2018年高考英语提分专练：第2题 科普环保类阅读理解

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阅读理解（每题2分） B I work with Volunteers for Wildlife, a rescue and education organization at Bailey Arboretum in Locust Valley. Trying to help injured, displaced or sick creatures can be heartbreaking; survival is never certain. However, when it works, it is simply beautiful. I got a rescue call from a woman in Muttontown. She had found a young owl(猫头鹰) on the ground. When I arrived, I saw a 2-to 3-week-old owl. It had already been placed in a carrier for safety. I examined the chick(雏鸟) and it seemed fine. If I could locate the nest, I might have been able to put it back, but no luck. My next work was to construct a nest and anchor it in a tree. The homeowner was very helpful. A wire basket was found. I put some pine branches into the basket to make this nest safe and comfortable. I placed the chick in the nest, and it quickly calmed down. Now all that was needed were the parents, but they were absent. I gave the homeowner a recording of the hunger screams of owl chicks. These advertise the presence of chicks to adults; they might also encourage our chick to start calling as well. I gave the owner as much information as possible and headed home to see what news the night might bring. A nervous night to be sure,but sometimes the spirits of nature smile on us all! The homeowner called to say that the parents had responded to the recordings. I drove over and saw the chick in the nest looking healthy and active. And it was accompanied in the nest by the greatest sight of all ? LUNCH！The parents had done their duty and would probably continue to do so. （1）What is unavoidable in the author's rescue work according ro paragraph 1? A.Efforts made in vain. B.Getting injured in his work. C.Feeling uncertain about his future. D.Creatures forced out of their homes. （2）Why was the author called to Muttontown? A.To rescue a woman. B.To take care of a woman. C.To look at a baby owl. D.To cure a young owl. （3）What made the chick calm down? A.A new nest. B.Some food. C.A recording. D.Its parents. （4）How would the author feel about the outcome of the event? A.It's unexpected. B.It's beautiful. C.It's humorous. D.It's discouraging.

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阅读理解 D A buld-it-yourself solar still（蒸馏器） is one of the best ways to obtain drinking water in areas where the liquid is not readily available. Developed by two doctors in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, it's an excellent water collector. Unfortunately, you must carry the necessary equipment with you, since it's all but impossible to find natural substitutes. The only components required, though, are a 5' 5' sheet of clear or slightly milky plastic, six feet of plastic tube, and a container? perhaps just a drinking cup ? to catch the water. These pieces can be folded into a neat little pack and fastened on your belt. To construct a working still, use a sharp stick or rock to dig a hole four feet across and three feet deep. Try to make the hole in a damp area to increase the water catcher's productivity. Place your cup in the deepest part of the hole. Then lay the tube in place so that one end rests all the way in the cup and the rest of the line runs up ? and out ? the side of the hole. Next, cover the hole with the plastic sheet, securing the edges of the plastic with dirt and weighting the sheet's center down with a rock. The plastic should now form a cone(圆锥体) with 45-degree-angled sides. The low point of the sheet must be centered directly over, and no more than three inches above, the cup. The solar still works by creating a greenhouse under the plastic. Ground water evaporates (蒸发) and collects on the sheet until small drops of water form, run down the material and fall off into the cup. When the container is full, you can suck the refreshment out through the tube, and won't have to break down the still every time you need a drink. （1）What do we know about the solar still equipment from the first paragraph? A.It's delicate. B.It's expensive. C.It's complex. D.It's portable （2）What does the underlined phrase “the water catcher” in paragraph 2 refer to? A.The tube B.The still C.The hole D.The cup （3）What's the last step of constructing a working solar still? A.Dig a hole of a certain size B.Put the cup in place C.Weight the sheet's center down D.Cover the hole with the plastic sheet （4）When a solar still works, drops of water come into the cup form      . A.the plastic tube B.outside the hole C.the open air D.beneath the sheet

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阅读理解 D When a leafy plant is under attack ，it doesn't sit quietly. Back in 1983, two scientists, Jack Schultz and Ian Baldwin,reported that young maple trees getting bitten by insects send out a particular smell that neighboring plants can get. These chemicals come from the injured parts of the plant and seem to be an alarm.What the plants pump through the air is a mixture of chemicals known as volatile organic compounds,VOCs for short. Scientists have found that all kinds of plants give out VOCs when being attacked .It's a plant's way of crying out.But is anyone listening?Apparently.Because we can watch the neighbours react. Some plants pump out smelly chemicals to keep insects away.But others do double duty .They pump out perfumes designed to attract different insects who are natural enemies to the attackers. Once they arrive, the tables are turned. The attacker who was lunching now becomes lunch. In study after study,it appears that these chemical conversations help the neighbors .The damage is usually more serious on the first plant,but the neighbors ,relatively speaking ,stay safer because they heard the alarm and knew what to do. Does this mean that plants talk to each other? Scientists don't know. Maybe the first plant just made a cry of pain or was sending a message to its own branches, and so, in effect, was talking to itself. Perhaps the neighbors just happened to “overhear” the cry. So information was exchanged, but it wasn't a true, intentional back and forth. Charles Darwin, over 150 years ago, imagined a world far busier, noisier and more intimate(亲密的) than the world we can see and hear. Our senses are weak. There's a whole lot going on. （1）What does a plant do when it is under attack? A.It makes noises. B.It gets help from other plants. C.It stands quietly D.It sends out certain chemicals. （2）What does the author mean by “the tables are turned” in paragraph 3? A.The attackers get attacked. B.The insects gather under the table. C.The plants get ready to fight back. D.The perfumes attract natural enemies. （3）Scientists find from their studies that plants can       . A.predict natural disasters B.protect themselves against insects C.talk to one another intentionally D.help their neighbors when necessary （4）what can we infer from the last paragraph? A.The word is changing faster than ever. B.People have stronger senses than before C.The world is more complex than it seems D.People in Darwin's time were imaginative.

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阅读理解 C 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 wolves. 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. （1）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. （2）What does the underlined word “displaced” in paragraph 2 mean? A.Tested. B.Separated. C.Forced out. D.Tracked down. （3）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. （4）What is the author's attitude towards the Yellowstone wolf project？ A.Doubtful. B.Positive. C.Disapproving. D.Uncaring.

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阅读理解 D The Intelligent Transport team at Newcastle University have turned an electric car into a mobile laboratory named “DriveLAB” in order to understand the challenges faced by older drivers and to discover where the key stress points are. Research shows that giving up driving is one of the key reasons for a fall in health and well-being among older people, leading to them becoming more isolated(隔绝) and inactive. Led by Professor Phil Blythe, the Newcastle team are developing in-vehicle technologies for older drivers which they hope could help them to continue driving into later life. These include custom-made navigation(导航) tools, night vision systems and intelligent speed adaptations. Phil Blythe explains: “For many older people, particularly those living alone or in the country, driving is important for preserving their independence, giving them the freedom to get out and about without having to rely on others.” “But we all have to accept that as we get older our reactions slow down and this often results in people avoiding any potentially challenging driving conditions and losing confidence in their driving skills. The result is that people stop driving before they really need to.” Dr Amy Guo, the leading researcher on the older driver study, explains, “The DriveLAB is helping us to understand what the key points and difficulties are for older drivers and how we might use technology to address these problems. “For example, most of us would expect older drivers always go slower than everyone else but surprisingly, we found that in 30mph zones they struggled to keep at a constant speed and so were more likely to break the speed limit and be at risk of getting fined. We're looking at the benefits of systems which control their speed as a way of preventing that. “We hope that our work will help with technological solutions(解决方案) to ensure that older drivers stay safer behind the wheel.” （1）What is the purpose of the DriveLAB? A.To explore newmeans of transport. B.To design new types of cars. C.To find out older driver`s problems. D.To teach people traffic rules. （2）Why is driving important for older people according to Phil Blythe? A.It keeps them independent. B.It helps them save time. C.It builds up their strength. D.It cures their mental illnesses. （3）What do researchers hope to do for older drivers? A.Improve their driving skills. B.Develop driver-assist technologles. C.Provide tips on repairing their cars. D.Organize regular physical checkups. （4）What is the best title for the text? A.A new Model Electric Car B.A Solution to Traffic Problem C.Driving Service for elders D.Keeping Older Drivers on the Road

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阅读理解 “Birds” and “airports” are two words that, paired together, don’t normally paint the most harmonious picture. So it really raises some eyebrows when China announces plans to build an airport that’s for birds. Described as the world's first-ever bird airport, the proposed Lingang Bird Sanctuary(保护区) in the northern coastal city of Tianjin is，of course，not an actual airport. Rather, it’s a wetland preserve specifically designed to accommodate hundreds ? even thousands ? of daily takeoffs and landings by birds traveling along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. Over 50 species of migratory (迁徙的）water birds, some endangered, will stop and feed at the protected sanctuary before continuing their long journey along the flyway. Located on a former landfill site, the 61-hectare (150-acre) airport is also open to human travelers. (Half a million visitors are expected annually.) However, instead of duty-free shopping, the main attraction for non-egg-laying creatures at Tianjin’s newest airport will be a green-roofed education and research center, a series of raised “observation platforms” and a network of scenic walking and cycling paths and trails totaling over 4 miles. The proposed Bird Airport will be a globally significant sanctuary for endangered migratory bird species, while providing new green lungs for the city of Tianjin,” Adrian McGregor of Australian landscape architecture firm McGregor Coxall explained of .the design. Frequently blanketed in smog so thick that it has shut down real airports, Tianjin is a city ? China’s fourth most populous ? that would certainly benefit from a new pair of healthy green lungs. （1）The underlined phrase 4 “non-egg-laying creatures” in Paragraph 3 refers to ________? A.endangered water birds B.planes C.visitors D.designers （2）What do we know about the airport according to the passage? A.It is located on a landfill site. B.People cannot watch birds up close here. C.It provides migratory birds with food and shelter. D.It functions as an actual airport and a wetland preserve at the same time. （3）What can we infer from the last paragraph? A.Tianjin will win worldwide fame in the future. B.Tianjin will be able to accommodate more people. C.The airport will become a permanent home for birds. D.Tianjin’ air quality will improve thanks to the airport. （4）What is this passage mainly about? A.China is to open the first Bird Airport. B.Airports turn into green lungs. C.Birds are no longer enemies to airports. D.Airports shut down and open up.

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阅读理解 Humans have been keeping animals as pets for tens of thousands of years, but Dr Jean-Loup Rault, an animal scientist at the University of Melbourne in Australia, believes new companions are coming: robot pets. “Technology is moving very fast,” Rault told ABC News, “The Tamagotchi in the early 1990s was really the first robotic pet, and now Sony and other big companies have improved them a lot.” This may not sit well with pet lovers. After all, who would choose a plastic toy over a lovely puppy? But Rault argues that the robotic kind has a lot going for it: “You don't have to feed it, you don't have to walk it, it won't make a mess in your house, and you can go on a holiday without feeling guilty.” The technology also benefits those who are allergic to pets, short on space, or fearful of real animals. It's not clear whether robot pets can replace real ones. But studies do suggest that we can bond with these smart machines. People give their cars names and kids give their toy animals life stories. It's the same with robots. When Sony stopped its repair service for its robot dog Aibo in March 2014, owners in Japan held funerals. As an animal welfare researcher, Rault is concerned about how robotic pets could affect our attitudes towards live animals. “If we become used to a robotic companion that doesn't need food, water or exercises, perhaps it will change how humans care about other living beings,” he said. So are dogs and cats a thing of the past, as Rault predicts? For those who grew up with living and breathing pets, the mechanical kind might not do. But for our next generation who are in constant touch with smart technology, a future in which lovely pets needn't have a heartbeat might not be a far-fetched dream. 根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将选定答案的字母标号填在题前括号内。 （1）What does the underlined phrase “sit well with” means? A.be refused by B.be beneficial to C.make a difference to D.receive support from （2）What are the advantages of robot pets? a. They are plastic and feel smooth. b. Owners needn't worry about them when going out. c. They can help cure allergies（过敏）. d. They save space and costs. A.ab B.bc C.bd D.cd （3）We can learn from the passage that___________. A.Sony is the first company to produce robot pets Aibo. B.People can develop strong bond with their robot pets. C.Rault thinks robot pets still have a long way to go. D.Robot toys may help people care more about living beings. （4）The passage mainly tells us___________. A.the advantages of robot toys B.the popularity of robot pets C.living pets are dying out D.robot pets are coming

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阅读理解 Science textbooks around the world have become suddenly out of date. Four new chemical elements(元素)have been added to the periodic table. A big decision now lies ahead-elements 113,115,117 and 118 need to be given their official names and symbols. New elements can be named after a mythical(神话的) concept, a mineral, a place or country, a property(性质) or a scientist. The names have to be unique and maintain “historical and chemical consistency”. This means a lot of “-iums”. “They're Latinising the name,” explains chemist Andrea Sella. “The most recent tradition is to name them after places or people.” The places chosen tend to be where the element was discovered or first produced. No one has yet named an element after themselves but many elements are named in honour of important scientists. Albert Einstein was given einsteinium. This can also be a way of righting the wrongs of the past. “Lise Meitner was really the chemist who spotted nuclear fission(核裂变)but she was never really recognised for it because she was Jewish and a woman, ” says Sella. “Giving an element a name that reminds us of her is greatly important. ” The naming process isn't quick. The scientists who discovered them will start things off by suggesting a name. But it will be down to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) to approve it. A special division of the US-based group has to accept the suggestion. Then there is a public review period of five months before the IUPAC gets the final approval. Once it's ready, the name is announced in the scientific journal Pure and Applied Chemistry. Naming an element is not just about functionality. Names are always important. 根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将选定答案的字母标号填在题前括号内。 （1）What is the function of Paragraph 1? A.To introduce the topic. B.To present a finding. C.To point out a problem. D.To call for a decision, （2）Why was Lise Meitner mentioned in the naming process in Paragraph 4? A.To praise her. B.To build her reputation. C.To correct the wrongs of the past. D.To end racial discrimination （3）Who has the final say in the naming process of an element? A.The scientist who discovered them. B.The special division of US-based group. C.The scientific journal Pure and Applied Chemistry, D.The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. （4）What is the passage mainly about? A.How elements get their names. B.Why science textbooks are out of date. C.How new elements are discovered. D.How functional naming an element is.

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阅读理解 It's 10:00 on a beautiful Sunday morning in California. To my left is some of the most beautiful coastline. I'm walking along a road ordinarily packed with cars on days like this, but today, thanks in part to my $135 entry fee, it is closed to traffic. There's only one problem: I should be running, not walking. Over the past year, I've spent hundreds of dollars on running gear(设备) and race entry fees. I've jogged than 1,600 miles training for this event. Dozens of runners pass me on either side, each of them experiencing varying degrees of sadness similar to my own. Most of them, like me, have traveled hundreds of thousands of miles to get here, spending $500, $1,000 or more to participate in this event. Actually I'm by no means a competitive athlete. My best finish ever was fourth place, in a 5-kftometer race with only 74 participants, many of whom were walking the entire course. Last year, over 500,000 runners completed a marathon in the U.S. alone. Nearly all of these runners had absolutely no chance of victory. The PR-personal record-is everyone's definition of a “good race,” whether he finishes in first or 301st. I should buy a new watch that not only tracks my location by GPS, but also by counting steps. This can more accurate and much more expensive. Finally, I have reached the finish line. I know that the official race photographers will be taking photos as I cross the line, so I raise my arms in “victory” I finish, in a time of 3:37:55, good for 354th place. A few days after the race, the race organizers email me a link to a site where I can preview my official photos 一 and download them, for a fee, of course. I wish I could say the feeling was unique; it's probably not Indeed probably a feeling most runners get in most marathons. Running a lot of marathons 9 in fact, may not even be good for your health. In America, marathoning is a rich person's sport. 根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将选定答案的字母标号填在题前括号内。 （1）Which of the following is free of charge for the marathoners according the passage? A.Race entry. B.Coastal scenery. C.Running gear. D.Official photos. （2）What was the author sure of before entering for the marathon? A.His winning the victory. B.His improvement of speed. C.His falling behind many others. D.His setting up a new record. （3）How did other runners feel while running on the coastline road according to the author? A.Happy B.Unhappy. C.Unique. D.Excited. （4）What would the author agree with? A.Marathons are not worth it. B.Marathon can improve our PR. C.Marathons are based on attitudes. D.Marathons are good for our health.

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阅读理解 When it comes to the Internet, people talk about the password most. Actually, it's been under fire for a long time. Research has shown that passwords are not a very good way to protect sensitive information. People would use some random characters, numbers and symbols. Furthermore, a unique password would be used for every site or application the user uses. Unfortunately, the longer and more complex passwords become, the more people are likely to forger them. Therefore, they use the same password for every service or application. These are all big no-noes and essentially defeat the purpose of a password. Google is trying to kill off passwords on Android devices by introducing the Trust API, which does what simple passwords cannot and gives developers a framework for securing their application using a number of security systems and metrics(衡量标准)on the device. A Trust Score will be generated based on a number of metrics including your device location, face scanning, fingerprints, and the things like your typing speed or the way you speak. Taken one at a time, these metrics are not secure. But taken together, these metrics will help recognize the real “you”. The good news is that Google has already been testing this on real world data. Google has proven the Trust API works. Next Google will run tests will some banks to see if the Trust API meets their needs before rolling out the system on Android phones later. It may take another year for apps and popular sites to start using the Trust API. This is a pretty exciting change. Passwords have been around for a lone time. Although the security of systems has been improved, the usability of systems hasn't been proved much. Google appears to have the best of them. Maybe that never-ending conflict between security and convenience will be able to take a break once the Trust system comes out. 根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将选定答案的字母标号填在题前括号内。 （1）What is implied in the underlined sentence in Para. 2? A.Users make mistakes in using passwords. B.Users should know the purpose of passwords. C.Users have learnt to say no to their passwords. D.Users misunderstand the meaning of passwords. （2）How is the key part of the Trust API generated? A.By taking one metric at a time. B.By combining various metrics. C.By developing security systems. D.By analyzing complex passwords. （3）What can we know about the Trust system from the text? A.It needs to be improved in the future. B.It hasn't been proven to be effective. C.It will be used on Android devices first. D.It is secure and convenient for the users. （4）What would be the best title for the text? A.How does Google develop the Trust API? B.Will the Trust API meet the users' needs? C.Will passwords soon be a thing of the past? D.How do passwords protect personal information?

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阅读理解 It is said that if you want to stay young, sit down and have a good think. This is the research finding of a team of Japanese doctors, who say that most of our brains are not getting enough exercise ? and as a result, we are growing old unnecessarily soon. Professor Taiju Matsuzawa wanted to find out why otherwise healthy farmers in northern Japan appeared to be losing their ability to think and reason at a relatively early age, and how the process of aging could be slowed down. With a team of colleagues at Tokyo National University, he set about measuring brain volumes of a thousand people of different ages and varying occupations. Computer technology enabled the researchers to obtain precise measurements of the volume of the front and side parts of the brain, which controls functions like eating and breathing, does not contract with age, and one can continue living without intellectual on economical faculties. Contraction of front and side parts ? as cells die off ? was observed in some subjects in their thirties, but it was still not evident in some sixty-and seventy-year-olds. Matsuzawa concluded from his tests that there is a simple way to the contraction normally connected with age ? using the head. The findings show in general terms that contraction of the brain begins sooner in people in the country than in the town. Those least at risk, says Matsuzawa, are lawyers, followed by university professors and doctors. White collar workers doing routine work in government offices are, however, as likely to have shrinking (萎缩) brains as the farm worker, bus driver and shop assistant. Matsuzawa's findings show that thinking can prevent the brain from shrinking. Blood must circulate properly in the head to supply the fresh oxygen the brain cells need. “The best way to maintain, good blood circulation is through using the brain.” he says. “Think hard and engage in conversation. Don't rely on pocket calculators.” 根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将选定答案的字母标号填在题前括号内。 （1）The team of doctors wanted to find out ______. A.the size of certain people's brains B.how to make people live longer C.which people are most intelligent D.why certain people are aging sooner than others. （2）On what are their research findings based? A.The study of brain volumes of different people. B.The study of brain volumes of old people. C.The latest development of computer technology. D.A survey of farmers in northern old people. （3）The doctors' tests show that _______. A.our brains shrink as we grow older B.the front section of the brain does not shrink C.sixty-year-olds have better brains than thirty-year-olds D.some people's brains have contracted more than other people's （4）According to the passage, which people seem to age more slowly than the others? A.Lawyers. B.Farmers. C.Clerks. D.Shop assistants.

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阅读理解 A European Union program is letting blind people experience famous paintings for the first time. It uses three dimensional(3-D) printing to re-create famous paintings so they can be touched. One painting printed with the new technology is Gustav Klimt's “The Kiss.” It is a popular attraction at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna, Austria. The painting shows a man and a woman standing in a field filled with flowers. They are wearing gold robes and have their arms around each other. The man leans down to kiss the woman. Klimt finished the painting in 1908. Until now, people who had trouble seeing could not appreciate the artwork. But thanks to the reproduction they can touch the piece and feel the ridges and depressions. Andreas Reichinger started making 3-D versions of artwork in 2010. He said this reproduction was his most difficult project because the couple's robes are so detailed. Dominika Raditsch is a blind museum visitor. She touched the reproduction. As she moved her hands around it she said, “Exactly, can you see these? There are so many details.” Raditsch said she can imagine what the original painting looks like when she touches the reproduction. “It's somehow round. You can feel it. You can feel it. It comes with it. And in many places it's so smooth. And then I think to myself: it probably shines too!” Raditsch said. The Belvedere is not the only museum to have 3-D versions of its artwork. Some of the pieces at the Prado, in Madrid, Spain, have reproductions that can be touched. But the piece in Vienna has one special part: It is made with widely available 3-D printing technology. That means one day, blind art fans anywhere in the world could download the source files and print the reproductions themselves. 根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将选定答案的字母标号填在题前括号内。 （1）What is “The kiss”? A.A European Union project. B.A popular painting. C.A 3-D technology. D.A famous museum. （2）Why did Reichinger say this reproduction was difficult to finish? A.The painting was reproduced detailed. B.The original artwork was made in 1908. C.Blind art fans can't download the source. D.The 3-D technology is not available. （3）How did Raditsch feel when she first touched the reproduction? A.Awkward. B.Puzzled. C.Excited. D.Nervous. （4）What is the best title for the text? A.A European Union Program for Museum Visitors B.3-D Printing Lets Blind Experience Famous Painting C.How to Reproduce the World-famous Paintings D.A Special Museum for Art Fans in Vienna, Austria

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阅读理解 In the late 1950s, a Russian geneticist called Dmitry K. Belyaev attempted to create a tame (驯化的) fox population. Through the work of a breeding programme at the Institute of Cytology and Genetics at Novosibirsk, in Russia, he sought to find the evolutionary pathway of tame animals. His test subjects were silver-black foxes, a melanistic (带黑色的) version of the red fox that had been bred in farms for the color of their fur. He selected the animals based on how they responded when their cage was opened. About 10% of the foxes displayed a weak “wild-response”, meaning they were docile around humans. Those that hid in the corner or made aggressive voices were left in the farm. Of those friendly foxes, 100 females and 30 males were chosen as the first generations of parents. When the young foxes were born, the researchers hand-fed them. They also attempted to touch or pet the foxes when they were two to two-and-a-half months old, for strictly measured periods at a time. If the young foxes continued to show aggressive response, even after significant human contact, they were thrown away from the population?meaning they were made into fur coats. In each selection, less than 10% of tame individuals were used as parents of the next generation. By the fourth generation, the scientists started to see dramatic changes. The young foxes were beginning to behave more like dogs. They wagged their tails and “eagerly” sought contact with humans. By 2005-2006, almost all the foxes were playful, friendly and behaving like domestic dogs. The foxes could “read” human hints and respond correctly to gestures or glances. （1）What do we know about Belyaev's breeding plan? A.It explains how red foxes were bred. B.It focuses on how tame animals evolved. C.It explains why pet foxes became popular. D.It concentrates on why tame animals disappeared. （2）How did he choose his test foxes in the experiment? A.By appearance. B.By color. C.By reaction. D.By flexibility. （3）What can be inferred from Paragraph 3? A.Smart foxes were used for testing. B.The purpose of selection was unclear. C.Friendly foxes were kept on testing. D.The selection was not exact and thorough. （4）What is the distinguishing characteristic of the fourth generation foxes? A.Behaving in a friendlier way. B.Eating plants. C.Having drooping ears. D.Having shortened legs.

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阅读理解 Do you ever wonder why trees begin to bud (发芽) earlier in some cities? Scientists finally found the answer but it's not very pleasant. New science suggests a relationship between light pollution and the timing when trees produce buds, which signals the arrival of the spring season. Light pollution is defined by the Lighting Research Center as the unwanted consequence of outdoor lighting such as street lights. Excessive (过多的) man-made light at night results in disturbed natural cycles, and also prevents the observation of stars and planets at night. But its effect on the environment goes beyond that. By studying some trees, researchers found out that trees that are more exposed to artificial lighting at night bud up to 7.5 days earlier than those at the natural nighttime setting. And they found out that light had a more significant effect than temperature when the buds came out. The early budding may cause problems for insects, which feed on leaves, and the birds which then feed on them in turn. Professor Richard Ffrench-Constant, who helped lead the research, explained that more than the budding of trees, the study implies the danger to the balance of the ecosystem. “At the moment, caterpillars (毛毛虫) are timed to hatch to make the most of the opportunities to feed on freshly budded leaves, and birds hatch in time to feed on the young caterpillar,” he said. Migratory (迁徙的) birds are also negatively affected by light pollution. The glare might confuse them and make them lose their flying sense. The phenomenon might explain why some birds accidentally knock into buildings. Such results stress the need to pursue studies that aim to measure the effect of light pollution. If the issue were left to continue, it is estimated that by 2100, spring would begin almost a full month earlier than it does today. （1）What will happen if there is too much man-made light? A.People's eyesight will be damaged. B.The ecosystem will likely lose its balance. C.No stars or planets may be observed at night. D.Animals' living habits may change suddenly. （2）How does the early budding affect insects or plants? A.It will cause the rising number of insects. B.It could lead to trees growing fewer leaves. C.It may result in some insects going hungry. D.It might push insects to hatch more slowly. （3）What does the author want to tell us in the last paragraph? A.The effect of light pollution is destructive. B.The spring of 2100 will become much longer. C.Light pollution should be taken seriously. D.A further study on light pollution is scheduled. （4）What is the suitable title for the passage? A.Why spring comes earlier in some cities B.Why light pollution needs to be studied C.How trees' early budding takes place D.How much light is “too much”

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阅读理解 Computers have beaten human world champions at chess and, earlier this year, the board game Go. So far, though, they have struggled at the card table. So we challenged one AI to a game. Why is poker(扑克)so difficult? Chess and Go are “information complete” games where all players can see all the relevant information. In poker, other players' cards are hidden, making it an “information incomplete” game. Players have to guess opponents' hands from their actions----tricky for computers. Poker has become a new benchmark for AI research. Solving poker could lead to many breakthroughs, from cyber security to driverless cars. Scientists believe it is only a matter of time before AI once again vanquishes humans, hence our human-machine match comes up in a game of Texas Hold's Em Limit Poker. The AI was developed by Johannes Heinrich, researcher studying machine learning at UCL. It combines two techniques: neural(神经的)networks and reinforcement learning(强化学习). Neural networks, to some degree, copy the structure of human brains: their processors are highly interconnected and work at the same time to solve problems. They are good at spotting patterns in huge amounts of data. Reinforcement learning is when a machine, given a task, carries it out, learning from mistakes it makes. In this case, it means playing poker against itself billions of times to get better. Mr Heinrich told Sky News: “Today we are presenting a new procedure that has learned in a different way, more similar to how humans learn. In particular, it is able to learn abstract patterns, represented by its neural network, which allow it to deal with new and unseen situations.” After two hours of quite defensive play, from the computer at least, we called it a draw. （1）Why can't the computer beat humans at the poker game? A.Because humans are cleverer than the computer B.Because humans practice playing the poker game every day C.Because the computer can't know the other players' cards completely D.Because the computer can't learn the regular rules of the poker game （2）What does the underlined word “vanquishes” in Paragraph 3 mean? A.Leaves B.Defeats C.Cheats D.Serves （3）What do we know about the reinforcement learning of AI? A.It solves problems correctly every time B.It is the same as the learning of humans C.It learns from the mistakes appearing in a task D.It is more developed than the studying ways of humans （4）What can be inferred from the text? A.The new procedure of AI has some features of humans B.Computers are stronger than humans in every aspect C.Humans will beat computers at playing poker forever D.Scientists feel unhappy about the result of the poker game

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阅读理解 Developed and developing nations can learn from each other seeking a low carbon economy, a Chinese government official said in Shanghai yesterday. “China doesn't lag developed nations in terms of energy saving and green economy”, said Zhou Changyi, director of the energy saving department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. “While we can learn many aspects from developed nations, they also should learn something from us, such as water conservation,” Zhou said in a speech during the new Path of China's Industrialization forum at the ongoing China International Industry Fair 2009. He said industrialized nations and China are dealing with different issues to combat climate change. The United Kingdom, for example, is concerned about transport, buildings and new energy in reducing carbon emissions. For China, the most urgent task is how to realize new type of industrialization and avoid mistakes that other countries made when they industrialized. As such, overseas exhibitors at this year's fair are showing ways to help China achieve low carbon emissions in the industrial section. Swiss power and automation technology group ABB called for a stronger focus on product lifecycle assessment, or LCA, which is used to study the environmental impact of a product from the research and manufacturing stage through its usage and recycling. Tobias Becker, head of ABB's process automation division for North Asia and China, said LCA is an effective tool in helping manufacturing industries to reduce carbon emissions. LCA shows that industrial customers should focus on a product's environmental impact throughout its lifecycle instead of on its initial investment or ready to use stage. For example, a motor's initial investment accounts for only 3 percent of its lifecycle cost, while 94 percent goes to fuel consumption and the rest to maintenance. Richard Hausmann, North East Asia CEO of Siemens, said, “The color of future industrialization is green.” The Germany Company recently announces that it wants to receive orders worth more than 6 billion Euros (US 8.8 billion) for intelligent net power networks, Smart Grid, over the next five years. Siemens has set a 20 percent market share target for the global smart grid business. A smart grid delivers electricity from suppliers to consumers using digital technology, advanced sensors specialized computers that save energy, reduce costs and increase reliability. The United States and China are considered the two biggest markets for smart grid. （1）“______” can replace the underlined word “lag” in paragraph 2. A.Fall behind B.Be superior to C.Attack D.Fear （2）We can infer ______ from the eleventh paragraph of this passage. A.Siemens has occupied 20 percent market share for the global smart grid business B.Siemens received orders worth 6 billion Euros recently C.Siemens will earn $ 8.8 billion from intelligent power networks D.Siemens' plan about Smart Grid may come true in the future （3）_______about Smart Grid isn't mentioned in the passage. A.Energy saving B.Low cost C.Security D.Small in size （4）The best title for the passage is______. A.Developed and Developing Nations Can Learn From Each Other B.Low carbon Economy?a Shared Goal C.Intelligent Power Networks D.Two Biggest Markets for Smart Grid

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阅读理解 Whether you love happy endings or a dark reality in TV dramas,you could soon be able to decide what you get. Netflix,the TV-streaming company behind hit shows such as The Crown and House Of Cards,is working on ways to give viewers control of key plot decisions. Some of the storylines will be simple and linear,like the Choose Your Own Adventure books that many grew up with.For example,viewers might decide whether a prisoner in the drama Orange Is The New Black joins a gang (黑帮) or not. The technology could also potentially be used to allow Princess Margaret to marry Peter Townsend in The Crown,instead of having her relationship with the divorcee (离婚者) blocked by the Establishment.Other storylines will be much more complex,allowing viewers to connect plot points in a variety of ways using their TV remotes. A source said,"We're doing work on branch narratives (叙事) so you are actually making choices as you watch. All the content will be there,and then people will have to get through it in different ways.We'll see how it plays out. It's an experiment.We'll see if it gets much success.For creators,it's a new field." Actors would film numerous alternate plot segments (片段) in advance,letting viewers choose which route to take through the story.Netflix will run a trial with choose-your-own-adventure shows for children later this year, based on an established character.If they are successful,it will use the format for TV programmes aimed at adults. Netflix president Reed Hastings confirmed that the company is working on interactive shows,saying,"Once you have got interactivity,you can try anything." At least five million UK households are thought to be signed up to Netflix,and it is challenging traditional broadcasters.Earlier this year,BBC boss Lord Hall promised to reinvent the iPlayer so that it overtakes Netflix as a destination in its own right,rather than a catch-up service. （1）How will viewers connect plot points? A.By using their TV remotes. B.By taking part in TV programs. C.By interacting with actors or actresses. D.By participating in filming plot segments. （2）Why will Netflix run choose-your-own-adventure shows for children? A.To attempt to create another hit show. B.To compete with traditional broadcasters. C.To attract as many children viewers as possible. D.To test whether their creative ideas are successful. （3）What's Reed Hastings' attitude to interactive shows? A.Confident. B.Doubtful. C.Negative. D.Worried. （4）What's the author's purpose of writing this text? A.To advertise for Netflix company. B.To recommend some English hit shows. C.To predict future development in filming. D.To introduce the latest technology in TV dramas.

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阅读理解 You can tell a lot about people by looking at their hair ? not just whether they brush, spray or blow-dry. Scientists have found a way to use hair to figure out where a person is from and where that person has been. The finding could help solve crimes, among other useful applications. Water is central to the new technique. The liquid makes up more than half an adult human's body weight. Our bodies break water down into hydrogen(氢) and oxygen. Atoms of these two elements end up in our tissues, fingernails, and hair. But not all water is the same. Hydrogen and oxygen atoms can vary in how much they weigh. In the case of hydrogen, for example, there are three types according to their weights. Each type is called a hydrogen isotope（同位素）. And depending on where you live, tap water contains different isotopes. Can hair record this information? That's what James R. Ehleringer, an environmental chemist at the University of Utah, wondered. To find it out, he and his colleagues collected hair from hair stylists in 65 cities across the United States. Even though people drink a lot of bottled water these days, the researchers have found that people's hair has the same isotopes as found in local tap water. That's probably because people usually cook their food with the local water. Authorities can now use the information to analyze hair samples from criminals or crime victims and narrow their search for clues. For example, one hair sample used in Ehleringer's study came from a man who had moved from San Francisco to Salt Lake City. As his hair grew, it reflected his change in location. （1）What do we know about the hydrogen isotopes according to Paragraph 3? A.They are classified by size.   B.Each type of them differs in weight. C.They can improve the quality of tap water.    D.Some of them cannot combine with oxygen. （2）Why is it possible to know where people are from by analyzing their hair? A.People use the same bottled water. B.People wash their hair in different ways. C.People's hair is affected by the weather of the places they stay. D.People' hair indicates the type of water in the places they stay. （3）The last paragraph is mainly to show _______. A.how to recognize criminals B.how to collect hair samples C.the usefulness of hair analysis D.the process of Ehleringer's study （4）Which of the following can be the best title for the passage? A.Water composition B.Change your hair C.Hair detectives D.No way out

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阅读下面短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。 C Every year, hundreds of millions of Monarch Butterflies(黑脉金斑蝶) from Canada and the United States journey as far as 2, 500 miles to the forests of Michoacan, Mexico, a place which has the world's largest insect migration(迁移). It's such a breathtaking sight, but as always, human greed is threatening to destroy it. The Monarch Butterflies start to arrive in Michoacan in late October to make their winter home in the trees high up in the mountains of the natural reserve. Once there, they gather together in large masses. These masses often become so heavy that they cause tree branches to bend or even break. But there's a purpose of all these massing ? it allows the butterflies to survive in the low nighttime temperatures at these high altitudes. The Michoacan Monarch Butterfly Sanctuary is most impressive during the months of February and March, just before the winged insects begin their long journey home. Mexico's Butterfly Forest is a shelter protected by law, and one of the country's most popular sights, but that hasn't stopped people from slowly but steadily destroying it. Illegal woodcutting in the heart of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve has been a longstanding problem, but criminals are rarely brought to justice. They are often set free after paying some money. Just last month, an even greater threat rose in Michoacan's butterfly home. The country's largest mining corporation gained the right to reopen an old mine in the heart of the monarch reserve. Experts believe that if the mine is reopened, it will likely spell the end of this magical place. And as if all this wasn't bad enough, the increasing use of herbicides（除草剂） in the American corn belt has led to the decrease of a plant which is essential to the monarchs' development from egg into butterfly. （1）When do the Monarch Butterflies fly back to Canada? A.In January. B.In March. C.In October. D.In December. （2）What does the underlined word ＂it＂ in Paragraph 2 refer to? A.The weather. B.The reserve. C.The massing. D.The forest. （3）What can we know about the protection of Monarch Butterflies in Mexico? A.It is very satisfying.    B.It should be strengthened. C.It cost the government a lot. D.It has saved many butterflies.  （4）What can we infer from the last two paragraphs? A.Monarch Butterflies have a worrying future.   B.America has many mines waiting for exploration. C.Monarch Butterflies live in the centre of an old mine. D.The use of herbicides will let Monarch Butterflies lay fewer eggs.

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阅读理解 Since 2013, Torobo, a robotic arm designed to test the limits of artificial intelligence, has had one ambition?to be admitted to the University of Tokyo. However, it has repeatedly failed. This year was no exception. In early November Torobo took an exam to prepare for an all-important standardized test. While Torobo's total score of 525 out of 950 was 14 points higher than in 2015，its standard score of 57.1% was slightly lower, because human students did better in the 2016 test. Though the score，which is higher than the national average, is enough to get the robot admitted to many other famous Japanese universities, it falls short of the minimum required for the University of Tokyo. A closer analysis of the results showed that Torobo's newly programmed ability to solve complex physics problems helped increase its year-over-year physics score from 46. 5% to 59%. The robot also dug deep into its database of information from textbooks and websites to obtain an impressive 66.3% in world history. The average 60% scores acquired in the two math sections, were not too shabby either. But，while Torobo is able to handle knowledge-based questions and ones involving complex mathematical calculations, it has a hard time thinking independently. As a result, the robot is unable to fully understand multiple sentences and phrases to arrive at the logical conclusions required in the English language tests. This weakness was reflected in the weak oral and writing scores, which came in at 36.2% and 50.5%, respectively. Fortunately, after four tiring years, the robot's creators have decided to free Torobo from its annual test-taking suffering, the research team will instead focus on improving the robot's ability to pick out specific answers from massive sets of data?a skill that led to its excellent history scores. They believe the expertise(专业技术）will help Torobo succeed as an industrial robot. （1）What is the disadvantage of Torobo? A.It has much difficulty searching for facts. B.It doesn't own language skills. C.It has weak independent thinking ability. D.It couldn't get through the exams. （2）What does the underlined word “it” in the third paragraph refer to? A.the score B.Torobo C.the University of Tokyo D.the national average （3）What did the exam results show? A.Torobo's score didn't reach the national average. B.Torobo's programmed ability improved its math score. C.Torobo was admitted to a university. D.Torobo did well in the history exam. （4）What is the text mainly about? A.Subjects a robot are good at. B.A robot's performances in exams. C.Majors that are suitable for a robot. D.A robot's ways to deal with exams.