PAGE
第 8 页 共 13 页
单元质量检测（五）
(时间：100分钟 满分：120分)
Ⅰ.阅读理解(共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
There's more to phone boxes than phones
Adopt
The red phone box is part of the character of many streets and villages around the UK. But with the mobile phone, many are no longer used and we are looking to remove them. For just ￡1 you can make sure the red phone boxes in your community enjoy a new life as something completely different, like a book exchange, or an art gallery.
Click here to see what some local communities have already done. Download our Adopt A Kiosk brochure here, or if you're ready to adopt one now, click here!
Buy
Wouldn't it be great to impress your customers with a traditional red phone box in your places Or maybe you badly want to own one yourself. Go on! You know it's just what your garden needs!
For more information, get in touch with our partners at X2Connect or call them at 440 1636 611110.
Advertise
Think about how many people pass by a phone box daily. It's a great way to get noticed. If you'd like to advertise your business or campaign on the side of a phone box, get in touch to find out more.
Talk to our partners at JCDecaux for more information.
Cash
Combine a red phone box with an ATM. Our company takes care of everything from site acquisition (站点获取) and installation (安装), gaining planning permission from local authorities, to preparations of the phone box and ATM as well as on going protecting and cleaning services.
To find out more, fill out the call back form below or call us.
1．What are you supposed to do if you adopt a phone box
A．Sell it online for new uses.
B．Move it to your own office.
C．Replace it with an art gallery.
D．Recycle it to serve your community.
2．What do you need to get in touch with if you want to purchase a phone box
A．X2Connect. B．JCDecaux.
C．Your communities. D．Local authorities.
3．What is recommended if you want to attract customers
A．Fixing an ATM in your phone box.
B．Selling small things in the phone box.
C．Organizing campaigns to sell phone boxes.
D．Advertising your product on a phone box.
B
On Friday, December 11, 2015, I visited NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
My first stop was the Space Food Systems Laboratory, where I met with Ben O'Neil, a food scientist. He makes and packages food for astronauts in space. I got to taste mixed fruits, Italian veggies, beef ravioli, blueberry cobbler, shrimp cocktail, and a mango peach smoothie. Space food tastes like the food we eat on Earth. That's because it is. Space food is made out of ingredients you can find at your grocery store. A special process is applied to keep the important nutrients that space explorers need to stay healthy.
Next, I met with astronaut Terry Virts, who recently spent six months living and working on the International Space Station (ISS). “At an early age I wanted to be a pilot，” Virts told me. “But after reading the book Apollo, I decided to be an astronaut.” I asked if he was scared the first time he went into space. “No，” he said. “I was more concerned with not letting anyone down. Now, thinking back, I should have been afraid because of the 40,000 pounds of explosives under me at take off.”
As my visit continued, I learned about NASA's new Orion spacecraft that is designed to take astronauts farther into space than ever before. I talked to Stu McClung, Orion's spacecraft engineer, and toured the model spacecraft. McClung showed me the control panel (控制面板) and allowed me to strap into a launching seat. He also showed me a video that explains what happens when a spacecraft re enters Earth's atmosphere.
My last meeting was with Lucien Junkin, a NASA robotics engineer who helps to create rovers and humanoids. Rovers are space exploration vehicles and humanoids are robots that do work or activities in space similar to what humans do on Earth. I even got to drive a rover.
4．When tasting food provided by Ben O'Neil, the author ________.
A．felt sad about astronauts in space
B．never wanted to try the food again
C．didn't think the food tasted different
D．learned the food wasn't very nutritious
5．How did Terry Virts most probably feel after reading Apollo
A．Concerned. B．Shocked.
C．Confused. D．Inspired.
6．What did the author learn about from Stu McClung
A．Space travel.
B．Earth's atmosphere.
C．An advanced spacecraft.
D．The history of spacecrafts.
7．Which of the following did the author do last there that day
A．Talk with an astronaut.
B．Drive a model spacecraft.
C．Taste a mango peach smoothie.
D．Drive a space exploration vehicle.
C
Up until now, it has been believed big cats like the leopard (豹) originated in parts of Africa. However, an ancient skull unearthed recently indicates that big cats originated in central Asia — not Africa as widely thought, paleontologists (古生物学家) reported on Wednesday.
Dated at between 4.1 and 5.95 million years old, the fossil is the oldest remains ever found of a pantherine felid, as big cats are called. The previous felid record holder — tooth fragments (碎片) found in Tanzania — is estimated to be around 3.8 million years old.
The evolution of big cats has been heatedly discussed, and the issue is complicated by a lack of fossil evidence to settle the debate.
“This find suggests that big cats have a deeper evolutionary origin than previously suspected，” said Jack Zeng, a paleontologist of the University of Southern California who led the probe (调查)．
Zeng and his team made the find in 2010 in a remote border region in Tibet. The fossil was found stuck among more than 100 bones that were probably deposited by a river that exited a cliff. After three years of careful comparisons with other fossils, using DNA data to build a family tree, the team is convinced the creature was a pantherine felid.
The weight of evidence suggests that central or northern Asia is where big cats originated some 16 million years ago. They may have lived in a vast mountain shelter, formed by the uplifting Himalayas, feeding on equally remarkable species such as the Tibetan blue sheep. They then dispersed (分散) into Southeast Asia, evolving (进化) into the clouded leopard, tiger and snow leopard families, and later movements across continents saw them evolve into jaguars and lions.
The newly discovered felid has been called Panthera Blytheae, after Blythe Haaga, daughter of a couple who support a museum in Los Angeles, the university said in a news release.
8．According to the passage, why is the evolution of big cats a hot issue
A．Because not many fossils have been found.
B．Because they moved across continents.
C．Because no equipment was available for accurate analysis.
D．Because they have evolved into many different species of felid.
9．Where was the new felid fossil found
A．In Tanzania. B．In Tibet.
C．In California. D．In Southeast Asia.
10．According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE
A．Some big cats evolved into jaguars 16 million years ago.
B．The oldest fossil of big cats ever discovered is 3.8 million years old.
C．Big cats are later generations of snow leopards living in high mountains.
D．Tibetan blue sheep was a main food source for big cats in the Himalayas.
11．What is the purpose of this passage
A．To promote wildlife conservation.
B．To report on a new find in paleontology.
C．To introduce a new animal species.
D．To compare the family trees of pantherine felids.
D
The concept of intelligent robots, as friends or enemies, dates back to ancient times. Reports of people admiring human likenesses and building human like robots date back to the days of ancient Greece and Egypt. AI has also featured prominently in pop culture, for example: the computer HAL 9000 in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey and Arnold Schwarzenegger's robot character in The Terminator films.
Since the field of AI was officially founded in the mid 1950s, people have been predicting the rise of conscious machines. Inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil refers to a point in time known as “the_singularity”， when machine intelligence beats human intelligence. Based on the exponential (指数的) growth of technology according to Moore's Law (which states that computing processing power doubles approximately every two years), Kurzweil has predicted the singularity will occur by 2045.
Nevertheless, a number of prominent science and technology experts have expressed worry that human beings are not doing enough to prepare for the rise of artificial general intelligence, if and when it does occur. Earlier this week, Hawking issued a serious warning about the threat of AI. “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race，” Hawking told the BBC, in response to a question about his new voice recognition system, which uses artifi cial intelligence to predict intended words. And Hawking isn't alone. Elon Musk told an audience at MIT that AI is humanity's “biggest existential threat”. He also once posted, “We need to be super careful with AI. Potentially more dan gerous than nuclear weapons.”
In March, Musk told CNBC that he'd like to “keep an eye on what's going on with artificial intelligence，” adding, “I think there's potentially a dangerous outcome there.”
But despite the fears of noticeable technology leaders, the rise of conscious machines — known as “strong AI” or “general artificial intelligence” — is likely a long way off, many researchers argue. “I don't see any reason to think that as machines become more intelligent ... which is not going to happen tomorrow — they would want to destroy us or do harm，” said Charlie Ortiz, head of AI at the Burlington. “Lots of work needs to be done before computers are anywhere near that level，” he said.
12．The underlined part “the singularity” in the second paragraph refers to _________.
A．a point in the history
B．the machine intelligence will go beyond human intelligence
C．computing processing power doubles every two years
D．the power of technology will double by 2045
13．Experts like Hawking worry that ________.
A．artificial intelligence is approaching in the near future
B．artificial intelligence is bound to arise in the near future
C．human beings are not prepared for the coming of AI
D．human beings are the biggest existential threat to AI
14．What is the Charlie Ortiz's attitude toward AI's threat
A．Critical. B．Tolerant.
C．Doubtful. D．Approving.
15．What is the best title of the passage
A．AI, Friend or Competitor
B．AI, Friendly or Frightening
C．AI VS. Human Beings!
D．AI, Frightening or Worrying
Ⅱ.阅读七选五(共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分)
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Livestock (牲畜) cloning is the practice of cloning sheep, cattle and other livestock species as a way to improve efficiency.The basic idea behind livestock cloning is to clone animals that have certain qualities, such as cows that produce more milk or meat.__16__ However, this practice is very controversial, and livestock farmers have been hesitant to adopt it fully because of public opposition and certain inefficiencies.
In technical terms, livestock are cloned by taking cells from one animal and using them to fertilize eggs (使卵子受精). Scientists take the fertilized eggs and put them in female animals.__17__ Many animals are born with abnormal shapes.Scientists are looking for ways to improve the process and make it less expensive to adopt on a wider scale.
__18__For example, if farmers were able to take only their very best animals and recreate them many times, they could potentially be more productive.
There are also some potential problems with cloned livestock.__19__ For example, when a disease hits, there are usually individuals who cannot be harmed by the disease or are more resistant, and they will generally survive. If all the animals were genetically (在基因方面) identical or similar, this sort of disease could totally destroy an entire generation of livestock, leaving the world with a massive food shortage.
In addition to concerns about genetic diversity，there are other concerns about cloning.__20__There are also some people who worry that livestock cloning research may be a gateway to introducing human cloning, which is widely disapproved of.
A．Are the surviving clones really clones
B．Therefore, the new species is expected to be better.
C．The biggest one arises from a reduction in genetic diversity.
D．Cloned livestock have the potential to provide some major benefits.
E．Cloning animals shows us what might happen if we try to clone humans.
F．These concerns sometimes come from worries over unforeseen consequences.
G．This process doesn't always work perfectly, and it can be relatively expensive.
Ⅲ.完形填空(共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
A pair of wild geese
One morning in early fall, I noticed a pair of wild geese on our pond. The beautiful sight caught me by surprise, because we'd never seen geese there before.
I thought they would soon be on their way, so I seized the opportunity to be __21__ to these graceful creatures. As the days passed, my __22__ about why they were staying so long at the pond changed to __23__. It wouldn't be long before the __24__ Michigan winter came and the pond __25__ over.
One day as they were __26__ in the grass near the driveway, I discovered the reason for their __27__ — the male had a broken left wing. He was unable to __28__， and his lifelong mate would not leave him behind. I was amazed at the __29__ between them. I asked a wildlife biologist friend what I should do. He explained that sometimes a broken wing would __30__ by itself and suggested letting them alone.
On the first day of November, I was working near the geese with my tractor. __31__ I bent to fasten a chain, I noticed both geese running toward the pond, wings beating __32__. They looked like a couple of planes moving for take off. __33__， both were in the air and flew over the pond freely. The geese then __34__ back toward me, flying about 50 feet over my __35__ as if to say goodbye. Then they were out of __36__.
The season's first snowflakes fell the very next day. The birds must have __37__ that winter was coming, and it was time to go.
I grew __38__ of them during their stay at our pond, and I __39__ them. I would never forget their __40__ to each other. We could all learn a lesson or two from this pair.
21．A.kind B．close
C．helpful D．familiar
22．A.anxiety B．complaint
C．hesitation D．curiosity
23．A.ignore B．bother
C．concern D．tolerate
24．A.rough B．sunny
C．dry D．comfortable
25．A.froze B．sank
C．rolled D．swept
26．A.fighting B．feeding
C．lying D．hiding
27．A.injury B．sleep
C．fear D．visit
28．A.swim B．walk
C．fly D．move
29．A.difference B．distance
C．relationship D．generosity
30．A.recover B．fall
C．rise D．wave
31．A.Though B．As
C．If D．Unless
32．A.nervously B．heavily
C．slowly D．wildly
33．A.Sadly B．Surprisingly
C．Gradually D．Strangely
34．A.circled B．looked
C．shouted D．struggled
35．A.tractor B．head
C．pond D．house
36．A.control B．place
C．breath D．sight
37．A.predicted B．noticed
C．sensed D．confirmed
38．A.fond B．tired
C．ashamed D．proud
39．A.observed B．missed
C．protected D．saved
40．A.promise B．appeal
C．response D．devotion
Ⅳ.语法填空(共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分)
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Can knots (结) be a form of art It is in China. They have a long history and a __41__ (culture) meaning even today.
A Chinese knot is __42__ is woven (编) from a single length of rope to be a variety of shapes. Each shape has __43__ (it) own meaning, and Chinese knots are usually woven in the red color, which indicates good fortune.
Originally, people may have made them __44__ (record) information and convey messages before they started to write.It is known that they __45__ (intend) for artistic decoration and to express thoughts and feelings in the Tang Dynasty.The Tang Empire was a large one that covered most of the __46__ (region) of modern China, and succeeding generations carried on __47__ traditional art form as part of their culture.
Now, some people use knots when they dress __48__ traditional Chinese clothing. They are a means of __49__ (fasten) traditional clothes instead of buttons.And silk is most __50__ (wide) used to make these clothing knots.
Ⅴ.短文改错(共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分)
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
I went shopping in the supermarket with my nephews Tom today. While passing a shelf, Tom sudden stopped and looked at bag of processed beef with his eyes wide open. On the bag there was a beef cattle, that pointed to some processed beef, say, “It's yummy.” Tom said to me, “The cattle is very brave. He tells about others that his meat is yummy.” I'd seen the image few times. However, I had never think there was anything wrong with it, though I'd got used to such images. If we looked at things in the eyes of kids, we can find many interesting things.
Ⅵ.书面表达(满分25分)
假定英语老师要求每位同学用英语作值日报告(duty report)。请你以“火星生活”为话题，发表一个值日报告。内容包括如下要点：
1．人类对火星生活的向往；
2．人类在火星上生存的条件及其必要性；
3．你是否愿意到火星上去生活，为什么？
注意：1.词数100左右；
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。PAGE
第 8 页 共 13 页
单元质量检测（五）
(时间：100分钟 满分：120分)
Ⅰ.阅读理解(共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
There's more to phone boxes than phones
Adopt
The red phone box is part of the character of many streets and villages around the UK. But with the mobile phone, many are no longer used and we are looking to remove them. For just ￡1 you can make sure the red phone boxes in your community enjoy a new life as something completely different, like a book exchange, or an art gallery.
Click here to see what some local communities have already done. Download our Adopt A Kiosk brochure here, or if you're ready to adopt one now, click here!
Buy
Wouldn't it be great to impress your customers with a traditional red phone box in your places Or maybe you badly want to own one yourself. Go on! You know it's just what your garden needs!
For more information, get in touch with our partners at X2Connect or call them at 440 1636 611110.
Advertise
Think about how many people pass by a phone box daily. It's a great way to get noticed. If you'd like to advertise your business or campaign on the side of a phone box, get in touch to find out more.
Talk to our partners at JCDecaux for more information.
Cash
Combine a red phone box with an ATM. Our company takes care of everything from site acquisition (站点获取) and installation (安装), gaining planning permission from local authorities, to preparations of the phone box and ATM as well as on going protecting and cleaning services.
To find out more, fill out the call back form below or call us.
语篇解读本文是应用文。文章宣传了几个关于电话亭的特别用途。
1．What are you supposed to do if you adopt a phone box
A．Sell it online for new uses.
B．Move it to your own office.
C．Replace it with an art gallery.
D．Recycle it to serve your community.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据Adopt部分的内容可知，所谓领养电话亭，就是将社区中不再运行的电话亭改造后重新投入使用，它可以有全新的用途。根据“what some local communities have already done”可知，这些电话亭是以社区的名义领养的，改造后自然也是为了服务社区。
2．What do you need to get in touch with if you want to purchase a phone box
A．X2Connect. B．JCDecaux.
C．Your communities. D．Local authorities.
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据Buy部分的“get in touch with our partners at X2Connect”可知，若想购买电话亭可以联系X2Connect。
3．What is recommended if you want to attract customers
A．Fixing an ATM in your phone box.
B．Selling small things in the phone box.
C．Organizing campaigns to sell phone boxes.
D．Advertising your product on a phone box.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据Advertise部分可知，每天电话亭周围的人流量很大，所以可以在上面做广告，用来吸引顾客。
B
On Friday, December 11, 2015, I visited NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
My first stop was the Space Food Systems Laboratory, where I met with Ben O'Neil, a food scientist. He makes and packages food for astronauts in space. I got to taste mixed fruits, Italian veggies, beef ravioli, blueberry cobbler, shrimp cocktail, and a mango peach smoothie. Space food tastes like the food we eat on Earth. That's because it is. Space food is made out of ingredients you can find at your grocery store. A special process is applied to keep the important nutrients that space explorers need to stay healthy.
Next, I met with astronaut Terry Virts, who recently spent six months living and working on the International Space Station (ISS). “At an early age I wanted to be a pilot，” Virts told me. “But after reading the book Apollo, I decided to be an astronaut.” I asked if he was scared the first time he went into space. “No，” he said. “I was more concerned with not letting anyone down. Now, thinking back, I should have been afraid because of the 40,000 pounds of explosives under me at take off.”
As my visit continued, I learned about NASA's new Orion spacecraft that is designed to take astronauts farther into space than ever before. I talked to Stu McClung, Orion's spacecraft engineer, and toured the model spacecraft. McClung showed me the control panel (控制面板) and allowed me to strap into a launching seat. He also showed me a video that explains what happens when a spacecraft re enters Earth's atmosphere.
My last meeting was with Lucien Junkin, a NASA robotics engineer who helps to create rovers and humanoids. Rovers are space exploration vehicles and humanoids are robots that do work or activities in space similar to what humans do on Earth. I even got to drive a rover.
语篇解读：作者去参观了NASA的林顿·约翰逊太空中心，本文是对那次经历的描述。
4．When tasting food provided by Ben O'Neil, the author ________.
A．felt sad about astronauts in space
B．never wanted to try the food again
C．didn't think the food tasted different
D．learned the food wasn't very nutritious
解析：选C 推理判断题。根据第二段的“Space food tastes like the food we eat on Earth. That's because it is.”可推断，作者不觉得那些食物味道有什么特别的。
5．How did Terry Virts most probably feel after reading Apollo
A．Concerned. B．Shocked.
C．Confused. D．Inspired.
解析：选D 推理判断题。根据第三段的“But after reading the book Apollo, I decided to be an astronaut.”可推断，Terry Virts读完这本书后很受鼓舞。
6．What did the author learn about from Stu McClung
A．Space travel.
B．Earth's atmosphere.
C．An advanced spacecraft.
D．The history of spacecrafts.
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第四段的“As my visit continued, I learned about NASA's new Orion spacecraft that is designed ...”以及“McClung showed me the control panel (控制面板) and allowed me to strap into a launching seat.”可知，从McClung那里，作者了解到了一艘很先进的飞船。
7．Which of the following did the author do last there that day
A．Talk with an astronaut.
B．Drive a model spacecraft.
C．Taste a mango peach smoothie.
D．Drive a space exploration vehicle.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据末段的“I even got to drive a rover.”可知，作者在那里做的最后一件事是尝试开一个太空探测车。
C
Up until now, it has been believed big cats like the leopard (豹) originated in parts of Africa. However, an ancient skull unearthed recently indicates that big cats originated in central Asia — not Africa as widely thought, paleontologists (古生物学家) reported on Wednesday.
Dated at between 4.1 and 5.95 million years old, the fossil is the oldest remains ever found of a pantherine felid, as big cats are called. The previous felid record holder — tooth fragments (碎片) found in Tanzania — is estimated to be around 3.8 million years old.
The evolution of big cats has been heatedly discussed, and the issue is complicated by a lack of fossil evidence to settle the debate.
“This find suggests that big cats have a deeper evolutionary origin than previously suspected，” said Jack Zeng, a paleontologist of the University of Southern California who led the probe (调查)．
Zeng and his team made the find in 2010 in a remote border region in Tibet. The fossil was found stuck among more than 100 bones that were probably deposited by a river that exited a cliff. After three years of careful comparisons with other fossils, using DNA data to build a family tree, the team is convinced the creature was a pantherine felid.
The weight of evidence suggests that central or northern Asia is where big cats originated some 16 million years ago. They may have lived in a vast mountain shelter, formed by the uplifting Himalayas, feeding on equally remarkable species such as the Tibetan blue sheep. They then dispersed (分散) into Southeast Asia, evolving (进化) into the clouded leopard, tiger and snow leopard families, and later movements across continents saw them evolve into jaguars and lions.
The newly discovered felid has been called Panthera Blytheae, after Blythe Haaga, daughter of a couple who support a museum in Los Angeles, the university said in a news release.
语篇解读本文是一篇科普说明文。一块颅骨的出土推翻了一贯的结论，大型猫科动物起源于中亚，而不是非洲。该出土的颅骨证明了大型猫科动物的生活习性和进化过程。
8．According to the passage, why is the evolution of big cats a hot issue
A．Because not many fossils have been found.
B．Because they moved across continents.
C．Because no equipment was available for accurate analysis.
D．Because they have evolved into many different species of felid.
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据第三段中的“has been heatedly discussed, and the issue is complicated by a lack of fossil evidence to settle the debate”可知，A项正确。
9．Where was the new felid fossil found
A．In Tanzania. B．In Tibet.
C．In California. D．In Southeast Asia.
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据第五段第一句“Zeng and his team made the find in 2010 in a remote border region in Tibet”可知，最新的化石是在西藏发现的，故B项正确。
10．According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE
A．Some big cats evolved into jaguars 16 million years ago.
B．The oldest fossil of big cats ever discovered is 3.8 million years old.
C．Big cats are later generations of snow leopards living in high mountains.
D．Tibetan blue sheep was a main food source for big cats in the Himalayas.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据第六段第二句中的“feeding on equally remarkable species such as the Tibetan blue sheep”可知，大型猫科动物以与其同样引人注目的动物如西藏的岩羊为食，故D项正确。
11．What is the purpose of this passage
A．To promote wildlife conservation.
B．To report on a new find in paleontology.
C．To introduce a new animal species.
D．To compare the family trees of pantherine felids.
解析：选B 目的意图题。通读全文可知，本文第一段的第二句“However, an ancient skull unearthed recently indicates that big cats originated in central Asia — not Africa as widely thought, paleontologists (古生物学家) reported on Wednesday”为文章主题句；据此可知，本文旨在介绍古生物学方面的一项新发现，故B项正确。
D
The concept of intelligent robots, as friends or enemies, dates back to ancient times. Reports of people admiring human likenesses and building human like robots date back to the days of ancient Greece and Egypt. AI has also featured prominently in pop culture, for example: the computer HAL 9000 in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey and Arnold Schwarzenegger's robot character in The Terminator films.
Since the field of AI was officially founded in the mid 1950s, people have been predicting the rise of conscious machines. Inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil refers to a point in time known as “the_singularity”， when machine intelligence beats human intelligence. Based on the exponential (指数的) growth of technology according to Moore's Law (which states that computing processing power doubles approximately every two years), Kurzweil has predicted the singularity will occur by 2045.
Nevertheless, a number of prominent science and technology experts have expressed worry that human beings are not doing enough to prepare for the rise of artificial general intelligence, if and when it does occur. Earlier this week, Hawking issued a serious warning about the threat of AI. “The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race，” Hawking told the BBC, in response to a question about his new voice recognition system, which uses artifi cial intelligence to predict intended words. And Hawking isn't alone. Elon Musk told an audience at MIT that AI is humanity's “biggest existential threat”. He also once posted, “We need to be super careful with AI. Potentially more dan gerous than nuclear weapons.”
In March, Musk told CNBC that he'd like to “keep an eye on what's going on with artificial intelligence，” adding, “I think there's potentially a dangerous outcome there.”
But despite the fears of noticeable technology leaders, the rise of conscious machines — known as “strong AI” or “general artificial intelligence” — is likely a long way off, many researchers argue. “I don't see any reason to think that as machines become more intelligent ... which is not going to happen tomorrow — they would want to destroy us or do harm，” said Charlie Ortiz, head of AI at the Burlington. “Lots of work needs to be done before computers are anywhere near that level，” he said.
语篇解读：人工智能对人类来说是好还是坏？不同的专家提出不同的观点：人工智能可能意味着人类的终结；人工智能未必会毁灭或伤害人类。
12．The underlined part “the singularity” in the second paragraph refers to _________.
A．a point in the history
B．the machine intelligence will go beyond human intelligence
C．computing processing power doubles every two years
D．the power of technology will double by 2045
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据文章第二段第二句“Inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil refers to a point in time known as ‘the singularity’，when machine intelligence beats human intelligence.”可知，singularity指的是时间(物理学意义上)的一个点，在这个点上，机器智能会击败人类智能。故选B项。
13．Experts like Hawking worry that ________.
A．artificial intelligence is approaching in the near future
B．artificial intelligence is bound to arise in the near future
C．human beings are not prepared for the coming of AI
D．human beings are the biggest existential threat to AI解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第三段第一句“Nevertheless, a number of prominent science and technology experts have expressed worry that human beings are not doing enough to prepare for the rise of artificial general intelli gence, if and when it does occur.”可知，许多享有声望的专家，包括霍金，表达了他们的担忧：人类并未准备好应对人工智能的崛起。因此选C项。
14．What is the Charlie Ortiz's attitude toward AI's threat
A．Critical. B．Tolerant.
C．Doubtful. D．Approving.
解析：选C 推理判断题。根据最后一段查利说的话“I don't see any reason to think that as machines become more intelligent ... they would want to destroy us or do harm”可知，查利的观点是：没有理由认为，当机器变得更加智能时，它们就会毁灭或伤害人类。因此，查利对人工智能会对人类造成潜在威胁是持怀疑态度的。故选C项。
15．What is the best title of the passage
A．AI, Friend or Competitor
B．AI, Friendly or Frightening
C．AI VS. Human Beings!
D．AI, Frightening or Worrying
解析：选B 标题归纳题。通过文中不同专家对于人工智能的态度可知，有些人担忧人工智能会对人类造成潜在的威胁，而有些人却比较乐观。因此，B项作为文章标题最佳。
Ⅱ.阅读七选五(共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分)
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Livestock (牲畜) cloning is the practice of cloning sheep, cattle and other livestock species as a way to improve efficiency.The basic idea behind livestock cloning is to clone animals that have certain qualities, such as cows that produce more milk or meat.__16__ However, this practice is very controversial, and livestock farmers have been hesitant to adopt it fully because of public opposition and certain inefficiencies.
In technical terms, livestock are cloned by taking cells from one animal and using them to fertilize eggs (使卵子受精). Scientists take the fertilized eggs and put them in female animals.__17__ Many animals are born with abnormal shapes.Scientists are looking for ways to improve the process and make it less expensive to adopt on a wider scale.
__18__For example, if farmers were able to take only their very best animals and recreate them many times, they could potentially be more productive.
There are also some potential problems with cloned livestock.__19__ For example, when a disease hits, there are usually individuals who cannot be harmed by the disease or are more resistant, and they will generally survive. If all the animals were genetically (在基因方面) identical or similar, this sort of disease could totally destroy an entire generation of livestock, leaving the world with a massive food shortage.
In addition to concerns about genetic diversity，there are other concerns about cloning.__20__There are also some people who worry that livestock cloning research may be a gateway to introducing human cloning, which is widely disapproved of.
A．Are the surviving clones really clones
B．Therefore, the new species is expected to be better.
C．The biggest one arises from a reduction in genetic diversity.
D．Cloned livestock have the potential to provide some major benefits.
E．Cloning animals shows us what might happen if we try to clone humans.
F．These concerns sometimes come from worries over unforeseen consequences.
G．This process doesn't always work perfectly, and it can be relatively expensive.
语篇解读本文是说明文。文章介绍了动物克隆技术。
16．解析：选B 根据上一句内容可知，如果能克隆出生产更多奶和肉的牛，那么“这个新品种应该是更好”。
17．解析：选G 根据本空后的“Many animals are born with abnormal shapes ...make it less expensive”可知，目前克隆的“过程不总是完美，而且价格相对比较昂贵”。
18．解析：选D 根据本空后的内容不难看出，这里是介绍克隆牲畜的“好处”。
19．解析：选C 根据本空后内容可知，克隆技术会减少“基因多样性”，所以当拥有同样基因的动物遭受某种致命疾病时，所有的这些动物都会死亡。下段首句中的“genetic diversity”也提示了本题答案。
20．解析：选F 本空前的concerns提示了本题答案。
Ⅲ.完形填空(共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
A pair of wild geese
One morning in early fall, I noticed a pair of wild geese on our pond. The beautiful sight caught me by surprise, because we'd never seen geese there before.
I thought they would soon be on their way, so I seized the opportunity to be __21__ to these graceful creatures. As the days passed, my __22__ about why they were staying so long at the pond changed to __23__. It wouldn't be long before the __24__ Michigan winter came and the pond __25__ over.
One day as they were __26__ in the grass near the driveway, I discovered the reason for their __27__ — the male had a broken left wing. He was unable to __28__， and his lifelong mate would not leave him behind. I was amazed at the __29__ between them. I asked a wildlife biologist friend what I should do. He explained that sometimes a broken wing would __30__ by itself and suggested letting them alone.
On the first day of November, I was working near the geese with my tractor. __31__ I bent to fasten a chain, I noticed both geese running toward the pond, wings beating __32__. They looked like a couple of planes moving for take off. __33__， both were in the air and flew over the pond freely. The geese then __34__ back toward me, flying about 50 feet over my __35__ as if to say goodbye. Then they were out of __36__.
The season's first snowflakes fell the very next day. The birds must have __37__ that winter was coming, and it was time to go.
I grew __38__ of them during their stay at our pond, and I __39__ them. I would never forget their __40__ to each other. We could all learn a lesson or two from this pair.
语篇解读：本文是一篇记叙文。主要讲述了作者看到一对野雁中雄雁的翅膀受伤，雌雁不离不弃，它们互相照顾，直到能够重新翱翔的故事。
21．A.kind B．close
C．helpful D．familiar
解析：选B 结合第一段的“The beautiful sight caught me by surprise, because we'd never seen geese there before.”可知，作者从来没有见过大雁，因此作者这次可以接近它们，好好地看看它们。
22．A.anxiety B．complaint
C．hesitation D．curiosity
解析：选D 根据第一段中的“because we'd never seen geese there before”可知，作者从来没有见过大雁，因此这次看到大雁，对于它们具有很强的好奇心。
23．A.ignore B．bother
C．concern D．tolerate
解析：选C 结合后面的一句话可知，冬天要来了，因此作者原先对大雁的好奇，变成了对它们的关心。
24．A.rough B．sunny
C．dry D．comfortable
解析：选A 根据后面的“Michigan winter came”和文章的倒数第二段的“The season's first snowflakes”可知，此处表示密歇根州的冬天是恶劣的。
25．A.froze B．sank
C．rolled D．swept
解析：选A 根据前面的“winter come”和倒数第二段的snowflakes可知，由于冬天的到来，池塘会结冰冻住。
26．A.fighting B．feeding
C．lying D．hiding
解析：选B 结合语境可知此处表示这两只大雁在草丛里觅食。
27．A.injury B．sleep
C．fear D．visit
解析：选D 根据第一段的“One morning in early fall, I noticed a pair of wild geese on our pond.”可知，作者明白了这两只大雁来到这里的原因。
28．A.swim B．walk
C．fly D．move
解析：选C 结合前面的“the male had a broken left wing”可知，这只大雁的翅膀断了，因此它不能飞了。
29．A.difference B．distance
C．relationship D．generosity
解析：选C 根据空格前面的“his lifelong mate would not leave him behind”可知，作者对这两只大雁的亲密关系感到惊奇。
30．A.recover B．fall
C．rise D．wave
解析：选A 结合空格前面的“He explained that sometimes a broken wing”和后面的“by itself and suggested letting them alone”可知，作者的朋友告诉作者，大雁的伤口会自己康复的。
31．A.Though B．As
C．If D．Unless
解析：选B 根据语境可知，此处表示“当作者弯腰系锁链的时候”。
32．A.nervously B．heavily
C．slowly D．wildly
解析：选D 结合前面的“I noticed both geese running toward the pond”和后面的“They looked like a couple of planes moving for take off.”可知，这两只大雁飞的时候，翅膀狂野地挥舞着。
33．A.Sadly B．Surprisingly
C．Gradually D．Strangely
解析：选C 根据前面的take off和后面的“both were in the air and flew over the pond freely”可知，渐渐地，这两只大雁飞到了空中。
34．A.circled B．looked
C．shouted D．struggled
解析：选A 结合空格后面的“back toward me, flying about 50 feet ...”可知，这两只大雁旋转回来。
35．A.tractor B．head
C．pond D．house
解析：选B 结合空格后面的“as if to say goodbye”可知它们飞在我的头顶上。
36．A.control B．place
C．breath D．sight
解析：选D 由前面的goodbye可知，这两只大雁道别之后，就飞走了，不见了。
37．A.predicted B．noticed
C．sensed D．confirmed
解析：选C 根据前面的“The season's first snowflakes fell the very next day”可知，大雁飞走的第二天就下了雪，因此说明它们一定是感到严寒的冬天要来临了。
38．A.fond B．tired
C．ashamed D．proud
解析：选A 根据上文的描述可知，作者对这两只大雁已经非常喜爱了。
39．A.observed B．missed
C．protected D．saved
解析：选B 与前面的“grew ________ of”呼应，作者喜爱这两只大雁，它们飞走了之后，非常想念它们。
40．A.promise B．appeal
C．response D．devotion
解析：选D 结合上文的“his lifelong mate would not leave him behind”可知，作者永远不会忘记这两只大雁的不离不弃和忠诚的精神。
Ⅳ.语法填空(共10小题；每小题1.5分，满分15分)
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Can knots (结) be a form of art It is in China. They have a long history and a __41__ (culture) meaning even today.
A Chinese knot is __42__ is woven (编) from a single length of rope to be a variety of shapes. Each shape has __43__ (it) own meaning, and Chinese knots are usually woven in the red color, which indicates good fortune.
Originally, people may have made them __44__ (record) information and convey messages before they started to write.It is known that they __45__ (intend) for artistic decoration and to express thoughts and feelings in the Tang Dynasty.The Tang Empire was a large one that covered most of the __46__ (region) of modern China, and succeeding generations carried on __47__ traditional art form as part of their culture.
Now, some people use knots when they dress __48__ traditional Chinese clothing. They are a means of __49__ (fasten) traditional clothes instead of buttons.And silk is most __50__ (wide) used to make these clothing knots.
语篇解读本文是说明文。文章讲述了中国结的历史、工艺、用途以及它的内涵寓意。
41．cultural 考查词性转换。它们有悠久的历史，甚至今天也有文化意义。根据空前的“a”和空后的“meaning”可知，此处应用形容词作定语来修饰后面的名词。
42．what 考查表语从句。中国结是用一段绳子编成的东西，有各种各样的形状。分析句子结构可知，空处在此引导表语从句，且在从句中作主语，表示“……的东西”，故用what。
43．its 考查代词。每个形状都有它自己的意义。分析句子结构可知，此处应用形容词性物主代词，故填its。
44．to record 考查非谓语动词。起初，人们可能制作它们以记录信息和传递消息。这里是目的状语，应用动词不定式，故填to record。
45．were intended 考查时态和语态。众所周知，在唐朝，它们被用于艺术装饰，被用来表达想法和情感。此处描述的是唐朝的情况，应用一般过去时；且they(指中国结)与intend之间是动宾关系，应用被动语态。故填were intended。
46．regions 考查名词的数。唐朝疆域很大，覆盖着现在中国的大部分区域。根据空前的“most of”及region是可数名词可知，此处应用名词复数形式。
47．the 考查冠词。此处特指上文提到的中国结这种传统艺术形式，故填定冠词the。
48．in 考查介词。dress in ...“穿……衣服”为固定搭配。
49．fastening 考查非谓语动词。它们是一种固定传统服装的方式。空处位于介词of之后，故应用动名词形式作宾语。
50．widely 考查词性转换。分析句子结构可知，空处修饰used，表示“广泛地，普遍地”，因此应用副词widely。
Ⅴ.短文改错(共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分)
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\\)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2．只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
I went shopping in the supermarket with my nephews Tom today. While passing a shelf, Tom sudden stopped and looked at bag of processed beef with his eyes wide open. On the bag there was a beef cattle, that pointed to some processed beef, say, “It's yummy.” Tom said to me, “The cattle is very brave. He tells about others that his meat is yummy.” I'd seen the image few times. However, I had never think there was anything wrong with it, though I'd got used to such images. If we looked at things in the eyes of kids, we can find many interesting things.
答案：第一句：nephews→nephew
第二句：sudden→suddenly; at后加a
第三句：that→which; say→saying
第四句：去掉about
第五句：few→many
第六句：think→thought; though→because
第七句：looked→look
Ⅵ.书面表达(满分25分)
假定英语老师要求每位同学用英语作值日报告(duty report)。请你以“火星生活”为话题，发表一个值日报告。内容包括如下要点：
1．人类对火星生活的向往；
2．人类在火星上生存的条件及其必要性；
3．你是否愿意到火星上去生活，为什么？
注意：1.词数100左右；
2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考范文：
With the increasing population on Earth, human beings have been trying to find another planet in space to live on.
It is reported that liquid water has been found on Mars, which provides necessary conditions for all living things. To some extent, the climate on Mars is quite similar to that on Earth, which makes it possible for humans to live on Mars. Therefore, it is quite probable that humans will live on Mars one day.
As far as I am concerned, I would be willing to live on Mars if I got the chance in the future. Since it is a completely new place, I think it will be magical.
