高三时文阅读系列(1)基础版版课前预习作业
新高考高三英语时文阅读精选(含答案解析)
新高考高三英语时文阅读精选（含答案解析）AClimate protection and public health have striking similarities. The benefits of both can be enjoyed by everyone, even by individuals who do not contribute to the collective efforts to address these problems. If climate change slows down, both drivers of gas-guzzlers and electric cars will benefit — although the former did not help in climate efforts. Similarly, if the spread of Coronavirus is halted, individuals who refused to wash their hands, as well as the ones who washed them assiduously, will enjoy the restored normal life.Most countries have gotten their acts together, although behind time, on Coronavirus. Citizens also seem to be following the advice of public health officials. Could then the Coronavirus policy model be applied to climate change? We urge caution because these crises are different, which means that policies that worked well for Coronavirus might not be effective for climate change.Climate change is the defining crisis of our times. Floods, hurricanes, forest fires, and extreme weather events have become more frequent and severe over the years. Although climate change generates passionate discussions in big cities and university campuses, there is inadequate public call for immediate action. Some types of decarbonization policies are certainly in place. However, carbon-intensive lifestyles continue. This policy lethargy (无精打采) and behavioral inertia (惰性) are due to many reasons, including concerted opposition by the fossil fuel industry to deep decarbonization. But there are other reasons as well. Climate change is cumulative and does not have a quick onset. Its effects are not always immediate and visible. Many individuals probably do not see a clear link between their actions and the eventual outcome. This reduces the willingness to alter lifestyles and tolerate personal sacrifices for the collective good.In contrast, Coronavirus is forcing an immediate policy response and behavioral changes. Its causality is clear and its onset quick. Lives are at stake, especially in western countries. The stock markets are tanking, and the economy is heading towards a recession. Politicians recognize that waffling can lead to massive consequences, even in the short-term. Corona-skeptic President Trump has reversed course and declared a national emergency.1. What does the writer think climate protection and public health have in common?A. They can’t be influenced by what people do.B. They only benefit those who contribute to them.C. They usually punish those who do harm to them.D. They offer benefits to everyone whatever people do.2. Which word can take the place of the underlined word “assiduously”?A. Attentively.B. Absolutely.C. Abundantly.D. Alternatively.3. Why are people unwilling to change their carbon-intensive lifestyles?A. Because they think the climate is none of their business.B. Because they think what they do has no effect on the climate.C. Because they can’t see the quick result from what they do to the climate.D. Because they don’t clearly know how their lifestyles influence the climate.4. Which of the following does the author disagree with?A. President Trump had a skeptic attitude to coronavirus at first.B. Compared with climate change, coronavirus has a quick result.C. People are willing to change their lifestyles because of coronavirus.D. Many countries have responded to coronavirus quickly and effectively.BRobots, Not Humans, Are the New Space Explorers “Since the days of Apollo, the greatest adventures in space have been these robots that have gone all over the solar system,” says Emily Lakdawalla, a self-described planetary evangelist①at the Planetary Society.By “these robots,” Lakdawalla means the various robotic probes that have flown past planets, moons and asteroids②— orbiting③some, landing on others.Millions of people around the world have watched with delight as the six-wheeled rovers④have trundled across the Martian surface, snapping pictures and taking selfies.At Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., Matthew Shindell says visitors make a point of coming to the planetary exhibit in a gallery tucked into the west end of the museum.Shindell is the museum’s planetary science curator⑤. A prominent⑥feature of the gallery is a large glass case containing versions⑦of all the rovers that NASA has sent to Mars, from the tiny Sojourner rover that landed in 1997 to the 2,000-pound Curiosity rover that arrived in 2012.“People love to come and see the rovers and really get a sense of what they look like up close and their actual scale,” Shindell says.Mars has a mystique all its own, so perhaps it’s not surprising that people find exploring the red planet enticing. But the New Horizons fly-by of Pluto, the Messengerclose encounter with Mercury, and Juno’s buzzing⑧over Jupiter's poles all have generated great public interest.Elkins-Tanton says she and her team are inviting the public to explore Psyche with them.“We’re going to be sending the images that we get out onto the Internet for everyone in the world to see within a half-hour of our receiving them,”she says. “So everyone in the world is going to see this crazy world at the same time and we can all scratch our heads together.”This idea of sharing the experience of space missions is something NASA has embraced. Lakdawalla says the public has been able to see the passion and commitment of the scientists who work on these robotic explorers.“Now you recognize that robotic exploration is human exploration,” she says. “It's just that the humans are back on Earth and the robots are going where humans can’t currently go.”CIn reaction to the coronavirus pandemic, some schools and education institutions are rushing to move their classes and programs online. It’s not going to go well. It’s already not going well. But in the end, in a year or two maybe, the online education adventure we’re watching may be worth the pain, but not in the way you may imagine.We probably should not look sideways at schools that are trying to keep their programs running by turning to online options. It can easily seem like the best of the bad options. But it started badly. As college Presidents, Boards, Superintendents and others were wrestling with these awful choices, they were flooded with solicitations from profit-seeking companies offering to move them online. It was unseemly — like the fire department calling you in the middle of a house fire to offer assistance, for a reasonable fee.That’s not to say all the companies that sell online education platforms and services are behaving that way. But we can say that many of them viewed this crisis as an outstanding business opportunity. So, just in case any education leaders didn’t know how these companies behaved, more do now. That’s good. It’s a taste that will likely linger. The other thing that’s happening is that, for the schools that are attempting to migrate online, they are learning what that means. Theirteachers and students are too.Conversations are already dripping with regret and shocked awareness of how poor the quality of online education is, how implausible it is to actually make work. On social media, teachers have been surprised by the lack of control, lack of engagement, lack of accountability in virtual classrooms. “Zoom University” has been trending on Twitter. It even has a logo, which is not a compliment.1. What is the real intention for companies to offer online service?A. To make money in the coronavirus pandemic.B. To prepare for the online learning in the future.C. To help students with study in the coronavirus pandemic.D. To help schools move class online in the coronavirus pandemic.2. Which of the following can replace the underlined word “implausible”?A. Irresistible.B. Impossible.C. Irregular.D. Immoral.3. What’s the attitude of the author towards “Zoom University”?A. Optimistic.B. Critical.C. Neutral.D. Indifferent.4. The purpose of this passage is to show that_______.A. the coronavirus influences education very seriouslyB. schools have to offer online education because of the coronavirusC. online education should be cancelled because of its poor qualityD. online education is poor since companies just want to make moneyDWith Cats or Dogs Can ‘Significantly’ Reduce StressCollege is stressful. Students have classes, papers, and exams. But they also often have work, bills to pay, and so many other pressures common in modern life.Many universities have instituted “Pet Your Stress Away” programs, where students can come in and interact with cats and/or dogs to help alleviate①some of the strain.Scientists at Washington State University have recently demonstrated that, in addition to improving students’ moods, these programs can actually get “under the skin” and have stress-relieving physiological benefits.“Just 10 minutes can have a significant impact,” said Patricia Pendry, an associate professorin WSU’s Department of Human Development. “Students in our study that interacted with cats and dogs had a significant reduction in cortisol②, a major stress hormone.”Pendry published these findings with WSU graduate student Jaymie Vandagriff last month in AERA Open, an open access journal published by the American Educational Research Association.This is the first study that has demonstrated reductions in students’ cortisol levels during a real‑life intervention rather than in a laboratory setting.The study involved 249 college students randomly③divided into four groups. The first group received hands on interaction in small groups with cats and dogs for 10 minutes. They could pet, play with, and generally hang out with the animals as they wanted.To compare effects of different exposures to animals, the second group observed other people petting animals while they waited in line for their turn. The third group watched a slide-show of the same animals available during the intervention④, while the fourth group was “waitlisted”. Those students waited for their turn quietly for 10 minutes without their phones, reading materials, or other stimuli, but were told they would experience animal interaction soon.Several salivary cortisol samples were collected from each participant, starting in the morning when they woke up. Once all the data was crunched⑤from the various samples, the students who interacted directly with the pets showed significantly less cortisol in their saliva⑥after the interaction. These results were found even while considering that some students may have had very high or low levels to begin with.“We already knew that students enjoy interacting with animals, and that it helps them experience more positive emotions,” Pendry said. “What we wanted to learn was whether this exposure would help students reduce their stress in a less subjective way. And it did, which is exciting because the reduction of stress hormones may, over time, have significant benefits for physical and mental health.”Now Pendry and her team are continuing this work by examining the impact of a four-week-long animal-assisted stress prevention program. Preliminary results are very positive, with a followup study showing that the findings of the recently published work hold up. They hope to publish the final results of that work in the near future.EThese days many workers feel pushed, filed, indexed and numbered. When they apply for a job, they may be assessed by artificial intelligence, which parses resumes for key words without which an applicant’s odds of an interview lengthen. Based on works like “Evidence-Based Recruiting” by Atta Tarki, who claims that scores in general-mental-ability tests have a strong 65% correlation with job performance, firms may ask candidates to take an intelligence test.When they get a job, employees find the indexing and numbering continues. Workers at warehouses have to pick a certain number of items per hour; those at call-centers are assessed by software that monitors their hourly number of calls, and the amount of time spent on each one. Fall behind the target and you may feel unable to take a break. When their task is completed, employees are often rated again, this time by the customers.Manufacturing workers have long faced these kind of numerical targets, as well as the need to clock in and out of work. The big change is that similar metrics and rating systems are spreading to more and more parts of the economy. Academics get rated by students; nurses may be judged on a “behaviorally anchored rating scale” which assesses how much empathy they showed to patients.Ratings are at the heart of the gig economy, where workers are connected with employers and customers via the internet. Just as TripAdvisor ratings allow holidaymakers to assess hotels, Uber drivers get a score out of five.Such systems are understandable in parts of the economy where output is difficult to measure precisely. But they can be arbitrary. People might give an Uber driver a poor rating because they are in a bad mood or because they encountered unexpected traffic disruption.Gianpiero Petriglieri of the INSEAD business school says that, since firms no longer offer jobs for life, everyone is an independent worker whether they like it or not. The key passage in your CV may not be the universities you attended, but your rating in categories like teamwork, innovation and adaptability.1. Why are employees asked to have a test?A. Its result has relation with their working performance.B. Boss wants to get an understanding of their personality further.C. Its result shows if they can bear the pressure of assessment.D. It is a part of recruiting process.2. Which industry uses the numerical rating system earlier than other industries?A. Service industry.B. Education industry.C. Manufacture industry.D. Agriculture industry.3. What does Gianpiero Petriglieri mean in the last paragraph?A. Employees are interrelated since they work in the same company.B. People should focus on their education background in the resumes.C. Rating system might be misused in some occasions.D. Your performance in rating system should be highlighted.4. Where is this article mostly likely from?A. A newspaper.B. A novel.C. A science fiction.D. A research paper.A【答案】1-4 DACD【解析】本文是说明文。
高三复习课M11U3-U4基础练习课前作业和答案(基础版)
请各位高三同学在明天听课前务必完成以下课时限时训练，否则无法听课。
课上将进行限时作业中重点问题的讲评。
高三复习课M11U3-U4基础练习一、单项选择1．He_______his position as the manager of the department because he was offered a better job.A．regained B．repeated C．represented D．Resigned 2．The bus that_______outside the inn would soon take the visitors downtown. A．pulled out B．pulled up C．pulled through D．pulled off3.In many countries,it is compulsory that every student in high school school uniforms on weekdays.A.wearB.wearsC.woreD.must wear4.This essay is so short that it can only________the surface of the topic.A.searchB.scratchC.spreadD.scatter5.Once our chickens started laying eggs,we had such a________of eggs that we were giving many away to our neighbors.A.outputB.surplusC.productionD.plenty6.It still remains a mystery why some people are________to certain flower fragrance while others are not.A.allergicB.accustomedC.addictedD.attractive7.Those children who study abroad will________an opportunity to experience a totally different culture.A.be blessed withB.be employed inC.be burdened withD.be thirsty for8.--Tony,you look a little worried.What’s up?---I if you could help me with my financial problems,Jack.A.had wonderedB.was wonderingC.will wonderD.have wondered9.The ambassador’s job is to the national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to the lifelong development of young people.A．sharpen B．shrink C．shave D．Shuttle10．With the electric map in the car the exact position，the driver can drive in the right direction of the destination.A．fixing；showing B．fixed；shownC．fixed；showing D．fixing；shown二．阅读理解AHerbie Ricketts，52，lives in Thornton Heath，south London，and works as an electrician.He has been a listening volunteer with the Samaritans for16years.Each caller is as individual as their circumstances and I didn't realize so many people take their own lives until I became a Samaritan.And only then did the true nature of the work I was doing hit home.I'll always remember my first day on duty.The caller，stressed and depressed，told me he was suicidal(想自杀的)．He'd been too frightened to talk to the people around him，which is common.People are told they've got nothing to be upset about.Or，if they are already classified as having mental health issues，so they tell no one.How do you make sense of your feelings if you can't tell someone?Just allowing people to say what they honestly feel helps them find a different perspective.I couldn't offer him practical advice but I could support him emotionally.I helped him come to terms with his situation and make sense of some of the terrible emotions he was experiencing.Offering anonymity(匿名)and being nonjudgmental(无偏见的)allows people easily hurt to explore their thoughts without fear or worry.I left him in an emotionally safe place，ensuring he knew I wasn't rejecting or abandoning him.I let him know we were still there if he needed us，explaining that it might not be me on the other end of the phone but another Samaritan who could also support.Suicidal people will ring with issues like drug use or loneliness.If you look at it from the perspective of，“How can I solve this?”you can become，like them，at a loss.Every cell in your body wants to offer solutions，but as a Samaritan I'm not there to sort their problems out.I listen and will support them when they can't see any further than tomorrow.When the phone goes silent，we stay with that caller as long aswe possibly can，which could be two or three hours.The shifts are up to four hours long.When it doesn't go so well，I offload to my colleague，so I don't carry home a heavy heart.Being a Samaritan has greatly improved my life.I'm calmer and become a supportive listener，which has also improved my relationships.But being a wonderful Samaritan doesn't make you a wonderful parent or wonderful partner—I wish it did.1．What does the underlined sentence in the passage probably mean?A．Those who called in had their unique nature.B．I got to realize the value of being a Samaritan.C．It was common that many people committed suicide.D．I was determined to be a Samaritan at home.2．Some people choose not to tell others about their feelings mainly because they．A．actually have nothing to worry aboutB．are too shy to expose themselves to othersC．suffer from serious mental health problemsD．find no supportive listeners around them3．Samaritans usually help callers by．A．sorting out their problemsB．providing practical advice for themC．offering them emotional supportD．asking questions such as“How can I solve this?”BMrs.Thompson stood in front of her5th grade class on the very first day of school.She told the children a lie.Like most teachers，she said that she loved them all the same.But that was impossible because there in the front row，slumped in his seat，was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.Mrs.Thompson noticed that he didn't play well with the other children，that his clothes were messy and that he needed a bath.It got to the point where Mrs.Thompson would actually take delight in making his papers with a red pen，making bold Xs and then putting a“F”at the top of his papers.Mrs.Thompson was required to receive each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last.However，when she received his file，she was surprised.Teddy's first and second grade teachers both wrote，“Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh.He has good manners...he is a joy to be around.”While his third grade teacher wrote“His mother's death has been hard on him but tried to do his best.”Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote，“Teddy is withdrawn，sometimes sleeps in class and doesn't show much interest in school...”By now，Mrs.Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself.By Christmas，Mrs.Thompson got presents wrapped in beautiful paper，except for Teddy's.His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy，brown paper.Some children even laughed when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some stones missing，and a bottle with one-quarter full of perfume.But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was，putting it on，and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.Teddy stayed after school that day and said，“Mrs.Thompson，today you smelled just like my mom used to.”After the children left，she cried.On the very day，she quit teaching reading，and writing，and arithmetic.Instead she began to teach children.Mrs.Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy.By the end of the year，Teddy had become the best in the class.A year later，she found a note from Teddy，telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.Six years later she got another note from Teddy saying that he had finished high school.Four years later，she got another letter，saying that he would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors.Then four more years another letter came.The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had.But now his name was a little longer—the letter was signed，Theodore F．Stoddard，MD.There was yet another letter that spring.Teddy said he'd met his girl and was going to be married.He was wondering if Mrs.Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom.At the wedding ceremony，Dr.Stoddard whispered in Mrs.Thompson's ear，“Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.”Mrs.Thompson，tears in her eyes，whispered back.She said，“Teddy，you have it allwrong.You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference.I didn't know how to teach until I met you.”4．Mrs.Thompson was surprised when she receivedTeddy's file because________．A．she found his former teachers did not treat him wellB．Teddy had a loving family and a caring fatherC．Teddy had changed greatly from a naughty boyD．she realized the real problem behind Teddy5．The underlined word“stifled”in Paragraph3probably means“________”．A．fight B．model C．stop D．praise6．The last sentence of the passage“I didn't know how to teach until I met you.”probably means________．A．from Teddy's story，Mrs.Thompson learns how to truly care about students B．Mrs.Thompson finally learns how to teach reading，writing and arithmetic C．Teddy has been one of the best students that Mrs.Thompson has ever taught D．teachers should treat all the children equally and love them all the same 三．任务型阅读请认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
新高考高一英语时文阅读精练(含答案解析)
新高考高一英语时文阅读精练（含答案解析）AAs more and more forest is cleared around the world, scientists fear that the next deadly pandemic(流行病) could emerge from what lives within them.In 1997, clouds of smoke hung over the rainforests of Indonesia as an area roughly the size of Pennsylvania was burned to make way for agriculture, making the fires worse by drought. Owing to the haze, the trees couldn’t produce fruit, leaving resident fruit bats with no other option than to fly elsewhere in search of food, carrying with them a deadly disease.Not long after the bats settled on trees in Malaysian orchards, pigs around them started to fall sick—probably after eating fallen fruit the bats had already eaten—as did local pig farmers. By 1999, 265 people had developed a severe brain inflammation, and 105 had died. It was the first known appearance of Nipah virus in people, which has since caused a string of recurrent(反复的) outbreaks across Southeast Asia.Over the past two decades, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that deforestation creates the conditions for a range of deadly pathogens(病原体)—such as Nipah and Lassa viruses—to spread to people.As widespread burning continues today in tropical forests in the Amazon, and some parts of Africa and Southeast Asia, experts have expressed concern about the health of people living at the border of deforestation. They’re also afraid that the next serious pandemic could emerge from our world’s forests.“It’s pretty well established that deforestation can be a strong driver of infectious disease,” says Andy MacDonald, a disease ecologist at the Earth Research Institute of the University of California, Santa Barbara. “The more we lower and clear forest habitats, the more likely it is that we’re going to find ourselves in these situations where pandemics of infectious diseases occur.”1.The Indonesians burned the rainforests in order for ______.A.firewoodB. catching batsC. planting fruit treesD. farm land2.Which is the right order of affected creatures?A.bats→ pigs → peopleB.pigs→ bats → pig farmersC.people→ bats → pigsD.pig farmers → pigs → bats3.What does the underlined word “deforestation” in Paragraph Four mean?.A.湿地B. 毁林C. 果园D. 养猪场4.Why do experts worry about the people around the ruined forests?A.Because some sick people live in the ruined forests.B.Because the ruined forests may have pathogens.C.Because there are too many bats there.D.Because the ruined forests are dirty.【答案】1~4 DABB【解析】本文为一篇说明文，说明了森林的破坏会导致致命的疾病，呼吁大家珍惜森林。
高三英语时文阅读课件(基础版)
高三英语名师课程
Customers shop in a Costco warehouse store in Minhang District, Shanghai, September 19, 2019. The epidemic will weaken consumer demand overall, at least in the short term. /Xinhua
• 在美国，投资者越来越担心一些因素，包括一些人所说的政府反 应不均，对该国的病例数量感到困惑，担心病毒感染或政府对运 动施加限制会打击消费者支出和损害经济。
高三英语名师课程
❻Whatever happens, we seem to be in for a slog.
• 无论发生什么事，我们似乎都在苦苦挣扎。 • 首尾呼应
• mount: V-I If something mounts, it increases in quantity. 增加
• could have (done):本来能做成的（却没做成）
• doorstep门阶
• If a place is on your doorstep, it is very near to where you live. If something happens on your doorstep, it happens very close to where you live. 在住所附近
高三英语名师课程
• Part1 (Para._____): • ______________ • Part2 (Para._____): • ______________ • Part3 (Para._____): • ______________ • Part4 (Para._____): • ______________
新高考高一英语时文阅读专练(含答案解析)
新高考高一英语时文阅读专练（含答案解析）AIn a new report, infectious disease expert Jeffrey Shaman believes there were at least half a dozen stealth coronavirus cases to every one diagnosis at the start of the epidemic.The explosive spread of coronavirus was likely caused by ‘stealth transmissions’— undiagnosed people with mild symptoms unwittingly spreading the disease, a new study claims. Infectious-disease expert Jeffrey Shaman believes the actual number of contaminated worldwide is far greater than reports, estimating a million people may have been infected.The environmental health sciences professor at Columbia University who co-wrote the study published on Monday said social distancing is a must in order to combat seemingly healthy people spreading the virus. Despite only being half as infectious as the documented infections, these stealth cases resulted in at least two-thirds of documented infections, Professor Shaman and his colleagues said. Prof Shaman said this flip in the ratios meant about 60 percent of carriers were confirmed — but fast forward to now and new daily cases have significantly dropped from thousands to tens. The study says a “radical increase in the identification and isolation of currently undocumented infections would be needed to fully control” the novel coronavirus.People in the UK, meanwhile, have been told to avoid pubs, clubs and restaurants and work from home wherever it's possible to slow the spread of coronavirus which has now claimed 55 lives in the UK. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said at a press conference yesterday urged everyone to “stop non-essential contact and to stop all non-essential travel”. The PM said London appeared to be “a few weeks ahead” of other areas and urged people in the capital to pay special attention to the measures — including home working — suggested by the Government. The UK death toll yesterday rose to 35 while there have now been 1,543 cases. Health Secretary Matt Hancock yesterday said that over-70s could be asked to self-isolate for four months.Across the world more than 6,000 people have now died from the disease.1. How many people at least potentially got infected when one was diagnosed, according to Jeffrey Shaman?A. Twelve.B. Six.C. Seven.D. Ten.2. What’s the best way to prevent the spreading from undiagnosed people with mild symptoms?A. Wearing medical masks.B. Not going to work.C. Keeping a social distance.D. Sending these people to hospital.3. How does Professor Shaman consider the current control of the novel coronavirus?A. Cheerful.B. Uncertain.C. Depressing.D. Impossible.4. Which of the following is NOT the advice of UK government?A. To work at home instead.B. Not to go out for any dinner.C. To cancel unnecessary travel.D. To self-isolate for the aged.BSmart Cane Helps Identify the Blinds’ SurroundingsThis electronic walking stick is revolutionizing the way that blind people can navigate① the world.As a means of protecting people from low-hanging objects and obstacles above chest level, the WeWalk smart cane uses ultrasonic sensors to warn the user of nearby hindrances through vibrations② in the handle.The cane can be paired with a smartphone’s Bluetooth system for easy control. Since it is also integrated③ with V oice Assistant and Google Maps software, it can use built-in speakers to inform the user of nearby stores and infrastructural details that they may not be able to see.WeWalk CEO and co-founder Kursat Ceylan, who is also blind, told CNN that he helped to develop the cane out of a desire to use modern technology as a tool for the visually impaired.“In these days we are talking about flying cars, but these people have been using just a plain stick,” he told the news outlet.“As a blind person, when I am at the Metro station I don’t know which is my exit … I don’t know which bus is approaching …which stores are around me. That kind of information can be provided with the WeWalk.”The WeWalk is currently being sold for $500 a pop. As the Turkish tech startup gains more traction, the developers hope to eventually pair it with ridesharing apps and transportation services to further improve its navigational abilities.CThe rush to board the 17.46 from London Euston to Crewe begins the moment the platform is announced. The train’s eight carriages, in theory, each carry 70 passengers. But the London-Crewe line is Britain’s busiest rail service. It leaves Euston carrying, on average, more than twice as many passengers as it has capacity for. Sitting on the floor, Becky, a local government worker laments that, “It’s like this every day. I get a seat maybe once a week. And I pay five grand for this season ticket.”At peak times 19% of London rail users are forced to stand. The problems stretch across Britain: 17% are seatless at peak times in Birmingham and 15% in Leeds. With a poor punctuality performance by international standards and a high cancellation rate, commuting by rail in Britain is often a miserable experience. The government is now set to try to relieve some of the suffering with a major expansion of Britain’s rail network and a reorganization of the sector. More government money looks set to be coupled with more government direction.After the Victorian boom, the railways went into a long decline. Traffic fell for half a century after the Second World War. But over the past 25 years they have more than doubled: there were 1.8bn rail journeys in 2018-19, more than at any time since the early 1920s. But while in 1963 Britain had 17,500 miles of track, it now has under 10,000 miles.That is the root cause of much of the commuter woe. According to the Railway Industry Association track utilization is 60% higher in Britain than the EU average. According to Network Rail, the publicly owned manager of the track, around 70% of delays are the knock-on effects of congestion. The shrinkage of Britain’s network has also forced operators to run freight, intercity and commuter trains on the same stretches of track. The need to accommodate slower running stopping trains reduces the number of higher speed trains which can run on the same length of track.1. What does the example of Becky aim to tell us in Paragraph 1?A. The train has limited capacity.B. The ticket price is high.C. Standing on the train is uncomfortable.D. Train service should be improved.2. Which of following is NOT the reason why people suffer from commuting by railway?A. The trains are always late.B. Trains always get canceled.C. The capacity of train is small.D. Train arrangement is poor.3. What is the main reason behind poor punctuality?A. Shortage of track.B. Traffic jam.C. Too many passengers.D. Poor coordination.4. What is this passage mainly talking about?A. New railway expansion in Britain.B. Railway development in Britain.C. Problems of railway in Britain.D. Political measures taken by Britain.DPeace and Happiness Found in CleaningIn a recent survey of 2000 Americans, housecleaning was shown to have some mood-boosting effects—but that doesn’t mean everybody does it willingly.The majority of respondents said cleaning gave them a sense of accomplishment①(65%) and helped them clear their mind (63%).Half of these adults said they are most often motivated to clean when they’re happy. In fact, 63% of those surveyed find the experience of cleaning to be relaxing—even more so than getting fresh air (61%).But that’s not the only reason people clean.A whopping 70% admitted that tidying their home was a way of putting off having to do other things, with the average procrastinator②using that trick four times a week.The survey showed that 86% of respondents do feel on top of their chores, but the last deep clean of their kitchen happened over a week and a half ago. That’s no surprise because the kitchen is most dreaded of all.Conducted by OnePoll on behalf of DishFish, makers of multipurpose sponges and non-scratch scrubbers, the survey honed in③on people’s attitudes toward dirty dishes and how they get through the cringe④-worthy task.More than two-thirds of people (69%) let their dishes pile up between washings with 20%saying “always” letting them stack up in the sink, which left them feeling stressed.More than any other room, the kitchen was rated as “very difficult” to tackle. And most people enjoy scrubbing their toilet or taking out the garbage more than washing dishes by hand.How do they get through it? 66% listen to music while they clean.72% have a go-to song that they blast while tidying up their home, with “Uptown Funk,” “Read All About It” and “Work” being the three favorite tunes on America’s cleaning playlist.EA powerful and deadly storm moving through Middle Tennessee caused a tornado (龙卷风) that touched down in Nashville early Tuesday morning, cutting a swath of destruction that stretched through the city for miles.The storm destroyed parts of several neighborhoods and business districts in the central part of Nashville before moving into the city's eastern suburbs and beyond. Tornadoes impacted several counties in West and Middle Tennessee. In Putnam County, located more than 50 miles east of Nashville, 77 people were still missing, Putnam County leaders said at a Tuesday night press briefing. It's unclear how many of the missing people could be injured; many disasters have missing persons who eventually turn up unharmed. More than 30 people have been treated for storm-related injuries at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, hospital officials said Tuesday morning. Most appear to have been hurt by flying objects. Three people were killed in the Mt. Juliet suburb of Nashville. One couple in their 80s were killed at their home. James and Donna Eaton, 84 and 81, respectively, were identified by police about 5 p.m. Tuesday. Sheriff Kenny Christopher told The Tennessean that a couple living in a mobile home north east of Camden, were thrown into their yard where trees were blown down. Children were reported to be among the dead in Putnam County.Tuesday was the USA’s deadliest day for tornadoes since March 2, 2012. Sirens and cellphone alerts sounded, but the tornado that struck in the hours after midnight moved so quickly that many people in their path could not flee to safer areas. Some of the victims were killed in their beds. “It hit so fast, a lot of people didn't have time to take shelter,” Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter said. “Many of these people were sleeping.”The storm left “piles of rubble and the damage of buildings and neighborhoods,” Lee said Tuesday night. At least 140 buildings were destroyed by the storm, which left more than 50,000people without power Tuesday night. Roads, bridges and utilities were also damaged.1.Which one is NOT mentioned about tornadoes according to the passage?A.Areas of severe damage.B.Victims of the tornado.C.Causes of mass deaths.D.Statistics of property loss.2.What do we learn from the second paragraph?A.There is no child injured.B.All the missing people are alive.C.The number of injuries is uncertain.D.The elderly are the biggest victims.3.The last paragraph of the article intends to tell us that .A.tornadoes brings great damageB.people will live without powerC.it will take some time to rebuildD.the homeless should be given a hand4. Where would this passage most probably come from?A. A storybook.B. A newspaper.C. A guidebook.D. A report.A【答案】1-4 BCAB【解析】本文是一篇说明文，描述了英国新冠肺炎的现状，同时也把政府已经和即将采取的措施公布于众。
新高考高三英语时文阅读精练(含答案解析)
新高考高三英语时文阅读精练（含答案解析）AMumbai’s chefs were quick to spot the latest threat facing India’s economy. As they searched for ingredients in Crawford market, where vendors sell fruit, vegetables and other kitchen staples, they began hearing prices quoted not per kilogram, but per quarter-kilo—a way attempting to mask price increases. Returning from a recent shopping activity, one chef checked off the items rising sharply in price: tomatoes, cabbages, fish, spices—almost every ingredient, in fact, in the Indian cookbook.The vendors had some plausible excuses. The weather has been changeable, and delivery systems unreliable. But although an increase in inflation(通货膨胀) was widely foreseen, the severity of it was not. Consumer prices rose by over 7.3% in December, compared with a year earlier, the biggest jump since July 2014.Various difficulties will complicate the government’s efforts to fight an economic slowdown. India’s GDP grew by only 4.5% in the third quarter compared with a year earlier. That figure would have been as low as 3.1% were it not for a hurried government-spending activity. But any increase in demand could prompt an offsetting response from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the central bank. It may choose to extended stagnation(停滞) so as to avoid the uglier scenery of stagflation(滞胀).Stagflation usually begins with a setback to supply, such as India’s unseasonal rains. These misfortunes both lower output and lift costs. But once prices have increased sufficiently to reflect the short supply, they should in principle stop rising. Some economists expect inflation to begin falling as soon as February. After all, core inflation, which excludes food and fuel prices, remains below 4%.The problem is that before inflation disappears, Indians may start believing it will stay, making it more likely to persist. The RBI’s inflation-targeting framework, which was adopted in 2015, was supposed to fight this tendency. But the framework has “yet to be fully tested”, according to a recent lecture by Raghuram, the former RBI governor who introduced it.1. What is the main purpose of Paragraph 1?A. To give advice on how to buy cheap ingredients.B. To make an explanation for price increases.C. To lead to the topic by presenting an example.D. To emphasize the hard life of Indian chefs.2. What’s the possible GDP growth rate of India without the government spending?A. 4.5%.B. 7.3%.C. 3.1%.D. 4%.3. Which of the following is NOT true about inflation-targeting framework?A. This framework was believed to control the inflation.B. This framework has been tested to be effective.C. This framework was introduced by the former RBI governor.D. This framework was adopted in 2015.B‘Leaving Emotional Baggage at the Door’ Has Totally Changed ClassroomThis Oklahoma teacher is being praised for teaching her students a powerful emotional lesson that they will not soon forget.Karen Loewe has been teaching seventh and eighth grade students for 22 years, but her most recent day in class was apparently the most impactful day of her educational career. She decided to try a new exercise in empathy①with her students. Upon establishing that her classroom was a safe space for expression and respect, she asked what emotional baggage meant to her students. She then asked them to write about some emotional baggage of their own—and since they were not required to put their names on the paper, they could describe their issues as freely as they wanted without being identified called “The Baggage Activity”.The youngsters were then asked to take turns reading what their classmates wrote, and all of them were given the opportunity to identify themselves as the person responsible for the writing.“I’m here to tell you, I have never been so moved to tears as what these kids opened up and about and shared with the class,” Loewe wrote in a Facebook post. “Things like suicide, parents in prison, and on and on. “The kids who read the papers would cry because what they were reading was tough. The person who shared would cry sometimes too. It was an emotionally draining②day, but I firmly believe my kids will judge a little less, love a little more, and forgive a little faster.”Since writing about her exercise on social media, her post has been shared more than 500,000 times; teachers from all over the world have reached out to her about implementing③similaractivities in their own classrooms; and her students have apparently been “so much more respectful” of each other.“They don’t interrupt or talk down to each other,” she told TODAY. “They’re not rude. It’s completely, completely changed how they treat each other … I wish I would have done this years ago. It’s been so good.”Furthermore, Loewe made sure to keep all the paper confessions④in a plastic bag so that her students won’t soon forget their exercise in empathy. “This bag hangs by my door to remind them that we all have baggage,” Loewe concluded in her Facebook post. “We will leave it at the door. As they left, I told them they are not alone, they are loved, and we have each other’s back.”CBetween 1950 and 2000, GDP per person in America grew at an average annual rate of 2.3%. In 2000-2019 that pace fell by roughly half. Often this slowdown—also seen in other rich countries—is taken as a sign that economic policy has failed, and that policymakers must inject stimulus or somehow restore capitalism’s lost dynamism. But for Dietrich Vollrath, low growth is reason for cheer. He argues that America’s growth has slowed because so much in the economy has gone so well.A big chunk of America’s economic advance in the 20th century was driven by improvements in “human capital”, the size and the skills of the workforce. In 1910 only a tenth of Americans completed high school; by the 1970s four-fifths were graduating. Many more now go on to college.A baby boom after 1945 increased the workforce; women piled into paid work in the 1970s and 1980s. All this added nearly a percentage point to annual per-capita GDP growth from 1950-2000. Since then, however, human capital has shrunk, reducing growth by 0.2 percentage points a year. It is the chief reason behind the slowdown.Human capital started shrinking, Mr. V ollrath shows, for two main reasons. First, more people retired as the population aged. Second, the average level of education stopped rising quickly. Younger Americans entering the workforce are still more educated on average.These trends, he argues, are both linked to something good: women are choosing to have fewer children. That in turn reflects the fact that they are richer and have more control over their fertility.Neither physical nor human capital explains the rest of the growth slowdown. It comes fromwhat economists call “total factor productivity” (TFP). Slowing TFP growth is often taken as a sign that technological progress has dried up. Mr. V ollrath suggests another cause: economic activity has shifted towards service industries, where productivity gains are harder to achieve.1. For V ollrath, what does the low growth of GDP per person mean?A. Economy may have developed well.B. Policies made by the country may be ineffective.C. Policies should be made to stimulate the economy.D. Policymakers should restore the economic dynamism.2. Which of the following can NOT explain the growth of “human capital” in the 20th century?A. An increasing number of people finished their education.B. There were more workers in the labor market.C. Lots of women got a job and earned money.D. More people retired as they got old.3. What can we know from the last paragraph?A. TFP is the main reason of economic growth slowdown.B. Usually slowing TFP growth means slower technological progress.C. Productivity gains of service industries shouldn’t be counted in TFP.D. People aren’t willing to spend more money on service.4. What would the author probably discuss in the paragraph that follows?A. The reasons for technological progress.B. The influences of fewer workers.C. The effects of service industries.D. The advantages of human capital.DWhat Is Involved in Ending a Tenancy①?When a landlord decides to enter into a lease agreement with a tenant, the agreement is generally reduced to writing to protect both the landlord and the tenant②. As a rule, the terms of the lease agreement will dictate what is involved in ending a tenancy. If there is no agreement in writing, or there is a dispute, then the laws of jurisdiction where the property is located will decide what is involved in ending a tenancy. As a rule, notice of the intent to vacate or terminate the tenancy, returning the property to its original condition, and a return of the deposit are all part of ending a tenancy. Of course, if the tenancy is not being terminated by mutual agreement, then alegal eviction③process is necessary to end a tenancy.Most lease agreements have a specific beginning and ending date. What many tenants do not realize, however, is that, despite the fact that the lease has a specific ending date, notice must still be given to the landlord when ending a tenancy in many cases. The reason for this is that, under the laws of many jurisdictions, a lease become a periodic④tenancy upon the expiration of the original terms, meaning it becomes a month-to-month lease after the lease term expires. This actually protects the tenant in the event that he or she wishes to stay beyond the expiration of the lease in the sense that he or she is not required to vacate the property at the end of the lease absent notice from the landlord.If the tenant does plan to vacate the property, then proper notice must be given. Most lease agreements specify how much notice is required; however, a common notice requirement is 30 days. The notice should be given in writing and sent certified or registered mail to the landlord. If the landlord wishes to end the lease, then he or she must also give the same notice to the tenants.If the tenancy is not ending by mutual agreement, then the landlord must file the proper documents to begin an eviction procedure. The exact procedures for evicting a tenant will vary, but generally include filing in a small claims court and notifying the tenants of the proceedings. In many cases, the landlord must give the tenants an opportunity to cure, or fix, the reason for the eviction before a judge will order the eviction.ESchool pupils have been sent home after going on ski trips to Northern Italy and holidaymakers are among 1,000 people trapped inside a Tenerife hotel after a guest fell ill with the disease.England’s health boss, Chris Whitty, said: “You need to look at school closures, reducing transport.” Health bosses admitted on Tuesday they are considering advice to isolate entire families at home if one member feels unwell. At least 10 schools sent pupils and staff home who had spent half-term on ski trips in Northern Italy. Currently 50,000 people are in lockdown there as 229 people tested positive.The Foreign Office has advised against all but essential travel to the 10 small towns in Lombardy and one in Veneto, that are in isolation. A briefing in Central London heard plans may be revealed next week on what would happen if coronavirus becomes a pandemic and the currentcontainment strategy is abandoned. This could mean tens of thousands of people off work, including medics already struggling to operate within the overstretched NHS. Government advice is currently that school closures are not necessary.Despite this Cransley School and Brine Leas Academy in Northwich, Cheshire, are among those to shut their doors, after some students developed flu-like symptoms. All pupils at Penair School in Truro, Cornwall, were sent home and Salendine Nook High School in Huddersfield, West Yorks, sent 19 pupils and four staff members home.Hall Cross Academy in Doncaster, South Yorks, told all staff and students on trips to self-isolate for 14 days as did Sandbach High School in Cheshire. Cardinal Heenan High School in Liverpool sent home pupils and staff who had been to Italy.In the Canary Islands, a British mum said her family’s stay at the four-star H10 Costa Adeje Palace in South West Tenerife was a “holiday from hell”. Around 1,000 residents had a letter posted under their door saying the hotel is “closed down” and they must remain in their rooms until further notice. Police are standing guard outside the hotel and entrances and exits have been taped off to prevent guests from leaving.1.Why are some holidaymakers trapped inside a Tenerife hotel?A. Because all of them have felt ill.B. Because some guests have got ill.C. Because one of the guests has got an illness.D. Because some of them are tested positive.2. What may happen when one member of a family feels ill?A. He/she may be separated from the entire family.B. He/she may be sent to hospital.C. The whole family may be separated from the others.D. All the members may be sent to hospital.3. From the third paragraph, what will the government reveal next week?A. Whether they will keep the current containment strategy.B. Whether all the schools will be closed.C. Whether the residents in the hotels can go home.D. Whether the coronavirus will become a pandemic.4. What does the passage mainly talk about?A. In the Canary Islands ,residents were trapped in the hotels.B. Some of British schools have been closed as the global coronavirus outbreak grows.C. A lot of British people have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus.D. Brits have been caught in trouble as the global coronavirus outbreak grows.A【答案】1～3 CCB【解析】本文是一篇说明文，说明印度国内的通货膨胀问题。
新高考英语时文阅读高三专版(含答案解析及全文翻译)
新高考英语时文阅读高三专版〔含答案解析及全文翻译〕AThe life of FM -2030， a transhumanist 〔超人文主义者〕 who believed humans will be able to end natural death in the future using technology， is explored in a new documentary。
The film，titled ‘ 2030 ’ ， was released late last month and is available across multiple streaming platforms。
It was made by British filmmaker Johnny Boston who interviewed a range of FM-2030’ s acquaintances and scientific experts。
Transhumanists believe humans can and should use emerging future technology to greatly enhance their natural abilities。
These technologies could include robotics， AI， gene therapy preventing the ageing process。
This could radically change what it means to be a member of our species。
FM-2030 was born in Brussels in 1930 named Fereidoun M。
Esfandiary。
The son of an Iranian diplomat， he later changed his legal name to mark his belief that by 2030 we will be ageless and everyone will have an excellent chance to live forever。
时文阅读与练习(含答案)--2023届高考英语复习备考
时文阅读：太阳能树太阳能树是一种将太阳能技术与树状相结合的功能性发电机。
它是一种可扩展的产品，应用范围广泛，不仅可以产生足够的能量为单个家庭或整个社区供电，还可以用于商业停车场为电动汽车充电。
太阳能树是太阳能发电系统或其他清洁能源的补充，让我们一起来了解一下吧。
阅读短文并回答问题A solar tree is a structure resembling a tree that generates solar energy using photovoltaic panels（太阳能光伏板）. It helps solve an urgent global challenge: Replacing greenhouse gas-emitting energy sources like oil and gas with renewable energy. But the power generation potential of solar trees is relatively limited, and their primary purpose is to raise public awareness about renewable energy by getting people to notice and interact（互动）with solar energy in new ways.Solar trees generally have a firm metal, plastic, or stone base that extends up and out into “branches” on which solar panels are mounted. Beyond this basic structure, there is great diversity in the design of solar tree units. The solar tree’s photovoltaic “leaves”absorb sunlight, converting it into electricity that is conducted down through the trunk-like central pillar of the structure to an inside battery. Many designs feature rotating（旋转的）panels that can move throughout the day in order to obtain the greatest amount of sunlight.Solar trees help power homes, businesses, and public services. They can create shade to help reduce the urban heat island effect and provide shelter in severe weather such as rainstorms and heatwaves, creating greater urban resilience in the face of climate change. They also enhance public spaces, providing charging stations, and powering streetlights.In comparison to other kinds of ground-mounted solar panel devices, solar trees don’t require much land. They make solar energy generation possible in land-scarce areasthat can’t support vast solar arrays, as well as places that lack sufficient rooftop space for panels. However, solar panels are much cheaper than solar trees at present and have far greater energy generation capacity. Therefore, present solar tree designs often serve as a supplemental source rather than as a primary energy source.At present, solar trees aren’t designed as large-scale solar projects, which limits their ability to contribute to the low-carbon energy transition. Still, their varied designs are appealing. This makes solar trees effective at displaying and thereby educating people about solar energy, and promoting a business or organization’s commitment to renewable energy.1. What is the main purpose of building solar trees?A. To beautify the urban environment.B. To draw public attention to solar energy.C. To replace non-renewable energy resources.D. To provide charging services in emergencies.2. What do we know about a solar tree?A. It stores energy in its own battery.B. It can adjust its height automatically.C. It is made of environmentally friendly materials.D. It transforms sunlight into electricity by its metal base.3. What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?A. The design features of solar trees.B. The ways of saving energy in cities.C. The benefits of solar trees to humans.D. The difficulties of promoting solar trees.4. What advantage do solar trees have over other ground-mounted solar panel devices?A. They occupy much less land.B. They are cheaper to manufacture.C. They are more effective in generating energy.D. They can work in various weather conditions.答案：BACA生词1. gas-emitting adj. 排放气体的2. pillar n. 柱子，桥墩（尤指兼作装饰的）3. resilience n. 恢复力；适应力4. array n. 阵列语块1. solar energy 太阳能2. renewable energy 再生能源3. solar panels 太阳能板4. throughout the day 整天5. public services 公共服务6. urban heat island effect 城市热岛效应7. severe weather 恶劣天气8. charging stations 充电站9. in comparison to 与……相比10. contribute to 有助于；对……做贡献知识拓展urban heat island effect城市热岛效应是指城市因大量的人工发热、建筑物和道路等高蓄热体及绿地减少等因素，造成城市“高温化”，城市中的气温明显高于外围郊区的现象。
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请各位高三同学在明天听课前务必阅读下列文章，并根据提示完成阅读任务，否则无法听课。
课上将进行时文阅读的相关讲评。
高三时文阅读系列(1)Before-class activities:●背景知识亚马逊热带雨林（葡萄牙语：Amazônia、西班牙语：Amazonia），又称亚马逊河雨林，位于南美洲亚马逊盆地的热带雨林，占地约700万平方公里（7亿公顷）。
雨林横越了包括巴西（占森林60%面积）、哥伦比亚、秘鲁、委内瑞拉、厄瓜多尔、玻利维亚、圭亚那等多个国家，占世界雨林面积的一半，全球森林面积的20%，是全球最大及物种最多的热带雨林，因此，被人们称为“地球之肺”和“绿色心脏”。
●略读文章，掌握文章大意：1.How do you find the title ‘Brazil has the power to save earth’s greatest forest--- or destroy it’?2.Why is it important for humans to protect the forest well?3.What does Brazil’s president prefer---- development or environment?●再读文章，积累好词：1.cradle ___________________________________2.human-induced changes____________________3.soar _____________________________________4.kick in____________________________________5.dismiss ___________________________________6.be flawed _________________________________7.end up doing ______________________________8.be blessed with_____________________________Reading material:Brazil has the power to save Earth’s greatest forest—or destroy it!Print edition | Leaders Aug 3st 2019①ALTHOUGH ITS cradle is the sparsely wooded plain, humankind has long looked to forests for food, fuel, timber(木材) and inspiration. Still a livelihood for 1.5bn people, forests maintain local and regional ecosystems and, for the other 6.2bn, provide a—fragile and creaking—barrier against climate change. Now droughts, wildfires and other human-induced changes are compounding the damage from chainsaws. In the tropics, which contain half of the world’s forest biomass, tree-cover loss has accelerated by two-thirds since 2015; if it were a country, the shrinkage would make the tropical rainforest the world’s third-biggest carbon-dioxide emitter, after China and America.②Nowhere are the stakes higher than in the Amazon basin—and not just because it contains 40% of Earth’s rainforests and harbours 10-15% of the world’s terrestrial species. South America’s naturalwonder may be perilously close to the tipping-point beyond which its gradual transformation into something closer to steppe（没有树的草原）cannot be stopped or reversed, even if people lay down their axes. Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, is hastening the process—in the name, he claims, of development. The ecological collapse his policies may precipitate would be felt most acutely within his country’s borders, which encircle 80% of the basin—but would go far beyond them, too. It must be averted.③Humans have been chipping away at the Amazon rainforest since they settled there well over ten millennia ago. Since the 1970s they have done so on an industrial scale. In the past 50 years Brazil has given up17% of the forest’s original extent, more than the area of France, to road- and dam-building, logging, mining, soybean farming and cattle ranching. After a seven-year government effort to slow the destruction, it picked up in 2013 because of weakened enforcement and an amnesty(特赦) for past deforestation. Recession and political crisis further pared back the government’s ability to enforce the rules. Now Mr Bolsonaro has happily taken a buzz saw to them. Although congress and the courts have blocked some of his efforts to rob parts of the Amazon of their protected status, he has made it clear that rule-breakers have nothing to fear, despite the fact that he was elected to restore law and order. Because 70-80% of logging in the Amazon is illegal, the destruction has soared to record levels. Since he took office in January, trees have been disappearing at a rate of over two Manhattans a week.④The Amazon is unusual in that it recycles much of its own water. As the forest decreases, less recycling takes place. At a certain point, that causes more of the forest to wither so that, over a matter of decades, the process feeds on itself. Climate change is bringing the point closer every year as the forest heats up. Mr Bolsonaro is pushing it towards the edge. Pessimists fear that the cycle of runaway degradation may kick in when another 3-8% of the forest vanishes—which, under Mr Bolsonaro, could happen soon. There are hints the pessimists may be correct. In the past 15 years the Amazon has suffered three severe droughts. Fires are on the rise.⑤Brazil’s president dismisses such findings, as he does science more broadly. He accuses outsiders of hypocrisy—did rich countries not fell their own forests?—and, sometimes, of using environmental dogma as an excuse to keep Brazil poor. “The Amazon is ours,” the president thundered recently. What happens in the Brazilian Amazon, he thinks, is Brazil’s business.⑥Except it isn’t. A “dieback” would directly hurt the seven other countries with which Brazil shares the river basin. It would reduce the moisture channeled along the Andes as far south as Buenos Aires. If Brazil were damming a real river, not choking off an aerial one, downstream nations could consider it an act of war. As the vast Amazonian store of carbon burned and rotted, the world could heat up by as much as 0.1°C by 2100—not a lot, you may think, but the preferred target of the Paris climate agreement allows further warming of only 0.5°C or so.⑦Mr Bolsonaro’s other arguments are also flawed. Yes, the rich world has razed its forests. Brazil should not copy its mistakes, but learn from them instead as, say, France has, by reforesting while it still can. Paranoia about Western scheming is just that. The knowledge economy values the genetic information sequestered in the forest more highly than land or dead trees. Even if it did not, deforestation is not a necessary price of development. Brazil’s output of soybeans and beef rose between 2004 and 2012, when forest-clearing slowed by 80%. In fact, aside from the Amazon itself, Brazilian agriculture may be deforestation’s biggest victim. The drought of 2015 caused maize farmers in the central Brazilian state of Mato Grosso to lose a third of their harvest.⑧For all these reasons, the world ought to make clear to Mr Bolsonaro that it will not tolerate his vandalism（肆意破坏）. Food companies, pressed by consumers, should abandon soybeans and beefproduced on illegally logged Amazonian land, as they did in the mid-2000s. Brazil’s trading partners should make deals contingent on its good behavior. The agreement reached in June by the EU and Mercosur, a South American trading bloc of which Brazil is the biggest member, already includes provisions to protect the rainforest. It is overwhelmingly in the parties’ interest to enforce them. So too for China, which is anxious about global warming and needs Brazilian agriculture to feed its livestock. Rich signatories(签约国) of the Paris agreement, who pledged to pay developing ones to plant carbon-consuming trees, ought to do so. Deforestation accounts for 8% of global greenhouse-gas emissions but attracts only 3% of the aid earmarked for combating climate change.⑨If there is a green shoot in Mr Bolsonaro’s scorched-earth tactics towards the rainforest, it is that they have made the Amazon’s plight harder to ignore—and not just for outsiders. Brazil’s agriculture minister urged Mr Bolsonaro to stay in the Paris agreement. Unchecked deforestation could end up hurting Brazilian farmers if it leads to foreign boycotts of Brazilian farm goods. Ordinary Brazilians should press their president to reverse course. They have been blessed with a unique planetary heritage, whose value is life-sustaining as much as it is commercial. Letting it perish would be a needless catastrophe.While-class activities:Activity 1: Structure analysis （matching）Para 1 current situationPara 2-7 what to do nextPara 8-9 the importance of forestsActivity 2: Reading comprehension1.What does ‘hastening’ mean in paragraph 2?A.holding backB. slowing downC. speeding upD. taking off2.What can we infer from paragraphs 3 and 4?A.The congress of Brazil didn’t try its best to stop the president’s plan.B.It is the recession and political crisis that helped the rainforest get better protected.C.The future of the Amazon is likely to be bright if another president is elected.D.The Brazil’s president should largely be to blame for the serious situation of the Amazon.3. What does ‘hypocrisy’ mean in para5?A. pretended kindnessB. generosity B. big mouth D. stubbornness4.What measure should Not be taken to better protect the Amazon according to the last twoparagraphs?A.Other countries should be intolerant to Mr. Bolsonaro’s destruction behavior.B.Food companies should reject products produced on illegally logged Amazon land.C.Trading partners can end the deal with Brazil if it continues razing the Amazon.D.Members of the Paris agreement needn’t pay developing countries to plant carbon-consumingtrees.Activity3: Task-based readingActivity 4: Sentence appreciation1. Now droughts, wildfires and other human-induced changes are compounding the damage from chainsaws. (para1)2.If it were a country, the shrinkage would make the tropical rainforest the world’s third-biggest carbon-dioxide emitter, after China and America.(para1)3.Nowhere are the stakes higher than in the Amazon basin—and not just because it contains 40% of Earth’s rainforests and harbours 10-15% of the world’s terrestrial species. (para2)4. Humans have been chipping away at the Amazon rainforest since they settled there well over ten millennia ago.(para3)5. He has made it clear that rule-breakers have nothing to fear, despite the fact that he was elected to restore law and order. (para3)6. They have been blessed with a unique planetary heritage, whose value is life-sustaining as much as it is commercial. (para9)Activity 5:Discovery activityCan you find out any expressions related to the environment?Homework:Preview for the next lesson.。