专题08 阅读理解之议论文10篇
（2023下·北京·高二校考期中）In general, the society is becoming one of giant enterprises directed by a bureaucratic (官僚主义的) management in which man becomes a small, well-oiled cog in the machinery. The oiling is done with higher wages, well-equipped factories and piped music, and by psychologists and “human-relations” experts; yet all this oiling does not change the fact that man has become powerless, that he does not wholeheartedly participate in his work and he is bored with it. In fact, the blue-collar and the white-collar workers have become economic puppets who dance to the tune of automated machines and bureaucratic management.
The worker and employee are anxious, seemingly because they might find themselves out of a job or they would say that they are unable to acquire any real satisfaction or interest in life. In fact, they feel desperate as they live and die without ever having confronted the fundamental realities of human existence as emotionally and intellectually independent and productive human beings.
Those higher up on the social ladder are no less anxious. Their lives are no less empty than those of their subordinates. They are even more insecure in some respects. They are in a highly competitive race. To be promoted or to fall behind is not a matter of salary but even more a matter of self-respect. When they apply for their first job, they are tested for intelligence as well as for the right mixture of submissiveness and independence. From the moment on they are tested again and again by the psychologists, for whom testing is a big business, and by their superiors, who judge their behavior, sociability, capacity to get along, etc. This constant need to prove that one is as good as or better than one’s fellow-competitor creates constant anxiety and stress, the very causes of unhappiness and illness.
Am I suggesting a return to the pre-industrial mode of production or to nineteenth-century “free enterprise” capitalism Certainly not. Problems are never solved by returning to a stage which one has already outgrown. I suggest transforming the social system from a bureaucratically managed industrialism in which maximal production and consumption are ends in themselves into a humanist industrialism in which man and full development of his potentialities — those of all love and of reason — are the aims of social arrangements. Production and consumption should serve as means to this end, and should be prevented from ruling man.
1．By “a small, well-oiled cog in the machinery”, the author expresses the idea that man is _________.
A．an essential part of society with irreplaceable functions
B．expected to work in reasonable harmony with the rest of society
C．an unimportant component of society, though functioning smoothly
D．responsible for the smooth running of society and business operations
2．The real cause of the anxiety of the workers and employees is that _________.
A．they are filled with an overwhelming fear of being unemployed
B．they don’t have any genuine satisfaction or interest
C．they have to face the fundamental realities of human existence
D．they lack a sense of independence and productivity
3．Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “submissiveness”
A．caution B．obedience C．commitment D．optimism
4．What is the author’s purpose in writing the text
A．To introduce the production mode of our ancestors.
B．To show the problematic situation in society.
C．To argue for full development of human potentials.
D．To help people escape production and consumption.
【答案】1．C 2．D 3．B 4．C
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章探讨了现代社会中工人、雇员以及社会阶层较高者的焦虑和不满情绪，呼吁转变社会制度，充分开发人类潜能，使生产和消费成为实现人的全面发展的手段。
1．推理判断题。根据第一段中“In general, the society is becoming one of giant enterprises directed by a bureaucratic (官僚主义的) management in which man becomes a small, well-oiled cog in the machinery. The oiling is done with higher wages, well-equipped factories and piped music, and by psychologists and “human-relations” experts; yet all this oiling does not change the fact that man has become powerless, that he does not wholeheartedly participate in his work and he is bored with it.(总的来说，社会正在变成一个由官僚管理层管理的巨型企业，在这个企业中，人变成了机器中一个小小的、运转良好的齿轮。给齿轮“加油”是通过更高的工资、设备精良的工厂和管弦乐，以及心理学家和“人际关系”专家完成的)”和“In fact, the blue-collar and the white-collar workers have become economic puppets who dance to the tune of automated machines and bureaucratic management.(事实上，蓝领工人和白领工人已经成为经济的傀儡，随着自动化机器和官僚管理的曲调起舞)”可推知，作者认为人只是机器中一个小小的、运转良好的齿轮，是经济的傀儡，受到自动化机器和官僚管理的支配，虽然运行平稳，但并不重要。故选C。
2．细节理解题。根据第二段中“In fact, they feel desperate as they live and die without ever having confronted the fundamental realities of human existence as emotionally and intellectually independent and productive human beings.(事实上，他们感到绝望是因为他们从来没有作为情感和智力上独立的和有生产力的人去面对人类生存的基本现实)”可知，工人和雇员焦虑的真正原因是他们缺乏独立意识和生产力。故选D。
3．词句猜测题。根据划线词所在句“When they apply for their first job, they are tested for intelligence as well as for the right mixture of submissiveness and independence.(当他们申请第一份工作时，他们接受智力测试，以及是否能把submissiveness和独立正确地结合起来的测试)”中“tested for”可知，句中谈论的是对应聘者的相关测试。结合划线词前“the right mixture...”和其后“independence”可推知，submissiveness与independence(独立)是应聘者需要兼有的两种 特质，应聘者在两者之间需要找到平衡点。结合选项可推知，submissiveness与obedience同义，意为“服从”，与independence(独立)意思相对。故选B项。
4．推理判断题。根据最后一段中“I suggest transforming the social system from a bureaucratically managed industrialism in which maximal production and consumption are ends in themselves into a humanist industrialism in which man and full development of his potentialities — those of all love and of reason — are the aims of social arrangements. Production and consumption should serve as means to this end, and should be prevented from ruling man.(我建议将社会制度从以最大限度生产和消费为目的的官僚管理的工业主义转变为以人及其潜能——所有爱和理性的潜能——的充分发展为社会安排目标的人道主义工业主义。生产和消费应该作为达到这一目的的手段，而不应该支配人)”可推知，作者写这篇文章的目的是主张充分开发人类潜能。故选C项。
（2023下·北京·高二北师大二附中校考期中）Our green spaces are shrinking, despite all the benefits they give us. If we want to save them, we need to value the ecosystem and health and wellbeing services they offer.
Sheffield city council’s balance sheet shows its parks as a 16m liability (负担). Traditional accountancy methods focus on a park’s saleable value, or its operational costs associated with maintenance. So England’s 27,000 parks are considered as financial liabilities rather than the amazing asset to our health and wellbeing that any of their 37 million regular users could vouch for. They also deliver a range of ecosystem services such as improved air and water quality, flood risk reduction by absorbing water run-off, and cooling the urban environment as well as providing much-needed habitat for wildlife. By using a “natural capital” accounting approach that puts a value on all these social, environmental and economic contributions, Sheffield discovered that for every 1 spent on its parks, they generate 34 of benefits.
Yet this true value is not widely measured or recognised. As Ian Walmsley, Stockport council’s green space manager told the Communities and Local Government select committee parks inquiry, “an argument has never been successfully made that if you spend a certain amount of money on a park, there will be a saving in the health budget and therefore you should take money out of the health budget and put it into parks”. As a result, the MPs inquiry report published last week warned that parks are at a tipping point of decline, threatened by a 92% reduction in their budgets since 2010-11 because of local authority cuts. Less money means fewer park rangers, less maintenance, more litter, dog poo and antisocial behaviour, including gang and drug-related activities, and gradually much-loved local parks turn into dangerous and unappealing areas. Tragically it’s the small, green spaces in poorer, built-up areas that suffer disproportionate cuts to park keepers and maintenance. We have been here before. Uncared-for, litter-strewn parks were characteristic of Thatcher’s Britain before an injection of public spending by a Labour government and 850m of lottery cash brought them back to life.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Andrew Hinchley, green space development officer at the London Borough of Camden, told MPs if we had new ways of valuing the services parks provide for improving water quality, for example, then you could ask water companies to pay towards their upkeep.
The committee wants councils to publish strategic plans to recognise the real value of parks and to set out how they will be managed (possibly by a charitable trust, as Newcastle is looking into) to maximise their contribution to wider local authority goals such as promoting healthier lifestyles. It suggests the government’s obesity strategy could fund parks. It also suggests that it could be a legal requirement for councils to produce such strategies.
5．According to the text, parks are regarded as financial liabilities because ________.
A．the area of the park is gradually decreasing due to poor protection
B．the budget for the construction of the park is gradually decreasing
C．the value of the park is low by using a “natural capital” accounting approach
D．the traditional accountancy methods focus on a park’s saleable value
6．According to the text, which of the following is NOT the benefit of the park
A．Improving air and water quality.
B．Symbolizing the city civilization.
C．Cooling the urban environment.
D．Providing much-needed habitat for wildlife.
7．Due to the reduction in budgets, what could probably happen
A．The government will take money out of the health budget.
B．The local authorities will centralize the management of the park.
C．Much-loved local parks will turn into unwelcoming places.
D．The true value of the park will be widely measured or recognised.
8．What can be learned from the last two paragraphs
A．The committee has published strategic plans to recognise the real value of park.
B．It could be a legal requirement for councils to produce such strategies.
C．The local citizens should pay for the improving water quality.
D．The Labour government will spend 850m of lottery cash to revive the park.
【答案】5．D 6．B 7．C 8．B
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章论述了为什么我们要认识和承认公园的真正价值。
5．细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Traditional accountancy methods focus on a park’s saleable value, or its operational costs associated with maintenance. So England’s 27,000 parks are considered as financial liabilities rather than the amazing asset to our health and wellbeing that any of their 37 million regular users could vouch for.(传统的会计方法侧重于公园的可销售价值，或与维护相关的运营成本。因此，英国的2.7万个公园被视为金融负债，而不是3700万公园常客中任何一个人都可以保证的健康和福祉的惊人资产)”可知，由于传统的会计方法侧重于公园的可销售价值，因此公园被视为金融负债。故选D。
6．细节理解题。根据第二段中的“They also deliver a range of ecosystem services such as improved air and water quality, flood risk reduction by absorbing water run-off, and cooling the urban environment as well as providing much-needed habitat for wildlife.(它们还提供一系列生态系统服务，如改善空气和水质，通过吸收径流减少洪水风险，为城市环境降温，并为野生动物提供急需的栖息地)”可知，象征城市文明不是公园的好处。故选B。
7．细节理解题。根据第三段中的“As a result, the MPs inquiry report published last week warned that parks are at a tipping point of decline, threatened by a 92% reduction in their budgets since 2010-11 because of local authority cuts. Less money means fewer park rangers, less maintenance, more litter, dog poo and antisocial behaviour, including gang and drug-related activities, and gradually much-loved local parks turn into dangerous and unappealing areas.(因此，上周发表的国会议员调查报告警告说，由于地方政府的削减，自2010-11年以来，公园的预算减少了92%，公园正处于衰退的临界点。更少的钱意味着更少的公园管理员，更少的维护，更多的垃圾，狗屎和反社会行为，包括帮派和毒品相关的活动，逐渐地，深受喜爱的当地公园变成了危险和无吸引力的地方)”可知，由于预算的减少，备受喜爱的当地公园将变成不受欢迎的地方。故选C。
8．推理判断题。根据倒数第二段中的“Andrew Hinchley, green space development officer at the London Borough of Camden, told MPs if we had new ways of valuing the services parks provide for improving water quality, for example, then you could ask water companies to pay towards their upkeep.(Andrew Hinchley是伦敦卡姆登区的绿色空间发展官员，他告诉国会议员，如果我们有新的方法来评估公园为改善水质所提供的服务，那么你可以要求水务公司支付他们的维护费用)”和最后一段中的“It suggests the government’s obesity strategy could fund parks. It also suggests that it could be a legal requirement for councils to produce such strategies.(它建议政府的肥胖策略可以为公园提供资金。它还表明，议会制定这样的战略可能是一项法律要求)”可推知，委员会制定这样的策略可能是一项法律要求。故选B。
（2023下·北京房山·高二北京市房山区房山中学校考期中）After years of observing human nature, I have decided that two qualities make the difference between men of great achievement and men of average performance: curiosity and discontent. I have never known an outstanding man who lacked either. And I have never known an average man who had both. The two belong together.
Together, these deep human urges (驱策力) count for much more than ambition. Galileo was not merely ambitious when he dropped objects of varying weights from the Leaning Tower at Pisa and timed their fall to the ground. Like Galileo, all the great names in history were curious and asked in discontent, “Why Why Why ”
Fortunately curiosity and discontent don’t have to be learned. We are born with them and need only recapture them.
“The great man,” said Mencius (孟子), “is he who does not lose his child’s heart.” Yet most of us do lose it. We stop asking questions. We stop challenging custom. We just follow the crowd. And the crowd desires restful average. It encourages us to occupy our own little comer, to avoid foolish leaps into the dark, to be satisfied.
Most of us meet new people, and new ideas, with hesitation. But once having met and liked them, we think how terrible it would have been, had we missed the chance. We will probably have to force ourselves to waken our curiosity and discontent and keep them awake.
How should you start Modestly, so as not to become discouraged. I think of one friend who couldn’t arrange flowers to satisfy herself. She was curious about how the experts did it. Now she is one of the experts, writing books on flower arrangement.
One way to begin is to answer your own excuses. You haven’t any special ability Most people don’t. There are only a few geniuses. You haven’t any time That’s good, because it’s always the people with no time who get things done. Harriet Stowe, mother of six, wrote parts of Uncle Tom’s Cabin while cooking. You’re too old Remember that Thomas Costain was 57 when he published his first novel, and that Grandma Moses showed her first pictures when she was 78.
However you start, remember there is no better time to start than right now, for you’ll never be more alive than you are at this moment.
9．In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to ________.
A．propose a definition B．make a comparison
C．reach a conclusion D．present an argument
10．According to the author, a person with “his child’s heart” tends to ________.
A．lead a simple and satisfying life
B．be curious about the unknown
C．follow the custom all the time
D．try to avoid making mistakes
11．What can we learn from Paragraphs 6 and 7
A．Lack of talent and time is no reason for taking no action.
B．Experience and special abilities are the keys to success.
C．The genius can get things done easily and creatively.
D．Satisfying yourself can help you become an expert.
12．What could be the best title of the passage
A．Young Minds Never Feel Contented
B．Trial and Error Leads lo Success
C．The Keys to Achievement
D．Well Begun Is Half Done
【答案】9．D 10．B 11．A 12．C
【导语】这是一篇议论文。经过多年对人性的观察，作者发现有两种品质决定了有成就的人和表现平平的人的区别：好奇心和不满。
9．推理判断题。根据第一段“After years of observing human nature, I have decided that two qualities make the difference between men of great achievement and men of average performance: curiosity and discontent.(经过多年对人性的观察，我发现有两种品质决定了有成就的人和表现平平的人的区别：好奇心和不满)”可知，第一段提出了本文的论点，可推理出作者写第一段的目的是陈述论点，故选D项。
10．推理判断题。根据第二段“Like Galileo, all the great names in history were curious and asked in discontent, “Why Why Why ”(像伽利略一样，历史上所有的伟人都很好奇，不满意地问道：“为什么？为什么？为什么。”)”以及下文““The great man,” said Mencius (孟子), “is he who does not lose his child’s heart.”(“伟人，”孟子说，“是不失童心的人。”)”可推理出，作者认为不失童心的人对未知的事物感到好奇，故选B项。
11．细节理解题。根据第六段“She was curious about how the experts did it. Now she is one of the experts, writing books on flower arrangement.(她很好奇专家们是怎么做到的。现在她成了其中一位专家，正在写插花方面的书。)”以及第七段“Remember that Thomas Costain was 57 when he published his first novel, and that Grandma Moses showed her first pictures when she was 78.(请记住，托马斯·科斯坦出版第一部小说时57岁，摩西奶奶在78岁时展示了她的第一张照片。)”可知，保持好奇心和不满，什么时候开始都不晚，可推理出作者写这两段的主要目的是告诉人们：缺乏天赋和时间并不是不采取行动的理由，故选A项。
12．主旨大意题。根据第一段“After years of observing human nature, I have decided that two qualities make the difference between men of great achievement and men of average performance: curiosity and discontent.(经过多年对人性的观察，我发现有两种品质决定了有成就的人和表现平平的人的区别：好奇心和不满)”、第二段“Like Galileo, all the great names in history were curious and asked in discontent, “Why Why Why ”(像伽利略一样，历史上所有的伟人都很好奇，不满地问道：“为什么？为什么？为什么。”)”以及第七段“Remember that Thomas Costain was 57 when he published his first novel, and that Grandma Moses showed her first pictures when she was 78.(请记住，托马斯·科斯坦出版第一部小说时57岁，摩西奶奶在78岁时展示了她的第一张照片。)”可知本文主要论证了有成就的人的关键品质为：好奇心和不满，分析选项，C项“The Keys to Achievement(成就的秘诀)”表达的含义适合用作本文标题，故选C项。
（2023下·北京·高二北京市第十一中学校考期中）Last fall, I happened to overhear a student telling the others he had decided not to sign up for an introductory philosophy (哲学) course. The demands of his major, be said seriously, meant he needed to take “practical” courses, and “enlightenment” would simply have to wait. For now, employability was the most important.
The students’ conversation fits into a larger alarming word about the role of the humanities in higher education. In a time of dizzying technological achievement and of rapid scientific innovation, sceptics of the humanities may question the usefulness of studying Aristotle, the Italian Renaissance (文艺复兴) 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 like what it means to be alive and the definition of justice. Fostering (鼓励) engagement with these subjects is still an essential 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 businesspersons with degrees in the humanities, and who credit that training for their success.
Far from the widely held belief that humanities 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 (事务性的) terms and more as a foundational preparation for a life well lived. A humanities education plays 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 modern poetry, or even taking introductory philosophy, we will all benefit.
13．What do the students’ conversation show
A．Students feel employment difficult.
B．Students think philosophy less important.
C．Students find scientific innovation amazing.
D．Students consider university courses unsatisfying.
14．What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 probably mean
A．Equally applied. B．Highly valued.
C．Strictly assessed. D．Greatly improved.
15．The author may agree that humanities___________.
A．provide great insights into life B．prepare students for graduation
C．discover students’ artistic ability D．raise awareness of social celebrity
【答案】13．B 14．B 15．A
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章主要探讨了人文学科在高等教育中的重要性，提出文科教育不仅对个人成长有利，也对社会发展不可或缺。
13．推理判断题。根据文章第一段“Last fall, I happened to overhear a student telling the others he had decided not to sign up for an introductory philosophy(哲学)course. The demands of his major, be said seriously, meant he needed to take “practical” courses, and “enlightenment” would simply have to wait. For now, employability was the most important.(去年秋天，我无意中听到一个学生告诉其他人，他决定不报哲学导论课程。他严肃地说，专业的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。)”可推测，学生认为哲学并没有其他课程重要。故选B。
14．词句猜测题。根据划线短语上文“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，雇主也在寻找其他能力。而根据划线短语主句“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，)”可知，人工智能、机器学习和自动化将改变世界，由此可推测，人类独特的创造力、想象力和道德推理能力会显得“尤为重要、有价值”。选项B“Highly valued.(高度重视)”与划线短语相似。故选B。
15．推理判断题。根据文章第三段“The key role of higher education was to invite students into the conversations about matters like what it means to be alive and the definition of justice. Fostering(鼓励)engagement with these subjects is still an essential part of the university’s function in society.(高等教育的关键作用是邀请学生参与对话，讨论生命的意义和正义的定义。促进对这些学科的参与仍然是大学社会职能的重要组成部分。)”根据第五段“Look no further than the founders of companies such as LinkedIn, Slack and Flickr, who are among the many tech businesspersons with degrees in the humanities, and who credit that training for their success.”（看看LinkedIn、Slack和Flickr等公司的创始人就知道了，他们是众多拥有人文学科学位的科技商业人士之一，他们把自己的成功归功于人文学科的培训。）可知，作者认为人文学科能够提供对生活深刻的见解。故选A。
（2023上·北京顺义·高二北京市顺义区第一中学校考期中）If you analyze people’s actions, you will come to the conclusion that they all seek happiness. Every act is in fact a search for it, even if on the surface it doesn’t look so. Happiness is always the main target.
Going to the movies, eating in a restaurant and going to a party are all motivated by the desire to be happy. Who does not dream of a vacation in some fascinating locations, a new car, a new house, or the ideal match All people daydream, and some even try to make their dream a reality. And why is that In order to be happy!
Many people endanger themselves by climbing steep mountains, entering unexplored caves, or diving into the deep of the ocean in order to enjoy the few moments of happiness. A thief may steal because he loves the thrill of danger, or because he desires to have quick money to spend. He is actually looking for happiness, though in a perverted way.
Of course not all actions end in happiness. The motive is happiness, but the results do not always bring the desire. According to some spiritual traditions, we are spiritual beings in physical bodies. The spiritual part is always happy. Rather, it is happiness itself. But the physical body covers this happiness essence(本质). There is a constant desire to find out this happiness. This is the reason why happiness is constantly sought.
However, there is.no need to search for happiness or to create it, or to have all kinds of outer experiences and actions in order to feel it. On the contrary, everything has to be dropped in order to experience it. Every technique, which helps to relax the mind and calm the rush of thoughts will lead to happiness.
16．From the first two paragraphs, we can learn that______.
A．happiness is a daydream
B．it is very hard to analyze people’s actions
C．many things people do are to attain happiness
D．one should act carefully so as not to show his purpose
17．The underlined word “perverted” in Paragraph 3 most likely means
A．illegal B．unfair C．cautious D．difficult
18．According to the author, why do people seek happiness all the time
A．All actions don’t result in the expected happiness
B．There is little awareness of the nature of happiness.
C．One’s physical body is controlled by his spiritual part.
D．People arc so greedy that it’s hard to satisfy their desires.
【答案】16．C 17．A 18．B
【导语】这是一篇议论文。文章谈论了幸福的本质。
16．推理判断题。通读前两段，尤其根据第二段中“All people daydream, and some even try to make their dream a reality. And why is that In order to be happy!(所有人都做白日梦，有些人甚至试图让他们的梦想成为现实。为什么呢？为了幸福！)”可知，从前两段，我们可以得知人们做的许多事情是为了获得幸福。故选C项。
17．词句猜测题。划线词句前文“A thief may steal because he loves the thrill of danger, or because he desires to have quick money to spend. (小偷偷窃可能是因为他喜欢危险带来的刺激，或者是因为他想要迅速赚到钱。)”谈论的是小偷进行非法偷窃的原因，从而推知划线词句“He is actually looking for happiness, though in a perverted way. (他其实是在寻找幸福，虽然是以一种perverted方式。)”其中划线词语意思是“非法的”。故选A项。
18．细节理解题。根据第四段中“The spiritual part is always happy. Rather, it is happiness itself. But the physical body covers this happiness essence(本质). There is a constant desire to find out this happiness. This is the reason why happiness is constantly sought. (精神部分总是幸福的。更准确地说，它就是幸福本身。但肉体掩盖了幸福的本质。人们一直渴望找到这种幸福。这就是人们不断寻求幸福的原因。)”可知，人们在寻求幸福时没有意识到幸福的本质所以就一直在寻找幸福。故选B项。
（2022上·北京·高二校考期中）Once when I was facing a decision that involved high risk, I went to a friend. He looked at me for a moment, and then wrote a sentence containing the best advice I’ve ever had: Be bold and brave — and mighty (强大的) forces will come to your aid.
Those words made me see clearly that when I had fallen short in the past, it was seldom because I had tried and failed. It was usually because I had let fear of failure stop me from trying at all. On the other hand, whenever I had plunged into deep water, forced by courage or circumstance, I had always been able to swim until I got my feet on the ground again.
Boldness means a decision to bite off more than you are sure you can eat. And there is nothing mysterious about the mighty forces. They are potential powers we possess: energy, skill, sound judgment, creative ideas — even physical strength greater than most of us realize.
Admittedly, those mighty forces are spiritual ones. But they are more important than physical ones. A college classmate of mine, Tim, was an excellent football player, even though he weighed much less than the average player. “In one game I suddenly found myself confronting a huge player, who had nothing but me between him and our goal line,” said Tim. “I was so frightened that I closed my eyes and desperately threw myself at that guy like a bullet (子弹) — and stopped him cold.”
Boldness — a willingness to extend yourself to the extreme — is not one that can be acquired overnight. But it can be taught to children and developed in adults. Confidence builds up. Surely, there will be setbacks (挫折) and disappointments in life; boldness in itself is no guarantee (保证) of success. But the person who tries to do something and fails is a lot better off than the person who tries to do nothing and succeeds.
So, always try to live a little bit beyond your abilities — and you’ll find your abilities are greater than you ever dreamed.
19．Why was the author sometimes unable to reach his goal in the past
A．He faced huge risks. B．He lacked mighty forces.
C．Fear prevented him from trying. D．Failure blocked his way to success.
20．What is the implied meaning of the underlined part
A．Swallow more than you can digest. B．Act slightly above your abilities.
C．Develop more mysterious powers. D．Learn to make creative decisions.
21．What was especially important for Tim’s successful defense in the football game
A．His physical strength.B．His basic skill.C．His real fear. D．His spiritual force.
22．What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage
A．To encourage people to be courageous. B．To advise people to build up physical power.
C．To tell people the ways to guarantee success. D．To recommend people to develop more abilities.
【答案】19．C 20．B 21．D 22．A
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。主要通过作者的经历论述了大胆勇敢的重要性，并鼓励人们要有勇气和胆量。
19．细节理解题。根据第二段中的“It was usually because I had let fear of failure stop me from trying at all.(这通常是因为我让失败的恐惧阻止了我尝试。)”可知，作者认为是对失败的恐惧阻止了自己尝试的勇气，由此可知，作者没能到达目标是因为害怕失败。故选C项。
20．词义猜测题。根据画线句子后的“And there is nothing mysterious about the mighty forces. They are potential powers we possess: energy, skill, sound judgment, creative ideas — even physical strength greater than most of us realize.(这些强大的力量没有什么神秘之处。它们是我们拥有的潜在力量：精力、技能、正确的判断、创造性的想法——甚至是我们大多数人都没有意识到的身体力量。)”可知，我们大多数人拥有潜在的力量，甚至都没有意识到这种力量的存在，结合选项可知，画线句子表达的意思是“一种超出你自己意识到的力量”，与B选项中的“表现得略高于你的能力”的意思相近。故选B项。
21．细节理解题。根据第四段中的“Admittedly, those mighty forces are spiritual ones. But they are more important than physical ones.(不可否认，这些强大的力量是精神力量。但它们比身体上的更重要。)”可知，精神力量比身体的力量更重要，进而列举了Tim在足球比赛中成功防守的案例来支持这一观点，所以Tim成功防守的关键在于他的精神力量。故选D项。
22．推理判断题。根据尾段“So, always try to live a little bit beyond your abilities — and you’ll find your abilities are greater than you ever dreamed.(所以，总是试着超越你的能力去生活——你会发现你的能力比你想象的要大。)”并结合作者列举的自己和Tim的在足球比赛中成功防守的例子可知，人们总要去超越能力去生活，人的能力比想象的要大，由此推断，本文的目的是鼓励人们去勇敢地生活，做一个勇敢的人。故选A项。
（2023下·北京·高二北京市八一中学校考期中）Millions watch the Oscars every year, but I’m always interested in the Razzies (金酸梅奖), which recognize cinematic underachievement. For all the attention given to what we like, what we dislike can be just as important, interesting and empowering.
French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu saw dislike as snobbery (虚荣). He saw all judgments of taste, favorable or not, as performances of class. The rich could justify their place, he argued, by claiming to have more refined tastes. Knowing which literature or art to praise could signal to others their rightful place at the top of society. Oversimplified as his theory might be, it is not entirely wrong.
Furthermore, dislikes are often used as a way not to stand apart but to fit in. It means learning the unspoken rules of what’s OK to like or dislike, and to proclaim those likes or dislikes loudly for others to hear. When some of us swim against the social tide, we might be savvy (精明的) enough to label our likes as “guilty pleasures”, which both acknowledges the rules and apologizes for violating them.
In my research, though, I found that dislike isn’t just a form of snobbery.
We interviewed over 200 people, a diverse group in race, age, and social class. All the interviewees tended to actively dislike media content far more when they felt they couldn’t escape it. Many people can’t choose the radio station that’s playing at work, or what’s on TV at the bar. Moreover, some of us are subjected to more annoyance than others. Remote controls, for instance, have long been seen as a special right of dads, with women and kids given less power to change the channel. Everyone turns to media hoping for specific needs to be met, but those who have those needs realized less often are those who might dislike more often.
Therefore, speaking about dislikes is an act of resistance-a refusal to allow public space to be conquered by the media content that doesn’t connect.
Dislike can certainly transform into anger or hate, but it may also take a more playful form. Sometimes we could see people joyfully watch the object of their dislike and offer a commentary of criticism, instead of tuning out and turning off. Why Reveling in dislike can help regain control in a world that overwhelms everyone with content. Keeping the despised shows at hand rather than avoiding them can help the dislikers speak up in the court of public opinion. Or some might enjoy their dislikes as a way to avoid ruining certain relationships. Many of us can probably relate to the experience of having a friend who insists we watch something against our will.
What if, rather than resenting the show or the person, we simply embrace it in all of its embarrassing glory By all means, pay attention to the advice to “ignore the haters”. But a lot can be learned by listening to the dislikers.
23．According to Paragraph 3, people label their likes as “guilty pleasures” when they ________.
A．take pride in their taste B．follow the mainstream
C．try to fit into a certain group D．set up the unspoken rules
24．What can we learn from the passage
A．Exposure to unwanted media content intensifies people’s dislike.
B．Expressing dislike helps maintain one’s social relationships.
C．Learning about literature and art is an act of snobbery.
D．Dislikes can be found mostly among the rich.
25．What does the underlined phrase “Reveling in” in the text probably mean
A．Showing concern for. B．Taking delight in.
C．Establishing connection to. D．Drawing lessons from.
26．What message does the author try to convey in this passage
A．Staying away from the haters is a sensible means to avoid trouble.
B．We are encouraged to launch debates over hot issues in public.
C．The media should aim to meet the needs of different groups of audience.
D．Embracing our dislikes can be beneficial to some extent.
【答案】23．C 24．A 25．B 26．D
【导语】本文为一篇议论文。文章主要讨论了人总有喜欢或不喜欢的事物，我们应该学会审视自己的内心，接受自己的不喜欢。
23．细节理解题。根据文章第三段“Furthermore, dislikes are often used as a way not to stand apart but to fit in. It means learning the unspoken rules of what’s OK to like or dislike, and to proclaim those likes or dislikes loudly for others to hear. When some of us swim against the social tide, we might be savvy (精明的) enough to label our likes as “guilty pleasures”, which both acknowledges the rules and apologizes for violating them.(此外，不喜欢通常被用来作为一种方式，不是与众不同，而是为了适应。这意味着学习什么是可以喜欢或不喜欢的潜规则，并大声说出那些喜欢或不喜欢的东西让别人听到。当我们中的一些人与社会潮流背道而驰时，我们可能会很聪明地给自己的喜好贴上“罪恶的快乐”的标签，既承认了规则，又为违反规则而道歉)”可知，当人们试图融入某个群体时，他们会将自己的喜好贴上“罪恶的快乐”的标签。故选C。
24．推理判断题。根据文章第五段“Moreover, some of us are subjected to more annoyance than others. Remote controls, for instance, have long been seen as a special right of dads, with women and kids given less power to change the channel. Everyone turns to media hoping for specific needs to be met, but those who have those needs realized less often are those who might dislike more often. (此外，我们中的一些人比其他人遭受更多的烦恼。例如，遥控器长期以来一直被视为父亲的一项特殊权利，女性和孩子换台的权力较小。每个人都希望通过媒体来满足自己的特定需求，但那些需求很少被实现的人可能更不喜欢媒体)”可推断，接触不需要的媒体内容会加剧人们的反感。故选A。
25．词句猜测题。根据划线单词下一句“Keeping the despised shows at hand rather than avoiding them can help the dislikers speak up in the court of public opinion. Or some might enjoy their dislikes as a way to avoid ruining certain relationships. Many of us can probably relate to the experience of having a friend who insists we watch something against our will.(保留那些受人厌恶的节目，而不是避开它们，可以帮助不喜欢的人在舆论法庭上畅所欲言。或者有些人可能喜欢他们不喜欢的东西，以此来避免破坏某些关系。我们中的许多人可能都有过这样的经历：有一个朋友坚持让我们看一些违背我们意愿的东西)”可知，在一个让每个人都感到满足的社会里，着迷于不喜欢可以帮助你重新获得掌控权。由此可知，划线单词和“着迷、沉溺”相似。选项A“Showing concern for. (担忧)”；选项B“Taking delight in. (以……为乐)”；选项C“Establishing connection to. (建立联系)”；选项D“Drawing lessons from. (从……中吸取教训)”。故选B。
26．推理判断题。根据文章第一段“For all the attention given to what we like, what we dislike can be just as important, interesting and empowering.(对于我们喜欢的事物给予所有关注，我们不喜欢的事物也可能同样重要，有趣和有力量)”以及最后一段“What if, rather than resenting the show or the person, we simply embrace it in all of its embarrassing glory By all means, pay attention to the advice to “ignore the haters”. But a lot can be learned by listening to the dislikers.(如果我们不怨恨这个节目或这个人，而是简单地接受它所有令人尴尬的荣耀呢？无论如何，要注意那些让我们“忽略那些总是满环怨恨的人”的建议。但是，倾听不喜欢的人的意见可以学到很多东西)”可推断，作者想要表达的信息是：在某种程度上，接受我们的不喜欢是有益的。故选D。
（2022下·北京顺义·高二杨镇第一中学校考期中）To Friend or Not to Friend
We all love our parents and turn to them when we’re in need, but would you like them to hear the conversation you have with your friends on the school playground or lunch queue Social networking sites have become extensions of the school hallways (走廊), so would you add your parents as “friends” and allow them to view your online activities and conversations with friends
In the past the generation gap included a technology gap, where children were up to date with latest technology and parents were left behind, content to continue their day to day lives as they always had because they had no need to know more about technology. However, more and more parents are beginning to realize just how important social networks are in their lives. This realization has given many parents the motivation to educate themselves about social networking sites.
These days many people are attracted to social networking sites because they can choose who they have around them; there’s also a certain amount of control over privacy that we don’t get in real life. Sometimes we feel that privacy is violated(侵犯) when we must accept a “friend” request from a parent or family member,
It’s a difficult choice whether or not to allow a parent to become a part of our online lives. On the one hand, we don’t want to “reject” their request because that might hurt their feelings or make the feel you have something to hide. On the other hand if you do accept, then you could have a sense of being watched and no longer feel free to comment or communicate the way you did before.
A recent survey suggested that parents shouldn’t take it personally if their child ignores their request, “When a teen ignores a parent’s friend request, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are hiding something, but it could mean that this is one part of their life where they want to be independent.”
Perhaps talking with parents and giving explanations would help soften the blow if you do choose not to add them to your friends list.
27．What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 1 mean
A．students may log in micro-blog on school
B．students can find pictures of hallways on micro-blog
C．schools begin to build their hallways on the Internet
D．students begin to communicate on some websites
28．From Paragraph 2, we learn that .
A．parents feel secure about their privacy online
B．social networks successfully fill the generation gap
C．social networks offer a platform for parents to communicate
D．parents have realized the importance of social networks
29．Teenagers may refuse a parent’s friend request because .
A．they hide something from their parents
B．they are unwilling to be watched by parents
C．their parents tend to fall behind in technology
D．their parents make negative comments on them
30．What is the passage is written mainly for
A．teenagers B．parents C．teachers D．researchers
【答案】27．D 28．D 29．B 30．A
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章主要讨论了孩子要不要在社交网站上加父母为好友。
27．词句猜测题。根据划线句后半句“so would you add your parents as “friends” and allow them to view your online activities and conversations with friends (所以你会把你的父母加为“好友”，并允许他们查看你的在线活动和与朋友的对话吗 )”可知，学生开始在一些网站上交流。故选D。
28．细节理解题。根据第二段“However, more and more parents are beginning to realize just how important social networks are in their lives.(然而，越来越多的父母开始意识到社交网络在他们生活中的重要性。)”可知，越来越多的父母开始意识到社交网络在他们的生活中有多么重要。故选D。
29．细节理解题。根据第四段“On the other hand if you do accept, then you could have a sense of being watched and no longer feel free to comment or communicate the way you did before.(另一方面，如果你真的接受了，那么你就会有一种被监视的感觉，不再像以前那样自由地评论或交流。)”可知，如果你加父母为好友，那么你就会有一种被关注的感觉，所以青少年会拒绝加父母为好友。故选B。
30．推理判断题。根据第一段“We all love our parents and turn to them when we’re in need, but would you like them to hear the conversation you have with your friends on the school playground or lunch queue (我们都爱我们的父母，在我们需要帮助的时候求助于他们，但是你愿意他们听到你和你的朋友在学校操场上或午餐排队时的对话吗 )”以及全文内容可知，文章主要讨论了青少年要不要加父母为好友，由此可知这篇文章是写给青少年的。故选A。
（2022上·北京顺义·高二杨镇第一中学校考期中）Do kids really need to go to school to learn For most people it is obvious that school is the right place where real learning takes place, and for them real learning takes place.
The social theorist Ivan Illich believes the idea that learning is the result of teaching is ridiculous. Most learning happens without the person being taught consciously. We learn to speak, to think, to walk and to do many things without teachers. People who learn a second language well are much more likely to develop better because of interests outside the classroom-interests in movies, music, magazines, foreign friends, games or computers which give these people the motivation that keeps them learning
Ivan Illich also says, “an academic education favors only the minority of students who want to go to university. As for the majority, their needs and interests and talents are not provided by an educational system.”
On the other hand, most people agree that school teaches everyone a valuable lesson. It teaches kids that life must be organized. It helps students to develop good habits, to behave in public, to follow certain rules, which is important for a comfortable life for everyone. School also helps them to make friends, work in a team and learn to help others to build up social relations, so that they will acquire the habits and attitudes needed by the future public life.
In addition, there are exams during the pupils’ study, and the real importance of exams is not only to check your subject but also to encourage you to make progress step by step. If you get a good grade, it means you can go to a better school. So every successful exam opens more doors in life for the students. If you fail in exams, school offers the pupils an instruction in their failure to make them stronger, which is beneficial to their future life.
Undoubtedly schools are necessity in our modern and highly organized society. It is a nice idea that education takes place in groups, which is provided by professional teachers. But educational system needs to be up-to-date so that the experience of school is much more positive for all students.
31．According to Ivan Illich, .
A．learning is the result of conscious teaching
B．academic education benefits the majority of students
C．real learning happens unconsciously without being taught.
D．schools help to develop students’ interests
32．What can we infer from paragraph 4&5
A．Schools offer kids little training for social life
B．Schools ignore an instruction in kids’ failure
C．Exams only function as a checking tool of subjects.
D．Exams help students get improved gradually.
33．The last paragraph intends to tell us .
A．Schools are highly organized societies
B．Schooling plays an important role and will develop better
C．Schooling are short of professional teachers
D．Current educational system is already perfect for all students
34．What is the author’s attitude towards schooling
A．Supportive. B．Neutral(中立的).
C．Critical. D．Disapproving. (不赞成的)
【答案】31．C 32．D 33．B 34．A
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。文章阐述了学校在教育过程中起到的重要作用，发表了作者对学校教育的看法。
31．细节理解题。根据第二段中“The social theorist Ivan Illich believes the idea that learning is the result of teaching is ridiculous. Most learning happens without the person being taught consciously. (社会理论家Ivan Illich认为，学习是教学的结果的观点是荒谬的。大多数的学习都是在无意识的教导下进行的)”可知，社会理论家Ivan Illich认为真正的学习是在不知不觉中进行的。故选C。
32．推理判断题。根据第五段中“In addition, there are exams during the pupils’ study, and the real importance of exams is not only to check your subject but also to encourage you to make progress step by step. (此外，在学生的学习过程中也有考试，考试的真正重要性不仅是检查你的科目，而且鼓励你一步一步地进步)”可知，考试的重要性不仅是检查你所学的科目，而且也在鼓励你一步一步地进步。故选D。
33．推理判断题。根据最后一段中“It is a nice idea that education takes place in groups, which is provided by professional teachers. But educational system needs to be up-to-date so that the experience of school is much more positive for all students.(群组教育是一个很好的想法，由专业教师提供。但是教育系统需要与时俱进，这样所有的学生在学校的经历才会更加积极)”可知，学校教育是由专业教师提供教育的良好方法，但在未来的发展中也需要不断地与时俱进，这样才能对学生产生更积极的影响。由此推知，学校教育起着重要作用，也将会发展得更好。故选B。
34．推理判断题。根据最后一段“Undoubtedly schools are necessity in our modern and highly organized society. (毫无疑问，学校在我们现代的高度组织化的社会中是必要的)”推知，作者对学校教育秉持的是支持的态度。故选A。
（2022上·北京·高二校考期中）In colleges around the country, most students are also workers.
The reality of college can be pretty different from the images presented in movies and television. Instead of the students who wake up late, party all the time, and study only before exams, many colleges are full of students with pressing schedules of not just classes and activities, but real jobs, too.
This isn’t a temporary phenomenon. The share of working students has been on the rise since the 1970s, and one-fifth of students work year round. About one-quarter of those who work while attending school have both a full-course load and a full-time job. The arrangement can help pay for tuition(学费)and living costs, obviously. And there’s value in it beyond the direct cause: such jobs can also be critical for developing important professional and social skills that make it easier to land a job after graduation. With many employers looking for students with already-developed skill sets, on-the-job training while in college can be the best way to ensure a job later on.
But it’s not all upside. Even full-time work may not completely cover the cost of tuition and living expenses. The study notes that if a student worked a full-time job at the federal minimum wage, they would earn just over $15,000 each year, certainly not enough to pay for tuition, room, and board at many colleges without some serious financial aid. That means that though they’re sacrificing time away from the classroom, many working students will still graduate with at least some debt. And working fulltime can reduce the chance that students will graduate at all, by cutting into the time available for studying and attending classes.
There is little Ward for attending but not finishing college. Students who end up leaving school because of difficulty in managing work and class are likely to find themselves stuck in some of the same jobs they might have gotten if they hadn’t gone at all. The difficulty of working too much while in school can create a cycle that pushes students further into debt without receiving any of the financial or career benefits.
35．According to the passage, the reality of college students is that____________.
A．they throw parties a lot B．they stay up late every night
C．they pay no attention to exams D．they work besides attending classes
36．What is the indirect cause of an increasing number of working students
A．The need of developing social networks. B．The lack of summer jobs for young adults.
C．The chance of finding a job after graduation. D．The expenses of high tuition and living costs.
37．What is the best title for the passage
A．The Difficulties of Landing a Job B．The Struggle of Work-School Balance
C．The Reward of Working While Studying D．The Images of Working College Students
【答案】35．D 36．C 37．B
【导语】本文是一篇议论文。主要论述了大学生在校期间工作均衡的利与弊。
35．细节理解题。根据文章第一段“In colleges around the country, most students are also workers.(在全国各地的大学里，大多数学生也是工人)”可知，大学生的现实是他们除了上课之外还工作。故选D。
36．推理判断题。根据文章第三段最后一句“And there’s value in it beyond the direct cause: such jobs can also be critical for developing important professional and social skills that make it easier to land a job after graduation. With many employers looking for students with already-developed skill sets, on-the-job training while in college can be the best way to ensure a job later on.(它的价值不仅仅在于直接原因：这类工作对于培养重要的专业技能和社交技能也至关重要，使毕业后更容易找到工作。由于许多雇主都在寻找技能已经成熟的学生，大学期间的在职培训可能是确保以后工作的最佳方式)”可知，毕业后找到工作的机会是就业学生人数增加的间接原因。故选C。
37．主旨大意题。文章第一段和第二段“In colleges around the country, most students are also workers…The reality of college”引出话题并指出大学生工作的现状。文章第三段和第四段“The arrangement can help pay for tuition(学费)and living costs, obviously. And there’s value in it beyond the direct cause… But it’s not all upside.(这种安排可以帮助支付学费(学费)显然，还有生活成本。它的价值不仅仅在于直接原因……但这并不是所有的好处)”论述了大学期间工作的好处。根据最后一段“The difficulty of working too much while in school can create a cycle that pushes students further into debt without receiving any of the financial or career benefits.(在学校工作太多的困难可能会造成一个循环，将学生进一步推向债务，而得不到任何经济或职业利益)”可知，本文介绍的是边上大学边工作的一些利弊，最重要的就是要掌握平衡，在能完成学业的同时还能培养自己的工作所需技能，并能得到物质的回报，但是要平衡起来却很困难。B项“在校期间学习工作平衡的冲突”可以作为本文最佳标题。故选B。专题08 阅读理解之议论文10篇
（2023下·北京·高二校考期中）In general, the society is becoming one of giant enterprises directed by a bureaucratic (官僚主义的) management in which man becomes a small, well-oiled cog in the machinery. The oiling is done with higher wages, well-equipped factories and piped music, and by psychologists and “human-relations” experts; yet all this oiling does not change the fact that man has become powerless, that he does not wholeheartedly participate in his work and he is bored with it. In fact, the blue-collar and the white-collar workers have become economic puppets who dance to the tune of automated machines and bureaucratic management.
The worker and employee are anxious, seemingly because they might find themselves out of a job or they would say that they are unable to acquire any real satisfaction or interest in life. In fact, they feel desperate as they live and die without ever having confronted the fundamental realities of human existence as emotionally and intellectually independent and productive human beings.
Those higher up on the social ladder are no less anxious. Their lives are no less empty than those of their subordinates. They are even more insecure in some respects. They are in a highly competitive race. To be promoted or to fall behind is not a matter of salary but even more a matter of self-respect. When they apply for their first job, they are tested for intelligence as well as for the right mixture of submissiveness and independence. From the moment on they are tested again and again by the psychologists, for whom testing is a big business, and by their superiors, who judge their behavior, sociability, capacity to get along, etc. This constant need to prove that one is as good as or better than one’s fellow-competitor creates constant anxiety and stress, the very causes of unhappiness and illness.
Am I suggesting a return to the pre-industrial mode of production or to nineteenth-century “free enterprise” capitalism Certainly not. Problems are never solved by returning to a stage which one has already outgrown. I suggest transforming the social system from a bureaucratically managed industrialism in which maximal production and consumption are ends in themselves into a humanist industrialism in which man and full development of his potentialities — those of all love and of reason — are the aims of social arrangements. Production and consumption should serve as means to this end, and should be prevented from ruling man.
1．By “a small, well-oiled cog in the machinery”, the author expresses the idea that man is _________.
A．an essential part of society with irreplaceable functions
B．expected to work in reasonable harmony with the rest of society
C．an unimportant component of society, though functioning smoothly
D．responsible for the smooth running of society and business operations
2．The real cause of the anxiety of the workers and employees is that _________.
A．they are filled with an overwhelming fear of being unemployed
B．they don’t have any genuine satisfaction or interest
C．they have to face the fundamental realities of human existence
D．they lack a sense of independence and productivity
3．Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “submissiveness”
A．caution B．obedience C．commitment D．optimism
4．What is the author’s purpose in writing the text
A．To introduce the production mode of our ancestors.
B．To show the problematic situation in society.
C．To argue for full development of human potentials.
D．To help people escape production and consumption.
（2023下·北京·高二北师大二附中校考期中）Our green spaces are shrinking, despite all the benefits they give us. If we want to save them, we need to value the ecosystem and health and wellbeing services they offer.
Sheffield city council’s balance sheet shows its parks as a 16m liability (负担). Traditional accountancy methods focus on a park’s saleable value, or its operational costs associated with maintenance. So England’s 27,000 parks are considered as financial liabilities rather than the amazing asset to our health and wellbeing that any of their 37 million regular users could vouch for. They also deliver a range of ecosystem services such as improved air and water quality, flood risk reduction by absorbing water run-off, and cooling the urban environment as well as providing much-needed habitat for wildlife. By using a “natural capital” accounting approach that puts a value on all these social, environmental and economic contributions, Sheffield discovered that for every 1 spent on its parks, they generate 34 of benefits.
Yet this true value is not widely measured or recognised. As Ian Walmsley, Stockport council’s green space manager told the Communities and Local Government select committee parks inquiry, “an argument has never been successfully made that if you spend a certain amount of money on a park, there will be a saving in the health budget and therefore you should take money out of the health budget and put it into parks”. As a result, the MPs inquiry report published last week warned that parks are at a tipping point of decline, threatened by a 92% reduction in their budgets since 2010-11 because of local authority cuts. Less money means fewer park rangers, less maintenance, more litter, dog poo and antisocial behaviour, including gang and drug-related activities, and gradually much-loved local parks turn into dangerous and unappealing areas. Tragically it’s the small, green spaces in poorer, built-up areas that suffer disproportionate cuts to park keepers and maintenance. We have been here before. Uncared-for, litter-strewn parks were characteristic of Thatcher’s Britain before an injection of public spending by a Labour government and 850m of lottery cash brought them back to life.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. Andrew Hinchley, green space development officer at the London Borough of Camden, told MPs if we had new ways of valuing the services parks provide for improving water quality, for example, then you could ask water companies to pay towards their upkeep.
The committee wants councils to publish strategic plans to recognise the real value of parks and to set out how they will be managed (possibly by a charitable trust, as Newcastle is looking into) to maximise their contribution to wider local authority goals such as promoting healthier lifestyles. It suggests the government’s obesity strategy could fund parks. It also suggests that it could be a legal requirement for councils to produce such strategies.
5．According to the text, parks are regarded as financial liabilities because ________.
A．the area of the park is gradually decreasing due to poor protection
B．the budget for the construction of the park is gradually decreasing
C．the value of the park is low by using a “natural capital” accounting approach
D．the traditional accountancy methods focus on a park’s saleable value
6．According to the text, which of the following is NOT the benefit of the park
A．Improving air and water quality.
B．Symbolizing the city civilization.
C．Cooling the urban environment.
D．Providing much-needed habitat for wildlife.
7．Due to the reduction in budgets, what could probably happen
A．The government will take money out of the health budget.
B．The local authorities will centralize the management of the park.
C．Much-loved local parks will turn into unwelcoming places.
D．The true value of the park will be widely measured or recognised.
8．What can be learned from the last two paragraphs
A．The committee has published strategic plans to recognise the real value of park.
B．It could be a legal requirement for councils to produce such strategies.
C．The local citizens should pay for the improving water quality.
D．The Labour government will spend 850m of lottery cash to revive the park.
（2023下·北京房山·高二北京市房山区房山中学校考期中）After years of observing human nature, I have decided that two qualities make the difference between men of great achievement and men of average performance: curiosity and discontent. I have never known an outstanding man who lacked either. And I have never known an average man who had both. The two belong together.
Together, these deep human urges (驱策力) count for much more than ambition. Galileo was not merely ambitious when he dropped objects of varying weights from the Leaning Tower at Pisa and timed their fall to the ground. Like Galileo, all the great names in history were curious and asked in discontent, “Why Why Why ”
Fortunately curiosity and discontent don’t have to be learned. We are born with them and need only recapture them.
“The great man,” said Mencius (孟子), “is he who does not lose his child’s heart.” Yet most of us do lose it. We stop asking questions. We stop challenging custom. We just follow the crowd. And the crowd desires restful average. It encourages us to occupy our own little comer, to avoid foolish leaps into the dark, to be satisfied.
Most of us meet new people, and new ideas, with hesitation. But once having met and liked them, we think how terrible it would have been, had we missed the chance. We will probably have to force ourselves to waken our curiosity and discontent and keep them awake.
How should you start Modestly, so as not to become discouraged. I think of one friend who couldn’t arrange flowers to satisfy herself. She was curious about how the experts did it. Now she is one of the experts, writing books on flower arrangement.
One way to begin is to answer your own excuses. You haven’t any special ability Most people don’t. There are only a few geniuses. You haven’t any time That’s good, because it’s always the people with no time who get things done. Harriet Stowe, mother of six, wrote parts of Uncle Tom’s Cabin while cooking. You’re too old Remember that Thomas Costain was 57 when he published his first novel, and that Grandma Moses showed her first pictures when she was 78.
However you start, remember there is no better time to start than right now, for you’ll never be more alive than you are at this moment.
9．In writing Paragraph 1, the author aims to ________.
A．propose a definition B．make a comparison
C．reach a conclusion D．present an argument
10．According to the author, a person with “his child’s heart” tends to ________.
A．lead a simple and satisfying life
B．be curious about the unknown
C．follow the custom all the time
D．try to avoid making mistakes
11．What can we learn from Paragraphs 6 and 7
A．Lack of talent and time is no reason for taking no action.
B．Experience and special abilities are the keys to success.
C．The genius can get things done easily and creatively.
D．Satisfying yourself can help you become an expert.
12．What could be the best title of the passage
A．Young Minds Never Feel Contented
B．Trial and Error Leads lo Success
C．The Keys to Achievement
D．Well Begun Is Half Done
（2023下·北京·高二北京市第十一中学校考期中）Last fall, I happened to overhear a student telling the others he had decided not to sign up for an introductory philosophy (哲学) course. The demands of his major, be said seriously, meant he needed to take “practical” courses, and “enlightenment” would simply have to wait. For now, employability was the most important.
The students’ conversation fits into a larger alarming word about the role of the humanities in higher education. In a time of dizzying technological achievement and of rapid scientific innovation, sceptics of the humanities may question the usefulness of studying Aristotle, the Italian Renaissance (文艺复兴) 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 like what it means to be alive and the definition of justice. Fostering (鼓励) engagement with these subjects is still an essential 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 businesspersons with degrees in the humanities, and who credit that training for their success.
Far from the widely held belief that humanities 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 (事务性的) terms and more as a foundational preparation for a life well lived. A humanities education plays 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 modern poetry, or even taking introductory philosophy, we will all benefit.
13．What do the students’ conversation show
A．Students feel employment difficult.
B．Students think philosophy less important.
C．Students find scientific innovation amazing.
D．Students consider university courses unsatisfying.
14．What does the underlined part in Paragraph 4 probably mean
A．Equally applied. B．Highly valued.
C．Strictly assessed. D．Greatly improved.
15．The author may agree that humanities___________.
A．provide great insights into life B．prepare students for graduation
C．discover students’ artistic ability D．raise awareness of social celebrity
（2023上·北京顺义·高二北京市顺义区第一中学校考期中）If you analyze people’s actions, you will come to the conclusion that they all seek happiness. Every act is in fact a search for it, even if on the surface it doesn’t look so. Happiness is always the main target.
Going to the movies, eating in a restaurant and going to a party are all motivated by the desire to be happy. Who does not dream of a vacation in some fascinating locations, a new car, a new house, or the ideal match All people daydream, and some even try to make their dream a reality. And why is that In order to be happy!
Many people endanger themselves by climbing steep mountains, entering unexplored caves, or diving into the deep of the ocean in order to enjoy the few moments of happiness. A thief may steal because he loves the thrill of danger, or because he desires to have quick money to spend. He is actually looking for happiness, though in a perverted way.
Of course not all actions end in happiness. The motive is happiness, but the results do not always bring the desire. According to some spiritual traditions, we are spiritual beings in physical bodies. The spiritual part is always happy. Rather, it is happiness itself. But the physical body covers this happiness essence(本质). There is a constant desire to find out this happiness. This is the reason why happiness is constantly sought.
However, there is.no need to search for happiness or to create it, or to have all kinds of outer experiences and actions in order to feel it. On the contrary, everything has to be dropped in order to experience it. Every technique, which helps to relax the mind and calm the rush of thoughts will lead to happiness.
16．From the first two paragraphs, we can learn that______.
A．happiness is a daydream
B．it is very hard to analyze people’s actions
C．many things people do are to attain happiness
D．one should act carefully so as not to show his purpose
17．The underlined word “perverted” in Paragraph 3 most likely means
A．illegal B．unfair C．cautious D．difficult
18．According to the author, why do people seek happiness all the time
A．All actions don’t result in the expected happiness
B．There is little awareness of the nature of happiness.
C．One’s physical body is controlled by his spiritual part.
D．People arc so greedy that it’s hard to satisfy their desires.
（2022上·北京·高二校考期中）Once when I was facing a decision that involved high risk, I went to a friend. He looked at me for a moment, and then wrote a sentence containing the best advice I’ve ever had: Be bold and brave — and mighty (强大的) forces will come to your aid.
Those words made me see clearly that when I had fallen short in the past, it was seldom because I had tried and failed. It was usually because I had let fear of failure stop me from trying at all. On the other hand, whenever I had plunged into deep water, forced by courage or circumstance, I had always been able to swim until I got my feet on the ground again.
Boldness means a decision to bite off more than you are sure you can eat. And there is nothing mysterious about the mighty forces. They are potential powers we possess: energy, skill, sound judgment, creative ideas — even physical strength greater than most of us realize.
Admittedly, those mighty forces are spiritual ones. But they are more important than physical ones. A college classmate of mine, Tim, was an excellent football player, even though he weighed much less than the average player. “In one game I suddenly found myself confronting a huge player, who had nothing but me between him and our goal line,” said Tim. “I was so frightened that I closed my eyes and desperately threw myself at that guy like a bullet (子弹) — and stopped him cold.”
Boldness — a willingness to extend yourself to the extreme — is not one that can be acquired overnight. But it can be taught to children and developed in adults. Confidence builds up. Surely, there will be setbacks (挫折) and disappointments in life; boldness in itself is no guarantee (保证) of success. But the person who tries to do something and fails is a lot better off than the person who tries to do nothing and succeeds.
So, always try to live a little bit beyond your abilities — and you’ll find your abilities are greater than you ever dreamed.
19．Why was the author sometimes unable to reach his goal in the past
A．He faced huge risks. B．He lacked mighty forces.
C．Fear prevented him from trying. D．Failure blocked his way to success.
20．What is the implied meaning of the underlined part
A．Swallow more than you can digest. B．Act slightly above your abilities.
C．Develop more mysterious powers. D．Learn to make creative decisions.
21．What was especially important for Tim’s successful defense in the football game
A．His physical strength.B．His basic skill.C．His real fear. D．His spiritual force.
22．What is the author’s purpose in writing this passage
A．To encourage people to be courageous. B．To advise people to build up physical power.
C．To tell people the ways to guarantee success. D．To recommend people to develop more abilities.
（2023下·北京·高二北京市八一中学校考期中）Millions watch the Oscars every year, but I’m always interested in the Razzies (金酸梅奖), which recognize cinematic underachievement. For all the attention given to what we like, what we dislike can be just as important, interesting and empowering.
French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu saw dislike as snobbery (虚荣). He saw all judgments of taste, favorable or not, as performances of class. The rich could justify their place, he argued, by claiming to have more refined tastes. Knowing which literature or art to praise could signal to others their rightful place at the top of society. Oversimplified as his theory might be, it is not entirely wrong.
Furthermore, dislikes are often used as a way not to stand apart but to fit in. It means learning the unspoken rules of what’s OK to like or dislike, and to proclaim those likes or dislikes loudly for others to hear. When some of us swim against the social tide, we might be savvy (精明的) enough to label our likes as “guilty pleasures”, which both acknowledges the rules and apologizes for violating them.
In my research, though, I found that dislike isn’t just a form of snobbery.
We interviewed over 200 people, a diverse group in race, age, and social class. All the interviewees tended to actively dislike media content far more when they felt they couldn’t escape it. Many people can’t choose the radio station that’s playing at work, or what’s on TV at the bar. Moreover, some of us are subjected to more annoyance than others. Remote controls, for instance, have long been seen as a special right of dads, with women and kids given less power to change the channel. Everyone turns to media hoping for specific needs to be met, but those who have those needs realized less often are those who might dislike more often.
Therefore, speaking about dislikes is an act of resistance-a refusal to allow public space to be conquered by the media content that doesn’t connect.
Dislike can certainly transform into anger or hate, but it may also take a more playful form. Sometimes we could see people joyfully watch the object of their dislike and offer a commentary of criticism, instead of tuning out and turning off. Why Reveling in dislike can help regain control in a world that overwhelms everyone with content. Keeping the despised shows at hand rather than avoiding them can help the dislikers speak up in the court of public opinion. Or some might enjoy their dislikes as a way to avoid ruining certain relationships. Many of us can probably relate to the experience of having a friend who insists we watch something against our will.
What if, rather than resenting the show or the person, we simply embrace it in all of its embarrassing glory By all means, pay attention to the advice to “ignore the haters”. But a lot can be learned by listening to the dislikers.
23．According to Paragraph 3, people label their likes as “guilty pleasures” when they ________.
A．take pride in their taste B．follow the mainstream
C．try to fit into a certain group D．set up the unspoken rules
24．What can we learn from the passage
A．Exposure to unwanted media content intensifies people’s dislike.
B．Expressing dislike helps maintain one’s social relationships.
C．Learning about literature and art is an act of snobbery.
D．Dislikes can be found mostly among the rich.
25．What does the underlined phrase “Reveling in” in the text probably mean
A．Showing concern for. B．Taking delight in.
C．Establishing connection to. D．Drawing lessons from.
26．What message does the author try to convey in this passage
A．Staying away from the haters is a sensible means to avoid trouble.
B．We are encouraged to launch debates over hot issues in public.
C．The media should aim to meet the needs of different groups of audience.
D．Embracing our dislikes can be beneficial to some extent.
（2022下·北京顺义·高二杨镇第一中学校考期中）To Friend or Not to Friend
We all love our parents and turn to them when we’re in need, but would you like them to hear the conversation you have with your friends on the school playground or lunch queue Social networking sites have become extensions of the school hallways (走廊), so would you add your parents as “friends” and allow them to view your online activities and conversations with friends
In the past the generation gap included a technology gap, where children were up to date with latest technology and parents were left behind, content to continue their day to day lives as they always had because they had no need to know more about technology. However, more and more parents are beginning to realize just how important social networks are in their lives. This realization has given many parents the motivation to educate themselves about social networking sites.
These days many people are attracted to social networking sites because they can choose who they have around them; there’s also a certain amount of control over privacy that we don’t get in real life. Sometimes we feel that privacy is violated(侵犯) when we must accept a “friend” request from a parent or family member,
It’s a difficult choice whether or not to allow a parent to become a part of our online lives. On the one hand, we don’t want to “reject” their request because that might hurt their feelings or make the feel you have something to hide. On the other hand if you do accept, then you could have a sense of being watched and no longer feel free to comment or communicate the way you did before.
A recent survey suggested that parents shouldn’t take it personally if their child ignores their request, “When a teen ignores a parent’s friend request, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are hiding something, but it could mean that this is one part of their life where they want to be independent.”
Perhaps talking with parents and giving explanations would help soften the blow if you do choose not to add them to your friends list.
27．What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 1 mean
A．students may log in micro-blog on school
B．students can find pictures of hallways on micro-blog
C．schools begin to build their hallways on the Internet
D．students begin to communicate on some websites
28．From Paragraph 2, we learn that .
A．parents feel secure about their privacy online
B．social networks successfully fill the generation gap
C．social networks offer a platform for parents to communicate
D．parents have realized the importance of social networks
29．Teenagers may refuse a parent’s friend request because .
A．they hide something from their parents
B．they are unwilling to be watched by parents
C．their parents tend to fall behind in technology
D．their parents make negative comments on them
30．What is the passage is written mainly for
A．teenagers B．parents C．teachers D．researchers
（2022上·北京顺义·高二杨镇第一中学校考期中）Do kids really need to go to school to learn For most people it is obvious that school is the right place where real learning takes place, and for them real learning takes place.
The social theorist Ivan Illich believes the idea that learning is the result of teaching is ridiculous. Most learning happens without the person being taught consciously. We learn to speak, to think, to walk and to do many things without teachers. People who learn a second language well are much more likely to develop better because of interests outside the classroom-interests in movies, music, magazines, foreign friends, games or computers which give these people the motivation that keeps them learning
Ivan Illich also says, “an academic education favors only the minority of students who want to go to university. As for the majority, their needs and interests and talents are not provided by an educational system.”
On the other hand, most people agree that school teaches everyone a valuable lesson. It teaches kids that life must be organized. It helps students to develop good habits, to behave in public, to follow certain rules, which is important for a comfortable life for everyone. School also helps them to make friends, work in a team and learn to help others to build up social relations, so that they will acquire the habits and attitudes needed by the future public life.
In addition, there are exams during the pupils’ study, and the real importance of exams is not only to check your subject but also to encourage you to make progress step by step. If you get a good grade, it means you can go to a better school. So every successful exam opens more doors in life for the students. If you fail in exams, school offers the pupils an instruction in their failure to make them stronger, which is beneficial to their future life.
Undoubtedly schools are necessity in our modern and highly organized society. It is a nice idea that education takes place in groups, which is provided by professional teachers. But educational system needs to be up-to-date so that the experience of school is much more positive for all students.
31．According to Ivan Illich, .
A．learning is the result of conscious teaching
B．academic education benefits the majority of students
C．real learning happens unconsciously without being taught.
D．schools help to develop students’ interests
32．What can we infer from paragraph 4&5
A．Schools offer kids little training for social life
B．Schools ignore an instruction in kids’ failure
C．Exams only function as a checking tool of subjects.
D．Exams help students get improved gradually.
33．The last paragraph intends to tell us .
A．Schools are highly organized societies
B．Schooling plays an important role and will develop better
C．Schooling are short of professional teachers
D．Current educational system is already perfect for all students
34．What is the author’s attitude towards schooling
A．Supportive. B．Neutral(中立的).
C．Critical. D．Disapproving. (不赞成的)
（2022上·北京·高二校考期中）In colleges around the country, most students are also workers.
The reality of college can be pretty different from the images presented in movies and television. Instead of the students who wake up late, party all the time, and study only before exams, many colleges are full of students with pressing schedules of not just classes and activities, but real jobs, too.
This isn’t a temporary phenomenon. The share of working students has been on the rise since the 1970s, and one-fifth of students work year round. About one-quarter of those who work while attending school have both a full-course load and a full-time job. The arrangement can help pay for tuition(学费)and living costs, obviously. And there’s value in it beyond the direct cause: such jobs can also be critical for developing important professional and social skills that make it easier to land a job after graduation. With many employers looking for students with already-developed skill sets, on-the-job training while in college can be the best way to ensure a job later on.
But it’s not all upside. Even full-time work may not completely cover the cost of tuition and living expenses. The study notes that if a student worked a full-time job at the federal minimum wage, they would earn just over $15,000 each year, certainly not enough to pay for tuition, room, and board at many colleges without some serious financial aid. That means that though they’re sacrificing time away from the classroom, many working students will still graduate with at least some debt. And working fulltime can reduce the chance that students will graduate at all, by cutting into the time available for studying and attending classes.
There is little Ward for attending but not finishing college. Students who end up leaving school because of difficulty in managing work and class are likely to find themselves stuck in some of the same jobs they might have gotten if they hadn’t gone at all. The difficulty of working too much while in school can create a cycle that pushes students further into debt without receiving any of the financial or career benefits.
35．According to the passage, the reality of college students is that____________.
A．they throw parties a lot B．they stay up late every night
C．they pay no attention to exams D．they work besides attending classes
36．What is the indirect cause of an increasing number of working students
A．The need of developing social networks. B．The lack of summer jobs for young adults.
C．The chance of finding a job after graduation. D．The expenses of high tuition and living costs.
37．What is the best title for the passage
A．The Difficulties of Landing a Job B．The Struggle of Work-School Balance
C．The Reward of Working While Studying D．The Images of Working College Students
