专题07 史地常识类
模拟训练
Passage 1（2018届山西省长治二中、晋城一中、康杰中学、临汾一中、忻州一中、内蒙古鄂尔多斯一中高三第三次名校联合考试）
Beijing’s Forbidden City is a place full of wonder. From its thousands of rooms to its many beautiful artifacts, there’s no wonder it’s one of China’s most popular tourist destinations.
But even more than 600 years after it was built, it’s still managing to serve up surprises. Since it was built during the Ming Dynasty, it’s estimated that the Forbidden City has survived more than 200 earthquakes. And while most structures aren’t made to survive natural disasters, let alone ones built hundreds of years ago, it seems that the Forbidden City was built to withstand anything.
A recent television documentary by UK broadcaster Channel 4 explored the skills of the ancient building’s designers. A group of Chinese carpenters and engineers were shown building a scale model (成比例模型) of one of the Forbidden City’s palaces, at one fifth of the size.
To show how strong ancient Chinese architecture really is, the model was put to the test. It was?subjected to?a simulated (模拟的) earthquake of 9.5 on the Richter scale – equivalent to the largest ever recorded quake – and survived. Instead of falling apart, the model was just moved gently during the test.
According to experts, the answer to the Forbidden City’s strength, as well as other ancient Chinese structures’, lies in dougong– a centuries-old building method invented in China. This is the name for special brackets on buildings. Despite being held together without any nails or glue, the brackets are perfect at keeping structures together when the weather gets rough.
“Dougong design is an important earthquake-resistant feature of classical Chinese structures because the framework changes in shape when under pressure, much like the shock absorbers (减震器) of a car,” according to Chinese National Geography.
“Ancient Chinese craftsmen created structures that were both enduring and aesthetically (在美学方面) pleasing using dougong, revealing their advanced understanding of mathematics, architecture, materials, and structural science.”
The Forbidden City draws visitors because of its rich history and cultural significance, but perhaps it should add one more thing to its list of attractions: earthquake shelter.
1.What is the article mainly about?
A. What has made the Forbidden City a popular tourist destination.
B. What has helped the Forbidden City survive so many earthquakes.
C. The characteristics of Chinese architecture during the Ming Dynasty.
D.A variety of building methods used in ancient Chinese structures.
2.Which of the following can best replace the underlined phrase “was subjected to” in Paragraph 4?
A. suffered B. was controlled by
C. obeyed D. was affected by
3.What was the aim of the test in the UK documentary?
A. To reproduce a real earthquake from the Ming Dynasty.
B. To discover a long-lost Chinese building method
C. To explain the impact of earthquakes on ancient buildings.
D. To prove the strength of ancient Chinese architecture.
4.What is “dougong” according to the text?
A.A paint that gives Chinese buildings an attractive look.
B.A tool used by ancient people to measure earth-quakes.
C Special building parts that keep a traditional Chinese building together,
C.A building piece located in the center of a traditional Chinese house.
【文章大意】本文是一篇说明文，介绍了紫禁城的斗拱设计帮助它能够在多次地震中幸存。
1.B 【解析】主旨大意题。根据文章内容，特别是倒数第二段中的“Dougong design is an important earthquake-resistant feature of classical Chinese structures because the framework changes in shape when under pressure”可知，紫禁城的斗拱设计帮助它能够在多次地震中幸存。
3.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据第四段中的“To show how strong ancient Chinese architecture really is, the model was put to the test. ”可知，测试的目的是证明中国古建筑的抗震性。
4.C 【解析】细节理解题。根据倒数第二段中的“dougong– a centuries-old building method invented in China. This is the name for special brackets on buildings.”可知，斗拱是连接中国传统建筑物的一个特殊部件。
Passage2（2017届黑龙江省大庆市高三第三次教学质量检测）
China has more than 30 intangible cultural heritage(非物质文化遗产) recognized by the UNESCO, including paper-cutting, the Dragon Boat Festival, Peking Opera, acupuncture(针灸) and so on. The organization adopted a decision that China’s “The Twenty-Four Solar Terms”(二十四节气) should be put on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2016 in Ethiopia.
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms, knowledge of time and practices in agriculture, starts from the Beginning of Spring and ends with the Greater Cold, moving in cycles. It developed through thee observation of the sun’s annual movement in China. In ancient time, the method of tugui, earth sundial(日暑), was used to measure the shadow of the sun for determining the solar terms.
The Twenty-Four Solar Terms came into being and developed in close relationship with Chinese agricultural production. At the initial stage of agricultural development, people began to explore the seasonal rules in the agricultural production to meet the needs in seeding, harvesting and other activities. Gradually, they formed the concept of “seed in spring, grow in summer, harvest in autumn and store in winter”. During the spring and autumn periods, the agricultural production was highly influenced by the seasonal changes, thus forming the concept of Solar Terms.
As a traditional Chinese knowledge system of time with a history of thousands of years, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms clearly expresses the concepts of respect for nature, and harmony between man and nature. Created by Chinese ancestors, it has functioned as a complete set of weather calendar(日历) to guide the agricultural production in China. It has also been introduced into North Korea, Japan and other neighboring countries and still used in Japan. The Chinese heritage has provably influenced the people’s way of thinking and behaving and will continue to be an important carrier of Chinese cultural identity.
1.According to the first two paragraphs, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms______.
A. was used to measure the shadow of the sun
B. has not been listed as one intangible cultural heritage of humanity
C. repeats from the Beginning of Spring to the Greater Cold every year
D.is the best intangible cultural heritage recognized by the UNESCO
2.We can learn from the text that _______ in China in the past.
A. the Twenty-Four Solar Terms only influenced spring and autumn
B. the Twenty-Four Solar Terms had something to do with agriculture
C. people cared about the changes of weather just for fun
D. agricultural production highly influenced the seasonal changes
3.We can infer from the text that the Twenty-Four Solar Terms _______.
A.is an agricultural calendar merely used in China
B.is strongly influenced by North Korea and Japan
C.is scarcely connected with natural reles
D.is part of traditional Chinese culture
【文章大意】中国已有超过30多项的非物质文化遗产被联合国教科文组织的认可，包括剪纸、端午节、京剧、针灸等。在2016年，该组织通过一个决定，把中国的“二十四节气”也纳入到人类非物质文化遗产代表名录中。
2.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第三段“The Twenty-Four Solar Terms came into being and developed in close relationship with Chinese agricultural production. At the initial stage of agricultural development, people began to explore the seasonal rules in the agricultural production to meet the needs in seeding, harvesting and other activities. Gradually, they formed the concept of “seed in spring, grow in summer, harvest in autumn and store in winter”. During the spring and autumn periods, the agricultural production was highly influenced by the seasonal changes, thus forming the concept of Solar Terms.”可知，二十四节气是用来指导农事的补充历法，是通过观察太阳周年运动形成的知识体系。周而复始，既是历代官府颁布的时间准绳，也是指导农业生产的指南针。故选B。
3.D 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章最后一段中“As a traditional Chinese knowledge system of time with a history of thousands of years, the Twenty-Four Solar Terms clearly expresses the concepts of respect for nature, and harmony between man and nature. Created by Chinese ancestors, it has functioned as a complete set of weather calendar(日历) to guide the agricultural production in China. The Chinese heritage has provably influenced the people’s way of thinking and behaving and will continue to be an important carrier of Chinese cultural identity.”中国的“二十四节气”体现中国人民的智慧，是中国历史文化的一部分。故选D。
Passage3（2017届广东省七校联合体高三联考）
Witchcraft(巫术)was not made a capital offence in Britain until 1563 though it was disapproved by Pope Innocent VIII in 1484. From 1484 until around 1750, some 200,000 witches(女巫)were burnt or hanged in Western Europe.
Most supposed witches were usually old women, and always poor. Any who were unfortunate enough to be an old woman with broken teeth, sunken cheeks and sockets and a hairy lip were assumed to possess the “Evil Eye”. It was more the case if they also had a cat. Many unfortunate women were taken away on this sort of evidence and hanged.
Witch fever held East Anglia for 14 terrible months between 1645—1646. A man called Matthew Hopkins, an unsuccessful lawyer, contributed a lot! He became known as the “Witchfinder General”. He had 68 people put to death in Bury St. Edmunds alone, and 19 hanged at Chelmsfor in a single day. After Chelmsford he set off for other countries. Much of Matthew Hopkins theories of telling a witch were based on Devil’s Marks. He took a small mark to be a Devil’s Mark and he used his “needle” to see if these marks were insensitive to pain. His “needle” was basically a trick so the unfortunate women never felt any pain.
There were other tests for witches. Mary Sutton of Bedford was put to the swimming test. With her thumbs tied to opposite big toes she was thrown into the river. If she floated she was guilty; if she sank, innocent. Poor Mary floated!
Though many of the acts against witchcraft were put to an end in 1736, witch hunting still went on. In 1863, a suspected male witch was drowned in a pond in Headingham, Essex and 1945 the body of an elderly farm laborer was found near the village of Meon Hill in Warwickshire. His throat had been cut and his body was pinned to the earth. The murder remains unsolved; however, the man was said, locally, to be a male witch. It seems that belief in witchcraft has not entirely died out.
1.A female witch was often found to be ________.
A. a young lady B. a lucky woman
C.an ugly woman D. a blind girl
2.Matthew Hopkins can be best described as __________.
A. kind and smart B. tricky and merciless
C. successful and nice D. famous and fortunate
3.Why did people throw Mary into the river?
A. To take her life
B. To tell if she was a witch.
C. To test her swimming skills
D. To prove that she was guilty.
4.What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. Witches are still badly treated all over the world.
B. Witches were terribly treated in the European history.
C. Some people still have been using magic in daily lives.
D. There have always been people believing in witchcraft
【文章大意】这篇短文主要介绍了巫术在西方国家发展的历史。
1.C 【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段“Any who were unfortunate enough to be an old woman with broken teeth, sunken cheeks and sockets and a hairy lip were assumed to possess the “Evil Eye”.”可知女巫经常是丑陋的女人。故选C。
3.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据倒数第二段“With her thumbs tied to opposite big toes she was thrown into the river. If she floated she was guilty; if she sank, innocent.”可知人们把她投入河中是为了验证她是否是个女巫。故选B。
4.D 【解析】主旨大意题。本段首句“Though many of the acts against witchcraft were put to an end in 1736, witch hunting still went on.”尽管许多打击巫术的行动在1736年已经被终止，但是许多猎巫行动仍在继续。以及本段最后一句“It seems that belief in witchcraft has not entirely died out.”好像有关巫术的信仰还没有完全消除。可知总是有人相信巫术。故选D。
Passage4（2017届河北省廊坊市高三期末考试）
April 23 marks the 400th?anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death. Organizations in Britain have planned numerous events to honor him.
In Stratford-upon-Avon, his birthplace, the tourism organization has a great number of free events, including performances of Shakespeare’s plays, and a dazzling fireworks display. And the BBC is broadcasting a live show from Stratfore-upon-Avon, celebrating Shakespeare’s widespread influence on the world. In England’s capital, the London Shakespeare Centre and King’s College London are holding a series of public performances, exhibitions and activities. It isn’t just England that honors the anniversary of the death of this extraordinary writer. In Washington, D. C., the Folger Shakespeare Library, which houses the world’s largest collection of documents relating to William Shakespeare, is displaying a series of exhibitions.
Shakespeare is probably the most famous author who ever lived and is considered a genius by most. He wrote around 37 plays and 154 sonnets(十四行诗), and his work has been translated into over one hundred languages! He penned beautiful metaphors(暗喻), serious dramas and amusing tales.
Shakespeare also invented many new terms and phrases. If someone’s behavior suggested they were not being honest and should not be trusted, Shakespeare called their actions suspicious. If someone was being silly and perhaps looking like a fool, Shakespeare found their actions laughable. And Shakespeare called people who offered their opinions on the quality of something critics. Today, for instance, food critics and film critics give audiences their opinions of food and film. The familiar phrase “break the ice” comes from Shakespeare’s play The Taming of the Shrew. The “ice is broken” when a difficult conversation or meeting is calmed by some basic introduction, such as a simple game. More common words coined by Shakespeare include road, gossip, lonely, bump and hurry.
Four hundred years after his death, Shakespeare surely lives on, in everyday speech, as the most famous writer of all time!
1.The main idea of the text is ___________.
A. the 400th?anniversary of Shakespeare’s death
B. the influence Shakespeare has on English
C. the achievements of William Shakespeare
D. Shakespeare’s colorful and fruitful life
2.Shakespeare is honored in the following ways except_________.
A. a great number of free events in Stratford-upon-Avon
B. a series of activities in the London Shakespeare Centre
C. a series of exhibitions in the Folger Shakespeare Library
D. a live show of Shakespeare from Stratford-upon-Avon
3.According to the next, a simply game to make a difficult conversation easy is called _________.
A.an ice-breaker B. a suspicious man
C. a critic D. a laughable man
【文章大意】4月23日是威廉·莎士比亚逝世第四百周年纪念日。英国的各种组织计划活动来纪念他。
1.A 【解析】主旨大意题。根据文章第一段的句子“April 23 marks the 400th?anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death.”可知，文章主要介绍4月23日是威廉·莎士比亚逝世第四百周年纪念日。故选A。
3.A 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章倒数第二段的句子“The ‘ice is broken’ when a difficult conversation or meeting is calmed by some basic introduction, such as a simple game.”可知，使得困难的对话变得容易的叫作an ice-breaker。故选A。
Passage5（2017届浙江省诸暨中学高三上学期期中考试英语）
Tens of thousands of ancient pictures carved into the rocks at one of France’s most important tourist sites are being destroyed. Scientists and researchers fear that the 36,000 drawings on rocks in Mont Bego in the French Alps are being damaged so rapidly that they will not survive for future generations.
The mountain, believed to have once been a site for prayer, is scattered (散布) with 4,000-year-old drawings cut into bare rock. They include pictures of cows with horns, cultivated fields (耕地) and a variety of gods and goddesses. But as the popularity of the site goes up, the pictures are being ruined by thoughtless graffiti (涂鸦).
Jean Clottes is the chairman of the International Committee on Rock Art. He says, “People think that because the pictures have been there so long they will always continue to be there. But if the damage continues at this rate there will be nothing left in 50 years.”
He describes seeing tourists stamping on the drawings, wearing away the rock and definition (清晰度) of the artwork as they do so. Some visitors, he says, even cut off parts to take home as souvenirs. “When people think they can’t take a good enough photograph, they rub the drawings to get a clearer picture,” he said. “The drawings are polished by the weather, and if the sun is shining and the visitors can’t see them properly they simply rub them to make them look fresher.” Other researchers describe how people arrive carrying long sticks with sharp ends to scratch (刮) their own drawings, or even their names, in the rocks.
But experts are divided over the best way to preserve the drawings. Henry de Lumley, director of the Museum of Natural History in Paris, believes that the only way to save the site is to turn the whole mountain into a “no-go” area, preventing the public from going there except on guided tours. Otherwise, he says, not only will the site be completely destroyed but important research work will be reduced.
Clottes disagrees, “The measure suggested by Henry de Lumley is the most severe, and while it is the most effective, it is also certain to bring about protests from people who live there,” he said. “The site was classified as a historic monument years ago by the Ministry of Culture, and we must do as much as possible to save what is there.”
David Lavergne, the regional architect, also wants to avoid closing the site. “Henry de Lumley’s idea isn’t ideal,” he said. “Our department feels that the best solution is to let people look at the site, but because the area is very big it is difficult to prevent visitors from damaging it. I would prefer that everyone was able to look at it, but the main problem is money. We do not have the funds to employ the necessary number of guards. We may have to consider charging a fee. It doesn’t seem to be possible to get the government support.”
In Nice, Annie Echassoux, who also worked on researching the site, is alarmed that as the mountain becomes easier to reach — tourists can now avoid the three-and-a-half-hour walk by hiring vehicles — the damage will increase rapidly. She thinks that the only solution is to rope off the area and provide guides. “You can’t say the plan can’t go ahead because there is no money,” she said. “That is not good enough. Money must be provided because the Ministry of Culture has classified this area as a historic site. If we don’t take steps, we will be responsible for losing the drawings for the next generation.”
1.According to Jean Clottes, some of the visitors to the area have____.
A. helped to clean the drawings B. taken bits of the rock home
C. been unable to take photographs D. misunderstood what the pictures mean
2.Henry de Lumley is eager to ____.
A. set up research projects B. protect public rights
C. keep out individual visitors D. ban traffic in the area
3.Which word best describes Annie Echassoux’s attitude towards saving the historic site?
A. Supportive B. Disappointed
C. Worried D. Doubtful
4.This passage has been written about Mont Bego to __________.
A. advertise the closing of the site
B. warn visitors about the dangers of the site
C. encourage scientists to visit the site
D. describe fears for the future of the site
【文章大意】本文为介绍说明文。文章讲述的是法国一些重要的景点古代石刻画的丢失严重，科学家和研究表达对这些情况的担忧，许多人也纷纷出来出谋划策。
1.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据第四段中的“Some visitors, he says, even cut off parts to take home as souvenirs”可知，一些画被来这里的游客带回家了。故选B。
3.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“If we don’t take steps, we will be responsible for losing the drawings for the next generation.”可知，如果我们不采取措施的话，我们将会为下一代丢失文物而负责。故选A。
4.D 【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段中的“Scientists and researchers fear that the 36,000 drawings on rocks in Mont Bego in the French Alps are being damaged so rapidly that they will not survive for future generations.”可知，科学家和研究者表达了对这一区域壁画丢失的担心。故选D。
专题07 史地常识类
真题训练
Passage2（2017年·浙江卷）
题型
体裁
话题
难度
建议时间
阅读理解
说明文
意大利的移民史
★★★★☆
6分钟
FLORENCE, Italy—Svetlana Cojochru feels hurt. The Moldovan has lived here seven years as a caregiver to Italian kids and elderly, but in order to stay she’s had to prove her language skills by taking a test which requires her to write a postcard to an imaginary friend and answer a fictional job ad.
Italy is the latest Western European country trying to control a growing immigrant(移民) population by demanding language skills in exchange for work permits, or in some cases, citizenship.
Some immigrant advocates worry that as hard financial times make it more difficult for natives to keep jobs, such measures will become more a vehicle for intolerance than integration(融合). Others say it’s only natural that newcomers learn the language of their host nation, seeing it as a condition to ensure they can contribute to society.
Other European countries laid down a similar requirement for immigrants, and some terms are even tougher. The governments argue that this will help foreigners better join the society and promote understanding across cultures.
Italy, which has a much weaker tradition of immigration, has witnessed a sharp increase in immigration in recent years. In 1990, immigrants numbered some 1.14 million out of Italy’s then 56.7 million people, or about 2 percent. At the start of this year, foreigners living in Italy amounted to 4.56 million of a total population of 60.6 million, or 7.5 percent, with immigrants’ children accounting for an ever larger percentage of births in Italy.
Cojochru, the Moldovan caregiver, hoped obtaining permanent residence(居住权) would help her bring her two children to Italy; they live with her sister in Moldova, where salaries are among the lowest in Europe. She was skeptical that the language requirement would encourage integration.
Italians always ＂see me as a foreigner,＂ an outsider, even though she’s stayed in the country for years and can speak the local language fluently, she said.
28. Why does Cojochru have to take a language test?
A. To continue to stay in Italy.
B. To teach her children Italian.
C. To find a better job in Italy.
D. To better mix with the Italians.
29. Some people worry that the new language requirement may ________.
A. reduce Italy’s population quickly
B. cause conflicts among people
C. lead to financial difficulties
D. put pressure on schools
30. What do we know about Cojochru?
A. She lives with her sister now in Italy.
B. She enjoys learning the Italian language.
C. She speaks Italian well enough for her job.
D. She wishes to go back to her home country.
【话题解读】本文属于历史与地理等紧密结合的文章。首先叙述了一个叫Svetlana Cojochru的摩尔多瓦人移民到意大利，但为了能够继续留在意大利，她必须进行语言测试；接着向我们阐述对外来人进行语言测试的原因以及对此的不同声音，然后介绍了意大利的移民史，最后告诉我们Cojochru的居住现状：工资水平很低，而且虽然在意大利生活多年，但意大利本地居民仍会把她当作外国人来看。
29.B 【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段中的＂such measures will become more a vehicle for intolerance than integration＂可知一些人担心对语言水平的要求可能会引起人与人之间的不包容，即冲突，故选B。
30.C 【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段中的＂even though she’s stayed in the country for years and can speak the local language fluently＂可知Cojochru的意大利语已经说的得很流利了，故选C。
Passage2（2016年·四川卷）
题型
体裁
话题
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说明文
法国的圭亚那人
★★★☆☆
16分钟
In the depths of the French Guianese rainforest, there still remain unusual groups of indigenous(土著的) people. Surprisingly, these people live largely by their own laws and their own social customs. And yet, people in this area are in fact French citizens because it has been a colony(殖民地) of the French Republic since 1946. In theory, they should live by the French law is often ignored or unknown, thus making them into an interesting area of ＂lawlessness＂ in the world.
The lives of these people have finally been recorded thanks to the effects of a Frenchman form Paris called Gin. Gin spent five months in early 2015 exploring the most remote corners of this area, which sits on the edge of the Amazon rainforest, with half its population of only 250,000 living in its capital, Cayenne.
＂I have a special love for the French Guianese people. I have worked there on and off for almost ten years,＂ says Gin. ＂I’ve been able to keep firm friendships with them. Thus I have been allowed to gain access to their living environment. I don’t see it as a lawless land. But rather I see it as an area of freedom.＂
＂I wanted to show the audience a photographic record touching upon the uncivilized life,＂ continues Gin. ＂I prefer to work in black and white, which allows me to show different specific worlds more clearly.＂
His black-and-white pictures present a world almost lost in time. These pictures show people seemingly pushed into a world that they were unprepared for. These local citizens now have to balance their traditional self-supporting hunting lifestyle with the lifestyle offered by the modern French Republic, which brings with it not only necessary state welfare, but also alcoholism, betrayal and even suicide.
28. Why does the author feel surprised about the indigenous people in French Guiana?
A. They seldom follow the French law.
B. They often ignore the Guianese law.
C. They are separated from the modern world.
D. They are both Guianese and French citizens.
29.Gin introduced the special world of the indigenous Guianese as _________.
A. a tour guide B. a geographer
C. a film director D. a photographer
30. What is Gin’s attitude towards the lives of the indigenous Guianese?
A. Cautious. B. Doubtful.
C. Uninterested. D. Appreciative.
31.What does the underlined word ＂it＂ in the last paragraph refer to?
A. The modern French lifestyle. B. The self-supporting hunting.
C. The uncivilized hunting. D. The French Republic.
【话题解读】本文通过一个摄影记者向人们展示了法国的圭亚那人，和现代法国的生活风格给他们带来的影响。
28.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据第一段第二句Surprisingly, these people live largely by their own laws and their own social customs.（令人吃惊的是，这些人主要遵守他们自己的法律和社会风俗生活。）可知A项符合题意。
30.D 【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段第一、二句＂I have a special love for the French Guianese people. I have worked there on and off for almost ten years,＂ （我对法国圭亚那人有一个特殊的爱。我在那里工作了将近十年了。）可知他对圭亚那人是心存感激的，故选D。
31A 【解析】词义猜测题。根据最后一段最后一句中the lifestyle offered by the modern French Republic可知后面的定语从句中it指现代法国的生活风格。故选A。
Passage3（2015年·新课标卷II）
题型
体裁
话题
难度
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说明文
伦敦一日游
★★★☆☆
5 分钟
Choose your one-day tours!
Tour A—Bath & Stonehenge including entrance fees to the ancient Roman bathrooms and Stonehenge—￡ 37 until 26 March and ￡39 thereafter.
Visit the city with over 2，000 years of history and Bath Abbey，the Royal Crescent and the Costume Museum.Stonehenge is one of the world's most famous prehistoric monuments dating back over 5，000 years.
Tour B—Oxford & Stratford including entrance fees to the University St Mary's Church Tower and Anne Hathaway's house— ￡ 32 until 12 March and ￡ 36 thereafter.
Oxford: Includes a guided tour of England's oldest university city and colleges. Look over the “city of dreaming spires(尖顶)” from St Mary's Church Tower. Stratford: Includes a guided tour exploring much of the Shakespeare wonder.
Tour C—Windsor Castle & Hampton Court including entrance fees to Hampton Court Palace—￡34 until 11 March and ￡37 thereafter.
Includes a guided tour of Windsor and Hampton Court, Henry Ⅷ's favourite palace. Free time to visit Windsor Castle(entrance fees not included). With 500 years of history, Hampton Court was once the home of four Kings and one Queen. Now this former royal palace is open to the public as a major tourist attraction. Visit the palace and its various historic gardens, which include the famous maze(迷宫) where it is easy to get lost!
Tour D—Cambridge including entrance fees to the Tower of Saint Mary the Great—￡33 until 18 March and ￡37 thereafter.
Includes a guided tour of Cambridge, the famous university town, and the gardens of the 18th century.
33.Which tour will you choose if you want to see England's oldest university city?
A. Tour A. B. Tour B.
C. Tour C. D. Tour D.
34.Which of the following tours charges the lowest fee on 17 March?
A. Windsor Castle & Hampton Court.
B. Oxford & Stratford.
C. Bath &Stonehenge.
D. Cambridge.
35.Why is Hampton Court a major tourist attraction?
A. It used to be the home of royal families.
B. It used to be a well-known maze.
C. It is the oldest palace in Britain.
D. It is a world-famous castle.
【话题解读】 本文主要介绍了在伦敦进行一日游的四种安排，包括线路、时间、费用以及旅游途中的景点，是否有导游陪伴讲解等内容。
33. B 【解析】细节理解题。根据题干中的see England's oldest university city，再根据Tour B中Oxford部分的“Includes a guided tour of England's oldest university city and colleges.”可知B项正确。
35. A 【解析】细节理解题。根据Tour C中的“Hampton Court was once the home of four Kings and one Queen.”可知，汉普顿宫曾经是四个国王和一个王后的宫殿，因此成了主要的旅游景点。故A项正确。
Passage4（2014年·湖北卷）
题型
体裁
话题
难度
建议时间
阅读理解
说明文
伦敦地标性建筑
★★★☆☆
5 分钟
London's newest skyscraper(摩天大楼) is called the Shard and it cost about 430 million pounds to build. At a height of almost 310 metres, it is the tallest building in Europe. The Shard has completely changed the appearance of London. However, not everyone thinks that it is a change for the better.
The Shard was designed by the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano. When he began designing the Shard for London, Piano wanted a very tall building that looked like a spire(尖顶). He wanted the glass surfaces to reflect the sky and the city. The sides of the building aren't regular. So the building has an unusual shape. It looks like a very thin, sharp piece of broken glass. And that is how the building got the name: the Shard. Piano says that the spire shape of the Shard is part of a great London tradition. The shape reminds him of the spires of the churches of London or the tall masts(桅杆)of the ships that were once on the river Thames.
The Shard has 87 floors. At the top, there is an observatory. At the moment the building is empty, but eventually there will be a five-star hotel. There will also be top quality restaurants, apartments and offices.
Before building work began, a lot of people didn't want the Shard though the plans were approved. Now they are still unhappy about the Shard. Some critics say that such a tall skyscraper might be good in a city like New York, but not in London. They say that the best thing about the Shard is its spire shape. But that is the only thing. There is no decoration, only flat surfaces. The Egyptians did that 4,500 years ago. They also think the Shard is too big for London. It destroys the beauty of the city.
Other critics don't like what the Shard seems to represent. They say that the Shard shows how London is becoming more unequal. Only very rich people can afford to buy the expensive private apartments and stay in the hotel. But the people who live near the Shard are among the poorest in London. So the Shard seems a symbol of the division in society between the very rich and the poor.
The Shard now dominates the London skyline. It is not certain, however, that ordinary London citizens will ever accept it as a valuable addition to the city.
1.London's newest skyscraper is called the Shard because of _________.
A. its cost B. its size
C. its shape D. its height
2.When he designed the Shard, Piano wanted it to_________.
A. change London's skyline B. inherit London's tradition
C. imitate the Egyptian style D. attract potential visitors
3.The critics who refer to social division think the Shard_________.
A.is only preferred by the rich
B.is intended for wealthy people
C.is far away from the poor area
D.is popular only with Londoners
4.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A. The Shard: Cheers and Claps
B. The Shard: Work of a Great Architect
C. The Shard: New Symbol of London?
D. The Shard: A Change for the Better?
【话题解读】这是一篇说明文，介绍了英国伦敦的地标性建筑:310米高的欧洲第一高楼"碎片大厦"。有人说这栋摩天大楼使伦敦看起来更漂亮,但对这一建筑的批评也一直未曾停息。
1.C 【解析】考查细节理解。第二段解释这座大楼的名字的由来：因为其外形像一块很薄很锋利的破玻璃(a very thin, sharp piece of broken glass),因此选C。
2.B 【解析】考查细节理解。第二段谈到设计师的想法：因为这座大楼的尖顶外形是伦敦传统的一部分(part of a great London tradition)，因此选B。
4.D 【解析】考查主旨大意。全文介绍的是英国伦敦的欧洲第一高楼"碎片大厦"。文章开头说这座摩天大楼的修建改变了伦敦的外观，后面说到人们对这座摩天大楼的批评意见，文章的最后一段也点明了主题,因此D项能概括本文的内容。
专题07史地常识类
【话题解读】
历史地理类文章一般涉及某个国家、地区、河流、山脉、海洋、城镇等的地理位置以及与之相关的社会生活、社会风情、政治经济、人文历史、自然资源、文化习俗、文化遗产等方面的情况，相当一部分文章还附有图表供理解或选择。文章选材来源于英语国家的主要名胜或历史事件、历史年代；命题以细节题为主，有一定的主观推断题；涉及一定的地理常识或历史知识。阅读史地类文章时，要重点弄清楚各个地名、人名之间的相互关系和各个国家、地区或城镇之间的地理方位。如果文章或试题有附图或附表，一定要把附图或附表看懂、看明白。附图或附表的存在就是帮助我们更好地读懂和理解文章，辅助我们做好有关试题。
＂历史与地理＂是高中英语课程标准话题之一，也是高考常考话题。本话题包括中国历史与地理的基本知识、世界历史与地理的基本知识、重大历史事件以及与历史活动有关的重要历史人物、政治、经济、宗教活动等。通过＂历史与地理＂这一话题的学习和高考考查，增强学生学习历史与地理的兴趣，提高学生的历史底蕴和文化修养，促进学生的身心健康。?
【高考探究】
近几年的高考英语中，＂历史与地理＂这个话题屡见不鲜。在听力、阅读理解、完形填空、语法填空以及书面表达中，出题者常会涉及某个地方的史地概况、风土人情等，例如2016年浙江卷阅读理解C篇、2016年江苏卷阅读理解D篇、2016年四川卷阅读理解C篇、2016年北京卷书面表达、2015年新课标卷I和2015年新课标卷II的语法填空等。
【相关词汇】
Ⅰ.写作必记单词?
1. attackvt.进攻；袭击?
2. disappear vi.消失→ disappearancen.消失；失踪?
3. escape vi.逃跑?
4. feedvt.喂养；饲养；靠……为生；向……提供?
5. local adj.当地的→ locate vt.把……设置(在)；使……坐落(于)?→ location n.地点；位置?
6. native adj.本地的；本国的?
7. raise vt.饲养；提高?
8. range n.山脉；vi.排列；延伸?
9. ruin vt.毁坏；毁灭；n.废墟；毁灭?
10. strike v.突然侵袭；打击；打动；突然想到?
11. threaten vt.威胁；恐吓→ threat n.威胁?
Ⅱ.阅读识记单词?
12.abolish vt. 废除?
13.aggression n.侵略→ aggressive adj.侵略的；具有攻击性的?
14.betray vt. 出卖；泄露机密?
15.distribute vt. 发放；分发→ distribution n.分配；配给?
16.drought n .干旱?
17.dynasty n .朝代?
18.erupt vi.(火山) 爆发；喷发→ eruptionn.爆发?
19.frighten vt. 使惊恐→ frightening adj.令人惊恐的，骇人的→ frightened adj.害怕的；受惊的?
20.foggy adj. 有雾的→ fog n.雾?
21.freezing adj. 冰冻的；极冷的→ freezevi.&vt.将……冷冻，冻僵→ frozen adj.结冰的，冷冻的?
22.geography n .地理?
23.historic adj. 历史的；有历史意义的→ history n.历史→ historical adj.历史(上)的；与历史有关的?
24.historical adj. 与历史有关的?
25.incident n .事变?
26.independence n .独立?
27.invade vt. 侵略?
28.monument n .纪念碑?
29.mountainous adj. 多山的?
30.occupy vt. 占领；使忙碌?
31.origin n .起源；由来
?32.religion n .宗教?
33.religious adj. 宗教的?
34.remote adj. 偏远的；偏僻的
?35.racial adj. 种族的
?36.revolution n .革命?
37.sacrifice vt. 牺牲?
38.shortage n .缺乏
?39.shower n .阵雨；淋浴?
40.supply vt. 提供；供应；n. 供应；供给
?41.terrifyvt. 使恐怖?
42.urban adj. 城市的；都市的?
43.weapon n .武器 ?
【典例剖析】
You’ve flown halfway around the world; you’ve sniffed out this place that nobody in Falongland or Thailand seems to have ever heard of; so what on earth is there to do here? You consider this question as you sink into an old wooden beach chair that holds you above the sand.
It was a long journey from Bangkok to Huaplee. By the time you found the bus station and got yourself sorted out, it took almost as long as the flight from Falongland.
Huaplee is located just south of Hua Hin, about two hundred kilometres from Bangkok, down the west side of the Gulf of Thailand. Not many tourists find this place, and the ones that do wonder if finding it has been their purpose all along.
There’s an apparent laziness that surrounds you here. It’s what this place offers, and it’s free of charge. The small waves that tap the shoreline seem to slow everything down. You settle into your beach chair in preparation for a long rest. You sit there and watch the sea.
It’s early afternoon, so the cook comes out and asks what you’d like to eat this evening. Before long he’s rushed off to the market to buy the ingredients for whatever it was that you ordered — every meal fresh and to order. No menu here.
There is no poolside noise here but just that wonderfully warm, clear blue sea. There’s no street noise.The only sounds are the murmurs of nature.
For now you just count your blessings(福祉), listing them in the sand with your toe(脚趾). You don’t have to worry about being late for work. You don’t have to do anything.
The beach to your right stretches off to the horizon(地平线), slowly narrowing to nothingness only to re-emerge again on your left, now steadily widening until it covers the chair beneath you. Sand to your left and sand to your right; it’s unbroken, endless. No start, no end, just sand, sun, and peace. Step off it, and you re-enter the world of traffic, stress, work, and hurry.
Normally you’re the type who can’t sit still for more than ten minutes, but you’re on Huaplee Lazy Beach now and, in the right frame of mind, it stretches all the way around the world.
"How could it take me so long to find it?" you wonder.
1. When the author first went to Huaplee Beach, .
A. he found it unworthwhile
B. he failed to sort himself out
C. he became sensitive to smell
D. he had difficulty in finding it
2. What is special about the food service at Huaplee Beach?
A. No menu. B. Free food.
C. Self service. D. Quick delivery.
3. In the author’s opinion, a tourist can enjoy Huaplee Beach most when he .
A. sits in a beach chair
B. forgets his daily routine
C. plans a detailed schedule
D. draws pictures in the sand
4. What does the author imply by his question at the end of the passage?
A. He shouldn’t have counted his blessings.
B. He should have understood the wonder of nature.
C. He shouldn’t have spent so much time on the trip.
D. He should have come to the place earlier.
【语篇解读】本文介绍了泰国一个静谧的海滩。在这里，你可以享受沙滩、阳光和宁静；在这里，你可以忘掉职场上的疲惫。
1. D【解析】考查推理判断。根据文章中的"flown halfway around the world""a long journey from Bangkok to Huaplee"及"it took almost as long as the flight from Falongland"可知，选D。
2. A【解析】考查细节理解。第五段说到作者在这里就餐的情况：你说要吃什么，厨师就去市场买，没有现成的菜单，一切都是新鲜的，按要求定做的，因此选A。
4. D【解析】考查推理判断。通读文章内容可知，作者在文章结尾说"我怎么花了那么长时间才找到这里呢?" 不是表达"他不该数自己的福祉" "他应该早点了解大自然的神奇"或者"他不该在路途上花太多时间"的 意思。而表达的意思是D，即"他应该早点来这里"。
