2020全国通用高考英语二轮复习：2-1-8 牢记议论文的读文、审题策略专题跟踪训练

专题跟踪训练(十八)
A
(2018·广州市高三综合测试一)The belief that new technologies are causing the death of work is the idea that never goes away. Despite evidence to the contrary, we still view technological change today as being more rapid and dramatic in its consequences for work than ever before. But this is nothing new. People have always viewed the technological change that takes place during their lives as the most dramatic and dangerous that ever happened in history.
In the 1930s, the British economist (经济学家) John Maynard Keynes predicted the widespread use of electricity would produce a world where people spend most of their time doing nothing. In the United States during the 1960s, the government repeatedly investigated fears that automatic machines would permanently reduce the amount of work available. In 1988, one Australian historian claimed that at least a quarter of the workforce would be without jobs within 10 years because of computers.
Of course, none of these disasters came to pass in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, or anywhere else.
Yet today, we are seeing the return of these predictions, with some experts claiming the world of work is once more undergoing radical and unprecedented change. They argue that robots and other workplace technologies are causing a reduction in the total amount of work available, or are bringing a more rapid pace of substitution of machines for humans than the one that has been seen previously.
But there is a little evidence to support such beliefs. Statistics show that the percentage of people in work, the number of hours they work, and how frequently they change jobs have remained remarkably constant over the past 20 years.
This stability should not come as a surprise. There are good reasons why we should not expect new technologies to cause the death of work. New technologies always cause job losses, but that is only part of the story. What also needs to be understood is how they increase the amount of work available.
One way this happens is through the increases in incomes that accompany the use of new technologies. With the introduction of these technologies, goods and services can be produced faster, which results in higher real incomes for workers. Higher incomes then increase demand for other products and consequently more workers are needed to make them. Additionally, while new technologies are likely to substitute for some types of workers, they will also increase demand for other types of workers, especially those with higher－level skills and expertise.
So, the end of work is no closer today than at any time in the past. But there is still a
need to keep disproving the predictions and to reduce people's fears.
语篇解读：本文是一篇议论文。

历史上曾经发生过多次预测技术的发展导致人们失业的事情，现在这个论调又被提起；数据显示，事实上新技术的发展并没有导致工作总量的减少。

1．What is the function of the second paragraph?
A．To explain the importance of developing new technologies.
B．To show how the technology affected employment in the past.
C．To argue that technological dangers are becoming more serious.
D．To give historical examples of unnecessary fears about new technologies.
[解析]细节理解题。

通读第二段可知，该段列举了英国经济学家、美国政府和澳大利亚历史学家的预测，时间分别为20世纪30年代、20世纪60年代和1988年，他们都预测新技术的发展会导致工作职位的减少；由第三段“Of course, none of these disasters came to pass in the United Kingdom, the United States and Austral ia, or anywhere else”可知，所预测的这些情况都没有发生。

据此可以判断，该段旨在举例说明我们没有必要担心新技术的发展，故D项正确。

[答案] D
2．How can employment statistics over the past 20 years best be described?
A．Confusing. B．Reliable.
C．Stable. D．Variable.
[解析]推理判断题。

根据第五段的第二句“Statistics show that the per centage of people in work, the number of hours they work, and how frequently they change jobs have remained remarkably constant over the past 20 years”可知，就业统计数据显示，在过去的二十年里，工作人员的比例、工作时间和换工作的频率一直保持着惊人的稳定。

据此可以判断，在过去的二十年里，就业统计数据是稳定的。

C项意为“稳定的”，故C项正确。

[答案] C
3．According to Paragraph 7, why does demand for other products often increase after new technologies are introduced?
A．There are more goods for people to choose from.
B．There is more demand for new skills in the economy.
C．Productivity improvements help raise workers' salaries.
D．Higher quality goods at lower prices encourage consumption.
[解析]细节理解题。

根据第七段的第二、第三句“With the introduction of these technologies, goods and services can be produced faster, which results in higher real incomes for workers. Higher incomes then increase demand for other products and consequently more workers are needed to make them”可知，随着新技术的引入，商品生产更快，从而使工人的实际收入得到了提高；更高的收入会增加人们对其他产品的需求，因此需要更多的工人来生产这些产品。

据此可知，生产效率的提高使工
人的工资上涨，这是产品需求增加的原因，故C项正确。

[答案] C
4．What is the author's opinion about the introduction of new technologies?
A．It does not have an effect on most people's jobs.
B．Its benefits are usually not worth the introduction.
C．It usually leads to a significant increase in employment.
D．Its danger to people's employment possibilities is overstated.
[解析]推理判断题。

根据最后一段“So, the end of work is no closer today than at any time in the past. But there is still a need to keep disproving the predictions and to reduce people's fears”可知，作者认为人们夸大了引进新技术对失业的影响，故D项正确。

[答案] D
B
(2018·南昌市NCS20180607项目第一项模拟)Alongside air and water, food is a necessity for human beings to survive and thrive. But it's a lot more than that. As Mariette Dichristina of Scientific American wrote, “The most intimate (亲密的) relationship we will ever have is not with any fellow h uman being. Instead, it is between our bodies and our food.”
Nowadays, for most people in the world's wealthiest countries, food is a hobby, an enthusiasm, and even something fashionable.
Turn on the TV in the US, UK or France, and you'll find at least one channel feeding this popular obsession.
And most of us know at least one person who thinks of themselves as a “foodie”. It's almost impossible nowadays to check our social media apps without at least two or three photos of delicious meals appearing on our screen.
But behind the fancy recipes and social media bragging (夸耀), many of us forget how much we take food for granted. This is why World Food Day is held each year.
Take Kenya for example. This east African nation has been suffering terrible droughts. The result is that people are beginning to starve. Children in particular are suffering, with some of them even dying.
This may seem shocking to know, especially as many cultures outside of Africa think of food in a completely different way. But even in the UK, families on low incomes are forced to use food banks—European organizations that hand out donated food to those who can't afford to pay for it themselves.
So what can we do on World Food Day? One good way to spend it would be to feel humble and appreciate what we have. After all, food is essential for survival, but not everyone is as lucky
as we are when it comes to dinner time.
语篇解读：本文是一篇议论文。

许多人将美食当作嗜好，他们在社交媒体上晒美食照片，享受着美味食品，认为美食是理所当然的，但是他们并没有想到在世界的许多地方人们还忍饥挨饿，这就是世界粮食日成立的原因。

珍惜粮食，从我做起。

5．According to Mariette Dichristina, what has the closest relationship with us?
A．Air. B．Water.
C．Food. D．Human beings.
[解析]细节理解题。

根据第一段中Mariette Dichristina所写的话“The most intimate (亲密的) relationship we will ever have is not with any fellow human being. Instead, it is between our bodies and our food”可知，我们最亲密的关系不是人与人之间的关系，而是我们的身体和食物之间的关系。

据此可知，Mariette Dichristina认为和我们关系最亲密的是食物，故C项正确。

[答案] C
6．What does the underlined word “foodie” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A．Delicious food.
B．A person fond of food.
C．A social media app.
D．A photo of delicious meals.
[解析]词义猜测题。

根据第四段中的第二句“It's almost impossible nowadays to check our social media apps without at least two or three photos of delicious meals appearing on our screen”可知，这些人最喜欢在社交媒体软件上晒美食照片；结合画线词所在句子中的“thinks of themse lves as a ‘foodie’”可以判断，该处画线词指人，故foodie意为“美食爱好者”，故B项正确。

[答案] B
7．Who can get help from food banks?
A．Poor people in the UK.
B．Poor people in Africa.
C．Starving children in Kenya.
D．People in the drought－stricken.
[解析]细节理解题。

根据倒数第二段中的最后一句“But even in the UK, families on low incomes are forced to use food banks—European organizations that hand out donated food to those who can't afford to pay for it themselves”可知，即使是在英国，低收入家庭也被迫要使用食物银行。

该组织是一个向那些无钱购买食物的人捐赠食物的欧洲组织。

据此可知，贫穷的英国人可以获得食物银行的帮助，故A项正确。

[答案] A
8．What's the best title for the text?
A．Treat Food as a Hobby
B．Time to Appreciate Food
C．Food Shortage in Some Countries
D．How to Spend World Food Day
[解析]主旨大意题。

通读全文可知，许多人将美食当作嗜好，他们在社交媒体软件上晒美食照片，享受着美味食品，但是他们并没有想到在世界的许多地方人们还忍饥挨饿，这就是世界粮食日成立的原因。

据此可知，“感激食物的时候”最能概括文章主旨，故B项正确。

[答案] B
C
(2018·成都市高三诊断性检测)Food blogs, celebrities, and nutritionists all advocate the benefits of eating organic (有机的) fruits and vegetables. But a new study published in Science Advances paints a more complex picture. While organic produce is likely slightly healthier to eat and, in some ways, more sustainable to grow, there are also downsides.
Organic fruits and vegetables typically cost more than conventional ones. To get a certificate as organic, farmers must meet specific criteria, including growing produce without the use of genetic engineering and chemical inputs. Without these methods, the growing process typically requires more labor, time, and money, a cost that is passed down to consumers.
It's true that in many ways, organic farming is more sustainable than conventional farming. But when it comes to environmental concerns such as greenhouse gas output and water loss, the comparison gets complex. Organic farms produce less greenhouse gas output per acre. However, because they are barred from using genetic engineering, pesticides (杀虫剂), and other methods that increase efficiency (效率), organic farms, also produce an estimated 19% to 25% less yield than conventional farms. While there isn't a whole lot of research on the topic, the few studies that do exist suggest greenhouse gas output and water loss might actually be higher on organic farms, on a per unit basis, says study author Verena Seufert.
In addition, while organic produce is likely more nutritious than conventional fruits and vegetables, there's not a lot of evidence to support the claim that these often slight differences influence consumer health. The same is true for the pesticide remainder. In developed countries, where pesticide use is tightly regulated, there's no scientific consensus on how these often slight differences influence human health.
Still, Seufert stresses that if you can afford to eat organic produce, you should do so. Organic farms provide safer work environments for workers, plus they support great biodiversity. The real takeaway from her study is not that organic produce is bad but that the practice needs more studies to increase the yield without lowering sustainability.
But if you can't afford to buy organic produce, don't stress too much, particularly from a nutritional perspective.
语篇解读：本文是一篇议论文，主要介绍了有机农产品的一些情况，体现了学科核心素养中的“环保意识、健康饮食意识”的文化品格。

9．What does the underlined word “downsides” in Paragraph 1 most probably mean?
A．Dangers. B．Drawbacks.
C．Benefits. D．Differences.
[解析]词义猜测和归纳与构建能力题。

根据第一段最后一句“While organic produce is likely slightly healthier to eat and, in some ways, more sustainable to grow, there are also downsides”可知，虽然有机农产品可能稍微健康些，但在某些方面，也有其缺点。

再结合语境和下文陈述的有机农产品的缺点可以判断，画线词应指有机农产品不好的一面，B项意为“缺点”，故B项正确。

[答案] B
10．Which key factor makes it hard to compare organic farming with conventional farming when it comes to environmental concerns?
A．The yield. B．The price.
C．The water loss. D．The labor.
[解析]细节理解和观察与比较的能力题。

根据题干关键词“hard to compare”定位至第三段第二句“But when it comes to environmental concerns suc h as greenhouse gas output and water loss, the comparison gets complex”，由此可知，当涉及诸如温室气体排放和水资源损失等环境问题时，比较传统农业和有机农业就困难了；且根据第三段其他内容可知，虽然有机农业与传统农业相比更可持续，但因为不能使用基因工程技术、杀虫剂及其他提高效率的方法，有机农业的产量相对低，故产量是使得两者之间的比较变得困难的重要因素。

A项意为“产量”，故A项正确。

[答案] A
11．Which of the following will the author most probably agree with?
A．Farmers' work environment should be improved.
B．Organic produce should be made more efficiently.
C．It isn't wise for consumers to buy organic products.
D．The pesticide remainder do no harm to people's health.
[解析]推理判断题。

根据第三段第四句可知，由于禁止使用基因工程技术和杀虫剂等，有机农场的产量估计会比传统农场的产量低19%至25%。

据此可以判断，应当提高有机农业的生产效率，故B项正确。

第五段的最后一句亦是提示。

[答案] B
12．In the author's opinion, why should we support organic produce?
A．It's environmentally friendly.
B．It's more nutritious.
C．It helps keep the variety of plants.
D．It's safer for consumers.
[解析]推理判断题。

根据第五段第二句“Organic farms provide safer work environments for workers, plus they support great biodiversity”可知，有机农场为工人提供更安全的工作环境，而且有机农场有助于保持生物多样性。

据此可以判断，我们应当提倡有机农产品的原因之一是能保持生物的多样性，故C项正确。

[答案] C。