北京市部分区2023-2024学年高三上学期期末英语汇编：阅读理解（含解析）

北京市部分区2023-2024学年高三上学期期末英语试题分类汇编
阅读理解
北京市东城区2023-2024学年高三上学期期末统一测试英语试卷（含解析）
第一节（共14小题；每小题2分，共28分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Connected to each other like never before, young people today are becoming agents of change, increasingly contributing to innovative solutions that improve people’s lives and the planet’s health.
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research is therefore delighted to launch the Young Leaders Online Training Programme, a four-week e-Learning course, to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to fully unfold their potential as global leaders.
◆CONTENT
◇Online Learning Modules
Module 1: The United Nations (3-9 June 2024)
Module 2: Conference Diplomacy (外交) (10-16 June 2024)
Module 3: Sustainable Development Goals (17-23 June 2024)
Module 4: International Communication (24-30 June 2024)
Each module will comprise about 30 pages of literature, external links, videos, and other relevant material, corresponding to a total workload of 40-45 hours during the four weeks.
◇Live Components
Each e-Learning module will go with a series of live meetings with UN experts. These will have varying lengths and formats, including e-workshops, mock (模拟的) interviews, etc.
◆COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
Participants are qualified for a course certificate upon successful completion of the components below:
◇Reading the four modules’ content. You may wish to study the material through the interactive programme Articulate Storyline or simply download the PDF version of the content. They are identical in content and are meant to give participants flexibility in the way to study.
◇Participation in the discussion board forums (论坛). You are supposed to answer questions on every module in short texts. Your posts will be evaluated according to both quantity and quality.
◇Passing the multiple-choice assessments. Each module features an assessment quiz at its end. It contains 10 questions and passing the module requires at least 8 out of 10 questions correctly answered.
21. What is the main aim of the course
A. To improve the lives of young people. B. To connect the youth around the world.
C To collect innovative ideas from young people. D. To build up the youth’s global leadership ability.
22. What will participants do in each module
A. Read great works of literature. B. Spend 40-45 hours on learning.
C. Make videos for the United Nations. D. Have online meetings with UN experts.
23. To get a course certificate, a participant needs to ______.
A. take part in the discussions B. post questions on each module
C. copy the PDF version of the content D. answer all the test questions correctly
B
When I first heard about the improv(即兴表演) classes, I was torn. As an introvert, I feared getting on stage and improvising in front of strangers. However, I knew I wanted to work as a science communicator after finishing my Ph.D., so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to improve my speaking ability and gain confidence thinking on my feet.
During our first class, we learned a core concept of improv: “yes, and.” It means that, as improvisers, we accept what fellow performers say. If someone says that rhinos(犀牛) are librarians, for example, then rhinos are librarians. We do not question the logic; we say “yes” and continue with the scene as if no him is wrong.
I got a taste of how difficult that was when acting out my first scene. My classmate turned to me and said, “Mom is going to be so mad.” Mad about what My mind spun out ideas, and my inner critic shot them all down. We broke the car No, that’s too easy. We failed a test No, you don’t want your classmates thinking you’re stupid on the first day. I finally landed on an answer: “Yes, we’re going to be late for dinner.” The scene proceeded from there, and we eventually finished as two sisters who lost their way on a hiking trail.
The first few scenes were hard, but as weeks turned into months, I became more comfortable thinking on my feet and even started to enjoy our classes. I never silenced my inner critic entirely, but over time, I didn’t police my words with quite so much effort. I also became better at listening, relating to my conversation partners, and communicating clearly in the moment.
That training proved useful 6 months ago, when my experiments generated unreasonable data. Early on in graduate school, I would get stuck when this happened; my inner critic would assume I had made a mistake. But then, after embracing the “yes, and” concept, instead of getting discouraged, I kept exploring the data and ended up identifying a new type of cell—one that wasn’t behaving as expected. If I hadn’t accepted the possibility that the results were real, I would have missed out on the most exciting finding of my Ph.D. so far.
All scientists can benefit from this lesson. If the data say rhinos are librarians, then it’s worth investigating whether rhinos are, in fact, librarians. Our job as scientists isn’t to generate data that support a preconceived(预想的) story. Our job is to say “yes, and.”
24. Why did the author take the improv classes
A. To improve her logical mind. B. To finish her Ph. D. assignment.
C. To develop her communication skills. D. To pursue her interest in performance.
25. How did the author feel during the first scene
A. Conflicted. B. Bored. C. Discouraged. D. Embarrassed.
26. According to the author, in her experiments, “yes, and” helped her ______.
A. accept failures B. make a new discovery
C. make up for a mistake D. correct unreasonable data
27. What can we learn from this passage
A. The unknown can be an inspiration. B. The unexpected can be rewarding,
C. The unfortunate can be a chance. D. The unusual can be decisive.
C
When we’re solving a complicated problem, we often gather a group to brainstorm. We’re looking to get the best ideas as quickly as possible. I love seeing it happen — except for one tiny wrinkle. Group brainstorming usually backfires.
Extensive evidence shows that when we generate ideas together, we’re unlikely to maximize collective intelligence. As the humourist John Smith said, “If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be: ‘meetings’.” But the problem isn’t meetings themselves — it’s how we run them.
Think about the brainstorming sessions you’ve attended. You’ve probably seen people bite their tongues due to ego threat (“I don’t want to look stupid.”), noise (“We can’t all talk at once.”), and conformity pressure (“Let’s all jump on the boss’s ship!”). Goodbye diversity of thought, hello groupthink.
To unearth the hidden potential in teams instead of brainstorming, we’re better off shifting to a process called “brainwriting”. The initial steps are solo. You start by asking everyone to generate ideas separately. Next, you pool them and share them among the group. To preserve independent judgment, each member evaluates them on their own. Only then does the team come together to select and refine the most promising options. By developing and assessing ideas individually before choosing them, teams can surface and advance possibilities that might not get attention otherwise.
Research by organizational behaviour scholar Anita Woolley and her colleagues helps to explain why this method works. They find that a key to collective intelligence is full and fair participation. In brainstorming meetings, it’s too easy for participation to become lopsided in favour of the biggest egos, the loudest voices, and the most powerful people. The brainwriting process makes sure that all ideas are brought to the table and all voice s are brought into the conversation. The goal isn’t to be the smartest person in the room — it’s to make the room smarter.
Collective intelligence begins with individual creativity. But it doesn’t end there. Individuals produce a greater volume and variety of novel ideas when they work alone. That means that they come up with more brilliant ideas than groups — but also more terrible ideas than groups. It takes collective judgment to find the signal in the noise and bring the best ideas to fruition.
28. Both John Smith and the author may agree that brainstorming meetings fail to ______.
A. assess humans potential B. simplify problems quickly
C. accept possible good ideas D. get the most out of individuals
29. What does the underlined word “lopsided” in Paragraph 5 most probably mean
A. Informal. B. Unbalanced. C. Improper. D. Unpleasant.
30. The author writes this passage mainly to ______.
A. challenge a conclusion B. make a comparison
C advocate a practice D. introduce a research
D
Scientists are poor forecasters of the future. But two trends can be confidently predicted. First, the world will get more crowded. There’ll be more than 9 billion people by 2050. Second, the world will get warmer and some governments won’t prioritise the long-term measures needed to deal with climate change, even though science offers us a roadmap to a low-carbon future.
That’s why we should be promoters of new technology—without it the world can’t provide the food and sustainable energy needed for an expanding population. But we should also be cautious, as new technologies, such as AI, may be hard to control.
AI will undoubtedly become more intrusive in the future. Records of our movements, health and financial transactions will be stored in the cloud. The data may be used for justifiable reasons, such as protein folding and drug development, or to warn us of initial health risks, but its availability to Internet companies is already shifting the balance of power from governments to global-scale corporations.
Actually, it’s beyond Earth that AI has the most enormous potential. Humans may have established bases beyond Earth by the year 2100．But don’t ever expect mass emigration (移民) from Earth. It’s a false belief that space offers an escape from our problems. Dealing with climate change on Earth is a piece of cake compared to terraforming Mars.
Nevertheless, we should cheer on these brave human space adventurers. They’ll be ill-adapted to a Martian habitat, so they’ll have a super motive to redesign themselves. It’s they, not those of us adapted to life on Earth, who will pioneer the post-human era (时代).
If post-humans make the shift from flesh and blood to fully artificial intelligences they won’t need an atmosphere of even gravity, so it’s in deep space — not even on Mars that non biological “brains” may develop powers that we can’t imagine. They may end up being mentally different from us. AI could jump-start a huge emigration and thus even more complex intelligence spreads through the universe.
But let’s re focus from the science fiction of the far future. closer to the here and now. This century is special. It’s the first, in Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history where one species-ours—holds the planet’s future in its hands. Our intelligence could initiate billions of years of post-human evolution (演化), even more amazing than that which led to us. On the other hand, humans could cause biological, environmental or cyber catastrophes that foreclose all this potential.
If science is to save us, we need to think globally, sensibly and long-term—empowered by science, but guided by values that science alone can’t provide.
31. Why does the author mention the two trends in the first paragraph
A. To reply to governments’ decisions. B. To show scientists’ prediction ability.
C. To present a call for scientific advances. D. To highlight the challenges to scientists.
32. According to this passage, AI can ______.
A. put an end to climate change B. make mass human emigration possible
C. speed up the competition in medical fields D. bring about potential threats from big companies
33. As for the future, what does the author agree with
A. Post-humans will repeat the history of humans.
B. Complex intelligence will dominate the universe.
C. Fully artificial intelligences may inhabit outer space.
D. Non-biological brains may invite unforeseen disasters.
34. Which would be the best title for the passage
A. Could AI Save Us B. Will Science Lead Evolution
C. Arc Space Adventurers Pioneers D. Is Complex Intelligence Coming
北京市西城区2023-2024学年高三上学期期末考试英语试题（含解析）
第一节(共14小题;每小题2分，共28分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Pets are part of our family so it’s important to factor them in when planning a trip that you’re not taking them with you on. Pet charity Blue Cross advises planning well in advance so you know that your pet will be comfortable.
Family and friends
Leaving your pet in the care of a trusted friend or neighbour will give you peace of mind that it will be well cared for. Your pet will be able to stay with them in their home.
Things to consider if your pet is staying in another house:
· Do they have another dog or pet and will they get on with your pet
· Do they have a garden Is the garden secure so your pet can’t escape
Pet sitter
Pet sitters stay in or visit your home to look after your pet while you’re away for a fee. This is a good option which allows your pet to stay in a familiar environment and you will receive regular updates.
How to find a good pet sitter:
· Ask friends and family for recommendations for pet sitters.
· Pet sitters don’t need a license to work, but reputable ones will be able to show you training and insurance certificates.
· Check reviews online from independent review sites.
Home boarder
Home boarders are people that take pets into their own homes to look after for a fee.
How to find a good home boarder:
· Check their home has no obvious dangers, like exposed wires, toxic substances and unsecured fences.
· Your pet is invited round to get to know the home and meet the family it’ll be staying with.
· You can easily find and view their license to home board pets from the local council as well as their insurance details and training.
Boarding kennels
Kennels are an option, but it depends whether your pet is comfortable being left alone in a kennel environment around other pets.
How to find a boarding kennel:
· Get a personal recommendation, and check the kennel is licensed.
· Ask if you can visit before you book.
· Ask about insurance cover and the procedure for contacting a vet (兽医).
21. If you prefer your pet to stay in a familiar environment, you can leave it with _____.
A. a friend B. a pet sitter C. a home boarder D. a boarding kennel
22. How can one find a suitable home boarder
A Call the insurance company.
B. Check the license from the local council.
C. Check reviews from independent review sites.
D. Invite him over to your home and meet your family.
23. Who may find this passage most useful
A. A vet who desires to change his job.
B. A man who is considering adopting a dog.
C. A couple who are planning to rent a house.
D. A pet owner who will take a business trip.
B
Jim Glaub and his wife just moved into their new Manhattan apartment on 22nd Street when the previous houseowner said something curious: “Just so you know, there’s this thing where letters addressed to Santa come to the apartment. It has been coming for years and no one knows why. But it’s not that big a deal. ”
Then in the months leading to Christmas, letters from kids or parents to Santa came flooding in, asking for gifts they could not otherwise afford. Glaub and his wife responded to as many as they could, writing notes, even buying gifts. But they could do only so much.
Glaub, of course, is not Santa. He runs a marketing company. But one night, when the couple threw a Christmas party, a solution appeared. The guests noticed the hundreds of letters they’d yet to act upon piled in the corner of their dining room and asked about them.
“I told them the story, ” Glaub said. His guests were very interested. “A lot of people were like, ‘I’ll take a letter. I’ll fulfill it. ”
And so was born Miracle on 22nd Street, a community-based volunteer organization that responds to children’s letters to Santa with season’s greetings and gifts. Working with other nonprofits that help those in need, Glaub invited families from around the country to go online and request gifts for their children. Meanwhile, donors can sign up to buy gifts for a child or family, accompanied by a signed note.
Letters typically request popular items, such as toys, coats, a doll for little kids, makeup and bikes for older ones. One child suffering back pain from sleeping on the living room couch in a crowded household asked for a bed.
Some letters are heartbreaking. One child wrote: “Dear Santa for Christmas, I want my brother to get better. My younger brother has a hard time walking and has to use his wheelchair. I wish he could play like me.”
That’s a tough ask. But Glaub did send the children gift cards and a kind note.
Last year Glaub and the organization helped more than 800 families. One beneficiary wrote: “…you gave my babies a reason to smile and enjoy their Christmas after everything we’ve been through. All I wanted was to see them happy and I got just what I wanted.”
Glaub no longer tries to figure out why the letters come to the apartment. Putting in the long hours to help the families is what it’s all about for him.
24. At the beginning, what did the couple do with the letters to Santa
A. They paid no attention to them.
B. They asked their guests to help.
C. They just piled them in the corner.
D. They responded to as many as possible.
25. Miracle on 22nd Street was set up to _____.
A. let more people know their story
B. get more needy families and donors involved
C. find out why the letters came to the apartment
D. provide a platform for people to express their appreciation
26. How will Glaub probably feel about what they did for the senders of the letters
A. Worthwhile. B. Relieved. C. Curious. D. Grateful.
C
In parts of Africa, people communicate with a wild bird — the greater honeyguide-in order to locate bee habitats and harvest their stores of honey. It’s a rare example of cooperation between humans and wild animals, and a potential instance of cultural coevolution (共同进化). Brian Wood from UCLA and Claire Spottiswoode from University of Cape Town were lead authors on a study showing how this valuable partnership is maintained and varies across cultures.
“Our study demonstrates the bird’s ability to learn distinct voiced signals that are traditionally used by different honey-hunting communities, expanding possibilities for mutually beneficial cooperation with people,” Wood said. “Honeyguides seem to know the landscape well, gathering knowledge about the location of bee nests, which they then share with people,” Spottiswoode said. “People are eager for the bird’s help.” The honeyguides also benefit from locating the colonies: They eat the leftover honeycomb.
Spottiswoode and Wood’s study was done in cooperation with the Hadza in Tanzania, with whom Wood has been conducting research since 2004, and the Yao community of northern Mozambique. Their prior work in both communities documented differences in how each culture attracts honeyguides. Among the Hadza, a honey-hunter announces a desire to partner with the bird by whistling. In Mozambique, Yao honey-hunters do so with a “Brr!”... followed by a “...hmm!”
Using mathematical models and audio playback experiments, the team studied these signals, their usefulness to people and their impacts on birds. They experimentally exposed honeyguides in Tanzania and Mozambique to the same set of prerecorded sounds. This enabled the researchers to test whether honeyguides had learned to recognize and prefer the specialized signals that local honey-hunters used or were naturally attracted to all such signals.
The honeyguides in Tanzania were over three times more likely to cooperate when hearing the calls of local Hadza people than the calls of ‘foreign’ Yao. The honeyguides in Mozambique were almost twice as likely to cooperate when hearing the local Yao call, compared to the ‘foreign’ Hadza whistles.
The study proposes that differences in honeyguide-attracting signals are not random, but make practical sense. While honey-hunting, both the Hadza and Yao come across mammals (哺乳动物), but only the Hadza hunt them, using bows and arrows. The Hadza’s hunting might explain the less notable whistles they use. Filmed interviews show Hadza hunters explaining that they can evade being detected by their prey(猎物) because their whistles “sound like birds.” Contrarily, the signal the Yao use to communicate with the honeyguide can help scare off animals they find dangerous.
27. By cooperating with honey-hunting communities, honeyguides can _____.
A. nest near human culture
B. locate bee habitats easier
C. have access to more food
D. become familiar with the landscape
28. Why did the researchers use the same prerecorded signals
A. To study their mathematical models.
B. To check if they are a natural preference.
C. To investigate their usefulness to humans.
D. To see if they increase birds’ ability to find honey.
29. What can we learn from Spottiswoode and Wood’s study
A. The human-bird relationship can change with new signals.
B. The Yao community hunts animals while looking for bee nests.
C. The honeyguides are more responsive to calls from the local people.
D. The signals from the Hadza were more effective in attracting honeyguides.
30. What is the last paragraph mainly about
A. How mammals react to different signals.
B. How hunting techniques are applied to prey.
C. How whistles enable honeyguides to find targets.
D. How signals are associated with hunting practice.
D
The release of ChatGPT has caused more than a little worry about its ability to produce credible pieces of writing. “The College Essay Is Dead, ” some people declared. That’s unlikely. There are obvious workarounds. For example, students wouldn’t benefit from ChatGPT if they were required to write out essays by hand.
A return to handwritten essays could benefit students in a way. For instance, neuroscience research has revealed that the act of handwriting is very different from punching letters on a keyboard. Handwriting requires precise motor skills that stimulate greater activity in a broader group of brain regions when compared with typing and engage the brain in ways that researchers have linked to learning and memory improvements. Handwriting forces those areas responsible for memory and learning to communicate with each other, which helps form networks that facilitate the recall and acquisition of new information.
Much of the research has focused on children or younger students. But there’s evidence that, even for older students and adults, completing assignments in longhand is a more cognitively (认知地) involved process, leading to better processing of ideas and more original work. Meanwhile, research on foreign-language learners has found that handwriting is associated with improvements in some measure of accuracy and comprehension. Handwriting requires you to put a filter on what you’re producing in a way that typing doesn’t. When you’re writing by hand, you need to know what you want to say before you begin. If you don’t, you’ll have to cross things out or start over. Typing on a computer requires far less forethought. It is less challenging for the brain-and challenging the brain is central to education itself.
A return to handwritten essays wouldn’t be easy on teachers, who might have to reduce the length of assignments or allocate (分配) extra class time for completion. They’d also have the burden of reading text that wasn’t neatly turned out by a word processor. But some might find all that preferable to being constantly suspicious (猜疑的) that they’re being outsmarted by a computer program.
When health issues forced the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche to abandon his pen in favor of a typewriter, a change occurred in his writing style, which one scholar later described as a departure from “sustained argument and prolonged reflection” to a “telegram style. ” Our writing tools work on our thoughts. Ensuring that today’s students have more than one writing tool might pay off in ways experts are only beginning to grasp. ChatGPT and other AI-powered technologies will win only if we agree to play on their home territory.
31. How can handwriting benefit students
A It enhances brain engagement.
B. It guarantees accurate comprehension.
C. It creates networks for communication.
D. It facilitates the assessment of information.
32. What does the underlined phrase “put a filter on” in Paragraph 3 probably mean
A. Carefully screen. B. Passively accept.
C. Objectively assess. D. Gradually discover.
33. What factor may lead teachers to resist the idea of handwritten assignments
A. The risk of weakened concentration.
B. The fear of being outsmarted by AI.
C. The trouble of marking untidy work.
D. The content of handwritten essays.
34. Which would be the best title for the passage
A. College education will be reformed by ChatGPT
B. Handwriting will replace typing due to ChatGPT
C. Handwritten essays can help teachers defeat ChatGPT
D. College teachers return to longhand to battle ChatGPT
北京市石景山2023-2024学年高三上学期期末考试英语试题（含解析）
第一节（共14小题；每小题2分，共28分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
Top Family-Friendly Events in January
These family-friendly events and activities at popular spots in and around Denver will surely entertain you.
ZooLights: Glow Wild Jan. 1—14
The Denver Zoo’s yearly holiday light show is on until Jan. 14, allowing families one or more opportunities to enjoy the city’s zoo, with millions of lights giving an added dimension to the festivities.
Glow Wild, 765 N. Galvin Pkwy., Denver, denverzoo.org, $12.95 members, $14.95 general admission.
Joy Park Snow Days Jan. 14—28
A new, multi-faceted winter experience is taking over the Children’s Museum’s Joy Park. Take a slide down the Snow Hill, go ice skating, cozy up by fire pits with hot cocoa, take a photo in giant snow globe, and try your hand at curling.
Children’s Museum of Denver, Marsico Campus, , $15 ages 2—59, $13 ages 1 and 60+, $1 Explorer Pass, free under age 1 and members.
Family Fun Winterfest Jan. 29
OdySea Aquarium in the Desert is hosting the third annual Family Fun Winterfest in its Desert Courtyard, featuring real snow for the kids to play in. This free event features everything from bounce houses to rides, games, snowflake crafts and face painting to go with various stands set up by local sellers, with food and other offerings for sale at the event.
8520 E. Via de Ventura, Denver, , free.
Youth & Teen Art Classes Jan.13—Feb. 3
Create Arts Center is hosting a four-week youth art course on Saturdays to teach artistic skills and knowledge through fun and challenging art classes in a wide variety of art materials, including painting, drawing, mixed media and sculpture, ensuring mentally stimulating sessions for all. Classes are designed for a variety of experience levels from beginners through advanced students.
Create Arts Center, 1 E. Main St, Denver, createartscenter.org or 301-588-2787, $98.
21. How can you get a discounted ticket to the ZooLights show
A. By bringing a friend. B. By getting a membership.
C. By joining a tour group. D. By booking a ticket online.
22. What can you do at Family Fun Winterfest
A. Have free food. B. Take art classes.
C. Enjoy real snow. D. Meet local artists.
23. Which event lasts the longest
A. ZooLights: Glow Wild B. Joy Park Snow Days
C. Youth & Teen Art Classes D. Family Fun Winterfest
B
2002 it was, and I, a young girl who set out with the idea of getting my own library card, was permitted by my mother, Nichelle Nichols, to walk the mile from Prince George to the library in nearby Port Perry.
Down the street from Port Perry High was the library—a dark-brown brick building, imposing to a child of only seven years old.
To the left of the sidewalk was a series of steps that I climbed to push through a heavy door into a very large room filled with books. To an older lady I said, “I’d like a library card, please.”
She replied, “The children’s section is downstairs.”
“But I want adult books, because I can read.”
“Well, you are a child. You can’t get a card up here.”
“I’m six and I can read and write.”
“Go along child,” she said in a pleasant but authoritative voice.
I found the side door and walked in, seeing short and low shelves full of children’s books. Upon opening one, I read, “See Spot run. Run Spot. Run.” I opened another book. It read, “Once upon a time there was.” Sighing quietly, I walked out and back up to the main desk. By now, it was getting dark and I had to hurry.
“You’re back.” said the librarian.
“Yes. I will make you a deal. You hand me any book you like. If I can read a paragraph in it, you’ll give me a library card.” Shrugging (耸肩) happily, she handed me a thick book, I opened it and began to read. When I finished, the lady took the book back without a word.
I waited for a while and finally the lady stood up, handing me two cards. On one was printed the days and times the library was open to adults, and on the other were the precious words, Bonita Sue Nichols. I thanked her and quickly left the library.
24. What was the librarian’s response to the author’s request at first
A. She made fun of it. B. She turned it down.
C. She took it seriously. D. She considered it reasonable.
25. What did the author think of the books downstairs
A. Childish. B. Outdated. C. Short. D. Strange.
26. Why did the librarian give the author a card
A. She took pity on the author.
B. She was eager to get off work.
C. She found the author a good reader.
D. She was moved by the author’s courage.
27. What does the story intend to tell us
A. Courage is a solution. B. Age is a restriction.
C. Optimism leads to success. D. Ability opens a door.
C
Research has shown that people tend to get more happiness from spending their money on experiences, such as travel and entertainment, than on things, such as clothes and electronic goods. But are people happier during the purchased experience itself Or does the happiness come more from expecting or remembering the experience
A new study, published in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, offers an answer. Our experiential purchases bring us greater pleasure in terms of expectation and remembrance than do our material purchases, but they also bring us greater in-the-moment enjoyment, the study found.
For the study, the researchers found 2,635 adults who agreed to receive texts at any time during the day. The texts began with a happiness question, which asked the participants to rate how they felt “right now” on a scale from very bad to very good. Half of them were then asked if they had made a material purchase within the past hour, such as clothing or electronic goods. The others were asked if they had made an experiential purchase within the past hour, such as eating in a restaurant or attending a concert.
The researchers found that the purchasers of the experiences express higher levels of happiness than the purchasers of the material goods, no matter how much the purchases cost.
To address possible differences in types of purchasers, the researchers made a second study in which they researched more than 5,000 adults. “We still observed the same result,” said Steve Lacy, the study’s lead author.
The researchers said a possible explanation is the endurance (持久) of experiences in people’s memories, while the observed value of material goods weakens over time.
“If you want to be happier, it might be wise to move some of your spending away from material goods and a bit more toward experiences,” Lacy said. “That would likely lead to greater happiness.”
28 The author put forward two questions in Paragraph 1 to _______.
A. make a fact clear B. introduce a new research
C. list possible problems D. doubt the opinion presented
29. Why did the researchers text the participants
A. To ask them about their spending plans.
B. To understand their needs and spending habits.
C. To track their purchasing activities and feelings.
D. To find out the change in their purchasing choices.
30. According to the passage, which of the following can bring the greatest pleasure
A. One picks up a few good bargains.
B. One pays for an amusement park trip.
C. One buys electronic goods in an online shop.
D. One spends a great deal on high-end products.
D
A Swiss radio station recently carried out a social experiment on air, testing robot-created voices and content. The 13-hour experiment took place at the French-language station Couleur 3. During the period, listeners heard the cloned voices of five human presenters. The station’s programming also included music created by artificial intelligence (AI) methods. The programming informed listeners about the experiment every 20 minutes.
“AI is taking your favorite radio by storm,” a voice said. “Our voice clones and AI are here to unsettle, surprise and shake you. And for that matter, this text was also written by a robot.”
Recent AI developments have led to the creation of a series of tools that permit robots to lead different human activities. These tools belong to a group of systems known as “generative AI”. The tools use machine learning methods to train AI systems on huge amounts of data to produce human-quality results. One of the most highly publicized generative AI tools is called ChatGPT. It received wide attention by demonstrating the ability to quickly produce written answers to questions at a level and quality similar to humans. However, the development of “generative AI” systems has led to some criticism of the technology. Critics have warned that such systems, if used incorrectly, could cause economic, cultural and social harms.
The station said in a statement it received hundreds of messages on the day of the experiment, with some supporting and others opposing. One person complained of unfunny jokes. Another listener admitted to not recognizing the programming as an experiment. One critic called the project a waste of time for a station that gets public financing. Many listeners noted, “You can sense these are robots, and there are fewer surprises, less personality.” Some listeners were even more forceful, urging station officials to “give us back our humans!”
The Swiss station’s chief, Antoine Multone, told The Associated Press that Couleur 3 was able to carry out the experiment because it is already known for doing provocative things.
Multone defended the project as a lesson on how to live with AI. “I think if we become ostriches (鸵鸟) ... we put our heads in the sand and say, ‘Mon Dieu, there’s a new technology! We’re all going to die!’ then yeah, we’re going to die because it (AI) is coming, whether we like it or not,” Multone said by phone. “We want to master the technology so we can then put limits on it.” He added that about 90 percent of the listener reactions suggested the experiment was a good idea.
31. What did the social experiment test
A. Audiences’ feedback. B. Robot-created systems.
C. Human presenters’ voices. D. AI-generated programmes.
32. What does the word “provocative” underlined in Paragraph 5 most probably mean
A. Stimulative. B. Conservative. C. Persuasive. D. Instructive.
33. What should we do with AI according to Antoine Multone
A. Limit and prevent its progress. B. Take human elements out of it.
C Take advantage of it without defence. D. Research and make use of it sensibly.
34. Which would be the best title for the passage
A. Putting AI Voices on Radio B. Creating Generative AI Tools
C. Exploring the Development of AI D. Replacing Announcers with AI
北京昌平区2023-2024学年高三上学期期末英语试卷（含解析）
第一节(共14小题;每小题2分，共28分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
The Common Young Writers Program (TCYWP) welcomes high school students passionate about creative writing to join our virtual classes for two inspiring weeks dedicated to fiction writing. Students will learn and experiment with the key building blocks of fiction and be guided through the process of writing and revising their own short stories. At the end of the program, students will emerge more confident in their skills and more connected to a supportive writing community.
Taught by the editors and editorial assistants of Amherst College’s literary magazine, the summer course run Monday-Friday and are open to all high school students.
Fiction Class
Our fiction class guides students through the process of writing a short story. No previous writing experience is necessary. Through daily writing assignments and class meetings, students will learn about the key building blocks of fiction and will each complete their own short story by the end of the course. In addition to submitting daily assignments, students will meet as a group with our instructors online. Students will also meet individually with an instructor to discuss their own short stories, and will not only receive written feedback on their first drafts and final stories, but on all daily assignments.
Students should expect to spend around 3-4 hours each day on their assignments, including meeting times. Class size will be small, and we’ll break into small groups for discussions during each session.
Cost & Scholarships
The cost of the TCYWP two-week program is $725. We hope that no student will let financial difficulty prevent them from applying. Tuition waivers (学费减免) will be awarded to students with strong applications who cannot attend the program without financial assistance. In the application, students will have the opportunity to briefly describe their financial circumstances and state the amount they could afford to pay, if any, if accepted into the program. No documentation is required. Contact us at info@, if there is any question.
21. Participants of the Common Young Writers Program will ______.
A. attend a virtual learning course
B. meet great writers from colleges
C. become passionate about writing
D. gain confidence in writing reports
22. In the Fiction Class, students need to ______.
A. complete a writing assignment every day
B. discuss their own story in a group meeting
C. prove they have previous writing experience
D. spend more than 4 hours on their assignments
23. Which is a requirement for the tuition waiver
A. Recommendation from the TCYWP office.
B. Certificate of the academic achievement.
C. Documents to prove the need of financial help.
D Application to explain the financial difficulties.
B
My birth was a little more dramatic than the standard way a baby enters the world. Within minutes of coming out, I was brought into another room while doctors gave my parents the difficult news: I was born missing my left hand. I’m sure it was quite difficult for them.
My parents took good care of me. I played sports, acted in theater, stood out in school, participated in student government and had playdates with friends. While I did get some stares and “polite” questions about my disability, I am lucky because I wasn’t made fun of for my limb (肢体) difference.
As kids do, I quickly learned to adapt, working around the “missing” hand. One of my earliest memories is my father trying to teach me to tie my shoes. I gently pushed him out of the way because his two-handed method wouldn’t work for me, and I figured out a way to do it with one hand.
However, that fact that I was different hit me hard my first day of high school. I was 13, an age when kids are already very self-conscious and the demand to fit in increases. I remember getting on the yellow school bus and one of the other kids stared just a little too long at my left arm. The staring discouraged me in a way it never had before, and I felt a sudden urge to hide my hand, so I impulsively (冲动地) slipped it into my pocket. I told myself that I’d just hide it that one day, while I was trying to make friends. But one day of hiding turned into a week, which turned into a month, which became years—25 of them to be exact.
Tired of hiding and so lonely, the transformation process came to me. I started with physical care. And when I was 38 years old, I met someone special and invited them in. For the first time in my life, I allowed someone to really hold my limb, look at it, take pictures of it, touch it, love it—love me. From that point on, I saw my limb difference as something unique and beautiful about me, something that should be shown, not hidden.
Hiding things, especially from loved ones, is exhausting and hurting, and it prevents us from getting help and support. Unhiding can set you free.
24. When the author was a kid, she felt her limb difference was .
A. meaningful B. inconvenient C. special D. acceptable
25. Why did the author decide to hide her hand
A. She was laughed at on the bus.
B. She felt afraid of scaring others.
C. She became sensitive at that age.
D. She got discouraged by her father.
26. The author started her transformation in her 30s because ______.
A. her hand was touched and loved
B. she received a useful physical care
C. someone special came into her life
D. she had a desire to make a change
27. What can we learn from this passage
A. Family love is important for our growth.
B. Stopping hiding opens up a new world.
C. Time is the best cure for a broken heart.
D. Inner beauty matters more than appearance.
C
Drought is an increasing problem in our warming world. All continents have been experiencing more extended periods without rain, leading to forest fires and poor crop growth. Consequently, people are looking at cloud seeding to solve the problem — a method of encouraging precipitation (降水) by sending small particles of certain chemicals into clouds.
Cloud-seeding expert Arlen Huggins has been studying its effectiveness. “My earliest experience was to use cloud seeding to reduce the amount of hail (冰雹) in northeast Colorado. We didn’t have any luck with that, but we had success later on in increasing snowfall in Utah. Now, the focus is shifting towards increasing rainfall from summer clouds, which is far more unpredictable.” said he.
The problem is that it’s pretty hard to know whether precipitation resulted directly from cloud seeding. It might have rained or snowed anyway. Even if you cloud seed in one place and don’t in another, it’s impossible to know for sure what caused the precipitation. Also, it’s not during foggy and snowy conditions that people think of increasing the chance of rainfall. When a country is hit by drought, then cloud seeding isn’t an option due to the lack of clouds. During drought, skies tend to be clear with few clouds. The best option to prevent drought is to seed at times of the year when rainfall levels are normal or higher. That way, slightly more rain can be stored the dry season.
As cloud seeding is expensive and its effectiveness tenuous, its usefulness is still a matter of opinion. University of Colorado researcher Katja Friedrich says cloud seeding can’t end a drought. However, it can be beneficial, provided it occurs alongside other water conservation strategies. Still, for that to happen, the water would need to be captured and stored effectively.
There are also environmental issues regarding the impact of cloud seeding. At high levels, the chemicals sent into the clouds can harm humans and other animals, and some studies have found them slightly poisonous. Apart from that, some environmentalists are concerned about the long-term impacts, as there isn’t data on how much those chemicals accumulate (累积) in the environment over 10 years.
Another fear is that cloud seeding could potentially steal water from neighbouring areas by encouraging the water in clouds that would otherwise fall somewhere else to fall in your location. If one country uses cloud seeding to create rain, a neighbouring country will also be very likely to lose out because clouds are constantly forming and reforming.
28. In Huggins’ study, at first cloud seeding was used to .
A increase annual snowfall in Utah
B. send chemicals into summer clouds
C. lower the amount of hail in Colorado
D. put out forest fires and help crops grow
29. What does the underlined word tenuous in the fourth paragraph probably mean
A. Negative. B. Weak. C. Surprising. D. Various.
30. What’s the best title of the passage
A. Should we seed clouds to make rain
B. Should we seed clouds at a lower price
C. Can cloud seeding help end a drought
D. Can cloud seeding be more eco-friendly
D
What does it mean to be intelligent If it’s defined by having the biggest brain, then sperm whales—whose brain is 20 pounds—would be the brightest creatures on Earth. But, more likely, intelligence is what gives an organism the best chance to survive in an environment. Language may be one of the best ways to demonstrate that kind of smarts. Though all animals can communicate with others, humans are one of the few species to have a spoken language. Using speech, we could share complex ideas, pass knowledge through generations, and create communities. Whether spoken language actually helped us evolve (进化) as species into more advanced beings, however, has never really been tested.
“Language allowing humans to be a more advanced species is an assumption that somebody came up with one day without really trying to prove it,” says Erich Jarvis, a professor who studies the neurobiology of vocal learning.
But Jarvis and his colleagues were able to examine this assumption with the help of songbirds. Jarvis’ new study provides some of the first evidence that vocal learning—one of the crucial components for a spoken language—is associated with problem-solving. Vocal learning is the ability to produce new sounds by imitating (模仿) others, relying on experience rather than instinct.
To get a better grasp of vocal learning and cognition (认知), the study authors turned to songbirds. The team performed seven cognitive experiments on 214 songbirds from 23 different species. Of these, 21 species were caught from the wild. Two songbirds studied are domesticated. The behavioral tests examined the birds’ problem solving, for instance by figuring out how to remove an object to access the food reward. The researchers also tested two other skills often associated with intelligence: learning by association, plus what’s called reversal (倒转的) learning, in which an animal adjusts its behavior to get a reward. They then looked at whether being vocal learners helped develop the three skills, comparing 21 bird species to two others, which were vocal non-learners.
The biologists noticed a strong relationship between vocal learning and problem-solving skills. Vocal learning bird species could come up with innovative ideas, such as getting seeds, or a worm trapped under a cup by removing the obstacle or pulling it apart. All three abilities—problem solving, associative learning, and reversal learning—are typically considered “components of intelligence,” he says.
Brain size was another benefit to vocal learning that may have supported these problem-solving abilities. The 21 vocal-learning species had slightly larger brains, relative to their body size, than the two who weren’t. Jarvis says it’s possible these big-headed birds packed more neurons.
One question left unanswered is why there’s such a strong relationship between problem-solving abilities and vocal learning. The brain areas in charge of vocal learning are not the same ones that get activated when we need to troubleshoot an issue, says Jarvis.
31. The purpose of the first paragraph is to ______.
A promote a new theory B. offer an example
C. present an assumption D. make a contrast
32. Why does Jarvis carry out the study
A. To examine the problem-solving ability of songbirds.
B. To prove the significance of vocal learning to humans.
C. To illustrate the influence of brain size on vocal learning.
D. To test the relation between vocal learning and intelligence.
33. What do we know from the study on songbirds
A. Advanced species have better problem-solving ability.
B. Vocal learners have a better development of intelligence.
C. Better problem-solving ability leads to bigger brain size.
D. Humans and songbirds are both good at vocal learning.
34. We can infer that future study will focus on ________.
A. why humans’ problem-solving abilities develop better
B. how other abilities are connected to songbirds’ intelligence
C. how problem-solving and vocal learning brain areas are related
D. why vocal learning differences exist in various songbirds species
北京市顺义区2023-2024学年高三上学期期末考试英语试题（含解析）
第一节(共14小题;每小题2分，共28分)
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
The CAUSE Leadership Academy (CLA) for students is a paid nine-week internship (实习) program that connects college undergraduates to communities through local political experiences and prepares them to lead and advocate for the civic engagement.
General Information:
·Program Duration: June 24th, 2024 — August 23rd, 2024
·Location and Time Commitment: CLA will be an in-person, full-time program (5 days per week, about 40 hours per week).
·Payment: Each intern will receive $4,000 upon satisfactory completion of the program.
Program Goals:
·To gain new skills and knowledge
·To deepen understanding of issues that impact the local community
·To explore civic leadership career paths
·To develop professional experience and skills to be effective in political advocacy and campaign support
Program Components:
·Interns will work together to develop a project.
·Interns will be placed in a public, private, or non-profit host office.
·Interns will learn about and support civic engagement efforts with their Host Office.
·Interns will develop leadership skills and expand understanding of civic engagement.
Requirements for the applicants:
·Have a minimum GPA (Grade Point Average) of 3.0
·Be a current student with at least one year of college completed or a recent college graduate
·Be able to actively participate in all major events
For full consideration, applicants must ensure both Application and Letter of Recommendation are received by Sunday, January 28th, 2024 at 11:59 pm.
21. The program aims to help participants _______.
A. lead political campaigns B. make high academic achievements
C. choose civic leadership career paths D. deepen understanding of civic issues
22. CLA will provide interns _______.
A. a training online B. a project to finish individually
C. a leader position in a Host Office D. a $ 4, 000 payment for great work
23. Which is a requirement for the applicants
A. Participating in all events. B. Having a GPA no less than 3. 0.
C. Applying after January 28th, 2024. D. Being a current high school student.
B
If you have ever seen a snowflake design on jewelry or a bag, chances are it was based on one of Wilson Bentley’s more than 5,000 photomicrographs of snow crystals (晶体).
At first, though, Bentley did not have any way to share his enjoyment of the delicate hexagons (六边形) other than to draw them. He spent hours outside or inside his unheated storeroom with a microscope. He would pick up a snow crystal and transfer it to a microscope slide. There, he flattened it with a bird feather. Then, holding his breath, he observed the crystal and hurried to draw what he saw before it turned forever into thin air.
A few years later, Bentley began his pursuit to photograph a snow crystal. He attached a microscope to a camera. Time after time, his negatives appeared blank. The following winter, he finally figured out that too much light was reaching the camera. His solution was to place a metal plate with a tiny hole in the center beneath the stage of the microscope. It cut down the stray (杂散的) light and allowed only the light waves carrying the image to reach the camera.
On January 15, 1885, at the age of 19, Bentley finally photographed a snowflake! He spent many hours over the next 45 years in his tiny darkroom developing negatives.
Bentley lived his entire life on his childhood farm. He farmed for a living. To his friends and family, he was kind, gentle, and funny “Willie”. But to scientists, he was the untrained researcher who became a snow crystal pioneer. He wrote for science journals. He not only photographed snow crystals but also became an authority on dew (露水) and frost. He kept a detailed daily log of local weather conditions throughout his life. He developed a method to measure the size of raindrops too.
Bentley never made more than a few thousand dollars from his work. It had been a labor of love, and he was satisfied to be able to share the beauty of his snow crystals with the world. And today, he is remembered as Snowflake Bentley.
24 Why did Bentley draw the snow crystals
A. To design products. B. To become an artist.
C. To share his pleasure. D. To research the weather.
25. To photograph a snow crystal, Bentley _______.
A. improved the microscope B. changed the negatives
C. turned down the light D. invented a camera
26. What do we know about Bentley
A. He lived a successful but boring life. B. He was laughed at for lack of training.
C. He earned a lot of money from his photos. D. He was not only an artist but also a scientist.
27. What can we learn from this passage
A. Practice makes perfect. B. Intelligence is the key to success.
C. Love and devotion makes a person. D. Chances are for those who are prepared.
C
I love a group text—a grext, if you’ll permit me—but lately, the huge number of them competing for my attention has felt out of control. By the time I wake up, the notifications have already started rolling in; as I’m going to bed, they’re still coming. In between, I try to keep up, but all it takes is one 30-minute meeting before I’ve somehow gotten 100 new messages. I scroll up and up, trying to find where I left off, like I’ve lost my place in a book that keeps getting longer.
For better or for worse, we might be in the Age of the Group Chat. One study found that less than 2 percent of participants had only one-on-one chats on social media. 42 percent said that group chats can feel like a part-time job. Other studies have found that group chats can contribute to group bond and shared fun. A group text can be like a reminder that you’re part of something. Some researchers call this “ambient virtual presence”: Even when you’re alone, you’re not alone. This is like bats and dolphins producing a continuous sound and use the resulting echo (回声) to sense what’s around them.
But taking in too many signals can create a “waterfall type of effect,” where messages keep flooding in and adding up. Eventually, you’re underwater. Adding to the disorder, without a standard rule, people have very different ideas about group norm and what degree of responsiveness is required—which can cause real tension.
Fear of that tension can make wordless or even leaving a chat feel dispiriting. And anyway, you might not want to miss out. The desire isn’t to exit the room so much as to break a window. If group messaging is like echolocation, then disconnecting means lost.
Ultimately, most of us do want connection, even if it involves some duties; we’ll take quantities of messages when we’re busy if it means we can reach out when we’re hurting. A general advice is to give up grexts that are carrying on but that don’t really interest you. But when you can’t, you’ll just have to accept that belonging takes some effort. That’s the nature of relationships, right
28. The author uses his experience in Paragraph 1 to _______.
A. introduce the topic B. predict the ending
C. highlight an opinion D. illustrate an argument
29. What can be inferred from Paragraph 2
A. Lonely people prefer group chats. B. Bats and dolphins have group chats.
C. Group chats offer a sense of belonging. D. Group chats create a few part-time jobs.
30. What does the writer intend to tell us
A. Group chat needs a standard rule.
B. Group chat gives us more fear than joy.
C. Group chat helps promote strong connection.
D. Group chat is just a way to maintain relationships.
D
Borders, departments, or issue areas all represent what systems analysts call system boundaries. System boundaries divide the big, messy, interconnected world into smaller subsystems. This is useful, even necessary. Our minds and our collective governance systems would be stuck if we had to always consider all the connections of everything to everything else. But dividing systems into subsystems can sometimes break a natural cooperativity. For instance, a decarbonizing country will spend money in its energy and transportation sectors and save money in its health system.
Decarbonization could be a win for the whole, but it might be experienced as a bother for particular subsystems.
Donella Meadows, the early systems modeler, wrote that system boundaries are “lines in the mind, not in the world.” And that is actually good news. If departments, and disciplines are just ideas, then there is nothing immovable about them. We can make these borders less obvious and conduct partnerships across them. We can even redraw them to include more of what matters in a single project or investment. That’s the premise of multisolving — using one investment of time or effort to achieve several goals at once.
For instance, Warm Up New Zealand (WUNZ) upgraded the energy efficiency of residential buildings and provided jobs in the building sector after a financial downturn. The project resulted in better health for residents, as well. That translated into health systems savings. Taken together, a 2011 study estimated that across all these benefits, the project saved $3.90 for every $1 invested.
Multisolving seems possible everywhere and like an obvious choice. Yet, it is very much the exception, not the rule. Why is multisolving still so rare when it has the power to boost progress on some of the most urgent issues we face
Unfamiliarity stands in the way, as does an often-unexamined assumption that making issues smaller makes them easier to address. We often hear the viewpoint, “I already work on poverty (or climate, etc.) and that’s hard enough. Why should I add biodiversity or pollution to the mix ” Fundraising for crossing borders can be a struggle too. Funders want the “visible results” shown, but they don’t always see crossing borders as an essential part of achieving those results.
It is easy to devalue and underemphasize connection-building. After all, it can be delicate and not always visible. But to realize goals in today’s world, from equitable policies and low-carbon facilities to values like cooperation and fairness, we do need deep shifts, and we need them soon. And facilitating the flow of ideas back and forth across borders is one way to speed change.
31. As for systems boundaries, the author is ______.
A. critical B. puzzled C. supportive D. unconcerned
32. What does the word “premise” underlined in Paragraph 2 probably mean
A. Prediction. B. Precondition. C. Prevention. D. Presentation.
33. What can we learn from the passage
A. People are familiar with multisolving.
B. WUNZ performed multisolving successfully.
C. Raising money helps to produce visible results.
D. Multisolving is widely used to address problems.
34. Which would be the best title for the passage
A. Multisolving: Hard to achieve soon
B. Multisolving: Essential to solve small issues
C. Multisolving: Conducting partnership across borders
D. Multisolving: Making systems whole, healthy, and sustainable
参考答案
北京市东城区2023-2024学年高三上学期期末统一测试英语试卷（含解析）
【答案】21. D 22. D 23. A
【解析】
【导语】本文是应用文。文章主要介绍了联合国训练研究所推出青年领袖在线培训计划，这是一个为期四周的电子学习课程，为参与者提供知识和技能，以充分发挥他们作为全球领导者的潜力。
【21题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段中“a four-week e-Learning course, to provide participants with the knowledge and skills to fully unfold their potential as global leaders. (为期四周的在线学习课程，为参与者提供知识和技能，以充分发挥他们作为全球领导者的潜力。)”可知，该课程的主要目标是培养青少年的全球领导能力。故选D。
【22题详解】
细节理解题。根据◇Live Components下面的“Each e-Learning module will go with a series of live meetings with UN experts. (每个电子学习模块都将伴随与联合国专家的一系列现场会议。)”可知，参与者将在每个模块中与联合国专家举行在线会议。故选D。
【23题详解】
细节理解题。根据◆COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS(完成要求)中的第二条“◇Participation in the discussion board forums (论坛). (参与讨论板论坛)”可知，为了获得课程证书，参与者需要参与讨论，故选A。
【答案】24. C 25. A 26. B 27. B
【解析】
【导语】这是一篇记叙文。文章主要讲述了作者为提高自己的表达能力参加了一个即兴表演课程，在该课程中学习到了“是的，而且”原则，并将该原则应用到了自己的实验研究中，使得自己获得了意外的发现。
【24题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第一段内容“However, I knew I wanted to work as a science communicator after finishing my Ph.D., so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to improve my speaking ability and gain confidence thinking on my feet.(然而，我知道我想在完成博士学位后成为一名科学传播者，所以这似乎是提高我的口语能力和获得自信的绝佳机会。)”可知，作者想通过该课程提高口语能力和获得自信。故选C项。
【25题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第三段内容“I got a taste of how difficult that was when acting out my first scene.(当我表演我的第一场戏时，我体会到了这有多困难。)”以及作者心理活动的描写“Mad about what My mind spun out ideas, and my inner critic shot them all down. We broke the car No, that’s too easy. We failed a test No, you don’t want your classmates thinking you’re stupid on the first day.(生气什么？我的脑子里涌现出各种想法，但我内心的批判者把它们都否决了。我们把车弄坏了？不，那太简单了。我们考试不及格？不，你不想让你的同学在第一天就觉得你很蠢。)”可知，作者进行第一场即兴表演时体会到了即兴表演其实很难，在同学提出了话题之后对接下来的表演感到不知所措，很矛盾。故选A项。
【26题详解】
细节理解题。根据文章第五段内容“But then, after embracing the ‘yes, and’ concept, instead of getting discouraged, I kept exploring the data and ended up identifying a new type of cell—one that wasn’t behaving as expected.(但是，在接受了“是的，而且”的概念之后，我没有气馁，而是继续探索数据，最终发现了一种新的细胞——一种不像预期的那样表现的细胞。)”可知，作者接受了“是的，而且”概念后，在做实验时没有气馁，继续探索，从而发现了一种新的细胞，即，这个概念帮助作者在实验中获得了新发现。故选B项。
【27题详解】
推理判断题。根据文章末尾段内容“Our job as scientists isn’t to generate data that support a preconceived story. Our job is to say ‘yes, and.’(作为科学家，我们的工作不是生成支持一个先入为主的故事的数据。我们的工作是说“是的，而且。”)”可知，作者用自己的亲身经历讲述了“是的，而且”带给自己的体验：作为科学家应该接受不可预测，有可能会带来意想不到的收获。由此可推知，通过该文章可以推理出B项“The unexpected can be rewarding.(意想不到的事情可能是有益的。)”。故选B项。
【答案】28. D 29. B 30. C
【解析】
【导语】这是一篇说明文。文章主要说明了头脑风暴会议不能最大限度地发挥个人的潜能，建议通过“头脑写作”来挖掘团队中隐藏的潜力，并说明了这一方法有效的原因。
【28题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段“Extensive evidence shows that when we generate ideas together, we’re unlikely to maximize collective intelligence. As the humourist John Smith said, “If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be: ‘meetings’.”(大量证据表明，当我们一起产生想法时，我们不太可能最大化集体智慧。正如幽默作家约翰·史密斯所说：“如果你必须用一个词来说明人类没有、也永远不会实现其全部潜力的原因，这个词就是：‘会议’。”)”可知，约翰·史密斯和作者可能都同意，头脑风暴会议不能最大限度地发挥个人的潜能。故选D。
【29题详解】
词句猜测题。根据倒数第二段“In brainstorming meetings, it’s too easy for participation to become lopsided in favour of the biggest egos, the loudest voices, and the most powerful people. (在头脑风暴会议中，参与很容易变得lopsided，有利于最自负、最响亮的声音和最有权势的人)”可知，头脑风暴会议中，参与者很容易倾向于最自负、声音最大和最有权势的人，即变得不平衡。故划线词意思是“不平衡的”。故选B。
【30题详解】
推理判断题。根据第四段“To unearth the hidden potential in teams, instead of brainstorming, we’re better off shifting to a process called “brainwriting”. (为了挖掘团队中隐藏的潜力，我们最好不要进行头脑风暴，而是转向一种叫做“头脑写作”的过程)”以及倒数第二段“Research by organizational behaviour scholar Anita Woolley and her colleagues helps to explain why this method works. (组织行为学学者安妮塔·伍利及其同事的研究有助于解释这种方法为何有效)”结合文章主要说明了头脑风暴会议不能最大限度地发挥个人的潜能，建议通过“头脑写作”来挖掘团队中隐藏的潜力，并说明了这一方法有效的原因。可推知，作者写这篇文章主要是为了提倡一种做法。故选C。
【答案】31. C 32. D 33. C