2022届高考英语阅读标题、主旨大意专项练习（含答案）
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| 名称 | 2022届高考英语阅读标题、主旨大意专项练习（含答案） |  | |
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2022届高考英语阅读标题、主旨大意专项练习
1
The first organized system for sending messages began in Egypt around 1500 B. C. This system developed because the pharaohs frequently needed to send messages up and down the Nile River in order to keep their empire running smoothly. Later, the Persians developed a more efficient system for sending messages using men and horses. Message carriers rode along the road system stretching from one end of the Persian Empire to the other. Along these roads, fresh men and horses waited at special stations to take and pass along any messages that needed to sent. The stations where riders passed messages back and forth were built 23 kilometers apart, so the men and horses were able to travel quickly between them. The Romans later took up the idea and improved it by using a more advanced and extensive road system.
In China, however, Kublai Khan had built up his own system for delivering messages. This system worked in the same basic way as the Roman system. The difference was that Kublai Khan kept 300,000 horses along the roads of his delivery lines. There were over 10,000 stations where a message would be passed from one rider to another with a fresh horse. In this way, Kublai Khan could receive messages from anywhere in the country in only a few days.
It was not until the 1500s that a well-organized postal system appeared again in Europe. One family the von Taxis family, gained the right to deliver mail for the Holy Roman Empire and parts of Spain. This family continued to carry mail, both government and private, throughout Europe for almost 300 years.
In 1653, a Frenchman, Renouard de Velayer, estabLished a system for delivering post in Paris. Postal charges at that time were paid by the recipient, but de Velayer's system was unique by allowing the sender to pre-pay the charges, in a similar way to the modern stamp. Unfortunately, de Velayer's system came to an end when jealous competitors put live mice in his letter boxes, ruining his business. Eventually, government-controlled postal systems took over from private postal businesses, and by the 1700s government ownership of most postal systems in Europe was an accepted fact of life.
The thing that all these early systems had in common was that they were quite expensive for public use, and were intended for use by the government and the wealthy, However, in 1840, a British school-teacher named Roland Hill suggested introducing postage stamps, and a postal rate based on weight. This resulted in lowering postal rates, encouraging more people to use the system to stay in touch with each other, His idea helped the British postal system begin to earn profits as early as 1850. Soon after that many other countries took up Mr, Hill's idea, and letter writing became accessible to anyone who could write. Today, the Roland Hill awards are given each year to “encourage and reward fresh ideas which help promote philately”(stamp collecting).
1. What is the main topic of the passage
A. How international letters travel
B. A surprising method for delivering mail.
C. The history of postal systems.
D. Changes in the methods of communication.
2. Which of the following statements about Renouard de Velayer is true
A. His system was a government-controlled system.
B. His competitors destroyed his business.
C. His system lasted for hundreds of years.
D. In his system, the person who received the letter paid the postage fees.
3. Which of the systems mentioned in the passage was most like the postal system today
A. Egyptian. B. Chinese. C. De Velayer's. D. Von Taxis's.
4. What was Roland Hill's greatest achievement
A. He made letter writing accessible to the average person.
B. He made a lot of money for the British postal system.
C. He made stamp collecting a popular hobby.
D. He won an award for letter writing.
2
There are many ways we can enjoy sport – watching it on TV or a smartphone, attending an event at a stadium or even playing the game. But for those who enjoy getting competitive with their computer gaming, there are realistic-looking games with lifelike graphics to be played without leaving home. It’s this type of sport – if that’s what we can call it – that has become big business. And interest in it has gone to a new level.
Initially, grabbing a joystick or controller and playing a game was a solitary activity. But around 20 years ago computers became cheaper and the internet became faster, which made it much easier for more people to get involved with computer gaming. This led to gamers connecting with each other around the world, so they could go head-to-head online. It also became a spectator sport, with people watching others play. The whole experience has been given the name ‘esports’ – electronic sports.
Now, huge esports tournaments take place all over the world in big arenas with large crowds. Die-hard enthusiasts, who have become first-rate players, are now well-known - some play together in teams. Its top stars can earn millions of dollars a year, without even breaking into a sweat! And fans from around the world tune in to watch the action online. The global audience is now estimated at more than 200 million and growing. Annual revenues from esports, currently around 650 million dollars for events, continue to rise with billions more generated through video games sales.
Famous football clubs are now trying to get in on the action. England’s Football Association for example launched its first esports team this year, known as the eLions. It recruited Fifa 19 players to represent them at the inaugural Fifa eNations Cup. Mark Bullingham, the FA's chief commercial and football development officer, said "The FA prides itself on being a modern, innovative organisation that strives to engage and inspire all generations of football fans."But while this virtual version of football might give aspiring footballers a chance to get closer to the real game, some might argue the lack of physical activity means it shouldn’t be called a sport – and the biggest winners are the companies who promote and sell esports.
1. What makes computer games look so realistic
A. Lifelike images. B. Smart-photos C. E-sports D. Televisions
2. What is mainly talked about in the second paragraph
A. The benefits brought by the e-sports.
B. The methods of playing the e-sports.
C. The development of the e-sports.
D. the definition of the e-sports.
3. What does the underlined word "ascend" mean in paragraph 3
A. rise B. remain C. advocate D. decrease
4. According to Mark Bullingham, what is his attitude to the e-sports
A. indifferent B. positive C. doubtful D. objective
3
Researchers say they have translated the meaning of gestures that wild chimpanzees (黑猩猩) use to communicate. They say wild chimps communicate 19 specific messages to one another with a "vocabulary" of 66 gestures. The scientists discovered this by following and filming groups of chimps in Uganda, and examining more than 5, 000 incidents of these meaningful exchanges.
Dr Catherine Hobaiter, who led the research, said that this was the only form of intentional communication to be recorded in the animal kingdom. Only humans and chimps, she said, had a system of communication where they deliberately sent a message to another group member.
“That's what's so amazing about chimp gestures,” she said. They’re the only thing that looks like human language in that respect.”
Although previous research has shown that apes and monkeys can understand complex information from another animal's call, the animals do not appear to use their voices intentionally to communicate messages. This was a significant difference between calls and gestures, Dr Hobaiter said.
Chimps will check to see if they have the attention of the animal with which they wish to communicate. In one case, a mother presents her foot to her crying baby, signalling: “Climb on me.” The youngster immediately jumps on to its mother's back and they travel off together. “The big message from this study is that there is another species (物种) out there that is meaningful in its communication, so that's not unique to humans,” said Dr Hobaiter.
Dr Susanne Shultz, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Manchester, said the study was praiseworthy in seeking to enrich our knowledge of the evolution of human language. But, she added, the results were “а little disappointing”.
“The vagueness of the gesture meanings suggests either that the chimps have little to communicate, or we are still missing a lot of the information contained in their gestures and actions,” she said. “Moreover, the meanings seem to not go beyond what other animals convey with non-verbal communication. So, it seems the gulf remains.”
1. What do chimps and humans have in common according to Dr Hobaiter
A. Memorizing specific words. B. Understanding complex information.
C. Using voices to communicate. D. Communicating messages on purpose.
2. What did Dr Shultz think of the study
A. It was well designed but poorly conducted.
B. It was a good try but the findings were limited.
C. It was inspiring but the evidence was unreliable.
D. It was a failure but the methods deserved praise.
3. What does the underlined word “gulf” in the last paragraph mean
A. Difference. B. Conflict. C. Balance. D. Connection.
4. Which of the following is the best title for the text
A. Chimpanzee behaviour study achieved a breakthrough
B. Chimpanzees developed specific communication skills
C. Chimpanzees: the smartest species in the animal kingdom
D. Chimpanzee language: communication gestures translated
4.
The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there's a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list.New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia(失智症）in later life, and is they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.
Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said: "These findings are exciting because it's possible that improving people's cardiovascular(心血管的）fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia.” For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak(最大值的）cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload
was measured at 103 watts.
A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.
These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time,44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.
“However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important.” She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.
27. What is on the ever-growing list mentioned in the first paragraph
A. Positive effects of doing exercises.
B. Exercises suitable for the middle-aged.
C. Experimental studies on diseases.
D. Advantages of sporty woman over man
28. Why did the researchers ask the woman to do bicycle exercise
A. To predict their maximum heart rate.
B. To assess their cardiovascular capacity
C. To change their habits of working out
D. To detect their potential health problems
29. What do we know about Dr.Horder's study
A. It aimed to find a cure for dementia.
B. Data collection was a lengthy process.
C. Some participants withdrew from it.
D. The results were far from satisfactory.
30. Which of the following is the best title for the text
A. More Women Are Exercising to Prevent Dementia
B. Middle-Aged Women Need to Do More Exercise
C. Fit Women Are Less Likely to Develop Dementia
D. Biking Improves Women's Cardiovascular Fitness
5
Students from New Zealand have developed sustainable materials made from the leaves of a tree local to New Zealand, the cabbage tree, and a plant whose seeds are often eaten, flax. Sustainable materials are products that are made that limit their harm to the environment and the amount of resources they take. They support a long-term ecological balance.
The sustainable material the New Zealand students developed could soon be used to make high-performance outdoor sporting equipment like skis, kayaks, and skateboards. Their plan is to replace the traditional materials that are used like fiberglass and carbon fiber.
Skateboards need to be strong. Ben Scales and William Murrell are two students at New Zealand's University of Canterbury. They believe they can make them even stronger by using fiber from plants.After experimenting in their at-home workshops, they created new, natural composite material, or material made up of different items.
Their first experimental product is a skateboard. It is made up of 25 percent fiber from a plant called harakeke and 75 percent recycled polylactic acid, which is plastic made from corn starch. They said the material is good to make a skateboard because it can take the force and shocks skateboards receive better than what skateboards are now made from: wood or carbon-fiber.
The fiber is taken from the Harakeke plant, which is a native flax plant in New Zealand. The fiber is mixed with different resins, which is a product that comes from some trees that can be used to cover a surface or hold objects together. Leaves from the cabbage tree are also an important part in their material. The plan is to use these sustainable materials to make skis, snowboards, and kayaks. These outdoor sporting items are currently made from unnatural materials like fiberglass and carbon fiber. If those students are successful, they could bring new life to the flax fiber industry.
28. What is the main idea of the first paragraph
A. The cabbage tree and the flax are sustainable.
B. Sustainable materials have many benefits.
C. A new sustainable material has been developed.
D. A sustainable material has been used in some equipment.
29. What do we know about the newly-developed sustainable material
A. It is a natural composite material.
B. It has no harm to the environment.
C. It has brought a new start to the flax fiber industry.
D. It can be used to make the strongest skateboard.
30. Why is the material good to make a skateboard
A. It is natural and cheap.
B. It is recyclable and new.
C. It is sustainable and strong.
D. It is environmentally friendly and unique.
31. According to the last paragraph, which of the following is the necessary part in the material
A. Flax fiber B. Carbon fiber C. Tree surfaces D. Fiberglass
6
Transportation shapes the world: along with communications, it forms a global net that connects person to person, city to city, and country to country. Transportation routes as well as vehicles are vital to the functioning and spread of every civilization.
A country's economy depends on reliable transportation. Cities spread out along roads, rivers, and rails, so does information. Until the 20th century, these routes were confined to land or water. With the invention of powered flight, the air became an open road as well. The earliest way of travelling was undoubtedly by foot, and humans' earliest means of transporting goods was carrying loads on their back or head. By 4000 B.C., people were using domesticated animals for transport, a method greatly improved in some parts of the world by the invention of the wheel, probably first developed around 3500 B.C.
Until the 19th century, animals were the engines of land transportation. But with the invention of the steam engine and the internal combustion engine, railroads and automobiles revolutionized travel and trade. More than 600 million cars and trucks travel the world today.
Water has always been a fast and efficient mode of travel, and even today it remains a primary mover of heavy goods. The importance of waterways to human civilization can be seen on any map: almost all of the world's major cities are located on coastlines or rivers. As early as 7000 B.C., people were building canoes; lone-distance ships were common by 3000 B.C. Until the 1930s, ships were the chief means of overseas passenger travel.
Although the Montgolfier brothers took flight in balloons in the 18th century, air travel was not practical until the invention of powered flight by the Wright brothers in 1903. Within ten years, the commercial air transportation business had begun.
Since the 20th century, high-speed rail has become another convenient way of travel. Today, two-thirds of the world's high-speed rail track is in China. which measures nearly 30,000 kms, and this is expected to reach 38,000 kms by 2025.
1. What is the passage mainly about
A. Technological advancements in transport over time.
B. The influence of economic activities on transportation.
C. The relationship between transportation and information flows.
D. Reasons why land and sea transportation routes were important
2. Why does the writer mention the location of the world's major cities
A. To encourage more people to move to big cities.
B. To explain why boats and ships continue to be irreplaceable.
C. To recommend water as a convenient and cheap form of transportation.
D. To emphasize the contribution of water transport to human development.
3. What can we learn about air travel
A. Balloons used to be one popular way of air travel.
B. The Montgolfier brothers invented powered flight.
C. The invention of airplanes helped popularized air travel.
D. Air travel became widespread soon after the balloon was invented.
4. What is the total length of high-speed rail track in the world today
A. About 57,000kms. B. About 45,000kms
C. About 38,000kms. D. About 30,000kms.
7
Stories are shared in many ways. They are described in books and magazines. They are read around the campfire at night. They are randomly distributed from stand-alone booths. But what else
To revive （复兴）literature in the era of fast news and smartphone addiction, Short Edition, a French publisher of short-form literature, has set up more than 30 story dispensers （分发机）in the USA in the past years to deliver fiction at the push of a button at restaurants, universities and government offices.
Francis Ford Coppola, the film director and winemaker, liked the idea so much that he invested in the company and placed a dispenser at his Cafe Zoetrope in San Francisco. Last month public libraries in some other cities announced they would be setting them up, too. There is one on the campus at Penn State. A few can be found in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla. And Short Edition plans to announce more, including at the Los Angeles International Airport.
“Everything old is new again," said Andrew Nurkin, the director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, which is one of the libraries that set up the dispensers. “We want people to be easily exposed to literature. We want to advance literacy among children and inspire their creativity.
Here's how a dispenser works： It has three buttons on top indicating choices for stories that can be read in one minute, three minutes or five minutes. When a button is pushed, a short story is printed. The stories are free. They are chosen from a computer category of more than 100,000 original submissions by writers whose works have been evaluated by Short Edition's judges, and transmitted over a mobile network. Offerings can be tailored to specific interests, like children's fiction or romance. Short Edition gets stories for its category by holding writing contests.
Short Edition set up its first booth in 2016 and has 150 machines worldwide. “The idea is to make people happy," said Kristan Leroy, director of Short Edition, “There is too much unhappiness today. ”
1.What do we know about the stories sent by dispensers
A. They are expensive.
B. They are short in form.
C. They can be read on smartphones.
D. They are mainly taken from magazine literature.
2.Where can you find the popularity of story dispensers in America
A.In paragraph 3.
B.In paragraph 4.
C.In paragraph 5.
D.In paragraph 6.
3.Which is the main purpose of setting up the dispensers according to Andrew Nurkin
A. To get rid of people's smartphone addiction.
B. To reduce the financial stress of libraries.
C. To make people have access to literature.
D. To advertise the network literature.
4.What is the best title for the text
A. Online Reading: a Virtual Tour
B. Short Edition, a French Publisher
C. Everything Old Will Be Popular Again
D. Taste of Literature, at the Push of a Button
8
9
Coffee is probably the world's least expensive success power tool. Coffee builds better teams and increases your leadership ability. Coffee also increases your immunity(免疫力). Unfortunately, we may not be enjoying the benefits or pleasures of coffee too much longer. According to ecologists, there's a good chance that in 20 or 30 years, the varieties of coffee that we drink today will be extinct.
The problem, of course, is climate change. Successful coffee cultivation(培育) has three conditions; a warm, highly stable tropical( 热带的) climate with an altitude that keeps air temperature between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius; rich soil full of natural nutrients and enough sunshine; an ecological environment that's pest and disease resistant.
Coffee is a crop that is only grown in a thin band called the coffee belt. Unfortunately, “the coffee belt" is extremely sensitive to climate change, which makes scientists rather worried. If the air is too cold or too hot, it harms the growth of the coffee plant. Moreover, climate change creates environmental stress, which spreads parasites, pests and plant diseases.
Almost all the coffee cultivated in the world today is one of two species, arabica or robusta, both of which might be wiped out in this way. There are other species of coffee, and scientists are hoping that, if worse comes to worst, a different species can replace coffee.
Unfortunately, almost all of these species exist only in Ethiopia, a country that climate change is already happening. The country faces numerous development challenges that exacerbate the harm caused by climate change, including increases in temperature, unpredictability of seasonal rain and increased droughts and other extreme events. In other words, even as climate change threatens coffee as it exists today, climate change is also eating away at the root source to which we might turn to for replacement species.
28. What does the author want to stress in Paragraph 1
A. Coffee will be replaced in the near future.
B. Coffee is of great benefit to health.
C. Coffee makes people harder to get sick.
D. Coffee may lose variety in a few decades.
29. Why are scientists concerned about coffee
A. It may be wiped out by a deadly disease.
B. It will be replaced by a better substitute.
C. It probably can't adapt to climate change.
D. It might be seriously affected by pests.
30. What does the underlined word “exacerbate" in the last paragraph probably mean
A. Detect. B. Worsen. C. Substitute. D. Assess.
31. What's the best title for the text
A. Treasure Your Time with Coffee B. Climate Changes Cause Huge Effects
C. Climate Determines Coffee Quality D. Treat Yourself to Wonderful Coffee
10
The Silk Road is arguably the most famous long-distance trade route of the ancient world. This passage connected Europe in the West with China in the East, and allowed the exchange of goods, technology, and ideas between the two civilizations. Although merchants could make huge profits travelling the road, it was not without risk.
The main Silk Road started in Chang’an (known today as Xi’an), the early Han capital. Travelers commencing their journey from this city could take a northern route that would take
them across China’s northwestern provinces. After this, they would face the Gobi Desert, arguably the greatest danger of the Silk Road.
The Gobi Desert, the largest desert in Asia, consists mainly of rocky, hard earth. This feature made it easier for traders to travel across, compared to sandy deserts like the neighboring Taklamakan Desert. Like other deserts, the Gobi Desert is dry and hot, and therefore the biggest challenge travelers faced was obtaining enough water for themselves as well as for their camels.
So, rest stops were created along the route, allowing travelers to rest, eat and drink. These places also promoted the exchange of goods, and even ideas, amongst the travelers who stopped there. Usually, the rest stops were placed within a day’s journey of each other. In this way, travelers could avoid spending too much time in the desert, which would make them targets for robbers, another danger of the Silk Road.
Once through the Gobi Desert, travelers would continue their journey into Iran, Turkey, and finally Europe. Whilst this part of the journey may have been less dangerous, it is not entirely without its perils.
28. The underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refers to ________.
A. making huge profits B. traveling the Silk Road
C. exchanging goods and ideas D. connecting different civilizations
29. Why was the Gobi Desert easier to cross than other deserts
A. The desert’s surface was easier to walk on.
B. Camels for transportation were easier to find.
C. It was smaller and could be crossed in less time.
D. There were more natural water sources available.
30. What can we guess about the rest stops in the Gobi Desert
A. Travelers were offered free accommodation.
B. They were located around the edges of the desert.
C. Travelers staying there were often attacked by criminals.
D. They were shared by travelers from different countries.
31. What is the passage mainly about
A. The origins of the Silk Road.
B. The benefits of the Silk Road.
C. The difficulties faced by Silk Road travelers.
D. The cultural exchanges among Silk Road travelers.
答案
1. CBCA
2.ADAB
3.DBAD
4.ABBC
5.CACA
6.ADCB
7. BACD
8.DAAC
9.DCBA
10. BADC
1
The first organized system for sending messages began in Egypt around 1500 B. C. This system developed because the pharaohs frequently needed to send messages up and down the Nile River in order to keep their empire running smoothly. Later, the Persians developed a more efficient system for sending messages using men and horses. Message carriers rode along the road system stretching from one end of the Persian Empire to the other. Along these roads, fresh men and horses waited at special stations to take and pass along any messages that needed to sent. The stations where riders passed messages back and forth were built 23 kilometers apart, so the men and horses were able to travel quickly between them. The Romans later took up the idea and improved it by using a more advanced and extensive road system.
In China, however, Kublai Khan had built up his own system for delivering messages. This system worked in the same basic way as the Roman system. The difference was that Kublai Khan kept 300,000 horses along the roads of his delivery lines. There were over 10,000 stations where a message would be passed from one rider to another with a fresh horse. In this way, Kublai Khan could receive messages from anywhere in the country in only a few days.
It was not until the 1500s that a well-organized postal system appeared again in Europe. One family the von Taxis family, gained the right to deliver mail for the Holy Roman Empire and parts of Spain. This family continued to carry mail, both government and private, throughout Europe for almost 300 years.
In 1653, a Frenchman, Renouard de Velayer, estabLished a system for delivering post in Paris. Postal charges at that time were paid by the recipient, but de Velayer's system was unique by allowing the sender to pre-pay the charges, in a similar way to the modern stamp. Unfortunately, de Velayer's system came to an end when jealous competitors put live mice in his letter boxes, ruining his business. Eventually, government-controlled postal systems took over from private postal businesses, and by the 1700s government ownership of most postal systems in Europe was an accepted fact of life.
The thing that all these early systems had in common was that they were quite expensive for public use, and were intended for use by the government and the wealthy, However, in 1840, a British school-teacher named Roland Hill suggested introducing postage stamps, and a postal rate based on weight. This resulted in lowering postal rates, encouraging more people to use the system to stay in touch with each other, His idea helped the British postal system begin to earn profits as early as 1850. Soon after that many other countries took up Mr, Hill's idea, and letter writing became accessible to anyone who could write. Today, the Roland Hill awards are given each year to “encourage and reward fresh ideas which help promote philately”(stamp collecting).
1. What is the main topic of the passage
A. How international letters travel
B. A surprising method for delivering mail.
C. The history of postal systems.
D. Changes in the methods of communication.
2. Which of the following statements about Renouard de Velayer is true
A. His system was a government-controlled system.
B. His competitors destroyed his business.
C. His system lasted for hundreds of years.
D. In his system, the person who received the letter paid the postage fees.
3. Which of the systems mentioned in the passage was most like the postal system today
A. Egyptian. B. Chinese. C. De Velayer's. D. Von Taxis's.
4. What was Roland Hill's greatest achievement
A. He made letter writing accessible to the average person.
B. He made a lot of money for the British postal system.
C. He made stamp collecting a popular hobby.
D. He won an award for letter writing.
2
There are many ways we can enjoy sport – watching it on TV or a smartphone, attending an event at a stadium or even playing the game. But for those who enjoy getting competitive with their computer gaming, there are realistic-looking games with lifelike graphics to be played without leaving home. It’s this type of sport – if that’s what we can call it – that has become big business. And interest in it has gone to a new level.
Initially, grabbing a joystick or controller and playing a game was a solitary activity. But around 20 years ago computers became cheaper and the internet became faster, which made it much easier for more people to get involved with computer gaming. This led to gamers connecting with each other around the world, so they could go head-to-head online. It also became a spectator sport, with people watching others play. The whole experience has been given the name ‘esports’ – electronic sports.
Now, huge esports tournaments take place all over the world in big arenas with large crowds. Die-hard enthusiasts, who have become first-rate players, are now well-known - some play together in teams. Its top stars can earn millions of dollars a year, without even breaking into a sweat! And fans from around the world tune in to watch the action online. The global audience is now estimated at more than 200 million and growing. Annual revenues from esports, currently around 650 million dollars for events, continue to rise with billions more generated through video games sales.
Famous football clubs are now trying to get in on the action. England’s Football Association for example launched its first esports team this year, known as the eLions. It recruited Fifa 19 players to represent them at the inaugural Fifa eNations Cup. Mark Bullingham, the FA's chief commercial and football development officer, said "The FA prides itself on being a modern, innovative organisation that strives to engage and inspire all generations of football fans."But while this virtual version of football might give aspiring footballers a chance to get closer to the real game, some might argue the lack of physical activity means it shouldn’t be called a sport – and the biggest winners are the companies who promote and sell esports.
1. What makes computer games look so realistic
A. Lifelike images. B. Smart-photos C. E-sports D. Televisions
2. What is mainly talked about in the second paragraph
A. The benefits brought by the e-sports.
B. The methods of playing the e-sports.
C. The development of the e-sports.
D. the definition of the e-sports.
3. What does the underlined word "ascend" mean in paragraph 3
A. rise B. remain C. advocate D. decrease
4. According to Mark Bullingham, what is his attitude to the e-sports
A. indifferent B. positive C. doubtful D. objective
3
Researchers say they have translated the meaning of gestures that wild chimpanzees (黑猩猩) use to communicate. They say wild chimps communicate 19 specific messages to one another with a "vocabulary" of 66 gestures. The scientists discovered this by following and filming groups of chimps in Uganda, and examining more than 5, 000 incidents of these meaningful exchanges.
Dr Catherine Hobaiter, who led the research, said that this was the only form of intentional communication to be recorded in the animal kingdom. Only humans and chimps, she said, had a system of communication where they deliberately sent a message to another group member.
“That's what's so amazing about chimp gestures,” she said. They’re the only thing that looks like human language in that respect.”
Although previous research has shown that apes and monkeys can understand complex information from another animal's call, the animals do not appear to use their voices intentionally to communicate messages. This was a significant difference between calls and gestures, Dr Hobaiter said.
Chimps will check to see if they have the attention of the animal with which they wish to communicate. In one case, a mother presents her foot to her crying baby, signalling: “Climb on me.” The youngster immediately jumps on to its mother's back and they travel off together. “The big message from this study is that there is another species (物种) out there that is meaningful in its communication, so that's not unique to humans,” said Dr Hobaiter.
Dr Susanne Shultz, an evolutionary biologist from the University of Manchester, said the study was praiseworthy in seeking to enrich our knowledge of the evolution of human language. But, she added, the results were “а little disappointing”.
“The vagueness of the gesture meanings suggests either that the chimps have little to communicate, or we are still missing a lot of the information contained in their gestures and actions,” she said. “Moreover, the meanings seem to not go beyond what other animals convey with non-verbal communication. So, it seems the gulf remains.”
1. What do chimps and humans have in common according to Dr Hobaiter
A. Memorizing specific words. B. Understanding complex information.
C. Using voices to communicate. D. Communicating messages on purpose.
2. What did Dr Shultz think of the study
A. It was well designed but poorly conducted.
B. It was a good try but the findings were limited.
C. It was inspiring but the evidence was unreliable.
D. It was a failure but the methods deserved praise.
3. What does the underlined word “gulf” in the last paragraph mean
A. Difference. B. Conflict. C. Balance. D. Connection.
4. Which of the following is the best title for the text
A. Chimpanzee behaviour study achieved a breakthrough
B. Chimpanzees developed specific communication skills
C. Chimpanzees: the smartest species in the animal kingdom
D. Chimpanzee language: communication gestures translated
4.
The benefits of regular exercise are well documented but there's a new bonus to add to the ever-growing list.New researchers found that middle-aged women who were physically fit could be nearly 90 percent less likely to develop dementia(失智症）in later life, and is they did, it came on a decade later than less sporty women.
Lead researcher Dr. Helena Horder, of the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, said: "These findings are exciting because it's possible that improving people's cardiovascular(心血管的）fitness in middle age could delay or even prevent them from developing dementia.” For the study, 191 women with an average age of 50 took a bicycle exercise test until they were exhausted to measure their peak(最大值的）cardiovascular capacity. The average peak workload
was measured at 103 watts.
A total of 40 women met the criteria for a high fitness level, or 120 watts or higher. A total of 92 women were in the medium fitness category; and 59 women were in the low fitness category, defined as a peak workload of 80 watts or less, or having their exercise tests stopped because of high blood pressure, chest pain or other cardiovascular problems.
These women were then tested for dementia six times over the following four decades. During that time,44 of the women developed dementia. Five percent of the highly fit women developed dementia, compared to 25 percent of the women with medium fitness and 32 percent of the women with low fitness.
“However, this study does not show cause and effect between cardiovascular fitness and dementia, it only shows an association. More research is needed to see if improved fitness could have a positive effect on the risk of dementia and also to look at when during a lifetime a high fitness level is most important.” She also admitted that a relatively small number of women were studied, all of whom were form Sweden, so the results might not be applicable to other groups.
27. What is on the ever-growing list mentioned in the first paragraph
A. Positive effects of doing exercises.
B. Exercises suitable for the middle-aged.
C. Experimental studies on diseases.
D. Advantages of sporty woman over man
28. Why did the researchers ask the woman to do bicycle exercise
A. To predict their maximum heart rate.
B. To assess their cardiovascular capacity
C. To change their habits of working out
D. To detect their potential health problems
29. What do we know about Dr.Horder's study
A. It aimed to find a cure for dementia.
B. Data collection was a lengthy process.
C. Some participants withdrew from it.
D. The results were far from satisfactory.
30. Which of the following is the best title for the text
A. More Women Are Exercising to Prevent Dementia
B. Middle-Aged Women Need to Do More Exercise
C. Fit Women Are Less Likely to Develop Dementia
D. Biking Improves Women's Cardiovascular Fitness
5
Students from New Zealand have developed sustainable materials made from the leaves of a tree local to New Zealand, the cabbage tree, and a plant whose seeds are often eaten, flax. Sustainable materials are products that are made that limit their harm to the environment and the amount of resources they take. They support a long-term ecological balance.
The sustainable material the New Zealand students developed could soon be used to make high-performance outdoor sporting equipment like skis, kayaks, and skateboards. Their plan is to replace the traditional materials that are used like fiberglass and carbon fiber.
Skateboards need to be strong. Ben Scales and William Murrell are two students at New Zealand's University of Canterbury. They believe they can make them even stronger by using fiber from plants.After experimenting in their at-home workshops, they created new, natural composite material, or material made up of different items.
Their first experimental product is a skateboard. It is made up of 25 percent fiber from a plant called harakeke and 75 percent recycled polylactic acid, which is plastic made from corn starch. They said the material is good to make a skateboard because it can take the force and shocks skateboards receive better than what skateboards are now made from: wood or carbon-fiber.
The fiber is taken from the Harakeke plant, which is a native flax plant in New Zealand. The fiber is mixed with different resins, which is a product that comes from some trees that can be used to cover a surface or hold objects together. Leaves from the cabbage tree are also an important part in their material. The plan is to use these sustainable materials to make skis, snowboards, and kayaks. These outdoor sporting items are currently made from unnatural materials like fiberglass and carbon fiber. If those students are successful, they could bring new life to the flax fiber industry.
28. What is the main idea of the first paragraph
A. The cabbage tree and the flax are sustainable.
B. Sustainable materials have many benefits.
C. A new sustainable material has been developed.
D. A sustainable material has been used in some equipment.
29. What do we know about the newly-developed sustainable material
A. It is a natural composite material.
B. It has no harm to the environment.
C. It has brought a new start to the flax fiber industry.
D. It can be used to make the strongest skateboard.
30. Why is the material good to make a skateboard
A. It is natural and cheap.
B. It is recyclable and new.
C. It is sustainable and strong.
D. It is environmentally friendly and unique.
31. According to the last paragraph, which of the following is the necessary part in the material
A. Flax fiber B. Carbon fiber C. Tree surfaces D. Fiberglass
6
Transportation shapes the world: along with communications, it forms a global net that connects person to person, city to city, and country to country. Transportation routes as well as vehicles are vital to the functioning and spread of every civilization.
A country's economy depends on reliable transportation. Cities spread out along roads, rivers, and rails, so does information. Until the 20th century, these routes were confined to land or water. With the invention of powered flight, the air became an open road as well. The earliest way of travelling was undoubtedly by foot, and humans' earliest means of transporting goods was carrying loads on their back or head. By 4000 B.C., people were using domesticated animals for transport, a method greatly improved in some parts of the world by the invention of the wheel, probably first developed around 3500 B.C.
Until the 19th century, animals were the engines of land transportation. But with the invention of the steam engine and the internal combustion engine, railroads and automobiles revolutionized travel and trade. More than 600 million cars and trucks travel the world today.
Water has always been a fast and efficient mode of travel, and even today it remains a primary mover of heavy goods. The importance of waterways to human civilization can be seen on any map: almost all of the world's major cities are located on coastlines or rivers. As early as 7000 B.C., people were building canoes; lone-distance ships were common by 3000 B.C. Until the 1930s, ships were the chief means of overseas passenger travel.
Although the Montgolfier brothers took flight in balloons in the 18th century, air travel was not practical until the invention of powered flight by the Wright brothers in 1903. Within ten years, the commercial air transportation business had begun.
Since the 20th century, high-speed rail has become another convenient way of travel. Today, two-thirds of the world's high-speed rail track is in China. which measures nearly 30,000 kms, and this is expected to reach 38,000 kms by 2025.
1. What is the passage mainly about
A. Technological advancements in transport over time.
B. The influence of economic activities on transportation.
C. The relationship between transportation and information flows.
D. Reasons why land and sea transportation routes were important
2. Why does the writer mention the location of the world's major cities
A. To encourage more people to move to big cities.
B. To explain why boats and ships continue to be irreplaceable.
C. To recommend water as a convenient and cheap form of transportation.
D. To emphasize the contribution of water transport to human development.
3. What can we learn about air travel
A. Balloons used to be one popular way of air travel.
B. The Montgolfier brothers invented powered flight.
C. The invention of airplanes helped popularized air travel.
D. Air travel became widespread soon after the balloon was invented.
4. What is the total length of high-speed rail track in the world today
A. About 57,000kms. B. About 45,000kms
C. About 38,000kms. D. About 30,000kms.
7
Stories are shared in many ways. They are described in books and magazines. They are read around the campfire at night. They are randomly distributed from stand-alone booths. But what else
To revive （复兴）literature in the era of fast news and smartphone addiction, Short Edition, a French publisher of short-form literature, has set up more than 30 story dispensers （分发机）in the USA in the past years to deliver fiction at the push of a button at restaurants, universities and government offices.
Francis Ford Coppola, the film director and winemaker, liked the idea so much that he invested in the company and placed a dispenser at his Cafe Zoetrope in San Francisco. Last month public libraries in some other cities announced they would be setting them up, too. There is one on the campus at Penn State. A few can be found in downtown West Palm Beach, Fla. And Short Edition plans to announce more, including at the Los Angeles International Airport.
“Everything old is new again," said Andrew Nurkin, the director of the Free Library of Philadelphia, which is one of the libraries that set up the dispensers. “We want people to be easily exposed to literature. We want to advance literacy among children and inspire their creativity.
Here's how a dispenser works： It has three buttons on top indicating choices for stories that can be read in one minute, three minutes or five minutes. When a button is pushed, a short story is printed. The stories are free. They are chosen from a computer category of more than 100,000 original submissions by writers whose works have been evaluated by Short Edition's judges, and transmitted over a mobile network. Offerings can be tailored to specific interests, like children's fiction or romance. Short Edition gets stories for its category by holding writing contests.
Short Edition set up its first booth in 2016 and has 150 machines worldwide. “The idea is to make people happy," said Kristan Leroy, director of Short Edition, “There is too much unhappiness today. ”
1.What do we know about the stories sent by dispensers
A. They are expensive.
B. They are short in form.
C. They can be read on smartphones.
D. They are mainly taken from magazine literature.
2.Where can you find the popularity of story dispensers in America
A.In paragraph 3.
B.In paragraph 4.
C.In paragraph 5.
D.In paragraph 6.
3.Which is the main purpose of setting up the dispensers according to Andrew Nurkin
A. To get rid of people's smartphone addiction.
B. To reduce the financial stress of libraries.
C. To make people have access to literature.
D. To advertise the network literature.
4.What is the best title for the text
A. Online Reading: a Virtual Tour
B. Short Edition, a French Publisher
C. Everything Old Will Be Popular Again
D. Taste of Literature, at the Push of a Button
8
9
Coffee is probably the world's least expensive success power tool. Coffee builds better teams and increases your leadership ability. Coffee also increases your immunity(免疫力). Unfortunately, we may not be enjoying the benefits or pleasures of coffee too much longer. According to ecologists, there's a good chance that in 20 or 30 years, the varieties of coffee that we drink today will be extinct.
The problem, of course, is climate change. Successful coffee cultivation(培育) has three conditions; a warm, highly stable tropical( 热带的) climate with an altitude that keeps air temperature between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius; rich soil full of natural nutrients and enough sunshine; an ecological environment that's pest and disease resistant.
Coffee is a crop that is only grown in a thin band called the coffee belt. Unfortunately, “the coffee belt" is extremely sensitive to climate change, which makes scientists rather worried. If the air is too cold or too hot, it harms the growth of the coffee plant. Moreover, climate change creates environmental stress, which spreads parasites, pests and plant diseases.
Almost all the coffee cultivated in the world today is one of two species, arabica or robusta, both of which might be wiped out in this way. There are other species of coffee, and scientists are hoping that, if worse comes to worst, a different species can replace coffee.
Unfortunately, almost all of these species exist only in Ethiopia, a country that climate change is already happening. The country faces numerous development challenges that exacerbate the harm caused by climate change, including increases in temperature, unpredictability of seasonal rain and increased droughts and other extreme events. In other words, even as climate change threatens coffee as it exists today, climate change is also eating away at the root source to which we might turn to for replacement species.
28. What does the author want to stress in Paragraph 1
A. Coffee will be replaced in the near future.
B. Coffee is of great benefit to health.
C. Coffee makes people harder to get sick.
D. Coffee may lose variety in a few decades.
29. Why are scientists concerned about coffee
A. It may be wiped out by a deadly disease.
B. It will be replaced by a better substitute.
C. It probably can't adapt to climate change.
D. It might be seriously affected by pests.
30. What does the underlined word “exacerbate" in the last paragraph probably mean
A. Detect. B. Worsen. C. Substitute. D. Assess.
31. What's the best title for the text
A. Treasure Your Time with Coffee B. Climate Changes Cause Huge Effects
C. Climate Determines Coffee Quality D. Treat Yourself to Wonderful Coffee
10
The Silk Road is arguably the most famous long-distance trade route of the ancient world. This passage connected Europe in the West with China in the East, and allowed the exchange of goods, technology, and ideas between the two civilizations. Although merchants could make huge profits travelling the road, it was not without risk.
The main Silk Road started in Chang’an (known today as Xi’an), the early Han capital. Travelers commencing their journey from this city could take a northern route that would take
them across China’s northwestern provinces. After this, they would face the Gobi Desert, arguably the greatest danger of the Silk Road.
The Gobi Desert, the largest desert in Asia, consists mainly of rocky, hard earth. This feature made it easier for traders to travel across, compared to sandy deserts like the neighboring Taklamakan Desert. Like other deserts, the Gobi Desert is dry and hot, and therefore the biggest challenge travelers faced was obtaining enough water for themselves as well as for their camels.
So, rest stops were created along the route, allowing travelers to rest, eat and drink. These places also promoted the exchange of goods, and even ideas, amongst the travelers who stopped there. Usually, the rest stops were placed within a day’s journey of each other. In this way, travelers could avoid spending too much time in the desert, which would make them targets for robbers, another danger of the Silk Road.
Once through the Gobi Desert, travelers would continue their journey into Iran, Turkey, and finally Europe. Whilst this part of the journey may have been less dangerous, it is not entirely without its perils.
28. The underlined word “it” in the first paragraph refers to ________.
A. making huge profits B. traveling the Silk Road
C. exchanging goods and ideas D. connecting different civilizations
29. Why was the Gobi Desert easier to cross than other deserts
A. The desert’s surface was easier to walk on.
B. Camels for transportation were easier to find.
C. It was smaller and could be crossed in less time.
D. There were more natural water sources available.
30. What can we guess about the rest stops in the Gobi Desert
A. Travelers were offered free accommodation.
B. They were located around the edges of the desert.
C. Travelers staying there were often attacked by criminals.
D. They were shared by travelers from different countries.
31. What is the passage mainly about
A. The origins of the Silk Road.
B. The benefits of the Silk Road.
C. The difficulties faced by Silk Road travelers.
D. The cultural exchanges among Silk Road travelers.
答案
1. CBCA
2.ADAB
3.DBAD
4.ABBC
5.CACA
6.ADCB
7. BACD
8.DAAC
9.DCBA
10. BADC