2023届新高考英语二轮复习攻破新题
阅读理解之说明文(2.5分)03:真题演练
【精选真题1】
(2022·北京卷)
“What would the world be if there were no hunger ” It’s a question that Professor Crystal would ask her students. They found it hard to answer, she wrote later, because imagining something that isn’t part of real life—and learning how to make it real—is a rare skill. It is taught to artists and engineers, but much less often to scientists. Crystal set out to change that, and helped to create a global movement. The result—an approach known as systems thinking—is now seen as essential in meeting global challenges.
Systems thinking is crucial to achieving targets such as zero hunger and better nutrition because it requires considering the way in which food is produced, processed, delivered and consumed, and looking at how those things intersect (交叉 ) with human health, the environment, economics and society. According to systems thinking, changing the food system—or any other network—requires three things to happen. First, researchers need to identify all the players in that system; second, they must work out how they relate to each other; and third, they need to understand and quantify the impact of those relationships on each other and on those outside the system.
Take nutrition. In the latest UN report on global food security, the number of undernourished (营养不良 )people in the world has been rising, despite great advances in nutrition science. Tracking of 150 biochemicals in food has been important in revealing the relationships between calories, sugar, fat and the occurrence of common diseases. But using machine learning and artificial intelligence, some scientists propose that human diets consist of at least 26,000 biochemicals—and that the vast majority are not known.This shows that we have some way to travel before achieving the first objective of systems t hinking - which,in this example, is to identify more constituent parts of the nutrition system.
A systems approach to creating change is also built on the assumption that everyone in the system has equal power. But as some researchers find, the food system is not an equal one. A good way to redress (修正 ) such power imbalance is for more universities to do what Crystal did and teach students how to think using a systems approach.
More researchers, policymakers and representatives from the food industry must learn to look beyond their direct lines of responsibility and adopt a systems approach. Crystal knew that visions alone don’t produce results, but concluded that “we’ll never produce results that we can’t envision”.
28. The author uses the question underlined in Paragraph 1 to ________.
A. illustrate an argument B. highlight an opinion
C. introduce the topic D. predict the ending
29. What can be inferred about the field of nutrition
A. The first objective of systems thinking hasn’t been achieved.
B. The relationships among players have been clarified.
C. Machine learning can solve the nutrition problem.
D. The impact of nutrition cannot be quantified.
30. As for systems thinking, which would the author agree with
A. It may be used to justify power imbalance.
B. It can be applied to tackle challenges.
C. It helps to prove why hunger exists.
D. It goes beyond human imagination.
【精选真题2】
(2022·新高考Ⅰ卷)
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.
12. 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.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. 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.
【精选真题3】
(2022·新高考Ⅱ卷)
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-
【精选真题4】
(2022·浙江卷)
Many people believe that working to the maximum is the secret to success, but research has found that moderation(适度) also gets results on the job.
In a study led by Ellen Langer of Harvard University, researchers asked people to translate sentences into a new a made-up language. Subjects who practiced the language moderately beforehand made fewer errors than those who practiced extensively or not at all. High levels of knowledge can make people too attached to traditional ways of viewing problems across fields the arts, sciences, and politics. High conscientiousness is related to lower job performance, especially in simple jobs where it doesn’t pay to be a perfectionist.
How long we stay on the clock and how we spend that time are under careful examination in many workplaces. The young banker who eats lunch at his desk is probably seen as a go-getter, while his colleagues who chat over a relaxed conference-room meal get dirty looks from the corner office. “People from cultures that value relationships more than ours does are shocked by the thought of eating alone in front of a computer”, says Art Markman, a professor of psychology at the University of Texas, Austin. Social interaction has been shown to lift mood(情绪) and get people thinking in new directions and in ways that could help improve any post-lunch effort.
Markman also promotes off-task time. “Part of being a good thinker is experiencing things that are seemingly unrelated to what you are working on at the moment but give you fresh ideas about your work,” he says. “Also, there is a lot of research showing that a positive mood leads to higher levels of productivity and creativity. So, when people do things to increase their life satisfaction, they also make themselves more effective at work.”
7. What does Ellen Langer’s study show
A. It is worthwhile to be a perfectionist B. Translation makes people knowledgeable.
C. Simpler jobs require greater caution. D. Moderate effort produces the best result.
8. The underlined word “go-getter” in paragraph 3 refers to someone Who_______.
A. is good at handling pressure B. works hard to become successful
C. a has a natural talent for his job. D. gets on well with his co-workers
9. What can be inferred from the last paragraph
A. A good thinker is able to inspire other people.
B. Experience unrelated to your job is useless.
C. A cheerful mood helps make a creative mind.
D. Focusing on what you do raises productivity.
10. What does the text seem to advocate
A. Middle-of-the-road work habits. B. Balance between work and family.
C. Long-standing cultural traditions. D. Harmony in the work environment.
【精选真题5】
(2021·新高考Ⅰ卷)
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 had taken care of these precious natural resources 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.
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.
28. 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.
29. What does the underlined word “decimate” mean in the first paragraph
A. Acquire. B. Export.
C. Destroy. D. Distribute.
30. 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.
31. 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
【精选真题6】
(2021·新高考Ⅱ卷)
An Australian professor is developing a robot to monitor the health of grazing cattle, a development that could bring big changes to a profession that's relied largely on a low-tech approach for decades but is facing a labor shortage.
Salah Sukkarieh, a professor at the University of Sydney, sees robots as necessary given how cattlemen are aging. He is building a four-wheeled robot that will run on solar and electric power. It will use cameras and sensors to monitor the animals. A computer system will analyze the video to determine whether a cow is sick. Radio tags (标签) on the animals will measure temperature changes. The quality of grassland will be tracked by monitoring the shape, color and texture (质地) of grass. That way, cattlemen will know whether they need to move their cattle to another field for nutrition purposes.
Machines have largely taken over planting, watering and harvesting crops such as com and wheat, but the monitoring of cattle has gone through fewer changes.
For Texas cattleman Pete Bonds, it's increasingly difficult to find workers interested in watching cattle. But Bonds doesn't believe a robot is right for the job. Years of experience in the industry - and failed attempts to use technology - have convinced him that the best way to check cattle is with a man on a horse. Bonds, who bought his first cattle almost 50 years ago, still has each of his cowboys inspect 300 or 400 cattle daily and look for signs that an animal is getting sick.
Other cattlemen see more promise in robots. Michael Kelsey Paris, vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, said a robot could be extremely useful given rising concerns about cattle theft. Cattle tend to be kept in remote places and their value has risen, making them appealing targets.
12. What is a problem with the cattle-raising industry
A. Soil pollution. B. Lack of workers.
C. Aging machines. D. Low profitability.
13. What will Sukkarieh's robot be able to do
A. Monitor the quality of grass. B. Cure the diseased cattle.
C. Move cattle to another field. D. Predict weather changes.
14. Why does Pete Bonds still hire cowboys to watch cattle
A. He wants to help them earn a living. B. He thinks men can do the job better.
C. He is inexperienced in using robots. D. He enjoys the traditional way of life.
15. How may robots help with cattle watching according to Michael Kelsey
A. Increase the value of cattle. B. Bring down the cost of labor.
C. Make the job more appealing. D. Keep cattle from being stolen.
【精选真题1】
【答案】28. C29. A30. B
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了解决全球挑战的重要方法——系统思维。
【解析】
【28题详解】推理判断题。由文章第一段““What would the world be if there were no hunger ” It’s a question that Professor Crystal would ask her students. They found it hard to answer, she wrote later, because imagining something that isn’t part of real life—and learning how to make it real—is a rare skill. It is taught to artists and engineers, but much less often to scientists. Crystal set out to change that, and helped to create a global movement. The result—an approach known as systems thinking—is now seen as essential in meeting global challenges. (“如果没有饥饿,世界会是什么样子?”这是 Crystal教授会问学生的问题。她后来写道,他们发现很难回答这个问题,因为想象一些不属于现实生活的东西,并学习如何将其变成现实是一项罕见的技能。它被教授给艺术家和工程师,但很少教授给科学家。Crystal着手改变这种状况,并帮助创建了一个全球运动。结果,一种被称为系统思维的方法现在被视为应对全球挑战的关键。)”可知,文章开头提出问题是为了引出话题-系统思维的方法被视为应对全球挑战的关键。故选C项。
【29题详解】细节理解题。由文章第三段“This shows that we have some way to travel before achieving the first objective of systems t hinking - which,in this example, is to identify more constituent parts of the nutrition system.(这表明,在实现系统思考的第一个目标之前,我们还有一段路要走——在本例中,这是为了确定营养系统的更多组成部分。)”可知,实现系统思维的第一个目标还有一段路需要走,现尚未实现。故选A项。
【30题详解】推理判断题。由文章第一段“Crystal set out to change that, and helped to create a global movement. The result—an approach known as systems thinking—is now seen as essential in meeting global challenges.(Crystal着手改变这种状况,并帮助创建了一个全球运动。结果,一种被称为系统思维的方法现在被视为应对全球挑战的关键。)”可知,作者认为该系统能应用于解决挑战。故选B项。
【精选真题2】
【答案】12. D 13. C 14. A 15. C
【导语】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。
【解析】
【12题详解】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。
【13题详解】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。
【14题详解】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。
【15题详解】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。
【精选真题3】
(2022·新高考Ⅱ卷)
【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。
【解析】
【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。
【答案】7. D8. B9. C10. A
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要介绍了许多人认为工作到最大限度是成功的秘诀,但研究发现,适度的工作也会带来成果。所以要适度工作,工作时要有积极的情绪,这会让自己在工作中更有效率。
【解析】
【7题详解】推理判断题。根据第一段“Many people believe that working to the maximum is the secret to success, but research has found that moderation(适度) also gets results on the job.(许多人认为工作到最大限度是成功的秘诀,但研究发现,适度的工作也会带来成果。)”和第二段中“In a study led by Ellen Langer of Harvard University, researchers asked people to translate sentences into a new a made-up language. Subjects who practiced the language moderately beforehand made fewer errors than those who practiced extensively or not at all.(在哈佛大学Ellen Langer领导的一项研究中,研究人员要求人们将句子翻译成一种新的虚构的语言。那些事先适度练习这门语言的受试者比那些全力练习或根本不练习的受试者犯的错误要少。)”可知,第一段提出主题,即适度的工作也会带来成果,接着第二段作者用Ellen Langer的研究来证明这一点,由此可推知,Ellen Langer的研究表明适度的努力会产生最好的结果。故选D。
【8题详解】词句猜测题。根据划线单词下文“while his colleagues who chat over a relaxed conference-room meal get dirty looks from the corner office.(而他那些在会议室吃饭时闲聊的同事们则在角落办公室里得到不屑的目光。)”可知,while前后是对比关系,那些在会议室吃饭时闲聊的同事会得到别人不屑的目光,即被认为不努力工作,相反,那些在办公桌前吃午饭的年轻银行家可能被视为是一个努力工作以求成功的人,由此可知,划线单词go-getter,指的是那些努力工作以求成功的人,故选B。
【9题详解】推理判断题。根据最后一段中“Also, there is a lot of research showing that a positive mood leads to higher levels of productivity and creativity.(此外,许多研究表明,积极的情绪能够提高生产力和创造力。 )”可知,积极的情绪能够提高生产力和创造力,由此可推知,愉快的心情有助于创造性思维。故选C。
【10题详解】推理判断题。根据第一段中“but research has found that moderation(适度) also gets results on the job.(但研究发现,适度的工作也会带来成果)”和第二段中“High conscientiousness is related to lower job performance, especially in simple jobs where it doesn’t pay to be a perfectionist.(高尽责性与低工作表现有关,尤其是在简单的工作中,追求完美并不值得。)”可知,文章主要介绍研究表明适度的工作也会带来成果,所以文章提倡适度工作,即中庸的工作习惯。故选A。
【精选真题5】
(2021·新高考Ⅰ卷)
【答案】28. A 29. C 30. D 31. A
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。本文讲述了美国鸭票的故事,由于美国移民的大量流入,对于农地和住房的急需大量的水禽栖息地被破坏导致美国水禽骤减,因此美国发行了鸭票,狩猎者只有购买了鸭票才能狩猎,而鸭票的部分收入进入到了用于购买水禽栖息地的基金,从而保护了水禽。
【解析】【28题详解】
细节理解题。根据第一段“Millions of acres of wetlands were dried to feed and house the ever-increasing populations, greatly reducing waterfowl habitat.”可知,上百万公顷的湿地被抽干用作农地或者修建住房,极大地减少了水禽的栖息地,故可知,栖息地的减少导致了水禽数量的下降,故选A。
【29题详解】词义猜测题。根据前一句“Native Americans had taken care of these precious natural resources wisely.”可知,北美的土著人把这些珍贵的自然资源保护的很合理,本句中的“Unfortunately”可知,本句与上一句形成了转折,前一句陈述北美土著人做的好的地方,故可知,本句阐述移民者做的不好的地方,即移民者破坏了这些自然资源,故画线词意思是“破坏”。A. Acquire获得;B. Export出口;C. Destroy破坏;D. Distribute分配。故选C。
【30题详解】推理判断题。根据最后一段“Since 1934, better than half a billion dollars has gone into that Fund to purchase more than 5 million acres of habitat.”可知,自1934年起,超过5亿美元进入到了这个基金会,购买了超过500万公顷的水禽栖息地,故可以推出,通过发行鸭票,美国政府获得了大量的资金,故选D。
【31题详解】主旨大意题。根据全文可知,由于之前不恰当的发展导致美国水禽骤减,因此美国发行了鸭票,狩猎者只有购买了鸭票才能狩猎,而鸭票的部分收入进入到了用于购买水禽栖息地的基金,从而保护了水禽,故可知,本文讲述美国鸭票的故事,故选A。
【精选真题6】
(2021·新高考Ⅱ卷)
【答案】12. B 13. A 14. B 15. D
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章讲述了澳大利亚一名教授正在开发一种机器人,用于监测放牧牛的健康状况。
【解析】
【12题详解】细节理解题。根据文章第一段“An Australian professor is developing a robot to monitor the health of grazing cattle, a development that could bring big changes to a profession that's relied largely on a low-tech approach for decades but is facing a labor shortage.(澳大利亚一名教授正在开发一种机器人,用于监测放牧牛的健康状况,这一开发可能会给畜牧业带来重大变化。几十年来,畜牧业主要依靠低技术手段,但目前正面临劳动力短缺的问题。)”可知,畜牧产业面临劳动力短缺的问题。故选B。
【13题详解】细节理解题。根据文章第二段“The quality of grassland will be tracked by monitoring the shape, color and texture (质地) of grass.(通过监测草形状、颜色和质地来跟踪草地的质量。)”可知,Sukkarieh的机器人可以监测草的质量。故选A。
【14题详解】细节理解题。根据文章第四段“But Bonds doesn't believe a robot is right for the job. Years of experience in the industry - and failed attempts to use technology - have convinced him that the best way to check cattle is with a man on a horse.(但邦兹认为机器人并不适合这份工作。多年的行业经验——以及使用技术的失败尝试——使他确信,检查牛的最好方法是让一名男子骑在马上。)”可知,皮特·邦兹仍然雇佣牛仔看牛是因为他认为人能做得更好。故选B。
【15题详解】细节理解题。根据文章最后一段“Michael Kelsey Paris, vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, said a robot could be extremely useful given rising concerns about cattle theft.(俄克拉荷马州养牛人协会副会长迈克尔·凯尔西·帕里斯说,鉴于人们对偷牛的担忧不断上升,机器人可能会非常有用。)”可知,机器人帮助照看牛,可以防止牛被偷。故选D。