备战2024年高考英语名校模拟真题速递专题07： 阅读理解之议论文10篇(第二期)(新高考专用)（含解析）

备战2024年高考英语名校模拟真题速递(新高考专用)
第二期
专题07 阅读理解之议论文10篇
（2023秋·福建厦门·高三福建省厦门第二中学校考开学考试）Science is a process that builds upon existing theories and knowledge by continuously revising them. Every aspect of scientific knowledge can be questioned, including the general rules of thinking that appear to be most certain. So why is science trustworthy if it is always changing If tomorrow we will no longer see the world as Newton or Einstein found it to be, why should we take seriously today’s scientific description of the world
The answer is simple: Because at any given moment of our history, this description of the world is the best we have. The fact that it can be made better can’t diminish (降低) the fact that it is a useful instrument for understanding the world.
Consider a folk healer’s herbal medicine. Can we say this treatment is “scientific” Yes, if it is proven to be effective, even if we have no idea why it works. In fact, quite a few common medications used today have their origin in folk treatments, and we are still not sure how they work. This does not imply that folk treatments are generally effective. To the contrary, many of them are not. What distinguishes scientific medicine is the readiness to seriously test a treatment and to be ready to change our minds if something is shown not to work. A research doctor in a modern hospital must be ready to change his theory if a more effective way of understanding illness, or treating it, becomes available.
What makes modern science uniquely powerful is its refusal to believe that it already possesses ultimate truth. The reliability of science is based not on certainty but on a complete absence of certainty. As John Stuart Mill wrote in “On Liberty” in 1859, “The beliefs which we have most warrant (依据) for, have no safeguard to rest on, but a standing invitation to the whole world to prove them unfounded.”
1．Why does the author raise the two questions in paragraph 1
A．To add some fun. B．To express doubts.
C．To introduce the topic. D．To provide background.
2．What can we learn about today’s scientific description of the world
A．It can be timeless. B．It can be improved.
C．It is of little value. D．It is the best at any moment.
3．What is the author’s attitude toward folk treatment
A．Dismissive. B．Objective. C．Pessimistic. D．Sympathetic.
4．What is the main idea of paragraph 4
A．It is unwise to believe in science.
B．Too much uncertainty lies in science.
C．The foundation of science is unfounded.
D．The lack of certainty makes science credible.
（2022·云南保山·统考一模）My elephant adventures began in 1984 when, with our one-year-old daughter, my husband and I crossed the jungle in a jeep, sticking behind a lorry for comfort and company. The elephants standing like watchers on either side of the forest highway had us praying for our safety. One elephant made loud noise and angrily pawed the ground, warning us off. We raced away before they could attack.
It was wise to keep elephants at a distance. We heard stories of tourists whose jeeps were overturned, and a couple of photographers were killed because they moved too close. Elephants are misleading animals. They give people an impression of being quiet and kind, so tourists think it’s safe to picnic in the jungle. Yet angry elephants have knocked them down in seconds before they could take off.
Elephants might make life unpredictable and dangerous. It’s difficult for inexperienced environmentalists to even, begin to grasp this reality. I’ve heard city people say “We humans are encroaching (侵害) on their forests.” But what’s the solution
When a poor farmer borrows heavily to plant a crop, he’ll do anything to protect it. His life depends on it. Elephants ruining an about-to-be-harvested corn field cannot expect to be welcomed like special guests. The battle between beasts and farmers is violent.
Experts are working on solutions to human-elephant conflicts. Some are sure to fail to like the plan to build electric fences around human settlements. Elephants rapidly figure them out and come in, around and over them.
There are more questions than answers, for sure. But as my husband said, “More people die in car accidents every single day, in every city on the earth. But they won’t take cars off the roads, will they ” So we need to seek practical ways of preventing elephant accidents.
5．How did the author feel when she saw elephants standing on either side of the forest highway
A．Excited. B．Frightened.
C．Sacred. D．Sympathetic.
6．Why does the author think of elephants as misleading animals
A．Because they killed the photographers.
B．Because they overturned vehicles.
C．Because they don’t look fierce.
D．Because they often knock down visitors.
7．Why do farmers battle with elephants
A．Because elephants ruin their crops.
B．Because they want to hunt elephants.
C．Because elephants’ ivories are valuable.
D．Because elephants are encroaching on their forests.
8．What does the author’s words in the last paragraph imply
A．Proper measures should be taken to protect elephants.
B．It is a good idea to build electric fences around human settlements.
C．It is impossible to find a solution to settle human-elephant conflicts.
D．We should first reduce car accidents to prevent elephant accidents.
（2023秋·福建厦门·高三厦门双十中学校考阶段练习）Last fall I happened to overhear a student telling the other she had decided not to sign up for an introductory philosophy course. The demands of his major, he said seriously, mean the needed to take “practical” courses, and “enlightenment” would simply have to wait. For now, employ ability was the most important
The students’ conversation firsts into a larger alarming narrative about the role of the humanities in higher education. In a time of dizzying technological achievement and of rapid scientific innovation, skeptics of the human tis may question the usefulness of studying Aristotle, the Italian Renaissance or Chinese fiction.
Actually, I regret not interrupting that student to argue for taking that introductory philosophy course. I would have started by reminding him that, for much of America’s history, college graduates were not considered truly educated unless they had mastered philosophy, literature, political theory and history. The key role of higher education was to invite students into the conversations about matters lie what it means to be alive and the definition of justice. Fostering engagement with these subjects is still lanes sent al part of the university’s function in society.
I would have also mentioned to the student that he was misinformed about the job market. It is true that many employers are looking for graduates with specialized technical skills, but they also look for other capabilities. As the world is transformed by artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation, the unique human qualities of creativity, imagination and moral reasoning will be the ultimate coin of the realm. All these skills are developed in humanities courses.
Further, I would have argued that while a degree anchored in the sciences is an important precondition for many jobs, it is not the only route. Look no further than the founders of companies such as LinkedIn, Slack and Flickr, who are among the many tech business persons with degrees in the humanities, and who credit that training
Contrary to the widely held belief that human is majors have a hard time getting jobs，recent studies show that those with humanities degrees are successful in the workplace, experiencing low rates of unemployment and reporting high levels of job satisfaction. The ratio between average median（中位数）incomes for humanities degree holders and those with business, engineering, and health and medical sciences degrees has been shown to narrow over the course of a career.
The case for the humanities can also be understood in less transactional terms and more as a foundational preparation for a life well lived. A human it is education pays a vital role in encouraging citizens to lead an examined life. It fosters critical thinking, self-reflection, empathy and tolerance, the usefulness of which only becomes more apparent as one navigates life’s challenges.
By all means, students should take courses they think practical and follow their interests, but if they also make a point of studying the literature of the Renaissance, or researching into modem poetry, or even taking introductory philosophy, we will all benefit
9．What can be known about the students mentioned in paragraph 1
A．He thinks it’s difficult to be employed. B．He finds philosophy courses demanding
C．He considers college education unsatisfying. D．He is not alone in his opinion about humanities.
10．What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 probably mean
A．extremely prized. B．equally applied. C．strictly assessed. D．greatly improved
11．The author may agree that education in humanities .
A．has an immediate positive effect on one’s career and life.
B．helps many tech business persons achieve their success.
C．is less valued than specialized skills in the job market.
D．used to be an important part of higher education，
12．Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage
I: Introduction P: Point Sp: Sub-point(次要点) C: Conclusion
A． B．
C． D．
（2023秋·湖南长沙·高三长沙一中校考阶段练习）For most people, death is hard to think about. We tend to avoid the subject—involuntarily, even. The philosopher Stephen Cave offers one explanation for this avoidance in his 2012 book, Immorality. “Death,” he writes, “presents itself as both inevitable and impossible.” You can know rationally that you will die, yet struggle to understand your nonexistence. Put another way, you cannot be conscious of your own consciousnesses.
So we dismiss death form our thoughts. But this leads us to make choice in life that actually reduce our happiness. People who express more regrets tend to be those who postpone profound activities that yield meaning, such as appreciating beauty or spending more time with loved ones. When we avoid thoughts of death, we unconsciously assume that tomorrow will look a lot like today, so we can do tomorrow what we could today. But when we focus on death, that increases the stakes at play in the present, and clarifies what we should do with our time.
By forcing ourselves to think about death, our resources-use decisions change. I ask my 20-something graduate students to estimate how many Thanksgivings they realistically have left with their parents, and then to consider how they should spend those remaining occasions. This usually simulates a strong emotional reaction. But it can also alter such decisions as where they choose to live and work. This highlights that facing discomfort and thinking seriously about the impermanence of your mortal life are important for making decisions that enhance your happiness.
There are other benefits. For example, paradoxical though it may seem, considering death can encourage positive thinking, as researchers found in 2007. People prepared to think about their death tended to focus on favorable emotional information around them, and to interpret random words in a pleasanter way. You begin to think extremely clearly, and realize that you have a choice about how to see present moment—and choose the positive.
If you insist ignoring your own death, you are likely to make decisions that cause you to sleepwalk through life. You may not be dead yet, but you are not fully alive either. If you can look across that border with resolve and confidence, you will experience every day fully and deeply.
13．What is the main idea of Paragraph 1
A．People’s fear of death. B．People’s escape from death.
C．People’s acceptance of death. D．People’s struggle against death.
14．What will happen to us if we don’t focus on death
A．Enjoying a lot more happiness.
B．Taking better advantage of time.
C．Postponing big things until tomorrow.
D．Engaging in more meaningful activities.
15．What’s the author’s purpose in mentioning his graduate students
A．To argue for the changes in making big decisions.
B．To show doubts about facing discomfort of death.
C．To compare students’ different attitudes to death.
D．To argue against the necessity of considering death.
16．What does the author suggest readers do in the passage
A．Avoid thinking about your death.
B．Live a better life by ignoring death.
C．Step away from death and live better.
D．Think about your death and live better.
（2023秋·山东·高三校联考开学考试）As summer begins, children get time off from school; offices get a little more empty. A vacation mindset (心态) is not hard to find. But it’s not always realistic. Maybe you aren’t granted so many vacation days. Maybe finances prohibit taking time of, as overtime hours are important to your personal bottom line.
The good news, though, is that sometimes a plain old weekend can bring mental health benefits--if you treat it like a vacation.
Research appears to back up this. In a study led by Mogilner of the UCLA School of Management, half of the participants were told on a Friday to treat their weekend like any other weekend, and half were told to treat it like a vacation. How the participants interpreted those instructions was up to them: they were free to spend the weekend.
When they returned to work on Monday, those who had been assigned to take on the vacation mindset scored higher on happiness measures, even when the amount of money they spent was controlled for.
A follow-up study tracked what participants were thinking and doing throughout the weekend. And indeed, the people who had been instructed to have a vacation mindset did spend their time slightly differently from the people who were in “normal weekend“ mode: The former did less housework, and spent more time in bed. But what seemed to drive the happiness most was not these subtle shifts in behavior; instead,it was the attitude of mindfulness that they gave to even “normal”weekend activities.
So, it seems that happiness is boosted by savoring. Pausing, slowing down, and having a stance of gratitude for the present moment have always been at the heart of mindfulness, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the outcomes of such a mindset are quite positive.
The next time you have a free day, or even just a a free hour, think about ways to view it as a break from the ordinary. It just might make you feel better, even once you’re back at work.
17．What does the author intend to show in paragraph 1
A．The effect of vacation mindset. B．The importance of vacation time.
C．The actual situation about vacation. D．The conflicting schedule within a family.
18．Which is closest in meaning to “back up” in paragraph 3
A．Turn against. B．Check up. C．Come up with. D．Stand up for.
19．What did the follow-up study really focus on
A．What the “normal weekend” mode was.
B．What the participants enjoyed most at weekends.
C．Why the former participants were happier.
D．Who were likely to have a vacation mindset.
20．What can we learn from the text
A．Vacation time should be extended as long as possible.
B．Trying new activities can bring additional benefits.
C．The more vacation people have, the more anxious they’ll feel.
D．Shifting mindset in a specific way can make a big difference.
（2023秋·江苏·高三校联考开学考试）Back in April, Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, made a dramatic attempt at a hostile takeover of Twitter, for a cool $44 billion. That’s a lot of money, even for a billionaire tycoon (巨头), and the takeover attempt quickly slid into court battles. But whoever wins (we’re not going to know for some time), I think the most interesting part of the story is the more fundamental question: why would Musk even want to buy Twitter in the first place
If you look at the size of Twitter, its appeal isn’t obvious. The company makes a relatively small profit each year, and in terms of the number of users, Twitter is a relative minnow among social media networks. It has around 436 million users every month, which isn’t nothing—but is also a long way behind the likes of Facebook (near three billion), Instagram (two billion), and TikTok (one billion). So why does Musk want to spend a considerable slice of his own enormous fortune on a social network that not many people, in the grand scheme of things, actually use
The answer might be what makes Twitter so interesting: what it lacks in revenue, size or growth potential, it makes up for in a much harder to define way. It carries absolutely enormous cultural power, and has an unrivalled ability to shape the news we read, the content we consume and the culture we live in.
21．What’s the author’s initial reaction to Musk’s takeover of Twitter
A．Approving. B．Confused. C．Indifferent. D．Objective.
22．How does the author develop Paragraph 2
A．By giving reasons. B．By answering questions. C．By making comparisons. D．By showing processes.
23．What can be inferred from the last sentence of Paragraph 3
A．Compared with other social media, Twitter has its own value.
B．Twitter is as interesting and attractive as other social media.
C．Twitter will be even more successful than other social media.
D．Twitter’s profit will be much easier to measure in the future.
24．Why does the author write this passage
A．To provide some background information about Musk.
B．To explore the motivation for Musk’s takeover of Twitter.
C．To inform people of Musk’s sudden takeover of Twitter.
D．To express his concern about the coming court battles.
（2023秋·山东青岛·高三统考开学考试）We don’t think with a pen and paper. We “think” with Google. We don’t even have to complete the search question ourselves. Google’s auto-complete function takes that burden off our shoulders by telling us what we should be searching for and what we should be thinking. We then sort through selected results to find the answer to life, the universe, and everything. This process gives us the false impression of thinking—when, in reality, we’ve lost touch with one of the most basic of human experiences.
Thinking for yourself isn’t just about reducing external inputs. It’s about making thought an intentional practice and thinking about an issue before researching it. It’s about forgetting the habit of immediately looking to others for answers and instead becoming curious about our own thoughts.
Deep thinking requires time. It’s only by concentrating on the problem or question long enough that you’ll dive deeper and locate better insights. Most of us resist setting aside time for deep thinking because it doesn’t produce immediate obvious results. But ideas, as the filmmaker David Lynch puts it, are like fish: “If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper.”
After you’ve gone deeper on a question by thinking about it yourself, turn to reading what others have written about it. But don’t pause your own thinking. The goal of reading isn’t just to understand. It’s to treat what you read as a tool-a key to unlocking what’s inside of you. Some of the best ideas that come up when I’m reading a book aren’t from the book. An idea I read will often knock out a related thought in me that was previously hidden. The text will act as a mirror, helping me see myself and my thoughts more clearly.
Breakthroughs lie—not in absorbing all the wisdom outside of you-but in uncovering the wisdom within you.
25．Why does the author mention Google in the first paragraph
A．To compare it with pens and paper. B．To stress its convenience to our life.
C．To give examples of its multi-function. D．To remind us to do the real thinking.
26．What does the underlined phrase “external inputs” in paragraph 2 refer to
A．Sharing your ideas online. B．Asking questions about life.
C．Seeking answers from others. D．Making intentional thoughts.
27．What does David Lynch think of deep thinking
A．It is a waste of time. B．It is worth the effort.
C．It requires basic skills. D．It is widely accepted.
28．Why does the author suggest reading after thinking
A．To find out ideas from books. B．To fully absorb others’ wisdom.
C．To bring out our inner thoughts. D．To understand the question better.
（2023秋·浙江·高三校联考开学考试）MICROSOFT says it has used the natural language AI ChatGPT, created by the company OpenAI, to control a range of robots with simple text commands.
The chatbot was trained on a vast amount of data, including source code. It has previously demonstrated the ability to write software based on text and even to fix errors in existing code. Microsoft has now used the AI to take text commands from humans and interpret them into code that can control robots directly. In one test, ChatGPT wrote code to instruct a robotic arm to create a Microsoft logo from wooden blocks. In another, it steered a drone to reach a point while avoiding obstacles. The research was intended ”to see if ChatGPT can think beyond text, and reason about the physical world to help with robotics tasks“.
ChatGPT isn’t in direct, real-time control of the robot, but simply creates the code that controls it. Microsoft said in its blog post that ChatGPT output shouldn’t be applied directly to a robot without ”careful analysis“, but experts warn that it is risky to even begin thinking about placing AI in control of physical machines.
Mark Coeckelbergh at the University of Vienna, Austria, says that regulations may be needed in order to set out where AI can be used and who is responsible should things go wrong. ”It’s a very dangerous thing to just say “let’s give control of these computers to AI’, ” says Coeckelbergh. “The problem with contemporary artificial intelligence is that it’s not transparent to the user. That’s a huge problem. ”
Others were sceptical about the ability of language models to program robots for complex tasks. Kathleen Richardson at De Montfort University Leicester, UK, says that AI language models are convincing mimics (模仿者), but that their real ability-including their adaptability to control robots-is often exaggerated. “I think Microsoft, and most people who design robots, have too much confidence in what they can do, ” she says.
29．Which function doesn’t belong to ChatGPT according to MICROSOFT
A．Create code. B．Correct code errors.
C．Write software. D．Control robots directly.
30．What can we infer from paragraph 3
A．Experts agree that we can apply AI to code analysis.
B．Experts warn against the idea of using AI to control robots.
C．Microsoft believes ChatGPT output should be used indirectly.
D．ChatGPT output has been widely applied after careful analysis.
31．What does the underlined word “exaggerated” in the last paragraph mean
A．Neglected. B．Simplified. C．Overestimated. D．Praised.
32．What is the author’s attitude towards the ability of ChatGPT to control robots
A．Objective. B．Favorable. C．Critical. D．Indifferent.
（2023秋·云南曲靖·高三宣威市第三中学校考开学考试）Did you know that swimming can provide you with the tools you need for achieving success later in life The following life lessons aren’t things you can be taught in a classroom. They are drawn from the count-less hours we spend swimming in the clean water.
Having big goals is necessary to achieve success in the pool. Sometimes those big goals can be our worst enemy, however. You need to start with short-term goals. Sometimes taking baby steps can be too slow for some people, making them annoyed, but successful swimmers know that this slow progress provides an accumulated effect that has a huge impact in the mid and long term. Success in the pool — and life — is achieved step by step, mistake by mistake, small win by small win.
Swimming tests your mental limits. I cannot count how many times I watched the coach write a set of training plans on the board and felt myself holding back deep inside, mind racing, with thoughts of how badly I was going to die over the course of the set. But then what happened I pulled it off. I started the set, and talked myself through it. “Hey, this isn’t so bad.” A little bit later, “Okay, halfway done.” And finally, “I am going to achieve the goal!”
The reality is you never know how tough you are until you are in the race, reaching that goal even though a few minutes earlier you were mentally shaking in your swimming suit. This carries really well into the other challenges you will face in your life. We always think we aren’t capable, that swimming or life finally beats us, but believe it or not, you will always be as strong as you need to be.
33．Why does the author think that sometimes big goals can be harmful
A．Swimmers will feel annoyed at their slow progress.
B．Big goals need a long annoying term to achieve.
C．Small but necessary steps can be easily ignored.
D．More mistakes are needed to achieve bigger goals.
34．What was the author nervous about when seeing the set on the board
A．Losing his life in the race. B．Failing to reach the goal.
C．Drinking the water in the pool. D．Finishing the race halfway.
35．What does the phrase “pulled it off” in Paragraph 3 mean
A．Left the place. B．Took it off. C．Made it. D．Gave it up.
36．What Can be the best title for the text
A．Confidence is what you need to reach your goal
B．Life lessons you will learn from swimming
C．Swimming can make you tough in life
D．Small goals add up to big success
（2023·福建南平·统考三模）A recent paper describes bees rolling tiny wooden balls, not for a reward, but apparently just for fun. This discovery emphasizes a long-standing conflict in our view of animals. On the one hand, we want to find the features that distinguish humans from other animals: tools, language and a theory of mind. On the other hand, we delight in finding animals that break those boundaries: chimps, crows and now bees that use tools, dolphins with signature whistles. But what do those boundaries mean
As a biologist who studies animal behaviour, I am puzzled by this effort to rank animals by their capabilities. I applaud the desire to show that animals are like us, but we can recognize animals for what they are, and be amazed at their abilities, without having to make their behaviour mirror that of humans.
Once we get out from the assumption that animals have to be like people with human motivations and feelings, we are freed up to consider the mechanisms (机理) behind the behaviours. For example, the same serotonin (血清素) influences anxiety in humans and maze (迷宫) exploration in crayfish. In a tank divided into well-lit and shadowy areas, crayfish explore both, but prefer the darker areas, consistent with their night lifestyle.
Does this mean crayfish experience anxiety No. In the bees’ case, they might be exhibiting some very interesting behaviour that has nothing to do with wanting to “have fun”—but we will never examine it if we simply assume they are playing just like people. I am not disparaging the bee researchers’ conclusions, and I am not trying to be a killjoy, but there is something about all this humanizing that prevent exploration, instead of encouraging it.
37．What’s the purpose of paragraph 1
A．To list out facts. B．To raise an argument.
C．To arouse readers’ interest. D．To explain a concept.
38．What can we learn from paragraph 3
A．Behaviour mechanisms work. B．Crayfish prefer the light sections.
C．The assumption proves reasonable. D．Animals are similar to human in mind.
39．What does the underlined word “disparaging” mean in paragraph 4
A．Criticizing. B．Explaining.
C．Confirming. D．Acknowledging.
40．Which of the following can be the best title for the text
A．Feelings: Guiding Human Being B．Boundaries: Making No Sense
C．Humanizing: Covering the Truth D．Animals: Mirroring Human Behaviours
参考答案：
1．C 2．B 3．B 4．D
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章论述了尽管科学总是在变化，但是它还是值得信赖的原因。
1．推理判断题。根据第一段中的“So why is science trustworthy if it is always changing If tomorrow we will no longer see the world as Newton or Einstein found it to be, why should we take seriously today’s scientific description of the world (那么，如果科学总是在变化，为什么它是值得信赖的呢？如果明天我们看到的世界不再像牛顿或爱因斯坦发现的那样，我们为什么要认真对待今天对世界的科学描述呢？)”及下文论述可推知，作者在第一段中提出了两个问题是为了引入文章话题。故选C。
2．细节理解题。根据第二段“The answer is simple: Because at any given moment of our history, this description of the world is the best we have. The fact that it can be made better can’t diminish (降低) the fact that it is a useful instrument for understanding the world.(答案很简单：因为在我们历史的任何时刻，这种对世界的描述都是我们拥有的最好的描述。它可以变得更好这一事实不能削弱它是理解世界的有用工具这一事实)”可知，今天对世界的科学描述还可以改进。故选B。
3．推理判断题。根据第三段中的“Consider a folk healer’s herbal medicine. Can we say this treatment is “scientific” Yes, if it is proven to be effective, even if we have no idea why it works. In fact, quite a few common medications used today have their origin in folk treatments, and we are still not sure how they work. This does not imply that folk treatments are generally effective. To the contrary, many of them are not.(考虑一下民间治疗师的草药。我们能说这种治疗是“科学的”吗？是的，如果它被证明是有效的，即使我们不知道它为什么有效。事实上，今天使用的许多常用药物都起源于民间治疗，我们仍然不确定它们是如何起作用的。这并不意味着民间疗法通常是有效的。相反，许多民间疗法并非如此)”可知，作者既陈述了民间治疗的优点，又提到了不足。由此推知，作者对民间治疗持客观态度。故选B。
4．主旨大意题。根据第四段中的“What makes modern science uniquely powerful is its refusal to believe that it already possesses ultimate truth. The reliability of science is based not on certainty but on a complete absence of certainty.(现代科学之所以具有独特的力量，是因为它拒绝相信自己已经掌握了终极真理。科学的可靠性不是建立在确定的基础上，而是建立在完全不确定的基础上)”可知，第四段主要论述了缺乏确定性使得科学可信。故选D。
5．B 6．C 7．A 8．A
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。作者先由自己的大象探险讲起，引出下文中大象给人类误导，表面看似安静友好，但其实具有攻击性，人类也因此受到大象的攻击和伤害。但方法总比困难多，我们要寻求更实际的解决办法。
5．推理判断题。根据第一段中的“The elephants standing like watchers on either side of the forest highway had us praying for our safety.(在森林高速公路两旁，大象像守望者一样站立着，我们为自己的安全祈祷)”可推知，当作者看到大象站在森林公路的两边时，她感到很害怕。故选B。
6．细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Elephants are misleading animals. They give people an impression of being quiet and kind, so tourists think it’s safe to picnic in the jungle.(大象是容易误导人的动物。它们给人的印象是安静和善良，所以游客认为在丛林里野餐是安全的)”可知，作者认为大象是一种容易误导人的动物，因为它们看起来并不凶猛。故选C。
7．细节理解题。根据第四段“When a poor farmer borrows heavily to plant a crop, he’ll do anything to protect it. His life depends on it. Elephants ruining an about-to-be-harvested corn field cannot expect to be welcomed like special guests. The battle between beasts and farmers is violent.(当一个贫穷的农民借了很多钱来种庄稼时，他会做任何事情来保护庄稼。他的命就靠它了。大象破坏了即将收割的玉米田，不能指望像特别客人一样受到欢迎。野兽和农民之间的战斗很激烈)”可知，农民与大象作战，因为大象毁坏了他们的庄稼。故选A。
8．推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“But as my husband said, “More people die in car accidents every single day, in every city on the earth. But they won’t take cars off the roads, will they ” So we need to seek practical ways of preventing elephant accidents.(但正如我丈夫所说，“在地球上的每个城市，每天都有更多的人死于车祸。但他们不会让汽车从路上消失，对吧 ”因此，我们需要寻求防止大象事故的实用方法)”可推知，作者在最后一段的话暗示应该采取适当的措施来保护大象。故选A。
9．A 10．A 11．A 12．D
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章从作者在校园内听到的对话入手，指出现在的大学生不太重视人文科学的学习，然后说明了人文科学的重要性。
9．推理判断题。根据第一段“Last fall I happened to overhear a student telling the other he had decided not to sign up for an introductory philosophy course. The demands of his major, he said seriously, mean the needed to take “practical” courses, and “enlightenment” would simply have to wait. For now, employ ability was the most important.(去年秋天，我无意中听到一个学生对另一个学生说，他决定不选哲学导论课了。他严肃地说，他的专业要求意味着他需要学习“实用”课程，而“启蒙”只能等一等。目前，就业能力是最重要的。)”可推断出，这位学生不选哲学导论是因为他认为能帮助其就业才是最重要的。也就是说，这位学生认为找工作困难。故选A。
10．词句猜测题。根据划线单词上文“It is true that many employers are looking for graduates with specialized technical skills, but they also look for other capabilities.(的确，许多雇主都在寻找具有专业技术技能的毕业生，但他们也在寻找其他能力。)”可知，许多雇主也在寻找其他能力；再根据划线单词所在句的状语“As the world is transformed by artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation,(随着世界被人工智能、机器学习和自动化所改变，)”可推测，划线单词指的是主语“the unique human qualities of creativity, imagination and moral reasoning(人类独特的创造力、想象力和道德推理能力)”在这个充斥着人工智能、机器学习的社会显得尤为珍贵。选项A“extremely prized(极其珍贵)”符合句意。故选A。
11．推理判断题。根据文章第四段“As the world is transformed by artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation, the unique human qualities of creativity, imagination and moral reasoning will be the ultimate coin of the realm. All these skills are developed in humanities courses.(随着世界被人工智能、机器学习和自动化所改变，人类独特的创造力、想象力和道德推理能力将成为这一领域的终极财富。所有这些技能都是在人文课程中培养出来的。)”、第六段“Contrary to the widely held belief that human is majors have a hard time getting jobs，recent studies show that those with humanities degrees are successful in the workplace, experiencing low rates of unemployment and reporting high levels of job satisfaction. The ratio between average median（中位数）incomes for humanities degree holders and those with business, engineering, and health and medical sciences degrees has been shown to narrow over the course of a career. (人们普遍认为人文学科专业的学生很难找到工作，但最近的研究表明，人文学科专业的学生在职场很成功，失业率低，工作满意度高。人文学科学位持有者与商业、工程、健康和医学学位持有者的平均收入中位数之比在职业生涯中逐渐缩小。)”可推断，作者认为人文学科的教育对一个人的事业有积极影响。再根据第七段“The case for the humanities can also be understood in less transactional terms and more as a foundational preparation for a life well lived. A human it is education pays a vital role in encouraging citizens to lead an examined life. It fosters critical thinking, self-reflection, empathy and tolerance, the usefulness of which only becomes more apparent as one navigates life’s challenges.(人文学科的案例也可以从更少的交易角度来理解，而更多的是作为一个美好生活的基础准备。作为人，教育在鼓励公民过严谨的生活方面起着至关重要的作用。它培养了批判性思维、自我反省、同理心和宽容，只有当一个人面对生活的挑战时，这些东西的用处才会变得更加明显。)”可知，作者认为人文科学的教育会让人拥有美好的生活。因此，作者认为人文科学的教育会对人们的职业和生活有着积极的影响。故选A。
12．推理判断题。根据文章结构可知，文章通过学生的对话引入文章主题：人文科学的重要性。然后分为三个论点：培养对这些人文学科的参与仍然是大学社会职能的重要组成部分；人文学科在就业市场不实用是不对的；人文学科是美好生活的基础准备。然后第二个论点有分成了三个子论点：雇主所寻找的专业技能也是从人文学科课程中培养出来的；科学学位并不是工作的唯一途径；人文学科专业的学生在职场很成功，失业率低，工作满意度高。最后文章进行总结：学生也应该考虑学习人文学科。故选D。
13．B 14．C 15．A 16．D
【导语】本文是一篇议论文，主要讲述了我们倾向于回避死亡这个话题，但实际上思考死亡有许多好处。
13．主旨大意题。根据第一段第一句“For most people, death is hard to think about. We tend to avoid the subject—involuntarily, even.(对大多数人来说，死亡是难以想象的。我们甚至会不由自主地回避这个话题。)”并结合下文内容可知，本段主要讲述了人们通常回避死亡这个话题。故选B。
14．细节理解题。第二段中的“When we avoid thoughts of death, we unconsciously assume that tomorrow will look a lot like today, so we can do tomorrow what we could today.(当我们避免死亡的想法时，我们会无意识地认为明天会和今天很像，所以我们会在明天做今天能做的事。)”可知，如果我们不思考死亡，我们就可能把大事推到明天才做。故选C。
15．推理判断题。根据题干中的关键词“his graduate students”定位到第三段的第二句。结合例子前面必有论点，即第三段第一句“By forcing ourselves to think about death, our resources-use decisions change.(通过强迫我们思考死亡，我们的资源使用决策发生了变化。)”可以推断出，作者提到他的研究生是为了论证思考死亡使做决定方面发生的变化。故选A。
16．推理判断题。通读全文可知，根据第一段第一句“For most people, death is hard to think about. We tend to avoid the subject—involuntarily, even.(对大多数人来说，死亡是难以想象的。我们甚至会不由自主地回避这个话题。)”可知，本段主要讲述了我们倾向于回避死亡这个话题；根据第二段前两句“So we dismiss death form our thoughts. But this leads us to make choice in life that actually reduce our happiness.(所以我们把死亡从我们的思想中剔除。但这导致我们在生活中做出的选择实际上降低了我们的幸福感。)”可知，本段主要讲述了回避死亡话题产生的不良影响；根据第三段第一句“By forcing ourselves to think about death, our resources-use decisions change.(通过强迫我们思考死亡，我们的资源使用决策发生了变化。)”、第四段第一句“There are other benefits.(还有其他好处。)”可知，第三、四段主要讲述了思考死亡话题的好处；根据最后一段中的“If you can look across that border with resolve and confidence, you will experience every day fully and deeply.(如果你能以坚定和自信的态度越过这一边界去看，你将充分而深刻地体验每一天。)”表明态度，思考死亡话题可以让人充分而深刻地体验每一天。由此可推测出，作者写这篇文章想要建议读者能够思考死亡这个话题，更好地去生活。故选D。
17．C 18．D 19．C 20．D
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章论述通过转变心态，即使一个普通的周末也会给心理健康带来好处。
17．推理判断题。根据第一段“A vacation mindset(心态) is not hard to find. But it’s not always realistic.(度假心态并不难找到。但这并不总是现实的。)”可知，作者在首段旨在展示度假的现实情况是怎样的。故选C。
18．词句猜测题。划线词所在句的this指代上文第二段中的观点。根据第二段“The good news, though, is that sometimes a plain old weekend can bring mental health benefits--if you treat it like a vacation.(不过，好消息是，如果你像度假一样对待它，有时一个普通的周末也能带来心理健康益处。)”及全文可知，研究支持第二段提出的观点：有时，如果你把一个普通的周末当作度假，它会给心理健康带来好处。所以back up为“提出，支持”之意。故选D。
19．细节理解题。根据第四段“When they returned to work on Monday, those who had been assigned to take on the vacation mindset scored higher on happiness measures, even when the amount of money they spent was controlled for.(当他们周一回到工作岗位时，那些被分配到度假心态的人在幸福指标上得分更高，即使他们花的钱是可控的。)”可知，那些被指定以度假的心态度过周末的人在幸福感方面得分更高；第五段进一步研究揭示出了这些人幸福的原因是什么。所以后续研究真正关注的是为什么以前的参与者更快乐。故选C。
20．推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“So, it seems that happiness is boosted by savoring. Pausing, slowing down, and having a stance of gratitude for the present moment have always been at the heart of mindfulness, so it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise that the outcomes of such a mindset are quite positive.(所以，快乐似乎是通过品味来提升的。暂停，慢下来，对当下时刻心怀感激一直是正念的核心，所以这种心态的结果是非常积极的，这一点也不奇怪。)”和最后一段“The next time you have a free day, or even just a a free hour, think about ways to view it as a break from the ordinary. It just might make you feel better, even once you’re back at work.(下次当你有空闲的一天，或者只是一个小时的空闲时间，想办法把它看作是一个从日常生活中解脱出来的休息。它可能会让你感觉更好，即使你回去工作了。)”可推断，以特定的方式转变心态会带来很大的不同。故选D。
21．B 22．C 23．A 24．B
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章介绍对Elon Musk收购Twitter这一举动，作者感到不解，并对这一问题进行思考，给出了解释：与其他社交网络相比较，Twitter有其巨大的承载文化的功能，能对读者阅读的内容进行塑造，从而达到润物无声的效果。
21．推理判断题。根据第一段最后一句中的“why would Musk even want to buy Twitter in the first place (马斯克当初为什么要收购Twitter )”和第二段内容可知，作者一开始对马斯克收购Twitter感到困惑。故选B。
22．推理判断题。根据第二段“If you look at the size of Twitter, its appeal isn’t obvious…So why does Musk want to spend a considerable slice of his own enormous fortune on a social network that not many people, in the grand scheme of things, actually use (如果你看看Twitter的规模，它的吸引力并不明显。该公司每年的利润相对较低，就用户数量而言，Twitter在社交媒体网络中相对微不足道。它每个月有大约4.36亿用户，这并不算少，但也远远落后于Facebook(近30亿)、Instagram(20亿)和TikTok(10亿)。那么，马斯克为什么要把自己巨额财富中的相当一部分花在一个没有多少人真正使用的社交网络上呢 )”可知第二段从规模、效益和使用人群等方面把Twitter与其他主要社交媒体进行比较，得出其吸引力不明显这一结论，进一步引发对主题的思考：为何收购Twitter 故选C。
23．推理判断题。根据最后一段最后一句“It carries absolutely enormous cultural power, and has an unrivalled ability to shape the news we read, the content we consume and the culture we live in. (它承载着绝对巨大的文化力量，在塑造我们阅读的新闻、消费的内容和生活的文化方面有着无与伦比的能力。)”可知，与其他社交媒体相比较，Twitter有其巨大的承载文化的功能，能影响读者阅读的内容，从而达到润物无声的效果。故选A。
24．推理判断题。根据第一段最后一句所提出的问题：why would Musk even want to buy Twitter in the first place 和最后一段内容可知，作者写本文的目的是探究马斯克收购Twitter的动机。故选B。
25．D 26．C 27．B 28．C
【导语】这是一篇议论文。文章谈论了深度思考和阅读的重要性。
25．推理判断题。根据第一段中“We don’t think with a pen and paper. We “think” with Google. We don’t even have to complete the search question ourselves.(我们不用纸和笔来思考。我们用谷歌“思考”。我们甚至不需要自己完成搜索问题。)”和“This process gives us the false impression of thinking—when, in reality, we’ve lost touch with one of the most basic of human experiences.(这个过程给了我们思考的错误印象，而实际上，我们已经失去了与人类最基本的经验之一的联系。)”可知，作者在第一段提到Google是为了提醒我们进行真正的思考。故选D项。
26．词句猜测题。根据划线词后文“It’s about making thought an intentional practice and thinking about an issue before researching it. It’s about forgetting the habit of immediately looking to others for answers and instead becoming curious about our own thoughts. (这是关于让思考成为一种有意的练习，在研究问题之前先思考它。这是关于忘记立即向他人寻求答案的习惯，转而对自己的想法感到好奇。)”说明在研究问题之前要先思考，而不是立即向他人寻求答案，从而推知划线词句“Thinking for yourself isn’t just about reducing external inputs.(独立思考不仅仅是减少external inputs。)”其中划线短语指的是从别人那里寻求答案。故选C项。
27．推理判断题。根据第三段中“But ideas, as the filmmaker David Lynch puts it, are like fish: ‘If you want to catch little fish, you can stay in the shallow water. But if you want to catch the big fish, you’ve got to go deeper.’(但是，正如电影制作人David Lynch所说，想法就像钓鱼一样：‘如果你想钓到小鱼，你可以呆在浅水区。”但如果你想钓大鱼，你就得潜得更深。’)”可知，David认为深度思考识值得的。故选B项。
28．推理判断题。根据第四段中“The goal of reading isn’t just to understand. It’s to treat what you read as a tool-a key to unlocking what’s inside of you.(阅读的目的不仅仅是为了理解。而是把你读到的东西当作一种工具——一把打开你内心世界的钥匙。)”可知，作者建议思考后再阅读是为了引出我们内心的想法。故选C项。
29．D 30．B 31．C 32．A
【导读】本文是一篇议论文。文章介绍了不同群体对于ChatGPT应用的不同态度及观点。
29．细节理解题。根据文章第二段的“It has previously demonstrated the ability to write software based on text and even to fix errors in existing code. Microsoft has now used the AI to take text commands from humans and interpret them into code that can control robots directly(它之前已经展示了基于文本编写软件的能力，甚至可以修复现有代码中的错误。微软现在已经使用人工智能从人类那里获取文本命令，并将其翻译成可以直接控制机器人的代码)”可知，ChatGPT展示了基于文本提示编写软件的能力，可以修复现有代码中的错误，微软现在已经使用人工智能从人类那里获取文本命令，并将其翻译成可以直接控制机器人的代码，说明ChatGPT可以编写代码；也说明ChatGPT是通过代码间接控制机器人，而不是直接控制机器人，故选D项。
30．推理判断题。根据文章第三段的“Microsoft said in its blog post that ChatGPT output shouldn’t be applied directly to a robot without “careful analysis”, but experts warn that it is risky to even begin thinking about placing AI in control of physical machines.(微软在其博客文章中表示，在没有“仔细分析”的情况下，ChatGPT的输出不应该直接应用于机器人，但专家警告说，甚至开始考虑将人工智能应用于物理机器的控制都是有风险的)”可知，专家反对使用人工智能来控制机器人的想法，故选B项。
31．词义猜测题。根据文章最后一段的“AI language models are convincing mimics(人工智能语言模型是令人信服的模仿者)”及but可知，划线词与前面convincing相反意思，再根据划线词后面I think Microsoft, and most people who design robots, have too much confidence in what they can do（我认为微软和大多数设计机器人的人，都过于相信这些机器人能做的事情）可推断，划线句句意是：它们的真正能力——包括控制机器人的适应性——经常被夸大。故选C项。
32．推理判断题。根据第三段的“Microsoft said in its blog post that ChatGPT output shouldn’t be applied directly to a robot without ”careful analysis“, but experts warn that it is risky to even begin thinking about placing AI in control of physical machines. (微软在其博客文章中表示，在没有“仔细分析”的情况下，ChatGPT的输出不应该直接应用于机器人，但专家警告说，甚至开始考虑将人工智能应用于物理机器的控制都是有风险的)”，第四段的“Mark Coeckelbergh at the University of Vienna, Austria, says that regulations may be needed in order to set out where AI can be used and who is responsible should things go wrong.(奥地利维也纳大学的Mark Coeckelbergh表示，可能需要制定法规，以便确定人工智能可以在哪里使用，以及如果出现问题谁应该负责)”，最后一段的“Kathleen Richardson at De Montfort University Leicester, UK, says that AI language models are convincing mimics (模仿者), but that their real ability-including their adaptability to control robots-is often exaggerated.(英国莱斯特德蒙福特大学的凯瑟琳·理查森说，人工智能语言模型是令人信服的模仿者，但它们的真正能力——包括控制机器人的适应性——往往被夸大了)”可推断作者介绍了微软官方对于ChatGPT操控机器人的言论，客观引用了各界观点，并未发表个人想法，故选A项。
33．C 34．B 35．C 36．B
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章主要讨论了游泳对人生的两个启示。人们往往因为缺乏自信而不敢面对挑战，一旦勇敢面对，就会发现原来自己很强大。
33．推理判断题。根据第二段“Sometimes those big goals can be our worst enemy, however. You need to start with short-term goals. Sometimes taking baby steps can be too slow for some people, making them annoyed, but successful swimmers know that this slow progress provides an accumulated effect that has a huge impact in the mid and long term.(然而，有时这些大目标可能是我们最大的敌人。你需要从短期目标开始。有时，对一些人来说，迈出小步可能太慢，会让他们感到恼火，但成功的游泳运动员知道，这种缓慢的进步会带来累积效应，对中长期产生巨大影响)”可知，作者认为大目标有时是有害的，是因为一些人会认为基础训练进展缓慢，让人恼火，导致中途放弃，他们没有意识到基础训练的重要性，错过了能力的累积，从而导致永远无法实现远大的目标。故选C。
34．细节理解题。根据第三段“I cannot count how many times I watched the coach write a set of training plans on the board and felt myself holding back deep inside, mind racing, with thoughts of how badly I was going to die over the course of the set.(我记不清有多少次我看着教练在黑板上写下一套训练计划，感觉自己在内心深处退缩，思维敏捷，想着在比赛过程中我会死得有多惨)” 可知，作者因为害怕不能完成教练制定的目标而感到焦虑。故选B。
35．词句猜测题。根据第三段“But then what happened I pulled it off. I started the set, and talked myself through it. “Hey, this isn’t so bad.” A little bit later, “Okay, halfway done.” And finally, “I am going to achieve the goal!”(但后来发生了什么？我pulled it off。我开始了训练，并说服了自己。“嘿，这还不错。”过了一会儿，“好吧，完成了一半。”最后，“我要实现目标了！”)”可知，作者开始训练，并坚持了下来，取得进展。由此推知，pulled it off表示“成功做到”，与made it同义。故选C。
36．主旨大意题。根据第一段“The following life lessons aren’t things you can be taught in a classroom. They are drawn from the count-less hours we spend swimming in the clean water.(下面的人生课程不是你可以在教室里学到的。它们是从我们在干净的水中游泳的小时数中提取的)”以及文章内容可知，本文主要论了游泳对人生的两个启示。由此可知，“你将从游泳中学到的人生经验”可以作为文章标题。故选B。
37．B 38．A 39．A 40．C
【导语】本文是一篇议论文，主要讲的是作者赞赏展示动物和我们一样的愿望，但我们可以认识动物的本来面目，并对它们的能力感到惊讶，而不必把它们的行为模仿成人类的行为，一旦我们摆脱了动物必须像人类一样具有人类动机和情感的假设，我们就可以自由地考虑行为背后的机制。
37．推理判断题。根据第一段的“A recent paper describes bees rolling tiny wooden balls, not for a reward, but apparently just for fun. This discovery emphasizes a long-standing conflict in our view of animals.(最近的一篇论文描述了蜜蜂滚动小木球，不是为了奖励，而显然只是为了好玩。这一发现强调了我们对动物的看法中一个长期存在的冲突。)”可推知，第一段的目的是提出论点——我们对动物的看法中一个长期存在的冲突。故选B。
38．细节理解题。根据第三段的“Once we get out from the assumption that animals have to be like people with human motivations and feelings, we are freed up to consider the mechanisms (机理) behind the behaviours. For example, the same serotonin (血清素) influences anxiety in humans and maze (迷宫) exploration in crayfish. In a tank divided into well-lit and shadowy areas, crayfish explore both, but prefer the darker areas, consistent with their night lifestyle.(一旦我们摆脱了动物必须像人类一样具有人类动机和情感的假设，我们就可以自由地考虑行为背后的机制。例如，同样的血清素影响人类的焦虑和小龙虾的迷宫探索。在一个被分成光线充足和阴暗的区域的水箱里，小龙虾会在两个区域都探索，但更喜欢黑暗的区域，这与它们的夜间生活方式一致。)”可知，我们可以从第三段中了解到行为机制起作用。故选A。
39．词句猜测题。根据最后一段的“In the bees’ case, they might be exhibiting some very interesting behaviour that has nothing to do with wanting to “have fun”—but we will never examine it if we simply assume they are playing just like people.(在蜜蜂的例子中，它们可能会表现出一些非常有趣的行为，这些行为与想要“玩得开心”无关——但如果我们简单地假设它们像人一样玩耍，我们就永远不会研究它。)”和“and I am not trying to be a killjoy, but there is something about all this humanizing that prevent exploration, instead of encouraging it(我并不想扫兴，但所有这些人性化的东西阻碍了探索，而不是鼓励探索)”可知，作者在此声明的是自己并不是在贬低蜜蜂研究人员的结论，也不是想要扫兴，因此划线词disparaging的意思是“贬低，诋毁”，和criticizing意思相近，故选A。
40．主旨大意题。通读全文，尤其是第二段的“As a biologist who studies animal behaviour, I am puzzled by this effort to rank animals by their capabilities. I applaud the desire to show that animals are like us, but we can recognize animals for what they are, and be amazed at their abilities, without having to make their behaviour mirror that of humans.(作为一名研究动物行为的生物学家，我对这种按能力给动物排序的做法感到困惑。我赞赏展示动物和我们一样的愿望，但我们可以认识动物的本来面目，并对它们的能力感到惊讶，而不必把它们的行为模仿成人类的行为。)”和第三段的“Once we get out from the assumption that animals have to be like people with human motivations and feelings, we are freed up to consider the mechanisms (机理) behind the behaviours.(一旦我们摆脱了动物必须像人类一样具有人类动机和情感的假设，我们就可以自由地考虑行为背后的机制。)”可知，本文主要讲的是作者赞赏展示动物和我们一样的愿望，但我们可以认识动物的本来面目，并对它们的能力感到惊讶，而不必把它们的行为模仿成人类的行为，一旦我们摆脱了动物必须像人类一样具有人类动机和情感的假设，我们就可以自由地考虑行为背后的机制，也就是说动物的人性化掩盖了关于它们的行为，因此最好的标题是C选项“Humanizing: Covering the Truth(人性化：掩盖真相)”，故选C。