercise didn’t change, he says.
“The sweet spot in life to start exercising, if you haven’t already, is in late middle age when the heart still has flexibility,” Levine says. “We put healthy 70-year-olds through a yearlong exercise training program, and nothing happened to them at all. ”
Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association, says Levine’s findings are a great start. But the study was small and needs to be repeated with far larger groups of people to determine exactly which aspects of an exercise routine make the biggest difference.
12. What does Levine want to explain by mentioning the rubber band?
A. The right way of exercising. B. The causes of a heart attack.
C. The difficulty of keeping fit. D. The aging process of the heart.
13. In which aspect were the two groups different in terms of research design?
A. Diet plan. B. Professional background.
C. Exercise type. D. Previous physical condition.
14. What does Levine’s research find?
A. Middle-aged hearts get younger with aerobic exercise.
B. High-intensity exercise is more suitable for the young.
C. It is never too late for people to start taking exercise.
D. The more exercise we do, the stronger our hearts get.
15. What does Dr. Nieca Goldberg suggest?
A. Making use of the findings. B. Interviewing the study participants.
C. Conducting further research. D. Clarifying the purpose of the study.
【答案】12. D 13. C 14. A 15. C
【导语】本文是一篇说明文，主要讲的是锻炼对于心脏的好处。
【12题详解】
推理判断题。根据第二段的““Think of a rubber band. In the beginning, it is flexible, but put it in a drawer for 20 years and it will become dry and easily broken,” says Dr. Ben Levine, a heart specialist at the University of Texas. That’s what happens to the heart. (“想想橡皮筋。一开始，它是灵活的，但把它放在抽屉里20年，它就会变得干燥，很容易破碎，”德克萨斯大学的心脏专家本·莱文博士说。这就是心脏的变化。)”可知，莱文想通过提到橡皮筋来解释心脏的老化过程，故选D。
【13题详解】
推理判断题。根据第三段的“The first group participated in a program of nonaerobic exercise—balance training and weight training—three times a week. The second group did high-intensity aerobic exercise under the guidance of a trainer for four or more days a week. (第一组每周参加三次非有氧运动——平衡训练和重量训练。第二组在教练的指导下每周进行4天或更多的高强度有氧运动。)”可知，两组在研究设计上的不同在于运动类型的不同，故选C。
【14题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段的“The second group did high-intensity aerobic exercise under the guidance of a trainer for four or more days a week. After two years, the second group saw remarkable improvements in heart health. (第二组在教练的指导下每周进行4天或更多的高强度有氧运动。两年后，第二组的心脏健康状况有了显著改善。)”和第四段的““We took these 50-year-old hearts and turned the clock back to 30-or 35-year-old hearts,” says Levine. (莱文说:“我们把这些50岁的心脏的时钟拨回30或35岁的心脏。”)”可知，莱文的研究发现了通过有氧运动，中年人的心脏会变得更年轻，故选A。
【15题详解】
推理判断题。根据最后一段的“But the study was small and needs to be repeated with far larger groups of people to determine exactly which aspects of an exercise routine make the biggest difference. (但这项研究的规模很小，需要在更大的人群中重复进行，以确定日常锻炼的哪些方面会产生最大的影响。)”可知，妮卡·戈德堡博士建议进行进一步的研究。故选C。
【2021年高考真题】
1.【2021新高考1卷 C篇】
When the explorers first set foot upon the continent of North America, the skies and lands were alive with an astonishing variety of wildlife. Native Americans have taken care of these precious natural resourses wisely. Unfortunately, it took the explorers and the settlers who followed only a few decades to decimate a large part of these resources. Millions of waterfowl（水禽）were killed at the hands of market hunters and a handful of overly ambitious sportsmen. Millions of acres of wetlands were dried to feed and house the ever-increasing populations, greatly reducing waterfowl habitat（栖息地）.
In 1934, with the passage of the Migratory Bird Hunting Stamp Act (Act), an increasingly concerned nation took firm action to stop the destruction of migratory（迁徙的）waterfowl and the wetlands so vital to their survival. Under this Act, all waterfowl hunters 16 years of age and over must annually purchase and carry a Federal Duck Stamp. The very first Federal Duck Stamp was designed by J.N. "Ding" Darling, a political cartoonist from Des Moines, lowa, who at that time was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as Director of the Bureau of Biological Survey. Hunters willingly pay the stamp price to ensure the survival of our natural resources.
About 98 cents of every duck stamp dollar goes directly into the Migratory Bird Conservation Fund to purchase wetlands and wildlife habitat for inclusion into the National Wildlife Refuge System—a fact that ensures this land will be protected and available for all generations to come. Since 1934, better than half a billion dollars has gone into that Fund to purchase more than 5 million acres of habitat. Little wonder the Federal Duck Stamp Program has been called one of the most successful conservation programs ever initiated.
1.What was a cause of the waterfowl population decline in North America?
A.Loss of wetlands. B.Popularity of water sports.
C.Pollution of rivers. D.Arrival of other wild animals.
2.What does the underlined word "decimate" mean in the first paragraph?
A.Acquire. B.Export. C.Destroy. D.Distribute.
3.What is a direct result of the Act passed in 1934?
A.The stamp price has gone down.
B.The migratory birds have flown away.
C.The hunters have stopped hunting.
D.The government has collected money.
4.Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?
A.The Federal Duck Stamp Story
B.The National Wildlife Refuge System
C.The Benefits of Saving Waterfowl
D.The History of Migratory Bird Hunting
【文章大意】本文为说明文，讲述了美国为了保护“水禽”颁布了一项政策，狩猎者需要购买相关水禽类邮票，然后政府把售卖所得款拨给候鸟保护基金组织。
1.A【解析】细节理解题。根据题干信息North America以及decline定位到第一段：Millions of waterfowl were killed at… Millions of acres of wetlands were dried… greatly reducing waterfowl habitat. 分析可知，数百万的水禽被猎人和野心过大的运动员给杀害了。而数百万英亩的湿地被开垦以喂养和容纳日益增长的人口，而这大大减少了水禽的栖息地。可知，湿地流失是导致水禽数量减少的原因。 故选A。
2.C【解析】词义猜测题。根据题干信息first paragraph定位到第一段：Unfortunately, it took the explorers and the settlers who followed only a few decades to decimate a large part of these resources. 根据Unfortunately（不幸地是）可知，此处与前文 "taken care of" 形成对比，故此处应表示 "损害、毁坏" 。原文译为：不幸地是，这些探险者和定居者只花了几十年的时间就毁掉了这些资源的很大一部分。故选C。
3.D【解析】推理判断题。根据题干信息in 1934定位到第二、三段。分析可知，第二段是在说明在颁布了这个法令之后，16岁或者超过16岁以上的水禽捕猎者必须每年购买并携带联邦鸭票，而第三段则提及了大约98%的鸭子邮票的钱都是直接被用于购买保护湿地。 因此D选项, 政府可以筹集钱，符合题意。故选D。
4.A【解析】主旨大意题。根据原文分析可知，首先作者先提出了湿地的破坏导致了水禽数量的下降，而后政府则通过发行联邦鸭票筹集资金，用于保护湿地，是史上最成功的保护项目之一。因此A选项，联邦鸭票的故事符合题意。故选A。

3.【2021全国甲卷 B篇】
Port Lympne Reserve, which runs a breeding（繁育） programme, has welcomed the arrival of a rare black rhino calf （犀牛幼崽）. When the tiny creature arrived on January 31. she became the 40th black rhino to be born at the reserve. And officials at Port Lympne were delighted with the new arrival, especially as black rhinos are known for being difficult to breed in captivity（圈养）.
Paul Beer, head of rhino section at Port Lympne, said: "Obviously we're all absolutely delighted to welcome another calf to our black rhino family. She's healthy, strong and already eager to play and explore. Her mother, Solio, is a first-time mum and she is doing a fantastic job. It's still a little too cold for them to go out into the open, but as soon as the weather warms up, I have no doubt that the little one will be out and about exploring and playing every day."
The adorable female calf is the second black rhino born this year at the reserve, but it is too early to tell if the calves will make good candidates to be returned to protected areas of the wild. The first rhino to be born at Port Lympne arrived on January 5 to first-time mother Kisima and weighed about 32kg. His mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all born at the reserve and still live there.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, the global black rhino population has dropped as low as 5500, giving the rhinos a "critically endangered" status.
1.Which of the following best describes the breeding programme?
A.Costly. B.Controversial. C.Ambitious. D.Successful.
2.What does Paul Beer say about the new-born rhino?
A.She loves staying with her mother.
B.She dislikes outdoor activities.
C.She is in good condition.
D.She is sensitive to heat.
3.What similar experience do Solio and Kisima have?
A.They had their first born in January.
B.They enjoyed exploring new places.
C.They lived with their grandmothers.
D.They were brought to the reserve young.
4.What can be inferred about Port Lympne Reserve?
A.The rhino section will be open to the public.
B.It aims to control the number of the animals.
C.It will continue to work with the World Wildlife Fund.
D.Some of its rhinos may be sent to the protected wild areas.
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文，主要讲述肯特野生动物园庆祝一只可爱的稀有动物黑犀牛幼崽的到来。
1..D 【解析】细节理解题。根据题干关键词 "the breeding programme " 定位在原文第一段第一句话Port Lympne Reserve, which runs a breeding （繁育） programme, has welcomed the arrival of a rare black rhino calf （犀牛幼崽） . 林普恩港保护区(Port Lympne Reserve)开展了一项繁殖计划，它迎来了一头稀有的黑犀牛犊牛的到来。所以，应该是成功的。故选D项。
2.C 【解析】细节理解题。根据题干关键词 "Paul Beer say" 定位在第二段他说的话，其中根据 "Obviously we're all absolutely delighted to welcome another calf to our black rhino family. She's healthy, strong and already eager to play and explore." 显然，我们都非常高兴地欢迎另一头小牛来到我们的黑犀牛家庭。她健康，强壮，并且已经渴望玩耍和探索。可知在这个新生的小犀牛状况很好。故选C项。
3.A【解析】推理判断题。根据题干关键词 "similar experience ，Solio and Kisima" 定位在原文第二段 "Her mother, Solio, is a first-time mum and she is doing a fantastic job. 她的母亲，索里奥，是第一次当妈妈，她做得很好。" 和第三段 "The first rhino to be born at Port Lympne arrived on January 5 to first-time mother Kisima and weighed about 32kg. 1月5日，在林普恩港出生的第一头犀牛来到了它的第一位母亲基西马身边，体重约32公斤。" 可知Solio 和Kisima相似点都是第一次当妈妈。故选A项。
4.D【解析】推理判断题。根据题干关键词 "PortLympne Reserve" 定位在原文第一段 "Port Lympne Reserve, which runs a breeding （繁育） programme" 和第三段 "His mother, grandmother and great grandmother were all born at the reserve and still live there. 他的母亲、祖母和曾祖母都出生在保护区，至今仍住在那里。" 可知林普恩港保护区是负责一项繁殖计划的项目，它的一些犀牛一直住在保护区，所以一些犀牛可能会被送到野生保护区。故选D项。
5.【2021全国乙卷 C篇】
You've heard that plastic is polluting the ocean—between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes enter ocean ecosystems every year. But does one plastic straw or cup really make a difference? Artist Benjamin Von Wong wants you to know that it does. He builds massive sculptures out of plastic garbage, forcing viewers to re-examine their relationship to single-use plastic products.
At the beginning of the year, the artist built a piece called  "Strawpocalypse, " a pair of 10-foot-tall plastic waves, frozen mid-crash. Made of 168, 000 plastic straws collected from several volunteer beach cleanups, the sculpture made its first appearance at the Estella Place shopping center in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Just 9% of global plastic waste is recycled. Plastic straws are by no means the biggest source（来源）of plastic pollution, but they've recently come under fire because most people don't need them to drink with and, because of their small size and weight, they cannot be recycled. Every straw that's part of Von Wong's artwork likely came from a drink that someone used for only a few minutes. Once the drink is gone, the straw will take centuries to disappear.
In a piece from 2018, Von Wong wanted to illustrate（说明） a specific statistic: Every 60 seconds, a truckload's worth of plastic enters the ocean. For this work, titled "Truckload of Plastic, " Von Wong and a group of volunteers collected more than 10, 000 pieces of plastic, which were then tied together to look like they'd been dumped（倾倒） from a truck all at once.
Von Wong hopes that his work will also help pressure big companies to reduce their plastic footprint.
1.What are Von Wong's artworks intended for?
A.Beautifying the city he lives in.
B.Introducing eco-friendly products.
C.Drawing public attention to plastic waste.
D.Reducing garbage on the beach.
2.Why does the author discuss plastic straws in paragraph 3?
A.To show the difficulty of their recycling.
B.To explain why they are useful.
C.To voice his views on modern art.
D.To find a substitute for them.
3.What effect would "Truckload of Plastic" have on viewers?
A.Calming. B.Disturbing.
C.Refreshing. D.Challenging.
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.Artists' Opinions on Plastic Safety
B.Media Interest in Contemporary Art
C.Responsibility Demanded of Big Companies
D.Ocean Plastics Transformed into Sculptures
【文章大意】本文为说明文。讲述了艺术家Benjamin Von Wong用回收到的废旧吸管创作艺术作品“吸管末日”，目的是提醒人们警惕所生产、消费的塑料垃圾，以及提高人们对改善环境问题的参与意识。
1.C【解析】细节理解题。由第一段最后一句可知，该艺术家创作的初衷是督促公众重新审视与一次性塑料制品的关系。故选C。
2.A【解析】推理判断题。第三段作者阐述了吸管由于体积小，重量轻，很难回收。故选A。
3.B 【解析】推理判断题。根据首段… forcing viewers to re-examine their relationship to… 及尾段… will also help pressure big companies to reduce their plastic footprint… 可知，原文中的Von Wong希望让人们可以重新审视他们对于塑料制品的处理方式。B选项Disturbing的意思为 "令人不安的, 引起恐慌的" ，符合文意。故选B。
4.D【解析】主旨大意题。本文围绕环保话题，介绍了一位叫本杰明的艺术家，试图用塑料垃圾创作雕塑作品，唤起公众对塑料垃圾的重视。故选D。
6.【2021全国乙卷 D篇】
During an interview for one of my books, my interviewer said something I still think about often. Annoyed by the level of distraction（干扰）in his open office, he said, "That's why I have a membership at the coworking space across the street—so I can focus." His comment struck me as strange. After all, coworking spaces also typically use an open office layout（布局）. But I recently came across a study that shows why his approach works.
The researchers examined various levels of noise on participants as they completed tests of creative thinking. They were randomly divided into four groups and exposed to various noise levels in the background, from total silence to 50 decibels（分贝）, 70 decibels, and 85 decibels. The differences between most of the groups were statistically insignificant; however, the participants in the 70 decibels group—those exposed to a level of noise similar to background chatter in a coffee shop—significantly outperformed the other groups. Since the effects were small, this may suggest that our creative thinking does not differ that much in response to total silence and 85 decibels of background noise.
But since the results at 70 decibels were significant, the study also suggests that the right level of background noise—not too loud and not total silence—may actually improve one's creative thinking ability. The right level of background noise may interrupt our normal patterns of thinking just enough to allow our imaginations to wander, without making it impossible to focus. This kind of "distracted focus" appears to be the best state for working on creative tasks.
So why do so many of us hate our open offices? The problem may be that, in our offices, we can't stop ourselves from getting drawn into others' conversations while we're trying to focus. Indeed, the researchers found that face-to-face interactions and conversations affect the creative process, and yet a coworking space or a coffee shop provides a certain level of noise while also providing freedom from interruptions.
1.Why does the interviewer prefer a coworking space?
A.It helps him concentrate.
B.It blocks out background noise.
C.It has a pleasant atmosphere.
D.It encourages face-to-face interactions.
2.Which level of background noise may promote creative thinking ability?
A.Total silence. B.50 decibels.
C.70 decibels. D.85 decibels.
3.What makes an open office unwelcome to many people?
A.Personal privacy unprotected.
B.Limited working space.
C.Restrictions on group discussion.
D.Constant interruptions.
4.What can we infer about the author from the text?
A.He's a news reporter.
B.He's an office manager.
C.He's a professional designer.
D.He's a published writer.
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文，通过实验数据分析了过分办公室噪音对于办公效率的影响，但合伙办公有利于集中注意力，适量的声音有利于创新思维。
1.A【解析】细节理解题。由第一段第二句"… so I can focus"可知，采访者喜欢在公用工作场所办公，是因为他可以集中精力。故选A。
2.C 【解析】细节理解题。由第二段"the participants in the 70 decibels group… significantly outperformed the other groups"可知，在70分贝下采访者的表现最优，说明该环境可以改善创造性思维能力。故选C。
3.D 【解析】推理判断题。由最后一段第二句"… can't stop ourselves from getting drawn into other's conversations while we're trying to focus"可知，开放式办公环境中，经常有其他事情分散人们的注意力。故选D。
4.D【解析】推理判断题。由第一段第一句可知，作者在为自己的书接受采访，可推断他是作家。故选D。
7.【2021.6 浙江卷 C篇】
If you ever get the impression that your dog can "tell" whether you look content or annoyed, you may be onto something. Dogs may indeed be able to distinguish between happy and angry human faces, according to a new study.
Researchers trained a group of 11 dogs to distinguish between images（图像） of the same person making either a happy or an angry face. During the training stage, each dog was shown only the upper half or the lower half of the person's face. The researchers then tested the dogs' ability to distinguish between human facial expressions by showing them the other half of the person's face or images totally different from the ones used in training. The researchers found that the dogs were able to pick the angry or happy face by touching a picture of it with their noses more often than one would expect by random chance.
The study showed the animals had figured out how to apply what they learned about human faces during training to new faces in the testing stage. "We can rule out that the dogs simply distinguish hetween the pictures bused on a simple cue, such as the sight of teeth, " said study anthor Corsin Muller.  "Instead, our results suggest that the surcessful dogs realized that a smiling mouth means the same thing as smiling eyes, and the same rule applies to an angry mouth having the same meaning as angry eyes."
"With our study, we think we can now confidently conclude that at least some dogs can distinguish human facial expressions," Muller told Live Science.
At this point, it is not clear why dogs seem to be equipped with the ability to recognize different facial expressions in humans."To us, the most likely explanation appears to be that the basis lies in their living with humans, which gives them a lot of exposure to human facial expressions, ” and this exposure has provided them with many chances to learn to distinguish between them, Muller said.
1.The new study focused on whether dogs can           .
A.distinguish shapes
B.make sense of human faces
C.feel happy or angry
D.communicate with each other
2.What can we learn about the study from paragraph 2?
A.Researchers tested the dogs in random order.
B.Diverse methods were adopted during training.
C.Pictures used in the two stages were different.
D.The dogs were photographed before the test.
3.What is the last paragraph mainly about?
A.A suggestion for future studies.
B.A possible reason for the study findings.
C.A major limitation of the study.
D.An explanation of the research method.
【文章大意】 本文是一篇科普类说明文，实验研究表明，狗能够辨别人类的不同的面部的高兴还是愤怒表情。
1. 【答案】B
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段第二句 "Dogs may indeed be able to distinguish between happy and angry human faces, according to a new study." 可知，狗能够分辨开心的表情和不开心的表情，故选B。
2 .【答案】C
【解析】推断题。根据第二段第三句 "The researchers then tested the dogs' ability to distinguish between human facial expressions by showing them the other half of the person's face or images totally different from the ones used in training." 可知，训练时和测试时使用的人脸照片完全不同，故选C。
2. 【答案】B
【解析】主旨大意题。根据文章最后一段可知，狗为何能够识别人的表情的原因不明，紧接着给出了最可能的解释：可能是狗长期与人类生活，所以练就了识别人类表情的能力，故选B。
【2020年高考真题】
1. 【2020·全国卷I，C】
Race walking shares many fitness benefits with running, research shows, while most likely contributing to fewer injuries. It does, however, have its own problem.
Race walkers are conditioned athletes. The longest track and field event at the Summer Olympics is the 50-kilometer race walk, which is about five miles longer than the marathon. But the sport’s rules require that a race walker’s knees stay straight through most of the leg swing and one foot remain in contact (接触) with the ground at all times. It’s this strange form that makes race walking such an attractive activity, however, says Jaclyn Norberg, an assistant professor of exercise science at Salem State University in Salem, Mass.
Like running, race walking is physically demanding, she says, According to most calculations, race walkers moving at a pace of six miles per hour would burn about 800 calories(卡路里) per hour, which is approximately twice as many as they would burn walking, although fewer than running, which would probably burn about 1,000 or more calories per hour.
However, race walking does not pound the body as much as running does, Dr. Norberg says. According to her research, runners hit the ground with as much as four times their body weight per step, while race walkers, who do not leave the ground, create only about 1.4 times their body weight with each step.
As a result, she says, some of the injuries associated with running, such as runner’s knee, are uncommon among race walkers. But the sport’s strange form does place considerable stress on the ankles and hips, so people with a history of such injuries might want to be cautious in adopting the sport. In fact, anyone wishing to try race walking should probably first consult a coach or experienced racer to learn proper technique, she says. It takes some practice.
1. Why are race walkers conditioned athletes?
A. They must run long distances.
B. They are qualified for the marathon.
C. They have to follow special rules.
D. They are good at swinging their legs.
2. What advantage does race walking have over running?
A. It’s more popular at the Olympics.
B. It’s less challenging physically.
C. It’s more effective in body building.
D. It’s less likely to cause knee injuries.
3. What is Dr. Norberg’s suggestion for someone trying race walking?
A. Getting experts’ opinions.
B. Having a medical checkup.
C. Hiring an experienced coach.
D. Doing regular exercises.
4. Which word best describes the author’s attitude to race walking?
A. Skeptical. B. Objective.
C. Tolerant. D. Conservative.
【文章大意】这是一篇说明文。短文介绍了竞走相比跑步有诸多的优势，但是之前受过伤的人，要想从事这样运动要谨慎，最好咨询专家的建议。
1. 【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段“But the sport’s rules require that a race walker’s knees stay straight through most of the leg swing and one foot remain in contact with the ground at all times.”可知，但这项运动的规则要求竞走者的膝盖在摆动腿的大部分时间保持伸直，一只脚始终与地面接触。由此可知，竞走运动员是需要具备某些条件的运动员是因为运动员需要遵守特殊的规则。故选C项。
2. 【答案】 D
【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段“As a result, she says, some of the injuries associated with running, such as runner’s knee, are uncommon among race walkers.”可知，一些与跑步有关的损伤，比如跑步者的膝盖，在竞走者中并不常见。由此可知，竞走与跑步相比的优势是不太可能导致膝盖受伤。故选D项。
3. 【答案】A
【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段Dr. Norberg说的话“In fact, anyone wishing to try race walking should probably first consult a coach or experienced racer to learn proper technique(事实上，任何想尝试竞走的人都应该首先咨询教练或有经验的竞走运动员，学习适当的技巧。)”可知，Dr. Norberg建议想尝试竞走的人征询专家的建议。故选A项。
4. 【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段“Race walking shares many fitness benefits with running, research shows, while most likely contributing to fewer injuries. It does, however, have its own problem.”可知，研究表明，竞走和跑步一样有很多健身益处，而且它还很少导致受伤。不过，它也有自己的问题。由此判断出作者对于竞走的态度是客观的。故选B项。
2. 【2020·全国卷I，D】
The connection between people and plants has long been the subject of scientific research. Recent studies have found positive effects. A study conducted in Youngstown，Ohio，for example, discovered that greener areas of the city experienced less crime. In another，employees were shown to be 15% more productive when their workplaces were decorated with houseplants.
The engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT)have taken it a step further changing the actual composition of plants in order to get them to perform diverse，even unusual functions. These include plants that have sensors printed onto their leaves to show when they’re short of water and a plant that can detect harmful chemicals in groundwater. ＂We’re thinking about how we can engineer plants to replace functions of the things that we use every day,＂explained Michael Strano, a professor of chemical engineering at MIT.
One of his latest projects has been to make plants glow(发光)in experiments using some common vegetables. Strano’s team found that they could create a faint light for three-and-a-half hours. The light，about one-thousandth of the amount needed to read by，is just a start. The technology, Strano said, could one day be used to light the rooms or even to turn trees into self-powered street lamps.
In the future，the team hopes to develop a version of the technology that can be sprayed onto plant leaves in a one-off treatment that would last the plant’s lifetime. The engineers are also trying to develop an on and off＂switch＂where the glow would fade when exposed to daylight.
Lighting accounts for about 7% of the total electricity consumed in the US. Since lighting is often far removed from the power source(电源)-such as the distance from a power plant to street lamps on a remote highway-a lot of energy is lost during transmission(传输).Glowing plants could reduce this distance and therefore help save energy.
1. What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A. A new study of different plants.
B. A big fall in crime rates.
C. Employees from various workplaces.
D. Benefits from green plants.
2. What is the function of the sensors printed on plant leaves by MIT engineer?
A. To detect plants’ lack of water
B. To change compositions of plants
C. To make the life of plants longer.
D. To test chemicals in plants.
3. What can we expect of the glowing plants in the future?
A. They will speed up energy production.
B. They may transmit electricity to the home.
C. They might help reduce energy consumption.
D. They could take the place of power plants.
4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A. Can we grow more glowing plants?
B. How do we live with glowing plants?
C. Could glowing plants replace lamps?
D. How are glowing plants made pollution-free?
【文章大意】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了绿色植物对人们很有好处，因此麻省理工学院的工程师开发了一种发光植物。文章介绍了他们发明这种植物的过程，以及这种植物的一些优势，指出在未来发光植物有可能取代路灯，达到节约能源的作用。
1. 【答案】D
【解析】主旨大意题。根据第一段中A study conducted in Youngstown, Ohio, for example ,discovered that greener areas of the city experienced less crime. In another, employees were shown to be 15% more productive when their workplaces were decorated with houseplants.可知例如，在俄亥俄州扬斯敦进行的一项研究发现，城市绿化较好的地区犯罪率较低。在另一项研究中，当员工的工作场所被室内植物装饰时，他们的工作效率会提高15%。由此可知，第一段的主旨是关于绿色植物的益处。故选D。
2. 【答案】A
【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段中These include plants that have sensors printed on their leaves to show when they're short of water and a plant that can detect harmful chemicals in groundwater.可知这就包括叶子上印有传感器来显示植物缺水的情况的植物，还有一种植物可以检测到地下水中的有害化学物质。由此可知，麻省理工学院工程师植物叶片上印上传感器的作用是检测植物缺水的情况。故选A。
3.【答案】 C
【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段中Glowing plants could reduce this distance and therefore help save energy.可知发光的植物可以缩短这段距离，从而帮助节约能源。由此可知，这种发光的植物在未来可能有助于减少能源消耗。故选C。
4.【答案】 C
【解析】主旨大意题。根据最后一段中Lighting accounts for about 7%of the total electricity consumed in the US. Since lighting is often far removed from the power source-such as the distance from a power plant to street lamps on a remote highway-a lot of energy is lost during transmission. Glowing plants could reduce this distance and therefore help save energy.可知照明约占美国总耗电量的7%。由于照明通常远离电源，例如从发电厂到偏僻公路上路灯的距离，在传输过程中会损失大量能源。发光的植物可以缩短这段距离，从而帮助节约能源。结合文章主要说明了绿色植物对人们很有好处，因此麻省理工学院的工程师开发了一种发光植物，文章介绍了他们发明这种植物的过程，以及这种植物的一些优势，指出在未来发光植物有可能取代路灯，达到节约能源的作用。由此可知，C选项“发光的植物能取代路灯吗？”最符合文章标题。故选C。
4. 【2020·全国卷II，B】
Some parents will buy any high-tech toy if they think it will help their child, but researchers said puzzles help children with math-related skills.
Psychologist Susan Levine, an expert on mathematics development in young children the University of Chicago, found children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 later develop better spatial skills. Puzzle play was found to be a significant predictor of cognition(认知) after controlling for differences in parents’ income, education and the amount of parent talk, Levine said.
The researchers analyzed video recordings of 53 child-parent pairs during everyday activities at home and found children who play with puzzles between 26 and 46 months of age have better spatial skills when assessed at 54 months of age.
“The children who played with puzzles performed better than those who did not, on tasks that assessed their ability to rotate(旋转)and translate shapes,” Levine said in a statement.
The parents were asked to interact with their children as they normally would, and about half of children in the study played with puzzles at one time. Higher-income parents tended to have children play with puzzles more frequently, and both boys and girls who played with puzzles had better spatial skills. However, boys tended to play with more complex puzzles than girls, and the parents of boys provided more spatial language and were more active during puzzle play than parents of girls.
The findings were published in the journal Developmental Science.
1. In which aspect do children benefit from puzzle play?
A. Building confidence. B. Developing spatial skills.
C. Learning self-control. D. Gaining high-tech knowledge.
2. What did Levine take into consideration when designing her experiment？
A. Parents’ age. B. Children’s imagination.
C. Parents’ education. D. Child-parent relationship.
3. How do boy differ from girls in puzzle play?
A. They play with puzzles more often.
B. They tend to talk less during the game.
C. They prefer to use more spatial language.
D. They are likely to play with tougher puzzles.
4. What is the text mainly about?
A. A mathematical method. B. A scientific study.
C. A woman psychologist D. A teaching program.
【文章大意】本文是说明文。是关于孩子们玩智力游戏的研究，介绍了研究考虑的因素，研究过程和结果。
1. 【答案】 B
【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段中…found children who play with puzzles between ages 2 and 4 develop better spatial skill(在2岁到4岁之间玩智力游戏的儿童在空间能力方面更好)可知，孩子们可以从智力游戏中发展更好的空间技能。B. Developing spatial skills(发展空间能力)符合以上说法，故选B项。
2. 【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段中Puzzle play was found to be a significant predictor of cognition after controlling for difference in parents' income, education and the amount of parent talk, Levine said.( Levine说，在父母的收入、教育和父母谈话次数方面控制差异性之后，拼图游戏被发现是一个重要的认知预测)可知Levine在设计这个试验时考虑了父母的收入、教育程度和父母谈话的次数。C. Parents' education.(父母的教育)符合以上说法，故选C项。
3. 【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据倒数第二段中However, boys tended to play with more complex puzzles than girls,可知男孩比女孩更喜欢玩复杂的谜题，即他们可能会玩难度更大的谜题。D. They are likely to play with tougher puzzles.(他们有可能玩更复杂的谜题)符合以上说法，故选D项。
4. 【答案】B
【解析】主旨大意题。本文是关于孩子们玩智力游戏的研究，介绍了研究考虑的因素，研究过程和结果。所以是关于科学研究的。B. A scientific study(一项科学研究)符合以上说法，故选B项。
5. 【2020·全国卷III，D】
We are the products of evolution, and not just evolution that occurred billions of years ago. As scientists look deeper into our genes(基因), they are finding examples of human evolution in just the past few thousand years. People in Ethiopian highlands have adapted to living at high altitudes. Cattle -raising people in East Africa and northern Europe have gained a mutation (突变) that helps them digest milk as adults.
On Thursday in an article published in Cell, a team of researchers reported a new kind of adaptation — not to air or to food, but to the ocean. A group of sea-dwelling people in Southeast Asia have evolved into better divers. The Bajau, as these people are known, number in the hundreds of thousands in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. They have traditionally lived on houseboats; in recent times, they’ve also built houses on stilts (支柱) in coastal waters. “They are simply a stranger to the land,” said Redney C. Jubilado, a University of Hawaii researcher who studies the Bajau.
Dr. Jubilado first met the Bajau while growing up on Samal Island in the Philippines. They made a living as divers, spearfishing or harvesting shellfish. “We were so amazed that they could stay underwater much longer than us local islanders,” Dr. Jubilado said. “I could see them actually walking under the sea.”
In2015, Melissa Ilardo, then a graduate student in genetics at the University of Copenhagen, heard about the Bajau. She wondered if centuries of diving could have led to the evolution of physical characteristics that made the task easier for them. “it seemed like the perfect chance for natural selection to act on a population,” said Dr. Ilardo. She also said there were likely a number of other genes that help the Bajau dive.
32. What does the author want to tell us by the examples in paragraph 1?
A. Environmental adaptation of cattle raisers. B. New knowledge of human evolution.
C. Recent findings of human origin. D. Significance of food selection.
33. Where do the Bajau build their houses?
A. In valleys. B. Near rivers. C. On the beach. D. Off the coast.
34. Why was the young Jubilado astonished at the Bajau?
A. They could walk on stilts all day. B. They had a superb way of fishing.
C. They could stay long underwater. D. They lived on both land and water.
35. What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Bodies Remodeled for a Life at Sea B. Highlanders’ Survival Skills
C. Basic Methods of Genetic Research D. The World’s Best Divers
【文章大意】这是一篇说明文。最近一项对人类基因的研究发现，人类的进化不仅仅发生在数十亿年前，而且最近几千年也有。Bajau人因为靠海为生，他们的身体已经进化成更能适应海洋生活。
32. 【答案】B
【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段的we are the products of evolution, and not just evolution that occurred billions of years ago. As scientists look deeper into our genes, they are finding examples of human evolution in just the past few thousand years.(我们是进化的产物，而且不仅仅是数十亿年前的产物。当科学家更深入的研究我们的基因时，他们发现了人类在过去几千年进化的例子)可知，作者列举第一段的例子是为了告诉我们关于人类进化的一个新信息，那就是人类在最近几千年也在进化。B. New knowledge of human evolution.(人类进化的新知识)符合以上说法，故选B项。
33. 【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段的The Bajau, as these people are known, number in hundreds of thousands in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. They have traditionally live on houseboats; in recent times, they've also built houses on stilts in coastal waters.(这些人被称为Bajau，在印度尼西亚、马来西亚和菲律宾有数十万人。他们一直住在船屋上；最近他们也把房子建在沿海水域的吊脚楼上)可知，Bajau把房子建在沿海区域。D. Off the coast.(沿海)符合以上说法，故选D项。
34. 【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段的we were so amazed that they could stay underwater much longer than us local islanders.(我们很惊讶，他们在水下待的时间比我们当地的岛民要长的多)可知，让Jubilado感到吃惊的是Bajau人能在水下待更长的时间。C. They could stay long underwater. (他们能在水下待很长时间)符合以上说法，故选C项。
35. 【答案】A
【解析】主旨大意题。根据文章的主要内容，尤其是第二段的On Thursday in an article published in Cell, a team of researchers reported a new kind of adaption-not to air or to food, but to the ocean.(周四，在《细胞》杂志上发表的一篇文章中，一群研究人员报道了一种新的适应——不是空气也不是食物，而是海洋)可知，本文主要讲述了一种新的进化，即长期生活在海边，靠海为生的生活方式，让Bajau人的身体进化成更适应海洋生活。A. Bodies Remodeled for a Life at Sea.(身体为适应海洋生活而重塑)可以作为本文标题，故选A项。
6. 【2020·山东卷，D】
According to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research, both the size and consumption habits of our eating companions can influence our food intake. And contrary to existing research that says you should avoid eating with heavier people who order large portions(份), it's the beanpoles with big appetites you really need to avoid.
To test the effect of social influence on eating habits, the researchers conducted two experiments. In the first, 95 undergraduate women were individually invited into a lab to ostensibly(表面上)participate in a study about movie viewership. Before the film began, each woman was asked to help herself to a snack. An actor hired by the researchers grabbed her food first. In her natural state, the actor weighed 105 pounds. But in half the cases she wore a specially designed fat suit which increased her weight to 180 pounds.
Both the fat and thin versions of the actor took a large amount of food. The participants followed suit, taking more food than they normally would have. However, they took significantly more when the actor was thin.
For the second test, in one case the thin actor took two pieces of candy from the snack bowls. In the other case, she took 30 pieces. The results were similar to the first test: the participants followed suit but took significantly more candy when the thin actor took 30 pieces.
The tests show that the social environment is extremely influential when we're making decisions. If this fellow participant is going to eat more, so will I. Call it the “I’ll have what she's having” effect. However, we'll adjust the influence. If an overweight person is having a large portion, I'll hold back a bit because I see the results of his eating habits. But if a thin person eats a lot, I'll follow suit. If he can eat much and keep slim, why can't I?
12. What is the recent study mainly about?
A. Food safety. B. Movie viewership.
C. Consumer demand. D. Eating behavior.
13. What does the underlined word “beanpoles” in paragraph 1 refer to?
A. Big eaters. B. Overweight persons.
C. Picky eaters. D. Tall thin persons.
14. Why did the researchers hire the actor?
A. To see how she would affect the participants.
B. To test if the participants could recognize her.
C. To find out what she would do in the two tests.
D. To study why she could keep her weight down.
15. On what basis do we “adjust the influence” according to the last paragraph?
A. How hungry we are. B. How slim we want to be.
C. How we perceive others. D. How we feel about the food.
【文章大意】本文是说明文。最近的研究表明：我们的饮食伙伴的大小和消费习惯都会影响我们的食物摄入量。文章详述了这个实验的过程。
12. 【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段中的“According to a recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research, both the size and consumption habits of our eating companions can influence our food intake”可知，根据消费者研究杂志最近的一项研究，我们的饮食伙伴的大小和消费习惯都会影响我们的食物摄入量。因此这项研究是关于饮食行为的。故选D。
13. 【答案】D
【解析】词义猜测题。根据前半句“And contrary to existing research that says you should avoid eating with heavier people who order large portions（份）”可知，现有的研究认为：你应该避免和体重较重、点大份饭菜的人一起吃饭。后半句认为，你真正应该避免的是the beanpoles with big appetites。由contrary to可推断出，画线词和heavier people（超重的人）相反，结合选项，D选项（瘦瘦高高的人）正好和heavier people正好相反。故选D。
14. 【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段的“To test the effect of social influence on eating habits, the researchers conducted two experiments”可知， 为了测试社会影响对饮食习惯的影响，研究人员进行了两个实验。根据倒数第三段的内容可知，在两个实验中，胖的和瘦的演员都吃了大量的食物。参与者也照做，吃的食物比平常多。 然而，当演员是瘦的时候，参与者们服用的食物更多。由此推断，研究人员雇用演员是为了看看她如何影响参与者。故选A。
15. 【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“If an overweight person is having a large portion, I’ll hold back a bit because I see the results of his eating habits. But if a thin person eats a lot, I’ll follow suit. If he can eat much and keep slim, why can’t I? ”可知，如果一个超重的人吃很大一份，我会忍住一点，因为我看到了他饮食习惯的结果。但如果一个瘦的人吃很多，我会跟着做。如果他吃得多保持苗条，为什么我不能呢？ 因此推断我们是根据我们对他人的看法（即：如何看待他人）来调整影响的。故选C。
【2019年高考真题】
1. 【2019·全国卷I，C】
As data and identity theft becomes more and more common, the market is growing for biometric(生物测量)technologies—like fingerprint scans—to keep others out of private e-spaces. At present, these technologies are still expensive, though.
Researchers from Georgia Tech say that they have come up with a low-cost device(装置)that gets around this problem: a smart keyboard. This smart keyboard precisely measures the cadence(节奏)with which one types and the pressure fingers apply to each key. The keyboard could offer a strong layer of security by analyzing things like the force of a user's typing and the time between key presses. These patterns are unique to each person. Thus, the keyboard can determine people's identities, and by extension, whether they should be given access to the computer it's connected to—regardless of whether someone gets the password right.
It also doesn't require a new type of technology that people aren't already familiar with. Everybody uses a keyboard and everybody types differently.
In a study describing the technology, the researchers had 100 volunteers type the word “touch”four times using the smart keyboard. Data collected from the device could be used to recognize different participants based on how they typed, with very low error rates. The researchers say that the keyboard should be pretty straightforward to commercialize and is mostly made of inexpensive, plastic-like parts. The team hopes to make it to market in the near future.
28. Why do the researchers develop the smart keyboard?
A. To reduce pressure on keys. B. To improve accuracy in typing
C. To replace the password system. D. To cut the cost of e-space protection.
29. What makes the invention of the smart keyboard possible？
A. Computers are much easier to operate.
B. Fingerprint scanning techniques develop fast.
C. Typing patterns vary from person to person.
D. Data security measures are guaranteed.
30. What do the researchers expect of the smart keyboard？all 1o soisgitieoco oll.
A. It'll be environment-friendly. B. It'll reach consumers soon.
C. It'll be made of plastics. D. It'll help speed up typing.
31. Where is this text most likely from?
A. A diary. B. A guidebook C. A novel. D. A magazine.
【语篇解读】这是一篇说明文。数据和身份盗窃变得越来越普遍，目前，向指纹扫描等这些技术仍然是昂贵的。本文介绍了一种新的科技——智能键盘，它能给e-space用户带来安全，而且这项技术也不贵。
28.【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段的At present, these technologies are still expensive, though.和第二段的Researchers from Georgia Tech say that they have come up with a low-cost device that gets around this problem: a smart key board.可知，研究者们开发智能键盘是为了降低e-space保护的成本。故选D。
29.【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段的The key board could offer a strong layer of security by analyzing things like the force of a user’s typing and the time between key presses. These patterns are unique to each person. Thus，the keyboard can determine people’s identities可知，因为每个人的打字方式不同，使智能键盘能够识别人的身份。故选C。
30.【答案】B
【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段的The team hopes to make it to market in the near future.可知，研究者们希望智能键盘能早日面世。故选B。
31.【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。本文介绍了一种新的科技——智能键盘，它能给e-space用户带来安全，由此可知，本文是关于科技，结合所给选项可知，本文可能来自于一本杂志。故选D。
3. 【2019·全国卷II，D】
Bacteria are an annoying problem for astronauts. The microorganisms(微生物) from our bodies grow uncontrollably on surfaces of the International Space Station, so astronauts spend hours cleaning them up each week. How is NASA overcoming this very tiny big problem? It’s turning to a bunch of high school kids. But not just any kids. It depending on NASA HUNCH high school class, like the one science teachers Gene Gordon and Donna Himmelberg lead at Fairport High School in Fairport, New York.
HUNCH is designed to connect high school classrooms with NASA engineers. For the past two years, Gordon’s students have been studying ways to kill bacteria in zero gravity, and they think they’re close to a solution(解决方案). “We don’t give the students any breaks. They have to do it just like NASA engineers,” says Florence Gold, a project manager.
“There are no tests,” Gordon says. “There is no graded homework. There almost are no grades, other than‘Are you working towards your goal?’ Basically, it’s ‘I’ve got to produce this product and then, at the end of year, present it to NASA.’ Engineers come and really do an in-person review, and…it’s not a very nice thing at time. It’s a hard business review of your product.”
Gordon says the HUNCH program has an impact(影响) on college admissions and practical life skills. “These kids are so absorbed in their studies that I just sit back. I don’t teach.” And that annoying bacteria? Gordon says his students are emailing daily with NASA engineers about the problem, readying a workable solution to test in space.
32. What do we know about the bacteria in the International Space Station?
A. They are hard to get rid of. B. They lead to air pollution.
C. They appear different forms. D. They damage the instruments.
33. What is the purpose of the HUNCH program?
A. To strengthen teacher-student relationships. B. To sharpen students’ communication skills.
C. To allow students to experience zero gravity. D. To link space technology with school education
34. What do the NASA engineers do for the students in the program?
A. Check their product. B. Guide project designs
C. Adjust work schedules. D. Grade their homework.
35. What is the best title for the text?
A. NASA: The Home of Astronauts.
B. Space: The Final Homework Frontier.
C. Nature: An Outdoor Classroom.
D. HUNCH:A College Admission Reform.
【语篇解读】本文为说明文。本文介绍了HUNCH项目就是通过Gordon的学生找到如何杀死空间站的细菌这一技术，把空间技术与带进课堂，与学校教育相结合，从而最终影响到大学入学。
32.【答案】A
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段中的“Bacteria are annoying problem for astronauts. The microorganisms form our bodies grow uncontrollably on surfaces of the International Space Station, so astronauts spend hours cleaning them up each week.”可知，细菌对宇航员来说是个令人讨厌的问题。这种来自我们身体的微生物在国际空间站的表面不受控制地生长，宇航员每周要花几个小时来清理它们。也就是说它们很难去掉。其中的“the microorganisms”包括“bacteria”。由此可知， A项符合题意。
33.【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段的 “HUNCH is designed to connect high school classrooms with NASA engineers. Gordon’s students have been studying ways to kill bacteria in zero gravity,...”可知，Hunch旨在把高中教室和NASA的工程师联系起来。Gordon的学生一直在研究如何在零重力下杀死细菌, ...”。结合最后一段中的“Gordon students are emailing daily with NASA engineers about the problem,...”可知，学生每天都给NASA的工程师发邮件一起探讨（如何杀死空间站的细菌这一空间技术）这个问题。由此可推断出HUNCH program的目的把空间技术与学校教育相结合。分析选项可知D项符合题意。
34.【答案】A
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段中的“I’ve got to produce this product and then, at the end of the year ,present it to NASA, ”“Engineers come and really do an in-person review，and ...It’s not a very nice thing at times. It’s a hard business review of your product.”可知，NASA的工程师要检查学生所做的产品。分析选项可知A项符合题意，故选A。
35.【答案】B
主旨大意题。文章以国际空间站里的微生物很难清除开头，引出宇航员们解决此问题的途径 —— 借助美国国家航空航天局的HUNCH高中班，此计划的目的是把航天技术与学校教育结合起来。在这项计划里，学生们通过homework（制作供美国国家航空航天局使用的产品）探索无疆的太空，因此“太空：最后的功课疆域”最适合做文章的标题。故选B。
4. 【2019·全国卷III，C】
Before the 1830smost newspapers were sold through annual subscriptions in America, usually $8 to $10 a year. Today $8 or $10 seems a small amount of money, but at that time these amounts were forbidding to most citizens. Accordingly, newspapers were read almost only by rich people in politics or the trades. In addition, most newspapers had little in them that would appeal to a mass audience. They were dull and visually forbidding. But the revolution that was taking place in the 1830s would change all that.
The trend, then, was toward the "penny paper"-a term referring to papers made widely available to the public. It meant any inexpensive newspaper; perhaps more importantly it meant newspapers that could be bought in single copies on the street.
This development did not take place overnight. It had been possible(but not easy)to buy single copies of newspapers before 1830,but this usually meant the reader had to go down to the printer's office to purchase a copy. Street sales were almost unknown. However, within a few years, street sales of newspapers would be commonplace in eastern cities. At first the price of single copies was seldom a penny-usually two or three cents was charged-and some of the older well-known papers charged five or six cents. But the phrase "penny paper " caught the public's fancy, and soon there would be papers that did indeed sell for only a penny.
This new trend of newspapers for "the man on the street" did not begin well. Some of the early ventures(企业)were immediate failures. Publishers already in business, people who were owners of successful papers, had little desire to change the tradition. It took a few youthful and daring businessmen to get the ball rolling.
28. Which of the following best describes newspapers in America before the 1830s?
A. Academic. B. Unattractive. C. Inexpensive. D. Confidential.
29. What did street sales mean to newspapers?
A. They would be priced higher. B. They would disappear from cities.
C. They could have more readers. D. They could regain public trust.
30. Who were the newspapers of the new trend targeted at?
A. Local politicians. B. Common people.
C. Young publishers. D. Rich businessmen.
31. What can we say about the birth of the penny paper?
A. It was a difficult process. B. It was a temporary success.
C. It was a robbery of the poor. D. It was a disaster for printers.
【语篇解读】本文为说明文。文章叙述了“便士报纸”的诞生历史。
28.【答案】B
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段中的“Before1830s，... Accordingly newspapers were read almost only by rich people. In addition ,most newspapers had little in them that would appeal to mass audience. They were dull and visually forbidding.”可知，在19世纪30年代之前,只有富人才能读报纸，而且大多数报纸中几乎没有能吸引大众的内容，让人感觉无聊，，视觉上令人望而却步。由此可得出那时的报纸没有什么吸引力。分析选项，A . Academic学术的；B. Unattractive没有吸引力， 无魅力的； C. Inexpensive廉价的，不贵的； D. Confidential机密的，保密的。可知 A、C和D是错误的，只有B符合题意，故选B。
29.【答案】C
【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段提到“便士报纸”针对大众，很便宜的。更重要的是，在街上可以买的到报纸。 结合第三段中间的“streets sales of newspapers would be commonplaced in eastern cities”可知，报纸的街头销售随处可见。由此可推断出，街头销售意味读报纸的多了。分析选项可知C符合题，故选C。
30.【答案】B
【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段中的“The trend, then, was ‘penny paper’—a term referring to papers made widely available to the public. perhaps more importantly it meant newspapers that could be bought in single copies on the street.”可知，这种“便士报纸”针对大众的，在街上可以买的到报纸。分析选项可知，选项B符合题意，故选B。
31.【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。第二段“The trend, then, was ‘penny paper’”及最后一段“The new trend of newspapers for ‘the man on the street’ did not begin well. Some of the early ventures were immediately failures. Publishers already in business, people who owners of successful papers, had little desires to change the tradition. It took a few youthful and daring businessmen to get the ball rolling.”可知，“便士报纸”新趋势一开始并不好，一些早期的尝试立即失败了。已经进入商业领域的成功的出版商，并不想改变这一传统。后来一些年轻而大胆的商人才推动了这件事。由此可推断出“便士报纸”的诞生是一个困难而曲折的过程。分析选项可知，A项符合题意，故选A。
5. 【2019·全国卷III，D】
Monkeys seem to have a way with numbers.
A team of researchers trained three Rhesus monkeys to associate 26 clearly different symbols consisting of numbers and selective letters with 0-25 drops of water or juice as a reward. The researchers then tested how the monkeys combined—or added—the symbols to get the reward.
Here's how Harvard Medical School scientist Margaret Livingstone, who led the team, described the experiment: In their cages the monkeys were provided with touch screens. On one part of the screen, a symbol would appear, and on the other side two symbols inside a circle were shown. For example, the number 7 would flash on one side of the screen and the other end would have 9 and 8. If the monkeys touched the left side of the screen they would be rewarded with seven drops of water or juice; if they went for the circle, they would be rewarded with the sum of the numbers—17 in this example.
After running hundreds of tests, the researchers noted that the monkeys would go for the higher values more than half the time, indicating that they were performing a calculation, not just memorizing the value of each combination.
When the team examined the results of the experiment more closely, they noticed that the monkeys tended to underestimate(低估)a sum compared with a single symbol when the two were close in value—sometimes choosing, for example, a 13 over the sum of 8 and 6. The underestimation was systematic: When adding two numbers, the monkeys always paid attention to the larger of the two, and then added only a fraction(小部分)of the smaller number to it.
"This indicates that there is a certain way quantity is represented in their brains, "Dr. Livingstone says. “But in this experiment what they're doing is paying more attention to the big number than the little one.”
32. What did the researchers do to the monkeys before testing them?
A. They fed them. B. They named them.
C. They trained them. D. They measured them.
33. How did the monkeys get their reward in the experiment?
A. By drawing a circle. B. By touching a screen.
C. By watching videos. D. By mixing two drinks.
34. What did Livingstone's team find about the monkeys?
A. They could perform basic addition. B. They could understand simple words.
C. They could memorize numbers easily. D. They could hold their attention for long.
35. In which section of a newspaper may this text appear?
A. Entertainment. B. Health. C. Education. D. Science.
【语篇解读】这是一篇说明文。研究发现：猴子可以进行基本的加法运算。文章对研究的经过和结论做了介绍和分析。
32.【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段中的“A team of researchers trained three Rhesus monkeys…The researches then tested how…”可知，在对这些猴子进行测试之前，研究者们对它们进行了培训。故C选项正确。
33.【答案】B
【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段中的“In their cages the monkeys were provided with touch screen…If the monkeys touched the left side of the screen, they would be rewarded with seven drops…; if they went for the circle, they would be rewarded with…”可知，当猴子触摸屏幕左边时，它们会得到7滴水或者果汁的奖励；当它们触摸屏幕的另一端（即画着圆圈的部分）时，它们会得到17滴水或果汁的奖励。由此可知，猴子是通过触摸屏幕得到奖励的。B选项正确。
34.【答案】A
【解析】细节理解题。根据第四段“The monkeys would go for the higher values more than half the time, indicating that they were performing a calculation, not just memorizing the value of each combination”和第五段中的“When adding two numbers…”可知，猴子会在超过一半的时间内选择更高的值，这意味着它们在进行计算，而不仅仅是记住每一个组合的值。由此可知，A选项正确：猴子能够进行基本的加法计算。由此亦可以排除C选项。
35.【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。通读整篇文章可知，该文介绍的是哈佛医学院的科学家Margaret Livingstone领导的一个研究团队对猴子进行实验得出的研究结果。这属于“科学研究”范畴，故该文应出现在报纸的“科学”板块。故D选项正确。
6. 【2019·北京卷，D】
By the end of the century，if not sooner，the world's oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate，according to a new study.
At the heart of the phenomenon lie tiny marine microorganisms(海洋微生物)called phytoplankton. Because of the way light reflects off the organisms，these phytoplankton create colourful patterns at the ocean surface. Ocean colour varies from green to blue，depending on the type and concentration of phytoplankton. Climate change will fuel the growth of phytoplankton in some areas，while reducing it in other spots，leading to changes in the ocean's appearance.
Phytoplankton live at the ocean surface，where they pull carbon dioxide(二氧化碳)into the ocean while giving off oxygen. When these organisms die，they bury carbon in the deep ocean，an important process that helps to regulate the global climate. But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean's warming trend. Warming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth，since they need not only sunlight and carbon dioxide to grow，but also nutrients.
Stephanie Dutkiewicz，a scientist in MIT's Center for Global Change Science，built a climate model that projects changes to the oceans throughout the century. In a world that warms up by 3℃，it found that multiple changes to the colour of the oceans would occur. The model projects that currently blue areas with little phytoplankton could become even bluer. But in some waters，such as those of the Arctic，a warming will make conditions riper for phytoplankton，and these areas will turn greener. “Not only are the quantities of phytoplankton in the ocean changing. ”she said，“but the type of phytoplankton is changing. ”
42. What are the first two paragraphs mainly about?
A. The various patterns at the ocean surface.
B. The cause of the changes in ocean colour.
C. The way light reflects off marine organisms.
D. The efforts to fuel the growth of phytoplankton.
43. What does the underlined word“vulnerable”in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Sensitive. B. Beneficial C. Significant D. Unnoticeable
44. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Phytoplankton play a declining role in the marine ecosystem.
B. Dutkiewicz's model aims to project phytoplankton changes
C. Phytoplankton have been used to control global climate
D. Oceans with more phytoplankton may appear greener.
45. What is the main purpose of the passage？
A. To assess the consequences of ocean colour changes
B. To analyse the composition of the ocean food chain
C. To explain the effects of climate change on oceans
D. To introduce a new method to study phytoplankton
【语篇解读】本文为说明文。一项最新研究表明，由于气候变暖，世界海洋将会变得更蓝、更绿。这一现象是因为一种叫做浮游植物的微小海洋微生物，因为光线反射的作用，它们在海洋表面形成了五颜六色的图案。但是浮游植物很容易受到海洋变暖趋势的影响。气候变暖会改变海洋的主要特征，并影响浮游植物的生长。
42. 【答案】B
【解析】段落大意题。第一段“By the end of the century. If not sooner, the world's oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate, according to a new study.”可知，到本世纪末，一项新的研究表明，由于气候变暖，如果不尽快的话，世界上的海洋将会变得更蓝、更绿。结合第二段“At the heart phenomenon lie tiny marine microorganisms called phytoplankton. Becaust of the way light reflects off the organisms ,these phytoplanktons create colourful patterns at the ocean surface. Ocean colour varies from green to blue, depending on the type and concentration”可知，这种现象的核心是一种叫做浮游植物的微小海洋微生物，在光线的作用下在海洋表面形成了五颜六色的图案。海洋的颜色从绿色到蓝色不等，这取决于海洋的类型和浮游植物浓度。由此可推断出这两段主要叙述了海洋生物是海洋颜色变化的原因。分析选项可知B符合题意，故选B。
43. 【答案】A
【解析】词义猜测题。根据划线词后的“Warming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth, since they need not only sunshine and carbon dioxide to grow, but also nutrients.”可知，气候变暖会改变海洋的主要特征，并会影响浮游植物的生长。由此可判断“But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean’s wamning trend”可知，浮游植物很容易受到海洋变暖趋势的影响。可知A项正确。
44. D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第四段“The model projects that currently blue areas with little phytoplankton could become even bluer. But in some waters ,such as those of the Arctic, a warming will make conditions riper for phytoplankton, and these areas will turn greener”,可知Dutkiewicz的模型预测，目前只有少量浮游植物的蓝色区域可能会变得更蓝。但是在一些水域，比如北极，气候变暖会使浮游植物的生长条件更加成熟，而这些水域会变得更绿了”。由此可推断，浮游植物的生长条件更加成熟，浮游动植物就更多了，这些水域会变得更绿了。分析选项可知D项符合题意。
45. C
【解析】目的意图题。第一段提出文章的主旨“By the end of the century. If not sooner, the world's oceans will be bluer and greener thanks to a warming climate, according to a new study.”可知到本世纪末。一项新的研究表明，由于气候变暖，如果不尽快的话，世界上的海洋将会变得更蓝、更绿。再结合第三段“But phytoplankton are vulnerable to the ocean’s warning trendWarming changes key characteristics of the ocean and can affect phytoplankton growth, …”可知，“浮游植物很容易受到海洋警告趋势的影响，变暖改变了海洋的关键特征，并能影响浮游植物的生长”。可知本文主要解释气候变化对海洋的影响。故选C。
7. 【2019·天津卷，C】
How does an ecosystem（生态系统）work？What makes the populations of different species the way they are？Why are there so many flies and so few wolves？To find an answer，scientists have built mathematical models of food webs，noting who eats whom and how much each one eats.
With such models，scientists have found out some key principles operating in food webs. Most food webs，for instance，consist of many weak links rather than a few strong ones. When a predator（掠食动物）always eats huge numbers of a single prey（猎物），the two species are strongly linked；when a predator lives on various species，they are weakly linked. Food webs may be dominated by many weak links because that arrangement is more stable over the long term. If a predator can eat several species，it can survive the extinction（灭绝）of one of them. And if a predator can move on to another species that is easier to find when a prey species becomes rare，the switch allows the original prey to recover. The weak links may thus keep species from driving one another to extinction.
Mathematical models have also revealed that food webs may be unstable，where small changes of top predators can lead to big effects throughout entire ecosystems. In the 1960s，scientists proposed that predators at the top of a food web had a surprising amount of control over the size of populations of other species---including species they did not directly attack.
And unplanned human activities have proved the idea of top-down control by top predators to be true. In the ocean，we fished for top predators such as cod on an industrial scale，while on land，we killed off large predators such as wolves. These actions have greatly affected the ecological balance.
Scientists have built an early-warning system based on mathematical models. Ideally，the system would tell us when to adapt human activities that are pushing an ecosystem toward a breakdown or would even allow us to pull an ecosystem back from the borderline. Prevention is key，scientists says because once ecosystems pass their tipping point（临界点），it is remarkably difficult for them to return.
46. What have scientists discovered with the help of mathematical models of food webs？
A. The living habits of species in food webs.
B. The rules governing food webs of the ecosystems.
C. The approaches to studying the species in the ecosystems.
D. The differences between weak and strong links in food webs.
47. A strong link is found between two species when a predator______
A. has a wide food choice
B. can easily find new prey
C. sticks to one prey species
D. can quickly move to another place
48. What will happen if the populations of top predators in a food web greatly decline？
A. The prey species they directly attack will die out.
B. The species they indirectly attack will turn into top predators.
C. The living environment of other species will remain unchanged.
D. The populations of other species will experience unexpected changes.
49. What conclusion can be drawn from the examples in Paragraph 4？
A. Uncontrolled human activities greatly upset ecosystems.
B. Rapid economic development threatens animal habitats.
C. Species of commercial value dominate other species.
D. Industrial activities help keep food webs stable.
50. How does an early-warning system help us maintain the ecological balance？
A. By getting illegal practices under control.
B. By stopping us from killing large predators.
C. By bringing the broken-down ecosystems back to normal.
D. By signaling the urgent need for taking preventive action.
【语篇解读】这是一篇说明文。本文介绍了借助食物网的数学模型，科学家们发现了一些在食物网运营的关键原则。科学家们说;因为一个生态系统越过了它的临界点，它们很难再回来。该系统将告诉我们何时适应人类活动，这些活动正将生态系统推向崩溃，或者甚至允许我们将生态系统从边缘拉回来，预防是关键。
46.【答案】B
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段的With such models, scientists have found out some key principles operating in food webs.可知，借助食物网的数学模型，科学家们发现了食物网中的一些关键原则。故选B。
47. 【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段的When a predator(掠食动物) always eats huge numbers of a single prey(猎物)，the two species are strongly linked可知，当捕食者总是吃大量的单一猎物，这两个物种是紧密相连的。故选C。
48. 【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第二段的In the 1960s, scientists proposed that predators at the top of a food web had, a surprising amount of control over the size of populations of other species they did not directly attack可知，处于食物网顶端的食肉动物对它们没有直接攻击的其他物种的种群数量有着惊人的控制，由此可推断出，如果食物链顶级食肉动物的数量大大下降，其他物种的种群将经历意想不到的变化。故选D。
49.【答案】A
【解析】推理判断题。根据第四段的Ideally the system would tell us when to adapt human activities that are pushing an ecosystem toward a breakdown or would even allow us to pull an ecosystem back from the borderline可知，人类过度的活动会将生态系统推向崩溃，由此可推断出，不受控制的人类活动极大地破坏了生态系统。故选A。
50.【答案】 D
【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段的Scientists have built an early-warning system based on mathematical models. Ideally the system would tell us when to adapt human activities that are pushing an ecosystem toward a breakdown or would even allow us to pull an ecosystem back from the borderline.可知，早期变暖系统发出紧急需要采取预防行动的信号帮助我们维持生态平衡。故选D。
8. 【2019·江苏卷，B】
In the 1960s，while studying the volcanic history of Yellowstone National Park，Bob Christiansen became puzzled about something that，oddly，had not troubled anyone before:he couldn't find the park's volcano. It had been known for a long time that Yellowstone was volcanic in nature — that's what accounted for all its hot springs and other steamy features. But Christiansen couldn't find the Yellowstone volcano anywhere.
Most of us，when we talk about volcanoes，think of the classic cone(圆锥体)shapes of a Fuji or Kilimanjaro，which are created when erupting magma(岩浆)piles up. These can form remarkably quickly. In 1943，a Mexican farmer was surprised to see smoke rising from a small part of his land. In one week he was the confused owner of a cone five hundred feet high. Within two years it had topped out at almost fourteen hundred feet and was more than half a mile across. Altogether there are some ten thousand of these volcanoes on Earth，all but a few hundred of them extinct. There is，however，a second les known type of volcano that doesn't involve mountain building. These are volcanoes so explosive that they burst open in a single big crack，leaving behind a vast hole，the caldera. Yellowstone obviously was of this second type，but Christiansen couldn't find the caldera anywhere.
Just at this time NASA decided to test some new high-altitude cameras by taking photographs of Yellowstone. A thoughtful official passed on some of the copies to the park authorities on the assumption that they might make a nice blow-up for one of the visitors' centers. As soon as Christiansen saw the photos，he realized why he had failed to spot the caldera; almost the whole park-2.2 million acres—was caldera. The explosion had left a hole more than forty miles across—much too huge to be seen from anywhere at ground level. At some time in the past Yellowstone must have blown up with a violence far beyond the scale of anything known to humans.
58. What puzzled Christiansen when he was studying Yellowstone？
A. Its complicated geographical features.
B. Its ever-lasting influence on tourism.
C. The mysterious history of the park.
D. The exact location of the volcano.
59. What does the second-paragraph mainly talk about？
A. The shapes of volcanoes.
B. The impacts of volcanoes.
C. The activities of volcanoes.
D. The heights of volcanoes.
60. What does the underlined word "blow-up" in the last paragraph most probably mean？
A. Hot-air balloon. B. Digital camera.
C. Big photograph. D. Bird's view.
【语篇解读】本文为说明文。讲述了二十世纪六十年代Bob Christiansen在研究黄石公园的火山历史时，奇怪地发现到处看不到火山的影子，原来，这儿的火山并不是像我们大部分人想象的那种圆锥体形状的高耸的样子，而是一个巨大的洞，这个洞太大了以至于从地面上的任何地方都看不见。
58.【答案】D
【解析】细节理解题。根据第一段最后一句But Christiansen couldn’t find the Yellowstone volcano anywhere.可知，他困惑的是到处看不到火山。故选D。
59.【答案】A
【解析】主旨大意题。本段讲述了两种形状的火山，一种是通常人们所理解的由火山岩浆堆积形成的圆锥体，还有一种极具爆发力的火山，它们会在一个大裂缝中爆裂，留下一个巨大的洞，故选A。
60.【答案】C
【解析】词义猜测题。根据第三段第一句Just at this time NASA decided to test some new high-altitude cameras by taking photographs of Yellowstone. A thoughtful official passed on some of the copies to the park authorities on the assumption that they might make a nice blow-up for one of the visitors’ centers.可知，美国国家航空和宇宙航行局为测试一些新的高海拔照相机而拍摄了黄石公园的照片。一位深思熟虑的官员把其中的一些照片副本转交给了公园管理部门，认为他们可能会将其放大以供一个游客中心展示。故可知，此处意为将照片放大，选C。
9. 【2019·浙江卷，C】
California has lost half its big trees since the 1930s, according to a study to be published Tuesday and climate change seems to be a major factor(因素).
The number of trees larger than two feet across has declined by 50 percent on more than 46, 000 square miles of California forests, the new study finds. No area was spared or unaffected, from the foggy northern coast to the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the San Gabriels above Los Angeles. In the Sierra high country, the number of big trees has fallen by more than 55 percent; in parts of southern California the decline was nearly 75 percent.
Many factors contributed to the decline, said Patrick Mclntyre, an ecologist who was the lead author of the study. Woodcutters targeted big trees. Housing development pushed into the woods. Aggressive wildfire control has left California forests crowded with small trees that compete with big trees for resources(资源).
But in comparing a study of California forests done in the 1920s and 1930s with another one between 2001 and 2010, Mclntyre and his colleagues documented a widespread death of big trees that was evident even in wildlands protected from woodcutting or development.
The loss of big trees was greatest in areas where trees had suffered the greatest water shortage. The researchers figured out water stress with a computer model that calculated how much water trees were getting in comparison with how much they needed, taking into account such things as rainfall, air temperature, dampness of soil, and the timing of snowmelt(融雪).
Since the 1930s, Mclntyre said, the biggest factors driving up water stress in the state have been rising temperatures, which cause trees to lose more water to the air, and earlier snowmelt, which reduces the water supply available to trees during the dry season.
27. What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A. The seriousness of big-tree loss in California.
B. The increasing variety of California big trees.
C. The distribution of big trees in California forests.
D. The influence of farming on big trees in California.
28. Which of the following is well-intentioned but may be bad for big trees?
A. Ecological studies of forests.
B. Banning woodcutting.
C. Limiting housing development.
D. Fire control measures.
29. What is a major cause of the water shortage according to Mclntyre?
A. Inadequate snowmelt. B. A longer dry season.
C. A warmer climate. D. Dampness of the air.
30. What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. California's Forests: Where Have All the Big Trees Gone?
B. Cutting of Big Trees to Be Prohibited in California Soon
C. Why Are the Big Trees Important to California Forests?
D. Patrick Mclntyre: Grow More Big Trees in California
【语篇解读】本文为说明文，根据一项研究表明，自20世纪30年代以来，加州已经失去了一半的大树，气候变化似乎是其主要因素。
27.【答案】A
主旨大意题。在第二段中，作者用具体数据说明了大树损失在各个地区的严重程度，没有任何地区幸免或不受影响，故选A。
28. 【答案】D
【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段最后一句Aggressive wildfire control has left California forests crowded with small trees that compete with big trees for resources（资源）.可知，野火控制在控制了森林大火的同时，使得加利福尼亚的森林里挤满了小树，它们与大树争夺资源，这对大树产生了不利的影响，故选D。
29.【答案】C
【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段the biggest factors driving up water stress in the state have been rising temperatures, …, and earlier snowmelt, …可知，造成加州水资源短缺的最大因素是气温的上升，以及较早的融雪，故选C。
30.【答案】A
【解析】主旨大意题。通读全文可知，自20世纪30年代以来，加州已经失去了一半的大树，文章分析了引起该现象的几个主要因素。全文围绕“加州森林的大树都去哪儿了”话题展开，故选项A符合题意。