2021届高三新高考适应性考试专项训练阅读理解(二)

2021届高三新高考适应性考试专项训练阅读理解(二)AContributors to Reader's DigestNicholas Hune-BrownWriter, Toronto“Fight of His Life”Hune-Brown is a National Magazine Award w inning writer whose work has been published in Toronto Life, The Walrus, Hazlitt and The Guardian. He's also the senior editor at The Local, a magazine focused on long-form stories about health and social issues in Toronto. Read his story about a COVID-19 patient's incredible fight for survival on page 114.Jarred BriggsArtist, Plaster Rock, N.B．“Beware Winter Rays”Briggs's favorite part about being an artist is coming up with clever conceptual drawings—he lives for the moment when all the pieces of the puzzle begin to fit together. When he's not drawing, Briggs loves reading science-fiction novels, being outdoors and spending time with his three dogs. Take a look at his latest work on page 18.Megan MurphyWriter, Peterborough, Ont.“Home for the Holidays”Murphy's love affairs with writing began at a young age with nightly words “Dear diary”. Also an actor, Murphy co-created a show this year called The Verandah Society, in which she and a musician friend Anna Walker travel to people's homes and share music and stories. Read her humorous tale of a childhood Christmas ceremony on page 26.1．What does Jarred Briggs like best about his job?A．Working out puzzles.B．Reading science-fiction novels.C．Thinking up satisfying drawings.D．Writing stories about social issues.2．Who developed an interest in writing at a young age?A．Nicholas Hune- Brown.B．Jarred Briggs.C．Anna Walker.D．Megan Murphy.3．What can you learn from the text?A．It recommends some works of Reader s Digest.B．It introduces senior editors of popular magazines.C．Nicholas Hune- Brown is a COVID-19 survivor.D．The V erandah Society is about a Christmas ceremony.BFor centuries, people have kept large amounts of cash at home during difficult times. But during the coronavirus crisis, things are different. Metal coins and paper bills can be a source of worry rather than hope.The fear is that these objects, possibly touched by thousands of people, could provide a way for the coronavirus to spread. Public officials and health experts have said that the risk is small. Still, some businesses refuse to accept cash and some countries have suggested that their citizens should stop using it altogether.Zachary Cohle is an economics professor at Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. “In many areas, cash was already beginning to disappear due to the increased risk of robbery, the ease of Internet ordering, and the ubiquity of cell phones,” he said. “Sweden, Finland, Norway, Canada and others have slowly reduced cash use to the point where using it in large amounts seems unusual. Britain and Australia are expected to become cashless countries. And in China, cash use has dropped as electronic payment services have increased in popularity over the past decade.”“Cash ist Fesch” is a common saying in Austria and southern Germany. The words mean cash is beautiful. But since the virus outbreak, shops that have remained open there, like grocery stores, have encouraged people to pay with cards. And Germany’s central bank said 43 percent of Germans recently paid for goods and services with a card. The Bank of Japan estimates that cash makes up for 53 percent of household assets. But the threat of the coronavirus could move the country toward going cashless, said Hiroki Maruyama, head of the nonprofit Fintech Association of Japan. He added, “The culture is slowly changing.”However, cash use is still common in places like West and Central Africa. Some experts say that the world will not be cashless until everyone and every country has reliable access to the Internet.4．Why is cash regarded as a source of worry?A．Cash may carry viruses after being used.B．Some countries refuse to accept cash.C．It’s risky to keep a lot of cash at home.D．Cash can’t be used during the crisis.5．What is paragraph 3 mainly about?A．The disadvantages of paying in cash.B．The introduction to cashless countries.C．The present situation of cash use worldwide.D．The increasing popularity of electronic payment.6．What do we know from the example of Germany and Japan?A．Shops in Germany only take cash because it’s beautiful.B．Less than half of the Germans still like to pay goods in cash.C．More than half of the Japanese prefer to put cash in the bank.D．The Japanese are changing their traditional attitudes to cash.7．Why is it impossible for the world to be cashless according to the passage?A．The virus crisis will last for a long time.B．The habit of paying in cash is hard to change.C．The Internet is not available in all the countries.D．People in Africa can’t afford the banking services.CMost kids can walk into a library or bookstore and find hundreds of books to read. But it’s not that simple for kids who are blind. They read in a different way. Jenny Lee and other braille (盲文) transcribers take the printed words of a book and change them into a code of raised dots. Blind people can read these dots with their fingers. To know what braille feels like, take a ballpoint pen and press hard onto a piece of paper. Now turn the paper over and touch the raised dot made by the pen point.When Lee first saw the dots of the braille alphabet, she wondered if she’d ever be able to read and write them easily. She took a class and practised hard for about six months before she passed the final exam: she had to convert 35 pages of a book into braille. Today, Lee works for a publisher. One of her jobs is to change children’s books into braille.To do this, Lee first types the story into a computer and then uses a computer program to translate it into the braille code. Next, she looks over the translation several times to make sure it’s mistake-free. After that, a copy of the braille story is printed with a special printer. Then Lee and a proofreader work together to find and correct any mistakes. When a book is ready, many copies of it are printed. Afterwards, some are sold through websites and others are sent to libraries.Sometimes, going over a story again and again gets tiring. That’s when Lee takes a break. Several of Jenny Lee’s co-workers, who are blind, use guide dogs. When the animals aren’t working, Lee likes spending a few minutes with them. To her, playing with dogs “is always a pick-me-up in the middle of the day”.“I love this mission,” Lee says. “Through my brain power and my fingers, I am putting the dots into some kid’s hands.”8．How does the writer explain what braille feels like?A．By explaining what braille words look like. B．By describing how blind people read books.C．By asking readers to experience it themselves. D．By giving examples of different braille words.9．What was Lee’s first reaction to braille?A．She was excited to get a new skill. B．She was amazed at the clever idea.C．She realized she could teach it herself. D．She believed it would be difficult to learn.10．What does the underlined word “pick-me-up” in paragraph 4 most probably mean?A．A discussion to release work stress. B．Something to improve one’s appetite.C．Something to help restore one’s spirit. D．A free ride accompanied with a guide dog.11．What does Lee think of her job?A．Profitable and hopeful.B．Tiring but meaningful.C．Relaxing and helpful.D．Boring but challenging.DMany people believe that there is one form of their language that is more correct than others. They may believe for example that British English is more correct than other varieties; or that written English is more correct than spoken English. Often this belief is supported by reference books to grammars, usage guides or dictionaries: If something goes against a rule in a grammar, or if the word isn’t in the dictionary, it “must be wrong”. Since the reference books are most often based on observation of the standard written language, the argument is really circular: These books will naturally describe standard usage, because that is what they are for; but this does not mean that there is anything wrong with other kinds of usage that are less often described.A better way of looking at things is to say that usage is “correct in its place”. Standard American English is correct in America, and formal written grammar is employed in formal writing. So this means there is no answer to the question: “What kind of English should learners study?” It depends on their purposes. For many learners, the best model is one or other of the two main standard varieties: British or American English. Neither of these is “better” than the other, and they are both used and understood worldwide.People are also worried by language change. If younger people “break” the rules that older people have learnt, older people often feel disturbed: they are concerned that younger people no longer know their grammar, and that the language is going downhill. This is a needless worry: change is natural and inevitable, it cannot be stopped, and it does not generally affect a languages efficiency as a communicative tool. A great deal of modem English grammar would have been wrong three hundred years ago, and will perhaps be wrong again three hundred years from now.12．What can we infer from paragraph 1?A．Learners are always confused by the reference books.B．Some wrong usages can be found in the reference books.C．Nobody can challenge the authority of the reference books.D．Usages not mentioned in the reference books are not necessarily wrong.13．What is paragraph 2 mainly about?A．There is no “standard English”. B．American English is better than British English.C．A learner should master all the distinctions of different English.D．The differences between British English and American English.14．Which word can replace the underlined word “inevitable” in paragraph 3?A．Avoidable.B．Formal.C．Certain.D．Temporary.15．What is the authors attitude towards the changes of English?A．Disturbed.B．Optimistic.C．Cautious.D．Doubtful.EAil Charms to You — Charm School is Coming!Our MissionBeautify the world by helping to reach your potential! We will focus on the body and spirit needed to become a well-rounded individual. Through motivating, encouraging and training, we have changed the lives of 1,000 plus eager young minds, aged 4—15. Our classes primarily focus on manners and etiquette, with academic subjects secondary. Our aim is to make you presentable both inside and outside and prepare you for entry into society."Elegant Ladies" Class Overview• Engage in artistic lessons including but not limited to six different dance styles.• Style your hair in various ways.• Take your sewing to the next level and see how easy it is to create a constructed dress.• Master the art of tea ceremony.• Practice daily conversations in a foreign language.“Honorable Gentlemen" Class Overview• Learn good manners and conversational skills in social context.• Maintain reasonable dress code standards.• Build a charming character and the future leadership at school.• Master time-management strategies. Learn how to do multitasking time-saving.• Become an excellent golfer in your spare time.• Learn to make safe small talk with a foreigner in class.CostsTuitions：Early birds (before Dec.]) ：$9,000 Regular：$ 10,000Black Slip-On Jazz Shoes (price varies)Charm Jacket: $15 / $25 / $60• All fees stated above are not due upon registering. For example, jacket fees are usually due the third week of the session.• We provide healthy lunch for energy support. Our lunch is not your ordinary "school box lunch", but instead, fulfilling and hearty meals.• With new applicants, we offer a one-time brief free-of-charge phone consultation with our experts. This gives us the opportunity to get to know you better and allows you to bring up any questions you may have.• Click here for many free printable material.16．Who may have an interest in Charm School?A．A man who has potential for sports. B．A woman who wants to learn practical skills.C．A student eager to improve academic subjects. D．A teenager seeking for well-rounded education.17．What do the girls and boys' classes have in common?A．Dress making.B．Sports training.C．Language learning.D．Leadership building.18．Which of the following is the correct information about costs?A．The shoes and jacket cost $15 in total.B．All fees have to be paid when you register.C．The lunch and consultations are free of charge.D．The tuitions have a 10% discount if you sign up early.FI was invited to give a speech at an educators, conference. I happened to sit next to Clay Parker, the CEO of a technology company that makes micro electronics devices.For the last few years, I’d been reading about the rapidly changing world of work and was increasingly concerned that students are not prepared for today’s workplace. Buried in book knowledge, university students talk like a book and always pass exams with flying colours. However, when facing HR staff instead of their teachers, what they have learned seems useless. So I asked Parker what qualities he most wanted in a potential new employee. I expected a list of technical skills - especially since Parker is an engineer himself- but I was way off the mark.“First, I look for someone who asks good questions,” Parker responded. “Our business is changing, and so are the skills of our engineers. We can teach them the technical stuff. But for employees willing to solve problems or to learn new things, they have to know what questions to ask. And we can’t teach them how to ask good questions - how to think. The ability to ask the right questions reflects good thinking ability, the most important quality.”Indeed, the ability to ask good questions has been a repeated theme in almost all of my conversations about core competences and skills for success in today’s workplace. It turns out that asking good questions goes hand in hand with problem solving ability in the minds of most employers.The students have always been brought up to live up to a certain standard and so much emphasis has been put on fixed rules and giving the expected answer of their teachers instead of raising a question. We teachers are always blaming the students for giving wrong answers. Perhaps we should ask ourselves whether we are always asking the right questions.19．Why did the author ask Parker the question?A．To bring the CEO’s attention to education.B．To collect information about his company.C．To ask for his opinion about the conference.D．To know his requirements for new employees.20．What docs underlined "off the mark" in paragraph 2 mean?A．Mistaken.B．Not qualified.C．Confused.D．Not professional.21．What does Parker value his employees for?A．Teamwork.B．Thinking ability.C．Technical skills.D．Professional knowledge.22．Which of the following can be the best title for the text?A．How to Hunt for a Jo B．Asking Questions MattersC．An Encounter with a CEO D．Problem-solving Makes a DifferenceGAnt Forest, a green initiative by the world’s leading payment and lifestyle platform Alipay, received the “U.N. Champions of the Earth” award, the UN’s highest environmental honor. It was given to Ant Forest for motivating half a billion people to adopt an eco-friendly and greener lifestyle, greatly contributing to ecological protection with the help of digital technology.Alipay achieved this by inspiring its users to do environmentally-friendly things, such as walking, using public transportation, going paperless in the office and more to earn “green energy points”. These points can then be used to water and grow their own virtual young trees. After the virtual young trees have grown up on line, Ant Forest will plant real trees somewhere in China.The number of Ant Forest users has reached 350 million, reducing 3 million tons of carbon dioxide. “Such programs are quite attractive to me. I feel satisfied to see a real tree planted just by doing some simple things such as riding bicycles and buying tickets online,” said an interviewee.This initiative of Ant Forest is in line with the Chinese government’s strategy of a “Green Economy”. The country is taking aggressive actions in expanding its green coverage. Now, its efforts are paying off, with improved biodiversity and a healthier economic growth. Rare animal species have been spotted and forest parks are now popular attractions of tourism.The planet is at a critical point which could result in natural disasters. It seems clear that unless governments, businesses and people form a focused team, it’s difficult to stop global warming. Fortunately, Ant Forest shows that it is possible to make joint efforts while relying on digital technology. And more initiatives are using technology to contribute to a sustainable future of the planet.23．What was Ant Forest given the award for?A．It brings convenience to people’s lives.B．It is run by the world’s leading payment platform.C．It technically assists many people to protect ecology.D．It has made the greatest contribution to global development.24．What is paragraph 2 mainly about?A．How Alipay makes profits. B．How Ant Forest is carried out.C．What a low-carbon life is like. D．Why Alipay takes up the initiative.25．What can we infer from the text?A．350 million people have planted real trees.B．Promoting tourism can help save animals.C．China keeps a balance between economy and ecology.D．The expansion of green coverage mainly results from Ant Forest.26．How docs Ant Forest contribute to the sustainable future?A．By criticizing natural disasters.B．By stopping the global warming.C．By providing a platform to make joint efforts.D．By encouraging people to donate money to plant trees.HThe Chinese manned submersible(潜水器) Fendouzhe, over 96.5 percent of whose core components have been independently developed by China, reached one of the deepest spots on the planet, a dizzying and dark depth of 10,909 meters.Extreme water pressure is the first challenge that requires dealing with during the exploration. At 10,000 meters down in the ocean, the submersible has to stand about 1,100 atmospheres of pressure, equal to 2,000 elephants stepping on a person’s back. As the solid “armour (盔甲)”，the manned cabin is a safety guarantee for humans to reach down to 10,000 meters deep in the ocean. To overcome the technical bottleneck, the Chinese researchers developed a new material-Ti62A, successfully solving problems of the strength and toughness of the manned cabin.To avoid risks of crashes in the dark deep sea with complex terrain(地形)，Fendouzhe requires its control system, a smart “brain” to give the exact instructions. Researchers designed a neural network algorithm(神经网络算法), which enables Fendouzhe to travel automatically according to the seabed terrain and locate fixed points. Its control system has reached the international frontier level.The submersible is equipped with two flexible and strong “arms”. Each 7-joint arm with 6 degrees - of -freedom control and a weight-carrying ability of more than 60 kilograms can cover the sampling basket and its front areas. With the arms, Fendouzhe collected samples of ocean rocks, deep-sea living things and seabed sediments(沉淀物).The ocean, especially the deep sea, is widely regarded as Earth's final frontier. Deep down in the ocean are unusual creatures, strange environments and impressive geological wonders, yet humanity knows less about the ocean floor than about the far side of the moon. These samples and data collected from the deep ocean can be used for geological and biological research, as well as study the human impact on the planet.27．Why is “2000 elephants” mentioned in paragraph 2?A．To make the numbers accurate.B．To provide a biological explanation.C．To emphasize the importance of the task.D．To describe the degree of the pressure vividly.28．What can “arms” do according to paragraph 4?A．Collect ocean samples. B．Land the submersible.C．Provide safety guarantee. D．Prevent crashes intelligently.29．Which of the following has reached the world advanced level ?A．The toughness of the cabin. B．The ability of weight-carrying.C．The method of data-collection. D．The technology of control system.30．Why do people research the deep ocean according to the last paragraph?A．It is more complex than the moon. B．It is seriously affected by humans.C．To make sure of the depth of the ocean. D．To explore the less-known field of the planet.IIf you're looking for a reason to care about tree loss, this summer's record-breaking heat waves might be it. Trees can lower summer daytime temperatures by as much as10 degrees Fahrenheit(华氏度), according to a recent study. But tree cover in US cities is shrinking. A study published last year by the US Forest Service found that we lost 36 million trees annually from urban and rural communities over a five-year period. If we continue on this path, "cities will become warmer, more polluted and generally more unhealthy for inhabitants," said David Nowak, a senior US Forest Service scientist and co-author of the study. Nowak says there are many reasons our tree cover is declining, including hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, insects and disease. But the one reason for tree loss that humans can control is sensible development."We see the tree cover being changed, which means when we look at the photographs, what was there is now replaced with a parking lot or a building," Nowak said. "Every time we put a road down, we put a building and we cut a tree or add a tree, it not only affects that site, it affects the region." The study placed a value on tree loss based on trees' role in air pollution removal and energy conservation.Nowak says there's a downside to trees too, such as pollen allergies or large falling branches in storms, "and people don't like sweeping leaves." But, he says, there are ways cities and counties can manage trees to help communities thrive. Urban forests especially need our help to replace fallen trees. Unlike rural areas, it is very difficult for trees to repopulate themselves in a city environment with so much pavement and asphalt(沥青). "A lot of our native trees can't actually find a place to drop a seed so they can regenerate," explains Greg Levine,co-executive director for Trees Atlanta. "That's why the community has to go in and actually plant a tree because the areas just aren't natural anymore."Nowak says the first step is caring for the trees on your own property. "We think we pay for our house, and so we must maintain it. But because we don't pay for nature, we don't need to. And that's not necessarily true."31．Why does the author mention “trees can lower summer daytime temperatures” ?A．To tell the temperatures in summer are high. B．To introduce the topic.C．To tell trees are helpful. D．To explain the reason of tree loss.32．How can humans control tree loss according to Nowak ?A．Improve climate to let trees grow. B．Prevent fires form damaging trees.C．Develop cities in reasonable ways. D．Decrease insects in citites.33．Why forests in cities need our help ?A．Because trees in urban areas can’t regenerate naturally. B．Because native trees don’t drop seeds any more. C．Because trees don’t grow in a city environment. D．Because humans want to plant more trees. 34．What is the purpose of this passage ?A．Describe the importance of trees in cities. B．Show the number of trees in the US is declining. C．Ask people to plant trees with the author. D．Appeal people to protect trees in their surroundings.JSky Drive Inc. conducted a successful test drive of its new flying car on August 25 at the Toyota Test Field, one of the largest in Japan and home to the car company’s development base. The car, named SD-03, manned with a pilot, took off and circled the field for about four minutes. It was the first public demonstration for a flying car in Japanese history.“We are extremely excited to have achieved Japan’s first-ever manned flight of a flying car in the two years since we founded SkyDrive... with the goal of commercializing such aircraft,” CEO Tomohiro Fukuzawa said. “We want to realize a society where flying cars are an accessible and convenient means of transportation in the skies and people are able to experience a safe, secure, and comfortable new way of life.”The SD-03 is the world’s smallest electric vertical take-off and landing vehicle and takes up the space of about two parked cars, according to the company. It has eight motors to ensure “safety in emergency situations”. “In designing an unexplored, new type of transportation known as the flying car, we chose the keyword‘progressive’ for inspiration,” Design Director Takumi Yamamot said. “We wanted this vehicle to be futuristic, charismatic and desirable for all future customers, while fully including the high technology of SkyDrive.”The company hopes to make the flying car part of normal life and not just a product. More test flights will occur in the future under different conditions to make sure the safety and technology of the vehicle meet industry standards.The success of this flight means that it is likely that the car will be tested outside of the Toyota Test field by the end of the year. The company will continue to develop technologies to safely and securely launch the flying car in 2023. However, no price has been announced so far.35．What’s the feature of SD-03?A．Green and energy-saving.B．Secure and multi-function.C．High-tech and user-friendly.D．Expensive and unmanned.36．What do Takumi Yamamot’s words imply?A．They are the pioneer of flying cars. B．Flying cars will soon be commercialized.C．Flying cars will set a new trend in society. D．They target flying cars on high-end consumers. 37．What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?A．Flying cars fail to reach industry standards. B．Flying cars will be sold at affordable prices.C．The safety of flying cars needs strengthening. D．Tests are now limited to the Toyota Test Field. 38．What is the main idea of the text?A．Flying cars will be on the market by 2023. B．Flying cars are no longer just a flight of fancy. C．SkyDrive’s SD-03 is the flying car of tomorrow.D．SkyDrive demonstrates its first piloted flying car.KWith climate change and overfishing threatening our oceans, it is becoming increasingly important for researchers to closely observe and check sea animals and plants. However, it’s almost impossible to make it since human presence scares the animals. Now, thanks to the robot, SoFi, researchers may be able to solve the problem.Built by MIT’s laboratory, the snow-white remote-controlled robot simulates (模仿) fish, complete with a flexible tail that moves from side to side and two “fins”.When the robot is under the sea, a motor is pumping water into a pair of balloon-like rooms located in the robot’s tail. These rooms operate like the key parts of engines. As one room expands, the tail bends to one side; when the motor pushes water to the other channel, the tail bends in the other direction. Thus the robot gains the ability to move to where it wants to go.SoFi solves many of the issues that have affected the usefulness of previous robots---some types of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).AUVs traditionally often have had to be tied to a boat because radio frequency communications do not work well underwater, so researchers use sound waves. The new technology can travel greater distances, allowing drivers, by using a controller, to pilot SoFi from up to 50 feet away. SoFi can move in the ocean, unaffected by ropes. Also limiting traditional AUVs’ usefulness is the risk of hitting something, like hard stones. With the outside made of rubber and plastic that can keep its built-in electronics dry, SoFi can efficiently avoid hitting, so it is more likely to survive a potential crisis.During test dives in Rainbow Reef, SoFi swam alongside the unsuspecting ocean life at depths of 50 feet for up to 40 minutes at a time, obtaining high-quality photos and videos. More importantly, it was able to do so without causing any disturbance.Researchers say sometimes the fish would swim alongside the strange-looking robot in curiosity, while at other times they appeared to completely ignore its existence. “It’s not perfect, but we’re improving it. Our efforts will pay off,”says Robert Katzschmann.39．Why is the robot Sofi created?.A．To observe climate change.B．To help to monitor sea creatures.C．To catch fish and observe them.D．To prevent overfishing in oceans.40．What’s Paragraph 3 mainly written to show?。