主旨大意题专练(一)——文章大意类
A
[2019·湖南省师大附中高三检测] Almost every day we come across situations where we have to make decisions one way or another. Choice, we are given to believe, is a right. But for a good many people in the world, in rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right. And for those who think they are exercising their rights to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion (幻觉), a false idea created by companies and advertisers, hoping to sell their products.
The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people's lives. Buying something as basic as a coffee pot is not exactly simple. Easy access to a wide range of everyday goods leads to a sense of powerlessness in many people, ending in the shoppers giving up and walking away, or just buying an unsuitable item that is not really wanted. Recent studies have shown that many electrical goods bought in almost every family are not really needed. More difficult decision-making is then either avoided or trusted to the hands of the professionals, lifestyle instructors, or advisors.
It is not just the availability of the goods that is the problem, but the speed with which new types of products come on the market. Advances in design and production help quicken the process. Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought. This indeed makes selection a problem. Gone are the days when one could just walk with ease into a shop and buy one thing; no choice, no anxiety.
体裁：议论文 题材：介绍说明 主题：选择并非一种权利
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇议论文，当今社会，很多人误以为选择是自己拥有的一项权利。其实，在很多情况下，那只是一种幻觉，不过是被一些公司或广告商为了出售他们的产品而营造的一种错误想法。
【难句分析】 And for those who think they are exercising their rights to make choices, the whole system is merely an illusion, a false idea created by companies and advertisers, hoping to sell their products.
分析：本句是一个复合句，for those who think they are exercising their rights to make choices 是介词短语在句子中作状语，其中who think they are exercising their rights to make choices是定语从句，修饰前面的those；主句部分为the whole system is merely an illusion, 句型为：主语＋系动词＋表语；a false idea created by companies and advertisers... products为同位语，其中created by companies and advertisers为后置定语，hoping to sell their products 为伴随状语。
译文：对那些认为在行使他们的权利作出选择的人来说，这一整个制度不过是一个幻觉，它是由一些公司和广告商希望出售他们的产品而营造出来的错误想法。
1．What does the author try to argue in the first paragraph?
A．The practice of choice is difficult.
B．Choice is a born right.
C．It's easy to make choices.
D．Companies offer good shopping choice.
答案与解析：A 考查细节理解。根据第一段中的“But for a good many people in the world, in rich and poor countries, choice is a luxury, something wonderful but hard to get, not a right.”可知，作者认为对世界上的很多人来说，选择并非是一种权利，无论是在贫穷的国家还是在富有的国家中，选择对他们来说其实是一种奢侈品，很美好但很难得到。也就是说选择是很难做到的，故选A项。
2．Which of the following is most likely to cause anxiety?
A．Easy access to everyday goods.
B．Too many choices.
C．Misleading advertisements.
D．Professional shopping advice.
答案与解析：B 考查细节理解。根据第二段中的“The endless choice gives birth to anxiety in people's lives.”可知，无休止的选择催生出人们生活中的焦虑，即人们焦虑是因为选择太多而导致的，故选B项。
3．The example of computers is used to prove that ________.
A．updated products flood the market
B．high-tech products are of poor quality
C．everyday goods need to be replaced
D．advanced products are in demand
答案与解析：A 考查推理判断。根据最后一段中的“Advances in design and production help quicken the process. Products also need to have a short lifespan so that the public can be persuaded to replace them within a short time. The typical example is computers, which are almost out-of-date once they are bought.”可知，产品的设计和生产方面的进步加速了(产品)被推向市场的进程，产品也需要缩短使用期，电脑便是其中的一个例子。由此可以推断，作者以电脑为例，证明市场上充斥着更新的产品，故选A项。
4．What is this passage mainly about?
A．The opinions on people's right.
B．The problems of the availability of daily goods.
C．The helplessness in purchasing decisions.
D．The variety of choices in modern society.
答案与解析：C 考查主旨大意。纵观全文，尤其是文章最后一句“Gone are the days when one could just walk with ease into a shop and buy one thing; no choice, no anxiety.”可知，本文主要讲述了人们在购物时因为选择太多而无法简单选择的现状，故选C项。
B
[2019·郑州高三第一次质量预测] Are you a procrastinator (拖延者)? It's a common problem. And it can be harmful, as previous research has shown that people who procrastinate have higher levels of stress and lower well-being, reported the Association for Psychological Science in the US. But a new study has found a way to deal with this problem: Be more connected to your future self.
Psychologists think that each person believes that they are really two people ：“Present Me” and “Future Me”. “People act as if they prefer their current selves' needs and desires to those of their future selves，” wrote psychologists Neil Lewis and Daphna Oyserman.
Oyserman and Lewis decided to try to find a way to make “Present Me” imagine exactly how “Future Me” would feel the night before a big paper was due, though “Present Me” hadn't started yet. They made “Present Me” think about a far-off event a number of days away, not months or years.
Thinking about events in this_way meant that something like a friend's wedding seemed 16.3 days sooner when considered in days rather than months and 11.4 months sooner when considered in months rather than years.
The researchers also tried to find out whether people would take action sooner if they were told a certain event was happening in several days rather than years. For example, participants imagined they had a newborn child, and that the child would need to go to college in either 18 years or 6,570 days. The researchers found those in the “days” condition planned to start saving four times sooner than those in the “years” condition.
So if you think of your life in days instead of years, you may get things done quicker.
体裁：说明文 题材：科学研究 主题：如何应对拖延症
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇说明文，探究了一种应对拖延症的方法。
【熟词生义】 due 常用义；adj.因为，由于
例句：The team's success was largely due to her efforts.这个队的成功在很大程度上是她努力的结果。
本句义：adj.到期
例句：Payment is due on 1 October. 付款期限为10月1日。
【难句分析】 The researchers also tried to find out whether people would take action sooner if they were told a certain event was happening in several days rather than years.
分析：本句是一个主从复合句。whether引导宾语从句，作find out的宾语；if引导条件状语从句；“a certain event was happening in several days rather than years”是省略了that的宾语从句，作told的宾语。
译文：研究人员也试图弄清楚如果人们被告知某事将在几天而不是几年后发生，他们是否会更快采取行动。
5．What did Oyserman and Lewis intend to do through their study?
A．To work on a solution to test if someone is a procrastinator.
B．To find out whether human beings usually have two different characters.
C．To discover procrastinators are more likely to have a lower sense of well-being.
D．To prove it's helpful to connect our current selves more with future selves.
答案与解析：D 考查细节理解。根据对第三段的整体理解可知，Oyserman和Lewis想要通过他们的研究去验证把“现在的我”和“将来的我”联系起来是否会对应对拖延症有一定的帮助，故选D项。
6．The underlined part “this way” in Paragraph 4 refers to “________”．
A．setting up tough deadlines
B．following schedules strictly
C．counting in smaller units of time
D．imagining how your future self will feel
答案与解析：C 考查词义猜测。承接第三段最后一句“They made ‘Present Me’think about a far-off event a number of days away, not months or years”可推知，画线部分是指用更小的时间单位去计量，故选C。
7．What helps prevent people from procrastinating?
A．Comparing their future selves with present selves.
B．Considering their current selves' needs and desires.
C．Thinking about far-off events in days rather than years.
D．Marking important events on a calendar as a reminder.
答案与解析：C 考查推理判断。根据第五段的内容以及最后一段“So if you think of your life in days instead of years, you may get things done quicker”可推知，用天而不是用年去考虑将来所发生的事情会帮助拖延者不再拖延，故选C项。
8．What does the passage mainly talk about?
A．A way to get things done in time.
B．The harmful effects of procrastination.
C．The reason to overlook future needs and desires.
D．The way to reduce stress and improve happiness.
答案与解析：A 考查主旨大意。根据第一段最后一句“But a new study has found a way to deal with this problem: Be more connected to your future self”，并结合对全文的整体理解可推知，本文主要探究了一种应对拖延症的方法，故选A项。
C
[2019·昆明市教学质量检测] Five-year-old Prisilla Perez, a student at Meador Elementary School in Willis, was unhappy with her recent haircut, which resulted from a severe disease. When students in her class started calling Prisilla a boy, she felt ashamed, often crying and losing focus in school.
Her teacher, Shannon Grimm, sympathized with her unhappiness. Grimm and Prisilla's mom were concerned, but their ideas didn't work. “We had classroom discussions about how girls have short hair and boys have long hair, and I showed them photos of movie stars with different looks，” Grimm said. “However, it wasn't sinking in.”
Grimm thought about Prisilla throughout the winter break, and one morning, she had an idea: Cut off her hair — a scary thought for Grimm, who wore her hair long and took pride in it. “I've never had short hair, and I stressed about it for two weeks before making a decision，” she said. On Jan. 4, Grimm invited a hairstylist friend to her home. “I told him to keep going, even if I cried，” she said.
The class loved their teacher's new do, especially Prisilla, who excitedly ran off the school bus that afternoon yelling, “Mom, Ms. Grimm cut her hair！” The teacher also bought matching bows for herself and the girl, so they could style their hair together.
In February, the teacher recommended Prisilla for the school district's Student of the Month Award, but during the Monday ceremony, she received a surprise “hero medal” from the girl. “Now we have matching awards，” says Grimm.
Prisilla's mother, Maria, said that Grimm's thoughtfulness brought her to tears. “I was shocked. I was crying. I couldn't believe it — she did something I wouldn't have the bravery to do. I will never forget that.”
体裁：记叙文 题材：学校生活 主题：Grimm老师剪短头发以帮助Prisilla
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇记叙文，主要讲述了Grimm老师剪短头发以帮助学生Prisilla的故事。
【熟词生义】 do常用义：v.做
例句：Have you done your homework yet？你做完家庭作业了吗？
本句义：n.发型
例句：We all like her new do. 我们都喜欢她的新发型。
【难句分析】 I couldn't believe it — she did something I wouldn't have the bravery to do.
分析：句中“I wouldn't have the bravery to do”是省略了关系代词that的定语从句。
译文：她做了连我都没有勇气去做的事儿，我难以相信。
9．Why was Prisilla unhappy at school?
A．She wasn't satisfied with her teacher.
B．She couldn't concentrate in class.
C．She was laughed at by her classmates.
D．She couldn't get on well with others.
答案与解析：C 考查细节理解。根据第一段第二句“When students in her class started calling Prisilla a boy, she felt ashamed, often crying and losing focus in school”可知，Prisilla在学校不开心是因为她被同学嘲笑，故选C项。
10．What made Grimm have her own hair cut?
A．Praise from her students.
B．Devotion to her students.
C．Request of Prisilla's mother.
D．Suggestion from the hairstylist.
答案与解析：B 考查推理判断。根据第三段的内容，尤其是“Grimm thought about Prisilla... she had an idea: Cut off her hair”可知，Prisilla因为是短头发而被同学嘲笑，为了安慰Prisilla, Grimm老师决定把自己的头发剪短。由此可推知，Grimm老师出于对学生的关爱才剪短了头发，故选B项。
11．What can we know about Grimm?
A．She had her hair cut together with Prisilla.
B．She expressed her sincere thanks to her pupils.
C．She hesitated a lot before having her hair cut.
D．She won a gold medal for facing difficulties bravely.
答案与解析：C 考查细节理解。根据第三段第二句中的“I've never had short hair, and I stressed about it for two weeks before making a decision”可知，Grimm老师剪短头发之前很犹豫，故选C项。
12．What is the text mainly about?
A．How Grimm helped her student out.
B．What problem Prisilla had at school.
C．Why Prisilla won the Month Award.
D．When Grimm got her new hairstyle.
答案与解析：A 考查主旨大意。通读全文可知，Prisilla因为是短头发而被同学嘲笑，她在学校很不开心，Grimm老师为了帮助、安慰她剪短了自己的头发，故选A项。
主旨大意题专练(三)——段落大意类
A
[2019·济南高三模拟] Can I talk about salary at work? In a word：yes. As the HR company Insperity put it in a recent blog post: Can your employees discuss their salaries or wages with their co-workers? Yes. Even if you have a company policy against it? Yes.
The freedom to discuss your salary at work is a protected right under the labor law. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935 protects your right to discuss the conditions of your employment, including issues related to safety and pay, even when you're not protected by a union.
Talking about salary with colleagues can be uncomfortable, since there's such a taboo about discussing money matters, but it's an important step towards achieving equal pay for equal work. One barrier, however, stems from how we think of our own financial worth. Too many people I talk to wrongly consider their salary a reflection of their worthiness, a statement about their skills, experience, or value. At the end of the day, if we can all separate our self-worth from our salaries a bit more, it'll become easier to talk frankly with our colleagues.
Asking about money outright can be tough, so one trick I've picked up along the way is to ask for your colleagues to confirm or deny. For instance, you might volunteer your salary first and ask “Does that sound right to you？” by way of comparison. Or, let's say you're interviewing for a promotion to become a manager. You might ask a fellow manager about the kind of salary you should expect by saying, “I'm seeing salaries for this kind of position ranging from $65,000 to $70,000 — does that seem accurate to you？” This way, even if your colleague isn't comfortable sharing their salary outright, they can help you identify if your expectations are appropriate.
体裁：议论文 题材：社会生活 主题：谈论薪金
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇议论文，讨论了是否可以在工作中谈论薪金的问题。
【熟词生义】 volunteer 常用义：n.志愿者，义务工作者
例句：Schools need volunteers to help children to read.学校需要义务工作者帮助儿童阅读。
本句义：v.主动说出(某事)
例句：Michael volunteered the information before I had a chance to ask. 我还没来得及问，迈克尔就主动提供了信息。
【难句分析】 Talking about salary with colleagues can be uncomfortable, since there's such a taboo about discussing money matters, but it's an important step towards achieving equal pay for equal work.
分析：本句是一个复合句。“Talking about salary with colleagues”是动名词短语作第一个分句的主语；since引导原因状语从句。
译文：和同事谈论薪金会让人不舒服，因为谈论钱的事情是一个禁忌，但是这是朝着实现同工同酬目标迈进的重要一步。
1．What makes co-workers uncomfortable to talk about salaries?
A．The safety issue.
B．The labor law.
C．The wrong idea about salaries.
D．The reflection of their worthiness.
答案与解析：C 考查推理判断。根据第三段第二句“One barrier, however, stems from how we think of our own financial worth”和对第三段的整体理解可推知，对薪金的错误看法导致同事间谈论薪金时感到不舒服，故选C项。
2．What does “taboo” underlined in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A．A prohibited practice. B．A firm belief.
C．A general agreement. D．A social custom.
答案与解析：A 考查词义猜测。根据第三段第一句中的“Talking about salary with colleagues can be uncomfortable”可知，和同事谈薪金让人不舒服，并结合常识可推知，谈论钱的事情是一个禁忌，故选A项。
3．What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 4?
A．One of my interview experiences.
B．My way of asking about money.
C．The method of raising questions.
D．An example of getting promoted.
答案与解析：B 考查段落大意。根据语境可知，第四段第一句“Asking about money outright can be tough, so one trick I've picked up along the way is to ask for your colleagues to confirm or deny”点出了本段要谈论的主题，并结合对本段的整体理解可推知，本段主要讲的是询问关于薪金的事情的方法，故选B项。
4．What can be the best title for the text?
A．How to Discuss Salaries at Work
B．Ways of Talking about Salaries
C．Do Salaries Stand for Self-worth?
D．Can Salaries be Talked about at Work?
答案与解析：D 考查标题归纳。本文第一段第一句“Can I talk about salary at work？”点出了要谈论的话题，并结合对全文的整体理解可推知，本文主要讨论了是否可以在工作中谈论薪金的问题，故选D项。
B
[2019·石家庄高中毕业班教学质量检测] At the age of seven, while his friends were spending their allowance on things like candy and toys, Jose Adolfo Quisocola was busy saving money for basic purchases. To try to get his peers (同龄人) to do the same, the boy from Peru came up with the idea of an eco-bank, the Bartselana Student Bank, which allows kids of all ages to become financially independent while also helping the environment.
Set up in 2012, the bank is the world's first bank for kids. To become a member, a kid has to bring in at least 5 kilograms of solid waste and set a savings goal. Once accepted, all bank “partners” are required to deposit at least one additional kilogram of recyclables on a monthly basis and observe other requirements, such as attending financial education and environmental management workshops.
The waste accumulated is sold to local recycling companies, which, thanks to Jose's efforts, pay a higher-than-market rate for everything brought in by the bank members. The money received is placed in the personal account where they collect until the savings goal is reached. The account holder can then withdraw the money, or choose to leave it and make it continue to grow for a bigger target. “At the beginning, my teachers thought I was crazy or that a child could not undertake this type of project，” Jose recalls. “They did not understand that we are not the future of the country but its present. Luckily, I had the support of the school headmaster and an assistant in my class.”
The boy's efforts paid off, and by 2013, the bank had over 200 members, who brought in one ton of recyclable waste. Today, the eco-bank, which now has the support of several local institutions, boasts ten educational centers. They are designed to teach over 3,000 students, aged 10 to 18, to become financially independent, use their money wisely, and help the environment.
Not surprisingly, Jose's efforts have earned him several national and international awards. On November 20, 2018, Jose won Children's Climate Prize, which comes with a medal and $5,500 in prize money and is given to a child or youth who has accomplished an extraordinary achievement for the climate or environment.
体裁：记叙文 题材：社会生活 主题：生态银行
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇记叙文。当其他的孩子把零花钱花在糖果和玩具上时，七岁的Jose却想着如何储蓄。在校长的支持下，他成立了学生生态银行，让学生带废品开户，之后将废品销售给收购商。该银行受到了孩子们的欢迎。
【难句分析】 To try to get his peers (同龄人) to do the same, the boy from Peru came up with the idea of an eco-bank, the Bartselana Student Bank, which allows kids of all ages to become financially independent while also helping the environment.
分析：该句为主从复合句。句中“which allows kids of all ages to become financially independent while also helping the environment”为which引导的非限制定语从句，which指代先行词the Bartselana Student Bank，在从句中作主语；句中动词不定式短语“To try to get his peers (同龄人) to do the same”作目的状语。
译文：为了让他的同龄人也这么做，这个来自秘鲁的男孩想出了一个生态银行——Bartselana学生银行的点子，这个点子能让各个年龄段的孩子变得经济独立，同时也有助于环境保护。
5．Why did Jose set up the bank?
A．To raise money and set up a recycling company.
B．To buy necessities and donate them to needy kids.
C．To save much money and protect the environment.
D．To educate the students and help them win prizes.
答案与解析：C 考查细节理解。根据第一段第二句“To try to get his peers (同龄人) to do the same, the boy from Peru came up with the idea of an eco-bank, the Bartselana Student Bank, which allows kids of all ages to become financially independent while also helping the environment”可知，为了让他的同龄人也这么做，这个来自秘鲁的男孩想出了一个生态银行的点子，这个点子能让各个年龄段的孩子变得经济独立，同时也有助于环境保护。据此可知，Jose创立生态银行旨在储蓄的同时保护环境，故C项正确。
6．How can a kid be admitted to the eco-bank?
A．By donating to the eco-bank.
B．By turning in one kilogram of waste in a month.
C．By sending in an application.
D．By presenting a savings goal and a certain amount of waste.
答案与解析：D 考查细节理解。根据第二段第二句“To become a member, a kid has to bring in at least 5 kilograms of solid waste and set a savings goal”可知，若要成为生态银行的一员，一个孩子必须至少交5千克的固体垃圾，并设定一个储蓄目标，故选D项。
7．How did the teachers feel about Jose's program?
A．Doubtful. B．Excited.
C．Moved. D．Worried.
答案与解析：A 考查推理判断。根据第三段第四句中的“At the beginning, my teachers thought I was crazy or that a child could not undertake this type of project”可知，开始时老师们认为Jose疯了，认为一个孩子不能承担这种类型的项目。据此可推知，老师们对Jose的项目持怀疑态度，故选A项。
8．What is paragraph 4 mainly about?
A．How the environment is improved.
B．What the project has achieved.
C．How tons of waste has been recycled.
D．What support the local institutions get.
答案与解析：B 考查段落大意。根据第四段的第一句“The boy's efforts paid off, and by 2013, the bank had over 200 members, who brought in one ton of recyclable waste”可知，Jose的努力得到了回报，到2013年，该银行已有200多名成员，他们带来了一吨可回收垃圾，并结合该段其他内容可知，该段主要介绍了生态银行的成就，故选B项。
C
[2019·贵阳市期末监测]Recently, my husband and three kids were playing in Mediterranean (地中海), swimming and floating in the picture-perfect sea. It was ridiculously beautiful in Majorca, Spain. The way the sun danced across the water and how the blue horizon was dotted with storybook sailboats were such beautiful scenes.
My husband and I always dreamed about taking our kids on a trip around the world. It was one of the things we talked at length about. When we imagined our life with the children, we hoped we would have.
Fourteen years later, we had three boys who were growing up faster by the day. It was time to make_good_on those plans. We renewed our passports, and then packed our bags. We showed our kids the world. It was about experiencing the dozens of flights and trains and taxis together. We showed them how wonderful, how diverse, and how fascinating the world is. We wanted them to learn all that we had learned ourselves, through our own travels.
But there was something more than that: What we really wanted is to slow down time. We wanted the days to last a bit longer, and the weeks to take their time. The years with our children are going too fast. We wanted to put the brakes on our busy lives for a year, and just be with our kids. We wanted a break from the daily morning routine of making lunches, eating breakfast and going out the door in time for school. We needed family time out.
It was the wonderful two months in Europe, full of incredible moments. When we look back at our lives, I know we'll be glad we did it. I know we'll be happy that this is a chapter of the story of our family.
体裁：记叙文 题材：生活经历 主题：和孩子们一起去旅游
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇记叙文。丈夫和“我”很早就梦想着带孩子们一起去旅游，享受美景和家人陪伴的时光。十四年后，我们实现了梦想。
【难句分析】 The way the sun danced across the water and how the blue horizon was dotted with storybook sailboats were such beautiful scenes.
分析：该句为主从复合句。句中“the sun danced across the water”为省略了that的定语从句，修饰先行词“The way”；“how the blue horizon was dotted with storybook sailboats”为主语从句，how在从句中作方式状语。
译文：太阳在水面上起舞，蓝色的地平线上布满了童话书中的帆船，这些景色是如此的美丽。
9．What did the couple often dream of fourteen years ago?
A．Going to Mediterranean.
B．Travelling with their children.
C．Some storybook sailboats.
D．Their children's growing fast.
答案与解析：B 考查推理判断。根据第二段第一句“My husband and I always dreamed about taking our kids on a trip around the world”可推知，14年前，“我”和丈夫梦想着带孩子们环游世界，故B项正确。
10．What does the underlined part “make good on” probably mean?
A．Do good to. B．Carry out.
C．Make up. D．Put off.
答案与解析：B 考查词义猜测。根据上文可知，“我”和丈夫梦想着带孩子们环游世界，结合第三段第二句“It was time to make good on those plans”可推知，是实行这些计划的时候了。故画线部分意为“实行”，故选B项。
11．What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?
A．The travel. B．The children.
C．The transportation. D．The diverse world.
答案与解析：A 考查段落大意。根据第三段的内容可知，该段主要介绍了实行旅游计划，和三个孩子一起去旅游的情况，故选A项。
12．What was the most important in the writer's eyes?
A．Doing everything slowly.
B．Living a busy life.
C．Sticking to the routine.
D．Slowing down the time.
答案与解析：D 考查细节理解。根据第四段中的“But there was something more than that: What we really wanted is to slow down time”可知，作者最希望的是时间能慢下来，故选D项。
主旨大意题专练(二)——标题归纳类
A
[2019·成都第三次诊断]For the past two years I have been travelling and living abroad. Home has become more of a feeling than a place. I feel at home when I am with my family in London, but I also feel at home in Italy with friends I love. Home is no longer a picture of a house with a front door and some windows. It is more complicated than that.
This is one of the reasons that celebrating the new year has become very important for me. I do not care about “New Year's resolutions (新年计划)”— living abroad has made me constantly reconsider what kind of person I want to be and how I will live my life, so I don't feel the need to plan for change: I live for change.
New Year's Eve has become my time to reconnect with the friends, which makes me feel at home. Every year we try to reunite wherever we are, and remember the time when we knew each other so well that we felt like a family. It is a moment to reconnect and get to know each other again. Last year, we travelled to a cottage in Ireland where we had no Internet and no neighbours. In the middle of the countryside, away from our constantly changing lives, we were able to become like a little family again.
This year, we went to Barcelona. It was a very big change. We were surrounded by culture and life and joy. There were bars and parties. It was different, but one thing stayed very much the same — I felt at home again and we felt like a family again.
A lot of people feel that New Year's Eve cannot live up to expectations. Ideas such as the “New Year's kiss” and “resolutions” create a lot of pressure for people to have a night to remember, a night that will change their lives and perhaps make the next year worth living. I think those people are missing the point. Why can't New Year be about friends?
体裁：夹叙夹议文 题材：个人经历 主题：如何庆祝新年
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇夹叙夹议文。过去两年作者在国外旅游、生活，作者认为家不只是一个地方，而是一种感觉；新年是和家人、朋友团聚的时刻，作者经常通过和朋友们一起旅游来庆祝新年。
【难句分析】 I do not care about “New Year's resolutions (新年计划)”— living abroad has made me constantly reconsider what kind of person I want to be and how I will live my life, so I don't feel the need to plan for change: I live for change.
分析：句中what kind of person I want to be and how I will live my life为and连接的两个宾语从句，作reconsider的宾语；so I don't feel the need to plan for change：I live for change为so引导的结果状语从句。
译文：我不在意新年计划——生活在国外不断让我重新考虑我想成为什么样的人，我将如何生活，所以我觉得没有必要为改变做计划：我为改变而活。
1．What does the underlined word“It” in Paragraph 1 refer to?
A．Family. B．Living abroad.
C．Home. D．Staying with friends.
答案与解析：C 考查代词指代。根据第一段倒数第二句“Home is no longer a picture of a house with a front door and some windows”可知，家不再是一幅有前门和一些窗户的房子的图画；结合画线词所在句“It is more complicated than that”可知，该句的主语It指代前一句中的“Home”，故选C项。
2．Why doesn't the author care about “New Year's resolutions”？
A．New Year's resolutions cannot be reached.
B．His lifestyle makes him always ready for change.
C．It's meaningless to make any big changes in life.
D．Making New Year's resolutions creates much pressure.
答案与解析：B 考查细节理解。根据第二段第二句“I do not care about‘New Year's resolutions (新年计划)’—living abroad has made me constantly reconsider what kind of person I want to be and how I will live my life, so I don't feel the need to plan for change：I live for change”可知，作者的生活不断变化，所以他认为没有必要在意新年计划，故选B项。
3．What does the author try to convey through his experiences in Ireland and Barcelona?
A．Life is peaceful and enjoyable.
B．Living abroad is a happy experience.
C．Staying with friends makes one feel at home.
D．Travelling abroad enriches one's life experience.
答案与解析：C 考查细节理解。根据第三段尾句“In the middle of the countryside, away from our constantly changing lives, we were able to become like a little family again”可知，和朋友待在乡村的中心，远离不断变化的生活，作者找到了家的感觉；根据第四段尾句“It was different, but one thing stayed very much the same — I felt at home again and we felt like a family again”可知，作者和朋友们在一起，感觉又回到了家，感觉又像一家人了。据此可知，文章中提及作者和朋友在爱尔兰和巴塞罗那的经历旨在说明和朋友待在一起能让人找到家的感觉，故选C项。
4．Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A．New Year's Celebration: How?
B．True Friendship: What?
C．Living Abroad: Comfortable or Complicated?
D．Change：Plan it or Make it?
答案与解析：A 考查标题归纳。通读全文可知，文章主要讲述了作者由于常年旅居在国外，对于庆祝新年和新年计划有着不同的思考：有朋友的地方就有家的感觉，变化着的生活不需要新年计划，故A项最适合作文章标题。
B
[2019·河南省高考适应性测试]Every year between May and September, all 54 employees of Basecamp, a Chicago-based web application company, have a short work week: just four days － a total of 32 hours. Also, they usually work five days a week for the rest of the year.
“That's plenty of time to get great work done. This is all we expect and all we want from people，” says Jason Fried, a co-founder. “Working 50-， 60-， or 70-plus hours is unnecessary. In fact, if you have to work 50-， 60-， or 70-plus hours a week, there's a management problem.”
The company's summer workload must fit reduced hours, Mr. Fried insists, otherwise the benefits of a shorter week — to recover from work, enjoy time with family and pursue (追求) outside interests — would be undone.
His new research finds that it is not just long hours that are harmful to employees' physical and mental health. It is also the intensity (强度) of work. Moreover, it suggests that intense work harms career prospects. That is because unbearable hours and intensity are in the opposite direction, reducing the quality of the work.
The research concludes that the level of intensity we apply to the work we do is generally “a stronger predictor of unfavorable outcomes than overtime work”．
The research compared people of similar jobs and education levels, and found they were more likely to suffer poorer happiness and worse career prospects, including satisfaction, security and promotion, when they worked at an intense level for long periods.
体裁：说明文 题材：社会文化 主题：较短的工作周的好处
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇说明文，以一家总部位于芝加哥的网络应用公司Basecamp的54名员工将近半年时间每周只工作4天，共32小时的情况为例说明了较短的工作周有益于人们的身心健康，并以一项研究来证明。
5．What do we know about Basecamp's four-day work week?
A．It lasts nearly half a year.
B．The work pressure is too high.
C．There are some management problems.
D．Employees work more than 8 hours a day.
答案与解析：A 考查细节理解。根据第一段可知，一家总部位于芝加哥的网络应用公司Basecamp的54名员工在每年5月到9月期间每周的工作时间都很短：只有四天，共32小时，持续5个月，大概半年时间，故选A项。
6．What does Mr. Fried intend to say in Paragraph 2?
A．Given plenty of time, people can do more.
B．To get work done well needs plenty of time.
C．People can do a job very well in a short work week.
D．A long work week is appropriate for reduced workload.
答案与解析：C 考查推理判断。根据第二段中的“Working 50-， 60-， or 70-plus hours is unnecessary. In fact, if you have to work 50-， 60-， or 70- plus hours a week, there's a management problem.”可知，弗里德先生认为一周工作五、六十个小时，甚至七十几个小时是没有必要的。如果真这么做了，反而会出现管理上的问题，由此推知，弗里德先生认为人们可以在短时间内把工作做好，故选C项。
7．What does the research mentioned in the text want to tell us?
A．Getting much more rest.
B．Improving work quality.
C．Refusing a five-day work week.
D．Avoiding working too intensely.
答案与解析：D 考查推理判断。根据第四至六段，尤其是第四段可知，这个新研究发现长时间工作不只对员工的身心健康有害，工作的强度也会影响员工的职业前景。这是因为难以忍受的工作时长和工作强度会降低工作质量，第五、六两段进一步说明了长时间高强度工作的坏处，由此可以推知，该研究是建议人们要避免高强度工作，故选D项。
8．What can be the best title for this passage?
A．More Work, More Profits
B．Less Work, Less Benefits
C．Shorter Week, Better Reward
D．Longer Hours, Higher Intensity
答案与解析：C 考查标题归纳。文章第一、二段以一家总部位于芝加哥的网络应用公司Basecamp为例，说明了较短的工作周的好处。第三段介绍了较短的工作周的好处。第四至六段介绍了一项有关工作时长和工作强度对人的影响的研究，更进一步印证了较短工作周对人身心方面的益处。由此可知C项最能概括全文内容。
C
[2019·福建省泉州市质量检查] Skyscrapers are the symbol of urban life. City people are used to seeing tall buildings and apartments. Farms, on the other hand, are associated with rural (农村的) life. However, there are experts who think skyscrapers should become farms to meet the increasing food needs.
By the middle of this century, some scientists suggest, almost 80% of the Earth's population could live in cities. In addition, the population could increase to 9.1 billion during that time yet the amount of land available for farming will be the same. If current farming practices don't change, we will need an area of new land to produce enough food for the planet.
Vertical farms, where urban farmers could grow crops in environmentally friendly skyscrapers, could be the solution. In spite of concerns over high costs, experts want to make it a reality and use these skyscrapers to grow crops.
Vertical farms would have many advantages, supporters say. Unlike traditional farming, vertical farming could be free of chemicals and diseases. Besides, crops would not suffer from problems like flooding. Finally, vertical farms would reduce the cost and negative effects of transporting food over long distances.
Some argue that although crops growing in a tall glass building would get natural sunlight during the day, it wouldn't be enough. For this reason, vertical farms would need additional light sources (来源), such as artificial light.
Another way of growing fresh food is to build urban farms on rooftops. This more practical approach may be more achievable than the idea of farms in skyscrapers, researchers suggest. Experts agree that innovative (革新的) farming practices are needed to support the need for more food at affordable costs, both to the farmer and to the consumer, but the best ideas have yet to come.
体裁：议论文 题材：科普知识 主题：城市垂直农业
【语篇解读】 本文是一篇议论文，提出传统农业所提供的食物满足不了日益增长的人口的需求，垂直农业或许可以解决这一问题。但对这一农业方式，不同的人有不同的看法。
9．What primary problem could vertical farming settle?
A．Poor state of rural life.
B．Shortage of food supply.
C．High cost of transporting crops.
D．Environmental pollution by traditional farming.
答案与解析：B 考查细节理解。根据第二段中的“If current farming practices don't change, we will need an area of new land to produce enough food for the planet.”及第三段中的“Vertical farms... could be the solution.”可知，如果现代的农耕方式不改变，我们将需要新的土地来为地球(上的人们)生产足够的食物，而垂直农业或许可以解决食物短缺问题，故选B项。
10．What is the advantage of vertical farming?
A．It can produce organic food.
B．It requires little care.
C．It can benefit transport industry.
D．It needs very low cost.
答案与解析：A 考查细节理解。根据第四段中的“Unlike traditional farming, vertical farming could be free of chemicals and diseases.”可知，垂直农业可以远离化学品和疾病。由此可见，垂直农业的优点之一就是可以生产有机食物，故选A项。
11．What is a big challenge of making vertical farming a reality?
A．Farmable land. B．Crop diseases.
C．Light sources. D．Climate conditions.
答案与解析：C 考查细节理解。根据第五段的内容，尤其是该段最后一句“For this reason, vertical farms would need additional light sources, such as artificial light.”可知，垂直农业需要额外的光源。由此可知，光源问题是实现垂直农业的一大挑战，故选C项。
12．What can be the best title of the text?
A．Future Food Needs B．Symbol of Urban Life
C．Farming on Rooftops D．Farms of the Future
答案与解析：D 考查标题归纳。通读全文并根据第一段最后一句和最后一段可知，作者通过说明传统农业所提供的食物满足不了日益增长的人口的需求，解释需要创造现代垂直农业来解决这个问题。全文都是围绕着未来的垂直农业展开，故D项最适合作为文章标题。
