重庆高考英语阅读理解专项训练（含答案）

阅读理解
If you hold up a seashell to your ear, you will hear the sea, no matter how far inland you currently are. In fact, it is not the case. So, what’s actually going on here
One popular explanation is that you are listening to your own blood coursing through you. Popular as this blood theory is, it doesn’t hold water. “Press your ear to a shell and listen, then run around on the beach for a few minutes to increase the blood flow all through your body, and again listen to your magic shell,” Kruszelnicki wrote. “You’ll find that the loudness of the ‘sound of the sea is still the same’.”
If we truly were hearing the sound of our blood rushing through our bodies, that wouldn’t be the case: exercising makes your blood pressure rise, which would thus increase the supposed sounds being “reflected” by the shell. The fact that we don’t hear a difference before and after exercise, therefore, makes quite an evident statement.
There’s another idea that the “sea” you can hear in a shell is actually air-air flowing through the shell and out again, which creates the noise. “In a soundproof room, you won’t hear anything from a shell,” confirmed Andrew King, director of the University of Oxford’s Centre for Integrative Neuroscience. “Background noise must be present.” That’s the biggest clue as to what’s really going on here: the sounds we hear “inside” seashells are not coming from inside our bodies, but rather around them.
“You are hearing surrounding or background noise that has been increased in amplitude (振幅) by the physical characteristic of the seashell,” King explained, “the specific sounds we hear within a shell depend on the exact shape of itself-the hard, curved surfaces inside the shell cause the sound waves that enter to bounce around, increasing some frequencies while reducing others.”
Seashells may be the most poetic of ways to experience this resonance (共振), but they’re definitely not the only method - pretty much any convex (凹面的) surface will do.
1．What is the author’s attitude toward the blood theory in paragraph 2
A．Opposing. B．Supportive. C．Defensive. D．Unconcerned.
2．What can we infer from Andrew King’s words
A．Background noise can be heard in a soundproof room.
B．The sound from seashells is the changed noise around you.
C．The shape of seashells can help produce the same sea sound.
D．Sound waves can bounce around to increase them in your ears.
3．What is the text mainly about
A．Why you can hear the sea from a seashell.
B．How people explore the secret of seashells.
C．Why popular beliefs sometimes prove wrong.
D．How scientists produce a sound as a seashell does.
4．What do you think the author will mention next
A．Different types of seashells. B．Causes of the sea sound.
C．The sound in soundproof rooms. D．Ways to set off resonance.
Long before the pandemic(疫情), many adults turned to toys from Legos to collectible items to tap into their inner childhood for comfort. But all the stresses from the health problems stimulated(刺激)and strengthened the trend, according to Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of a toy review site.
This so-called “kid-adult” market is significant. Ages 18 and older represented 14% of U. S. toy industry sales, or $5. 7 billion in 2022. It grew 19% compared with that in 2021, according to the NPD Group Inc. , a market research firm. This group also enjoyed the second-fastest increase after customers aged 12 to 17.
Last year, Build-a-Bear launched a website called Bear Cave for the 18-year-old and over, highlighting items like toy rabbits holding a bottle of wine. And Basic Fun took a high-tech on the traditional Lite Brite toy from the 1960s and recreated it as wall art with thousands of pegs and 45 LED lights aimed at the adults in time for the holidays-with a $99 price tag. McDonald’s tapped into this group, releasing adult Happy Meals in October with toys designed by the fashion brand Cactus Plant Flea Market.
Loren Brereton,61,was recently visiting the American Girl store with her granddaughter Alana,7. She said that during the pandemic, she took comfort looking at her own daughter’s dolls. She also pulled out some of her son’s Lego’s and other toys and played with them. And she was thinking of buying a few playthings for herself. “All of those games have brought me comfort when I was a kid, but, you know, sort of changed you at different times when you needed it,”she said. “And you needed it. ”
“The pandemic certainly served as a stimulus for this trend as adults found themselves stuck at home with nothing else to do with a lot of time in their hands,”said Genevieve Cruz, senior director at Lego, “But we do believe that the trend goes beyond the pandemic. ”
5．What do we know about the U. S. toy industry
A．It drew more adults than teenagers. B．It used to be no attraction to adults.
C．It saw a big growth in adult market. D．It brought customers health problems.
6．What is the main idea of Paragraph 3
A．Adult toys gradually took over the toy industry.
B．Adults had easy access to toys intended for adults.
C．Many companies launched products targeted at adults.
D．Some companies producing adult toys were established.
7．What do toys bring Loren Brereton
A．Inspiration. B．Satisfaction. C．Regret. D．Comfort.
8．Which of the following will Jim Silver and Genevieve Cruz both agree with
A．Adults are the main target of the toy industry.
B．Adult toys won’t be popular after the pandemic.
C．Health problems created the craze for adult toys.
D．The pandemic worked as a stimulus to adult toys.
Paul Wittgenstein had been born into an upper-class Austrian family on November 5, 1887. He grew up in a mansion full of activity and music. His great-uncle, Josef Joachim, was a famous violinist, and as a youth, Paul often accompanied him on the piano. He also studied with Teodor Leschetizky, who had taught many great pianists.
Music critics (评论家) had predicted an admirable future for Paul Wittgenstein as a concert pianist, but that was before he was forced into the Austrian Army near the beginning of World War I. In August of 1914, a bullet broke his right arm and the doctor amputated it.
It seemed Paul’s dream of being a concert pianist was over. At first, the thought of playing the piano with one hand seemed a cruel joke. After further reflection, he thought, why not His depression turned to determination, and he decided that his missing right arm wouldn’t end his music career.
Near the end of World War I, Paul gave his first left-handed piano recital (演奏会). The critics were surprised. His playing had improved, they said, despite his missing arm. Paul’s strong determination to play concert music inspired great composers to create works intended for the left hand. They were touched by his courage and excited by the challenge of writing music for a one-handed pianist. Paul performed their compositions throughout Europe.
When it was over, the audience rose for a standing applause and cheered wildly. They recognized that a master composer had written a masterpiece for a master artist. A few weeks later in Monte Carlo, Paul again performed the concerto, and again he received high praise.
The Concerto for the Left Hand, which Maurice Ravel wrote for Paul, has become part of musical history. Great pianists everywhere perform it. But it’s more than wonderful music — it is also a monument (见证) to the courage and persistence of a man who could have given up because of his injury, but didn’t.
9．Why did the critics think Paul had an admirable future
A．He was born in a noble family. B．He had access to music learning.
C．He often held musical activities. D．He made his relatives musicians.
10．What does the underlined word “amputate” mean in paragraph 2
A．Cut off. B．Attend to. C．Take up. D．Fit in.
11．Which of the following can best describe Paul
A．Active and modest. B．Brave and determined.
C．Hardworking and honest. D．Patient and humorous.
12．What can be a suitable title for the text
A．A Musical Masterpiece. B．Music Craze in Austria.
C．Back from The War. D．With Just One Hand.
St Patrick’s Day: All you need to know about your local parades
Thousands of people will crowd around cities, towns, and villages all over the country on Friday for the annual St Patrick’s Day festivities.
Cork
Cork City’s St Patrick’s Day parade will start at 1 pm, with the event also live-streamed from 12:45 pm for those unable to be there in person. Featuring Cork’s long-established bands and hundreds of sports and dance groups, the parade will also have a special multi-cultural focus, in the form of the migrant support group Together Razem.
Limerick
A huge turnout is expected in Limerick on Friday to watch the parade which kicks off at midday from O’Connell’s St. Serving as Grand Marshall is Limerick native and star of D’Unbelievables and the Oscar-nominated The Banshees of Inisherin, Jon Kenny, who is looking forward to his “starring role” in this year’s celebrations.
Waterford
Following the success of last year’s first-ever three-day festival, Waterford City is hoping to top the 2022 celebrations. The fun kicks off with live music in the Cultural Quarter on Thursday night. On Friday, the parade will set off from the Quays at 1 pm, led by Grand Marshall, boxing champion Kelyn Cassidy. The rest of the weekend will be filled with more music, workshops, and dancing, and there will be a fairground for the kids to enjoy.
Clare
Beginning at 11 am from Clare County Council’s headquarters, the parade in Ennis will celebrate the commitment of Clare’s sporting heroes to their local communities. The parade’s hosts are former president of Ennis Rugby (英式橄榄球) Club Jimmy O’Brien, Barefield athlete PJ Purcell, and great-grandniece of Kilnamona boxer Michael McTigue, Aisling Rynne.
13．Where are parents with kids most likely to go
A．Cork. B．Limerick. C．Waterford. D．Clare.
14．What can you do in Clare’s parade
A．Play rugby games. B．Enjoy live music.
C．Meet sports athletes. D．Watch boxing matches.
15．What is the text intended to do
A．To introduce local activities. B．To present city legends.
C．To promote sports products. D．To hire parade organizers.
Does your child love high-tech, writing or specialty arts Attending a summer camp with this focus is a perfect way for them to explore and to experience. Look through our selection and find the perfect fit for your child.
ID Tech Summer Camps
We’re trusted and hosted by the world’s top learning organizations. The right instructor changes everything. With personalized learning, your child will progress at their own pace. Your child can level up to Grade 10, standing out to colleges and future workers. We can’t wait to welcome your child to our community of 500,000+ students.
Summer Academic Youth Programs
Summer is the perfect time for pre-college students to explore their career interests. Our programs provide opportunities for students to experience college life while expanding their knowledge and exploring their interests. There are many opportunities including overnight camps and class credit opportunities.
Independent Lake Camp
It is an overnight summer camp offering impressive activities due to our quality facilities (设备) and talented staff. Started as a non-traditional summer camp, we focus on promoting creativity within each camper and the community and developing individual growth with our personalized scheduling — each camper chooses their own activities.
Virtual Live Creative Writing Camp
Creative writing is taught live online by experienced teachers. Great for ages 7+and divided into age-based groups, this camp has a limited class size so students can learn fun new skills. Videos will be made available to all creative writing campers. So with several camps to attend, your child will never miss a beat!
16．What is the advantage of attending ID Tech Summer Camps according to the passage
A．Attaining a high school diploma.
B．Standing out to colleges and future workers.
C．Participating in personalized scheduling.
D．Engaging in traditional summer camp activities.
17．Who will be interested in Summer Academic Youth Programs
A．Graduates looking for jobs. B．Students to level up credits.
C．High schoolers expecting college life. D．Learners to have academic courses.
18．What do ID Tech Summer Camps and Independent Lake Camp have in common
A．They make arrangements for work. B．They include overnight activities.
C．They improve personal creativity. D．They offer personalized learning.
19．Which camp best suits children with busy summer schedules
A．ID Tech Summer Camp. B．Independent Lake Camp.
C．Summer Academic Youth Programs. D．Virtual Live Creative Writing Camp.
I woke at 4 a.m. in a black hostel room, my eight roommates all still sound asleep at the early hour. I stepped outside without being noticed, forced a cheese roll into my mouth, and headed to the Kaikoura dolphin-watching tour office.
With more adrenaline (肾上腺素) than I had experienced when jumping out of a plane, I put on my flippers (脚蹼) quickly and got ready for the adventure. The moment I dove off the water, I was shocked awake. No amount of coffee, tea, or sugar has ever given me such a strong wake-up. It turns out that the ocean is freezing at 5 a.m. before the sunrise. Don’t be scared off by the temperature, though, because 5 a.m. is when the dolphins are most playful!
After a little while, I was face to face with a wild dusky dolphin! At one moment, it jumped up high into the air while the next it dove deep into the water. It made strange whale noises to draw the attention of more members of the group, including a tiny baby dolphin no bigger than a cat. What impressed me most was that the baby dolphin came close up, swam around playfully and kept looking at me with those black glassy eyes, seeming most interested in this strange fish-like creature that kept getting twisted (缠绕) in her own flippers.
The sun rose, warming my back as I continued to struggle with my flippers among the most graceful animals in the ocean. It was the most beautiful sight, as the dark blue of the ocean turned light greenish-blue, brightening our swimming companions for the early hours of the morning.
The practice of swimming with wild dolphins is banned in the North Island, where the species of Hector’s dolphins are in decline. But in Kaikoura, the practice is quite common and actually helping to increase the dolphin populations.
By supporting this adventurous experience, you’re supporting dolphin protection.
20．Why was I shocked awake when diving off the water
A．The water was freezing cold. B．Adrenaline went up.
C．I had drunk a lot of strong coffee. D．I was surprised by the playful dolphins.
21．What problem did I have under the water
A．A wild dolphin kept jumping beside me.
B．I had difficulty handling my flippers.
C．My strange appearance scared dolphins.
D．The baby dolphin swam around playfully.
22．How did I find my dolphin-watching
A．Dangerous but exciting. B．Adventurous and tiring.
C．Scary but unforgettable. D．Impressive and meaningful.
23．What is the best title for the passage
A．Swimming with Wild Dolphins in Kaikoura.
B．Dolphins—My Playful Companions.
C．Supporting Dolphin Protection
D．A Deep Dive into the Ocean.
ChatGPT, a new chatbot model developed by US-based AI research laboratory OpenAI, has quickly become a hit globally due to its advanced conversational capabilities.
It can write emails, computer codes, even academic papers and poems, and has passed a number of tests within seconds. Educators worldwide are discussing whether AI should be used in education. Some universities have banned it. The New York City’s Department of Education, for example, banned the chatbot from its public school devices and networks, with some people warning that it could encourage more students to cheat, especially in exams.
Many more welcome this app, claiming that, like most technological improvements and cutting-edge creations in history, ChatGPT is a powerful tool for the development of higher education.
Embracing AI as early as possible is advisable. Higher education institutions should make preparations for including AI in their syllabus (教学大纲). They can start by offering related courses, because by understanding how it works, they can make better use of it. Besides, students with good knowledge of AI are more competitive when it comes to getting a good job, as an increasing number of jobs are being done by computer programmes—some in cooperation with humans. AI-powered education technologies can be employed to make the learning experience more suitable for each student based on his or her strengths and weaknesses. As for professors, AI can free them from doing some dull tasks so they can concentrate on teaching and interacting with students.
Since we cannot avoid ChatGPT and other AI-powered applications from entering the field of higher education, we should make collective efforts to ensure they have a positive impact on society and the future of education. Despite AI helping make learning much more interesting and enjoyable, humans need to work very hard to win the race with technology.
24．Why do some higher education institutions forbid ChatGPT
A．ChatGPT can write emails and computer codes quickly.
B．Some professors might not perform their duties properly.
C．Students would have conversations with each other via it.
D．Students might seek help from it in completing the exams.
25．What does the underlined word “cutting-edge” in paragraph 3 mean
A．advanced B．traditional C．average D．typical
26．What is the author’s attitude towards AI applications in education
A．Fearful. B．Disapproving. C．Supportive. D．Uncertain.
27．How can AI benefit students of higher education
A．It offers students an increasing number of jobs.
B．It personalizes students’ learning experience.
C．It equips students with competitive skills to cooperate with humans.
D．It handles uninteresting tasks so students can better focus on learning.
28．What can be inferred from the last paragraph
A．We should guard against AI apps.
B．AI will be more widely used in education.
C．The future of education depends on AI apps.
D．Humans will be left behind by technology.
The new semester is almost here. While space in your luggage may limit what you can bring with you from home, you can pack a lot of things into your smartphone, which may be the most useful thing you bring with you all year.
Hours
The time-managing app Hours first asks you to set a timer for your initial task, then you can begin handling it until an alarm sets off telling you that time’s up. By setting more timers for more tasks, you can split your day into small sections so that each one focuses on one single thing instead of having different tasks overlap one another.
7 Minute Workout
You thought it was easy to spend one hour every day working out to stay in shape, only to find that it’s simply too time-consuming to make it a daily routine. As the name indicates, this app only requires a minimal investment. To start, you choose from various training modes. Each mode contains a training circuit of 7 minutes. If you find yourself powering through the workouts too easily, the “Be challenged” section includes more challenging modes like “abs of steel” and “mad”.
DailyCost
Instead of helping you organize your bills and loans, DailyCost works by tracking what you spend on everyday things-the drinks, the snacks, the movies-and showing you how all those little things can easily add up and eat away at your bank balance.
Ouizlet
While most of us aren’t into rote learning, you can’t deny that sometimes one of the most effective ways to absorb new vocabularies is to use flashcards. Quizlet allows you to create your own flashcards or you can simply share the ones made by the millions of other users. This online community is what sets this app apart from others like it, blurring the boundary between education and social networking. Quizlet covers a wide range of subjects, which makes it especially handy when you’re preparing for a major exam.
29．Who is the passage written for
A．Tech enthusiasts. B．College students. C．Job hunters. D．App developers.
30．What can we learn about the apps
A．Hours improves efficiency by multitasking. B．7 Minute Workout requires a fee.
C．DailyCost helps manage finances. D．Quizlet features vocabulary learning.
31．Which apps would be useful if you buy a soda on your way to the gym for a two-hour workout
A．Hours and 7 Minute Workout. B．7 Minute Workout and Quizlet.
C．DailyCost and Quizlet. D．Hours and DailyCost.
The industrial revolution was the biggest transformation in economic history. For centuries scholars have sought to understand why this process occurred in Britain around 1750. But opinions vary and some explanations are hard to prove. Researchers are now testing theories by studying why similar parts of Britain industrialized at different rates. New papers have provided evidence for a few key factors: slave-owners’ wealth, businesspersons who stood to benefit from investing, and shortages of lower-skilled workers.
Industrialization requires investment. To measure the impact of available wealth, Hans-Joachim Voth analyzed geographic variation in ownership of plantations (种植园). The wealth that Britons gained from slaves in South America flowed mainly to a few cities, such as Liverpool. By the 1830s these regions had large numbers of cotton mills and shares of workers employed in manufacturing. Other factors could have made these areas both gather wealth from slavery and industrialize quickly. But the paper tries to study slavery’s impact using slave ships’ voyages. Long journeys, caused mainly by bad weather, reduced the share of the survival of slaves and thus traders’ profits. And among similar areas, shorter trips in the 1830s meant faster industrialization.
Investors still needed to be financially driven to buy machines. In early modern Britain, most tenant farmers paid fixed rents, stopping both workers who moved elsewhere and landlords from profiting from investment. However, in 1536－40 Henry VIII ended the monasteries (修道院) and sold their land. The buyers could farm or rent it on market terms. A study by Leander shows that areas once owned by monasteries were the pioneers of industrialization. By the 1830s they had unusually large numbers of workers in trades and crafts, agricultural- machine patents(专利), textile workshops and grain separators. Those market-based farms created a commercial class and became a driving force for technological advances.
Another factor that has gained support is labour shortages. Mr. Voth studied Britain’s wars with France in 1793－1815, when there was a workforce shortage. They found that adoption of devices replacing manual labour was greatest in areas where the most men joined the army.
The strength of evidence for each of these causes implies that industrialization probably required a complex mix of conditions. Many important factors are hard to test statistically. But measuring even a few is a promising advance.
32．What is true about Voth’s study about slave ownership
A．Liverpool grew fat on the basis of the slave trade.
B．Slaves could hardly find jobs in manufacturing industry.
C．The parts with more slaves were slower to industrialize.
D．Longer slave ships’ voyages meant greater traders’ profits.
33．What was the result of Henry VIII’s ending the monasteries and selling their land
A．It encouraged agricultural development.
B．It promoted an increasing market economy.
C．It cut across the line of race and religion.
D．It raised money for the industrial revolution.
34．What message did the author want to convey by mentioning Britain’s wars with France
A．Manual labor should be highly valued by the government.
B．Social and political problems may lead to the outbreak of wars.
C．Most men were reluctant to join the army because of financial burdens.
D．Modern machines were invented massively due to the workforce shortage.
35．What can be the best title for the text
A．The Geographic Variation in the Industrial Revolution
B．The Role Slave-owners Play in the Industrial Revolution
C．Causes of the Industrial Revolution Identified by New Studies
D．The Impact of the Industrial Revolution on Britain’s Economy
In the live-streaming channel of Yang Weiyun, no singing or dancing is performed nor are products sold. Yang teaches pinyin, reading and writing, something that has been most familiar to her for the past 50 years. The difference is her students are mostly adults.
The 73-year-old is an experienced educator. She had been a Chinese teacher in an elementary school for 30 years and a kindergarten head for another 20 years. The rise of short video platforms gave her the idea of continuing her education endeavors through live-streaming online. The retiree opened her live-streaming account in May 2021 and offered free pinyin courses designed for kindergarten pupils about to attend primary schools. However, she gradually learned among her viewers there are a lot of illiterate (文盲的) adults.
Yang said she found many illiterate adults develop a sense of inferiority. They are afraid to go to new places, worried that they couldn’t teach their children or read their boss’s instructions. So she added targeted content to meet their needs. Many illiterate adults didn’t have the chance to go to school when they were young. They are the ones in urgent need of becoming literate.
Considering that most of the adult students are fully occupied, Yang holds two live stream sessions every day starting at 8:30 am and 8:30 pm respectively. Her channel helps those who want to overcome adult illiteracy. Now she has nearly 300,000 followers on the short video platform Douyin.
Zhang Mei is among the students who benefited from Yang’s live stream lessons. She was born and raised in the countryside and had never been to school. She watches Yang’s live streaming whenever there is spare time. Now she can read Chinese characters if they are marked with pinyin and knows how to write her name. She also found a job.
Students each have their own demands, so Yang always prepares her classes carefully after concluding a live streaming session. She tries to figure out what ways the students can learn and remember better, and her biggest wish now is to see these students graduate from her classes.
36．What do we know about Yang Weiyun as a teacher
A．She is really passionate about singing and dancing.
B．She mainly helps adult students to read and write.
C．She teaches elementary school students at present.
D．She is addicted to browsing the short video platform Douyin.
37．Why does Yang hold two live stream sessions every day
A．Because most adults have difficulty making time to attend the lessons.
B．Because her followers make a request for as many courses as possible.
C．Because Yang longs for instant fame and overnight success through Douyin.
D．Because it is considered the only way to overcome adult illiteracy.
38．Which of the following words can best describe Yang Weiyun
A．Independent and generous. B．Strong-willed and grateful.
C．Hardworking and talented. D．Helpful and considerate.
39．What’s the main idea of this text
A．A blogger offers free pinyin courses designed for kindergarten pupils.
B．An elderly woman teaches adults strategies on job hunting.
C．A retired teacher helps illiterate adults via live streaming.
D．An experienced educator added targeted content to meet students’ needs.
Lots of people dislike rats. They slide around in sewers(下水道). They get in the garbage. They can spread disease. It can be difficult to see their value — other than as an animal model for studying human illness. But rats have more to share.
When the first Europeans came to Virginia, black rats took a ride in their ships. They went on to live with the Europeans and often built nests in the walls of people’s homes. Those nests are full of information about early settlers. They show what specific materials the early settlers used, which helps historians find out what they could make and produce for themselves —and what they had to import from across the ocean.
In rats, DNA “really tells a story about the people,” says Emily Puckett, who studies how a species’ DNA differs across its range. Another species — the brown rat can help tell a large story about how people spread around the globe, Puckett finds. Brown rats were originally from Eastern China and Mongolia. From there, Puckett’s DNA samples have shown that the brown rat spread south and east, to India and almost everywhere else. The DNA in its bones could help determine where the rats came from — and which cities might have been linked.
At the University of York in England, David Orton studies animals that lived with ancient humans. Usually, when historians find remains of an ancient city, they want to dig and find more. “The trouble is that most of the time, the ancient cities tend to be underneath modern cities,” Orton says. “And you can’t just go and dig the whole thing up.” But you can follow the rats. Rats are “very dependent on humans for their food supplies and for their shelter,” he explains.
These rats have given us a new appreciation. “It was fascinating to think that these little creatures are stealing things, and … safeguarding them for us to find later,” Maureen Elgersman Lee, a historian, says.
40．What do historians probably learn from the nest of rats
A．The appearance of their nests.
B．The family members’ occupations.
C．The living conditions of early settlers.
D．The process of their food transportation.
41．Why can the brown rat help tell a large story
A．Because it originated from Eastern China.
B．Because its DNA reflected its spreading experience.
C．Because it enjoyed travelling around the globe.
D．Because its bones were full of information of cities.
42．What do David Orton’s words mean
A．Humans offered food and shelter for rats.
B．Historians could study the ancient city by digging.
C．The ancient cities were mostly located above modern ones.
D．Rats could offer a clue to learn the size of ancient cities.
43．What is a suitable title for the text
A．Rats Differ from Regions
B．Rats Change People’s Attitude
C．Rats Reveal the History of Us
D．Rats Depend on Humans for Living
A Guide to Bangkok
Overview
This destination is a city of temples, floating markets and a wide range of accommodations to suit every budget. Before your visit, read through our brief guide to learn about this exciting city.
Must-see attractions
The waterways around the Chao Phraya River are some of the most scenic areas around Bangkok, and the Chatuchak Weekend Market is a good place to visit. To experience Bangkok’s “East meets West” atmosphere, head to Khao San Road to visit market stands. To experience Thai culture, visit the Wat Arun, the Grand Palace and Wat Pho.
Free things to do
·Take a free meditation class at the International Buddhist Meditation Centre inside Wat Mahathat.
·Visit the temples. With the exception of a few like Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Pho, most are free and open every day.
·Watch a free Muay Thai boxing match at MBK Center.
· Relax and watch a free music concert in Lumphini Park.
Money-saving tips
· If you love to shop, look for bargains on high-end goods. You’ll often find much better deals here than in Singapore.
·Rent a bicycle to explore Bangkok.
· Choose metered taxis but decline rides from drivers who bargain about the price.
·Check out some web pages to view price comparisons for flights, hotels, and rental cars before you book.
44．What can you do on Khao San Road
A．Go shopping. B．Build a temple. C．Hold a concert. D．Organize a match.
45．Where can you enjoy a concert for free
A．At Wat Mahathat. B．In Wat Phra Kaew.
C．At MBK Center. D．In Lumphini Park.
46．What does the text advise you to do when you are travelling in Bangkok
A．Travel in any taxi. B．Explore the city by bike.
C．Buy expensive goods. D．Ask about prices temporarily.
You don’t have to use a dandelion (蒲公英) to know which way the wind blows. But it can help. Dandelion seeds fly freely in the wind. But those seeds on any given dandelion have different fates. Some are to float north when the wind blows them, while others are fated to fly east, south, west or some direction in between. “How do dandelion seeds respond to the wind depends on where they sit on the dandelion head ” says Jena Shields, a biophysicist at Cornell University in Ithaca.
One day, Jena happened to watch her little child play with dandelions. She noticed that the dandelion seeds didn’t all fall off the same. Some came loose more easily than others, but it depended on how the child blew on the seed heads. Jena got the inspiration for the research from it. So Jena set out to study what was going on.
She measured the force it takes to blow dandelion seeds away. To start with, she glued (粘贴) a wire to the different seeds. Then she pulled them at various angles. This seed-by-seed study mimicked what happens when the wind pushes them over.
The findings show that each seed falls off most easily in the wind from one direction, and seeds from one head don’t go the same way. The feathery seeds on the side facing the wind will fall off most easily. The others hold on more tightly until the wind shifts. Besides, once blown off a dandelion, a seed’s umbrella-like feather carries it on the wind that pulled it away. And it helps explain why the plants are so successful in spreading.
However, Jena also found an exception. A sudden strong blow was still able to blow all the seeds away in the same direction. So when a strong wind blows or excited children try their best to blow, all the seeds could be blown off at once.
47．Why did Jena do research on dandelion seeds
A．To correct people’s misconception of dandelions.
B．To figure out how dandelion seeds react to wind.
C．To explain why dandelions fly far without wind.
D．To satisfy her child’s curiosity about dandelions.
48．What does the underlined word “mimicked” in paragraph 3 mean
A．Predicted.
B．Proved.
C．Explored.
D．Copied.
49．What did Jena Shields’ research prove about dandelion seeds
A．They fly for the similar distance.
B．They tend to fly in one direction.
C．They come off easier in the wind from one direction.
D．They break free from feathers to fly once coming off.
50．What is the purpose of the last paragraph
A．To make up for the research.
B．To stress the point of the text.
C．To make a summary of the text.
D．To provide examples for the research.
On a hot July 4th afternoon, when Eric was driving, suddenly he found the road in front of him began to disappear. He was so frightened that he stopped and closed his eyes. It became totally gray in his right eye, and he couldn’t see anything. After finally seeing the doctor, he was told that he had suffered a retinal detachment (视网膜脱离). Eric had two surgeries in the following fifteen days, both unsuccessful. He lost the vision in his right eye permanently.
He spent the next eight years adjusting to living with one eye while pursuing his passion for movies. He got an entry-level job with Harkins Theatres and worked his way up with one goal in mind, which was to be a general manager and run his own Harkins. Unfortunately, he developed myopic degeneration (近视性恶化)in his left eye, which caused damage to the retina. The disease progressed quickly over the next three years, leaving him almost blind.
He could see shadows of people and objects, but he couldn’t make out details. Eric was forced to quit the job, going on his long-term disability.
Instead of despairing, he charted a new course for his life. And he found inspiration in an activity that one might not associate with people who have visual impairments (缺陷): running. Three years on, he was training for the New York City Marathon. With the help of a sighted guide, he was hoping to finish the race in four hours.
“I want to run it for those people that were denied because they were different or because they woke up one day and had a dramatic loss or whatever it was, ” Eric said. “And I also want to run to prove to myself that I can run it in four hours. ” His eyesight faded. But this marathoner’s road ahead is clearer than ever.
51．What happened to Eric
A．He was involved in a serious crash.
B．He hurt his eye on a damaged road.
C．He had an accidental visual problem.
D．He accidentally went the wrong way.
52．What can we learn about Eric from paragraph 2
A．He was mentally defeated. B．His right eye became worse.
C．His dream crashed down later. D．He couldn’t fit in with new life.
53．Why did Eric want to run the marathon
A．To contribute to his recovery.
B．To make a living.
C．To promote the public welfare.
D．To cheer up others.
54．Which of the following can best describe Eric
A．Positive and firm.
B．Strong-willed and cautious.
C．Reliable and wise.
D．Warm-hearted and generous.
Plastic waste is choking our planet. People are trying to help fix it by recycling, but their efforts aren’t going far enough. Even when plastic producers are held responsible and attempt to solve the problem, it doesn’t always go smoothly. Such has been the case for the company Torus Pak, which produces novel packaging for frozen meals on a large scale.
Like mnany other black plastic products, the Torus Pak packages used a carbon-based pigment(颜料). This pigment troubles the sorting technology which is used by many recycling facilities, so black plastic usually ends up being thrown away because the machines can’t identify it. Now the company is midway through the complex process of phasing out that pigment and switching that pigment to one that doesn’t use carbon.
But that doesn’t mean the problem is solved, for the recycling rate at the waste facility it- self is not encouraging. Your discarded plastic may end up in a landfill even if you send it to be recycled. Worldwide, only about nine percent of all the plastic waste has been recycled, which amounts to less than 600 million tons out of over 6 billion. While one might assume the pro- portion of plastic being recycled is on the increase due to improved tech and increased public awareness of environmental protection, it’s actually become even lower in many places in recent years.
“The world wasn’t always flooded with single-use plastic products, ” said Lisa Ramsden, senior plastic campaigner for Greenpeace USA．“We know how to live without them. We’ve just got used to a convenience culture that relies so heavily on them. ”
The solution is obvious. To get out of this habit, we should stop using so much plastic, starting with many of the items we use just once for a few panies need to shift toward using more refillable and reusable containers, and packaging made from materials that are less harmful to the environment. Governments must mandate(强制执行)such changes a goal we’re now finally inching closer to every day.
55．What is the problem with the Torus Pak packages
A．They are expensive for customers.
B．Their pigment is hardly appealing.
C．They are hard to define as “recyclable”.
D．Their production process is very complex.
56．What does the author mainly stress in paragraph 3
A．The reason for recycling plastic waste.
B．The outcome of recycling plastic waste.
C．The potential of recycling plastic waste.
D．The objective of recycling plastic waste.
57．What is advised to solve the plastic pollution in the text
A．Advancing recycling technology.
B．Making some stricter relevant laws.
C．Setting higher environmental goals.
D．Reducing the use of plastic products.
58．Which can be the best title for the text
A．A company contributes to recycling
B．Recycling fails to solve plastic pollution
C．Great changes happen in recycling plastic
D．Plastic pollution is increasingly worsening
My wife, Hannah, and I don’t usually keep houseplants. Anything in pots gets either over-watered or under-watered. But after my diagnosis with glioblastoma, a terminal brain cancer, with a prognosis of little more than a year to live, I loved the idea of having something new and green around.
My friend Mitch gave me what he said was a lucky bamboo plant in a deep-green pottery bowl with three pencil-sized stalks braided together. We placed the plant in the living room window across from the couch where I spent much of the day. I smiled when I looked at it over the rim of the mug of coffee Hannah brought me each morning.
I told Hannah I wanted to care for the plant myself. Tending to the plant gave me a sense of accomplishment at a time when I sometimes felt useless. Glioblastoma limited my ability to walk, and the treatment left me fatigued, making it hard for me to accomplish everyday tasks. As a family physician, I was used to being the one who provided care, not the one who received it. Since my diagnosis, I had to rely on help from other people. The enormous change left me feeling purposeless and unsettled Watering the plant, as small an act as it was, connected me to a core part of my old identity and taught me that plants and people could still depend on me.
Over the next few months, I recovered from surgery and completed radiation and chemotherapy. Even after I returned to work, I continued to care for the plant. Soon, it had nearly doubled in height and its leaves were shiny and lush. Both the tree and I were thriving.
59．What led the writer to keep the plant
A．Work experience. B．Misfortune in life.
C．Hannah’s insistence. D．Mitch’s suggestion.
60．According to paragraph 3, why did the writer feel fulfilled
A．He continued his career. B．He overcame his disease.
C．He could still be a caregiver. D．He developed a love for planting.
61．Which of the following best describes the writer
A．Caring and optimistic. B．Accomplished and determined.
C．Worried but understanding. D．Aimless but open-minded.
62．What’s the best title for the passage
A．A Healing Bamboo B．A Determined Doctor
C．An Incurable Disease D．A Miracle Cure
Our current climatic stable period is called the Long Summer. From the moment life began on the planet billions of years ago, the climate has swung often abruptly from one state to another-from tropical swamp (沼泽) to frozen ice age. Over the past 10,000 years, however, the climate has remained remarkably stable by historical standards: not too warm and not too cold. That stability has allowed human beings to thrive; farming has taken hold and civilizations have arisen.
But as human population has exploded over the past few thousand years, the fragile ecological balance that kept the Long Summer going has become threatened. The rise of industrialized agriculture has led to pollution on land and water, while our fossil fuel addiction has moved billions of tons of carbon from the land into the atmosphere, heating the climate ever more.
Now a new article in the Sept. 24 issue of Nature says the safe climatic limits in which humanity has blossomed are more vulnerable than ever and that unless we recognize our planetary boundaries and stay within them，we risk total disaster. But the fact is that it’s tough for policymakers to work out a new climate change agreement unless they know just how much carbon needs to be cut to keep people safe.
The problem is that identifying, those limits is a vague science-and even trickier to translate into policy. Scientists still aren’t certain as to how sensitive the climate will be to warming over the long term. It’s possible that the atmosphere will be able to handle more carbon or that disaster could be triggered at lower levels. But climate diplomats should remember that while they can negotiate with one another, ultimately, they can’t negotiate with the planet. Unless we manage our presence on Earth better, we may soon be in the last days of our Long Summer.
63．What contributed to the prosperity of human beings
A．Farming and civilization. B．Long-term stable climate.
C．Changes on the earth. D．The beginning of life.
64．Which of the following has put the ecosystem in danger
A．The rise of agriculture. B．The imbalanced industry.
C．The heavy use of fossil fuel. D．The upcoming climatic swing.
65．How does the writer develop the last paragraph
A．By presenting facts. B．By analyzing causes.
C．By explaining reasons. D．By making predictions.
66．What is suggested to solve the climate problem
A．Identifying safe climatic limits. B．Working with climate diplomats.
C．Reducing our impact on the planet. D．Establishing a climate change agreement.
It’s a question that’s bothered cultural critics for decades: while we know more than ever, are we getting sillier and dumber as a result of the increasing amount of technology at our disposal
The current debate about intelligence, sparked by Nicholas Carr’s recent The Shallows, asks what the Internet is doing to our brains Like Susan Jacoby’s The Age of American Unreason, Mr. Carr addresses the sense of despair among American intellectuals about the country’s poor educational performance when compared with other countries. In reading, mathematics and science, American 15-year-olds suffer in the lower half of the rankings for the 30 wealthiest countries.
But things are rarely as they seem. E-books barely existed a decade ago, but have exploded in popularity since Amazon introduced its Kindle a few years back. E-books are now outselling hardcovers. Perhaps we are witnessing not a decline in book reading but a renaissance. The irony is that had computers been invented before books we would now.be anxious about the loss of multi-media, multi-tasking, computer-gaming skills as our children wasted their time burying themselves in single topic paper books.
“There is simply no experimental evidence to show that living with new technologies fundamentally changes brain organization in a way that affects one’s ability to focus,” says Daniel Simons, a psychologist at Union College, New York.
The danger, if there is one, is that the easy, on-demand access to lots of information from the Internet may delude us into mistaking the data we download for genuine wisdom worth acting upon. Only fools would venture into such a forest of information with anything less than their eyes wide open and their brains fully engaged .Fortunately，there are fewer fools around than some of the scaremongers(散布谣言者)like to think.
67．What makes American scholars upset
A．US kids’ weak academic performance.
B．The ongoing debate about intelligence.
C．The poor education in USA．
D．America’s wealth ranking.
68．Why are computers mentioned in paragraph 3
A．To contrast with the popularity of Kindle.
B．To highlight the benefits of high tech.
C．To warn about a decline in reading.
D．To stress the importance of books.
69．What does the underlined word “delude" mean in paragraph 5
A．terrify B．argue C．force D．trick
70．What is the main idea of this passage
A．New technology changes our brains.
B．Exposure to high tech should be reduced.
C．Advanced technology won’t make us dumb
D．Nicholas Carr released a book on intelligence.
School was always something I loved because I always enjoyed learning more. I never felt afraid of going to school early in the morning, and I never tried to get out of any work. I stayed after school every chance I got. I did most of the work I could, got the best grades I could, and in the end, I graduated from high school with honors. All my success was because of the teachers I had who helped me, pushed me, and made learning a fun thing to do.
At the beginning of the school year, I had a lot of trouble leaving my mom in the mornings, but Mrs. Trainer always sat with me, talked with me, and helped me feel OK without my mom. She was understanding, kind, and always made the classroom a comfortable place. Mrs.Trainer also sat down and helped me learn; I was, and still, the worst speller, but she tried her best to help me.
The second was my senior high school English teacher, Mr. Stonerock. Mr. Stonerock was able to make English and writing fun, especially when we had eight-page papers to hand in. Some of my favorite high school memories(记忆) were in his classes. Mr. Stonerock also taught my class APA format(格式)which to me is invaluable. I use it every day in my life. He put up with so many shenanigans(恶作剧)from my classmates and me and always did it with a smile.
My point to all of this is that there are amazing and caring teachers out there whether they teach college level classes, high school level classes, or primary level classes. I have had more influential teachers than I can count. I am still in touch with some of my high school teachers, who give me life advice and guide me. Teachers are invaluable resources and no one can take their place.
71．Which of the following can best describe the author as a student
A．Creative and proud. B．Confident and polite.
C．Kind-hearted and honest. D．Hard-working and excellent.
72．How did Mrs.Trainer help the author
A．By teaching him like a mother.
B．By helping him to be the best speller.
C．By asking him easy questions in class.
D．By learning about his habits from his mother.
73．What is the most useful skill the author learnt from Mr.Stonerock
A．How to finish papers quickly.
B．How to use APA format correctly.
C．How to learn English in a fun way.
D．How to get on well with classmates.
74．What is the best title of this text
A．How to Be Good Teachers. B．My Experience As a Teacher.
C．The Greatness of Teachers. D．The Joy of Being a Teacher.
Two British teachers have broken the world record for the longest journey in a tuk-tuk after pulling their failing vehicle for 43 miles. Richard Sears and Nick Gough traveled 37,500 kilometers around the world and passed through 37 countries. They did this to support grassroots education project in Africa, Asia and South America.
The pair, who set off from London, thought their expedition was over when the vehicle started to fail. When the tuk-tuk broke, they were only 70 kilometers from their destination. They decided to pull it the rest of the way. The tuk-tuk, which weighs 800 kilograms, was pulled in turns by Richard and Nick over three days. On arrival in Chepen, Peru, they discovered a mechanic who specialized in tuk-tuks and managed to fix it.
The pair were back on the road and aiming for their next goal. Along their journey they had to tackle deserts and jungles. They also survived close encounters with elephants in Uganda and Botswana and an accident in Malaysia. The greatest hardship on the tuk-tuk was the mountain ranges lying in their path, including the Alps, the Himalayas and the Andes.
Nick and Richard uncovered some inspirational projects across Africa, Asia and South America. They witnessed firsthand the educational challenges facing these areas today. They joined street children in the slums of Cairo, Khartoum, Kampala, Mumbai and Phnom Penh. They visited Congolese refugees (难民) in camps in Eastern Burundi. They witnessed how education could free sex-workers in Delhi and victims of human trafficking in Nepal.
The pair established the Tuk-Tuk Educational Trust, a U.K. registered charity.
Talking about their motivation, Richard said, “The world’s leaders have made a commitment to achieving universal primary education but in spite of this pledge (承诺), over 57 million primary-aged children worldwide are still out of school; many more are in school, though still cannot access quality learning opportunities.”
75．Why did the two teachers travel the world
A．To support an education project.
B．To create a new world record.
C．To entertain themselves.
D．To challenge themselves.
76．How far did the two teachers pull the tuk-tuk each day on average
A．A little more than 23 kilometers.
B．About 14 miles.
C．43 miles.
D．70 kilometers.
77．What is the third paragraph mainly about
A．How they realized their next goal.
B．Their exciting experience on the road.
C．The beautiful scenery of famous mountains.
D．The difficulties and dangers they faced in the journey.
78．Which of the following best describes the two teachers
A．Curious and brave.
B．Humorous and generous.
C．Courageous and responsible.
D．Efficient and honest.
参考答案：
1．A 2．B 3．A 4．D
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍了人们从海螺中听到大海的声音的原因。
1．推理判断题。从第二段中的“Popular as this blood theory is, it doesn’t hold water.“Press your ear to a shell and listen, then run around on the beach for a few minutes to increase the blood flow all through your body, and again listen to your magic shell,” Kruszelnicki wrote. “You’ll find that the loudness of the “sound of the sea ‘is still the same. ”(尽管这种血液理论很受欢迎，但它站不住脚。Kruszelnicki写道：“把你的耳朵贴在贝壳上听，然后在海滩上跑几分钟，增加全身的血液流量，然后再听你神奇的贝壳。”你会发现“大海之声”的响度还是一样的)”可知，人们运动之后听到的声音没有改变，所以blood theory是不成立的。由此推知，作者对“血液理论”持反对态度。故选A项。
2．推理判断题。根据第五段““You are hearing surrounding or background noise that has been increased in amplitude(振幅)by the physical characteristic of the seashell,” King explained, “the specific sounds we hear within a shell depend on the exact shape of itself-the hard, curved surfaces inside the shell cause the sound waves that enter to bounce around, increasing some frequencies while reducing others.”(“你听到的周围或背景噪音的振幅由于贝壳的物理特性而增加了，”King解释说，“我们在贝壳内听到的特定声音取决于它本身的确切形状——贝壳内坚硬的、弯曲的表面导致声波进入周围反弹，一些频率增加，另一些频率降低。”)”可知，从贝克里听到的声音其实是周围的声音在贝壳内部曲面反弹，因此加强了它的振幅，因此这种声音其实就是周围被贝壳增大振幅后的声音。故选B项。
3．主旨大意题。根据首段中的“If you hold up a seashell to your ear, you will hear the sea, no matter how far inland you currently are. In fact, it is not the case. So, what’s actually going on here (如果你把一个贝壳举到耳边，你就会听到大海的声音，不管你现在在内陆有多远。事实上，事实并非如此。那么，这里到底发生了什么 )”可知，本段通过提问的形式引出本文的话题，根据第二段中的“One popular explanation is that you are listening to your own blood coursing through you. Popular as this blood theory is, it doesn’t hold water.(一种常见的解释是，你在听自己的血液在你体内流动。虽然这种血液理论很流行，但它站不住脚)”以及第四段中的“There’s another idea that the “sea” you can hear in a shell is actually air-air flowing through the shell and out again, which creates the noise.(还有一种观点认为，你在贝壳里听到的“海”实际上是空气——空气穿过贝壳又流出来，这就产生了噪音)”可知，全文解释从海贝壳听到大海的音的原因。故选A项。
4．推理判断题。根据最后一段“Seashells may be the most poetic of ways to experience this resonance(共振), but they’re definitely not the only method - pretty much any convex (凹面的) surface will do.(贝壳可能是体验这种共鸣的最诗意的方式，但它们绝对不是唯一的方法——几乎任何凸面都可以)”推知，接下来应该提到能产生共振的其他方式。故选D项。
5．C 6．C 7．D 8．D
【导语】本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍了疫情推动成年人玩具市场在疫情后的增长及其原因。
5．推理判断题。根据第二段中的“Ages 18 and older represented 14% of U. S. toy industry sales, or $5. 7 billion in 2022. It grew 19% compared with that in 2021, according to the NPD Group Inc. , a market research firm.(年龄在18岁及以上的人占美国玩具行业销售额的14%，即5美元。到2022年将达到70亿美元。根据市场研究公司NPD Group Inc.的数据，与2021年相比，这一数字增长了19%。)”可知，2022年成年人玩具销售额比前一年增长19%，增速排在第二。由此可见其增长巨大。故选C项。
6．主旨大意题。根据第三段“Last year, Build-a-Bear launched a website called Bear Cave for the 18-year-old and over, highlighting items like toy rabbits holding a bottle of wine. And Basic Fun took a high-tech on the traditional Lite Brite toy from the 1960s and recreated it as wall art with thousands of pegs and 45 LED lights aimed at the adults in time for the holidays-with a $99 price tag. McDonald’s tapped into this group, releasing adult Happy Meals in October with toys designed by the fashion brand Cactus Plant Flea Market.(去年，Build-a-Bear为18岁及以上的人推出了一个名为Bear Cave的网站，突出展示了举着一瓶葡萄酒的玩具兔子等项目。Basic Fun在20世纪60年代的传统Lite Brite玩具上采用了高科技，用数千个挂钩和45个LED灯将其重新制作成墙上的艺术品，目标是赶上假期的成年人，价格为99美元。McDonald利用了这一群体，在10月份推出了成人开心乐园餐，里面有由时尚品牌Cactus Plant Flea Market设计的玩具。)”可知，Build-a-Bear、Basic Fun以及McDonald等多家大公司都上市了针对成年人的产品，由此可知，本段讲述的是一些大公司发布的一些针对成年人的产品。故选C项。
7．细节理解题。根据第四段最后一句““All of those games have brought me comfort when I was a kid, but, you know, sort of changed you at different times when you needed it,”she said. “And you needed it. ”(“当我还是个孩子的时候，所有这些游戏都给我带来了安慰，但是，你知道，在不同的时候，当你需要它的时候，它会改变你，”她说。“你需要它。”)”可知Loren Brereton可以从玩具中获得安慰，而且现在需要这种安慰。故选D项。
8．推理判断题。根据第一段中的“But all the stresses from the health problems stimulated (刺激) and strengthened the trend, according to Jim Silver, editor-in-chief of a toy review site.(但一家玩具评论网站的主编吉姆 西尔弗说，健康问题带来的压力刺激并加强了这一趋势。)”可知，Jim Silver认为疫情带来的健康问题给人们极大压力，刺激和加强了成年人从玩具中寻求安慰的趋势，再根据最后一段““The pandemic certainly served as a stimulus for this trend as adults found themselves stuck at home with nothing else to do with a lot of time in their hands,”said Genevieve Cruz, senior director at Lego, “But we do believe that the trend goes beyond the pandemic. ”(乐高高级主管吉纳维芙·克鲁兹说:“疫情肯定是这种趋势的刺激因素，因为成年人发现自己被困在家里，没有其他事情可做，手里有很多时间。但我们确实认为，这种趋势超越了疫情。”。)”可知，Genevieve Cruz认为疫情是这种趋势的促进因素。由此可知，他们都赞成的是疫情是促使着这种趋势的发展。故选D项。
9．B 10．A 11．B 12．D
【导语】这是一篇记叙文。文介绍了Paul Wittgenstein在一只手臂截肢的情况下仍坚持不懈地练习钢琴，最终成为钢琴大师的故事。
9．细节理解题。根据第一段“Paul Wittgenstein had been born into an upper-class Austrian family on November 5,1887. He grew up in a mansion full of activity and music. His great-uncle, Josef Joachim, was a famous violinist, and as a youth, Paul often accompanied him on the piano. He also studied with Teodor Leschetizky, who had taught many great pianists.(1887年11月5日，Paul Wittgenstein出生在奥地利的一个上流社会家庭。他在一个充满活力和音乐的豪宅里长大。他的叔祖父Josef Joachim是一位著名的小提琴家，年轻时，Paul经常用钢琴为他伴奏。他还师从教过许多伟大的钢琴家的Teodor Leschetizky)”可知，Paul出生在一个充满音乐的上层阶级家庭，有音乐家亲戚和教出了很多音乐家的老师教导他学习音乐和钢琴，因此他有各种学习音乐的途径，评论家门预测他前途光明，故选B。
10．词义猜测题。根据第三段“At first, the thought of playing the piano with one hand seemed a cruel joke.(起初，单手弹钢琴的想法似乎是一个残酷的笑话)”可知，Paul只有一只手臂了，由此可推测出医生切掉了他受伤的手臂，amputate意为“切掉”，故选A。
11．推理判断题。根据第三段最后一句“His depression turned to determination, and he decided that his missing right arm wouldn’t end his music career.(他的沮丧变成了决心，他决定失去右臂不会结束他的音乐生涯)”以及第四段中“Paul’s strong determination to play concert music inspired great composers to create works intended for the left hand. They were touched by his courage and excited by the challenge of writing music for a one-handed pianist.(Paul演奏音乐会音乐的坚定决心激发了伟大的作曲家创作左手作品。他们被他的勇气所感动，为一个单手钢琴家创作音乐的挑战而兴奋)”可知，Paul在失去一只手臂的情况下，勇敢面对困难，坚定决心，坚持不懈练习钢琴追求理想，因此应该用“勇敢”和“意志坚定”来形容他。故选B。
12．主旨大意题。整篇文章介绍了主人公在失去一只手臂后坚持不懈成为若名钢琴家的故事，一只手臂为贯穿全文的线索，故选D。
13．C 14．C 15．A
【导语】这是一篇应用文。文章介绍了四个城市庆祝St Patrick’s Day的活动内容。
13．细节理解题。根据Waterford部分中“and there will be a fairground for the kids to enjoy(还会有一个露天游乐场供孩子们玩耍)”可知，在Waterford小孩子可以在露天游乐场玩，所以带孩子的父母会选择Waterford，故选C。
14．细节理解题。根据Clare部分的最后一句话“The parade’s hosts are former president of Ennis Rugby (英式橄榄球) Club Jimmy O’Brien, Barefield athlete PJ Purcell, and great-grandniece of Kilnamona boxer Michael McTigue, Aisling Rynne.(游行的主持人是恩尼斯橄榄球俱乐部的前主席Jimmy O’Brien，Barefield的运动员PJ Purcell，以及基尔纳莫纳拳击手Michael McTigue的曾孙女Aisling Rynne)”可知，在Clare的游行中可以见到运动员，故选C。
15．推理判断题。根据全文内容，结合第一段“Thousands of people will crowd around cities, towns, and villages all over the country on Friday for the annual St Patrick’s Day festivities.(周五，成千上万的人将聚集在全国各地的城镇和村庄，参加一年一度的St Patrick’s Day庆祝活动)”可知，文章介绍了四个城市庆祝St Patrick’s Day的活动内容，因此写作目的应为介绍当地活动，故选A。
16．B 17．C 18．D 19．D
【导语】本文是一篇应用文。文章主要介绍了四种关于高科技、写作或专业艺术的探索和体验的夏令营。
16．细节理解题。根据第二段“Your child can level up to Grade 10, standing out to colleges and future workers. (你的孩子可以升到10年级，在大学和未来的工作人员中脱颖而出)”可知，参加ID Tech夏令营的好处是在大学和未来的员工中脱颖而出。故选B。
17．细节理解题。根据Summer Academic Youth Programs部分中“Summer is the perfect time for pre-college students to explore their career interests. Our programs provide opportunities for students to experience college life while expanding their knowledge and exploring their interests. (夏天是大学预科学生探索自己职业兴趣的最佳时间。我们的课程为学生提供了体验大学生活的机会，同时扩展他们的知识和探索他们的兴趣)”可知，期待大学生活的高中生会对Summer Academic Youth Programs感兴趣。故选C。
18．细节理解题。根据ID Tech Summer Camps 部分中“With personalized learning, your child will progress at their own pace. Your child can level up to Grade 10, standing out to colleges and future workers. (通过个性化的学习，你的孩子会按照自己的节奏进步。你的孩子可以升到10年级，在大学和未来的工作者中脱颖而出)”以及Independent Lake Camp部分中“we focus on promoting creativity within each camper and the community and developing individual growth with our personalized scheduling — each camper chooses their own activities. (我们专注于促进每个露营者和社区的创造力，并通过我们的个性化日程表发展个人成长——每个露营者选择自己的活动)”可知，两者的共同之处是他们提供个性化的学习。故选D。
19．细节理解题。根据Virtual Live Creative Writing Camp部分中“Videos will be made available to all creative writing campers. So with several camps to attend, your child will never miss a beat! (视频将提供给所有创意写作营员。所以，有几个营地参加，你的孩子不会错过任何一个节拍！)”可知，Virtual Live Creative Writing Camp最适合暑期安排繁忙的孩子。故选D。
20．A 21．B 22．D 23．A
【导语】这是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了作者在Kaikoura潜入水中，观看海豚，与野生海豚一起畅泳的经历。
20．细节理解题。根据第二段中“The moment I dove off the water, I was shocked awake. No amount of coffee, tea, or sugar has ever given me such a strong wake-up. It turns out that the ocean is freezing at 5 a.m. before the sunrise.(当我跳下水的那一刻，我被惊醒了。从来没有多少咖啡、茶或糖能让我如此清醒。事实证明，早上5点，太阳还没升起，海水就已经结冰了。)”可知，作者在跳下水的时候被惊醒了是因为水是冰冷的。故选A。
21．细节理解题。根据第三段中“The sun rose, warming my back as I continued to struggle with my flippers among the most graceful animals in the ocean.(太阳升起来了，温暖着我的背，我继续用我的脚蹼在海洋中最优雅的动物中挣扎。)”可知，作者在水下时的问题是，他很难控制脚蹼。故选B。
22．推理判断题。根据第三段中“What impressed me most was that the baby dolphin came close up, swam around playfully and kept looking at me with those black glassy eyes, seeming most interested in this strange fish-like creature that kept getting twisted (缠绕) in her own flippers.(最令我印象深刻的是，小海豚走近我，嬉戏地游来游去，一直用那双黑色的玻璃眼睛看着我，似乎对这种奇怪的鱼形生物最感兴趣，它的鳍状肢不断地扭曲。)”和最后一段“By supporting this adventurous experience, you’re supporting dolphin protection.(通过支持这种冒险经历，你就是在支持保护海豚。)”可推知，作者认为观看海豚的这种冒险经历令人印象深刻且意义非凡。故选D。
23．主旨大意题。通读全文，尤其是第一段中“I stepped outside without being noticed, forced a cheese roll into my mouth, and headed to the Kaikoura dolphin-watching tour office.(我悄无声息地走了出去，把一个奶酪卷塞进嘴里，然后前往Kaikoura观看海豚旅游办公室。)”，第二段中“With more adrenaline (肾上腺素) than I had experienced when jumping out of a plane, I put on my flippers (脚蹼) quickly and got ready for the adventure.(当我从飞机上跳下来的时候，我的肾上腺素激增，我迅速地穿上我的鳍状肢，为这次冒险做好了准备。)”，第三段中“After a little while, I was face to face with a wild dusky dolphin! (过了一会儿，我和一只黑色的野生海豚面对面了！)”和倒数第二段中“But in Kaikoura, the practice is quite common and actually helping to increase the dolphin populations.(但在Kaikoura，这种做法相当普遍，实际上有助于