中小学教育资源及组卷应用平台
冲刺2020年江苏高考英语——(任务型阅读题)三年真题解读
写在前面的话
任务型阅读虽然在江苏高考英语中仅仅占了10分，也是全卷占分比最小的一道题，但偏偏就是这道题
卡住了大多数考生，遭到了不少考生的吐槽。据有关方面披露，这道题的省均分每年都在4分左右，可见
其难度有多大。然而，不管有多难，我们考生都要克服畏难情绪，力争攻克这道难题，获得比较理想分
数。基于此本专题将为你排忧解难。
一、真题解析
2019
The Cost of Thinking
Despite their many differences, all human beings share several defining characteristics. such as large brains and the ability to walk upright on two legs.
The first unique human characteristic is that humans have extraordinarily large brains compared with other animals. It seems obvious that evolution should select for larger brains. Mammals(哺乳动物)weighing sixty kilograms have an average brain size of 200 cm2. Modern man has a brain averaging 1200-1400 cm2. We are so fond of our high intelligence that we assume that when it comes to brain power, more must be better. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
The fact is that a huge brain is a huge drain—consumption of energy—on the body. I’s not easy to carry around, especially when boxed inside a massive skull(倾骨). It’s even harder to provides energy. In modern man, the brain accounts for about 2-3%of total body weight but it consumes 25% of the body’s energy when the body is at rest. By comparison, the brains of apes(类人猿)require only 8%of rest-time energy. Early humans pad for their large brains in two ways. Firstly, they spent more time in search food. Secondly, their muscles grew smaller and weaker. It’s hardly an obvious conclusion that this is a good way to survive. A chimpanzee(黑猩猩)can’t win an argument with a modern man, but it can tear the man apart like a rag doll.
Another unique human characteristic is that we walk upright. Standing up, it’s easier to find food or enemies. In addition, their arms that are unnecessary for moving around are freed for other purposes, like throwing stones or signaling. As a result, humans can perform very complex tasks with their hands.
Yet walking upright has its disadvantage. The bone structure of our ancestors developed for millions of years to support a creature that walked on all fours and has a relatively small head. Adjusting to an upright position was quite a challenge, especially when the bones had to support an extra-large skull. Humankind paid for its broad vision and skillful hands backaches and painful necks.
We assume that a large brain makes huge advantages. It seems obvious that these have made humankind the most powerful animal on earth. But humans enjoyed all of these advantages for a full 2 million years during which they remained weak and marginal creature. Thus humans who lived a million years ago, despite their big brains and sharp stone tools, lived in constant fear of meat-eating animals.
The Cost of Thinking
Introduction ●Large brains for their bodies and the ability to walk upright are two (71) ▲ of human beings.
The (72) ▲ of large human brains ●The larger brains may not be better because of the cost.●The big brains make it harder for the body to move around and consume more energy.●The animal brain requires less (73) ▲ when the body is at rest.●Large human brains consume more food, and weaken muscles.
The (74) ▲ of walking upright ●Walking upright makes it easy to find food or (75) ▲ against enemies.●Freed hands can serve some (76) ▲ purpose and perform complex tasks.
●Walking upright challenges the human bone structure, and (77) ▲ the size of brains.●Walking upright results in (78) ▲ sufferings.
Conclusion ●With a large brain, human beings (79) ▲ other beings in terms ofintelligence.●Weak and marginal, human beings remained (80) ▲ of meat-eating animals.
【解题策略】先看表格了解文章的基本框架：第一部分(Introduction)对应于文章的第一段；第二部分(The (72) ▲ of large human brains)对应于文章的第二、三两段；第三部分(The (74) ▲ of walking upright)对应于文章第四、五两段。第四部分(Conclusion)对应文章的最后一段。接着结合表格浏览标题可知：文章主要叙述人用大脑思考的代价。
71.【答案】characteristics
【解析】信息查找题。根据题干定位到第一段“all human beings share defining characteristics ,such as large brains and the ability to walk upright on two legs.”可知，大脑袋和双腿直立行走的能力是人类共有的特点。再根据题干中的数词two可确定答案为characteristics。
72.【答案】disadvantages
【解析】信息概括题。根据右栏的内容可知主要叙述了人类的大脑大的缺点。因此本空格填写disadvantages。这一题实际就是短文第三段的主旨大意。
73.【答案】energy
【解析】信息查找题。根据题干定位到第三段中的“a huge brain is a huge drain—consumption of energy ”以及“It (the brain) consumes 25% of the body’s energy when the body is at rest.By comparison the brains of apes require only 8% of rest- time energy”可知，人类巨大的大脑是一个巨大的能量消耗。 当身体处于休息时，大脑要消耗25%的身体能量。相比之下，类人猿的大脑只需要8%的休息时间能量。人类与动物相比，动物需要的能量(energy)要比人类少。故填energy。
74.【答案】impact(s)
【解析】信息概括题。分析右栏中的75—78小题定位到第四段和第五段的内容可知，此部分主要叙述了直立行走对人类的影响。故填impact(s)。
75.【答案】guard
【解析】信息概括题。根据题干定位到第四段的第一句“Another unique human characteristic is that we walk upright. Standing up, it’s easier to find food or enemies.” 和“like throwing stones or signaling”并结合题干中against enemies可知，直立行走有助于人类发现和抵御敌人，故答案为guard。guard against为固定搭配，意为“提防”。
76.【答案】other
【解析】信息查找题。根据题干定位到第四段中的”...their arms that are unnecessary for moving around are freed for other purposes, like throwing stones or signaling. As a result, humans can perform very complex tasks with their hands. ”可知，解放了的双手可以用于做其它的事，即有其它的目的。故填other。
77.【答案】limits
【解析】信息概括题。根据题干定位到第五段“walking upright has disadvantages. The bone structure of our ancestors developed for millions of years to support a creature that walked on four and a relative small head. Adjusting to an upright position was quite a challenge , especially when the bones had to support an extra -large skull.” 可知，直立行走也有缺点。我们祖先进化了上百亿年，骨骼也只能支撑四肢行走和有一个相对较小的头。直立行走对人类的骨骼是一个相当大的挑战，限制了人的头脑的大小。故本空填limits。
78.【答案】physical
【解析】信息概括题。根据第五段“..., Humankind paid for its vision and skillful hands with backaches and painful necks.” 可知，直立对人类的骨骼是一个相当大的挑战，人类为自己的视力和灵巧的双手付出了代价，换来的是腰酸背痛和脖子疼痛，backaches和painful对应题干中的sufferings，由此得出，直立导致身体方面的(physical)痛苦，故填physical。
79.【答案】beat
【解析】信息概括题。根据最后一段“We assume that a large brain makes huge advantages.It seems obvious that these have made humankind the most powerful animal on earth.”可知，我们假设大脑越大，优势越大。很明显，这些使得人类成为地球上最强大的动物。由此可推断出我们的大脑比动物大，在智力方面人类比动物更聪明，即在智力方面击败了(beat)其他动物。故本空填beat。
80.【答案】fearful/afraid
【解析】信息转换题。根据最后一段“...humans enjoyed all of these advantages for a full 2 million years during which they weak and marginal creatures. Thus humans who lived a million years ago, despite their big brains and sharp stone tools, lived in constant fear of meat--eating animals.”可知，尽管人类享受着所有这些优势，但也是弱小的生物。因此尽管拥有巨大的大脑和锋利的石器，但也曾经对食肉动物仍旧害怕/恐惧。因为空前是系动词，故本空要填fear的形容词fearful或其同义词afraid。
2018
How Arts Promote Our Economy
When most people think of the arts, they imagine the end product, the beautiful painting, a wonderful piece of music, or an award-winning performance in the theater. But arts groups bring broader value to our communities. The economic impact of the arts is often overlooked and badly judged.
The arts create jobs that help develop the economy. Any given performance takes a tour bus full of artists, technical experts, managers, musicians, or writers to create an appealing piece of art. These people earn a living wage for their professional knowledge and skills.
Another group of folks is needed to help market the event. “If you build it they will come” is a misleading belief. Painters, digital media experts, photographers, booking agents and promoters are hired to sell tickets and promote the event. According to the Dallas Area Cultural Advocacy Coalition, arts agencies employ more than 10,000 people as full-or part-time employees or independent contractors.
A successful arts neighborhood creates a ripple effect(连锁反应)throughout a community. In 2005, when the Bishop Arts Theatre was donated to our town, the location was considered a poor area of town. After investing more than $1 million in reconstructing the building, we began producing a full season of theater performances, jazz concerts, and year-round arts education programs in 2008. Nearly 40 percent of jazz lovers live outside of the Dallas city limits and drive or fly in to enjoy an evening in the Bishop Arts District.
No doubt the theater has contributed to the area’s development and economic growth. Today, there are galleries, studios, restaurants and newly built work spaces where neighbors share experiences, where there is renewed life and energy. In this way, arts and culture also serve as a public good.
TeCo Theatrical Productions Inc. made use of Bloomberg’s investment of $35,000 to get nearly $400,000 in public and private sector support during the two-year period. Further, Dallas arts and arts-based businesses produce $298 for every dollar the city spends on arts programming and facilities. In Philadelphia, a metro area smaller than Dallas, the arts have an economic impact of almost $3 million and support 44,000 jobs, 80 percent of which actually lie outside the arts industry, including accountants, marketers, construction workers, hotel managers, printers, and other kinds of art workers.
The arts are efficient economic drivers and when they are supported, the entire small-business community benefits.
It is wrong to assume arts groups cannot make a profit. But in order to stay in business, arts groups must produce returns. If you are a student studying the arts, chances are you have been ill-advised to have a plan B. But those who truly understand the economic impact and can work to change the patterns can create a wide range of career possibilities.
Arts as an economic driver Our communities (71) ▲ from arts in terms of economy.
(72) ▲ of arts’ promoting our economy Arts activity demands a(n) (73) ▲ effort. It involves creation, performance, and (74) ▲ .◆Artists make a living through their creative work.◆Others get paid by marketing the event.
Arts have a gradually spreading (75) ▲ . They could help promote other industries whether they lie inside or outside arts.◆Besides tickets, some jazz lovers will pay their (76) ▲ to and from the events.◆Arts contribute to cultural development when people gather together to share their experience and renew their energy.
Investment in arts could produce potential (77) ▲ economic results.◆TeCo used a $35,000 art investment to attract an overall support of $400,000.◆In Dallas, one dollar invested in arts could harvest and extraordinary return of nearly $300.◆In Philadelphia the arts have created about 35,000 job opportunities for workers (78) ▲ arts industry.
Art students making a good living With these (79) ▲ in mind, art students need not worry about their career and have a(n) (80) ▲ plan.
【解题策略】先看表格了解文章的基本框架：第一部分(Arts as an economic driver)对应于文章的第一段；第二部分((72) ▲ of arts’ promoting our economy)对应于文章的第二至第七段；第三部分(Art students making a good living)对应于文章最后一段。接着结合表格浏览标题可知：文章主要讲述艺术是如何促进我们经济发展的。
71.【答案】benefit
【解析】信息转换题。根据题干定位到文章第一段。根据“But arts groups bring broader value to our communities.艺术团体给我们的社区带来了更大的价值”，换句话说就是：我们的社区从艺术中收益，所以用短语benefit from从……受益，故填benefit。
72.【答案】Ways
【解析】信息概括题。分析右边表格各小点的内容可知，这里应该为艺术提升我们经济的方法，所以用way，注意首字母大写及复数形式。故填Ways。
73.【答案】joint/collective
【解析】信息概括题。根据题干定位到文章第二段。根据“Any given performance takes a tour bus full of artists, technical experts, managers, musicians, or writers to create an appealing piece of art.呈现给观众的任何一次演出的背后都会有一个团队：艺术家、专业技术人员、管理人员、乐队的伴奏以及吸引人的艺术品的创作人员”可以归纳出：艺术活动需要集体共同努力。故填joint
/collective。
74.【答案】promotion/marketing
【解析】信息转换题。根据题干定位到文章第三段。将“Painters, digital media experts, photographers, booking agents and promoters are hired to sell tickets and promote the event.画家、数码媒体专家、摄影师、订票代理和宣传员被雇来销售门票和促销宣传活动”中的动词promote转化为名词promotion，也可以用同义名词marketing。故填promotion/marketing。
75.【答案】effect
【解析】信息查找题。根据题干定位到文章第四段。根据“A successful arts neighborhood creates a ripple effect(连锁反应)throughout a community.一个成功的艺术社区会在整个社区产生连锁反应”中的原词“effect”可以得出答案，故填effect。
76.【答案】fares
【解析】信息转换题。根据题干定位到文章第四段。根据“Nearly 40 percent of jazz lovers live outside of the Dallas city limits and drive or fly in to enjoy an evening in the Bishop Arts District.近40%的爵士乐爱好者居住在达拉斯城郊，他们会驱车或飞至大主教艺术区来参加该地区主办的艺术晚会”可知：爵士爱好者除了买票之外，还需要付来去交通费、住宿费等费用。故填fares。
77.【答案】positive
【解析】信息概括题。根据题干定位到倒数第三段。根据“In Philadelphia, a metro area smaller than Dallas,
the arts have an economic impact of almost $3 million and support 44,000 jobs, 80 percent of which
actually lie outside the arts industry, including accountants, marketers, construction workers, hotel
managers, printers, and other kinds of art workers. 在费城有一个区域，地处地铁，面积略小于达
拉斯，它的艺术产业带来的经济效益达近30亿元。同时还提供了44,000个就业机会，其中80%
的机会来自于艺术的周边企业，如会计、市场营销、建筑、酒店管理、打印等各类和艺术相关
的工作岗位”可知：艺术品投资可以产生潜在的积极经济效果。故填positive。
78.【答案】outside/beyond
【解析】信息查找题。根据题干定位到倒数第三段。根据“In Philadelphia, a metro area smaller than Dallas, the arts have an economic impact of almost $3 million and support 44,000 jobs, 80 percent of which actually lie outside the arts industry, including accountants, marketers, construction workers, hotel managers, printers, and other kinds of art workers.”中的outside可以得出答案，也可以用其同义词beyond。故填outside/beyond。
79.【答案】statistics/data/analyses
【解析】信息概括题。这里是对文章的总结，艺术生应该考虑到上文这些统计数据或分析，故无需担心他们的职业。故填statistics/data/analyses。
80.【答案】alternative
【解析】信息概括题。根据题干定位到最后一段。根据“If you are a student studying the arts, chances are you have been ill-advised to have a plan B. But those who truly understand the economic impact and can work to change the patterns can create a wide range of career possibilities.如果你是一名正在学习艺术的学生，有可能会有人建议你将来另谋出路，这是一种误导。但是只有真正理解艺术对经济的影响，并且有能力改变它的影响模式的人才能在事业上获取更大的发展空间”，我们可以推断出这段话的潜台词是：(尽管)艺术系的学生不必担心自己的职业，(但是)要有个替代性的计划。可知填alternative。
2017
Population Change
Why is the world’s population growing? The answer is not what you might think. The reason for the explosion is not that people have been reproducing like rabbits, but that people have stopped dropping dead like flies. In 1900, people died at the average age of 30. By 2000 the average age was 65. But while increasing health was a typical feature of the 20th century, declining birth rate could be a defining one of the 21st.
Statistics show that the average number of births per woman has fallen from 4.9 in the early 1960s to 2.5 nowadays. Furthermore, around 50% of the world’s population live in regions where the figure is now below the replacement level(i.e.2.1 births per woman)and almost all developed nations are experiencing sub-replacement birth rate. You might think that developing nations would make up the loss(especially since 80% of the world’s people now live in such nations), but you’d be wrong. Declining birth rate is a major problem in many developing regions too, which might cause catastrophic global shortages of work force within a few decades.
A great decline in young work force is likely to occur in China, for instance. What does it imply? First, China needs to undergo rapid economic development before a population decline hits the country. Second, if other factors such as technology remain constant, economic growth and material expectations will fall well below recent standards and this could invite trouble.
Russia is another country with population problems that could break its economic promise. Since 1992 the number of people dying has been bigger than that of those being born by a massive 50%. Indeed official figures suggest the country has shrunk by 5% since 1993 and people in Russia live a shorter life now than those in 1961.Why is this occurring? Nobody is quite sure, but poor diet an above all long-time alcoholism have much to do with it. If current trends don’t bend, Russia’s population will be about the size of Yemen’s by the year 2050.
In the north of India, the population is booming due to high birth rates, but in the south, where most economic development is taking place, birth rate is falling rapidly. In a further twist, birth rate is highest in poorly educated rural areas and lowest in highly educated urban areas. In total, 25% of India’s working-age population has no education. In 2030, a sixth of the country’s potential work force could be totally uneducated.
One solution is obviously to import foreign workers via immigration. As for the USA, it is almost unique among developed nations in having a population that is expected to grow by 20% from 2010-2030. Moreover, the USA has a track record of successfully accepting immigrants. As a result it’s likely to see a rise in the size of its working-age population and to witness strong economic growth over the longer term.
Population Change
【解题策略】先看表格了解文章的基本框架：第一部分(Decline of the birth rate)对应于文章的第一二两段；第二部分(Population and (74) ▲ pressure)对应于文章的第三四五三段；第三部分(American solution)对应于文章最后一段。接着结合表格浏览文章可知：本文讲的是与“Population Change (人口变化)”话题相关的人口与经济的问题。
71.【答案】lower
【解析】信息转换题。根据题干定位到第一段最后一句“But while increasing health was a typical feature of the 20th century, declining birth rate could be a defining one of the 21st.但是，尽管健康水平的提高是二十世纪的一个典型特征，但出生率的下降可能是二十一世纪的一个决定性特征”。根据定位句可知，二十一世纪的出生率比20世纪低。用low修饰rate的低，much后加比较级。故而用lower。根据题干前面的“Decline of the birth rate出生率下降”也可以推出答案。
72.【答案】size/scale
【解析】信息转换题。根据第二段“Furthermore, around 50% of the world’s population live in regions where the figure is now below the replacement level(i.e.2.1 births per woman)and almost all developed nations are experiencing sub-replacement birth rate. almost all developed nations are experiencing sub-replacement birth rate此外，世界上大约50%的人口生活在人口低于人口置换水平的地区(即每个妇女生育2.1个孩子)，几乎所有发达国家的出生率都低于次置换出生率”。根据定位句可知：发达国家人口出生率正在下降，发达国家保持人口的现有规模(maintain size/scale)也是困难重重。
73.【答案】immediate
【解析】信息转换题。根据题干中的“developing countries”定位到第二段“You might think that developing nations would make up the loss(especially since 80% of the world’s people now live in such nations), but you’d be wrong, which might cause catastrophic global shortages of work force within a few decades你可能会认为发展中国家会弥补损失(特别是因为世界上80%的人现在生活在发展中国家)。但是你错了，这可能会在几十年内造成全球灾难性的劳动力短缺”。根据最后的叙述可知， 在发展中国家，出生率下降的影响是灾难性的，但不会立即显现出来，而要等到几十年之后，故答案为immediate(与“disastrous”同词性)。
74.【答案】economic
【解析】貌似信息查找题，其实还是信息概括题。浏览右边方框的75-78题可知，讲的都是“人口与经济的问题”。因为修饰名词“pressure”，故填形容词性的economic。实际上，接下来的几段分别讲了中国、俄罗斯、印度的人口与经济压力的问题。
75.【答案】old/older
【解析】信息转换题。根据题干定位到第三段第一句“A great decline in young work force is likely to occur in China.在中国，年轻劳动力可能会大幅减少”。换句话说就是：中国可能会迎来年轻劳动力的危机，即劳动力老龄化，故答案为old/older。
76.【答案】earlier
【解析】信息转换题。根据题干定位到第四段“Indeed official figures suggest the country has shrunk by 5% since 1993 and people in Russia live a shorter life now than those in 1961.事实上，官方数据显示，自1993年以来，俄罗斯经济已经萎缩了5%，俄罗斯人现在的寿命比1961年的还要短。……但糟糕的饮食，尤其是长期酗酒，与此有很大关系”。也就是说：俄罗斯人口由于缩短的寿命(即早逝)而导致了人口的萎缩。故答案为earlier。
77.【答案】living/life
【解析】信息概括题。根据题干定位到第四段。根据第四段中对俄罗斯人的不良饮食习惯和酗酒的描述可以看出，他们的生活方式需要改变。way of living/life“生活方式”。
78.【答案】equality
【解析】信息概括题。根据题干定位到第五段。根据第五段中对于印度人口出生率以及经济发展与教育的关系的叙述可以得出这样的结论：印度若能实现公民受教育机会的平等化，它的经济会有大的增长。故填equality。
79.【答案】immigration
【解析】信息查找题。根据题干定位到最后一段。根据“One solution is obviously to import foreign workers via immigration. As for the USA, it is almost unique among developed nations in having a population that is expected to grow by 20% from 2010-2030.一个解决办法显然是通过移民输入外国工人。至于美国，它在发达国家中几乎是独一无二的，预计2010-2030年人口将增长20%”可知，美国通过移民来增加人口。
80.【答案】compensate
【解析】信息转换题。根据题干定位到最后一段。根据“Moreover, the USA has a track record of successfully accepting immigrants. As a result it’s likely to see a rise in the size of its working-age population此外，美国有成功接纳移民的记录。因此，劳动适龄人口的数量可能会增加”可知，美国的移民政策将会使劳动力有所增加。接纳移民可以弥补劳动力的短缺。短语：compensate for弥补。
二、考点解读
2019年考情统计(表1)
主题 体裁 正文字数 选项设置
信息查找题 信息转换题 信息概括题
人用大脑思考的代价 说明文 428 71， 73，76 80 72， 74， 75 77， 78， 79
说明：信息查找题：在文章中查找相关细节，锁定信息来源，并用文章中的词填空；
信息转换题：根据已给句子查找并定位信息后，加工分析信息并转换成另一种表达方式，达到组织信息的目的。常见的转换方式有词性转换、句子结构转换、另选他词来释义等；
信息概括题：①准确无误地概括出文章的主题或行(栏)的标题，考查概括与推断的能力；
②根据文章内容，对句群、段落和全文进行合理的推断与归纳，提炼出能够填入表格中的词汇。
2018年考情统计(表2)
主题 体裁 正文字数 选项设置
信息查找题 信息转换题 信息概括题
艺术如何促进我们的经济发展 议论文 464 75, 78 71, 74, 76 72, 73, 77, 79, 80
2017年考情统计(表3)
主题 体裁 正文字数 选项设置
信息查找题 信息转换题 信息概括题
人口变化 说明文 487 79 71, 72, 73, 75, 76, 80 74, 77, 78
三年考情统计(表4)
年份 主题 体裁 正文字数 信息查找题 信息转换题 信息概括题
2019 人用大脑思考的代价 说明文 428 3 1 6
2018 艺术如何促进我们的经济发展 议论文 464 2 3 5
2017 人口变化 说明文 487 1 6 3
合计 6 10 14
从上述统计情况看，三年任务型阅读文章的体裁以说明文为主，议论文为辅，正文字数450左右(正文字数逐年减少，估计2020年高考任务型阅读的字数应该控制在450字以下)。考点可以大致分为信息查找题、信息转换题和信息概括题三类。其中直接信息题和信息转换题属于基础题，两者合计大约占50%多一点；信息概括题属于提高题，难度大，占整个题目的50%少一点。任务型阅读是江苏高考中难度最大的题。任务型阅读要想得高分，考生必须具备极强的信息转换和概括能力！
The birth rate in the 21st century may be much (71) ▲ than it was in the 20th .
20th.
Decline of the birth rate
It would be difficult for developed countries to maintain the (72) ▲ of population.
The (76) ▲ death of Russians may result in a shrinking population, which would damage its economic future. It would be better if it can change people’s way of (77) ▲ .
To guarantee its economic growth, China needs to deal with the population issue properly, as its workers are getting (75) ▲ .
The impact of dropping birth rate on developing countries may not be (73) ▲ but disastrous.
Population and
(74) ▲ pressure
Leaving aside the birth rate issue, India’s economy may take off when the country achieves (78) ▲ of educational opportunity.
The USA will increase, from 2010-2030, its population by 20% through (79) ▲ . This will (80) ▲ for the lack of young work force.
American solution
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中小学教育资源及组卷应用平台
冲刺2020年江苏高考英语——(任务型阅读题)三年真题解读
写在前面的话
任务型阅读虽然在江苏高考英语中仅仅占了10分，也是全卷占分比最小的一道题，但偏偏就是这道题
卡住了大多数考生，遭到了不少考生的吐槽。据有关方面披露，这道题的省均分每年都在4分左右，可见
其难度有多大。然而，不管有多难，我们考生都要克服畏难情绪，力争攻克这道难题，获得比较理想分
数。基于此本专题将为你排忧解难。
一、真题解析
2019
The Cost of Thinking
Despite their many differences, all human beings share several defining characteristics. such as large brains and the ability to walk upright on two legs.
The first unique human characteristic is that humans have extraordinarily large brains compared with other animals. It seems obvious that evolution should select for larger brains. Mammals(哺乳动物)weighing sixty kilograms have an average brain size of 200 cm2. Modern man has a brain averaging 1200-1400 cm2. We are so fond of our high intelligence that we assume that when it comes to brain power, more must be better. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
The fact is that a huge brain is a huge drain—consumption of energy—on the body. I’s not easy to carry around, especially when boxed inside a massive skull(倾骨). It’s even harder to provides energy. In modern man, the brain accounts for about 2-3%of total body weight but it consumes 25% of the body’s energy when the body is at rest. By comparison, the brains of apes(类人猿)require only 8%of rest-time energy. Early humans pad for their large brains in two ways. Firstly, they spent more time in search food. Secondly, their muscles grew smaller and weaker. It’s hardly an obvious conclusion that this is a good way to survive. A chimpanzee(黑猩猩)can’t win an argument with a modern man, but it can tear the man apart like a rag doll.
Another unique human characteristic is that we walk upright. Standing up, it’s easier to find food or enemies. In addition, their arms that are unnecessary for moving around are freed for other purposes, like throwing stones or signaling. As a result, humans can perform very complex tasks with their hands.
Yet walking upright has its disadvantage. The bone structure of our ancestors developed for millions of years to support a creature that walked on all fours and has a relatively small head. Adjusting to an upright position was quite a challenge, especially when the bones had to support an extra-large skull. Humankind paid for its broad vision and skillful hands backaches and painful necks.
We assume that a large brain makes huge advantages. It seems obvious that these have made humankind the most powerful animal on earth. But humans enjoyed all of these advantages for a full 2 million years during which they remained weak and marginal creature. Thus humans who lived a million years ago, despite their big brains and sharp stone tools, lived in constant fear of meat-eating animals.
The Cost of Thinking
Introduction ●Large brains for their bodies and the ability to walk upright are two (71) ▲ of human beings.
The (72) ▲ of large human brains ●The larger brains may not be better because of the cost.●The big brains make it harder for the body to move around and consume more energy.●The animal brain requires less (73) ▲ when the body is at rest.●Large human brains consume more food, and weaken muscles.
The (74) ▲ of walking upright ●Walking upright makes it easy to find food or (75) ▲ against enemies.●Freed hands can serve some (76) ▲ purpose and perform complex tasks.
●Walking upright challenges the human bone structure, and (77) ▲ the size of brains.●Walking upright results in (78) ▲ sufferings.
Conclusion ●With a large brain, human beings (79) ▲ other beings in terms ofintelligence.●Weak and marginal, human beings remained (80) ▲ of meat-eating animals.
2018
How Arts Promote Our Economy
When most people think of the arts, they imagine the end product, the beautiful painting, a wonderful piece of music, or an award-winning performance in the theater. But arts groups bring broader value to our communities. The economic impact of the arts is often overlooked and badly judged.
The arts create jobs that help develop the economy. Any given performance takes a tour bus full of artists, technical experts, managers, musicians, or writers to create an appealing piece of art. These people earn a living wage for their professional knowledge and skills.
Another group of folks is needed to help market the event. “If you build it they will come” is a misleading belief. Painters, digital media experts, photographers, booking agents and promoters are hired to sell tickets and promote the event. According to the Dallas Area Cultural Advocacy Coalition, arts agencies employ more than 10,000 people as full-or part-time employees or independent contractors.
A successful arts neighborhood creates a ripple effect(连锁反应)throughout a community. In 2005, when the Bishop Arts Theatre was donated to our town, the location was considered a poor area of town. After investing more than $1 million in reconstructing the building, we began producing a full season of theater performances, jazz concerts, and year-round arts education programs in 2008. Nearly 40 percent of jazz lovers live outside of the Dallas city limits and drive or fly in to enjoy an evening in the Bishop Arts District.
No doubt the theater has contributed to the area’s development and economic growth. Today, there are galleries, studios, restaurants and newly built work spaces where neighbors share experiences, where there is renewed life and energy. In this way, arts and culture also serve as a public good.
TeCo Theatrical Productions Inc. made use of Bloomberg’s investment of $35,000 to get nearly $400,000 in public and private sector support during the two-year period. Further, Dallas arts and arts-based businesses produce $298 for every dollar the city spends on arts programming and facilities. In Philadelphia, a metro area smaller than Dallas, the arts have an economic impact of almost $3 million and support 44,000 jobs, 80 percent of which actually lie outside the arts industry, including accountants, marketers, construction workers, hotel managers, printers, and other kinds of art workers.
The arts are efficient economic drivers and when they are supported, the entire small-business community benefits.
It is wrong to assume arts groups cannot make a profit. But in order to stay in business, arts groups must produce returns. If you are a student studying the arts, chances are you have been ill-advised to have a plan B. But those who truly understand the economic impact and can work to change the patterns can create a wide range of career possibilities.
Arts as an economic driver Our communities (71) ▲ from arts in terms of economy.
(72) ▲ of arts’ promoting our economy Arts activity demands a(n) (73) ▲ effort. It involves creation, performance, and (74) ▲ .◆Artists make a living through their creative work.◆Others get paid by marketing the event.
Arts have a gradually spreading (75) ▲ . They could help promote other industries whether they lie inside or outside arts.◆Besides tickets, some jazz lovers will pay their (76) ▲ to and from the events.◆Arts contribute to cultural development when people gather together to share their experience and renew their energy.
Investment in arts could produce potential (77) ▲ economic results.◆TeCo used a $35,000 art investment to attract an overall support of $400,000.◆In Dallas, one dollar invested in arts could harvest and extraordinary return of nearly $300.◆In Philadelphia the arts have created about 35,000 job opportunities for workers (78) ▲ arts industry.
Art students making a good living With these (79) ▲ in mind, art students need not worry about their career and have a(n) (80) ▲ plan.
2017
Population Change
Why is the world’s population growing? The answer is not what you might think. The reason for the explosion is not that people have been reproducing like rabbits, but that people have stopped dropping dead like flies. In 1900, people died at the average age of 30. By 2000 the average age was 65. But while increasing health was a typical feature of the 20th century, declining birth rate could be a defining one of the 21st.
Statistics show that the average number of births per woman has fallen from 4.9 in the early 1960s to 2.5 nowadays. Furthermore, around 50% of the world’s population live in regions where the figure is now below the replacement level(i.e.2.1 births per woman)and almost all developed nations are experiencing sub-replacement birth rate. You might think that developing nations would make up the loss(especially since 80% of the world’s people now live in such nations), but you’d be wrong. Declining birth rate is a major problem in many developing regions too, which might cause catastrophic global shortages of work force within a few decades.
A great decline in young work force is likely to occur in China, for instance. What does it imply? First, China needs to undergo rapid economic development before a population decline hits the country. Second, if other factors such as technology remain constant, economic growth and material expectations will fall well below recent standards and this could invite trouble.
Russia is another country with population problems that could break its economic promise. Since 1992 the number of people dying has been bigger than that of those being born by a massive 50%. Indeed official figures suggest the country has shrunk by 5% since 1993 and people in Russia live a shorter life now than those in 1961.Why is this occurring? Nobody is quite sure, but poor diet an above all long-time alcoholism have much to do with it. If current trends don’t bend, Russia’s population will be about the size of Yemen’s by the year 2050.
In the north of India, the population is booming due to high birth rates, but in the south, where most economic development is taking place, birth rate is falling rapidly. In a further twist, birth rate is highest in poorly educated rural areas and lowest in highly educated urban areas. In total, 25% of India’s working-age population has no education. In 2030, a sixth of the country’s potential work force could be totally uneducated.
One solution is obviously to import foreign workers via immigration. As for the USA, it is almost unique among developed nations in having a population that is expected to grow by 20% from 2010-2030. Moreover, the USA has a track record of successfully accepting immigrants. As a result it’s likely to see a rise in the size of its working-age population and to witness strong economic growth over the longer term.
Population Change
二、考点解读
2019年考情统计(表1)
主题 体裁 正文字数 选项设置
信息查找题 信息转换题 信息概括题
说明：信息查找题：在文章中查找相关细节，锁定信息来源，并用文章中的词填空；
信息转换题：根据已给句子查找并定位信息后，加工分析信息并转换成另一种表达方式，达到组织信息的目的。常见的转换方式有词性转换、句子结构转换、另选他词来释义等；
信息概括题：①准确无误地概括出文章的主题或行(栏)的标题，考查概括与推断的能力；
②根据文章内容，对句群、段落和全文进行合理的推断与归纳，提炼出能够填入表格中的词汇。
2018年考情统计(表2)
主题 体裁 正文字数 选项设置
信息查找题 信息转换题 信息概括题
2017年考情统计(表3)
主题 体裁 正文字数 选项设置
信息查找题 信息转换题 信息概括题
三年考情统计(表4)
年份 主题 体裁 正文字数 信息查找题 信息转换题 信息概括题
2019
2018
2017
合计
从上述统计情况看，三年任务型阅读文章的体裁以说明文为主，议论文为辅，正文字数450左右(正文字数逐年减少，估计2020年高考任务型阅读的字数应该控制在450字以下)。考点可以大致分为信息查找题、信息转换题和信息概括题三类。其中直接信息题和信息转换题属于基础题，两者合计大约占50%多一点；信息概括题属于提高题，难度大，占整个题目的50%少一点。任务型阅读是江苏高考中难度最大的题。任务型阅读要想得高分，考生必须具备极强的信息转换和概括能力！
The birth rate in the 21st century may be much (71) ▲ than it was in the 20th .
20th.
Decline of the birth rate
It would be difficult for developed countries to maintain the (72) ▲ of population.
The (76) ▲ death of Russians may result in a shrinking population, which would damage its economic future. It would be better if it can change people’s way of (77) ▲ .
To guarantee its economic growth, China needs to deal with the population issue properly, as its workers are getting (75) ▲ .
The impact of dropping birth rate on developing countries may not be (73) ▲ but disastrous.
Population and
(74) ▲ pressure
Leaving aside the birth rate issue, India’s economy may take off when the country achieves (78) ▲ of educational opportunity.
The USA will increase, from 2010-2030, its population by 20% through (79) ▲ . This will (80) ▲ for the lack of young work force.
American solution
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