专题05生态环保类-五年高考（2014-2018年）英语阅读理解话题分类解读与训练
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| 名称 | 专题05生态环保类-五年高考（2014-2018年）英语阅读理解话题分类解读与训练 |  | |
| 格式 | zip | ||
| 文件大小 | 410.9KB | ||
| 资源类型 | 教案 | ||
| 版本资源 | 人教版（新课程标准） | ||
| 科目 | 英语 | ||
| 更新时间 | 2018-07-07 17:10:33 | ||
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专题05生态环保类
“生态环保”是普通高中英语课程标准话题之一，亦是高考英语常考话题。本话题包括动植物保护、生态保护、自然灾害、环境污染和保护等方面。这些话题与学生的生活息息相关，联系密切。通过对这些话题的学习以及高考英语对这些话题的考查，可以让学生多注意身边的人和事、关注社会环境、树立环保意识、学会与大自然和谐相处。
【高考探究】
“生态环保”是高考英语热点话题，通常以阅读理解、完形填空和书面表达的形式考查。例如：2018年北京卷阅读理解C篇；2018年浙江卷阅读理解D篇；2017年江苏卷阅读理解D篇；2016年北京卷阅读理解C篇；2016上海卷阅读理解B篇；2016四川卷书面表达；2015安徽卷完形填空；2014年新课标全国卷Ⅱ阅读理解B篇等。
识记词汇
Ⅰ.必记单词
1.behaviour n.行为→behave v.举止，表现
2.damage n.& vt.毁坏，损害
3.destroy vt.破坏，毁坏→destruction n.破坏，毁灭
4.distant adj.远的；远处的→distance n.距离
5.effort n.努力，艰难的尝试
6.influence n.&vt.影响
7.permit vt.许可，允许；n.许可证→permission n.允许，许可
8.pollution n.污染→pollute vt.使污染
9.prevent vt.防止，预防
10.protect vt.保护→protection n.保护
11.recycle vt.回收；再循环
12.volunteer n.志愿者
13.waste vt.& n.浪费；滥用；废料
14.wave v.挥手；向……致意；n.波浪；挥手
Ⅱ.阅读识记单词
15.advocate vt.拥护，支持；提倡
16.atmosphere n.大气；气氛
17.blow vt.吹；刮；n.吹；重击
18.challenging adj.具有挑战性的
19.decrease v.减少，变小
20.decline v.减少，下降；衰退；谢绝
21.disappearance n.消失→disappear vi.消失，失踪
22.ecology n.生态，生态学
23.environment n.环境
24.evolution n.进化，演变
25.extinction n.灭绝
26.garbage n.垃圾
27.harvest n.& vt.收割，收获(物)
28.harmony n.和谐
29.irrigate vt.灌溉
30.material n.原料；材料
31.primitive adj.原始的，远古的
32.preserve vt.保护；保留，保存
33.protection n.保护
34.punishment n.惩罚
35.puzzled adj.迷惑不解的
36.radiation n.放射，放射物
37.responsibility n.责任，负责→responsible adj.有责任的，应负责任的
38.rubbish n.垃圾；废物
39.substitute vt.取代，代替
40.survival n.存活，幸存
II 高频短语
1.call on sb.to do sth.号召/呼吁某人做某事
2.cut down砍倒
3.die out灭绝
4.do harm to对……有危害
5.have disastrous effect on对……有灾难性的影响
6.live in harmony with与……和谐相处
7.prevent...from...阻止……做……
8.run out用完；耗尽
9.take steps/measures/action to do sth.采取措施做某事
10.take/be responsibility for对……负责任
语境活用 [运用上述短语完成片段]
Recently many trees in the forest 1.were cut down(被砍倒) by the farmers，which 2.did great harm to(给……带来很大危害) nature.Many animals and plants have 3.died out(灭绝).This will 4.have disastrous effect on(对……有灾难性的影响) human being.I think human beings should 5.take responsibility for(对……负责) their actions and 6.live in harmony with(与……和谐共处) nature.The government should 7.take measures/steps/action to 8.prevent them from(阻止他们) doing these things again and 9.call on(号召) them to plant more trees.
III 经典句式
1.with复合结构
With the number of cars increasing fast in our city，our environment is getting increasingly worse.
在我们的城市，随着汽车数量的快速增长，我们的环境正急剧恶化。
仿写 Tori的眼睛闪着光吹嘘道，“我敢打赌，Sean两天前告诉我的。”(2016·浙江)
With her eyes shining，Tori brags，“You bet I did.Sean told me two days ago.”
2.It’s (high) time that...
It’s high time that we paid much attention to protecting our environment.
到了我们应该高度重视保护我们的环境的时候了。
仿写 是我该着手考虑那篇文章的时候了。
It’s time I got down to thinking about that essay.
3.过去分词(短语)作状语
Faced with this situation，we are supposed to raise the awareness of environmental protection.
面对这种情况，我们应该提高环境保护的意识。
仿写 因为被灌木丛中的蛇咬到，苏珊被送回到露营地。
Bitten by the snake in the bush，Susan was sent back to the camp.
【典例剖析】
Is there link between humans and climate change or not？This question was first studied in the early 1900s.Since then，many scientists have thought that our actions do make a difference. In 1997，the Kyoto Protocol explained our role in the Earth’s changing atmosphere and set international limits for gas emissions(排放) from 2008 to 2012.Some countries have decided to continue these reductions until 2020.More recently，the Paris Agreement，stuck by nearly 200 countries，also aims to limit global warming. But just now how much warmer it will get depends on how deeply countries cut carbon emissions.
70.It can be concluded from Paragraph 1 that .
A. the problem of global warming will have been quite solved by 2020
B. gas emissions have been effectively reduced in developed countries
C. the Paris Agreements is more influential than the Kyoto Protocol
D. humans have made continuous efforts to slow down global warming
答案 D
解析 推理判断题。根据第一段第三至六句“Since then，many scientists have thought that our actions do make a difference. In 1997，the Kyoto...stuck by nearly 200 countries，also aims to limit global warming.”可知，自从20世纪早期开始人类就一直在努力减少温室气体的排放，希望能减缓全球变暖的趋势。故D项正确。
71.If nations could only keep the initial promises of the Paris Agreement，what would happen by the year 2100?
A. The human population would increase by one third.
B. Little over 50% of all species would still exist.
C. Nations would not need to tighten their emissions targets.
D. The Agreement’s minimum goal would not be reached.
答案 D
解析 推理判断题。根据第二段“This is how much temperatures would rise by 2100 even if nations live up to the initial Paris promises to reduce carbon emissions”可知，如果各国的气体排放能够符合《巴黎协议》的要求，到2100年气温会比现在高三度。而根据第三段中的“To meet this minimum goal”可知，最小的目标是上升两度，也就是说即使各国的气体排放能够符合巴黎协议的要求，也达不到最小的目标。故D项正确。
72.If those island nations not far above sea level are to survive，the maximum temperature rise，since the start of the industrial age，should be .
A.0.8℃ B.1.5℃
C.2℃ D.3.5℃
答案 B
解析 细节理解题。根据第四段“This is the most ambitious goal for temperature rise set by the Paris Agreement，after a push by lowlying island nations like Kiribati，which say limiting temperature rise to 1.5℃ could save them from sinking.”可知，对于那些海拔低的国家来说稳定上升1.5度，就可以避免他们被淹没。故B项正确。
名师指津
1.抓住主旨大意，理清文章脉络
通过阅读文章可知，本文介绍了世界各国的人们一直努力减少温室气体的排放，并设立了到2100年我们应该达成的目标以及达成目标要符合的条件。
文章具体脉络如下：
2.总结解题规律，提高解题能力
掌握常考题型，巧妙得出答案
细节理解题一直都是高考阅读理解中常考的题型，通常细节题的正确选项有以下特征：
(1)对原文句子中的关键词进行替换。把原文中的一些词换成意义相近的词，成为正确选项。
(2)词性或者语态的变化。把原文中的一些词变换一下词性，或者改变原文句子的语态，给考生制造障碍。
(3)语言简化。把原文中的复杂语言现象进行简化，成为正确答案。
(4)正话反说。把原文中的意思反过来表达而成为正确选项(适用于寻找错误选项的题目)。
例如第72题，根据第四段“This is the most ambitious goal for temperature rise set by the Paris Agreement，after a push by lowlying island nations like Kiribati，which say limiting temperature rise to 1.5℃ could save them from sinking.”可知，对于那些海拔低的国家来说稳定上升1.5度，就可以避免他们被淹没。故B项正确。
话题词汇重现
1.atmosphere n.大气；气氛
2.reduction n.减少
3.temperature n.温度
4.species n.物种
5.extinction n.灭绝
6.climate change气候变化
7.make a difference有影响，起作用
8.gas emissions(温室)气体排放
9.global warming全球气温变暖
Passage 1（2018年北京卷）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
解决塑料污染提供了新的途径
365
★★★☆☆
7分钟
Plastic-Eating Worms
Humans produce more than 300 million tons of plastic every year. Almost half of that winds up in landfills(垃圾填埋场), and up to 12 million tons pollute the oceans. So far there is no effective way to get rid of it, but a new study suggests an answer may lie in the stomachs of some hungry worms.
Researchers in Spain and England recently found that the worms of the greater wax moth can break down polyethylene, which accounts for 40% of plastics. The team left 100 wax worms on a commercial polyethylene shopping bag for 12 hours, and the worms consumed and broke down about 92 milligrams, or almost 3% of it. To confirm that the worms’ chewing alone was not responsible for the polyethylene breakdown, the researchers made some worms into paste(糊状物) and applied it to plastic films. 14 hours later the films had lost 13% of their mass — apparently broken down by enzymes (酶) from the worms’ stomachs. Their findings were published in Current Biology in 2017.
Federica Bertocchini, co-author of the study, says the worms’ ability to break down their everyday food — beeswax — also allows them to break down plastic. ＂Wax is a complex mixture, but the basic bond in polyethylene, the carbon-carbon bond, is there as well, ＂she explains, ＂The wax worm evolved a method or system to break this bond. ＂
Jennifer DeBruyn, a microbiologist at the University of Tennessee, who was not involved in the study, says it is not surprising that such worms can break down polyethylene. But compared with previous studies, she finds the speed of breaking down in this one exciting. The next step, DeBruyn says, will be to identify the cause of the breakdown. Is it an enzyme produced by the worm itself or by its gut microbes(肠道微生物)?
Bertocchini agrees and hopes her team’s findings might one day help employ the enzyme to break down plastics in landfills. But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process — not simply ＂millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic.＂
43. What can we learn about the worms in the study?
A. They take plastics as their everyday food.
B. They are newly evolved creatures.
C. They can consume plastics.
D. They wind up in landfills.
44. According to Jennifer DeBruyn, the next step of the study is to .
A. identify other means of the breakdown
B. find out the source of the enzyme
C. confirm the research findings
D. increase the breakdown speed
45. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the chemical might .
A. help to raise worms
B. help make plastic bags
C. be used to clean the oceans
D. be produced in factories in future
46. What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To explain a study method on worms.
B. To introduce the diet of a special worm.
C. To present a way to break down plastics.
D. To propose new means to keep eco-balance.
【文章大意】本文为说明文。文章介绍了一种吃塑料的虫子大蜡螟，它胃中的酶能够降解塑料，这为解决塑料污染提供了新的途径。
44.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第四段The next step, DeBruyn says, will be to identify the cause of the breakdown. Is it an enzyme produced by the worm itself or by its gut microbes(肠道微生物)?可知，下一步研究是辨清分解的原因，查明这种酶来源于哪里，是虫子自己产生的还是它肠道里的微生物产生的。故选B。
45.D 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章最后一段But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process — not simply ＂millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic. ＂可以推断出，Bertocchini希望这种化学物质将来能在工业生产中使用，而不是仅仅依靠蠕虫来分解塑料。故选D。
46.C 【解析】写作意图题。根据文章第一段最后一句So far there is no effective way to get rid of it, but a new study suggests an answer may lie in the stomachs of some hungry worms. 可知，有一种新的方法被用于分解塑料。再根据最后一段最后一句But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process — not simply ＂millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic. ＂可知，Bertocchini希望将这种方法推广到工业中。由此可以推知写作意图为介绍一种分解塑料的方法。故选C。
Passage 2（2018年浙江卷）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
几种购物袋的使用情况
286
★★★☆☆
7分钟
Steven Stein likes to follow garbage trucks. His strange habit makes sense when you consider that he’s an environmental scientist who studies how to reduce litter, including things that fall off garbage trucks as they drive down the road. What is even more interesting is that one of?Stein's jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.
Americans use more than 100 billion thin film plastic bags every year. So many end up in tree branches or along highways that a growing number of cities do not allow them at checkouts(收银台) . The bags are prohibited in some 90 cities in California, including Los Angeles. Eyeing these headwinds, plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like?Stein?to?make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.
Among the bag makers' argument: many cities with bans still allow shoppers?to?purchase paper bags, which are easily recycled but require more energy?to?produce and transport. And while plastic bags may be ugly?to?look at, they represent a small percentage of all?garbage?on the ground today.
The industry has also taken aim at the product that has appeared as its replacement: reusable shopping bags. The stronger a reusable bag is, the longer its life and the more plastic-bag use it cancels out. However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy?to?make. One study found that a cotton bag must be used at least 131 times to be better for the planet than plastic.
Environmentalists don't dispute（质疑） these points. They hope paper bags will be banned someday too and want shoppers?to?use the same reusable bags for years.
24. What has Steven Stein been hired to do?
A. Help increase grocery sales. B. Recycle the waste material.
C. Stop things falling off trucks. D. Argue for the use of plastic bags.
25. What does the word “headwinds”in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Bans on plastic bags. B. Effects of city development.
C. Headaches caused by garbage. D. Plastic bags hung in trees.
26. What is a disadvantage of reusable bags according to plastic-bag makers?
A. They are quite expensive. B. Replacing them can be difficult.
C. They are less strong than plastic bags. D. Producing them requires more energy.
27. What is the best title for the text?
A. Plastic, Paper or Neither
B. Industry, Pollution and Environment
C. Recycle or Throw Away
D. Garbage Collection and Waste Control
【文章大意】文章分析了几种购物袋的使用情况，塑料袋造成了环境问题，尽管纸袋容易回收，但生产和运输需要更多的能源，希望消费者使用耐用可重复使用的袋子。
25.A 【解析】词义猜测题。上文介绍在许多美国大城市塑料袋被禁用，看到这种现状，塑料袋生产商雇用Steven Stein等科学家是为了证明他们的产品并不像大多数人想象的那样对地球有害。headwinds“逆风”，此处指塑料袋被禁用的现状，即Bans on plastic bags，故选A。
26.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据第四段However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy?to?make.可知塑料袋生产商认为生产耐用且能重复使用的袋子需要更多的能量，故选D。
27.A 【解析】标题归纳题。文章讲述了使用塑料袋造成的环境问题，纸袋容易回收，但生产和运输需要更多的能源，希望消费者使用耐用可重复使用的袋子。对这三种方式进行了对比，Plastic, Paper or Neither既能概括全文，又能吸引读者，最适合作为标题。故选A。
Passage 3（2017·新课标卷III）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
有关生态平衡
295
★★☆☆☆
6分钟
After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
28. What is the text mainly about?
A. Wildlife research in the United States.
B. Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area.
C. The conflict between farmers and gray wolves.
D. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park.
29. What does the underlined word ＂displaced＂ in paragraph 2 mean?
A. Tested. B. Separated.
C. Forced out. D. Tracked down.
30. What did the disappearance of gray wolves bring about?
A. Damage to local ecology. B. A decline in the park’s income.
C. Preservation of vegetation. D. An increase in the variety of animals.
31. What is the author’s attitude towards the Yellowstone wolf project?
A. Doubtful. B. Positive.
C. Disapproving. D. Uncaring.
【话题解读】本文是一篇有关生态平衡的说明文，介绍了美国黄石公园重新引进灰狼的事情。人类活动的影响使灰狼的数量逐渐减少，鹿群数量逐渐增加，从而导致植被被大量破坏。
30.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段的内容可知，灰狼的减少造成了鹿群的增多，从而植被遭到了破坏；造成了土狼数量的快速增长，它们猎杀了大量的赤狐，赶走了海狸，由此可推断出灰狼的消失导致了当地生态平衡被破坏。
31.B 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章末段的最后一句可知，作者认为引进灰狼的项目是很有价值的实验，因此可推知作者对这一举措持肯定的态度。
Passage 4（2017·江苏卷）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
一些应对气候变暖的新途径
698
★★☆☆☆
8分钟
Old Problem, New Approaches
While clean energy is increasingly used in our daily life, global warming will continue for some decades after CO2 emissions（排放）peak. So even if emissions were to begin to decrease today, we would still face the challenge of adapting to climate change. Here I will stress some smarter and more creative examples of climate adaptation.
When it comes to adaptation, it is important to understand that climate change is a process. We are therefore not talking about adapting to a new standard, but to a constantly shifting set of conditions. This is why, in part at least, the US National Climate Assessment says that: ＂There is no ‘one-size fits all’ adaptation.＂ Nevertheless, there are some actions that offer much and carry little risk or cost.
Around the world, people are adapting in surprising ways, especially in some poor countries. Floods have become more damaging in Bangladesh in recent decades. Mohammed Rezwan saw opportunity where others saw only disaster. His not-for-profit organization runs 100 river boats that serve as floating libraries, schools, and health clinics, and are equipped with solar panels and other communicating facilities. Rezwan is creating floating connectivity（连体） to replace flooded roads and highways. But he is also working at a far more fundamental level: his staff show people how to make floating gardens and fish ponds prevent starvation during the wet season.
Elsewhere in Asia even more astonishing actions are being taken. Chewang Norphel lives in a mountainous region in India, where he is known as the Ice Man. The loss of glaciers(冰川) there due to global warming represents an enormous threat to agriculture. Without the glaciers, water will arrive in the rivers at times when it can damage crops. Norphel’s inspiration came from seeing the waste of water over winter, when it was not needed. He directed the wasted water into shallow basins where it froze, and was stored until the spring. His fields of ice supply perfectly timed irrigation(灌溉) water. Having created nine such ice reserves, Norphel calculates that he has stored about 200, 000 m3 of water. Climate change is a continuing process, so Norphel’s ice reserves will not last forever. Warming will overtake them. But he is providing a few years during which the farmers will, perhaps, be able to find other means of adapting.
Increasing Earth’s reflectiveness can cool the planet. In southern Spain the sudden increase of greenhouses (which reflect light back to space) has changed the warming trend locally, and actually cooled the region. While Spain as a whole is heating up quickly, temperatures near the greenhouses have decreased. This example should act as an inspiration for all cities. By painting buildings white, cities may slow down the warming process.
In Peru, local farmers around a mountain with a glacier that has already fallen victim to climate change have begun painting the entire mountain peak white in the hope that the added reflectiveness will restore the life-giving ice. The outcome is still far from clear. But the World Bank has included the project on its of "100 ideas to save the planet＂.
More ordinary forms of adaptation are happening everywhere. A friend of mine owns an area of land in western Victoria. Over five generations the land has been too wet for cropping. But during the past decade declining rainfall has allowed him to plant highly profitable crops. Farmers in many countries are also adapting like this—either by growing new produce, or by growing the same things differently. This is common sense. But some suggestions for adapting are not. When the polluting industries argue that we’ve lost the battle to control carbon pollution and have no choice but to adapt, it’s a nonsense designed to make the case for business as usual.
Human beings will continue to adapt to the changing climate in both ordinary and astonishing ways. But the most sensible form of adaptation is surely to adapt our energy systems to emit less carbon pollution. After all, if we adapt in that way, we may avoid the need to change in so many others.
65. The underlined part in Paragraph 2 implies ____________.
A. adaptation is an ever-changing process
B. the cost of adaptation varies with time
C. global warming affects adaptation forms
D. adaptation to climate change is challenging
66. What is special with regard to Rezwan’s project?
A. The project receives government support.
B. Different organizations work with each other.
C. His organization makes the best of a bad situation.
D. The project connects flooded roads and highways.
67. What did the Ice Man do to reduce the effect of global warming?
A. Storing ice for future use.
B. Protecting the glaciers from melting.
C. Changing the irrigation time.
D. Postponing the melting of the glaciers.
68. What do we learn from the Peru example?
A. White paint is usually safe for buildings.
B. The global warming tread cannot be stopped.
C. This country is heating up too quickly.
D. Sunlight reflection may relieve global warming.
69. According to the author, polluting industries should ____________.
A. adapt to carbon pollution
B. plant highly profitable crops
C. leave carbon emission alone
D. fight against carbon pollution
70. What’s the author’s preferred solution to global warming?
A. Setting up a new standard.
B. Reducing carbon emission.
C. Adapting to climate change.
D. Monitoring polluting industries.
【话题解读】文章关注的是我们熟悉的话题——气候变暖，不同的是，文章给出了一些应对气候变暖的新途径。
67.A【解析】根据第四段中的＂Norphel’s inspiration come from seeing the waste of water over winter, when it was not needed. He directed the wasted water into shallow basins where it froze, and was stored until the spring. ＂可知，把冰川融化后的水储存起来以备不时之需，是减少气候变暖危害的方法之一。
68.D【解析】根据倒数第四段中的＂By painting buildings white, cities may slow down the warming process.＂和倒数第三段中的＂painting the entire mountain peak white in the hope that the added reflectiveness will restore the life-giving ice＂可知，将墙壁涂成白色是利用了光的反射原理，这样可以缓解气候变暖。
69.D【解析】根据倒数第二段中的＂When the polluting industries argue that we’ve lost the battle to control carbon pollution and have no choice but to adapt, it’s a nonsense...＂可知，作者不赞成＂我们已经在与碳污染的斗争中失败了＂这样的说法，说明作者建议污染企业行动起来。
70.B 【解析】根据最后一段中的＂But the most sensible form of adaptation is surely to adapt our energy systems to emit less carbon pollution.＂可知，作者认为，最合理的方法仍然是减少二氧化碳的排放。
Passage 5 （2016·北京卷）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
电击和药物治疗拯救加州兀鹰。
350
★★☆☆☆
6分钟
California Condor’s Shocking Recovery
California condors are North America’s largest birds, with wind-length of up to 3 meters. In the 1980s, electrical lines and lead poisoning(铅中毒) nearly drove them to dying out. Now, electric shock training and medical treatment are helping to rescue these big birds.
In the late 1980s, the last few condors were taken from the wild to be bred(繁殖). Since 1992, there have been multiple reintroductions to the wild, and there are now more than 150 flying over California and nearby Arizona, Utah and Baja in Mexico.
Electrical lines have been killing them off. “As they go in to rest for the night, they just don’t see the power lines,” says Bruce Rideout of San Diego Zoo. Their wings can bridge the gap between lines, resulting in electrocution(电死) if they touch two lines at once.
So scientists have come up with a shocking idea. Tall poles, placed in large training areas, teach the birds to stay clear of electrical lines by giving them a painful but undeadly electric shock. Before the training was introduced, 66% of set-freed birds died of electrocution. This has now dropped to 18%.
Lead poisonous has proved more difficult to deal with. When condors eat dead bodies of other animals containing lead, they absorb large quantities of lead. This affects their nervous systems and ability to produce baby birds, and can lead to kidney(肾) failures and death. So condors with high levels of lead are sent to Los Angeles Zoo, where they are treated with calcium EDTA, a chemical that removes lead from the blood over several days. This work is starting to pay off. The annual death rate for adult condors has dropped from 38% in 2000 to 5.4% in 2011.
Rideout’s team thinks that the California condors’ average survival time in the wild is now just under eight years. “Although these measures are not effective forever, they are vital for now,” he says. “They are truly good birds that are worth every effort we put into recovering them. ”
63. California condors attract researchers’ interest because they _________.
A. are active at night
B. had to be bred in the wild
C. are found only in California
D. almost died out in the 1980s
64. Researchers have found electrical lines are _________.
A. blocking condors’ journey home
B. big killers of California condors
C. rest places for condors at night
D. used to keep condors away
65. According to Paragraph 5, lead poisoning _________.
A. makes condors too nervous to fly
B. has little effect on condors’ kidneys
C. can hardly be gotten rid of from condors’ blood
D. makes it difficult for condors to produce baby birds
66. This passage shows that _________.
A. the average survival time of condors is satisfactory
B. Rideout’s research interest lies in electric engineering
C. the efforts to protect condors have brought good results
D. researchers have found the final answers to the problem
【话题解读】加州兀鹰是北美最大的鸟类，翼展可达3米。20世纪80年代，由于触电和铅中毒，加州兀鹰几乎绝迹。现在，正通过电击和药物治疗拯救加州兀鹰。
64.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段“Electrical lines have been killing them off...Their wings can bridge the gap between lines, resulting in electrocution(电死) if they touch two lines at once.”可知，兀鹰不知道停在电线上翅膀同时触到两根及两根以上电线会触电身亡，它们经常停在电线上休息，结果，很多兀鹰被电死了，故选B。
66.C【解析】推理判断题。根据“just under eight years”可知，在野外生存的兀鹰的平均寿命太短，排除A；根据“Although these measures are not effective forever”可知，目前采用的措施并不能永远有效，排除D；根据第六段“They are truly good birds that are worth every effort we put into recovering them.”可知，Rideout团队的研究兴趣在于怎样挽救这一濒危物种，排除B。故选C。
Passage 6(2015·新课标卷II)
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
环保教育势在必行
251
★★☆☆☆
6分钟
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot "greener" toward the environment. "We didn't know at that time that there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it," says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.
But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement. Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. "The understanding has increased many, many times," says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first Earth Day.
According to US government reports, emissions (排放) from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 million tons. The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9. Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place. A kind of "green thinking" has become part of practices.
Great improvement has been achieved. In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs; today in 1995 there are about 6,600. Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution.
Twenty-five years ago, there were hardly any education programs for environment. Today, it's hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of program. "Until we do that, nothing else will change!" says Bruce Anderson.
1.According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about_________.
A. the social movement B. recycling techniques
C. environmental problems D .the importance of Earth Day
2.Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?
A. The grass-roots level. B. The business circle.
C. Government officials. D. University professors.
3.What have Americans achieved in environmental protection?
A. They have cut car emissions to the lowest.
B. They have settled their environmental problems.
C. They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.
D. They have reduced pollution through effective measures.
4.What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?
A. Education. B. Planning.
C. Green living. D.CO reduction.
【话题解读】这是一篇说明文，介绍环保意识在美国从无到有，逐渐增强，环保教育势在必行。
3.A 【解析】考查推理判断。依据第二段后半部分推断，美国政府多管齐下，污染问题大为缓解。A项错在lowest, B项错在have settled, C项错在forty。
4.A 【解析】考查推理判断。依据最后一段内容推断，环保意识教育至关重要。
Passage 1
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
四种濒危的野生动物
247
★★☆☆☆
5分钟
Four Wild Animal Species Were Endangered
Maybe you can still see them at the zoo. But that doesn’t mean they’re doing alright in the wild.
Tigers
All six tiger species are endangered, with Suatran tigers and South China tigers at a seriously endangered status. The main reasons for their population decline are illegal hunting and destroyed habitats, as humans clear forests to gather timber and build roadways. Only about 3890 tigers presently live in the wild.
Ground squirrels
That’s right, even squirrels are endangered, specifically the San Joaquin ground squirrel. Native to California, USA, these guys have been disappearing since 1979 on account of the construction and human developments going through their habitat. Their total population is unknown, but it could be anywhere between 124000 and 4130000.
Giraffes
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature recently put giraffes at a vulnerable status, the level just before endangered. The giraffe population has declined 40 percent in the last 30 years, primarily due to loss of habitat and illegal hunting. Some giraffes are killed just for their tails, which are considered status symbols in Africa.
Asian elephants
The main threat to Asian elephants, one of the most intelligent animals, is their shrinking habitat. As the human population grows, people invade their land to build roads and railway tracks. Elephants in Myanmar are at an especially high risk for being captured and traded or used illegally in the tourist industry. Fewer than 50000 are left on the entire continent.
1.Why is the population of tigers becoming smaller?
A. People hunt illegally and destroy their living spots.
B. It is difficult for tigers to fit in with their environment.
C. The forests are not suitable for their living.
D. The tigers are a threat to the residents nearby.
2.What’s the main reason why some animals are in danger according to the passage?
A. Climate changes. B. Human activities.
C. Lack of food. D. Serious pollution.
3.The tails of ________ are regarded as status symbols in Africa.
A. tigers’ B. ground squirrels’
C. giraffes’ D. Asian elephants’
4.What can we infer from the passage?
A. The giraffe population has increased greatly in the last 30 years.
B. The number of squirrels is between 124000 and 4130000.
C. Elephants in Myanmar are completely caught and even killed.
D. The present situation of endangered animals is worrying.
【话题解读】本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍了四种濒危的野生动物：老虎，地鼠，长颈鹿和亚洲象。
1.A 【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句“The main reasons for their population decline are illegal hunting and destroyed habitats, as humans clear forests to gather timber and build roadways.”可知，选A。
3.C 【解析】细节理解题。根据第四段的句子“Some giraffes are killed just for their tails, which are considered status symbols in Africa.”可知，长颈鹿的尾巴在非洲被认为是社会地位的象征。故选C。
4.D 【解析】推理判断题。纵观全文可知，文章主要介绍了四种濒临灭绝的动物，并分析了它们数量减少的原因，它们的野外生活状况不容乐观，因此推断濒危动物的现状是令人担忧的。故选D。
Passage 2
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
野生生物保护的可能的方法
358
★★☆☆☆
7分钟
Illegally traded endangered species that escape, forming secondary populations, offer hope to their long-term survival, a study suggests. "This first came to my attention when I read a news story about the seizure of an illegal shipment of 23 yellow crested cockatoos(小葵花凤头鹦鹉)," said Luke Gibson, a college teacher. He learned that the species was critically endangered, which surprised him.
This encouraged Dr. Gibson and his colleague to investigate(调查)how a critically endangered species had become self-sustaining outside of its natural range. They discovered 49 cases of a globally threatened species becoming established as a separate population, which they hadn’t thought of, including the yellow-crested cockatoo in their city.
"This is a species which is primarily threatened by wildlife trade," he told BBC News. "Poachers(偷猎者)go out into the forest in its native range in eastern Indonesia and capture the bird and then ship them off, usually up to our city where there is a strong demand for pet birds. This is what has fueled the decline of this species in its native range. But it's really interesting because that same cause also had another effect: some of the people who were keeping this species here accidentally or intentionally released them.” As a result of enough of the birds set free, it allowed a new self-sustaining population to be established in this city.
The government in of Dr. Gibson’s city has made it illegal to capture the species, even though it is a non-native species. Because the city is?affluent?and relatively well educated, the cases of people breaking the law are extremely rare, explained Dr Gibson, unlike in its native range in Indonesia, where capturing birds forms a major source of income.
However, there can be downsides(缺点) to the newly established population of endangered species, such as a limited genetic pool, and suffering from novel diseases. It did also present a possible “very interesting” opportunity for conservationists, Dr. Gibson suggested. This would involve "harvesting" some of the newly established secondary population, which may provide a way to help slow global biodiversity loss.
1.What was beyond Gibson’s expectations according to the first paragraph?
A. The high rate of wildlife trade.
B. The preciousness of the birds.
C. The fact that the birds nearly disappear.
D. The news that the birds were poached.
2.What happened unexpectedly when the birds were shipped abroad?
A. They formed a separate population.
B. They were kept as pet birds.
C. They were traded illegally.
D. They were killed for research.
3.Which can replace the underlined word “affluent”?
A. Peace-loving. B. Rich.
C. Free. D. Environment –friendly.
4.For what purpose did the author write the passage?
A. To appeal to everyone to stop the wildlife trade.
B. To explain the challenge the wild birds are facing.
C. To introduce a creative approach to wildlife conservation.
D. To raise people’s awareness of protecting endangered species.
【话题解读】本文为说明文。讲述的是一项研究表明逃跑的非法交易的濒危物种形成了次级群体，为它们的长期生存提供了希望，也呈现了野生生物保护的一种可能的方法。
3.B 【解析】词义猜测题。根据第四段第二句话中的“…unlike in its native range in Indonesia, where capturing birds forms a major source of income”可知这个城市富有并且相对受教育程度良好，人们违法的情况极少，由此可知该词指的是“富有的”，故选B。
4.C 【解析】观点态度题。根据第四段最后两句话It did also present a possible “very interesting” opportunity for conservationists, Dr. Gibson suggested. This would involve "harvesting" some of the newly established secondary population, which may provide a way to help slow global biodiversity loss.可知本文作者是为了介绍野生生物保护的一种创新的方法，故选C。
Passage 3
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
纽约建立自行车分享项目
382
★★★☆☆
7分钟
New York’s long awaited bike share program, which arranged the distribution of 10,000 bicycles along some of the city’s busiest street, will be sponsored by Citi financial group, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Monday.
Citi Bike will be the largest public bike share system in the US, with bikes placed in 600 stations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The program will be operated by Alta bicycle share, which runs similar projects in Washington D.C. and Boston.
“The idea behind bike share is simple: give people one more way to get around the town,” Bloomberg said in a restaurant. “The new Citi Bikes will be an affordable transportation network that will help New Yorkers get where they’re going faster. When the walk seems a little far, New Yorkers can choose to skip the hike, and take a bike.”
The program was announced in September 2011, and the department of transport has spent the last eight months planning locations for the stations. Full details on the locations have not been released yet, but they will include Times Square, Penn Station and close to Central Park.
Annual membership of the program will cost $95, which entitles (授权) users to free journeys up to 45 minutes. For those unwilling to commit to a year’s cycling, seven-day subscriptions are available for $25 or 24-hour access for $9.95, with the first 30 minutes of any journey free. The official website for the program – citibikenyc.com – says the pricing strategy is likely to ensure that riders keep their trips short. Although short journeys are free, anyone wanting to take a bike for the day will face very high charges. People who do not sign up to an annual membership – tourists, for example, would pay $49 for a three-hour ride, plus the $9.95 24-hour access fee, making a total of $59.
The department of transport said the bikes and stations, which will begin to be fixed from “late July”, will be the same as in London, Montreal and Minneapolis; however, in one sense Bloomberg will be hoping the New York program differs from that of London. While the London program has ended up losing money since it launched in 2010, the mayor said New York City would “split system profits with the operator”, creating a potential new income program.
1.According to the passage, the main purpose of setting up New York’s bike share system is to ________.
A. make profits from the bike users
B. discourage people from going hiking
C. reduce people’s expenses on transportation
D. help people travel around the city more easily
2.According to the passage, which of the following locations is NOT available for the Citi Bike service?
A. Central Park B. Time Square
C. Brooklyn Botanic Garden D. Penn Station
3.What can be learned from Paragraph 5?
A. It is wise of people to use the bikes for short trips.
B. Anyone can use the bike free of charge for 45 minutes.
C. Most people are unwilling to pay for the annual membership.
D. Tourists are charged more for the use of bikes than local people.
4.In what sense does Bloomberg hope the New York program differs from that of London?
A. Better accepted. B. Better operated.
C. More profitable. D. More widespread.
【文章大意】文章介绍纽约建立自行车分享项目，为了让人们更容易地在城市旅游。
1.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第三段的句子“The new Citi Bikes will be an affordable transportation network that will help New Yorkers get where they’re going faster.”可知，建立纽约自行车共享项目的是帮助人们更容易地在城市旅游。故选D。
3.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章第五段的句子“The official website for the program – citibikenyc.com – says the pricing strategy is likely to ensure that riders keep their trips short.”可知，人们使用自行车短途旅行是明智的。故选A。
4.C 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章最后一段的句子“While the London program has ended up losing money since it launched in 2010, the mayor said New York City would “split system profits with the operator”, creating a potential new income program.”可知，Bloomberg希望纽约的项目和伦敦的项目不同的是它可以盈利。故选C。
Passage 4
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
能够代替锂电池为电子设备提供电源的能量采集产品
445
★★★☆☆
7分钟
Fed up with constantly having to recharge or replace batteries in your ever-expanding electronic devices? The solution may be just a few steps away.
“Energy harvesting” promises to power countless consumer devices, often with nothing more than your body’s movement or heat. Dozens of companies around the world already offer such products, but many experts believe the market for the technology could explode due to electronic devices being developed for the Internet of Things.
“It’s huge，” said Graham Martin, CEO of the EnOcean Alliance, a San Ramon-based group of businesses that promotes wireless energy-harvesting technologies. With the Internet of Things expected to combine billions of devices, “if they are all battery-powered, we’ll have a problem because there’s not enough lithium(锂）in the world,” he added. “So a lot of them will have to use energy harvesting.”
Among the most basic forms of the technology is body power. When certain materials are squeezed or stretched, the movement of their atoms creates an electrical charge. Automatic watches have employed the concept for decades, for example, by winding themselves when their user moves their arm. Now, the concept is being considered for a number of other devices.
In a contest seeking visionary ideas for wearable technologies, Intel awarded $5,000 for a concept to change the temperature difference between a person’s body and a special piece of clothing they’d wear into electricity for mobile devices.
Using sound to power devices is another energy-harvesting variation. Stanford University engineers are testing smart microchips that create electricity from ultrasound to power implantable devices that can analyze a person’s nervous system or treat their diseases.
A textile research association in Spain is proposing to obtain electricity from radio waves that flow around everyone to power sensors sewn into clothes, which can monitor a person's heartbeat or other vital signs.??? Research firm lDTechEx has estimated that annual global sales of energy-harvesting products could hit $2.6 billion by 2024, while WinterGreen Research predicts sales of $4.2 billion by 2019.
Obtaining stable energy from devices can be complex, however. For one thing, the motion that generates the electricity has to be constant to be useful. Moreover, the amount of power the devices produce depends on the person using them，according to a Columbia University study. It determined that taller people on average provide about 20 percent more power than shorter ones when walking, running or cycling.
It’s also unclear how eagerly consumers might welcome energy-harvesting products. While such devices are expected to cost less than battery-powered alternatives when compared over many years, experts say, people may continue buying ones with batteries merely because those would be cheaper in the short term.
1.Which “explode” in the following sentences has the most similar meaning to the word “explode” in??Paragraph 2?
A. They were clearing up when the second bomb exploded.
B. The continued tension could explode into more violence.
C. The population exploded to 40,000 during the last tourist season.
D. The boss exploded when he heard of the resignation of the secretary.
2.What makes “energy harvesting” necessary according to the passage?
A. The waste of lithium in the world.
B. The increasing number of electronic devices.
C. The development of technology.
D. The pollution caused by batteries.
3.It can be learned from the passage that ____.
A. energy-harvesting products save money in the long run
B. taller people can surely produce a larger amount of power
C. automatic watches harvest energy from the users’ body heat
D. two ways of harvesting energy are mentioned in the passage
4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A. Energy harvesting: a low-risk technology
B. Energy harvesting: a high-profit technology
C. Energy harvesting: a problem-free technology
D. Energy harvesting: an environment-friendly technology
【话题解读】本文是一篇说明文，主要介绍了一种能够代替锂电池为电子设备提供电源的能量采集产品，而且还有利于环保。
2.B 【解析】根据第二段中的“’ Energy harvesting’ promises to power countless consumer devices, often with nothing more than your body’s movement or heat.”可知，能量收集为无数的电子设备提供能量，正是电子设备数量的激增使能量收集成为必要，故B项正确。
3.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据倒数第三段中的“ IDTechEx has estimated that annual global sales of energy-harvesting products could hit $2.6 billion by 2024, while WinterGreen Research predicts sales of $4.2 billion by 2019.”可知，从长远来看，能量采集产品会节省很大一笔钱，故A项正确。
4.D 【解析】主旨大意题。通读全文可知，本文主要介绍了一种能够代替锂电池为电子设备提供电源的能量采集产品，而且还有利于环保，故D项正确。
“生态环保”是普通高中英语课程标准话题之一，亦是高考英语常考话题。本话题包括动植物保护、生态保护、自然灾害、环境污染和保护等方面。这些话题与学生的生活息息相关，联系密切。通过对这些话题的学习以及高考英语对这些话题的考查，可以让学生多注意身边的人和事、关注社会环境、树立环保意识、学会与大自然和谐相处。
【高考探究】
“生态环保”是高考英语热点话题，通常以阅读理解、完形填空和书面表达的形式考查。例如：2018年北京卷阅读理解C篇；2018年浙江卷阅读理解D篇；2017年江苏卷阅读理解D篇；2016年北京卷阅读理解C篇；2016上海卷阅读理解B篇；2016四川卷书面表达；2015安徽卷完形填空；2014年新课标全国卷Ⅱ阅读理解B篇等。
识记词汇
Ⅰ.必记单词
1.behaviour n.行为→behave v.举止，表现
2.damage n.& vt.毁坏，损害
3.destroy vt.破坏，毁坏→destruction n.破坏，毁灭
4.distant adj.远的；远处的→distance n.距离
5.effort n.努力，艰难的尝试
6.influence n.&vt.影响
7.permit vt.许可，允许；n.许可证→permission n.允许，许可
8.pollution n.污染→pollute vt.使污染
9.prevent vt.防止，预防
10.protect vt.保护→protection n.保护
11.recycle vt.回收；再循环
12.volunteer n.志愿者
13.waste vt.& n.浪费；滥用；废料
14.wave v.挥手；向……致意；n.波浪；挥手
Ⅱ.阅读识记单词
15.advocate vt.拥护，支持；提倡
16.atmosphere n.大气；气氛
17.blow vt.吹；刮；n.吹；重击
18.challenging adj.具有挑战性的
19.decrease v.减少，变小
20.decline v.减少，下降；衰退；谢绝
21.disappearance n.消失→disappear vi.消失，失踪
22.ecology n.生态，生态学
23.environment n.环境
24.evolution n.进化，演变
25.extinction n.灭绝
26.garbage n.垃圾
27.harvest n.& vt.收割，收获(物)
28.harmony n.和谐
29.irrigate vt.灌溉
30.material n.原料；材料
31.primitive adj.原始的，远古的
32.preserve vt.保护；保留，保存
33.protection n.保护
34.punishment n.惩罚
35.puzzled adj.迷惑不解的
36.radiation n.放射，放射物
37.responsibility n.责任，负责→responsible adj.有责任的，应负责任的
38.rubbish n.垃圾；废物
39.substitute vt.取代，代替
40.survival n.存活，幸存
II 高频短语
1.call on sb.to do sth.号召/呼吁某人做某事
2.cut down砍倒
3.die out灭绝
4.do harm to对……有危害
5.have disastrous effect on对……有灾难性的影响
6.live in harmony with与……和谐相处
7.prevent...from...阻止……做……
8.run out用完；耗尽
9.take steps/measures/action to do sth.采取措施做某事
10.take/be responsibility for对……负责任
语境活用 [运用上述短语完成片段]
Recently many trees in the forest 1.were cut down(被砍倒) by the farmers，which 2.did great harm to(给……带来很大危害) nature.Many animals and plants have 3.died out(灭绝).This will 4.have disastrous effect on(对……有灾难性的影响) human being.I think human beings should 5.take responsibility for(对……负责) their actions and 6.live in harmony with(与……和谐共处) nature.The government should 7.take measures/steps/action to 8.prevent them from(阻止他们) doing these things again and 9.call on(号召) them to plant more trees.
III 经典句式
1.with复合结构
With the number of cars increasing fast in our city，our environment is getting increasingly worse.
在我们的城市，随着汽车数量的快速增长，我们的环境正急剧恶化。
仿写 Tori的眼睛闪着光吹嘘道，“我敢打赌，Sean两天前告诉我的。”(2016·浙江)
With her eyes shining，Tori brags，“You bet I did.Sean told me two days ago.”
2.It’s (high) time that...
It’s high time that we paid much attention to protecting our environment.
到了我们应该高度重视保护我们的环境的时候了。
仿写 是我该着手考虑那篇文章的时候了。
It’s time I got down to thinking about that essay.
3.过去分词(短语)作状语
Faced with this situation，we are supposed to raise the awareness of environmental protection.
面对这种情况，我们应该提高环境保护的意识。
仿写 因为被灌木丛中的蛇咬到，苏珊被送回到露营地。
Bitten by the snake in the bush，Susan was sent back to the camp.
【典例剖析】
Is there link between humans and climate change or not？This question was first studied in the early 1900s.Since then，many scientists have thought that our actions do make a difference. In 1997，the Kyoto Protocol explained our role in the Earth’s changing atmosphere and set international limits for gas emissions(排放) from 2008 to 2012.Some countries have decided to continue these reductions until 2020.More recently，the Paris Agreement，stuck by nearly 200 countries，also aims to limit global warming. But just now how much warmer it will get depends on how deeply countries cut carbon emissions.
70.It can be concluded from Paragraph 1 that .
A. the problem of global warming will have been quite solved by 2020
B. gas emissions have been effectively reduced in developed countries
C. the Paris Agreements is more influential than the Kyoto Protocol
D. humans have made continuous efforts to slow down global warming
答案 D
解析 推理判断题。根据第一段第三至六句“Since then，many scientists have thought that our actions do make a difference. In 1997，the Kyoto...stuck by nearly 200 countries，also aims to limit global warming.”可知，自从20世纪早期开始人类就一直在努力减少温室气体的排放，希望能减缓全球变暖的趋势。故D项正确。
71.If nations could only keep the initial promises of the Paris Agreement，what would happen by the year 2100?
A. The human population would increase by one third.
B. Little over 50% of all species would still exist.
C. Nations would not need to tighten their emissions targets.
D. The Agreement’s minimum goal would not be reached.
答案 D
解析 推理判断题。根据第二段“This is how much temperatures would rise by 2100 even if nations live up to the initial Paris promises to reduce carbon emissions”可知，如果各国的气体排放能够符合《巴黎协议》的要求，到2100年气温会比现在高三度。而根据第三段中的“To meet this minimum goal”可知，最小的目标是上升两度，也就是说即使各国的气体排放能够符合巴黎协议的要求，也达不到最小的目标。故D项正确。
72.If those island nations not far above sea level are to survive，the maximum temperature rise，since the start of the industrial age，should be .
A.0.8℃ B.1.5℃
C.2℃ D.3.5℃
答案 B
解析 细节理解题。根据第四段“This is the most ambitious goal for temperature rise set by the Paris Agreement，after a push by lowlying island nations like Kiribati，which say limiting temperature rise to 1.5℃ could save them from sinking.”可知，对于那些海拔低的国家来说稳定上升1.5度，就可以避免他们被淹没。故B项正确。
名师指津
1.抓住主旨大意，理清文章脉络
通过阅读文章可知，本文介绍了世界各国的人们一直努力减少温室气体的排放，并设立了到2100年我们应该达成的目标以及达成目标要符合的条件。
文章具体脉络如下：
2.总结解题规律，提高解题能力
掌握常考题型，巧妙得出答案
细节理解题一直都是高考阅读理解中常考的题型，通常细节题的正确选项有以下特征：
(1)对原文句子中的关键词进行替换。把原文中的一些词换成意义相近的词，成为正确选项。
(2)词性或者语态的变化。把原文中的一些词变换一下词性，或者改变原文句子的语态，给考生制造障碍。
(3)语言简化。把原文中的复杂语言现象进行简化，成为正确答案。
(4)正话反说。把原文中的意思反过来表达而成为正确选项(适用于寻找错误选项的题目)。
例如第72题，根据第四段“This is the most ambitious goal for temperature rise set by the Paris Agreement，after a push by lowlying island nations like Kiribati，which say limiting temperature rise to 1.5℃ could save them from sinking.”可知，对于那些海拔低的国家来说稳定上升1.5度，就可以避免他们被淹没。故B项正确。
话题词汇重现
1.atmosphere n.大气；气氛
2.reduction n.减少
3.temperature n.温度
4.species n.物种
5.extinction n.灭绝
6.climate change气候变化
7.make a difference有影响，起作用
8.gas emissions(温室)气体排放
9.global warming全球气温变暖
Passage 1（2018年北京卷）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
解决塑料污染提供了新的途径
365
★★★☆☆
7分钟
Plastic-Eating Worms
Humans produce more than 300 million tons of plastic every year. Almost half of that winds up in landfills(垃圾填埋场), and up to 12 million tons pollute the oceans. So far there is no effective way to get rid of it, but a new study suggests an answer may lie in the stomachs of some hungry worms.
Researchers in Spain and England recently found that the worms of the greater wax moth can break down polyethylene, which accounts for 40% of plastics. The team left 100 wax worms on a commercial polyethylene shopping bag for 12 hours, and the worms consumed and broke down about 92 milligrams, or almost 3% of it. To confirm that the worms’ chewing alone was not responsible for the polyethylene breakdown, the researchers made some worms into paste(糊状物) and applied it to plastic films. 14 hours later the films had lost 13% of their mass — apparently broken down by enzymes (酶) from the worms’ stomachs. Their findings were published in Current Biology in 2017.
Federica Bertocchini, co-author of the study, says the worms’ ability to break down their everyday food — beeswax — also allows them to break down plastic. ＂Wax is a complex mixture, but the basic bond in polyethylene, the carbon-carbon bond, is there as well, ＂she explains, ＂The wax worm evolved a method or system to break this bond. ＂
Jennifer DeBruyn, a microbiologist at the University of Tennessee, who was not involved in the study, says it is not surprising that such worms can break down polyethylene. But compared with previous studies, she finds the speed of breaking down in this one exciting. The next step, DeBruyn says, will be to identify the cause of the breakdown. Is it an enzyme produced by the worm itself or by its gut microbes(肠道微生物)?
Bertocchini agrees and hopes her team’s findings might one day help employ the enzyme to break down plastics in landfills. But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process — not simply ＂millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic.＂
43. What can we learn about the worms in the study?
A. They take plastics as their everyday food.
B. They are newly evolved creatures.
C. They can consume plastics.
D. They wind up in landfills.
44. According to Jennifer DeBruyn, the next step of the study is to .
A. identify other means of the breakdown
B. find out the source of the enzyme
C. confirm the research findings
D. increase the breakdown speed
45. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that the chemical might .
A. help to raise worms
B. help make plastic bags
C. be used to clean the oceans
D. be produced in factories in future
46. What is the main purpose of the passage?
A. To explain a study method on worms.
B. To introduce the diet of a special worm.
C. To present a way to break down plastics.
D. To propose new means to keep eco-balance.
【文章大意】本文为说明文。文章介绍了一种吃塑料的虫子大蜡螟，它胃中的酶能够降解塑料，这为解决塑料污染提供了新的途径。
44.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第四段The next step, DeBruyn says, will be to identify the cause of the breakdown. Is it an enzyme produced by the worm itself or by its gut microbes(肠道微生物)?可知，下一步研究是辨清分解的原因，查明这种酶来源于哪里，是虫子自己产生的还是它肠道里的微生物产生的。故选B。
45.D 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章最后一段But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process — not simply ＂millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic. ＂可以推断出，Bertocchini希望这种化学物质将来能在工业生产中使用，而不是仅仅依靠蠕虫来分解塑料。故选D。
46.C 【解析】写作意图题。根据文章第一段最后一句So far there is no effective way to get rid of it, but a new study suggests an answer may lie in the stomachs of some hungry worms. 可知，有一种新的方法被用于分解塑料。再根据最后一段最后一句But she expects using the chemical in some kind of industrial process — not simply ＂millions of worms thrown on top of the plastic. ＂可知，Bertocchini希望将这种方法推广到工业中。由此可以推知写作意图为介绍一种分解塑料的方法。故选C。
Passage 2（2018年浙江卷）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
几种购物袋的使用情况
286
★★★☆☆
7分钟
Steven Stein likes to follow garbage trucks. His strange habit makes sense when you consider that he’s an environmental scientist who studies how to reduce litter, including things that fall off garbage trucks as they drive down the road. What is even more interesting is that one of?Stein's jobs is defending an industry behind the plastic shopping bags.
Americans use more than 100 billion thin film plastic bags every year. So many end up in tree branches or along highways that a growing number of cities do not allow them at checkouts(收银台) . The bags are prohibited in some 90 cities in California, including Los Angeles. Eyeing these headwinds, plastic-bag makers are hiring scientists like?Stein?to?make the case that their products are not as bad for the planet as most people assume.
Among the bag makers' argument: many cities with bans still allow shoppers?to?purchase paper bags, which are easily recycled but require more energy?to?produce and transport. And while plastic bags may be ugly?to?look at, they represent a small percentage of all?garbage?on the ground today.
The industry has also taken aim at the product that has appeared as its replacement: reusable shopping bags. The stronger a reusable bag is, the longer its life and the more plastic-bag use it cancels out. However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy?to?make. One study found that a cotton bag must be used at least 131 times to be better for the planet than plastic.
Environmentalists don't dispute（质疑） these points. They hope paper bags will be banned someday too and want shoppers?to?use the same reusable bags for years.
24. What has Steven Stein been hired to do?
A. Help increase grocery sales. B. Recycle the waste material.
C. Stop things falling off trucks. D. Argue for the use of plastic bags.
25. What does the word “headwinds”in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Bans on plastic bags. B. Effects of city development.
C. Headaches caused by garbage. D. Plastic bags hung in trees.
26. What is a disadvantage of reusable bags according to plastic-bag makers?
A. They are quite expensive. B. Replacing them can be difficult.
C. They are less strong than plastic bags. D. Producing them requires more energy.
27. What is the best title for the text?
A. Plastic, Paper or Neither
B. Industry, Pollution and Environment
C. Recycle or Throw Away
D. Garbage Collection and Waste Control
【文章大意】文章分析了几种购物袋的使用情况，塑料袋造成了环境问题，尽管纸袋容易回收，但生产和运输需要更多的能源，希望消费者使用耐用可重复使用的袋子。
25.A 【解析】词义猜测题。上文介绍在许多美国大城市塑料袋被禁用，看到这种现状，塑料袋生产商雇用Steven Stein等科学家是为了证明他们的产品并不像大多数人想象的那样对地球有害。headwinds“逆风”，此处指塑料袋被禁用的现状，即Bans on plastic bags，故选A。
26.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据第四段However, longer-lasting reusable bags often require more energy?to?make.可知塑料袋生产商认为生产耐用且能重复使用的袋子需要更多的能量，故选D。
27.A 【解析】标题归纳题。文章讲述了使用塑料袋造成的环境问题，纸袋容易回收，但生产和运输需要更多的能源，希望消费者使用耐用可重复使用的袋子。对这三种方式进行了对比，Plastic, Paper or Neither既能概括全文，又能吸引读者，最适合作为标题。故选A。
Passage 3（2017·新课标卷III）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
有关生态平衡
295
★★☆☆☆
6分钟
After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
28. What is the text mainly about?
A. Wildlife research in the United States.
B. Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area.
C. The conflict between farmers and gray wolves.
D. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park.
29. What does the underlined word ＂displaced＂ in paragraph 2 mean?
A. Tested. B. Separated.
C. Forced out. D. Tracked down.
30. What did the disappearance of gray wolves bring about?
A. Damage to local ecology. B. A decline in the park’s income.
C. Preservation of vegetation. D. An increase in the variety of animals.
31. What is the author’s attitude towards the Yellowstone wolf project?
A. Doubtful. B. Positive.
C. Disapproving. D. Uncaring.
【话题解读】本文是一篇有关生态平衡的说明文，介绍了美国黄石公园重新引进灰狼的事情。人类活动的影响使灰狼的数量逐渐减少，鹿群数量逐渐增加，从而导致植被被大量破坏。
30.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据第三段的内容可知，灰狼的减少造成了鹿群的增多，从而植被遭到了破坏；造成了土狼数量的快速增长，它们猎杀了大量的赤狐，赶走了海狸，由此可推断出灰狼的消失导致了当地生态平衡被破坏。
31.B 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章末段的最后一句可知，作者认为引进灰狼的项目是很有价值的实验，因此可推知作者对这一举措持肯定的态度。
Passage 4（2017·江苏卷）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
一些应对气候变暖的新途径
698
★★☆☆☆
8分钟
Old Problem, New Approaches
While clean energy is increasingly used in our daily life, global warming will continue for some decades after CO2 emissions（排放）peak. So even if emissions were to begin to decrease today, we would still face the challenge of adapting to climate change. Here I will stress some smarter and more creative examples of climate adaptation.
When it comes to adaptation, it is important to understand that climate change is a process. We are therefore not talking about adapting to a new standard, but to a constantly shifting set of conditions. This is why, in part at least, the US National Climate Assessment says that: ＂There is no ‘one-size fits all’ adaptation.＂ Nevertheless, there are some actions that offer much and carry little risk or cost.
Around the world, people are adapting in surprising ways, especially in some poor countries. Floods have become more damaging in Bangladesh in recent decades. Mohammed Rezwan saw opportunity where others saw only disaster. His not-for-profit organization runs 100 river boats that serve as floating libraries, schools, and health clinics, and are equipped with solar panels and other communicating facilities. Rezwan is creating floating connectivity（连体） to replace flooded roads and highways. But he is also working at a far more fundamental level: his staff show people how to make floating gardens and fish ponds prevent starvation during the wet season.
Elsewhere in Asia even more astonishing actions are being taken. Chewang Norphel lives in a mountainous region in India, where he is known as the Ice Man. The loss of glaciers(冰川) there due to global warming represents an enormous threat to agriculture. Without the glaciers, water will arrive in the rivers at times when it can damage crops. Norphel’s inspiration came from seeing the waste of water over winter, when it was not needed. He directed the wasted water into shallow basins where it froze, and was stored until the spring. His fields of ice supply perfectly timed irrigation(灌溉) water. Having created nine such ice reserves, Norphel calculates that he has stored about 200, 000 m3 of water. Climate change is a continuing process, so Norphel’s ice reserves will not last forever. Warming will overtake them. But he is providing a few years during which the farmers will, perhaps, be able to find other means of adapting.
Increasing Earth’s reflectiveness can cool the planet. In southern Spain the sudden increase of greenhouses (which reflect light back to space) has changed the warming trend locally, and actually cooled the region. While Spain as a whole is heating up quickly, temperatures near the greenhouses have decreased. This example should act as an inspiration for all cities. By painting buildings white, cities may slow down the warming process.
In Peru, local farmers around a mountain with a glacier that has already fallen victim to climate change have begun painting the entire mountain peak white in the hope that the added reflectiveness will restore the life-giving ice. The outcome is still far from clear. But the World Bank has included the project on its of "100 ideas to save the planet＂.
More ordinary forms of adaptation are happening everywhere. A friend of mine owns an area of land in western Victoria. Over five generations the land has been too wet for cropping. But during the past decade declining rainfall has allowed him to plant highly profitable crops. Farmers in many countries are also adapting like this—either by growing new produce, or by growing the same things differently. This is common sense. But some suggestions for adapting are not. When the polluting industries argue that we’ve lost the battle to control carbon pollution and have no choice but to adapt, it’s a nonsense designed to make the case for business as usual.
Human beings will continue to adapt to the changing climate in both ordinary and astonishing ways. But the most sensible form of adaptation is surely to adapt our energy systems to emit less carbon pollution. After all, if we adapt in that way, we may avoid the need to change in so many others.
65. The underlined part in Paragraph 2 implies ____________.
A. adaptation is an ever-changing process
B. the cost of adaptation varies with time
C. global warming affects adaptation forms
D. adaptation to climate change is challenging
66. What is special with regard to Rezwan’s project?
A. The project receives government support.
B. Different organizations work with each other.
C. His organization makes the best of a bad situation.
D. The project connects flooded roads and highways.
67. What did the Ice Man do to reduce the effect of global warming?
A. Storing ice for future use.
B. Protecting the glaciers from melting.
C. Changing the irrigation time.
D. Postponing the melting of the glaciers.
68. What do we learn from the Peru example?
A. White paint is usually safe for buildings.
B. The global warming tread cannot be stopped.
C. This country is heating up too quickly.
D. Sunlight reflection may relieve global warming.
69. According to the author, polluting industries should ____________.
A. adapt to carbon pollution
B. plant highly profitable crops
C. leave carbon emission alone
D. fight against carbon pollution
70. What’s the author’s preferred solution to global warming?
A. Setting up a new standard.
B. Reducing carbon emission.
C. Adapting to climate change.
D. Monitoring polluting industries.
【话题解读】文章关注的是我们熟悉的话题——气候变暖，不同的是，文章给出了一些应对气候变暖的新途径。
67.A【解析】根据第四段中的＂Norphel’s inspiration come from seeing the waste of water over winter, when it was not needed. He directed the wasted water into shallow basins where it froze, and was stored until the spring. ＂可知，把冰川融化后的水储存起来以备不时之需，是减少气候变暖危害的方法之一。
68.D【解析】根据倒数第四段中的＂By painting buildings white, cities may slow down the warming process.＂和倒数第三段中的＂painting the entire mountain peak white in the hope that the added reflectiveness will restore the life-giving ice＂可知，将墙壁涂成白色是利用了光的反射原理，这样可以缓解气候变暖。
69.D【解析】根据倒数第二段中的＂When the polluting industries argue that we’ve lost the battle to control carbon pollution and have no choice but to adapt, it’s a nonsense...＂可知，作者不赞成＂我们已经在与碳污染的斗争中失败了＂这样的说法，说明作者建议污染企业行动起来。
70.B 【解析】根据最后一段中的＂But the most sensible form of adaptation is surely to adapt our energy systems to emit less carbon pollution.＂可知，作者认为，最合理的方法仍然是减少二氧化碳的排放。
Passage 5 （2016·北京卷）
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
电击和药物治疗拯救加州兀鹰。
350
★★☆☆☆
6分钟
California Condor’s Shocking Recovery
California condors are North America’s largest birds, with wind-length of up to 3 meters. In the 1980s, electrical lines and lead poisoning(铅中毒) nearly drove them to dying out. Now, electric shock training and medical treatment are helping to rescue these big birds.
In the late 1980s, the last few condors were taken from the wild to be bred(繁殖). Since 1992, there have been multiple reintroductions to the wild, and there are now more than 150 flying over California and nearby Arizona, Utah and Baja in Mexico.
Electrical lines have been killing them off. “As they go in to rest for the night, they just don’t see the power lines,” says Bruce Rideout of San Diego Zoo. Their wings can bridge the gap between lines, resulting in electrocution(电死) if they touch two lines at once.
So scientists have come up with a shocking idea. Tall poles, placed in large training areas, teach the birds to stay clear of electrical lines by giving them a painful but undeadly electric shock. Before the training was introduced, 66% of set-freed birds died of electrocution. This has now dropped to 18%.
Lead poisonous has proved more difficult to deal with. When condors eat dead bodies of other animals containing lead, they absorb large quantities of lead. This affects their nervous systems and ability to produce baby birds, and can lead to kidney(肾) failures and death. So condors with high levels of lead are sent to Los Angeles Zoo, where they are treated with calcium EDTA, a chemical that removes lead from the blood over several days. This work is starting to pay off. The annual death rate for adult condors has dropped from 38% in 2000 to 5.4% in 2011.
Rideout’s team thinks that the California condors’ average survival time in the wild is now just under eight years. “Although these measures are not effective forever, they are vital for now,” he says. “They are truly good birds that are worth every effort we put into recovering them. ”
63. California condors attract researchers’ interest because they _________.
A. are active at night
B. had to be bred in the wild
C. are found only in California
D. almost died out in the 1980s
64. Researchers have found electrical lines are _________.
A. blocking condors’ journey home
B. big killers of California condors
C. rest places for condors at night
D. used to keep condors away
65. According to Paragraph 5, lead poisoning _________.
A. makes condors too nervous to fly
B. has little effect on condors’ kidneys
C. can hardly be gotten rid of from condors’ blood
D. makes it difficult for condors to produce baby birds
66. This passage shows that _________.
A. the average survival time of condors is satisfactory
B. Rideout’s research interest lies in electric engineering
C. the efforts to protect condors have brought good results
D. researchers have found the final answers to the problem
【话题解读】加州兀鹰是北美最大的鸟类，翼展可达3米。20世纪80年代，由于触电和铅中毒，加州兀鹰几乎绝迹。现在，正通过电击和药物治疗拯救加州兀鹰。
64.B 【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段“Electrical lines have been killing them off...Their wings can bridge the gap between lines, resulting in electrocution(电死) if they touch two lines at once.”可知，兀鹰不知道停在电线上翅膀同时触到两根及两根以上电线会触电身亡，它们经常停在电线上休息，结果，很多兀鹰被电死了，故选B。
66.C【解析】推理判断题。根据“just under eight years”可知，在野外生存的兀鹰的平均寿命太短，排除A；根据“Although these measures are not effective forever”可知，目前采用的措施并不能永远有效，排除D；根据第六段“They are truly good birds that are worth every effort we put into recovering them.”可知，Rideout团队的研究兴趣在于怎样挽救这一濒危物种，排除B。故选C。
Passage 6(2015·新课标卷II)
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
环保教育势在必行
251
★★☆☆☆
6分钟
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, Americans have gotten a lot "greener" toward the environment. "We didn't know at that time that there even was an environment, let alone that there was a problem with it," says Bruce Anderson, president of Earth Day USA.
But what began as nothing important in public affairs has grown into a social movement. Business people, political leaders, university professors, and especially millions of grass-roots Americans are taking part in the movement. "The understanding has increased many, many times," says Gaylord Nelson, the former governor from Wisconsin, who thought up the first Earth Day.
According to US government reports, emissions (排放) from cars and trucks have dropped from 10.3 million tons a year to 5.5 million tons. The number of cities producing CO beyond the standard has been reduced from 40 to 9. Although serious problems still remain and need to be dealt with, the world is a safer and healthier place. A kind of "green thinking" has become part of practices.
Great improvement has been achieved. In 1988 there were only 600 recycling programs; today in 1995 there are about 6,600. Advanced lights, motors, and building designs have helped save a lot of energy and therefore prevented pollution.
Twenty-five years ago, there were hardly any education programs for environment. Today, it's hard to find a public school, university, or law school that does not have such a kind of program. "Until we do that, nothing else will change!" says Bruce Anderson.
1.According to Anderson, before 1970, Americans had little idea about_________.
A. the social movement B. recycling techniques
C. environmental problems D .the importance of Earth Day
2.Where does the support for environmental protection mainly come from?
A. The grass-roots level. B. The business circle.
C. Government officials. D. University professors.
3.What have Americans achieved in environmental protection?
A. They have cut car emissions to the lowest.
B. They have settled their environmental problems.
C. They have lowered their CO levels in forty cities.
D. They have reduced pollution through effective measures.
4.What is especially important for environmental protection according to the last paragraph?
A. Education. B. Planning.
C. Green living. D.CO reduction.
【话题解读】这是一篇说明文，介绍环保意识在美国从无到有，逐渐增强，环保教育势在必行。
3.A 【解析】考查推理判断。依据第二段后半部分推断，美国政府多管齐下，污染问题大为缓解。A项错在lowest, B项错在have settled, C项错在forty。
4.A 【解析】考查推理判断。依据最后一段内容推断，环保意识教育至关重要。
Passage 1
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
四种濒危的野生动物
247
★★☆☆☆
5分钟
Four Wild Animal Species Were Endangered
Maybe you can still see them at the zoo. But that doesn’t mean they’re doing alright in the wild.
Tigers
All six tiger species are endangered, with Suatran tigers and South China tigers at a seriously endangered status. The main reasons for their population decline are illegal hunting and destroyed habitats, as humans clear forests to gather timber and build roadways. Only about 3890 tigers presently live in the wild.
Ground squirrels
That’s right, even squirrels are endangered, specifically the San Joaquin ground squirrel. Native to California, USA, these guys have been disappearing since 1979 on account of the construction and human developments going through their habitat. Their total population is unknown, but it could be anywhere between 124000 and 4130000.
Giraffes
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature recently put giraffes at a vulnerable status, the level just before endangered. The giraffe population has declined 40 percent in the last 30 years, primarily due to loss of habitat and illegal hunting. Some giraffes are killed just for their tails, which are considered status symbols in Africa.
Asian elephants
The main threat to Asian elephants, one of the most intelligent animals, is their shrinking habitat. As the human population grows, people invade their land to build roads and railway tracks. Elephants in Myanmar are at an especially high risk for being captured and traded or used illegally in the tourist industry. Fewer than 50000 are left on the entire continent.
1.Why is the population of tigers becoming smaller?
A. People hunt illegally and destroy their living spots.
B. It is difficult for tigers to fit in with their environment.
C. The forests are not suitable for their living.
D. The tigers are a threat to the residents nearby.
2.What’s the main reason why some animals are in danger according to the passage?
A. Climate changes. B. Human activities.
C. Lack of food. D. Serious pollution.
3.The tails of ________ are regarded as status symbols in Africa.
A. tigers’ B. ground squirrels’
C. giraffes’ D. Asian elephants’
4.What can we infer from the passage?
A. The giraffe population has increased greatly in the last 30 years.
B. The number of squirrels is between 124000 and 4130000.
C. Elephants in Myanmar are completely caught and even killed.
D. The present situation of endangered animals is worrying.
【话题解读】本文是一篇说明文。主要介绍了四种濒危的野生动物：老虎，地鼠，长颈鹿和亚洲象。
1.A 【解析】细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句“The main reasons for their population decline are illegal hunting and destroyed habitats, as humans clear forests to gather timber and build roadways.”可知，选A。
3.C 【解析】细节理解题。根据第四段的句子“Some giraffes are killed just for their tails, which are considered status symbols in Africa.”可知，长颈鹿的尾巴在非洲被认为是社会地位的象征。故选C。
4.D 【解析】推理判断题。纵观全文可知，文章主要介绍了四种濒临灭绝的动物，并分析了它们数量减少的原因，它们的野外生活状况不容乐观，因此推断濒危动物的现状是令人担忧的。故选D。
Passage 2
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
野生生物保护的可能的方法
358
★★☆☆☆
7分钟
Illegally traded endangered species that escape, forming secondary populations, offer hope to their long-term survival, a study suggests. "This first came to my attention when I read a news story about the seizure of an illegal shipment of 23 yellow crested cockatoos(小葵花凤头鹦鹉)," said Luke Gibson, a college teacher. He learned that the species was critically endangered, which surprised him.
This encouraged Dr. Gibson and his colleague to investigate(调查)how a critically endangered species had become self-sustaining outside of its natural range. They discovered 49 cases of a globally threatened species becoming established as a separate population, which they hadn’t thought of, including the yellow-crested cockatoo in their city.
"This is a species which is primarily threatened by wildlife trade," he told BBC News. "Poachers(偷猎者)go out into the forest in its native range in eastern Indonesia and capture the bird and then ship them off, usually up to our city where there is a strong demand for pet birds. This is what has fueled the decline of this species in its native range. But it's really interesting because that same cause also had another effect: some of the people who were keeping this species here accidentally or intentionally released them.” As a result of enough of the birds set free, it allowed a new self-sustaining population to be established in this city.
The government in of Dr. Gibson’s city has made it illegal to capture the species, even though it is a non-native species. Because the city is?affluent?and relatively well educated, the cases of people breaking the law are extremely rare, explained Dr Gibson, unlike in its native range in Indonesia, where capturing birds forms a major source of income.
However, there can be downsides(缺点) to the newly established population of endangered species, such as a limited genetic pool, and suffering from novel diseases. It did also present a possible “very interesting” opportunity for conservationists, Dr. Gibson suggested. This would involve "harvesting" some of the newly established secondary population, which may provide a way to help slow global biodiversity loss.
1.What was beyond Gibson’s expectations according to the first paragraph?
A. The high rate of wildlife trade.
B. The preciousness of the birds.
C. The fact that the birds nearly disappear.
D. The news that the birds were poached.
2.What happened unexpectedly when the birds were shipped abroad?
A. They formed a separate population.
B. They were kept as pet birds.
C. They were traded illegally.
D. They were killed for research.
3.Which can replace the underlined word “affluent”?
A. Peace-loving. B. Rich.
C. Free. D. Environment –friendly.
4.For what purpose did the author write the passage?
A. To appeal to everyone to stop the wildlife trade.
B. To explain the challenge the wild birds are facing.
C. To introduce a creative approach to wildlife conservation.
D. To raise people’s awareness of protecting endangered species.
【话题解读】本文为说明文。讲述的是一项研究表明逃跑的非法交易的濒危物种形成了次级群体，为它们的长期生存提供了希望，也呈现了野生生物保护的一种可能的方法。
3.B 【解析】词义猜测题。根据第四段第二句话中的“…unlike in its native range in Indonesia, where capturing birds forms a major source of income”可知这个城市富有并且相对受教育程度良好，人们违法的情况极少，由此可知该词指的是“富有的”，故选B。
4.C 【解析】观点态度题。根据第四段最后两句话It did also present a possible “very interesting” opportunity for conservationists, Dr. Gibson suggested. This would involve "harvesting" some of the newly established secondary population, which may provide a way to help slow global biodiversity loss.可知本文作者是为了介绍野生生物保护的一种创新的方法，故选C。
Passage 3
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
纽约建立自行车分享项目
382
★★★☆☆
7分钟
New York’s long awaited bike share program, which arranged the distribution of 10,000 bicycles along some of the city’s busiest street, will be sponsored by Citi financial group, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced on Monday.
Citi Bike will be the largest public bike share system in the US, with bikes placed in 600 stations in Manhattan and Brooklyn. The program will be operated by Alta bicycle share, which runs similar projects in Washington D.C. and Boston.
“The idea behind bike share is simple: give people one more way to get around the town,” Bloomberg said in a restaurant. “The new Citi Bikes will be an affordable transportation network that will help New Yorkers get where they’re going faster. When the walk seems a little far, New Yorkers can choose to skip the hike, and take a bike.”
The program was announced in September 2011, and the department of transport has spent the last eight months planning locations for the stations. Full details on the locations have not been released yet, but they will include Times Square, Penn Station and close to Central Park.
Annual membership of the program will cost $95, which entitles (授权) users to free journeys up to 45 minutes. For those unwilling to commit to a year’s cycling, seven-day subscriptions are available for $25 or 24-hour access for $9.95, with the first 30 minutes of any journey free. The official website for the program – citibikenyc.com – says the pricing strategy is likely to ensure that riders keep their trips short. Although short journeys are free, anyone wanting to take a bike for the day will face very high charges. People who do not sign up to an annual membership – tourists, for example, would pay $49 for a three-hour ride, plus the $9.95 24-hour access fee, making a total of $59.
The department of transport said the bikes and stations, which will begin to be fixed from “late July”, will be the same as in London, Montreal and Minneapolis; however, in one sense Bloomberg will be hoping the New York program differs from that of London. While the London program has ended up losing money since it launched in 2010, the mayor said New York City would “split system profits with the operator”, creating a potential new income program.
1.According to the passage, the main purpose of setting up New York’s bike share system is to ________.
A. make profits from the bike users
B. discourage people from going hiking
C. reduce people’s expenses on transportation
D. help people travel around the city more easily
2.According to the passage, which of the following locations is NOT available for the Citi Bike service?
A. Central Park B. Time Square
C. Brooklyn Botanic Garden D. Penn Station
3.What can be learned from Paragraph 5?
A. It is wise of people to use the bikes for short trips.
B. Anyone can use the bike free of charge for 45 minutes.
C. Most people are unwilling to pay for the annual membership.
D. Tourists are charged more for the use of bikes than local people.
4.In what sense does Bloomberg hope the New York program differs from that of London?
A. Better accepted. B. Better operated.
C. More profitable. D. More widespread.
【文章大意】文章介绍纽约建立自行车分享项目，为了让人们更容易地在城市旅游。
1.D 【解析】细节理解题。根据文章第三段的句子“The new Citi Bikes will be an affordable transportation network that will help New Yorkers get where they’re going faster.”可知，建立纽约自行车共享项目的是帮助人们更容易地在城市旅游。故选D。
3.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章第五段的句子“The official website for the program – citibikenyc.com – says the pricing strategy is likely to ensure that riders keep their trips short.”可知，人们使用自行车短途旅行是明智的。故选A。
4.C 【解析】推理判断题。根据文章最后一段的句子“While the London program has ended up losing money since it launched in 2010, the mayor said New York City would “split system profits with the operator”, creating a potential new income program.”可知，Bloomberg希望纽约的项目和伦敦的项目不同的是它可以盈利。故选C。
Passage 4
体裁
话题
词数
难度
建议时间
说明文
能够代替锂电池为电子设备提供电源的能量采集产品
445
★★★☆☆
7分钟
Fed up with constantly having to recharge or replace batteries in your ever-expanding electronic devices? The solution may be just a few steps away.
“Energy harvesting” promises to power countless consumer devices, often with nothing more than your body’s movement or heat. Dozens of companies around the world already offer such products, but many experts believe the market for the technology could explode due to electronic devices being developed for the Internet of Things.
“It’s huge，” said Graham Martin, CEO of the EnOcean Alliance, a San Ramon-based group of businesses that promotes wireless energy-harvesting technologies. With the Internet of Things expected to combine billions of devices, “if they are all battery-powered, we’ll have a problem because there’s not enough lithium(锂）in the world,” he added. “So a lot of them will have to use energy harvesting.”
Among the most basic forms of the technology is body power. When certain materials are squeezed or stretched, the movement of their atoms creates an electrical charge. Automatic watches have employed the concept for decades, for example, by winding themselves when their user moves their arm. Now, the concept is being considered for a number of other devices.
In a contest seeking visionary ideas for wearable technologies, Intel awarded $5,000 for a concept to change the temperature difference between a person’s body and a special piece of clothing they’d wear into electricity for mobile devices.
Using sound to power devices is another energy-harvesting variation. Stanford University engineers are testing smart microchips that create electricity from ultrasound to power implantable devices that can analyze a person’s nervous system or treat their diseases.
A textile research association in Spain is proposing to obtain electricity from radio waves that flow around everyone to power sensors sewn into clothes, which can monitor a person's heartbeat or other vital signs.??? Research firm lDTechEx has estimated that annual global sales of energy-harvesting products could hit $2.6 billion by 2024, while WinterGreen Research predicts sales of $4.2 billion by 2019.
Obtaining stable energy from devices can be complex, however. For one thing, the motion that generates the electricity has to be constant to be useful. Moreover, the amount of power the devices produce depends on the person using them，according to a Columbia University study. It determined that taller people on average provide about 20 percent more power than shorter ones when walking, running or cycling.
It’s also unclear how eagerly consumers might welcome energy-harvesting products. While such devices are expected to cost less than battery-powered alternatives when compared over many years, experts say, people may continue buying ones with batteries merely because those would be cheaper in the short term.
1.Which “explode” in the following sentences has the most similar meaning to the word “explode” in??Paragraph 2?
A. They were clearing up when the second bomb exploded.
B. The continued tension could explode into more violence.
C. The population exploded to 40,000 during the last tourist season.
D. The boss exploded when he heard of the resignation of the secretary.
2.What makes “energy harvesting” necessary according to the passage?
A. The waste of lithium in the world.
B. The increasing number of electronic devices.
C. The development of technology.
D. The pollution caused by batteries.
3.It can be learned from the passage that ____.
A. energy-harvesting products save money in the long run
B. taller people can surely produce a larger amount of power
C. automatic watches harvest energy from the users’ body heat
D. two ways of harvesting energy are mentioned in the passage
4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A. Energy harvesting: a low-risk technology
B. Energy harvesting: a high-profit technology
C. Energy harvesting: a problem-free technology
D. Energy harvesting: an environment-friendly technology
【话题解读】本文是一篇说明文，主要介绍了一种能够代替锂电池为电子设备提供电源的能量采集产品，而且还有利于环保。
2.B 【解析】根据第二段中的“’ Energy harvesting’ promises to power countless consumer devices, often with nothing more than your body’s movement or heat.”可知，能量收集为无数的电子设备提供能量，正是电子设备数量的激增使能量收集成为必要，故B项正确。
3.A 【解析】推理判断题。根据倒数第三段中的“ IDTechEx has estimated that annual global sales of energy-harvesting products could hit $2.6 billion by 2024, while WinterGreen Research predicts sales of $4.2 billion by 2019.”可知，从长远来看，能量采集产品会节省很大一笔钱，故A项正确。
4.D 【解析】主旨大意题。通读全文可知，本文主要介绍了一种能够代替锂电池为电子设备提供电源的能量采集产品，而且还有利于环保，故D项正确。
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