安徽省部分市2023-2024学年高二上学期期中英语汇编：阅读理解（含解析）

安徽省2023-2024学年高二上学期期中考试英语试卷汇编：
阅读理解
安徽省安庆市2023-2024学年高二上学期期中考试英语试卷
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
A
As we close out the final days of this year, treat yourself to a deliciously distracting new book — a book that you can dip into and out of throughout the holidays. Read up, rest up, and enjoy yourself.
Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and beyond
A must-have guide for yoga-loving mamas, Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond offers helpful relaxation techniques and breathing exercises that are tailored to each pregnant (怀孕的) woman. The book also lays out valuable techniques for labor and staying in touch with your body as it continuously changes.
Mindfulness Activities for Kids
We could all use a little more peace in our lives. Uniquely suited for children and parents to do together, the 40 mindfulness exercises recommended here — from pausing to fully enjoy a tasty sandwich to taking chalk walk together — will not only teach children calm and gratitude, but also bring grown-ups and their littles closer together.
Before She Disappeared
Frankie Elkin is a recovering alcoholic who devotes her time to solving cold cases, especially those involving people of color. A new investigation brings her to Boston, searching for a Haitian teenager who disappeared months ago. But as Frankie starts asking questions, someone else will stop at nothing to keep the answers hidden.
Oak Flat
Lauren Redniss' Oak Flat tells the story of the land near the San Carlos Apache Reservation through an Apache family fighting to protect the land, which the U. S. government and two world-power mining enterprises are attempting to seize and destroy for its copper resources. Visually striking and deeply reported, Oak Flat tells a larger story of endless westward expansion and native resistance.
1. Which book can help to improve family relations
A. Yoga for Pregnancy, Birth and Beyond. B. Mindfulness Activities for Kids.
C. Before She Disappeared. D. Oak Flat.
2. What do we know about the book Oak Flat
A. It centers on an Apache family's struggle.
B. It's a brief account of mining enterprises.
C. It sings high praise of the US government.
D. It supports westward expansion and native resistance.
3. Who are the target readers of the four books
A. Women. B. Teenagers. C. Grown-ups. D. Pupils.
B
Valerie Bolduc is exploring a path under a four-lane highway to fit wildlife cameras, when she gets stuck in the mud. “I am really stuck,” says the road ecology student, trying to pull her feet out of a streambed that travels through the concrete culvert (涵洞) of Quebec Route 117. “I do not want to be a deer going through that.”
Bolduc’s dilemma makes evident the risks for wild animals using the same path.
A warming climate is pushing many animals to migrate toward higher latitudes (纬度) to remain within their desirable environments, but that comes with risks as they cross dangerous areas, such as highways. In eastern Canada, Bolduc and other researchers and conservationists are trying to preserve safe corridors (走廊) for wildlife.
The motion-activated cameras they have brought will record which species are using the tunnels. An outward-facing camera will identify what animals approach but do not enter, perhaps prevented by traffic noise, the tunnel’s size or other factors.
Bolduc explains that this highway running through southern Quebec separates a series of Canadian national and regional parks on either side, along with their animal populations. “It’s super important,” she notes, “because the animals want to move north and they encounter these and then can they move through Will they get hit by a car We’ll need to figure that out. And we need to help them, at least I want to help them.”
After finishing fitting their cameras on the northbound side of the highway, Bolduc and her team decide they need an alternate path to the other side to avoid another misfortune in the mud. “We’re generally trying to be safe,” Bolduc says, “but for the animals, this is their life!”
4. What can we learn from Bolduc’s experience of being trapped
A. It is difficult to fit wildlife cameras.
B. She is out of luck during the exploration.
C. Road conditions of the highway are unexpected.
D. It is dangerous for wild animals to cross this area.
5. What do these animals move to higher latitudes for
A. Less traffic noise. B. Warmer climate. C. Safe corridors. D. Favorable environments.
6. What function is expected of the wildlife cameras
A. To record the changes in traffic flow. B. To figure out difficulties wild animals face.
C. To track animals in and around the tunnels. D. To photograph the living environment of wild animals.
7. Which of the following can be the best title for the text
A. High Tech Protects Wildlife B. Animal Migration Is under Threat
C. Ecologists Fear the Future of Wildlife D. Researchers Seek Paths for Animals to Migrate
C
We’ve all been told that different types of fruits and vegetables have different benefits that help us maintain our health. A new international study has found that eating one fruit regularly can help reduce the risk of cancer, among those people who have a high risk of developing certain cancers.
The research which followed almost 1000 patients with Lynch syndrome-a genetic condition that makes people predisposed to orange of cancers found that a regular intake of resistant starch(抗酶解淀粉)could have a major preventative effect on the risk of cancer. Here’s what you need to know about how eating bananas can help reduce risk of cancer.
Resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate(碳水化合物)which feeds beneficial gut bacteria. It is found in green bananas. By eating green bananas your body gets a regular dose of resistant starch which has been found to reduce risk of cancers in some parts of the body by more than half, according to the new research. The study, which was published in Cancer Prevention Research, was led by experts at the Universities of Newcastle and Leeds. It found that resistant starch, if taken regularly for an average of two years, had a positive effect on some cancers, which can be difficult to detect.
John Mather, a professor at Newcastle University explained:“Resistant starch acts in effect, like dietary fibre in your digestive system. This type of starch has several health benefits and fewer calories than regular starch.”
Besides green bananas, resistant starch is also found in foods such as peas, oats, cereal, beans and other starchy foods. You can also take resistant starch as a powder supplement.
In terms of bananas, experts recommend that eating one banana daily is the equivalent of one dose of resistant starch. The trick is to eat the bananas before they become too ripe or soft.
8. Which of the following can prevent the risk of cancer
A. Carbohydrate. B. resistant starch.
C. dietary fibre. D. gut bacteria.
9. What did the new research find
A. Eating green bananas regularly could serve as a power supplement.
B. Eating green bananas regularly could reduce risk of cancers.
C. Eating bananas regularly could improve life expectancy.
D. Green bananas would have fewer calories.
10. What aspect does John Mather’ s research probably focus on
A. human nutrition. B. plants formation.
C. herbal medicine. D. weight control.
11. According to the text what would the experts suggest people do
A. Take more green bananas.
B. Reduce calories and dietary fibre.
C. Keep regular intake of resistant starch.
D. Detect hidden cancers earlier.
D
Researchers reported a blind man who had received a gene of a light-sensing protein can now see and touch objects with the help of special goggles(护目镜).
His vision gains are modest—he cannot see colors or distinguish faces or letters. But if the treatment helps other study participants, it may offer advantages over other vision technologies for severely blind people. For scientists, the result is a milestone: the first published report of using a relatively new technology called optogenetics(光遗传学) to treat a disease in people. “It’s not the kind of vision people dream of, but it’s a big step,” said Jean Bennett of the University of Pennsylvania.
Optogenetics uses light to control neurons. Scientists add the gene to a light-sensitive protein called opsin(视蛋白) from algae or bacteria and then shine light on the cell to cause the opsin to change shape, which switches the neuron’s activity on or off. Since it was developed nearly 20 years ago, optogenetics has mostly been used as a tool to treat animals, brain diseases. But researchers hope it can one day treat diseases such as Parkinson’s disease and blindness.
“The eye is the simplest place to start because it is small and easy to access,” said Botond Roska, a physician-scientist at the University of Base.
The patients in the study have lost the retinal photoreceptor cells(视网膜感光细胞) that use human opsins to turn light into electrical signals relayed to the brain. But their eyes still have the cells that route these signals to the brain via the optic nerve. That means the patients could potentially gain vision by giving these cells a new kind of opsin.
12. What can we know about the result from paragraph 2
A. It has shortcomings but is important.
B. It can be used to treat blind people now.
C. It is the conclusion of previous research.
D. It is a way to help people become modest.
13. Which is the key to the treatment
A. New goggles. B. Suitable opsin.
C. Natural proteins. D. Retinal photoreceptor cells.
14. What can we infer about optogenetics from the text
A. It can benefit both humans and animals.
B. Scientists have never focused on it before.
C. If has been used to treat animals’ blindness.
D. Patients should know something about it.
15. What may be the best title for the text
A. A Report on a New Protein
B. Ways to Help Patients Stay Healthy
C. Researchers Find Blindness Can Be Cured
D. A Treatment Helps Blind Men Regain Some Vision
安徽省合肥市2023-2024学年高二上学期期中考试英语试题
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
A
Four Self-Portraits (自画像) by Famous Artists
Raphael (Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino)—“Self-Portrait”, 1506
One of the beautiful self-portraits by famous artist Raphael was drawn at the age of 23. It measures around 45cm×33cm and is located at the world-famous Uffizi Gallery. The Italian painter used oil on board to draw his self-portrait, which was the clearest and the most recognizable self-portraits of Raphael himself.
Leonardo da Vinci—“Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk”, 1512
“Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk”is a self-portrait of da Vinci at the age of 60 and measures around 33.3cm×21.6cm, which is on display in Biblioteca Reale, Turin, Italy. It is drawn with red chalk on paper and represents the head of an elderly man in a three-quarter view. In the portrait, the length of the hair is uncommon in Renaissance (文艺复兴) portraits.
Rembrandt van Rijn—“Self-Portrait with Beret and Turned-up Collar”, 1659
Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn painted his self-portrait in 1659 when he was 53 years old. It shows his worried expression that clearly portrays the troubled condition of his mind at that point of his life since the year 1659 was a year of anxiety for him. This self-portrait found its place among the Benjamin Altman Collection, which has been exhibited in the Metropolitan Museum of Art since 1913.
Edgar Degas—“Degas Au Porte-Fusain’”, l855
Edgar Degas made this self-portrait only when he was twenty-one years old. It was one of the most remarkable of his fifteen self-portraits. Degas was seated as seemingly without fear and anxiety. The pose in the painting was formal and academic. The painting is located in the musée d’Orsay, Paris, France.
1. Where should visitors go if they want to admire Raphael’s self-portrait in 1506
A. Uffizi Gallery. B. Biblioteca Reale.
C. The musée d’Orsay. D. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
2. Which aspect of Portrait of a Man in Red Chalk was special during the Renaissance
A. The red clothing. B. The formal pose.
C. The long hair. D. The worried expression.
3. Which painter was the youngest when painting the above-mentioned self-portraits
A. Raphael. B. Edgar Degas.
C. Leonardo da Vinci. D. Rembrandt van Rijn.
B
Last Friday, a robot called EveR6 led an orchestra (管弦乐队) in a performance of Korean music at the National Theater of Korea. EveR 6 is about as tall as a person, and has a human-like face that can show emotions. Its joints (关节) allow it to move its arms quickly and smoothly in many different directions.
But EveR 6 doesn’t think on its own like some advanced Artificial Intelligence programs. Instead, it has a limited group of movements that it has been trained to perform. To make these movements as natural as possible, EveR 6’s movements are based on those captured from real human conductors.
In Friday’s performance, the National Orchestra of Korea presented a concert titled “Absence”. The concert included five different pieces of music. Two were conducted by EveR 6, and two were conducted by Soo-Yeoul Choi, who leads the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra. Both conductors worked together on the final piece.
Mr. Choi was impressed with the way EveR 6 moved. “The robot was able to present such detailed moves much better than I had imagined,” he said.
But Mr. Choi added that the robot’s biggest weakness is that it can’t hear. “Some people think that conducting is just a combination of hand waving and keeping the beat,” said Mr. Choi. “But a good conductor needs to listen to the orchestra, so that he or she can correct and encourage the orchestra as it plays.”
Mr. Choi and EveR 6 both conducted a piece of music called “Sense”. Instead of musical notes, EveR 6 had instructions for how to play the piece. The conductors and musicians had to work together to create the music. Mr. Choi communicated with the musicians while EveR 6 kept the beat. Mr. Choi said that once EveR 6 started, the musicians had “no choice but to follow its beats”.
Mr. Choi doesn’t think robots are likely to replace human conductors. But he believes robots could be helpful in situations like practice sessions where the same thing needs to be repeated many times.
4. What do we know about EveR 6 from the text
A. It is an experienced conductor. B. It has a lifelike appearance.
C. It is able to listen to music. D. It is much shorter than a person.
5. What does the underlined word “captured”in paragraph 2 mean
A. Stolen. B. Stopped. C. Recorded. D. Hidden.
6. What advantage does a human conductor have over EveR 6
A. Waving hands. B. Keeping the beat.
C. Having instructions. D. Communicating with musicians.
7. What is the text mainly about
A. A robot conducting an orchestra. B. An orchestra having performed in Korea.
C. Modern music combined with technology. D. Two conductors getting worldwide recognition.
C
While temperatures continue to climb, visitors are still coming to see Death Valley National Park on the California-Nevada border. The park is known as the hottest place on Earth. This past weekend, the temperatures climbed to 53.33℃. Most visitors at this time of year make it only a short distance to any area in the park before returning to the cool air in their vehicles.
Early information from the park service shows that across the nation’s 424 national parks, at least four people have died this year from heat-related causes. That includes a 65-year-old man from San Diego who was found dead at Death Valley earlier this month.
Death Valley National Park suggests visitors be careful and not have expectations of rescue. While park rangers (护林员) drive on park roads and can aid tourists in need, it is unsure that lost visitors will get help in time.
Physical activity can make the heat feel even worse and leave people exhausted. Alessia Dempster, who was visiting from Edinburgh, Scotland, said, “It’s very hot especially when there’s a gentle wind. You would think maybe that would give you some slight relief from the heat, but it just really does feel like an air blow dryer just going back in your face.”
Death Valley is a narrow area that is below sea level and surrounded by high mountains, the park service’s website says. The dry air and small plant coverage let sunlight heat up the park surface. The heat then becomes trapped in the valley.
Still, several areas in Death Valley continue to draw tourists. Badwater Basin, made up of salt flats, is considered the lowest point in all of North America. The 183-meter Ubehebe Crater dates back over 2,000 years. And Zabriskie Point is a great sunrise viewing spot.
Josh Miller, a visitor from Indianapolis who has been to 20 national parks so far, shared that feeling. “It’s hot, but the scenery is awesome,” he said.
8. What do most visitors do in Death Valley
A. Cool themselves in time. B. Do lots of physical exercises.
C. Stay away from park rangers. D. Carry dryers with themselves.
9. Why does the author mention the 65-year-old man in paragraph 2
A. To encourage the elderly to travel more.
B. To express admiration for mountain climbers.
C. To advise people to tour Death Valley more often.
D. To show the danger of traveling in Death Valley.
10. What does paragraph 5 mainly tell us about Death Valley
A. Its covering area. B. Its attractive spots.
C. The reason why it is so hot. D. The service of its park’s website.
11. What can be inferred about Death Valley from the last two paragraphs
A. It has a short history. B. It is worth visiting.
C. It draws fewer and fewer tourists. D. It is unsuitable for viewing sunrise.
D
Indoor food growing operations are seeing both successes and failures in the United States Some companies in the food industry are investing (投资) even as competitors fail.
California-based Plenty Unlimited this summer began working on $300 million indoor plants, while Kroger announced that it would be increasing its availability of vertically (垂直地) farmed produce. Meanwhile, two indoor farming companies that got strong backing—New Jersey’s AeroFarms and Kentucky’s AppHarvest—filed for financial failure and reorganization. And a five-year-old company in Detroit, Planted Detroit, shut its doors this summer.
The industry changes do not worry Jacob Portillo, a grower with Eden Green Technology, an indoor farming company. “The fact that other people are failing and other people are succeeding is going to happen in any industry you go to,” he said.
Indoor farming refers to growing crops indoors, which experts sometimes call “controlled environment agriculture”. There are different methods. One method called vertical farming involves putting produce from floor to ceiling, often under artificial lights and with the plants growing in nutrient-enriched water. Other growers are trying very large greenhouses, indoor beds of soil in big buildings and using special robots for parts of the farming process.
Supporters say growing indoors uses less water and land and permits food to be grown closer to consumers, saving on transport. Indoor growing is also a way to protect crops from increasingly extreme weather caused by climate change.
But critics question the sustainability (可持续性) of operations that can require a lot of energy for artificial lights. And they say paying for that light can make profitability impossible. Curt Covington of AgAmerica Lending, a private investment company centered on agriculture, is not convinced that indoor farming operations can work—except in special cases. Given the high cost of indoor operations, Covington said, “It’s just hard to be very profitable.”
12. What is Jacob Portillo’s attitude to the indoor food growing industry
A. Positive. B. Worried. C. Unclear. D. Doubtful.
13. What can we learn about indoor farming
A. It takes a lot of manpower to take care of plants.
B. It means growing plants in water instead of soil.
C. It protects crops from increasingly extreme weather.
D. It is different from controlled environment agriculture.
14. Why did Curt Covington question indoor farming operations
A. They produce little food. B. They carry great cost.
C. They need sunlight. D. They lack investors.
15. What is the best title for the text
A. What Types of Food Can Be Grown Indoors
B. How Can You Grow Food Indoors Without Soil
C. Indoor Farming Companies Take Agriculture Indoors
D. Indoor Food Growing Operations Face an Uncertain Future
安徽省宿州市2023-2024年高二上学期期中考试英语试题
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
A
Four National Parks in California
Channel Islands National Park
Channel Islands National Park includes five remarkable islands and their ocean environment, preserving and protecting a wealth of natural and cultural resources. Isolation over thousands of years has created unique animals, plants, and archaeological resources.
Death Valley National Park
In this below-sea-level basin, steady drought and record summer heat make Death Valley National Park a land of extremes. Yet, each extreme has a striking contrast. Towering peaks are frosted with winter snow. Rare rainstorms bring vast fields of wildflowers. Despite its frightening name, lush oases (绿洲) harbor tiny fish and provide shelters for wildlife and humans.
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Located in the Fisherman’s Wharf neighborhood, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park offers visitors the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Pacific Coast maritime history. The Park includes a magnificent fleet of historic ships, a Visitor Center, Maritime Museum, Maritime Research Center, and Aquatic Park Historic District.
Yosemite National Park
Not just a great valley, but a shrine (圣地) to human foresight. Yosemite National Park is best known for its waterfalls when making a comparison to other national parks, and you can find deep valleys, grand meadows, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
21. What do Channel Islands National Park and San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park have in common
A. They both have a visitor center.
B. They both provide outdoor and indoor activities.
C. They are both famous for their natural attractions for visitors.
D. They both have historic significance to California.
22. What is the most representative feature of Yosemite National Park
A. Typical extreme temperature. B. Deep valleys.
C. Spectacular waterfalls. D. Rich and unique plants.
23. Where can the text be found
A. A history book. B. A tourist magazine.
C. A novel. D. A biography.
B
A year after Walt Disney made history with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, its artists were struggling to find the right design for Bambi, the tale of a young deer. The film’s production team realized they needed a style that highlighted almost all of the leaves, flowers and mushrooms in their first feature-length animated(动画的)film.
Soon they got their inspiration from Tyrus Wong, whose work was on display as a new exhibit at New York City’s Museum. In 1938, the Walt Disney Studio hired him to draw the frames between the main drawings of the animators. After reading the story of Bambi, he saw an opportunity to break out of his humdrum job. He said to himself “This is all outdoor scenery. And I’m a landscape painter. This will be great!”
Inspired by Chinese landscape paintings, he used watercolor and pastels(蜡笔)to make sketches that bring the feeling of forest scenes with simple strokes of color and special attention to light and shadow. Wong’s sketches attracted Disney and became the guide for Bambi’s background artists, who were later trained to imitate his style. “His expression was a great leap forward for the medium,” writes John Lasseter, the chief creative officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios. “Where other films were literal, Bambi was expressive and emotional.” In 2001,Wong was named “Disney Legend”, and he received the recognition as the true lead artist.
He pursued art all his life and still made art during his retirement, including toy animals from recycled materials and handmade kites that he regularly flew off the Santa Monica Pier in California. “People admire his works because of Bambi, but Bambi was just a really small part of his life,” says his youngest daughter. “He considers himself not a great artist but a lucky artist, who was at the right place at the right time.”
24. Why did Walt Disney’s artists notice Tyrus Wong
A. He was good at drawing cartoon characters.
B. He won a prize at a museum in New York.
C. His style was suitable for the animated film Bambi.
D. His work could be used to advertise Walt Disney’s films
25. What does John Lasseter think of Tyrus Wong’s paintings
A. They were literal and detailed.
B. They conveyed thoughts effectively.
C. They showed the legend of Walt Disney.
D. They displayed the progress of the medium.
26. What can we learn about Tyrus Wong from the last paragraph
A. He was devoted to art during his lifetime.
B. He had been busy his whole life.
C. He gave up art after retirement.
D. He liked to purchase toys and kites.
27. How does the author introduce Tyrus Wong
A. By analyzing cause and effect.
B. By making comparisons.
C. By following time order.
D. By listing examples.
C
Young children often benefit from the structure and routine of a traditional classroom setting. On the other hand, older students may find that they learn better when given the freedom to explore material at their own pace. In order to provide the full benefit of online learning, educators must be aware of the needs of their students and therefore tailor their instruction.
As anyone who has tried to learn from videos knows, it can be difficult to search, obtain, and sum up important information. In response to this, Hari Subramonyam, a research professor, and his two colleagues, have developed a new app called VideoSticker which uses artificial intelligence (AI).
The app uses AI to automatically identify and trim (整理) objects out of video lessons and place them into a note-taking area. In addition to capturing images, VideoSticker also pulls in key text, joining it with the imagery. This way, students can easily handle images and text and add those elements in their own explanations. As a result, the app turns the passive experience of watching a video into an active one with lots of enthusiasm and determination, which helps students to better engage with the material and remember the information.
The test of VideoSticker’s effectiveness was conducted with 10 graduate and undergraduate students. During the test, the students completed a 75- to 90-minute note-taking session of a biology class. The researchers reported positive feedback from participants, with particular praise to VideoSticker’s flexibility in navigating between notes and video content. Next up, the team will partner with other educators to further evaluate and improve VideoSticker before making the tool fully available commercially.
With more and more people turning to videos for educational content, apps like VideoSticker could help to make the learning process easier and more efficient. Other education-based innovations we have spotted recently include an app that lets students upload maths problems through their phones, as well as a platform for students with learning differences and a tool that identifies struggling readers sooner.
28. Which of the following has the similar meaning to the underlined word in Paragraph 1
A. teach B. satisfy C. create D. adapt
29. How do students feel when learning on VideoSticker
A. Thoughtful and focused. B. Energetic and involved.
C. Helpful and encouraged. D. Confident and determined
30. What can we infer from the last paragraph
A. More burden is laid on students.
B. More practice bases are to be developed.
C. More education innovation come into being.
D. More people begin to make education videos.
31. What’s the main idea of the text
A. An available method makes students improve study efficiency.
B. An AI tool makes it easy for students to take notes from videos.
C. An advanced app makes students interact well with the teachers.
D. A piece of important information makes students benefit from education.
D
The government of Singapore has created a highly developed system that turns wastewater into drinking water. The system involves a network of tunnels and high technology treatment centers.
The system helps reduce ocean pollution, as only a small amount of the treated water is sent into the sea. The United Nations estimates that 80 percent of the world’s wastewater flows back into the oceans without being treated or reused.
Singapore has few natural water sources. The island nation has long had to depend mostly on supplies from neighboring Malaysia.
Low Pei Chin, an expert, told reporters, “Singapore lacks natural resources, and it is limited in space, which is why we are always looking for ways to explore water sources and stretch our water supply. One major plan is to collect every drop and reuse endlessly.”
Parts of the water treatment center are underground. Wastewater enters the center through a 48- kilometer tunnel that is linked to sewers. The center contains a large system of steel pipes, tubes, tanks, cleaning systems and other machinery. It can treat up to 900 million liters of wastewater a day.
In one building, a network of air flow systems has been put in place to keep the air smelling as fresh as possible. Waste that arrives at the plant goes through a cleaning process before powerful pumps send it flowing to areas above ground for more treatment. There, the treated water receives additional cleaning. Bacteria and viruses are removed through highly developed cleaning processes and then disinfected with ultraviolet radiation (紫外线).
Singapore is also in the process of expanding its recycling system. The country will add another underground tunnel and a major water treatment center to serve the western half of the island. Officials expect work on the center to be completed by 2025. By the time the expansion is finished, Singapore will have spent about $7.4 billion on its water treatment systems.
32. What can we infer from the second paragraph
A. The world’s oceans are polluted by wastewater.
B. Only a small amount of the treated water is suitable to drink.
C. Wastewater is usually treated before being sent into the oceans.
D. 80 percent of the water in the oceans can be used as drinking water.
33. What can we know from the passage
A. Singapore plans to get help from Malaysia.
B. The wastewater is cleaned underground in the whole process.
C. 900 million liters of wastewater can be cleaned in the center a day.
D. The recycled water enters the sea through a highly developed system.
34. How are bacteria and viruses of treated water removed
A. Purifying water by itself.
B. Through a special kind of chemical.
C. With ultraviolet radiation.
D. Through cleaning processes and disinfection.
35. Which of the following is the best title for the passage
A. Singapore turns wastewater into drinking water.
B. Collect and rescue: the future of Singapore.
C. The importance of sea water in Singapore.
D. Water source protection matters.
安徽省滁州市2023-2024学年高二上学期期中英语试题
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
A
Literary (文学的) festivals are all over the UK and Ireland this month. Here are four of them.
Hay Festival
Set on the beautiful Wales-England border, this year’s Hay Festival includes travel writer Kapka Kassabova delivering the 2023 Jan Morris Lecture, Ray Mears discussing the British woodland, and Bear Grylls and Ranulph Fiennes celebrating a love of wild spaces. Author-led tours with Wayfair Walks explore the Brecon Beacons.
Date: From 25 May to 4 June
Guernsey Literary Festival
Celebrating great writing and big ideas in the beautiful island of Guernsey, this event includes activities such as a talk by Susie Dent centred on her book An Emotional Dictionary — Real Words For How We Feel, and family-focused drawing classes from painter Rob Biddulph. The festival also offers poetry competitions, writing workshops and the chance to stretch your legs on Guernsey’s coastal trails and nature walks.
Date: From 2 to 14 May
International Literature Festival Dublin
The ancient streets that were once inspiration for James Joyce, W·B Yeats and Oscar Wilde welcome Ireland’s leading literary festival this May. The 10-day event celebrates the best Irish and international writers, poets, playwrights and screenwriters. Book-themed guided walks are also offered.
Date: From 19 to 28 May
The Bath Festivals
Founded in 1948, The Bath Festivals is a year-round creative learning program that inspires and connects different people and communities through various activities. For example, we have Bath Contemporary Artists’ Fair in May and Bath Children’s Literature Festival in September. Our other year-round hands-on music and literature projects give children and young people opportunities to gain real-world experience.
21. Who will discuss the British woodland at Hay Festival
A. Bear Grylls. B. Ray Mears.
C. Ranulph Fiennes. D. Kapka Kassabova.
22. When will the literary event be held in Guernsey
A. From 2 to 14 May. B. From 20 May to 4 June.
C. From 19 to 28 May. D. From 25 May to 4 June.
23 What is unique about The Bath Festivals
A. It mainly attracts adults. B. It runs throughout the year.
C. It has a variety of activities. D. It offers author-led city walks.
B
A 16-year-old girl from Changsha, Hunan province, successfully reached the top of Qomolangma, known as Mount Everest in the West, on Monday morning, becoming the youngest Chinese female to conquer (征服) the world’s highest top from the southern slope (坡).
Xu Zhuoyuan is a first-year high school student from Hunan province. On April 15, she left Changsha for Nepal. On April 21, she began her long walk from Lukla. On April 28, she arrived at the base camp and started her altitude adaptation training at once. At 10 pm Beijing time on May 14, Xu started walking from Camp 4 at an altitude of 7,950 meters on the southern slope of Qomolangma. After a punishing 10-hour climb, she successfully reached the summit.
Xu Zhuoyuan’s father, Xu Jianglei, was the first person from Hunan province to reach the top of Qomolangma. Xu Zhuoyuan has been exploring remote areas with him since she was very young. Despite her young age, Xu Zhuoyuan has already climbed five mountains over 5,000 meters in China. When she was 12 years old, she made a statement on Hunan TV saying, “I will climb Qomolangma.”
Four years later, she achieved her promise. Although Xu Zhuoyuan has rich climbing experience, she has been experiencing high-intensity professional training non-stop to conquer Qomolangma. Last year, she climbed Mount Muztagata, which stands 7,546 meters. “Human beings are small in the face of nature. We should respect nature and get closer to Qomolangma,” said Xu Zhuoyuan.
She brought the gloves her father used when he reached the top with her as a form of inheritance and to bear witness to her own dream coming true. After finishing her university studies, she hopes to continue climbing and achieve the “7+2” (7 tops plus the North and South Poles).
24. When did Xu Zhuoyuan arrive at the base camp
A. On April 15. B. On April 21. C. On April 28. D. On May 14.
25. Which word can best describe Xu Zhuoyuan
A. Honest. B. Clever. C. Creative. D. Determined.
26. Why was Xu Jianglei mentioned in paragraph 3
A. To describe his achievements. B. To show his impact on his daughter.
C. To recognize his support for the girl. D. To stress girls should be taken good care of.
27. What’s the best title for the text
A. A Great Father Shocks the Whole World
B. Qomolangma Draws More and More People
C. 16-year-old Girl Tops World’s Highest Mountain
D. Father and Daughter Conquer the Highest Mountain
C
Move over soccer, basketball and football, there’s a new competition sweeping Australia. It’s competitive bird calling. Yes, bird calling!
Scores of kids in New South Wales are spending their spare time practicing for the Bournda Bird Olympics, an event that aims at young bird-callers against each other to see who can deliver the clearest, most enthusiastic and most accurate bird call. The principal of the Bournda Environmental Education Centre, Doug Reckord, encourages the kids to listen to bird calls on YouTube to prepare for the event. The children also work on identifying birds by their beaks, claws and calls.
Surprisingly, the Bournda Bird Olympics isn’t Australia’s first competition with competitive bird calling. The first competition took place in Sydney in 1912. It was supported by the Gould League of Bird Lovers, a foundation that encouraged children to bird watch and learn about birds.
Even back then, New South Wales was the country’s bird calling leader. Students from the New South Wales region had access to much more bird sounds than city kids. They won the Dawson Memorial Shield for best bird calling six times between 1953 and 1962. Today, New South Wales is bringing back the bird calls. Led by the Bournda Environmental Education Centre, the Bournda Bird Olympics renewed in 2018. The event now features former bird calling champion, Bruce Chapman, as the “celebrity” judge.
When showtime finally arrives, three judges at the Bournda Bird Olympics rate people taking part on their enthusiasm, accuracy and clearness. The players can earn a maximum of three points in each type. Some 45 children took part in the 2022 event. The most popular bird call to imitate (模仿) was the kookaburra’s unique laugh. But the winner that year came from a girl copying a king parrot. Her call sounded so accurate that a king parrot in the trees actually called back to her.
28. What’s Doug Reckord’s attitude to bird calling
A. Curious. B. Positive. C. Uncaring. D. Objective.
29. What is Gould League of Bird Lovers
A. A project. B. A school club. C. A game. D. An organization.
30. What is the fourth paragraph mainly about
A. The basic rules of bird calling. B. The bright future of bird calling.
C. New South Wales’ participation. D. New South Wales’ training.
31. Why did a girl’s imitation win the 2022 event
A. It was true to life. B. It was the sweetest.
C. It was the most popular. D. It was full of enthusiasm.
D
Fabrizio Fidati who lost his right hand in an accident 25 years ago, had not experienced the feeling of temperature in his missing fingers until trials for a technology unlocked the cool of iced water and heat of a stove burner for him.
Eventually, the researchers hope it could lead to a more natural feeling of loved ones when he is wearing his prosthetic (义肢). With thermal electrodes( 热电极) placed on the skin of their remaining arm, amputees such as Fidati reported feeling hot or cold in their phantom(幻象) hand and fingers, as well as directly on the arm, according to the trials by the Swiss university EPFL.
The 59-year old Italian is among 27 amputees who took part in the trials, with 17 of them reporting a successful test. Those tested have also been able to differentiate between plastic, glass and copper，pointing to where they feel the feelings on images of a hand.
“By stimulating (刺激) specific parts of the remaining arm of the amputees, we could induce the sense of touch in the missing phantom hands,“ said Dr. Solaiman Shokur, a senior scientist at EPFL who co-led the study. “What they feel in this phantom hand is similar to what they feel on their undamaged hand.”
The technology, which has been tested for more than two years, does not need to be implanted. It can be worn on the skin and combined with a regular prosthetic.
Dr. Silvestro Micera, who co-led the study with Dr. Shokur, said they now wanted to test the device on a larger scale before combining it with other technologies to improve sense of touch in amputees. “We think that we could give people a better sense of embodiment of their hands and maybe even give them the possibility to feel their loved ones in a much more natural way,” Dr. Shokur added.
32. What happened to Fabrizio Fidati
A. He carried out an experiment. B. He was unable to sense iced water.
C. He accidentally lost his right hand. D. He encountered a traffic accident recently.
33. What does the underlined word“induce“ in paragraph 4 mean
A. Predict. B. Increase. C. Imagine. D. Cause.
34. What is Dr. Silvestro Micera’s plan for the near future
A. Perfecting the device. B. Cutting down on costs.
C. Employing more volunteers. D. Producing the device on a large scale.
35. Where is the text probably taken from
A. An educational speech. B. A news report.
C. A course brochure. D. A movie review.
安徽省池州市2023-2024学年高二上学期期中教学质量检测英语试卷
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
Here come four most popular clubs in our school! Join us, and we will help you to find your own shining points, lead you to find beauty and to create beauty, and make your campus life as fulfilling and happy as a dream.
Basketball Club
Students will be able to develop their basketball skills further and have the opportunity to compete in basketball games with members from other international schools in Beijing. The club will be available to 10-16 members from Grades 5 to 8, and will practice twice weekly.
Public Speaking Club
The Public Speaking Club will be centered around the personal development of students along with developing public speaking skills. The club will be interested in focusing on all skills in delivering better speeches and improving communication skills. The club will be available to 10-12 members from Grades 7 to 12, and will meet once weekly (Wednesday).
Yoga Club
Yoga not only improves balance, flexibility, and joint stability, but also serves as a peaceful escape from the stress of daily life. Our students will have the chance to physically exercise while reducing some stress from their life. The club will be available to 10-16 members from Grades 7 to 12, and will meet once weekly (Tuesday).
Media Club
The Media Club teaches students the basics of journalism. The club engages in a wide range of activities like interviewing teachers and students, writing about big events on campus, and operating the weekly school radio broadcasts. The club will be available to 8-12 members from Grades 6 to 12 and will meet once weekly (Monday).
21. Which club will attract students who want to get both mental and physical benefits
A. Basketball Club. B. Public Speaking Club. C. Yoga Club. D. Media Club.
22. What will club members do at the Media Club
A. Set up a school radio. B. Write imaginary stories.
C. Learn public speaking skills. D. Interview teachers and students.
23. Where can the text be found
A. In a school introduction. B. In a research paper.
C. In a history textbook. D. In a guidebook.
B
Evelyn Glennie is a unique musician. She is a percussionist (打击乐手) who plays with classical orchestras. When she performs, she hits the gongs, snare drums, vibraphones, timbales, cymbals, conga drums, bells, and bass drums that are in front of her. Although classical musicians usually wear formal clothes in concert, Glennie performs in bare feet. What really sets her apart, though, is that she is a musician who can not hear. Glennie has been almost totally deaf since she was 12 years old. Despite being deaf, she has become the first solo star to play her type of percussion instruments in classical music.
Glennie was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. At the age of eight, she started taking piano lessons. She found that she preferred the drums, so she began to concentrate on other percussion instruments. Her doctors were never able to find out why she started to lose her hearing. By the time Glennie was 12, most of her hearing was gone. Glennie stayed in her school and learned to read lips. She also continued her music lessons. She learned how to play percussion instruments by using her sense of touch. She learned to feel the difference between high and low notes. She became very sensitive to the vibrations created by different sounds. Glennie took off her shoes to make it easier for her to feel the vibrations made by her instruments.
Glennie was very talented. At 16 she was accepted to the Royal Academy of Music in London, England. She was the music school’s first solo percussion student, graduating when she was 19. To build her career, she performed anywhere she could. There was very little solo music written for her instruments, so she asked for percussion music to be written for her. She then performed the new pieces in her solo concerts. Glennie attracted attention by performing in radio and television concerts. One 1988 concert was recorded live and made into a CD. This recording earned Glennie her first Grammy Award for a classical music performance.
Today Glennie performs all around the world. In addition to classical orchestras, she plays with folk musicians and rock stars. She has written music for movies, television shows, and commercials. Every year more new compositions are written for Glennie to perform. She has even taken up a new instrument: the bagpipes. Glennie considers herself a pioneer in music, not because she is deaf but because she has become a solo percussion star in classical music.
24. What can we infer from the passage
A. Glennie wears formal clothes when she performs.
B. Glennie was talented in music.
C Glennie entered the Royal Academy of Music when she was only 12 years old.
D. Glennie hates to play with other musicians.
25. What makes Glennie so different from other musicians
A. She can performs kinds of musicial instruments
B. She liked taking off her shoes when she performed.
C. She is a musician who can’t hear.
D. She is a pioneer in music.
26. In the future, Glennie will most likely________.
A. always perform with other musicians in concert B. quit playing classical music in concert
C. learn to play other musical instruments D. focus on studying the piano again
27. Which is the best summary of the passage
A. Deaf as she is, Evelyn Glennie is an award-winning solo percussionist who performs mainly classical music.
B. When Evelyn Glennie found that there was little music written for solo percussionists, she didn’t give up
C. Although classical musicians usually wear formal clothes in concert, Evelyn Glennie performs barefoot.
D. Evelyn Glennie lost her hearing at a young age, and doctors were never able to find out why.
C
Every Christmas,the firm I worked for raised money for disadvantaged kids in the area,and every Christmas I'd drive out with colleagues to deliver gifts.Some years ago, we were returning to work and stopped at an intersection as the lights turned red.
We were in the middle lane and I became aware of an SUV(越野车）coming up behind us at speed;at the last moment,it switched to the righthand lane and carried straight on past the red light into traffic moving west to east.It crashed into another vehicle,causing it to veer off(转向），then they both skidded to a stop.
There was a loud"Bang"and flames leapt from the SUV 's front.I had been a volunteer firefighter for many years and had attended automobile accidents before.As the flames grew fiercer,I knew the car's battery had exploded and that there was no time to lose.I dashed round to the passenger side.The door was locked,but by pulling on the window frame,I managed to tear it open.I leaned in,unbuckled the driver's belt and pulled him across to the passenger side.
Other than some cuts,he was fine.I left him with my workmates and went to check on the driver of the other car,who was also unhurt.Then I headed back to the intersection, where I directed traffic around the burning vehicle until the emergency services arrived.
On the way back to work,I said to my colleagues:"What you saw,keep it under your hats,OK "But an hour later I had a call from a friend on a local TV station."Brad,"he said,"I have a picture here that someone's sent in of you helping out at a traffic accident."
I hoped that would be the end f it,but the story was to have an unexpected ending. A couple of weeks after the accident,I agreed to a televised reunion with Michael Walker, the guy I'd pulled from the car.He thanked me,and then he introduced me to his daughter, Amber.It turned out she had been separated from her mum and dad,but returned home after the accident.Knowing this family had been reunited was greatly comforting to me-a real Christmas gift.
28. The car crash was caused by
A. the SUV driver's running the red light
B. the traffic chaos at the intersection
C. the heavy traffic during Christmas
D. the author's car blocking the way
29. Who saved the trapped driver from the burning car
A. The emergency services. B. The author.
C. The author's workmates. D. A pedestrian.
30. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 5 mean
A. Cover up the hair. B. Hide the face.
C. Keep it secret. D. Bear it in mind.
31. What was a real Christmas gift to the author
A. The reunion with the saved driver.
B. Acquaintance with Michael' s daughter.
C. Raising money for disadvantaged kids.
D. Michael' s family reunion after the accident.
D
A group of scientists at Georgia Tech University have recently studied the ways that elephants use sucking power when eating. Along the way, the scientists have learned a number of other surprising things elephants can do with their trunks.
Elephants' trunks are incredible. They weigh over 91 kilograms, but there are no bones in an elephant's trunk. That helps explain how they can bend and twist, and be used in so many different ways.
Elephants use their trunks to breathe, to smell and to make sounds. Though trunks aren't connected to elephants' stomachs, they are used to grab around 180 kilograms of food every day and bring it to elephants' mouths. Elephants also use their trunks to suck up water to squirt（喷射）into their mouths or on their backs.
But elephants' trunks are also strong enough to be used for fighting. They're made of pure muscle, and can lift items as heavy as 350 kilograms. The scientists wanted to learn more about how elephants' trunks handle small things that don't weigh much.
For African elephants, part of that answer lies in the two finger-like tips they have at the end of their trunks, which allow them to grab things. The scientists studied the African elephants at Zoo Atlanta. They gave the elephants small cubes of a vegetable called a rutabaga. If there were just a few cubes, the elephant would use its fingers to pick them up. But if there were 10 or more cubes, the elephant would suck the cubes up with its trunk and then put them in its mouth.
The elephants could even use suction to lift up something as thin and fragile as a tortilla chip（圆饼片）without breaking it. They did it the same way a person might lift a piece of paper with his mouth by sucking in. That gentleness is surprising in a tool as powerful as an elephant's trunk.
32. Which is the feature of the elephant's trunk
A. It's unique and precious. B. It's both strong and flexible.
C. It's connected to the stomach. D. It's made of muscles and bones.
33. What is an elephant's trunk usually used for according to the text
A. Smelling and tasting its food. B. Storing a large amount of water.
C. Carrying objects while traveling. D. Feeding food and helping drink water.
34. How did the elephant grab a tortilla chip in the test
A. Catching hold of it with its mouth. B. Sucking it up gently with its trunk.
C. Picking it up with the tips of its trunk. D. Breaking and lifting it with great power.
35. What is the best title for the text
A. The Elephants,Big Creatures with Curiosity.
B. An Elephant's Trunk Is Important to the World.
C. Scientists Test the Suction of Elephants' Trunks.
D. Elephants' Trunks,Amazing and Surprising Tools.
安徽省阜阳市2023-2024学年高二上学期期中英语试题
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
A
The Four Most Exotic Black Sand Beaches in the World
Papenoo Beach: Tahiti, French Polynesia
Popular with surfers, this remote black beach on Tahiti’s northern coast boasts some of the most impressive waves in the world. Here you will discover more breathtaking natural beauty of the island, with its green mountains and picturesque scenery. Not- to-be- missed sights include the spectacular waterfalls: Topatari, Puraha and Vaiharuru falls.
Lovina Beach: Indonesia
A highlight of this beach destination is visiting Kalibukbuk, one of the coastal villages along Lovina Beach, and the Kalibukbuk Buddhist temple on the beach. There is also an abundance of incredible marine and underwater life, so diving is a popular relaxation, but the main draw for beachgoers is spotting the playful bottle nosed dolphins.
Stokksnes Beach: Iceland
One of Iceland’s most dramatic landscapes is the mountain Vestrahorn on the Stokksnes peninsula in southeast Iceland. The magical setting here was featured in the Bollywood movie Dilwale. It’s a popular destination for photographers but surprisingly not a big tourist spot; this privately owned land charges a small fee to visit. You can visit the Stokksnes beach on a group Ring Road tour or a self-driving circuit of the country.
Perissa Beach: Santorini, Greece
Situated in southeastern Santorini, this unique black beach boasts crystal clear waters and the rocky Mesa Vouno mountain. For more active pursuits beyond sunbathing and swimming, visitors can rent water sports equipment for other fun activities like diving. You can also hike to the top of Mesa Vouno to visit the ancient ruins of the city of Thera.
1. Which of the following landscapes is a must for tourists in Papenoo Beach
A. Waves. B. Valleys. C. Mountains. D. Waterfalls.
2. Which place best suits people who enjoy taking pictures
A. Papenoo Beach. B. Lovina Beach.
C. Stokksnes Beach. D. Perissa Beach.
3. What do Lovina Beach and Perissa Beach have in common
A. They are good places to hike.
B. Visitors can go diving for relaxation.
C. Both are rich in underwater life.
D. Tourists can visit ancient coastal villages.
B
Three cute brown bear cubs who got lost after getting separated from their mother gripped the hearts of netizens.
The fuzzy cubs were spotted by Gelek Gyatso, an ecological protection officer, when he was patrolling a riverbed at an altitude of nearly 4, 500 meters in Qumarleb county in Qinghai province’s Yushu.
The little cubs eagerly ran toward the ranger on the snow-covered riverbed, then stopped short at a safe distance to stare at him curiously. After realizing that the man was not their mother, the bear cubs turned around and ran along the river calling for mom.
This was Gelek Gyatso’s first encounter with bear cubs separated from their mother. With his knowledge of wild animals, he drove the cubs towards an area near their cave in the hope of a safe reunion. Thankfully, later that day, other patrol officers found that the mother bear had reunited with her cubs and that the family was happy and healthy.
This year marks Gelek Gyatso’s tenth year as an ecological protection officer. He patrols the area every day, diligently records the animals he sees, carefully checks on the vegetation, and helps clean up litter.
Over the decade, Gelek Gyatso has witnessed great changes in the ecological environment of his hometown. There has been an increase in the number of wild animals, and everyone is participating in the protection of these species, making coexistence between humans and animals more harmonious.
He also reminds people that if they encounter wild animals in the wild, they should keep their distance, not disturbing or feeding them, and that if they find an animal that needs to be rescued, they should call the fire or forest department in time.
4. What happened to the three bear cubs
A. Losing track of the mother bear.
B. Following Gelek with curiosity.
C. Mistaking a man for their mother.
D. Being trapped in the cold riverbed.
5. Which of the following best describes Gelek
A. Ambitious. B. Romantic. C. Devoted. D. Innovative.
6. According to Gelek, what should people do to live in harmony with wildlife
A. Changing their living surroundings.
B. Feeding and sheltering wild animals.
C. Getting involved in saving endangered species.
D. Seeking professional help to rescue those in need.
7. What is the best title for the text
A. A project of wildlife conservation
B. A journey of friendship connection
C. A knowledgeable ecological officer
D An encounter leading to a safe reunion
C
A worldwide shift from fossil fuel-powered cars to electric vehicles could significantly reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that humans emit to the atmosphere. But current strategies for vehicle electrification (电气化) can also shift some pollution to communities already suffering under higher economic, health and environmental burdens, researchers warn.
California, which leads the United States by a mile when it comes to EV adoption, offers a window into this evolving problem. The state is aggressively seeking to reduce its carbon footprint and has made substantial increases in wind and solar power generation as well as in the promotion of electric vehicle purchases. One tool the state has used is the California Clean Vehicle Rebate Project, or CVRP, which kicked off in 2010 and offers consumers money back for the purchase of new EVs.
Now, an analysis of the CVRP’s impact on the state’s air quality from 2010 to 2021 reveals both good and bad news, researchers report May 3 in PLOS Climate.
The good news is that the CVRP is responsible for making a dent in the state’s overall CO2 emissions, reducing them by about 280,000 metric tons per year on average. The bad news is that the most disadvantaged communities in the state didn’t see the same overall improvement in air quality. Those communities in fact saw an increase in one type of air pollution, tiny particulates known as PM2.5. That increase may be indirectly related to putting more EVs on the road. Although electric vehicles themselves don’t produce PM2.5 from their tailpipes, increased electricity generation, if it’s not fossil fuel-free, can. Renewable resources, including rooftop solar cells, supplied about half of California’s electricity in 2022. But natural gas-fired power plants still provide a large part of the state’s power.
“Electric vehicles are often incorrectly referred to as ‘zero-emission vehicles’, but they’re only as clean as the underlying electric grid (电网) from which the energy is sourced,” Mejía-Duwan says. The most disadvantaged 25 percent of the state’s communities also contain 50 percent of the power plants, the team found.
8. What do we know from paragraph 2
A. California takes the lead in environmental protection.
B. Wind and solar power generation has dominated California.
C. California’s carbon footprint has been reduced as planned.
D. The launch of CVRP is intended to promote electric vehicle purchases.
9. What does the underlined “dent” mean in paragraph 4
A. adjustment. B. shift. C. reduction. D. increase
10. What is the direct cause of an increase in PM 2.5
A. Putting more EVs on the road. B. Increased electricity generation.
C. Warming climate. D. Increased rooftop solar cells.
11. What will Mejía-Duwan probably agree with
A. Zero emission for EVs can’t be ensured nowadays.
B. ‘Zero emission’ isn’t good enough to describe EVs.
C. EVs, with no zero emission, shouldn’t be advocated.
D. EVs have a promising future as zero emission vehicles.
D
Keeping a busy social life among lots of friends may keep people thinner than spending hours doing some exercises, according to scientists. They say that socialising and meeting with friends help increase levels of brown fat in the body which burns calories(卡路里)to produce heat.
Living in an exciting social environment was found to reduce fat in mice's belly by half over four weeks, even if they ate more. US researchers say that social excitement aids weight loss by turning white fat into brown. White fat stores calories and makes us fatter, while brown burns energy to produce heat. Turning white fat into brown is extremely difficult，normally requiring long- term stay in cold conditions or exciting part of the body's nervous system.
However, scientists from Ohio State University now think that having a busy social life is an even more effective way of changing white fat into brown. The team came up with their theory by studying the effects of various living environments on mice. Those, who lived alongside a greater number of mice, had more space and toys to excite themselves and then lost far more weight over the course of the study than their “couch potato" fellows.
Study author, Dr Matthew During, whose team's findings appear in the journal Cell Metabolism, said, "I'm still amazed at the degree of fat loss that occurs." Explaining how new technology had threatened face-to-face socialising, he added, "It's not just a sedentary(久坐 的)lifestyle and high calorie foods, but an increasing lack of social activities." Co-author Dr Lei Cao said，"Loneliness is a potential factor for cancer and death; it's equal to cigarette smoking to a certain extent. Social activities are very vital.，，
12. What information can we get from the first two paragraphs
A. Brown fat stores calories and makes us fatter.
B. It doesn't take long to turn white fat into brown.
C. Social excitement helps gain more weight.
D. Brown fat can burn energy to produce heat.
13. Which of the following statement does the text support
A. Levels of brown fat can be increased by socialising.
B. The mice lacking social life lose more weight.
C. The research findings haven't been published so far.
D. Dr Matthew During wasn't convinced of the result.
14. We can conclude from the text that _______.
A. the fat in mice's belly was reduced because of the relaxing environment
B. a sedentary lifestyle and high calories foods influence people's social life
C surfing the Internet may influence people's face-to-face communication
D. cancer and death are mainly caused for lack of social life
15. What’s the main idea of the text
A. Brown fat is beneficial to people's health.
B. Socialising is unnecessarily important in people's daily life.
C. White fat can be changed into brown fat.
D. Socialising contributes to people's losing weight.
答案
安徽省安庆市2023-2024学年高二上学期期中考试英语试卷
【答案】1. B 2. A 3. C
【解析】
【分析】本文是说明文。文章介绍了四本假期阅读的新书。
【1题详解】
推理判断题。根据Mindfulness Activities for Kids部分的“We could all use a little more peace in our lives. Uniquely suited for children and parents to do together, the 40 mindfulness exercises recommended here — from pausing to fully enjoy a tasty sandwich to taking chalk walk together — will not only teach children calm and gratitude, but also bring grown-ups and their littles closer together.(我们都可以在生活中多一点和平。这里推荐的40个正念练习特别适合孩子和父母一起做——从暂停到充分享受美味的三明治到一起散步——不仅会让孩子们冷静和感激，而且能让成年人和他们的小孩子更亲密地在一起)”可知，这本书可以有助于改善家庭关系，故选B项。
【2题详解】
细节理解题。根据最后一段的“Lauren Redniss' Oak Flat tells the story of the land near the San Carlos Apache Reservation through an Apache family fighting to protect the land, which the U. S. government and two world-power mining enterprises are attempting to seize and destroy for its copper resources.(劳伦·雷德尼斯的橡树公寓讲述了圣卡洛斯阿帕奇保留地附近的土地的故事，一个阿帕奇家族为保护这片土地而斗争，美国政府和两家世界电力矿业企业正试图夺取和摧毁这块土地，以获取其铜资源)”可知，Oak Flat这部书的故事集中在一个阿帕奇家族的斗争上。故选A项。
【3题详解】
推理判断题。根据第一段内容“As we close out the final days of this year, treat yourself to a deliciously distracting new book — a book that you can dip into and out of throughout the holidays. Read up, rest up, and enjoy yourself.(当我们结束今年最后几天的时候，犒劳自己一本令人愉快地的消遣新书——一本你可以在整个假期深入浏览和翻阅的书。阅读，休息，好好玩玩)”并对比选项可推断，文章是写给成年人的。故选C。
【答案】4. D 5. D 6. C 7. D
【解析】
【导语】本文是一篇新闻报道，主要讲的是Valerie Bolduc及其他研究人员通过安装动态摄像机为动物迁徙寻找路径。
【4题详解】
细节理解题。根据第二段的“Bolduc’s dilemma makes evident the risks for wild animals using the same path.(Bolduc的两难处境清楚地说明了野生动物走同一条路的风险。)”可知，我们能从博尔达克被困的经历中学到野生动物穿过这个地区是危险的。故选D。
【5题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段的“A warming climate is pushing many animals to migrate toward higher latitudes to remain within their desirable environments, but that comes with risks as they cross dangerous areas, such as highways.(气候变暖正迫使许多动物向高纬度地区迁徙，以留在它们理想的环境中，但这也伴随着风险，因为它们要穿过危险的地区，比如高速公路。)”可知，这些动物迁移到高纬度地区是为了有利的环境。故选D。
【6题详解】
推理判断题。根据第四段的“The motion-activated cameras they have brought will record which species are using the tunnels. An outward-facing camera will identify what animals approach but do not enter, perhaps prevented by traffic noise, the tunnel’s size or other factors.(他们带来的动态摄像机将记录哪些物种正在使用隧道。一个朝外的摄像头将识别哪些动物靠近但没有进入，也许是因为交通噪音、隧道