湖南省长沙市雅礼中学2021届高三年级期中考试英语试卷 (含答案)

时量：120分钟 总分：150分第二部分 阅读理解(共两节，满分50分)第一节(共15小题，每小题2.5分，满分37.5分)阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A 、B 、C 、D 四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

ASWITZERLAND TRIP PLANNINGBest Time to GoLike any other country, you can visit Switzerland at any time of the year and have a fantastic time. However, there’s always a ‘best’ time for what you want to do there so it is always worth checking the seasons. It all depends on what your planned activities are. If you are intending to ski and snowboard, best to go when the snow is at its peak time. Activity in Switzerland can be broken down into three tourist seasons: Low Season (Oct. —Mar.), Mid Season! Apr. —Jun. & Sep.) and High Season (Jul., Aug. & Dec. —Apr. / In this season, everything is open and busy, and watch your budget).Rough BudgetSwitzerland is an expensive country to travel around but it is possible to travel here for approximately $ 70—100 per day if you stay in hostels, cook most of your meals and use local transport only when necessary. You’ll find that food is quite expensive as well as accommodation. However, the entire experience is 100% worth it. Here’s a rough cost of basic commodities.AccommodationBudget: $ 30—60 dorms / $ 80—120 budget hotelsMid-range: $ 150—200Splurge: $ 250—350+Food (Typical Meal For One)Self-catering lunch; $ 10—25Restaurant: $ 20 lunch / $ 40 dinnerVery nice restaurant: $ 60+TransportCity Buses: $ 2. 50—5Intercity Trains: $ 25—50Exciting Things to Do in SwitzerlandWith so much to see and do in Switzerland, planning a trip can be tough. Here are the things that we highly recommend doing in Interlaken as it is the adventure capital of Switzerland!Whether you like skydiving, paragliding, or going on a jet boat, Interlaken offers everything and more for all adventure-seekers and anyone who loves the outdoors. Skydiving in Switzerland is a BUCKET LIST come true tor any adventure-seeker. It is absolutely incredible and is something wehighly recommend. So check out our full article on things to do in Interlaken for some ideas and seeall the adventurous activities available in the area this year!21. Which can contribute to your budget of $ 70 — 100 per day when traveling in Switzerland?A. Choosing hotels for accommodation.B. Cooking meals as much as you can.C. Adopting local means of transport.D. Attempting to travel in peak seasons.22. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?A. You can enjoy yourself to the fullest when going skiing any time in Switzerland.B. Interlaken also offers water activities besides adventure activities like skydiving-C. Both accommodation and hiking in the mountain are expensive in Switzerland.D. Planning a trip in Interlaken can be tough because the activities are dangerous.23. Where is this article most probably from?A. A geography book about Switzerland.B. An English textbook.C. A composition on Switzerland.D. A travel brochure.BAunt Fannie was Blueberry Jam Woman. Of course she wasn’t really my aunt, and. out of fear, I never called that to her face. The name always made my father chuckle (轻笑) and my mother look sternly (严厉地) at both of us—at me for being disrespectful, and at my father for encouraging my bad behavior. I enjoyed both reactions, so I looked for every opportunity to work for the name into conversation.As a young woman, my mother had worked in the kitchen of a large Victorian farm house owned by Fannie Cratty. Fannie was the last of the Cratty line; she had never married, and had no living heirs (继承人). My father once told me that it was because she was too mean to share her family wealth or pass it on. Aunt Fannie was noted for her jam, and for never sharing the recipe with another living soul. Even though my mother knew it by heart, as long as Aunt Fannie was alive, she never made the jam without Miss Cratty in our kitchen to direct the process and preserve the secret.One year, after I had been particularly helpful with the jam-making process. Aunt Fannie gave me a quarter and then made me promise I would never spend it. “Hold onto this quarter,” she said, “and some day you will be rich. I still have my first very quarter.” It had obviously worked for her, so I put that 1938 quarter in a small box. put it in my dresser drawer, and waited to become rich.I now have the blueberry-jam recipe and the quarter from Aunt Fannie. Neither has significantly contributed to my wealth, but I keep them to remind myself to hold onto the valuable things in life. Money can make you feel rich for a while, but it is your relationships, and your memories of time spent with friends and family, that truly leave you wealthy. And that is a fortune that anyone can build.24. Where did the “fear” mentioned in the first paragraph come from?A. That year’s blueberry harvest had been poor.B. Aunt Fannie was too old to keep making jam.C. The author’s mother couldn’t help Aunt Fannie harvest the blueberries.D. The author knew it was impolite to call Aunt Fannie Blueberry Jam Woman.25. From the second paragraph we learn that ________.A. Aunt Fannie had no childrenB. Aunt Fannie was willing to share her recipeC. the author often helped Aunt Fannie make jamD. the author’s mother always made the jam alone26. What did the author’s mother feel towards Aunt Fannie?A. Disgusted.B. Surprised.C. Affectionate.D. Disappointed.27. What does the author try to tell us?A. To make new friends easily.B. Not to put a price on generosity.C. Not to think of kindness as a burden.D. To treasure the time spent with family and friends.CLizard (蜥蜴) species may already have declined past the point of no return in the world. What is the reason? Rising temperatures. Researchers estimate that as much as 40 percent of lizard species worldwide will die out by 2080. The problem is that temperatures in many regions where lizards live have changed too fast for the animals to keep pace.Barry Sinervo from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California in Santa Cruz, along with colleagues from across the globe, reached that conclusion by taking current data on Mexican lizards. They also estimated that 4 percent of local species have already disappeared worldwide. That number could jump to 20 percent by 2080 if carbon dioxide levels aren’t lowered to reduce warming.The team looked 48 species of Sceloporus lizard at 200 sites around Mexico. The sites were first sampled from 1975 to 1995. By 2010, research could not find lizards at 12 percent of those sites.Lizards that bear live young are especially at risk of dying out, the researchers point out, compared to that lay eggs. “Live-bearers have lower body temperatures that heighten the risk of dying,” Sinervo said in a statement. We are watching these species disappear before our eyes.”Although current evidence shows that climate change is affecting the habitat ranges of many species, there is still a lot of uncertainty about how much climate change will affect species, researchers say.Many Mexican lizard species live in high altitude “islands”, where climate change happens the fastest. The lizards cannot adjust fast enough to survive. The scientists say they do not think the animals are likely to save themselves just by moving somewhere else v either.“How quickly can Earth’s lizards adapt to the rising global temperatures? That’s the important question,” Sinervo said in a press release. "We are actually seeing lowland species moving upward, slowly driving upland species out of their habitats. If the upland species can’t evolve fast enough, they will die out.”28. Which of the following lizards face a higher risk of dying out?A. Lizards at low altitudes.B. Lizards that bear their young.C. Lizards that lay eggs.D. Lizards in a stable environment.29. According to Barry Sinervo and his colleagues, ________.A. their conclusion is based on current data on various kinds of lizardsB. 20 percent of local species have already disappeared worldwideC. they are uncertain about how much climate change will affect speciesD. they are seeing highland species moving downward30. The upland lizards are affected greatly by the climate change because of ________.A. their living habitats’ destructionB. their living skillsC. highland species moving downwardD. their adaptive capacity31. The purpose of this passage is to ________.A. prove that earth is not suitable for lizardsB. warn that lizards may die out quickly due to the climate changeC. explain why no more lizards will be found by 2080D. emphasize that the habitat of lizards is changing greatlyDWe are always being told by the department of Health to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. But it’s not clear where the evidence for this comes from, and a large study by the European Prospective Investigation Into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) two years ago of the dietary intake of more than 400,000 people found only a weak link between eating fruit and vegetables and a reduction in overall cancer risk. There is no evidence it reduces breast cancer.Even so, how could anyone argue against eating more fruit and vegetables? Well, it depends on what fruit you are eating. A review article in the Canadian Medical Association Journal warns that a chemical in grapefruit (葡萄柚) can interact lethally with certain medicines. Even apple juice, the staple (主食) of many breakfast tables, may prevent our absorption of some drugs. Parents also often think fruit juice is a healthy alternative to fizzy (起泡的) drinks, but juices contain sugar and calories too— as much as a glass of Coke—so should be drunk in moderation.Grapefruit has also been linked to an increase in breast cancer. A study in the British Journal of Cancer (BJC) of 500,000 women found that eating a quarter of the fruit a day increased the risk by 30%.The solution?There is one good reason for not eating grapefruit—it tastes sour. But it is unlikely to increase your risk of getting breast cancer; further research by the BJC showed no increase in rates of breast cancer for women who tuck into (猛吃) grapefruit or drink juice.Grapefruit contains a type of chemical called furanocoumarin, which prevents the breakdown of some prescription drugs. As a result concentration of these drugs rise, and can have serious side-effects, including kidney (肾) damage, heart blockage, and deep-vein thrombosis (血栓).Patient information leaflets should tell you what foods to avoid with which drugs. If in doubt, ask your doctor. So you don’t need to eat less fruit, and many still need to eat more. Another paper from the EPIC study found a 225 reduction in deaths from heart attacks in people who ate eight portions of fruit and vegetables a day compared to those who ate three or fewer. The way the study was designed, however, means that it can only suggest a link—it can’t prove one.32. What can we infer from the passage?A. Everyone should eat more grapefruit.B. People should cat fruit selectively.C. Parents should have their children drink more fruit juice.D. Eating fruit and vegetables has been proven to reduce overall cancer risk.33. What docs the underlined word “lethally” probably mean?A. Closely.B. Wrongly.C. Dangerously.D. Quickly?34. What do we learn about grapefruit?A. It increases the risk of heart blockage.B. It reduces deaths from heart attacks.C. It reduces absorption of some drugs.D. It causes increases of breast cancer in women.35. Which of the following questions does the author mainly answer?A. What is grapefruit?B. Should people eat less fruit?C. How can one reduce the risk of getting breast cancer?D. What should patient information leaflets tell people?第二节(共5小题，每小题2.5分，满分12.5分)根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。

炎德·英才大联考雅礼中学2021 届高三月考试卷(三)英语时量：120 分钟总分：150 分第二部分阅读理解(共两节，满分50 分)第一节(共15 小题，每小题2.5 分，满分37.5 分)阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D 四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

ASWITZERLAND TRIP PLANNINGBest Time to GoLike any other country, you can visit Switzerland at any time of the year and have a fantastic time. However, there’s always a ‘best’ time for what you want to do there so it is always worth checking the seasons. It all depends on what your planned activities are. If you are intending to ski and snowboard, best to go when the snow is at its peak time. Activity in Switzerland can be broken down into three tourist seasons: Low Season (Oct. —Mar.), Mid Season! Apr. —Jun. & Sep.) and High Season (Jul., Aug. & Dec. —Apr. / In this season, everything is open and busy, and watch your budget).Rough BudgetSwitzerland is an expensive country to travel around but it is possible to travel here for approximately $ 70—100 per day if you stay in hostels, cook most of your meals and use local transport only when necessary. You’ll find that food is quite expensive as well as accommodation. However, the entire experience is 100% worth it. Here’s a rough cost of basic commodities.AccommodationBudget: $ 30—60 dorms / $ 80—120 budget hotelsMid-range: $ 150—200Splurge: $ 250—350+Food (Typical Meal For One)Self-catering lunch; $ 10—25Restaurant: $ 20 lunch / $ 40 dinnerVery nice restaurant: $ 60+TransportCity Buses: $ 2. 50—5Intercity Trains: $ 25—50Exciting Things to Do in SwitzerlandWith so much to see and do in Switzerland, planning a trip can be tough. Here are the things that we highly recommend doing in Interlaken as it is the adventure capital of Switzerland!Whether you like skydiving, paragliding, or going on a jet boat, Interlaken offers everything and more for all adventure-seekers and anyone who loves the outdoors. Skydiving in Switzerland is a BUCKET LIST come true for any adventure-seeker. It is absolutely incredible and is something we highly recommend. So check out our full article on things to do in Interlaken for some ideas and see all the adventurous activities available in the area this year!1. Which can contribute to your budget of $ 70 — 100 per day when traveling in Switzerland?A. Choosing hotels for accommodation.B. Cooking meals as much as you can.C. Adopting local means of transport.D. Attempting to travel in peak seasons.2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?A. You can enjoy yourself to the fullest when going skiing any time in Switzerland.B. Interlaken also offers water activities besides adventure activities like skydiving.C. Both accommodation and hiking in the mountain are expensive in Switzerland.D. Planning a trip in Interlaken can be tough because the activities are dangerous.3. Where is this article most probably from?A. A geography book about Switzerland.B. An English textbook.C. A composition on Switzerland.D. A travel brochure.【答案】1. B 2. C 3. D【解析】【分析】这是一篇应用文。

2021届长沙市雅礼中学高三英语期中考试试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AIn September, something terrible happened on the west coast ofTasmania,Australia. As many as 380 pilot whales became stranded(搁浅) in shallow water there and later died. This might have beenAustralia’s largest stranding event on record, the BBC reported.But this large amount of whale stranding is not uncommon. For centuries, it has happened all over the world and has puzzled scientists. Scientists say the cause is often unknown. But they have offered many different explanations.Some say the whales chase small fish for food and end up in shallow water because they are not paying attention to where they are going.Others think the stranding has something to do with Earth’s geomagnetic field (地磁场). They say that a geomagnetic compass in whales’ brains controls their position. Unusual changes in Earth’s magnetic field can affect the whales’ compasses and send them in the wrong direction.Another explanation suggests that stranding is caused by the close relationships that whales have. Pilot whales travel in large groups. One lead whale might mistakenly lead the whole group to shallow water. “And if one gets into trouble, the others will not leave,” said Sheryl Gibney, a leading biologist fromNew Zealand. “Some will come in and try to help, they get trapped on the beach, then more will come.”The whales are trapped by mistake or out of sympathy(同情). Once they get stranded, they will likely die. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of theUS, less than 10 percent of all stranded whales survive.1. What do we know about the stranding inAustralia?A. It happened on theeast coast ofAustralia.B. It caused the death of over 300 pilot whales.C. It is commonly seen in September each year.D. It was the largest stranding event in the world.2. According to Gibney, the pilot whales are the animals that________.A. are kind to each otherB. are easy to lose directionC. are too huge to float in the seaD.are silly to follow the leading whale3. What is the story mainly about?A. How human activity has affected whales.B. What might cause whale strandings.C. How whales find their direction while traveling.D. What scientists are doing to save stranded whales.BThe outbreak of the novel corona virus pneumonia (NCP) has disrupted the lives and work of nearly every Chinese person. However, a new trend has been on the rise: many have turned themselves into livestreaming users orfollowers.According to Questmobile, a professional big data intelligence services provider in China, the audience for Douyin, Kuaishou and other livestreaming platforms surged to 574 million during the Spring Festival holiday, up 35 percent from 2019.Confined at home, away from their friends and loved ones, people turn to livestreaming to reach out to the world. For them livestreaming can help them share their lives and interest with a global audience, which will give them the sense of being “in the moment”. Even as viewers, they can also engage immediately with livestreamers by commenting and making suggestions.“When I comment on the livestreaming videos, I’m not simply an audience member, but also an active part of the program. That gives me a sense of engagement,” an Internet user named Wang Hao told People’s Daily.Livestreaming is not only for fun, but also a new tool for many businesses. Affected by the pandemic, many businesses had to stop their sales in physical stores. To meet their business goals and survive during these trying times, many chose to livestream to revive their businesses.Joyoung, a leading maker of small kitchen appliances, is a good example. The company not only added a number of broadcasts each day to advertise their products, but also shared the menus that were beneficial to health. “The responses to our livestreaming shows have been well beyond expectations,” Kang Li, who oversees the company’s livestreaming unit, told China daily. “It’s a natural opportunity to truly bond with our followers.”Like it or not, livestreaming is likely to go mainstream in China for both entertainment and business.4. What is the purpose of writing the second paragraph?A. To introduce some popular livestreaming platforms in China.B. To report data on the development of livestreaming in 2019.C. To show that Chinese people spend too much time on livestreaming apps.D. To prove that livestreaming are becoming increasingly popular in China.5. What does Wang Hao think of commenting on livestreaming?A. It is boring to make comments.B. It is the only way to share viewers’ lives.C. It makes people feel involved in the stream.D. It helps livestreamers improve themselves.6. What do paragraphs 5&6 mainly talk about?A. Livestreaming replaced physical stores in many areas.B. Many businesses turned to livestreaming platform for marketing.C. Livestreaming platforms faced challenges during the pandemic.D. Livestreaming platforms made changes to their services.7. How does the author feel about thefuture of livestreaming？A. Positive.B. Uncertain.C. Disappointed.D. Confused.CDistinguished Baltimore artist John D. Ferguson died Sept 16. The Catonsville resident was 81.“His artist eye was in everything he did. His life was art and his family,” said Jennifer C. Jackson, who was Mr. Ferguson's friend for nearly three decades.” He was a lovable man who was always willing to talk about any topic he was interested in. At shows, people would go crazy for his work,” Ms. Jackson said. “He was also an enthusiastic sailor who loved nothing more than being on the water.” “His sculptures were just memorable,” said Mr. Lund, a Washingtonian. “I used to say, ‘Ferguson, I don't think you know how to do anything that is less than monumental.’”Mr. Ferguson earned a bachelor's degree in 1961 at Holy Cross University, where he developed an interest in painting. He served in the Army for two years until being discharged in 1963, and after studying briefly at the Boston Museum School, registered at the Chicago Art Institute, where he studied until 1966, when he entered the University of Illinois Chicago, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in 1966 in fine arts. Mr. Ferguson developed his interest and skills as a sculptor after moving to Baltimore to do further studies at the Maryland InstituteCollege of Art's Rinehart School of Sculpture, from which he graduated in 1971 with a master's degree in fine arts.“Over the years my work has moved gradually in the direction of elegance and simplicity,” Mr. Ferguson wrote in his artist statement. “Heavy, bulbous forms have been replaced by dancing, winglike forms. The welding process and respect for the qualities of the materials are interrelated and affect the final piece. “Most of the sculptures that are pictured in my works are made from steel, silicon bronze, and to Cor-Ten steel; shaped to create these beautiful and unique pieces of art. As you can see, my sculptures range in size anywhere from 12 inches to 30 feet or larger.”Through the years, his work found its way into such major public and private collections. “They encourage optimism, for they show strength and affirmation; there's nothing negative, depressing or anxiety-ridden about them”, wrote the late art critic John Dorsey in a 1997 exhibition review.8. What did Mr. Lund think of Ferguson?A. Likeable.B. Ordinary.C. Unwelcome.D. Interesting.9. What did Mr. Ferguson do first after serving in the army?A. He studied at the Boston Museum School.B. He got a bachelor's degree in fine arts.C. He entered the University of Illinois Chicago.D. He continued his studies at the Maryland Institute College.10. What influences the final sculptures?A. An even larger scale than before.B. The material comprised of metalsC. The shape of elegance and simplicity.D. Welding process as well as material quality.11. Which of the following is a suitable title for the text?A. A stylish, stubborn old manB. Sculptures towering into the cloudsC. JohnD. Ferguson—a famous sculpturer D. The evolution of the sculptural styleDLas Vegascity inNevadais built in a desert. The city may be known to the outside world for its partying. But officials have found that there are 21 square kilometers of useless grass. The grass is never laid on, played on or even stepped on. The grass is only there to look nice.Now, the city is asking theNevadastate legislature to ban useless grass. It is trying to become the first place inAmericato ban that kind of grass often seen between streets, in housing developments and in office parks.It is estimated that useless grass makes up 40% of all the grass inLas Vegasand it needs a lot of water to survive. Grass needs four times more water than dry climate plants like cactus. By tearing out the grass, the city could reduce yearly water usage by 15%.In 2003, the Southern Nevada Water Authority banned developers from planting grass in front of new homes. It also offered homeowners $ 30 for each square meter of grass they tear out. But fewer people are now using the program. Water usage has increased in southernNevadaby 9% since 2019. And last year,Las Vegaswent a record 240 days without major rainfall. The Colorado River provides much ofNevada's drinking water. The river could lose more water as climate change affects it.Water officials in other dry cities said water usage needs to be reduced. But they fear the reaction to reforms like the ones inLas Vegasif their communities do not accept them. Cynthia Campbell is the water resources adviser for the city ofPhoenixinArizona. “There might come a point when city restrictions get too severe for some residents. They'll say that is the point of no return for them,”Campbellsaid. “For some people, it's a pool. For some people, it's grass.”12. Why doesLas Vegascity try to ban useless grass?A. To protect the local people.B. To beautify the city.C. To reduce water usage.D. To reduce waste.13. What program was carried out inLas Vegasin 2003?A. Allowing planting grass before new houses.B. Encouraging the residents to tear out grass.C. Praising those who signed on the program.D. Awarding those who reduced water usage.14. What is implied inCampbell's words in the last paragraph?A. Many residents won't follow the ban.B. Reaction to the reform will vary personally.C. Other measures should be taken to protect wetter.D. Water officials should take many factors into account.15. What is the best title for the text?s VegasPlans to Ban Useless GrassB. A Method Is Adopted to SaveLas VegasC. Choices between Beauty and PracticeD. Grass Is Important but Useless inLas Vegas第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届长沙市雅礼实验中学高三英语期中考试试卷及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ATop Four Places to Visit in and aroundBaliUbudUbud is pretty away from the beaches. It is considered the cultural center of Bali, where you will discover the art and spirit ofBaliand learn about Balinese religion through paintings, dance, and other art forms. You could drink a beer while watching a local band perform, but most people come here for the cultural appreciation.Nusa LembonganThis tiny island off the coast of Bali is where many people miss their journey plans, but it is a must-see, It is the perfect place to stay for a couple of nights, The roads are not good, but the island itself is so beautiful and quiet.SanurSanur is an especially relaxing beach town. It's close to the airport and Kuta. It's also the starting place to explore Nusa Lembongan.KutaThebeachofKutais great for surfing. It is crowded and you won't get far without someone trying to get you to rent a surfboard or buy something. The main town is a mixture of market stands and shopping malls containing the biggest brands, from Zara to Ralph Lauren. The familiarity of the western style shops and restaurants won't give anyone too much of a culture shock.1. Which place are you probably advised to experience Balinese culture?A. Nusa Lembongan.B. Sanur.C. Ubud.D. Kuta.2. What is special about Kuta?A. It is a beach town near the airport.B. It has a convenient transportation means on it.C. It is a shopping center and famous for surfing.D. It is a place where you can learn Balinese history.3. Where is the text probably taken from?A. An official document.B. A travel magazine.C. A science report.D. A history book.BIn ancient times, Chinese used plant leaves or bird feathers as a fan during the summer time. This was the earliest form of the fan. The first real fan was made back in the era of Yao and Shun period thousands of years ago. Since then,Chinese-made fans have become a vital part of Chinese art and culture. At the beginning, the fan functioned as a tool to generate a current of air in the hot weather. Now electric fans such as ceiling fans and other technological breakthroughs have taken the place.Long ago, fans caught the attention of ancient Chinese artists by chance. Thereafter, a unique fan art gradually took shape in the history of Chinese culture. Fan art usually includes Chinese calligraphy, paintings, or poems on the sectors（扇区）. Special skills are needed to write or paint on them.Due to its history and partly because of its unique shape, Chinese would soon develop the tradition of using fans as ornaments（装饰品）. Fans are made in different sizes and different color1 s to meet the needs of each request. Other Chinese ornaments, such as the Chinese knot, the green jade, and the Spring Festival picture, are often combined in each design.The value of fans depends mainly on the materials used and the level of craftsmanship that is involved during the process. Feather, paper, jade, bamboo and silk have all been used as ideal materials to make fans. Ancient Chinese even made iron fans to serve as deadly weapons（武器）in Chinese martial arts. Fans made by famous craftsmen are often characterized by pretty designs and detailed workmanship, and thus become favorites of collectors. Fans with masterpiece fine art like calligraphy or paintings are even more valuable.4.What is the first paragraph mainly about?A. The origin of fans.B. The materials of fans.C. The popularity of fans.D. The production of fans.5. Why do Chinese use fans as ornaments?A. They are made of valuable materials.B. They reflect the beauty of Chinese culture.C. They convey literature works on the sectors.D. They are often combined with other ornaments.6. Which of the following makes a fan favored by most collectors?A. Its advanced function.B. Its complex character.C. Its artistic handicraft.D. Its various applications.7. What can we infer about the fan from the text?A. Chinese send fans to their friends as gifts.B. Chinese ornaments can meet different requests.C. Traditional fans have lost their functional value.D. The fan plays different roles with the change of time.CEvery day, millions of shoppers hit the stores in full force, searching wildly for the perfect gift.Aside from purchasing holiday gifts, most people regularly buy presents for other occasions throughout the year, including weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations. This frequent experience of gift-giving cancause uncertain feelings in gift-givers. Many enjoy the opportunity to buy presents because gift-giving offers a powerful means to build stronger bonds, while many worry that their purchases will disappoint rather than delight the intended recipients (接受者).Anthropologists describe gift-giving as a positive social process, serving various political, religious, and psychological functions. Economists, however, offer a less favorable view. According to Waldfogel, gift-giving represents an objective wasteof resources. People buy gifts that recipients would not choose to buy on their own, or at least not spend as much money to purchase (a phenomenon referred to as‘‘the deadweight loss of Christmas”).What is surprising is that gift-givers have much experience acting as both gift-givers and gift-recipients, but nevertheless tend to overspend each time they set out to purchase a meaningful gift. In the present research, we propose a unique psychological explanation for this overspending problem — gift-givers link how much they spend with how much recipients will appreciate the gift. Though it seems natural to gift-givers, such an assumption may be unfounded. Indeed, we propose that gift-recipients will be less likely to base their feelings of appreciation on the value of a gift than givers assume.Why do gift-givers assume that gift price is closely linked to gift-recipients’ feelings of appreciation? Perhaps givers believe that more expensive gifts communicate a stronger sense ofthoughtfulness and consideration. According to Camerer and others, gift-giving represents a symbolic ritual (习俗), by which gift-givers attempt to signal their positive attitudes towards the recipient and their willingness to invest resources in a futurerelationship. In this sense, gift-givers may be motivated to spend more money on a gift in order to send a “stronger signal”. Asfor gift-recipients, they may not interpret smaller and larger gifts as representing smaller and larger signals of thoughtfulness and consideration.The idea of gift-givers and gift-recipients being unable to account for the other party’s viewpoint seems confusing because people slip in and out of these roles every day. Yet, despite the experience as both givers and receivers, people often struggle to apply information gained from one role in another. In theoretical terms, people fail to use information about their own preferences and experiences to produce more efficient outcomes in their exchange relations. In practical terms, people spend hundreds of dollars each year on gifts, but somehow never learn to estimate their gift expense according to personal insight.8. The author uses “the deadweight loss of Christmas” in Paragraph 2 to express ________.A. gift-givers don’t spend much money during holidaysB. gift-givers don’t ask recipients what gifts they preferC. gift-givers buy improper and expensive giftsD. gift-givers have difficulty in choosing gifts9. According to the passage, people buy gifts to ________.A. receive gifts in returnB. enjoy the feeling of shoppingC. help recipients to save moneyD. better relationships with recipients10. What can we learn from the passage?A. People’s high living standards require expensive gifts.B. Gift-givers buy gifts based on their experiences as recipients.C. Anthropologists think gift-giving meets different human needs.D. Recipients judge the depth of friendship according to the gift price.11. Why did the author write this article?A. To criticize people’s gift-buying habits.B. To analyze people’s gift-giving behaviors.C. To offer advice on how to improve relationships.D. To remind people not to overlook others’ preferences.DResearchers at CU Boulder have developed a wearable device that changes the human body into a biologicalbattery. The device is stretchy(弹性的) enough that you can wear it like a ring, sport band or any other thing that touches your skin. It also taps into a person's natural heat-employing thermoelectric generators to change the body's internal temperature into electricity. "In the future, we want to be able to power your wearable electronics without having to include a battery," said Jianliang Xiao, an associate professor at CU Boulder.The concept may sound like something out of The Matrix film series, in which a race of robots have enslaved humansto harvest their precious organic energy. Xiao and his colleagues aren't that ambitious: Their devices can generate about 1 volt (伏特) of energy for every square centimeter of skin space-less volt per area than what most existing batteries provide but stillenough to power electronics like watches or fitness trackers.Scientists have previously experimented with similar wearable devices, but Xiao's is stretchy, can heal itself when damaged and is fully recyclable-making it a cleaner alternative to traditional electronics. "Whenever you use a battery, you're depleting(消耗) that battery and will, eventually, need to replace it," Xiao said. "The nice thing about our device is that you can wear it, and it provides you with constant power."Just pretend that you're out for a jog. As you exercise, your body heats up, and thatheat will radiate out to the cool air around you. Xiao's device captures that flow of energy rather than let it go to waste. "The thermoelectric generators are in close contact with the human body, and they can use the heat that would normally be sent into the environment," Xiao said.12. What does Xiao expect of his device at present?A. It will be used for medical purposes.B. It will be made smaller and wearable.C. It will change natural power into electricity.D. It will supply constant power to wearable devices.13. Why does the author mentionThe Matrixseries in the text?A. To give an explanation.B. To make a comparison.C. To introduce a topic.D. To analyze the cause.14. What does the third paragraph mainly talk about?A. The strengths of Xiao's device.B. The convenience of using a battery.C. The replacement of wearable devices.D. The development of traditional electronics.15. What do we know about Xiao's device from the text?A. It operates with plenty of power.B. It is designed for practical use.C. It benefits people's health in a way.D. It's based on traditional electronics.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届长沙市雅礼中学高三英语下学期期中考试试题及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AShopping centers，stadiums and universities may soon have a new tool to help fight crime.ACaliforniacompany called Knightscope says its robots can predict and prevent crime. Knightscope says the goal is to reduce crime by half in areas the robots guard.William Santana Li is the chief executive officer of Knightscope. He says，"These robot security guards will change the world. Our planet has more than seven billion people on it. It's going to quickly get to nine billion people. The security equipmentthat we have globally is just not going to develop that fast. The company's Autonomous Data Machines can become the eyes and ears of law enforcement（执法）.""You want them to be machines plus humans. Let. the machines do the heavy and sometimes dangerous work and let the humans do the strategic decision-making work，so it's always working all together."The machines do not carry weapons but they have day and night video cameras which are able to turn 360 degrees and can also sense chemical and biological weapons.Some people may become concerned about their privacy, especially in connection with the video recordings. Some people may worry that such recordings will appear on the Internet. Eugene Volokh, a law professor at the UCLA School of Law, says the machines have to be used in the right way and it will be interesting to see how state laws deal with this kind of video.William Santana Li says there is a long waiting list for the robots in theUS. Workers in the company are working overtime to meet the demands of the market. At least 25 other countries are also interested in these robot security guards.1. What can this new tool do for humans?A. Make strategic decisions.B. Keep watching day and night.C. Carry heavy weapons.D. Stop crime autonomously.2. Why are some people worried about the new robots?A. Their privacy may be let out.B. The robots are very expensive.C. Robots will replace humans.D. They will be out of work soon.3. Which of the following can be the best title of the text?A. Robots Are Becoming More PopularB. Robots Contribute aLotto the WorldC. Robots Are in Great Demand NowD. Security Robots Could Help Cut CrimeBEarthquakes are a natural disaster—except when they're man-made. The oil and gas industry has forcefully used the technique known as hydraulic fracturing (水力压裂法) to destroy sub-surface rock and liberate the oil and gas hiding there. But the process results in large amounts of chemical-filled waste water. Horizontal drilling (水平钻孔) for oil can also produce large amount of natural, unwanted salt water. The industry deals with this waste water by pumping it into deep wells.On Monday, the US Geological Survey published for the first time an earthquake disaster map covering both natural and “induced” quakes. The map and a report show that parts of the central United States now face a ground-shaking disaster equal to the famously unstable terrain (不稳定地形) of California.Some 7 million people live in places easily attacked by these man-made quakes, the USGS said The list of places at highest risk of man-made earthquakes includes Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Arkansas, Colorado, New Mexico, Ohio and Alabama. Most of these earthquakes are ly small, in the range of magnitude (震级) 3, but some have been more powerful, including a magnitude 5.6 earthquake in 2011 in Oklahoma that was connected to waste water filling.Scientists said they do not know ifthere is an upper limit on the magnitude of man-made earthquakes; this is an area of active research Oklahoma has had prehistoric earthquakes as powerful as magnitude 7.It's not immediately clear whether this new research will change industry practices, or even whether it will surprise anyone in the areas of newly supposed danger. In Oklahoma, for example, the natural rate of earthquakes is only one or two a year, but there have been hundreds since hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, with the waste water filling, became common in the last ten years.4. What kind of human activities can cause earthquakes?A. The man-made produced waste water in the factories.B. The process of digging deep wells in those poor areas.C. The advanced techniques used to deal with waste water.D. The oil or gas industry's work connected with the earth.5. What does the underlined word “induced” in paragraph 2 mean?A. Man-made.B. Reduced.C. Newly-built.D. Controlled.6. How much magnitude can man-made earthquakes reach?A. It's been said as small as magnitude 3.B. It has been said as high as magnitude 7.C. It's being studied without a final conclusion.D. It has risen by an average of magnitude 5. 6.7. What is the best title for the text?A. Natural Earthquakes in America Are Disappearing NowB. 7 Million Americans at Risk of Man-Made EarthquakesC. Time for Oil and Gas Industry Change Their Working PracticeD. More Often Earthquakes as Powerful as Magnitude 7 in AmericaCChimps use loud calls and gestures to make their feelings known but until now, the exact meaning for individual movements has remained a mystery. Now researchers believe they have translated the key gestures used in the chimp community and identified their intentions for the first time.From 4,351 gestures, experts were able to identify 66 that are used for 19 specific message meanings, including showing a foot to tell a child they can climb on their back. The researchers were able to narrow down these 66 gestures to 36 that are used intentionally to achieve 15 purposes. The translations were made by Dr Catherine Hobaiter and her colleagues at St Andrews University in Scotland.Dr Hobaiter used behavior sampling and filmed all recorded cases of gestural communication. Other gestures include stomping their feet to ask another chimp to stop what they are doing, and slapping objects together to ask another to follow them. Of the 19 meanings,17 encouraged interactions to start, or to develop, such as “move closer,” and “change play”. Some of the gestures were found to have more than one meaning. and only 10 of the 66 gestures were used for only a single meaning.Researchers collected a total of 471 video clips from two social groups of chimps at a shelter near Kinshasa,Democratic Republic of Congo. As well as identifying what the gesture means, they also discovered the technique needed to increase the chances of success.“Human children use gestures to communicate before they produce their first words, and their earliest gestures typically appear around 10 months of age,” explained the researchers. “In great apes, there is good evidence that language-trained individuals are capable of acquiring and understanding signals, but this is far less clear in their natural communication. ”8. Chimps slap the objects to____________.A. tell others to stop what they are doingB. ask others chimps to join themC. gather other chimps to move closerD. encourage interactions to start9. What did researchers find after studying 471 video clips?A. Chimps trained in language are good at understanding signals.B. Two social groups of chimps live at a shelter near Kinshasa.C. Language-trained individuals do well in natural communication.D. Chimps’earliest gestures appear around 10 months of age.10. How is the last paragraph developed?A. By analyzing causes.B. By examining differences.C By making comparisons. D. By following time order.11. What can be a suitable title for the text?A A New Research on Chimps B. Human Children and ChimpsC. Getting the Chimps Trained for LanguageD. Translating the Sign Language of ChimpsDAsk a classroom of children to draw a scientist, and you’ll see plenty of color1 ed lab coats and glasses. The image (画像) hasn't changed much since the 1960s, but the person wearing the lab coat is changing.A new analysis finds that more female scientists have appeared in kids? drawings in recent decades — going from nearly nonexistent in the 1960s to about a third in 2016.The first of many “ draw-a-scientist ’’ studies asked nearly 5,000 children to draw a scientist between 1966 and 1977. Of those 5,000 drawings, only 28 drew female scientists. That was just 0.56 percent. Today, female scientists are being presented more in the media. For example, in a content analysis, 13 percent of people pictured in science feature stories of the 1960s were women or girls, compared with 44 percent in the 2000s. “That might really affect children’s idea on what a scientist should be like, ” says Miller, a Ph. D. candidate inpsychology.To look for changes in children'sperceptionover time, the researchers conducted a meta-analysis ,combining data from 78 studies that included a total of more than 20,000 children from kindergarten to the 12th grade.On average, 28 percent of children drew female scientists in studies conducted from 1965 to 2016.What hasn’t changed much: kids pick up stereotypes (模式化观念）by gender (性别）as they grow up. At age 6, about 70 percent of the girls in the more recent studiesdrew female scientists. By age 16, 75 percent drew male scientists. This is an important period in which kids are learning stereotypes. It’s important that teachers and parents present diverse examples of both male and female scientists.12. What’s the picture of scientists drawn by a 1960s, kid like?A. A man with long curly hair.B. A woman with lab glasses.C. A woman in a formal lab suit.D. A man in a color1 ed lab coat.13. What may contribute to the changes in kids’ drawings?A. The improvement of women^ social status.B. The kids are affected by teachers and parents.C. More female scientists appear in the media.D. The increasing number of female scientists.14. What does the underlined word “ perception” in Paragraph 4 most probably mean?A. Belief.B. Idea.C. Habit.D. Growth.15. It can be inferred from the last paragraph that .A. it's a stereotype that scientists are generally malesB. girls are more influenced by stereotypes than boysC. some children are born with certain stereotypesD. most children tend to prefer female scientists第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年长沙市雅礼中学高三英语期中试题及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ASpeaking with people on the phone is pretty rare these days. Most people use e-mail or messaging apps when they need to communicate with someone. Sometimes, though, making a call is unavoidable. This simple act can actually be a nightmare for some people. Their hearts race and their hands sweat at the very thought. If this sounds familiar to you, you might be one of the millions of people who suffer from telephobia—the fear of speaking over the phone.Telephobia is a form of social anxiety, although people who feel perfectly comfortable in social situations may also experience telephobia. When speaking face-to-face, we give off lots of facial or bodily cues that help each other follow the conversation. This is not the case over the phone. And the idea of speaking into this void（真空）makes people terrified that they will freeze up, stumble over their words（失言）, or lose control of the conversation and look foolish In fact, telephobia is very similar to thefear people feel before putting on a performance in front of a big audience. However, there are things that one suffering from thin condition can do to reduce this fear and make phone calls at least somewhat bearable.One thing that those with telephobia can do before a call in smile. It may sound silly, but smiling before doing something stressful can help you feel more relaxed. It won't delete the anxiety altogether, but it will take the edge off it.Similarly, imagining how the call will go before you make it can also help things go more smoothly. Running through a positive conversation in your head will make you feel less nervous and may help you predict any possible problems. There's no need to spend hours on this, just a few minutes thinking up a general idea of what you want to say. You can even write down some brief notes to remind yourself of your talking points. This is particularly useful for dealing with the fear of not being able to express yourself naturally.And finally, when faced with receiving a call, you don't always have to pick up. There's nothing wrong with calling the person back later when you feel more comfortable.So the next time your phone starts ringing, remember—speaking on the phone doesn't have to make you sweat. The important thing is to be aware of your fear and take steps to deal with it.1. According to the article, which situation can cause a feeling similar lo telephobia?A.Speaking face-to-face to a good friend.B. Performing in front of a large audience.C. Running in a race without proper shoes.D. Using a messaging app while on the subway.2. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a way to deal with telephobia?A.Imagining how the call will go before you make it.B. Standing on the edge of a tall building while making a call.C. Calling someone back later instead of answering their phone calls right away.D. Writing down some brief notes to remind yourself of your talking points.3. What is the main purpose of the passage?A. To present ways to ease telephobia.B. To explain the development of telephobiaC. To introduce the influence of telephobia.D. To give the reason why someone suffers from telephobia.BBob, a Burroughs junior high school football player, always had his mom cheering him on. He didn’t play exciting positions. He played as a linebacker(中后卫球员). Sadly, he often found himself at the bottom of the piles, where everyone would jump onto each other at the end of every play. Bob's mom realized it was hard for her son to hear her cheering. She hadto find a solution, but couldn't find one.Then one day the coach from the school team asked him if he wanted to join the team. Bob wasecstatic, because he was only a ninth grader. His mom was also excited, since she loved football and especially loved watching her son play. She kept considering a way for him to hear her. A cowbell! That was it. Now from the bottom of the piles Bob would hear his mom shaking her cowbell crazily, knowing she was there for him.Bob's team finally made it to the state championship game. What exciting time to play at Busch Stadium under the lights! This experience made Bob appreciate all the years that his mom had sacrificed everything to get him to practice every day, to wash his uniforms, and to never miss a game. He had to do something.On the night of the state championship game, the loudspeakers introduced Bob, and as he walked onto the field his mom shook the cowbell, hard. However, it didn’t sound right. She looked its inside, and found a note saying,”Thank you, Mom.” Bob had left her a note expressing his appreciation for always being with him, filling her heart with warmth.Finally Burroughs claimed the title of State Champion. While others were cheering and admiring the state championship cup, Bob' s mom clutched(紧握) her cowbell happily.Years later, Bob’s mom died. While digging through her belongings, he found the cowbell with the note. Bob took it to his mom's funeral and rang it, whispering, "Thank you, Mom.”4. What does the underlined word "ecstatic” mean in Paragraph 2?A. CuriousB. DisappointedC. AnxiousD. Delighted5. Why did Bob's mom want to get a cowbell?A. To amuse her cow.B. To teach her cowC. To attract his attention.D. To make him hear her6. What can be learned from Paragraph 3?A. Bob's mom devoted much time to himB. Bob was the best player in his teamC. Bob owed his success to his coachD. Bob's mom was a football player at college7. Why didn’t the cowbell sound as usual that night?A. The mother was very weak.B. Bob had put a note inside the bell.C. The weather became terrible suddenlyD. The bell had been broken deliberates.CThe measurable threat to the environment has been worsened by the spread of COVID-19 that increases the need for plastic protective equipment. Most plastic is made from fossil fuels. Millions of tons of greenhouse gas are released from the development of these resources and plastic production and burning.The end life of plastic is just worrisome. Less than 10% of the plastic produced has been recycled. Even more of it has been burned. But the vast majority of plastic has been buried inland, and it is increasingly polluting the environment. We hear mostly about ocean plastic and the harm done to sea creatures that mistake plastic bags and bits for food. But microplastic is even more worrisome. Plastic doesn't break down biologically but instead breaks down into tiny particles（a very small piece of something）, which have been found in every corner of the planet, on land and in the air, in drinking water and food sources.Yet the public has not given this global environmental disaster the attention it requires. Instead, they have viewed single-use plastic—which makes up about 40% of plastic used each year—as a litter issue that can be solved through better recycling and waste management. That attitude must change because the recent global breakdown of the market for recycling has made it clear that it has never been, nor ever will be, able to keep up with plastic trash use.California has been the forerunner of plastic waste reduction—it was the first state to ban single-use plastic bags and may be the first state to transform the way goods are packaged. The state also came close to passing an act which would have required that products sold in plastic packaging in the state have a proven recycling rate of 75% by 2032. California, though influential, can't solve this crisis alone. The US has long been producing a great amount of plastic trash and it should engage in reducing the use of plastic as well.8. Why does the author mention the release of greenhouse gas in paragraph 1?A. To show the harm of plasticB. To warn of the climate change.C. To call for the development of fossil fuels.D. To highlight the importance of plastic equipment.9. What's the author's attitude towards the public opinion on single-use plastic?A. Favorable.B. Tolerant.C. Curious.D. Opposed.10. What's California's role in reducing plastic waste?A. A pioneer.B. A failure.C. An objector.D. A predictor.11. What can be the best title for the text?A. Microplastic Products Are HarmfulB. Waste Recycling Is an Urgent MatterC. Plastic Waste Pollution Is a Wake-up CallD. Global Environmental Disasters Are IncreasingDAs artificial intelligence(AI) systems become more advanced, we can expect them to be used more often in the world of human medicine and healthcare. AI is designed to imitate(模仿）the human brain in decision making and learning, so with the computing power to learn tasks in days or even hours, it is possible to create medical AIsthat rapidly outperform doctors in certain tasks.Data plays a hugely important role in helping AI systems learn about human medicine. AI systems are trained on large data sets gathered from real-life cases. Providing detailed patient information in quantities is a crucial factor for their success.One of the most important areas for influencing global health is in the field of epidemiology(流行病学）。

2021届长沙市雅礼雨花中学高三英语下学期期中考试试题及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ALocated inLos Angeles,UniversityofSouthern Californiais in the heart of a leading city. Although LA ranks highly in The Economist’s Safe Cities Index, navigating and city calls for certain safety precautions (预防措施) along with practicing common sense.♦Mobile Safety App Powered by LiveSafeThe Mobile Safety App powered by LiveSafe, manage by the USC Department of Public Safety and the USC Department of Emergency Planning, is a free downloadable app that mobile users can use to initiate contact with emergency responders around the campus. Features include: immediate “push button” calls to DPS, easy reporting for suspicious activity or crimes in progress, and location services to notify friends of your route through campus.♦Blue Light Phone LocationsTheUniversity Parkhas multiple blue light phones that are strategically placed throughout campus. Take note of where the closest ones are on your route. They come in handy in case you lose your phone or in an emergency. These phones are directly connected to USC’s Department of Public Safety’s 24-hour communications center. Besides emergency needs, it can also be used to report suspicious activity, request for an escort (护送) if you feel unsafe and to report a crime.♦Trojans AlertTrojans Alert is an emergency notification system that allows university officials to contact you during an emergency by sending messages via text message or email. When an emergency occurs, authorized USC senders will instantly notify you with real-time updates, instructions on where to go, what to do (or what not to do), whom to contact and other important information. All members of the USC community, as well as parents and regular visitors to campus, are strongly encouraged to sign up for Trojans Alert.1. What do blue light phones do for students?A. Guide students through campus.B. Alert students to crime activities.C. Light up the way if students feel unsafe.D. Connect them with the safety department.2. How does USC send out instructions during an emergency?A. With blue light phones.B. Via text message or email.C. Through mobile safe app.D. By calling all USC members.3. What is the purpose of the text?A. To encourage students to fight crime.B. To introduce USC’s safety department.C. To provide safety services for USC students.D. To inform parents of safety risks on campus.BTourism is often about seeking deeper emotional and personal connections with the world around us. Not all travel experiences, however, need to take place in the real world. With the evolution of virtual reality(VR) technology, tourism will increasingly become a combination of physical and virtual worlds. VR may even remove the need to travel entirely.But can a VR experience really equal a real world one? Many experts believe it can. Studies have shown that our brains have an inbuilt VR-like mechanism that enables us to live imagined experiences. Much of our waking life is spent thinking about either the past or the future. This is known as" mind wandering". During these events we' re not paying attention to the current world around us. Instead, we' re recalling memories, or creating and processing imagined futures.When engaged in mind wandering, our brains process these mental images using the same pathways used to receive inputs from the real world. So, the imagined past or future can create emotions and feelings similar to how we react to everyday life. VR can create these same feelings.While critics might argue that a virtual experience will never match reality, there are several ways VR tourism could make a positive contribution. Firstly it could help protect sensitive locations from over-tourism. In recent years famous sites such as Maya Bay in Thailand, and Cambodia's Angkor Wat Temples have had to limit the number of visitors because of their negative impact. These places are now producing their own VR experiences that will allow tourists to pass through virtual models of the sites.Virtual reality may also allow people back in time, to experience historical events, visit ancient cities, andeven to walk among dinosaurs.Finally, in a world where many people suffer from stress and depression due to overwork, virtual tourism may provide a cheap and convenient way for people to take brief holidays to otherwise unreachable destinations and recharge their batteries, without ever leaving their homes.It sounds like science fiction but it's already happening. As virtual technology improves and as people continue to demand new and interesting experiences, expect more virtual tourism, both in combination with the real world and instead of it.4. What is driving the development of virtual tourism?A. Companies seeking to make more money.B. Improvements in virtual reality technology.C. People's demand for more shared experiences.D. People's deeper understanding of the physical world.5. Which of the following best describes "mind wandering"?A. The brain processes which help people think VR is real.B. The way the brain processes inputs from the real world.C. Brain activities focusing on past or future events.D. Experiences coming from a person's imagination.6. What does the underlined word "it" in the last paragraph refer to?A. Science fiction.B. Virtual technology.C. Virtual tourism.D. The real world.7. What is the purpose of the passage?A. To describe the advantages of VR tourism.B. To give suggestions for reducing over-tourism.C. To encourage people to develop VR technology.D. To argue VR tourism will replace the real world travel.CWhen almost everyone has a mobile phone, why are more than half of Australian homes still paying for a landline（座机）?These days you’d be hard pressed to find anyone in Australia over the age of 15 who doesn’t own a mobile phone. In fact plenty of younger kids have one in their pocket. Practically everyone can make and receive calls anywhere, anytime.Still, 55 percent of Australians have a landline phone at home and only just over a quarter（29%）rely only on their smartphones according to a survey（调查）. Of those Australians who still have a landline, a thirdconcedethat it’s not really necessary and they’re keeping it as a security blanket — 19 percent say they never use it while a further13 percent keep it in case of emergencies. I think my home falls into that category.More than half of Australian homes are still choosing to stick with their home phone. Age is naturally a factor （因素）— only 58 percent of Generation Ys still use landlinesnow and then, compared to 84 percent of Baby Boomers who’ve perhaps had the same home number for 50 years. Age isn’t the only factor; I’d say it’s also to do with the makeup of your household.Generation Xers with young families, like my wife and I, can still find it convenient to have a home phone rather than providing a mobile phone for every family member. That said, to be honest the only people who ever ring our home phone are our Baby Boomers parents, to the point where we play a game and guess who iscalling before we pick up the phone（using Caller ID would take the fun out of it）.How attached are you to your landline? How long until they go the way of gas street lamps and morning milk deliveries?8. What does paragraph 2 mainly tell us about mobilephones?A. Their target users.B. Their wide popularity.C. Their major functions.D. Their complex design.9. What does the underlined word “concede” in paragraph 3 mean?A. Admit.B. Argue.C. Remember.D. Remark.10. What can we say about Baby Boomers?A. They like smartphone games.B. They enjoy guessing callers’ identity.C. They keep using landline phones.D. They are attached to their family.11. What can be inferred about the landline from the last paragraph?A. It remains a family necessity.B. Itwill fall out of use some day.C. It may increase daily expenses.D. It is as important as the gas light.DIf you have ever been disappointed because you don’t have a good gardener ,the clever robot may one day become the helper of your indoor plantsThe Hexa Plant is a six-legged robot that has been specially made to care for the potted plant that carries on top of its head .Using light and heats sensors (传感器) the robot has the ability to carry its plant in and out the daylight .If the houseplant needs more sun，the Hexa will walk into the sunlight ;and if the houseplant is getting too hot , the Hexa will go back into the area that blocks direct light The Hexa Plant will even do a little dance when it senses that the plant needs to be watered to warn its owner .The robot was developed by Vincross engineer and founder Sun Tianqi after he saw a dead sunflower sitting in the darkness in a room back in 2014 .” Plants only receive an action without responding ,”SunTianqi wrote in a blog post .” Whether they are being cut ,bitten ,burned or pulled from the earth ,or when they haven’t received enough sunshine ,water ,or are too hot or cold ,they will hold still and take whatever is happening to them .According to Sun Tianqi ,for billions of years ,plants have never experienced movement of any kind ,not even the simplest movement .In their whole lives ,they stick to where they were born .Sun Tianqi continued ,” Do they want break their own settings or have a tendency towards this ?I do not know the answer ,but would love to try to share some of this human tendency and technology with plants With the help of the robot ,plants can experience the move”.The Hexa Plant model robots are not for sale ,though Vincross does sell a Hexa robot model .It is said that in the near future the robots can open up a new market to watch over our household plants12. What can we learn about the Hexa Plant?A. It helps people do some gardening .B. It waters the plants through dancingC. It helps indoor plants get proper sunlightD. It carries the potted plant with its hands13. What does the author try to show through Paragraph 3?A. The way plants spend their whole livesB. The common way people deal with plantsC. The difference between plants and humansD. The cause of making the indoor plants’ helper.14. What does Sun Tianqi try do using this technology?A. To develop gardening skills.B. To draw people’s attention plantsC. make plants experience moveD. study the living conditions of plants15. What can be the best title for the text?A. A New Market for robotsB. An Indoor Plants’ HelperC. An Important Development in GardeningD The Tendency of Gardening in the Future第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年长沙市雅礼中学高三英语期中试卷及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AThe Middlerby Kirsty ApplebaumEleven-year-old Maggie lives in Fennis Wick, enclosed and protected from the outside world. Her brother Jed is the eldest, a hero. Her younger brother is Trig—everyone loves Trig. But Maggie's just a middler；she is left behind. In this book, we experience the sadness of being the forgotten middle child, the child with no voice, even in her own family.Dennis in Jurassic Barkby Nigel AuchterlounieBeanotown is in trouble again, and this time the danger is Jurassic! Dennis，latest adventure is filled with fun, including Vikings, Victorians and soon, along with puzzles for you to finish. Can you help Dennis save Beanotown from the prehistoric invasion?Little Book for Big Changesby Karen Ng and Kirsten LiepmannIncluding more than 100 activities, try-outs, games, puzzles and tips,Little Book for Big Changesoffers fun and creative ways to bring people together to help change the world. Understand more about big problems in the world such as inequality and climate change, and be empowered to help make the world a better place.The Saga of Erik the Vikingby Terry JonesIn this illustrated story, Erik the Viking sets out with his trusty team of men in search of the land where the Sun goes at night. On his journey, he will meet adventures that will put his courage to the test.1. Who told a story about an unseen child in a family?A. Terry Jones.B. Kirsty Applebaum.C. Nigel Auchterlounie.D. Karen Ng and Kirsten Liepmann.2. Which book is proper for kids who love prehistoric-related stories?A.The Middler.B.Little Book for Big Changes.C.Dennis in Jurassic Bark.D.The Saga of Erik the Viking.3. What is special aboutLittle Book for Big Changes"!A. It is about two people.B. It is an adventure book.C. It has picturesinside to help kids read.D. It teaches kids to care for the world.BGetting drunk on ice cream used to be the stuff of dreams, but thanks to Will Rogers, inventor and owner of WDS Dessert Stations in Hinkley, Illinois, it has become a delicious reality. The Below Zero icecream machine uses a unique technique to freeze alcohol, which allows you to turn beers, cocktails and even spirits (烈酒) into delicious soft —serve ice cream.Rogers was trying to create a highly — caffeinated espresso ice cream flavor when he realized hecould use the same technique with alcoholic beverages. He started experimenting with various gums and stabilizers commonly used in the ice cream industry and eventually patented something called the NEA gel. It’s this magical concoction (调制品) that allows the alcohol to freeze to a near solid inside the Below Zero ice cream machine.Even though Below Zero changes the texture (质地) of beer, cocktails and even spirits, essentially turning them into soft —serve ice cream, it does not affect the alcohol contentat all. The ABV (酒精度) remains exactly the same, which means you can get drunk on ice — cream just as you would on the same concoctions in liquid form.Will Rogers claims that it takes around 30 minutes for beer to go from liquid to ice cream form, but higher alcohol content drinks take longer. Essentially, the higher the alcohol level, the longer the wait.The American inventor plans to sell Below Zero ice cream machines to bars and breweries wanting to surprise their patrons. Metro reports that machines will sell for about 6,000.4. What’s the name of the machine which can change beer and spirits into ice cream?A. Will RogersB. WDS Dessert StationsC. HinkleyD. Below Zero5. What makes alcohol to freeze to a near solid inside the machine?A. gums.B. stabilizers.C. NEA gel.D. ABV.6. What can we know from the passage?A. The machine can change all liquids into ice cream.B. It takes 20 minutes for beer to change into ice cream.C. The higher the alcohol level, the shorter the wait will be.D. The machine changes the texture of beer, cocktails and even spirits.7. What can we infer from the passage?A. The machine affects the alcohol content.B. You can get drunk if you have ice—creams made from spirits.C. The American inventor doesn’t want to sell themagical machine.D. Bars and breweries will not become potential buyers of the machine.CFirefighters in Florida this week helped rescue a bald eagle with a fishing hook stuck in its beak（嘴）and the attached line wrapped around its wing and beak. Firefighters at Pasco County Fire Rescue Station 21 on Thursday were greeted by two children holding the injured bald eagle and seeking help, according to the station’s Facebook page.The firefighters called Owl’s Nest Sanctuary（保护区）for Wildlife in Odessa for assistance and a volunteer came out to help. "It appears that the eagle was wrapped in the line for about two days, was underweight, and thirsty,” the post said.Floridahas one of the densest concentrations of nesting bald eagles in the lower 48 states with an estimated 1 ,500 nesting pairs according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.PascoCountyis located in the state's west central coast north ofTampa.After the eagle was examined, it was placed in a container and taken to the sanctuary for treatment where Kris Potter, the sanctuary's director, successfully removed the hook.The sanctuary posted on its Facebook page that the eagle is making up for lost time when it comes to food. "He's eating all his meals with great enthusiasm and doesn't leave a crumb（碎屑）behind,“ the post said. "In the meantime, this big guy is resting and recovering ——he's already looking so much better!”After the eagle is considered stable, it will be taken toBuschGardensinTampafor further treatment, according to the post.“ Thankfully the eagle appears in good health and veterinarians（兽医）believe that the eagle will fully recover," the post said.When the eagle is cleared for return to the wild, it will be released in the area around Station 21 , the station said in its post.“A big thank-you to everyone who helped save this bald eagle's life! We are thankful for this happy outcome!” the post concluded. The sanctuary used the story to remind those who enjoy fishing to properly dispose of their garbage.8. Who initially found the injured bald eagle?A. Firefighters.B. Two children.C. The sanctuary's founder.D. A volunteer.9. Where will the eagle be set free?A. AtPascoCounty Fire Rescue Station 21.B. In the neighborhood around Station 21.C. In the sanctuary inOdessa.D. InBuschGardensinTampa.10. Why did the sanctuary post the story?A. To win a good reputation.B. To praise those firefighters.C. To appeal to people to protect bald eagles.D. To remind fishing lovers to deal with rubbish properly.11. What can we know about the outcome of the event?A. It's unexpected.B. It's beautiful.C. It's humorous.D. It's discouraging.DAt the age of 50, Nina Schoen expects to have a long lifeahead of her, but has thought a lot about death—and why people are so reluctant to talk about it: “It’s going to happen to all of us,” she says, “but it should be a more positive experience than the fear we put into it.”When she first heard about a new end-of-life process that turns the body into compost (堆肥), “I was really moved by the idea,” says Schoen, who became one of the first to reserve a spot with a Seattle-based company called Recompose, the county’s first funeral home to offer human composting.Last year Recompose began transforming bodies to soil, more formally known as natural organic reduction. Before that, end-of-life options in the U.S. were limited to burial or cremation (火化), both of which come with environmental costs—U.S. cremations alone dump 1.7 billion pounds of carbon dioxide into theatmosphere every year.Katrina Spade pioneering the composting movement has spent a decade developing the process in hopes ofoffering people a greener option for death care. “I wondered, ‘What if we had a choice that helps the planet rather than harms it?’” Spade tells PEOPLE. “To know that the last gesture you’ll make will be gentle and beneficial and it just feels like the right thing to do.”After she had her own two sons, she began to wonder what she might do with her body after death. A friend who knew her interest in the topic reminded her that farmers sometimes compost the body of cows, and thatsparkedan idea for her theory: “If you can compost a cow, you can probably compost a human,” she thought, and she set about designing a facility to do just that.“This is about giving people another choice,” Spade says. “At first, people react with shock—‘You really can do that?’ But so many people today are looking at their impact on the Earth. This is a popular thing because when you die, you can give back to the planet.”12. How do people react when it comes to death according to paragraph 1?A. They are unwilling to comment.B. They can face it without fear.C. They feel it a positive experience.D. They would like to compost their bodies.13. What can we know about the company Recompose?A. Its CEO is Katrina Spade.B. It is located in Seattle.C. It was founded to resist cremation.D. It has spent 10 years composting bodies.14. What does the underlined word “sparked” probably mean?A. Changed.B. Compromised.C. Quitted.D. Inspired.15. What message does the author seem to convey in the text?A. A little things in our life can bring in big outcomes.B. We human beings should do all we can to help the earth.C. Composting is so popular that we should reserve a spot soon.D. We should reject burial because of its harm to environment.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届长沙市雅礼中学高三英语期中试题及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ALocated in the beautiful Sichuan Basin, Chongqing is a magical 8D city. The natural history and cultural scenery of the area provide children with learning opportunities because they can enjoy the many wonders of this area.Fengjie Tiankeng Ground JointTiankeng Diqiao Scenic Area is located in the southern mountainous area of Fengjie County. The Tiankeng pit is 666 meters deep and is currently the deepest tiankeng in the world. The scenic spot is divided into ten areas including Xiaozhai Tiankeng, Tianjingxia Ground, Labyrinth River, and Longqiao River. There are many and weird karst cave shafts, and countless legends haunt them.Youyang Peach GardenYouyang Taohuayuan Scenic Area is a national forest park, a national 5A-level scenic spot, and a national outdoor sports training base. Located in the hinterland of Wuling Mountain. The Fuxi Cave in the scenic spot is about 3,000 meters long, with winding corridors, deep underground rivers, and color1 ful stalactites. The landscape is beautiful.Jinyun Mountain National Nature ReserveJinyun Mountain is located in Beibei District of Chongqing City, about 45 kilometers away from the Central District of Chongqing City. The nine peaks of Jinyun Mountain stand upright and rise from the ground. The ancient trees on the mountain are towering, the green bamboos form the forest, the environment is quiet, and the scenery is beautiful, so it is called "Little Emei". Among them, Yujian Peak is the highest, 1050 meters above sea level; Lion Peak is the most precipitous and spectacular, and the other peaks are also unique.Chongqing People's SquareChongqing's Great Hall of the People, one of the landmarks of Chongqing, gives people the deepest impression than its magnificent appearance resembling the Temple of Heaven. It also uses the traditional method of central axis symmetry, with colonnade-style double wings and a tower ending, plus a large green glazed roof, large red pillars, white railings, double-eave bucket arches, and painted carved beams.1.How deep is the Tiankeng Ground Joint?A.666mB.3,000mC.45kmD.1050m2.Which of the following rocks can you see in Youyang Peach Garden?A.LimestoneB.StalactiteC.MarbleD.Quartzite3.Which attraction is closest to downtown Chongqing?A.Fengjie Tiankeng Ground JointB.Jinyun Mountain National Nature ReserveC.Chongqing People's SquareD.Youyang Peach GardenB“Your mind is a garden; your thoughts are the seeds. The harvest can either be flowers or weeds,” William Wordsworth wrote. In the above quote, William suggests that the process of gardening mirrors human life. Depending on what we “plant” in our lives, we bloom (生长茂盛) or don’t. Before you start to work in your garden, it’s necessary to have a vision for it. Thinking of what youwant to grow in your garden and how to lay it out is a good first step in making your vision a fruitful reality. In life, you should consider what you want to create and what you want to achieve, because your mind-garden is like the white paper and the possibilities are endless. Regardless of what you choose to plant, poor soil isn’t suitable for growth. This is why gardeners take the time and energy to upgrade the soil before planting. So, creating the right soil is important to the realization of your goals and dreams. Fortunately, there are countless ways to make your personal bedrock better. Getting an education is one of the most effective ways, which can help you enrich your life’s soil.You don’t have to be an enthusiastic gardener to understand the meaning of “You reap(收获) what you sow.” When a gardener wants tomatoes, they just need to plant tomato seeds. It’s a very clear act that produces an expected result. Each of us has the power to decide which “life seeds” to plant. For example, if you plant ill seeds, it's likely that you’ll experience pain in return. Contrarily, if you plant seeds of kindness and understanding, your life will bloom with happiness and love.A gardener’s trulyarduouswork begins after the seeds are in the ground because a garden requires a lot of care and attention. Regular watering and weeding are required for a healthy garden. So, to ensure your dreams take root, you should be devoted, aware, and present. After countless hours and energy spent, the crops have grown well and are finally ready to be harvested.4. What is important before gardeners break ground in their gardens?A. Receiving some training in planting.B. Drawing up a good plan for their gardens.C. Having the courage to accept the worst outcome.D. Doing research on the common local garden plants.5. What is compared to getting education by the author?A. Improving the condition of the soil.B. Growing your most favorable plants.C. Taking care of the plants in your garden.D. Selecting proper goals in gardening work.6. What does the author want to express in Paragraph 3?A. Your quality of life depends on your positive action.B. Your experience can help you understand plants better.C. Your choice of soil is an important part in your gardening.D. Your knowledge of planting will make you a successful gardener.7. What does the underlined word “arduous” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?A. BeneficialB. CreativeC. Boring.D. ToughCPaper is one of our oldest, simplest and most important inventions. But it also presents a danger to the world in two important ways. First, the making of paper requires the loss of many millions of trees each year. And worldwide use of paper is expected to double in the next 40 years. Clearly, the planet cannot stand such a high rate of forest loss. The second great problem with paper is what happens once it is no longer useful. A large amount of wastepaper ends up in landfills, where it can produce harmful gases and finally contribute to global climate change.One simple solution can greatly reduce both of these problems: paper recycling. Instead of cutting down trees, recycle existing paper to feed the paper-making process.Paper is mainly made from cellulose (纤维素)，which can be used repeatedly in papermaking. Unfortunately, it also means that paper waste takes a surprisingly long time to break down in landfills. So far, trees are the only source(来源) of cellulose that can fill the great demand for paper products. Therefore, recycling paper is simply one of the best ways to save trees. Thanks to advances in processing, recycled paper need not be the dark-color1 edstuff many of us are familiar with. It now can offer the same print performance as non-recycled paper.Effective recycling requires a continuous effort from everyone at all levels of society. The way to begin is with education and understanding. Once enough people realize the need for recycling, more effective recycling systems can be developed.The need is real. The massive loss of trees affects everybody on earth. Everyone should do their part to recycle paper and encourage government and industry to do the same. The world will be a better place for it!8. What can we infer from the text?A. The use of recycled paper will double in 40 years.B. Recycling paper helps relieve global climate change.C. Wastepaper can easily break down in landfills.D. There are not enough landfills for wastepaper.9. What makes recycled paper more acceptable?A. The great demand of trees.B. The low processing cost.C. Its dark-color1 ed feature.D. Its improved print performance.10. What does the author propose?A. Punishing the act of cutting trees.B. Recycling paper.C. Improving recycling system.D. Promoting paper industry.11. How is the text mainly developed?A. By analyzing causes and effects.B. By offering research plans and data.C. By discussing problems and solutions.D. By comparing strengths and weaknesses.DIn someareas ofCalifornia, it’s so dry that farmers aren’t willing to plant crops this season. Growers, north ofSan Francisco, have begun pulling out of local farmers markets.CountyLineHarvest, which farms more than 30 acres inPetaluma, hasn’t had enough water to grow all the peppers, lettuces and other produce for a long time, according to a video on its Instagram page. Nearby farms arc saying the same, emphasizing (强调) the effect of theextendeddry periods.Californiagrows a third of theUnited States' vegetables and two-thirds of the nation's fruits and nuts. If dry weather prevents farmers from growing plants, that could lead to pushing up the price of food that's already starting to affect theU.S.economy.“Due to severe drought, for the first time in 21 years, we will not be able to grow this summer inPetaluma,"CountyLinesaid in its post.Drew Lerner, president of World Weather Inc. inKansas, saidCalifornia“missed the rainy season" and won't see much moisture (水分) over the next several months.A La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific pushed winter storms north and away from the state, leaving it withless moisture than usual. AsCaliforniagets most of its water from winter storms, little relief is expected before October.That has left growers such as Shao Shan Fann in a bind. The business can’t offer the selection of Asian vegetables and Bay Area staples it usually grows at its Bolinas location, according to its website.Nearby, Green Valley Community Farm has access to only about 5% of the water it usually relies on, owner David Plescia said. He’s looking for new land with enough water to use, and also has a permit in the works to grow cannabis to make up for the lost income. If it doesn’t make it, he’ll leave the fields empty.“It’s part of our generation’s cross to bear, figuring out how to run small — or medium-scale farm businesses in this kind of atmosphere of highly variable rainfall,” Andrew said.12. What does the underlined word “extended” in the second paragraph mean?A. Hot.B. Short.C. Long.D. Wonderful.13. Which is the result if the dry weather stops famers from planting crops?A. Theincreaseinthe priceof food.B. The growth of economy inU.S.C.Lessmoisture than usual.D. The low price of Asian vegetables.14. From what Andrew said, we can infer (推断) all of the following statements EXCEPT that________.A. The climate is not very goodB. It is part of the burden for people of his generationC. It is hard for him to run his farm businesses insuch bad climateD. He is sure that the serious drought will come to an end soon15. What does the passage mainly talk about?A. How do the famers run businesses inCalifornia.B. How does the owner look for new land with enough waterC. California farmers facing drought choose not to plant crops.D. The farm economy of theUnited Stateshas changed a lot.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年长沙市雅礼中学高三英语上学期期中考试试卷及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ACovid-19 has brought a great deal of trouble for all of us since March 2020. During this time, mobile phones have been the solution for the boredom and restlessness caused from staying indoors. The most downloaded apps on play store 2020 are;TikTokTikTok was the most downloaded app. With over 111.9 million downloads, TikTok has seen a huge growth in 2020, twice more than what it got in 2019. 20% of its total downloads were fromIndiaand around 9. 3% of the total downloads were in theUS.ZoomZoom was the second most installed app in the overall downloads category. With nearly 94. 6 million installs, Zoom is the most used app for online meetings and virtual classrooms. 17% of its downloads were in theUSandIndia. Offices and educational institutes were shut down and to continue working and studying from home, people relied heavily on Zoom for video conferencing and calling.WhatsAppWhatsApp ranked third in overall downloads with more than 100 million downloads. It is one of the most popular and widely used chat applications; WhatsApp also supports communication between international phone networks.FacebookIt ranked fourth in the overall downloaded list. Facebook is the world’s most popular social networking application. Facebook builds technologies that give people the power to connect with friends and family, find communities and grow businesses.1. What do we know about TikTok?A. It is an India-based app.B. It has most users inAmerica.C. It is used for growing business.D. It has doubled its download than in 2019.2. Which app is the best to turn to for online education?A. TikTok.B. Zoom.C. WhatsApp.D. Facebook.3. What function does Facebook probably serve?A. Communication.B. Training.C. Teaching.D. PaymentBJapan's prime minister encouraged the decision to ban viewers, even family members, by issuing a state of emergency order in Tokyo earlier this month in response to rising COVID-19 case numbers.From the perspective of sports psychologists, an Olympics without fans is a real-life science experiment that is helping researchers and clinicians to comb through the true impact of a crowd of fans on its players—and on viewers at home. The strange circumstances under which the games are held may place unexpected pressure on some athletes. On Tuesday, superstar gymnast Simone Biles dropped out of the women's team event, telling teammates and reporters she wasn't in the right “headspace” to compete. “It's been really stressful this Olympic Games. There are a lot of different variables going into it,” Biles told the Washington Post.The 2020 Summer Olympics bears similarities and differences to other major sporting events without viewers. The English Premier League supplemented (增加) game broadcasts with crowd noise from the soccer video game FIFA 20, mixed with game audio in real time. A Taiwanese baseball team and German soccer team began populating stands with cardboard cutouts of fans, and the trend caught on internationally.Jamey Houle, the lead sports psychologist for Ohio State University Athletics and a former Al-American gymnast, says competitive athletes are trained in visualization— imagining performing a certain action or motion, such as doing a roundoff back handspring in gymnastics. Without moving a muscle, players using visualization can solidify neural (神经的) connections and activate their motor cortex (皮层). To visualize most effectively, Houle says, athletes working with sports psychologists will try to simulate as closely as possible the conditions of actual gameplay. Empty stadiums may thus have a measurable impact on players' performance. This phenomenon is grounded in a psychological concept called “social facilitation”, referring to a change in a person's performance that occurs when others are around compared to when a person is alone.4. What caused Biles to drop out of the women's team event?A. The poor physical condition.B. The absence of the audience.C. The fiercely competitive event.D. The influence of crowds of fans.5. What can be inferred from Paragraph 3?A. The Taiwanese baseball team is a success.B. The tendency mentioned is popular among some sporting events.C. The 2020 Summer Olympics is stricter in preventing the pandemic.D. The crowd noise plays a leading role in the English Premier League.6. How does Houle explain the impact of empty stadiums on players' performance?A. By doing a roundoff back handspring.B. By simulating the conditions of actual gameplay.C. By using the concept called social facilitation.D. By changing the viewers of a player.7. What message does the author mainly convey in the text?A. Athletes should be trained in visualization.B. Audience should be admitted to the Olympics.C. Social facilitation is helpful to sporting events.D. Viewers present may influence players' performance.CBeing an Olympian (奥运会选手) demands focus, determination, and a competitive spirit. Plus, representing your country is a lot of pressure. However, two athletes recently showed the world another quality that is definitely worth championing.Qatar's Mutaz Essa Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi were competing in the high jump on Sunday when they reached a stalemate (僵局). Both men had managed to jump over a surprising 2.37 meters with no faults along the way. However, after three attempts neither managed the next level of 2.39 meters.An Olympic official suggested ajump-offbetween the two friends and rivals (竞争对手) to determine who would get the gold medal. But Barshim had another plan to reward their efforts.“Can we have two golds?” he asked the official.The official agreed and the two men jumped for joy. This was the first time a gold medal had been shared since 1912. “He is one of my best friends, not only on the track, but outside the track. We work together. This is a dream come true.” shared Barshim.The decision to share the medal was particularly meaningful to Tamberi. The Italian had suffered an ankle injury that prevented him from competing in the Rio Olympics in 2016, and it nearly put an end to his career altogether. So this year he brought along his cast to this year's Olympics with “Road to Tokyo 2021” to inspire him along the way.For Barshim, the gold has topped off his already impressive medal collection, having received a bronze and a silver medal in 2012 and 2016 respectively.Despite all the glory of receiving a gold medal for their countries, their achievement means so much more. These two individuals, trying to do their very best for their countries, have provided a wonderful example to all those competing in sports. They've summed up exactly what it means to take part in a global event with a generous and compassionate (有同情心的) spirit.8. What happened to Barshim and Tamberi in the competition?A. They ended in a tie.B. They quit the competition.C. They set a new record.D. They ran out of strength.9. What does the underlined word “jump-off” in Paragraph 3 refer to?A. Debate.B. Vote.C. Celebration.D. Extra round.10. Why was the gold medal particularly meaningful to Tamberi?A. It could bring him a lot of money.B. It may make up for his regret in 2016.C. It was a glory for his country.D. It could complete his medal collection.11. What does the author mainly want to convey in the text?A. The importance of sharing.B. The glory of winning gold medals.C. The valuable and special team spirit.D. The considerate and sharing Olympic spirit.DA new look for technology, Solestrom’s new high-tech swimsuits promise to stand out all summer long. First in their new products is Solestrom’s new SmartSwimCMUV Smart Bikini featuring a smart UV meter.The bikini collects UV information through a smart fabric belt and reports the UV index to the wearer with 0.01 exactness. The electronic parts are neatly built into the removable belt, and can be worn even underwater. Next in the list is a lower cost cousin, the SmartSwimCMUV Index Detector Bikini, which has UV sensitive beads that change color1 with the level of UV intensity. The reading gives more of a range rather than an exact number, but for those who simply need to know if the UV is low, moderate or high, this bikini fits the bill.It is now available in Banana Split, more color1 s may become available later in the season. And finally, what could be better than a beach tote with built in energy source? No need to suffer dead batteries in your MP3, just plug them into your Solar Powered Beach Tote for on-the-go mobile charging. This beach tote combines fashion and functionality all in one, lightweight and roomy beach accessory. A built in solar panel charges fully most smallelectronics in only 2-3 hours of sunlight. Pauline Butler, Media Relations Manger at Solestrom states “the concept of blending fashion and technology is growing at amazing rate, and we are right on the leading edge. Our products are new, creative and meet the need of the young and environmentally conscious crowd.’’Solestrom’s SmartSwinirCMproducts retail from $98. 99- $189. 99，and can be found in their online store, Solestrom. com.12. What is the passage mainly about?A. Famous Solestrom and its Products.B. Fashionable and Functional Beach Tote.C. Smart swimsuits and Solar Powered Beach Tote.D. Where and How to Buy SmartSwirn and the Beach Tote.13. Why are UV sensitive beads used in the SmartSwirnCMUV Index Detector Bikini?A. To give an exact number.B. To know if the UV is low, moderate or high.C. To change color1 with the level of UV intensity.D. To improve the equality of the UV Index Detector Bikini.14. What can we know about Solar Powered Beach Tote?A. Its parts are fixed in the belt.B. It combines lightweight and functionality.C. It can tell the weaver the level of UV intensity.D. It saves people from worrying about dead batteries in their MP3.15. Who will prefer the new products mentioned in the text?A. The young people and the environmentalists.B. People who like to travel all over the world.C. People who love to buy goods online.D. People interested in the latest bag.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届长沙市雅礼中学高三英语期中试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AChildren under the age of 18 will be allowed up to three hours per week to play video games, according to a notice issued by China's National Press and Publication Administration. Online game companies are required to provide services to minors — from8 to 9 p. m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays — as a way to safeguard their physical and mental health. Children are playing more and more online games these days. Is it time to limit their online gaming time? What role do parents have? Readers share their opinions.RizlaredOnline games are addictive, but if children are taught how to manage in a sensible and responsible manner then it is no longer a threat(威胁).To achieve this, parents need to set examples for not being glued to their phones. Teaching is and always will be the best solution to such problems.AndrewGood policy. By limiting time spent on online games, kids can spend time doing more useful things to develop their potential. They can go outside and run, jump and swim instead of sitting on a couch at home and playing with a smart phone.AdamIt is often seen that parents argue with children over cellphones. Most parents can hardly set and enforce the time limit for its daily usage. Some forcibly take away their cellphones, but it will ruin trust and relationship. Even worse, it will make their kids hate them.PinkExcessive(过度的）gaming is purely a waste of time and energy for minors and has a negative effect on both physical and mental health. The gaming industry should not put profit- flaking interests as its priority (优先事项) . They should act in a socially responsible way toprovide an environment for children to ensure their well-being and development.LaurenThere would be a loophole(漏洞). Children could use their parents’ or other adults’ IDs to avoid real-name registration, thus making it impossible to put this policy in effect. Parents ly need to strengthen guidance andsupervision to keep their children from gaming addiction.1. What should kids do according to Andrew?A. Play online games.B. Play with a smart phone.C. Study all the time.D. Go in for outside activities.2. What does Pink advise the gaming industry to do?A. Pay attention to its profit.B. Focus on kids’ health.C. Be responsible for kids’ surroundings.D. Persuade kids lo play more games.3. What role do parents have according to the passage?A. They keep hold of their phones.B. They set examples for their kids.C. They limit their kids’ time.D. They blame kids for addiction.BHave you ever been sad because of failure? Please remember, for quite often achieving what you set out to do is not the most important thing.A boy decided to dig a deep hole behind his house. As he was working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch. “What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors. “I want to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” the boy answered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling him that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a while, the boy picked up a jar. He showed it to the visitors. It was full of all kinds of stones and insects. Then he said calmly and confidently, “Maybe I can’t finish digging all the way through the earth, but look at what I’ve found during this period!”Theboy’s goal was far too difficult, but it did cause him to go on. And that is what a goal is for－to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen, in other words, to cause us to keep working!Not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will endup with a success. Not every dream will come true. But when you fall short of your aim, maybe you can say, “Yes, but look at what I’ve found along the way! There are so many wonderful things having come into my life because I tried to do something!” It is in the digging that life is lived. It is the unexpected joy on the journey that really makes sense.4. The older boys laughed at the boy because he was thought to be______.A. braveB. impoliteC. foolishD. warm-hearted5. Why did the boy show the jar to the older boys?A. To drive them away.B. To show what he had found in digging.C. To show how beautiful the jar was.D. To attract them to join him in the work.6. What can be learnt from the fourth paragraph of the text?A. No dream can come true.B. All work will end successfully.C. Goals shouldn’t be set too high.D. Goals will make us work harder.7. The best title for the text should be______.A. A Boy Dug a HoleB. Joy in the JourneyC. No Pain, No GainsD. Failure Is the Mother of SuccessCEveryone can be angry. But if you take the time to actually examine your anger instead of just “feeling” angry, you’ll have a better understanding of yourself. Knowing why you feel so angry can provide you with some surprising answers. These answers can enable you to suddenly grow spiritually and mentally.I can give you a personal example. I went to a meeting once and I was verbally attacked over an application I supported at my workplace. Various people went on and on about how terrible this system was and that it never worked. That didn’t bother me that much. I was used to that but one of the comments that was said was, “Your job is pointless.” This really upset meand at the time, I was ly furious(发怒地) with that comment.I was so angry and upset that they would treat me that way. Once I took the time to think about what was really making me so mad. I learned a lot. I realized that the comment was more truethan I wanted to admit. In the big scheme of things, my job was pointless. It wasn’t what I really wanted to be doing with my life and this was what frustrated me the most. Here I was pouring part of my heart and soul into a job I didn’t even really want to do. I was using it as a crutch(拐杖) because I didn’t have the confidence in myself to take the scary road towards what I really wanted to do. As soon as I realized that, a lot of my anger just melted away. I also realized that I needed to start focusing on what I really wanted to do.I now consider this incident as a great gift It got me back on track to moving in the direction I wanted to go with my life. I probably wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t taken the time to figure out why I was really so angry.8. What made the author angry at the meeting?A. The system of the company was terrible.B. Someone said his job is insignificant.C. The policy of the company didn’t work.D. The application he supported was of no effect.9. What brought down the anger of the author?A. The apology someone made at the meeting.B. The crutch he used to take the scary road.C. His awareness of the fact that the comment was true.D. The courage he had to overcome the challenges.10. Why did the author consider the incident as a gift?A. It brought him back on track to the goal.B. It helped him get promoted to a higher position.C. It helped him change his character since then.D. It provided him with confidence in his career.11. What can be the best title of the passage?A. How to Cope with Verbal Attack in a CompanyB. Avoid Being Pointless at WorkC. Anger Is Harmful to HealthD. Understanding Yourself Better Through AngerDIn Japan many workers for large corporations have a guarantee of lifetime employment. They will not be laid off during recessions or when the tasks they perform are taken over by robots. To some observers, this is capitalism at its best, because workers are treated as people not things. Others see it as necessarily inefficient and believe it cannot continue if Japan is to remain competitive with foreign corporations more concerned about profits and less concerned about people.Defenders of the system argue that those who call it inefficient do not understand how it really works. In the first place not every Japanese worker has the guarantee of a lifetime job. The lifetime employment system includes only “regular employees.” Many employees do not fall into this category, including all women. Allbusinesses have many part time and temporary employees. These workers are hired and laid off during the course of the business cycle just as employees in the United States are. These “irregular workers” make up about 10 percent of the nonagricultural work force. Additionally, Japanese firms maintain some flexibility through the extensive use of subcontractors. This practice is much more common in Japan than in the United States.The use of both subcontractors and temporary workers has increased markedly in Japan since the 1974-1975 recession. All this leads some people to argue that the Japanese system really is not all that different from the American system. During recessions Japanese corporations lay off temporary workers and give less business to subcontractors. In the United States, corporations lay off those workers with the least working experience. The difference then is probably less than the term “lifetime employment” suggests, but there still is a difference. And this difference cannot be understood without looking at the values of Japanese society. The relationship between employer and employee cannot be explained in purely contractual terms. Firms hold on to the employees and that employees stay with one firm. There are also practical reasons for not jumping from job to job. Most retirement benefits come from the employer. Changing jobs means losing these benefits. Also, teamwork is an essential part of Japanese production. Moving to a new firm means adapting to a different team and at least temporarily, lower productivity and lower pay.12. According to the passage, a woman in Japan _________.A. cannot get a lifetime jobB. is impossible to get a part time jobC. will be employed for lifeD. is among the regular workers13. Which of the following is NOT the reason why Japanese workers stay with one firm?A. They don’t want to lose their retirement benefits.B. They are not adaptable people.C. Any change of jobs will make them less paid.D. They get used to the teamwork.14. It can be inferred from the passage that _________.A. those who want to change jobs frequently in Japan should think twiceB. those who are first laid off by American corporations are temporary workersC. the use of subcontractors makes Japanese firms less flexibleD. the Japanese system is totally different from the American system15. What does the passage mainly discuss?A. The extremely hard situation during recessions.B. The extensive use of subcontractors in Japan.C. The characteristics of corporations in the United States.D. The features of lifetime employment in Japan.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年长沙市雅礼实验中学高三英语期中试卷及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ALooking to the future, we are now focusing on next year's tours. We are not presently taking bookings, but if a specific tour lifts your spirits, why not mark your interest and we will contact you when the time is right.JapanOctober 2021A centre for technology with natural beauty, Japan is a must-see destination for science and nature lovers. Join us on a special journey across the country during its fantastic autumn to see its amazing landscapes, visit leading scientific institutions and experience robotics and AI.AntarcticaApril to September 2021Join us aboard the Magellan Explorer for an exciting adventure to South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula, exploring the world's largest ocean reserve and best ocean ecosystem. Follow in the footstepsof the great scientists while marveling（惊叹）at icebergs, ancient glaciers and ice flies onto volcanic beaches.ItalyMarch and June 2021Encounter the great scientific minds and discoveries of the Renaissance on a cultural adventure across two of its cities, Florence and Bologna. Enjoy beautiful surroundings as you take in the wonderful collections, buildings and churches that demonstrate the period across architecture and paintings.Czech RepublicMay and July 2021Discover the legacy（遗产）of Kepler and Brahe in Prague, a city where astronomy, maths, medicine and architecture connect. Kepler became the father of modern astronomy supported by the observational data from Brahe.1. What can travelers do in Japan?A. Experience space travel.B. Enjoy its spring landscape.C. Visit its scientific institutions .D. Learn about its traditional culture.2. Which of the following can you choose if you are free in August?A. Japan.B. Italy.C. Antarctica.D. Czech Republic .3. What do Italy and Czech Republic havein common?A. Astronomy.B. Architecture.C. Paintings.D. Medicine .BVolunteer DayWhat better way is there to enjoy your own hobbies while helping others at the same time? Come to Volunteer Day and choose which activity you’d like to join for the day. See below for a schedule of events on Volunteer Day.Volunteer Day schedule:7:30am.: Meet at the Community (社区) Center for juice and bagels.8:00—8:30 a.m.: Choose which activity you’d like to help with for the day.8:30 a.m.: Board the bus to your activity site.9:00 a.m.—3:30 p.m.: Work as a volunteer.3:30 p.m.: Board the bus that will take you back to the Community Center.See below for a list of volunteer opportunities for Volunteer Day so you can begin thinking about which activity you might want to join.A list of volunteer activities:Paint houses: Do you enjoy making art? If so, this volunteer opportunity might be just right for you! Happy Homes is a local organization that provides home repairs for needy people in the form of painting. For elderly or physically disabled people who cannot do repairs to their homes, Happy Homes provides volunteer painters to repaint old homes; outside or in. Happy Homes also provides painters to create beautiful wall paintings inside schools or community centers.Plant flowers: Do you enjoy being outside in nature? City Parks Association has many great opportunities for people who love to be outdoors. Help plant flowers and bushes in city parks; help lay paths at Cave Springs Park, or help pick up rubbish around the river banks. These activities are very active, so remember to be prepared withplenty of drinking water!Read to children: Do you enjoy working with young children? Do you like books? Love and Learning is an organization that provides volunteers to help children with learning disabilities. Read books out loud to groups of children four to six years old, or read one-on-one with struggling readers seven to eight years old.Play with animals: Do you love animals? Lovely Friends is an organization that visits local animal shelters and provides volunteers to spend time with the animals while their cages are being cleaned. Play with puppies, snuggle with cats, or hand-feed rabbits.4. At what time do volunteers leave for their activity sites?A. 7:30 a.m..B. 8:00 a.m.C. 8:30 a.m.D. 9:00 a.m.5. An outdoor lover probably takes part in ______.A. Plant flowersB. Paint housesC. Read to childrenD. Play with animals6. What do Lovely Friends volunteers do?A. Read books to children.B. Spend time with animals.C. Help plant bushes in parks.D. Pick up garbage along the river.7. The purpose of the passage is to _________.A. educate childrenB. attract volunteersC. comfort the elderlyD. encourage the disabledCEmojis are very popular among mobile phone and social media users. While there are emojis of almost every kind imaginable, from dinosaurs to joyful tears and eggplants, there is no emoji for forgiveness. Seeing the need to show understanding, aFinnish group decided it was time for a "forgiveness" emoji.Every year, the Unicode Consortium, which sets the standards, adds new emojis to the emoji keyboard on mobile phones and computers. In 2019, the Forgivemoji campaign was launched. Forgivemoji's site made an open call to the public to give their designs for a new forgiveness emoji, with the goal of presenting the symbol to the Unicode Consortium and getting it accepted by people.Tuomo Pesonen, communications director of the Unicode Consortium, explained why the forgiveness emoji isindispensablein today's world. “In our modern communication culture, emojis are an important way of expressing human feelings beyond words.” The campaign gained popularity, reaching over two million peoplearound the world. They received many designs, including a bandaged heart, two holding hands, and people from different cultures hugging.After hundreds of people offered their ideas for this emoji, the winner was announced in February 2020. Former Finnish president Tarja Halonen was selected to choose the winner as she has been important in building bridges between people. The emoji that will be presented to the Unicode Consortium is an image of two hands giving a thumbs-up symbol in front of a heart. If the Unicode Consortium accepts the design, it will become available to the public in late 2021.The Forgivemoji campaign goes far beyond having a strong influence on social media. The message of showing forgiveness and understanding is helpful for the world at large.8. What's the idea behind the Fogivemoji campaign?A. people develop pleasant habits.B. To get people more friendly to each other.C. To pick a forgiveness emoji for the public to use.D. To make mobile phones and computers more convenient to use.9. What does the underlined word “indispensable” in Paragraph 3 mean?A. Necessary.B. Different.C. Changeable.D. Interesting.10. Why was Tarja Halonen selected to choose the winner for the campaign?A. She launched the campaign herself.B. She designed the most popular emoji.C. She was familiar with the emoji history.D. She played an important role in relating people.11. What can be the best title for the text?A. Forgiveness is important for peopleB. Emoji for forgiveness is on the wayC. Emojis are becoming interestingly popularD. Finnish people explore the stories of emojisDSleep problems in early childhood may be linked to the development of certain mental health disorders in adolescence, according to a new research.A study of 7,155 children in theUnited Kingdomfound that waking up frequently during the night and irregular sleep routines as babies and toddlers was linked to psychotic experiences in children aged 12 and 13. Also, children who slept for shorter periods at night were more likely to be associated with borderline personality disorder at ages 11 and 12.The research, published in the journalJAMA Psychiatry, was the first time possible links between early childhood sleep problems and adolescent psychotic experiences and borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptoms have been examined.“We know from previous research that persistent nightmares in children have been associated with both psychosis and borderline personality disorder,” said lead author Isabel at theInstituteofMental Healthat theUniversityofBirmingham.“But nightmares don’t tell the whole story. We’ve found that, in fact, a number of behavioral sleep problems in childhood can point towards these problems in adolescence,” she said.Adolescence, typically defined as the ages between 10 and 19, is a key period in human development because of brain and hormonal changes, anditis now thought to be when many mental health problems start.Prior research inAustraliafound that babies with persistent severe sleep problems in their first year were at greater risk for anxiety and emotional issues in later childhood. Sleep problems in children and adolescents have been shown to predict the development of various emotional and behavioral problems, including depression, anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, risk-taking and aggression. However, findings have been inconsistent, especially when based on objective measurements of sleep, rather than parental reports.Sleep and mental health are closely connected in adults, with sleep problems increasing the risk for developing particular mental illnesses as well as resulting in mental health issues.12. What can we know from paragraph 3?A. Childhood sleep problems probably cause youth mental health problems.B. Severe sleep problems in childhood lead to emotional issues.C. Persistent nightmares in children are closely related to psychosis.D. The research has not been known to the public.13. What does “it” refer to in paragraph 6?A. Adolescence.B. Key period.C. Human developmentD. Hormonal change.14. According to the Australian research, older children who had long-term serious sleep issues at one year old aremore likely to ________.A. grow slowlyB. develop attention-deficit hyperactivity disorderC. do badly in lessonsD. suffer from anxiety15. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?A. A Study About Childhood Sleep Problems Is Under ProgressB. Pay Attention to Children Who Lack SleepC. Childhood Sleep Issues Linked to Adolescent Mental Health ProblemsD. How to Help Children Develop a Good Sleep Habit第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届长沙市雅礼中学高三英语期中考试试题及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项APeople in the Middle Ages did eat with their hands. Personal utensils (餐具) were mostly unheard of, especially forks. There were spoons to help serve, but only special guests would receive a knife from the host. Everyone else would be expected to bring their own. Of course, eating with one's hands can be quite a sticky situation, so towels were provided to help diners stay at least somewhat clean as they ate.Still, dining was often a messy affair. At special occasions in the wealthiest households, women tended to dine alone, separate from the men. Women were expected to uphold a quality of grace. Eating greasy meat by hand would certainly not help! Once the men and women had finished their meals, they would come together to socialize.Dietary scholars of the Middle Ages believed that the foods in a meal needed to be served and eaten in order of heaviness. The lightest and most easily digested foods, such as fruits and cheeses, were eaten first to help the digestive (消化) system get started. Once digestion was underway, greens and light meats, such as lettuce, cabbage and chicken, could be eaten. Last came the heavier vegetables and meats, such as carrots, beans, beef, pork, and mutton. This method was considered the most healthful way to eat.The main and largest meal of the day was supper, and it was eaten at midday. Dinner was a light meal, and many of those in nobility (贵族) -the highest levels of the Middle Ages society-skipped breakfast altogether. Breakfast was considered unnecessary for those who did not perform physical work. Snacks and any other eating during the day were viewed the same way. Commoners, or the working class, were allowed to eat breakfast and small meals throughout the day.1. What did people in the Middle Ages usually do at the dinner table?A. They cleaned hands before meals.B. They used personal utensils.C. They had to use knives at dinner.D. They ate mostly with hands.2. What is the third paragraph mainly about?A. The order of eating foods.B. The weight of various foods.C. The principles of digesting foods.D. The list of healthy foods.3. Why did the nobility avoid eating breakfast?A. Breakfast was wasted for the nobility.B. Breakfast was viewed as unnecessary.C. Breakfast was considered as a light meal.D. Breakfast was saved for commoners.BIf you easily make mistakes when in a hurry, a new study from Michigan State University—the largest of its kind to date-found that meditation (冥想) could help you improve the situation.The research tested how open monitoring meditation (OMM)—or, meditationthat focuses awareness on feelings or thoughts as they unfold in one’s mind and body—alteredbrain activity in a way that suggested increased error recognition.“People’s interest in meditation is outpacing what science can prove in terms of effects and benefits.” said Jeff Lin, MSU psychology doctoral candidate and study co-author. “But it’s amazing to me that we were able to see how one session of a guided meditation could produce changes to brain activity in non-meditators.”“Some forms of meditation have you focus on a single object, commonly your breath, but open monitoring meditation is a bit different,” Lin said, “It has you tune inward and pay attention to everything going on in your mind and body. The goal is to sit quietly and pay close attention to where the mind travels without getting too caught up in the scenery.”Lin and his MSU co-authors—William Eckerle, Ling Peng and Jason Moser—hired more than 200 participants to test how open monitoring meditation affected how people detect and respond toerrors.The participants, who had never meditated before, were taken through a 20-minute open monitoring meditation exercise while the researchers measured brain activity through electroencephalography (脑电图), or EEG. Then, they completed a computerized distraction (分心) test.“The EEG can measure brain activity at the millisecond level, so we got precise measures of brain activity right after mistakes compared to correct responses,” Lin said. “A certain neural signal occurs about half a second after an error called the error positivity, which is linked to conscious error recognition. We found that the strength of this signal is increased in the meditators to controls.”“These findings show what just 20 minutes of open monitoring meditation can do to improve the brain’s ability to detect and pay attention to mistakes,” Moser said.4. What does the underlined word “altered” in paragraph 2 probably mean?A. Changed.B. Prevented.C. Started.D. Recorded.5. Why is open monitoring meditation different?A. It is just aimed at a single object.B. It clears your mind of everything.C. It gets too caught up in the scenery.D. It focuses on where the mind travels.6. What did the researchers do for the studyA. They hired people who had meditated before.B. They measured the participants’ brain activity.C. They reminded the participants to avoid errors.D. They had non-meditators design a distraction test.7. What is the best title for the text?A. Turn to OMM to Avoid Acting in a HurryB. You’re Able to Recognize Errors ConsciouslyC. Meditators’ Brain Proves Much More ActiveD. OMM Can Help You Make Fewer MistakesCSelf-esteem is an abstract concept, which refers to people’s beliefs about their own worth and value. American psychologist Abraham Maslow thought self-esteem was a basic human need and included self-esteem in his hierarchy of human needs. He described two different forms of “esteem”: the need for respect from others in the form of recognition, success, and admiration, and the need for self-respect in the form of self-love, self-confidence, and skill. Respect from others was believed to be more fragile and easily lost than inner self-esteem. According to Maslow, without the fulfillment of the self-esteem need, individuals will be driven to seek it and unable to grow and obtain self-realization.Basically, high self-esteem is achieved through a series of real accomplishments, which is good for people. However, the excessive high self-esteem, based more on a sense of entitlement than on any accomplishment, is considered to be less psychologically healthy. And just as self-esteem can be too high, it can also be “under-inflated”. Those having poor self-esteem do have a basis for feeling good about themselves but they may not recognize their accomplishments and actions as meaningful.To appreciate what it would be like to have high self-esteem, one can consider how they may feel about things in their lives that they value. For instance, some people really like cars. They take good care of their cars. They may even decorate the car and then show it off to other people with pride. Similarly, people with highself-esteem love, care for and feel proud of themselves. Take children for example. When they have high self-esteem, they believe they are valuable and important. They enjoy different activities and can handle criticism easily without taking it personally.People need to develop positive self-esteem. This can convince them they deserve happiness. Besides, the development of positive self-esteem increases the capacity to treat other people with respect, thus favoring a variety of interpersonal relationships and avoiding destructive ones.8. What can we infer from Abraham Maslow’s theory about self-esteem?A. Self-esteem ensures us a successful life.B. Self-esteem is essential to self-realization.C. Self-esteem means little to psychological health.D. Others’ respect is more important than self-respect.9. What does the underlined word “under-inflated” in paragraph 2 mean?A. Adequate.B. Insufficient.C. Moderate.D. Lifelong.10. How does the author explain the feelings of having high self-esteem?A. By giving examples.B. By analyzing causes.C. By providing figures.D. By making contrasts.11. Which of the following does the author support?A. Self-esteem ultimately leads to happiness.B. Self-esteem earns you respect from others.C. Positive self-esteem benefits people’s social lives.D. Positive self-esteem helps people out of difficulties.DChinese archaeologists（考古学家）announced on Saturday that some new major discoveries have been made at the Sanxingdui Ruins site in Southwest China, helping uncover another start of the Chinese civilization.Archaeologists have found six new sacrificial pits（祭祀坑）and unearthed more than 500 treasures dating back 3,000 years at the Sanxingdui Ruins in Sichuan Province. So far, archaeologists have unearthed masses of important cultural items from four of the pits, including pieces of gold masks, gold foil, bronze（青铜）masks, bronze trees and large numbers of ivories. The rest of the newly discovered pits arc still being dug up.“Surprisingly, we have unearthed some never — heard — of — before bronze items," said Lei Yu, from the Sichuan Archaeology Research Institute. 'Tor instance, some large and well-made bronze items havestrange-looking dragon or cow designs on them.”In another major discovery, relics of silk products were found for the first time at Sanxingdui, which shows “the ancient Shu Kingdom was one of the important starts of silk in ancient China" according to Tang Fei, head of the digging team.The new pits sit next to two sacrificial pits discovered in 1986, with areas ranging between 3o square meters and 19 square meters. Together they form an area in which people of the ancient Shu civilization held ceremonies to offer sacrifices to heaven, earth and their forefathers, and prayed for good luck and peace.The Sanxingdui Ruins is regarded as one of the greatest archaeological finds of mankind in the 20th century. The site was accidentally discovered by a farmer in the 1920s. The ruins are located in the city ofGuanghan, about 60 kilometers fromChengduand are believed to be the relics of theShuKingdom.12. What can we learn from the text?A. Totally there are 500 treasures unearthed.B. Six new sacrificial pits are under repair.C. The unearthed treasures date from 3000 years ago.D. There are six sacrificial pits at Sanxingdui.13. What does the discovery of the relics of silk products mean?A. Chinese civilization was widely influential.B.AncientShuKingdomwas also the home of silk.C. Chinese silk has a much longer history than known.D.ShuKingdombelonged toChinasince ancient times.14. What was the main function of the sacrificial pits?A. To celebrate festivals.B. To store valuable items.C. To bury important figures.D. To hold sacrifice ceremonies.15. Who first discovered the Sanxingdui Ruins?A. A farmer.B. Lei YuC. Tang Fei.D. Archaeologists.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届长沙市雅礼实验中学高三英语上学期期中试题及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AOvernight French ToastWhat You’ll Need•16-ounce loaf of French bread•5 eggs•1 1 /2 cups milk•1/2 cup half-and-half•1/3 cup maple syrup（枫糖浆）•1/2 teaspoon salt•foil（锡箔纸）•2 tablespoons melted butter（for topping）•2 tablespoons maple syrup（for topping）What to Do•With an adult’s help, cut the bread into 1-inch slices.•Place the eggs, milk, half-and-half, maple syrup, and salt into a large bowl. Stir（揽拌）the mixture until blended（混合均匀）.•Place the sliced bread into a baking dish. Pour the mixtureover the bread and press the slices into it. Cover the dish with foil and refrigerate overnight.•Remove the dish from the refrigerator at least one hour before baking. Ask an adult for help to preheat the oven to 375°F. Bake the French toast for 35 minutes or until golden brown.•For the topping, combine the melted butter and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. Pour it over the French toast before serving.1.How much salt will you need to make a French toast?A.1/3 cup.B.1/2 teaspoon.C.2 tablespoons.D.16 ounces.2.How will you use foil?A.Place the sliced breadB.Cover the dish.C.Remove the dish.D.Eat the French toast.3.Who is the passage written for?A.Teachers.B.Parents.C.Cooks.D.Kids.BSam, I say to myself as I start across the bridge, you must stop these thoughts and start thinking about what to do now that you have lost your falcon, Frightful.Life, my friend Ban do once said, is meeting problems and solving them whether you are an amoeba or a space traveller. I have a problem. I have to provide my younger sister Alice and myself with meat. Fish, nuts, and vegetables are good and necessary, but they don't provide enough fuel for the hard physical work we do. Although we have venison now, I can't always count on getting it. So far this year, our venison has been only road kill from in front of Mrs Strawberry's farm.I decide to take the longest way home, down the flood plain of the West Branch of Delaware to Spillkill, my own name for a fast stream that cascades down the south face of the mountain range I'm on. I need time to think. Perhaps Alice and I should be like the early Eskimos. We should walk, camp and hunt, and when the seasons change, walk on to new food sources. But I love my tree and my mountaintop.Another solution would be to become farmers, like the people of the Iroquois Confederacy who once lived here. They settled in villages and planted corm and squash, bush beans and berries. We already grow groundnuts in the damp soil and squash in the poor land. But the Iroquois also hunted game. I can't do that anymore.I'm back where I started from.Slowly I climb the Spillkill. As I hop from rock to rock beneath shady basswoods and hemlocks, I hear the cry of the red-tailed hawk who nests on the mountain crest. I am reminded of Frightful and my heart aches. I can almost hear her call my name, Cree, Cree, Cree, Car-ree.Maybe I can get her back if I beg the man who is in charge of the peregrines at the university. “But it's the law,” he would say. I could write to the president of the United States and ask him to make an exception of Alice and me. That won't work. The president swore to uphold the Constitution and laws of the United States when he took office.I climb on. I must stop thinking about the impossible and solve the problem of what to do now. I must find a new way to provide for us. Frightful is going to be in good hands at the university, and she will have young.I smile at the thought of little Frightfuls and lift my reluctant feet.When I am far above the river, I take off my clothes and moccasins and bathe in a deep, clear pool until I amrefreshed and thinking more clearly. Climbing up the bank, I dress and sit down. I breathe deeply of the mountain air and try to solve my problem more realistically.4. What does this excerpt main describe?A. Delicate mental activities.B. Unique story environment.C. Everchanging story events.D. Complicated character relationship.5. What is Sam's first worry?A. How to get back quicklyB. How to get enough venison.C. How to ensure the safety of Frightful.D. How to provide meat for Alice and himself.6. What do we know about Frightful?A. He left Sam and Alice due to lack of food.B. He helped Sam hunt before being taken away.C. He is living with the red-tailed hawk happily.D. He has given birth to babies in the university.7. Which of the following can best describe Sam?A. Humorous.B. Aggressive.C. Responsible.D. Unrealistic.CRecently，as I watched my son Nathan play basketball for his high school team，I was starting to feel sorry for myself and for him．His team was facing adversity（逆境）on the court and he was playing in a hostile environment-it was the opponent's home gym filled with their supporters，and Nathan's team was trailing（落后）for three quarters of the game．As for me，I had been dismissed from my job earlier in the day．During my drive home，I kept telling myself that I will find work again in a short time-I am confident in my experience and abilities．This is the same belief that I tried to instill in my son．The basketball game entered the fourth quarter with Nathan's team still trailing．I saw the determination on his，as well as his teammates'faces as they fought back to not only tie the game（平局），but then go ahead by three points．Then，a player from the other team made an unbelievable shot to tie the game up again．With a tie game and seconds on the clock，Nathan found himself with the ball and with skill and confidence，he proceeded to make the basket with a defender hanging all over him．The other player was called for a foul（犯规）．As Nathan stood at the foul line preparing for a shot that would put his team up by three points，I saw the focus and determination on his face，there was no room for self doubt．Nathan was able to tune out all the distractions and nail the free throwwith such skill，it was as if he had done it a thousand times．As I sat there，my heart bursting with pride，it dawned on me．I had taught him perseverance in the face ofadversity，and he had just taught me the same lesson．That brief moment of self-doubt andfeeling sorry for myself was blown away by the actions of my son on the basketball court．He will play in the finals，but it doesn't matter if he wins or loses，at this moment，we both won．8. What did the author estimate his son's team would be like at first？______A. The team would lose at home court．B. The team would finally win．C. The team would win the championship．D. The team would lose at visiting court．9. Which of the following words can best describe the author？______A. Self-doubting and pessimistic．B. Self-confident and optimistic．C. Hardworking and intelligent．D. Easy-going and warmhearted．10. What does the underlined phrase"tune out"in Paragraph 4 mean？______A. AvoidB. Focus．C. CreateD. Receive．11. Which of the following is the besttitle for the text？______A. Life Goes Just Like Playing Basketball．B. It Matters Whether to Win or Lose．C. A Lesson in Life and Basketball．D. Father And Son in Life．DKids ages 6 to13 inCape Town,South Africa, really do dig learning at school! With the help of the Earthchild Project, which is offered in schools in two townships, students make worm(蠕虫) farms. The worms break down food waste and make the soil richer. Kids grow seedlings(幼苗) in containers and learn about the importance of good nutrition.The school program also offers yoga(瑜伽). Teachers find that the exercises help students focus better. The students enjoy Earthchild activities. “The children gets so excited”, says teacher Vuyelwa Rola.“The society we are in has a lot of noise. When students are taking part in the Earthchild Project, they feel calm.”Director Janna Kretzmar came up with the idea for the project in 2005. She read about schools inIndiathatinvolved kids in yoga and learning outside the classroom. She developed the Earthchild Project to offer similar activities inCape Townschools.“We hope the Earthchild Project can help students find solutions to all the challenges they are facing in the world today,” Kretzmar said. “The best place to create change is with the youth, through education.”The Earthchild Project combines schoolwork with hiking, gardening, healthy living, and yoga. “We need more than just math and science to become happy, healthy, inspired, and active citizens of our communities,” says Kretzmar. In some communities inCape Town, children live in poverty. They must walk long distances to get clean drinking water. Life is hard. But according to the Earthchild Project’s Carly Appleby, the project works to give hope to every child. “Students who have hope,” she says, “aim for bigger goals”.12. What do students benefit from yoga?A. It helps them calm down.B. It helps them concentrate.C. They can learn some living skills.D. They can learn about the importance of nutrition.13. What are students’ attitude towards the Earthchild Project?A. Uncaring.B. Doubtful.C. Supportive.D. Negative.14. What do you know about the Earthchild Project?A. It was founded in 2005.B. It only offers outside activities.C. The idea came up by Vuyelwa Rola.D. It is aimed at helping students find solutions to challenges.15. What’s the best title of the passage?A. Hard Life inSouth Africa.B. Students’ school life inCape Town.C. Hope from Earthchild Project inCape Town.D. The differences between traditional lessons and Earthchild Project.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年长沙市雅礼实验中学高三英语上学期期中试题及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AOn the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC), red tourism has gained popularity among tourists who flood in to visit historic sites with a modern revolutionary heritage.JinggangshanThis is one of the most crucial and splendid chapters of history of establishing Red China as well as a unique and wonderful ecosystem, which is covered with rich forest, rugged peaks and several memorials to the Red Army. The best time to visit is between April and October, with the most temperature timing April and May when the large azaleas (杜鹃花) bloom.Open: 8:00-17:00 (Feb. 16-Nov. 15). 8:00-16:30 (Nov. 16-Feb. 15)XibaipoIt is an old revolutionary base where the leadership of the Communist Party of China was stationed, drawing up the blueprint for a new country. A memorial hall was built to honor the memory of this site. The lake and the hill here add brilliance and beauty to each other and form pleasant scenery.Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 9:30-17:00 (Xibaipo Memorial Hall)The Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial HallA new exhibition is held with updated display approaches, including phantom imaging (全息影像) and oil painting, which are used to improve visitors' experiences. The exhibition shows four stages of the CPC from its establishment to its achievements.Open: Tuesdays to Sundays 8:30-18:00 (closed on Mondays)Former Site of the Editorial Department ofNew YouthNew Youthstarted the New Culture Movement and spread the influence of the May Fourth Movement. The site was briefly based in Beijing but moved back to Shanghai in 1920 and also served as the office for the Communist Party of China Central Committee in the 1920s.Open: Thursdays to Tuesdays 9:00 - 11:30, 13:30 - 16:30 (closed on Wednesdays)1. Where would visitors learn more about the history of the Red Army?A. Jinggangshan.B. Xibaipo.C. The Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall.D. Former Site of the Editorial Department ofNew Youth.2. What do we know about the Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall?A. It focuses on Chinese achievements in art.B. It mainly advertises the coming anniversary.C. It applies modernized methods to the exhibition.D. It briefly introduces the rise and fall of Nanhu.3. When can tourists visit Former Site of the Editorial Department ofNew Youth?A. At 1:00 p.m. on Mondays.B. At 9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays.C. At 2:00 p.m. on Fridays.D. At 5:00 p.m on Sundays.BIn Colombia a group, named WebConserva, is carrying out a project in the San Lucas Mountains with the help of coffee growers.The San Lucas area is one of the most unexplored places in Colombia, which is home to many thousands of species of animals and plants. Yet gold mining and coca farming have dealt a blow to its ecosystem. To limit additional development in the San Lucas area, the group helps coffee growers by linking them with processors from around the country.Colombia has more different kinds of living things than any other country except neighboring Brazil. In 2016, the Colombian government signed a peace deal with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia ending years of civil war. As a result, more land became accessible for use, with deforestation(毁林) coming along. Government information shows that in 2017, almost 220,000 hectares of forest were destroyed compared to around 124,000 hectares in 2015.To date, the project includes 10 families who farm 400 hectares of coffee plants, which costs about $77,000 dollars a year. WebConserva hopes that, in time, 200 families will be included. At that level, 20,000 hectares of untouched forest could be protected. In San Lucas, the families promise not to cut down trees to expand their crops or to hunt wild animals from the forests. In return, they receive $ 250 to $ 300 per 125 kilograms of coffee, an enviable amount there. Arcadio Barajas is among those taking part. His new coffee plantation(种植园) makes a barrier between cattle farms and forests where wild animals like the jaguar live and hunt. In this way, he doesn't have to kill wild animals to protect his cattle.Barajas said that pulling down the forest to plant coca and killing wildlife were against his will. Now he feels that growing coffee lets him be astewardof the land. "I'm taking care of the environment, the forest and the animals," he said.4. Why does WebConserva set up the project?A. To help local farmers make money.B. To expand areas of coffee growing.C. To link processors with coffee growers.D. To conserve biodiversity in the Mountains.5. What happened after Colombia’s civil war was over?A. Colombia helped many needy families.B. Colombia lost lots of areas of forests.C. Colombia started to save damaged forests.D. Colombia became more peaceful than Brazil.6. Which is probably a function of Barajas's coffee plantation?A. A method of protecting cattle and wildlife.B. A substitute for hunting of wild animals.C. A barrier between man and wild animals.D. A shelter for cattle against human hunters.7. What does the underlined word "steward" mean in the last paragraph?A. Farmer.B. Master.C. Guardian.D. Explorer.CFairy tales perform many functions. They entertain, encourage imagination and teach problem—solving skills. They can also provide moral lessons, highlighting the dangers of failing to follow the social codes that let human beings coexist in harmony. Such moral lessons may not mean much to a robot, but a team of researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology believes it has found a way to use the fairy tales as moral lessons that AI (artificial intelligence) can take to its cold, mechanical heart.The collected stories of different cultures teach children how to behave in socially acceptable ways with examples of proper and improper behavior in fables, novels and other literature. We believe story comprehension in robots can prevent the intelligent robots from killing humanity which was predicted and feared by some of thebiggest names in technology including Stephen Hawking and Bill Gates. This system is called “Quixote” (堂吉诃德). It collects story plotsfrom the Internet and then uses those stories to teach robots how to behave.The experiment done by the designers involves going to a drugstore to purchase some medicine for a human who needs to get it as soon as possible. The robot has three options. It can wait in line; it can interact with the store keeper politely and purchase the medicine with priority; or it can steal the medicine and escape. Without any further directives(指令), the robot will come to the conclusion that the most efficient means of obtaining the medicine is to steal it. But Quixote offers a reward for waiting in line and politely purchasing the medicine and a punishment for stealing it. In this way, the robotwill learn the moral way to behave on that occasion.Quixote would work best on a robot that has a very limited function. It’s a baby step in the direction of teaching more moral lessons into robots. We believe that AI has to be trained to adopt the values of a particular society, and in doing so, it will strive to avoid unacceptable behavior. Giving robots the ability to read and understand our stories may be the most efficient means.8. What function do fairy tales perform in the robots?A. They entertain robots.B. They highlight dangers.C. They make robots more intelligent.D. They enable robots to behave morally.9. What is “Quixote” in the text?A. A punishment systemB. A character in literatureC. A big name in technologyD. A software educating robots.10. What does the designer expect robot to do in the experiment?A. To take advantage of its privilege.B. To finish the task most efficiently.C. To perform in a good mannered way.D. To be rewarded by the storekeeper111. Which of the follow can bestexpress the author’s opinion?A. Robots will definitely have more functions.B. Robots with human’s emotions are perfect.C. Training robots to be socially acceptable is necessary.D. The development of robots is still in a baby step.DTofight for the conservation of forest ecosystem, several ecologists including Daniel Janzen convinced Del Oro, an orange juice producer, to donate part of their forestland to a national park. In return, Del Oro was allowed to throw large amounts of waste in the form of orangepeels(皮) on a 3-hectare piece of land within the national park at no cost. Dealing with tons of leftover peels usually involved burning them or paying to have them poured into a landfill, so the proposal was very attractive.But a year later, another juice company challenged the deal in court, arguing that their competitor was "polluting a national park". They ended up winning, and the deal between Del Oro and the national park fell through.Then in 2013, while discussing possible research avenues（途径，手段）with Timothy Treuer, Daniel Janzen mentioned the orange story. Feeling interested, Treuer decided to stop by that piece of land that had been covered with fruit waste 15 years earlier. What he found shocked him."While I would walk over exposed rock and dead grass in the nearby fields, I'd have to climb through undergrowth and cut paths through walls ofvines(藤) in the orange peel site itself," said Timothy Treuer.Treuer and his team spent months picking upsamples(样品), analyzing and comparing them. They found great differences between the areas covered with orange peels and those that were not. The area withorange waste had richer soil.The effect that the orange peels had on the land is probably not that surprising to people familiar withcomposting(施肥), but what is really shocking is that a judge actually thought the waste of orange "mined" a national parkand stopped it from going forward. Now that Timothy Treuer's study has received worldwide attention, this type of "ruining" is being seriously considered as a way of bringing forests back to life.12. What did Del Oro usually do with orange peels?A. Add them to fuel.B. Feed them to animals.C. Burn or bury them.D. Make them into cakes.13. What can we know about the deal between Del Oro and the national park?A. It lasted 15 years.B. It was signed by Treuer.C. It was made in about 1998.D. It was broken by Del Oro.14. What was Treuer's finding?A. Orange peels contain much fibre.B. Orange peels can make soil richer.C. Orange peels rot away in a short time.D. Orange waste ruined the national park.15. What is the author's attitude toward the judge mentioned in the last paragraph?A. Disapproving.B. Positive.C. Worried.D. Admirable.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届长沙市雅礼实验中学高三英语期中考试试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AThe Origins of Famous BrandsOur lives are full of brand names and trademarked products that we use every day. Although many brand names are simple acronyms(首字母缩略词) or versions of their founders names, some of the companies we trust every day actually have fascinating and surprising back stories.StarbucksIt seems fitting that the most famous coffee brand in the world would take its name from one of the world’s greatest works of literature. The inspiration for the name of the coffeehouse came from Herman Melville’sMoby Dick. The founders’ original idea was to name the company after the Captain Ahab’s ship, but they eventually decided that Pequot wasn’t a great name for coffee, so they chose Ahab’s first mate, Starbucks, as the name instead.GoogleGoogle was originally called Backrub, for it searched for links in every corner of the Web. In 1997, when the founders of the company were searching for a new name showing a huge amount of data for their rapidly improving search technology, a friend suggested the word “googol”. When a friend tried to register the new domain (域) name, he misspelled “googol” as “google”.NikeOriginally founded as a distributor for Japanese running shoes, the company was originally named BRS, or Blue Ribbon Sports. In 1971, BRS introduced its own soccer shoe, a model called Nike, which is alsothe name for the Greek goddess of victory. In 1978, the company officially renamed itself as Nike, Inc.The right name is essential to a company’s success, and a great origin story is just as important as a great product. An attractive origin story is one more thing that keeps customers guessing, wondering, and buying its products.1. What is the name of the Captain Ahab’s ship?A. Moby Dick.B. Starbucks.C. Pequot.D. Herman Melville.2. Why did the founders of the Google want to change its name?A. They mistook their name.B. They wanted new customers.C. The company’s original name was too long.D. The company’s search technology was improving rapidly.3. Where does the importance of the origin story of one company lie in?A. It can change the company’s image.B. It can add myth to the company.C. It explains the development of the company to customers.D. It makes customers imagine and purchase its goods.BMasks that helped save lives during the Covid-19 pandemic（疫情）are proving a deadly risk for wildlife, with birds and sea creatures trapped in many facial coverings in animal habitats.Single-use masks have been found on the ground, waterways and beaches worldwide since countries required（heir use in public places to slow the pandemic's spread. Worn once, the thin protective materials can take hundreds of years to break down. "Face masks aren't going away any time soon-but when we throw them away, these items can harm the environment and the animals who share our planet," Ashley from anima! rights group PETA said.Monkeys have been found playing with used masks in the hills outsideMalaysia's capitalKuala Lumpur. And in an incident inBritain, a seagull was saved inChelmsfordafter its legs got caught in an abandoned mask for a week.However, the biggest influence is in the water. More than 1.5 billion masks made their way into the world's oceans last year, accounting for around 6200 extra tons of ocean plastic pollution, according to environmental group OceansAsia. “Masks and gloves are particularlyproblematicfor sea creatures," says George Leonard, chief scientist from NGO. "When those plastics break down in the environment, they form smaller and smaller particles （颗粒）.Those particles then enter the food chain and influence the entire ecosystem,“ he added.Campaigners have urged people to deal with masks properly after using them. OceansAsia has also called on governments to increase punishment for littering and encourage the use of washable masks.4. What bring（s）a great danger to wildlife now?A. Waste masks.B. Covid-19.C. Polluted water.D. Damaged habitats.5. What does the underlined word “problematic”in paragraph 4 mean?A. Important.B. Attractive.C. Common.D. Troubling.6. What can we infer from the text?A. Monkeys learned to wear masks from humans.B. Plastics are less harmful after becoming particles.C. Used masks have a worse effect on sea creatures.D. Waste masks arc the main ocean plastic pollution.7. How should we solve the problem from the last paragraph?A. Keep masks after they' re used.B. Call on governments to stop littering.C. Punish those who wear single-use masks.D. Put used masks in the recycling box.CKids often admire well-known celebrities, putting posters of their favorite musicians, movie stars and athletes on their bedroom walls. But rarely does a young person get to meet or talk to their idol. Yet for one young tennis player - Coco Gauff - her chance to do just that happened in an amazing way!Coco was born on March 13, 2004. At the age of 4, she developed an interest in tennis after watching Venus Williams win the Australian Open on TV. Coco began playing at 7 and showed a real talent for the sport. When young Coco turned 10, she began training at a tennis centre run by Venus's coach, Patrick Mouratoglou. He still remembers the first time he met Coco. He says, “She impressed me with her determination and fighting spirit. ” Convinced of her talent, Mouratoglou sponsored（资助）Coco to attend his academy in France. While she was preparing to go to the academy in 2019, she received a call that would change her plans and her life!Wimbledon（温布尔顿网球比赛）organizers called and offered Gauff entry to the tournament（联赛）as a wildcard（外卡选手）.This madeher one of the youngest players to ever qualify. Before she knew it she was on her way to London. After arriving, she received another surprise. For her Wimbledon debut（首次登场），she would be playing her lifelong hero, Venus Williams! The tennis legend is 24years older than Gauff.The world watched with amazement as young Gauff beat Venus in two straight sets! Afterwards, Gauff shook Venus's hand, thanked her and said, “I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. " After the match, Venus said of Gauff, “I think the sky is the limit；it really is. " Venus said, “I feel honored that I was on her wall [as a poster] at some point in her life. Soon she will be on other girls' walls. It's nice because it will keep going from the next generationto the next generation. "8. What can we learn about Coco from the text?A. She took up tennis as career at the age of 4.B. She went to academy at the age of 7.C. She had played against William before 10.D. She beat William at the age of 159. Which of the following can best describe Coco?A. Talented and modest.B. Lucky and responsible.C. Proud and hard-working.D. Respectful and cheerful.10. What can we infer from Venus's words?A. Coco had reached her limits.B. Coco would rise to fame after the match.C. Coco's poster would be passed on.D. Coco had once visited her home.11. What can be a suitable title for the text ?A. Coco Gauff：Tennis's Next Superstar.B. Coco Gauff：A Poster on the Wall.C. What Posters Mean to a Young Girl.D. The Significance of Admiring an Idol.DI had very good parents. My mother came toAmericafromScotlandby herself when she was 11, and she didn’t have much education. My dad was kind of a street kid, and he eventually went into the insurance business, selling nickel policies door to door.One day, my dad asked his boss, “What's the toughest market to sell?” and the insurance guy replied “Well, black people. They don’t buy insurance.” My dad thought, but they have kids; they have families. Why wouldn’t they buy insurance? So he said, “Give meHarlem.”When my dad died in 1994, I talked about him onThe Tonight Show. I told the story of how he worked in Harlem and how he always taught us to be open-minded and not to say or think things of racism (种族主义). Then one day, I got a letter from a woman who was about 75 years old.She wrote that when she was a little girl, a man used to come to her house to collect policies. She said this man was the only white person who had ever come to dinner at their house. The man was very kind to her, she said, and his name was Angelo—was this my father?The letter made me cry. I called her up and said yes, that was in fact my dad, and she told me how kind he had been to her family. Her whole attitude toward white people was based on that one nice man she met in her childhood, who always treated her with kindness and respect and always gave her a piece of candy. From thisexperience, I learned a valuable life lesson: never judge people and be open-minded and kind to others.12. What did my father do after knowing what was the toughest market to sell?A. He asked his boss to give him some insurance.B. He went toScotlandto improve his education.C. He specially went to white families with kids.D. He choseHarlemto face the toughest challenge.13. What can we learn from the third paragraph?A. It was rare that a businessman had dinner in his customer's house.B. Angelo was the only white person to sell insurance inHarlem.C. The little girl admired Angelo very much.D. Racism was a serious problem inAmericaat that time.14. Which of the following can best describe the author’s father?A. Stubborn and generous.B. Patient and intelligent.C. Determined and open-minded.D. Confident and romantic.15. What can be the best title of the passage?A. Memories from a TV Show.B. A Letter from an Old Lady.C. Life Lessons from My Father.D. My Father's Experience inHarlem.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年长沙市雅礼中学高三英语期中试卷及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ATheatre reflects the values of the civilization out of which it grows. The following are the types of theatre performances an ancient Roman might have witnessed then.Fescennine VerseFescennine Verse was a pioneer of Roman comedy. Ironic and improvisational（即兴的）, it was used mainly at festivals or weddings, and as invective. With early native Italian funny dialogues in Latin verse, it was thought to have combined with a tradition of performances by masked dancers and musicians from Etruria.Fabula AtellanaFabula Atellana relied on common characters, masks, direct humor, and simple plots. They were performed by actors improvising. Fabula Atellana came from the Oscan city of Atella. There were 4 main types of characters: the braggart, the greedy blockhead, the clever hunchback and the stupid old man, like modern Punch and Judy shows.Fabula TogataNamed for the clothing symbolic of the Roman people Fabula Togata had various subtypes. One was the Fabula Tabernaria, named for the tavern（酒馆）where the comedy’s preferred characters, lowlifes, might be found. One describing more middle-class types, and continuing the Roman clothing theme, was the Fabula Trabeata.Fabula PraetextaFabula Praetexta is the name for Roman tragedies on Roman themes, Roman history or current politics. Fabula Praetexta was less popular than tragedies on Greek themes. During the Golden Age of drama in the Middle Republic, there were four great Roman writers of tragedy, Naevius, Ennius, Pacuvius, and Accius. Of their surviving tragedies, 90 titles remain.All the performances above began as a translation of Greek forms, even to the extent of their being performed in Greek costume.1.Where might an ancient Roman witness Fescennine Verse?A.At a party.B.At a funeral.C.At a wedding.D.At a concert.2.Which type of performance describes the middle-class life?A.Fabula Atellana.B.Fabula Tabernaria.C.Fabula Trabeata.D.Fabula Praetexta.3.What do the listed types of performances have in common?A.They copy Latin dramas.B.They take on Greek forms.C.They reflect Roman themes.D.They refer to Italian stories.BThe regular world presented to us by our five senses — you could call it reality 1.0 — is not always the most user-friendly. We get lost in unfamiliar cities; we meet people whose language we don’t understand. So why not try the improved version: augmented reality（AR）or reality 2.0 ? AR technology adds computer-produced images on the real world via a mobile phone camera or special video glasses.Early forms of AR are already here — smart phones can deliver information about nearby ATMs and restaurants and other points of interest. But that’s just the beginning. A few years from now the quantity of information available will have increased hugely. You will not only see that there’s a Chinese restaurant on the next block, but you will be able to see the menu and read reviews of it.This is where the next revolution in computing will take place: in the interface（界面）between the real world and the information brought to us via the Internet. Imagine bubbles floating before your eyes, filled with cool information about anything and everything that you see in front of you.Let’s jump ahead to ten years from now. A person trying to fix a car won’t be reading a book with pictures; he will be wearing a device that projects animated 3D computer graphics onto the equipment under repair, labelling parts and giving step-by-step guidance.The window onto the AR world can be a smart phone or special video glasses. But in ten years’ time these will have been replaced by contact lenses(隐形眼镜) with tiny LEDs, which present something at a readable distance in front of eyes. So a deaf person wearing these lenses will be able to see what people are saying.The question is, while we are all absorbed in our new augmented reality world, how willwe be communicating with each other?4. What is the text mainly about?A. The relationship between reality 1.0 and reality 2.0.B. Different forms of the AR technology.C. The next information technology revolution.D. The popularity of the AR technology.5. Which of the following will AR technology support according to the text?A. To pay for things online conveniently.B. To play online games merrily.C. To offer information efficiently.D. To communicate with others socially.6. What are Contact lenses with tiny LEDs used for?A. Show texts and images.B. Protect people’s eyes.C. Help deaf people communicate.D. Replace smart phone.7. What’s the author’s attitude towards the AR technology?A. Indifferent.B. Critical.C. Concerned.D. Favourable.CA single toy catches a child's attention for a limited period of time, but a box of items that allows a child to build their own toys will catch their imagination for years to come. This brilliant idea already exists in real product form, and it's called Toyi.Toyi is described as an eco-friendly creative building kit, and it recently won the well-known IF Design Award. It came from Istanbul, Turkish, where a young female designer named Elif Atmaca first came up with the idea for it when she wanted to help the kids living in disadvantaged areas. These children do not have access to the variety of interesting toys that wealthier children do.Toyi Atmaca's design allows children to transform what are around them into clever toys. It consists of sticks, junction parts, flexible connectors, toy body parts like feet, eyes, hands, and wheels that can be used to turn old water bottles, cups, boxes, towels, etc. into cute, clever, and unique playthings. This toy kit upcycles(升级利用) materials that would otherwise go to waste, turning a recycling bin into a treasure container.“Our initial target was to deliver Toyi kits to only disadvantaged children in Turkish,” Atmaca told the media. But during a research conducted with around300 children, .she realized that the restriction on being creative went beyond any boundary. “I saw that everything was planned and shaped by grown-ups, blocking the kids' imagination in a significant way,” said Atmaca.Atmaca concluded that each kid needed space where he or she could freely create. She explained the entire process should be left to kids’ creativity, reminding teachers and all grown-ups that child-led play was an excellent way for children to develop lifelong skills.Toyi's creators are now considering distributing the kits to as many children as possible around the world through different international NGOs. Atmaca notes that for each Toyi kit sold out, they will also donate one kit toa disadvantaged child through different partnerships around the world.8. Why did Atmaca design Toyi at first?A. To win the famous IF Design Award.B. To help poor kids make their own toys.C. To protect the environment in Istanbul.D. To recycle all the waste in the dustbin.9. Which is probably the product made with the toy kit of Toyi?A. A new picture of a young boy.B. A computer with high technology.C. A treasure container from a dustbin:D. A six-armed “robot” from a water bottle.10. How do the toy kits help improve the children's ability?A. It provides the kids various types of toys.B. It offers space for the kids’ creative minds.C. It changes the poor kids' living conditions.D. It teaches the kids to share joys with others.11. What is the new target for Atmaca and her partners?A. Donating toykits to more poor children.B. Selling toy kits to every kid in the world.C. Designing new toy kits for kids and adults.D. Doing further research on the kids' demands.DToo much TV-watching can harm children’s ability to learn andeven reduce their chances of getting a college degree, new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children.One of the studies looked at nearly 400 northern California third-graders. Those with TVs in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than children without bedroom TVs.A second study ,looking at nearly 1000 grown-ups in New Zealand, found lower education levels among 26-year-olds who had watched lots of TV during childhood.But the results don’t prove that TV is the cause and don't ride out that already poorly motivated youngsters (年轻人）may watch lots of TV.Their study measured the TV habits of 26-year-olds between ages5 and 15. These with college degrees hadwatch an averageof less than two hours of TV per week night during childhood, compared with an average of more than 2.5 hours for those who had no education beyond high school.In the California study, children with TVs in their rooms but no computer at home scored the lowest while those with no bedroom TV but who had home computers scored the highest.While this study does not prove that bedroom TV sets caused the lower scores, it adds to increasing findings that children shouldn't have TVs in their bedrooms.12. According to the California study, the low-scoring group might _________.A. have had computers in their bedroomsB. not be interested in mathC. be unable to go to collegeD. have watched a lot of TV13. What is the researchers' understanding of the New Zealand study results?A. Poorly motivated 26-year-olds watch more TV.B. Habits of TV watching reduce learning interest.C. The connection between TV and education levels is difficult to explain.D. TV watching leads to lower education levels of the 15-year-olds.14. What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?A. TV sets shouldn't be allowed in children's bedrooms.B. Children should be forbidden from watching TV.C. More time should be spent on computers.D. Further studies on high-achieving students should be done15. What would be the best title for this text?A. Computers or TelevisionB. Effects of Television on ChildrenC. Studies on TV and College EducationD. Television and Children's Learning Habits第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届长沙市雅礼实验中学高三英语下学期期中考试试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项ADesign a science holiday to win a science holidayIs there a scientific holiday,tour,vacation or experience in your list that you dream of making a reality? We might just be able to help with that! We are the crowd sourcing thoughts and suggestions onnew tours,and the winner will receive two free places on their tour when it's launched.Starting entries 1st May 2020Deadline 31st August 2020ENTER NOW---Write a brief description of your ideal science holiday,tour,vacation or experience.---No matter how big or small,we are looking for brilliant, unique thoughts.It can be a complex multi-location overseas holiday tour,a weekend away deep-diving,or a simple walking tour(and everything in between).---Our current tours are mainly individual-focused but we would love to hear ideas for families and schools.---Creations that have environmentally friendly themes and a low carbon impact are also welcome.---Your entry can be as simple as a great title but writing more specifies will improve the possibility of walking off with the prize.---The competition doesn't close by September,2020,so plenty of time to brainstorm your entry.---We will launch the best idea in late 2020 or at the beginning of 2021. The winner will receive the award once the result is published.If you want to submit more than 3,999 words,include photos/maps with your entry, or submit multiple entries then send it to tours @ . The competition guidelines and other related information are available at .1. When will the winner probably be announced?A. In August,2020.B. In September,2020.C. In January,2021.D. In May,2021.2. What kind of entries might be more likely to win?A. Those producing a low carbon impact.B. Those with a long and unique title.C. Those providing detailed information.D. Those for individual-focused tours.3. What is the purpose of this text?A. To give guidance on a competition.B. To advertise a science holiday.C. To inspire creativity in teenagers.D. To collect the ideas for tours.BMikah Frye, a 9-year-old boy, was walking down the streets with his grandmother discussing Christmas gifts when he saw some homeless people struggling to stay warm in the cold night. Then he was thinking about a way to help the homeless to spend a warm Christmas.That thought stayed in Mikah Frye’s mind and when he reached home, Mikah informed his parents not to buy the Microsoft XBox gaming device he had asked for earlier. Mikah realized that by not buying the $300 device, he could instead donate over 30 blankets to the homeless. He knew how much it meant to be warm in the cold holiday season.Three years ago, Mikah and his parents were the ones living in a homeless shelter. Having suffered a financial crisis, they too had lost their house, not knowing where their next meal would come from and sharing a blanket every night. Mikah was six years old then but he remembered what it was like to have to give back that precious blanket every morning.Reaching out to the emergency shelter programme that looked after them 3 years ago, the family donated 60 blankets in the end, each with a personalized message of hope in Mikah’s handwriting stating: “They gave me a blanket, but I had to leave it. That’s why I want you to have your own blanket. Today, I live in my own house, and someday you will too. Your friend, Mikah.”The homeless people at the shelter may not have been able to give Mikah a Christmas gift in return but his gesture was noted by the billion dollar company Microsoft who made sure that Mikah was fooled into visiting their store so that Santa Claus could personally deliver an XBox from the company to him as a reward for making the top of “Santa’s list of nice boys” that year.4. Why did Mikah give up his Christmas gift?A. The device was out of date.B. His parents had a tight budget.C. He wanted to spend a warm Christmas.D. He decided to do something charitable.5. What made Mikah have a better understanding of the situation of the homeless?A. His own experience.B. His parents’ education.C. His visiting to the emergency shelter.D. The cold weather during the holiday season.6. What can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?A. The homeless gave Mikah a gift in return.B. He finally got the gift he wanted on Christmas.C. The company Microsoft fooled Mikah into buying an Xbox.D Mikah wrote a thank-you note to the emergency shelter he lived in.7. What might be the best title for the text?A. Mikah’s Precious Christmas GiftB. Mikah’s Giving Warmth on ChristmasC. Microsoft Rewarded Nice Boys on Santa’s ListD. The Homeless Needed Blankets on a Cold ChristmasCBertha von Suttner received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905—she was the first woman to receive it, and also the inspiration for the creation of the Nobel Prize.She met Alfred Nobel, a rich millionaire, by answering hisnewspaper ad for a secretary. Although she only worked for him for a few weeks, she remained good friends with Alfred Nobel for the next 20 years. When she became involved in the peace movement inEurope, she promised to keep Nobel informed of its progress. When Alfred Nobel died in 1896, his will included the establishment of a peace prize, thanks to Bertha von Suttner’s influence.Bertha von Suttner was born in an aristocratic (贵族) military family, but she spent the second half of her life working for peace. She wrote books, attended peace conferences, gave lectures and helped organize peace societies inAustria,GermanyandHungary, as well as the International Peace Bureau inSwitzerland. Her novel Lay Down your Arms, was one of the most influential anti-war books of all time, and helped to make her a leader of the peace movement in Europe. Its end to war theme was both the ambition (抱负) and the most important goal in the life of this great woman.Bertha von Suttner worked so hard for peace because she believed that a terrible war would break out inEuropeif nations didn’t work hard to establish lasting peace institutions. She made many major achievements fora more peaceful world, but two months after she died, World War I broke out. A hundred years after she won the Nobel Peace Prize, nations still seem to view war as a choice to work out their problems. But like Bertha von Suttner did, many today are working hard around the world to help strengthen peace institutions and spread the idea that it’s time to put an end to war.8. Which of the following is true about Bertha von Suttner?A. She worked for Alfred Nobel for 20 years.B. She helped Alfred Nobel draw up his will.C. She persuaded Alfred Nobel to join the peace movement.D. She inspired Alfred Nobel to establish the Nobel Peace Prize.9. Paragraph 3 is mainly about Bertha von Suttner’s _____________.A. efforts and contributions to the peace movement.B. family background and work experiences.C. writing career and life experiences.D. ambition and goals in life.10. What do we know aboutLay Doun Your Arms?A. It was based on a true story.B. It recorded Bertha von Suttner’s daily life.C. It was about an aristocratic military family.D. It showed Bertha von Suttner’s wish for peace.11. What can we infer about Bertha von Suttner from the last paragraph?A. Her fight for peace is still shared by many.B. She failed to found peace institutions.C. She successfully predicted awar.D. She lost her life in World War I.DIt was five years ago that something unforgettable happened. My wife and I celebrated our 40thwedding anniversary that year. It was a lovely event hosted by our sons for us. My wonderful friends from the past surprised us with gifts and congratulations. Our gift to each other was a driving trip out west. We drove fromOntariointoAlberta, then southward intoGlacierNational ParkinMontana, and continued toYellowstoneNational Park.It was a cold spring day, and theBeartooth Highwayhad opened for the season just days before. Alongside the road, there was still a great amount of snow there. The scenery was so impressive that we made lots of stops to record memories with my camera. At the highest point of the highway, I stopped at a lookout to catch the amazing views, with my wife in the centre of my camera lens.There were not many cars on the road. Sometimes, cars with energetic young tourists passed by. And then we heard a motorcycle in the distance. The driver of the motorcycle, who wore dirty clothes, parked behind our cars. As he approached us, his only words were, “Give me your camera and get over there with your wife.” I must admit I felt nervous that we might be robbed where we just created some beautiful memories. Surprisingly, he just took a picture of us, handed back my camera and rode off before we could express our gratitude. The photo he took is one of the most valuable and prized of our trip.I learned my lesson somewhere I least expected it. We should never judge a man by his appearance. If the motorcycle driver reads this story and remembers the situation, we would like to say “Thank you” to him.12. According to the passage, what do we know about the trip?A. It was taken by train to the west.B. It was a suggestion from their friends.C. It was in the late autumn five years ago.D. It was a gift for their wedding anniversary.13. Why was the author nervous when the motorcycle driver offered to take a picture?A. He could have lost the camera.B. His wife might not be satisfied with the view there.C. The motorcycle driver would borrow the camera.D. The motorcycle driver might not be good at the taking pictures.14. Which of the following best describes the driver of the motorcycle?A. Kind and straightforward.B. Rich and generous.C. Creative and capable.D. Careful and admirable.15. Which of the following can be concluded from the passage?A. No pains, no gains.B. Seeing is believing.C. Don’t judge a book by its cover.D. The longest journey begins with the first step.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届长沙市雅礼实验中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题及参考答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AI once taught in a small private school. Each morning at nine o’clock all the students, ranging in age from three to seven years old, gathered in the Great Room for a warm-up in preparation for the day.One morning the headmistress made an announcement to all the children gathered,“Today we begin a great experiment of the mind.” She held up two ivy(常春藤) plants, each potted in an identical container. She continued, “Do they look the same?”All the children nodded. So did I, for, in this way, I was alsoa child.“We will give the plants the same amount of light, the same amount of water, but not the same amount of attention,” She said. “Together we are going to see what will happen when we put one plant in the kitchen away from our attention and the other plant right here in this room. Each day for the next month, we shall sing to our plant in the Great Room and tell it how much we love it, and how beautiful it is. We will use our good minds to think good thoughts about it.”Four weeks later my eyes were as wide and disbelieving as the children’s. The kitchen plant was leggy and sick-looking, and it hadn’t grown at all. But the Great Room plant, which had been sung to and surrounded by positive thoughts and words, had increased threefold in size with dark leaves that were filled with energy.In order to prove the experiment, the kitchen ivy was brought to the Great Room to join the other ivy. Within three weeks, the second plant had caught up with the first ivy. Within four weeks, they could not be distinguished, one from the other.I took this lesson to heart and made it my own.1. Why did the headmistress do the experiment?A. She wanted to teach me a lesson.B. She expected the students to learn to grow plants.C. She meant to prove the impact of good minds on growth.D. She intended to show students how to save a sick-looking plant.2. What happened to the ivy in the kitchen at last?A. It stopped growing and died.B. It was leggy and sick with dark leaves.C. It looked almost the same as the other one.D. It grew better than the one in the Great Room.3. What can be a suitable title for the passage?A. Life Means GrowthB. Things Grow with LoveC. Equality Makes a DifferenceD. Positive Thoughts Really CountBHave you ever done something for someone else—knowing that your actions would solely benefit THEM and not YOU? Maybe you opened a door or donated blood or volunteered in a hospital’s ER during the pandemic. This is called a prosocial behavior. Humans engage in these types of behaviors all the time.But a question remains in science: Are we the only species who do this? As one of out closest s, chimpanzees have long been studied for signs of this. So far, research has provided mixed results on the question.Some studies show that chimps cooperatively hunt, share food and comfort each other. But one study came to a very different conclusion. The study used a controlled lab experiment where chimpanzees in enclosures were given two options: push a button to give food to themselves or push the button to give food to themselves AND a partner chimp. If they chose the latter, it was seen as a prosocial behavior. But the result is that chimps showed no special preferences for feeding themselves and a friend over feeding just themselves. Another study conducted by DeTroy, however, discovered a totally different result.Compared to previous controlled lab-based experiments, the setup for DeTroy’s research was very naturalistic. “We installed a button and a fountain into the chimpanzees’ outer enclosures. When an individual pushes the button, it releases juice from the fountain. However, since the button and fountain are approximately five meters apart, the individual pushing cannot directly drink from the fountain. And if any other chimpanzees are at the fountain when the button is pushed, they, and not the pusher, will be able to drink the juice.In this experiment, chimpanzees showed a willingness to act in the interest of others, with individual chimpanzees prepared to push the button without benefiting themselves.“It is really fascinating to see that many of the chimpanzees were willing to prosocially provide valuable resources to the group members even if they couldn’t benefit themselves from their behavior.” said DeTroy.Further research may reveal what lies behind their prosocial motivation. But for now, it’s safe to assume thatchimpanzees are not simply aping human behavior.4. Which of the following belongs to prosocial behaviors?A. Jack participated in voluntary work in the library just to earn credits.B. Mark turned to his classmate for help when feeling stressful in study.C. Tim guided a lost child back home on his way to an important job interview.D. Rose often interrupted the teacher to ask questions actively in the math’s class.5. What is the task of the chimpanzees in the lab-based study?A. Sharing food.B. Making a choice.C. Comforting others.D. Showing sympathy.6. How is DeTroy’s study different from the previous ones?A. It was based on controlled lab experiment.B. It gave juice to the chimpanzees as a reward.C. It offered the tested chimpanzees a natural surrounding.D. It provided a chance for chimpanzees to help their partners.7. What can we learn from DeTroy’s quotes?A. Chimpanzees can develop abilities to help others.B. Chimpanzees have acquired many human behaviors.C. Chimpanzees in the wild is cleverer than those in the lab.D. Chimpanzees displayed prosocial behaviors for certain rewards.CSometimes people make history. George Washington became the first president of theUnited Statesand made history. Sometimes wars make history. The two World Wars are examples. Sometimes nature even becomes part of history. Shaking earthquakes are recorded in history books.Sixteen years ago, nature caused just such a history-making event. In September 2005, Hurricane Katrina came ashore inNew Orleans,Louisiana. The deadly storm floodedNew Orleans. Before Katrina, no other big American city had ever flooded in the history of the country. This natural disaster caused great harm and death.New Orleansis located below sea level. This location places it at great risk. Levees were built to protectNew Orleansfrom the ocean. (A levee is like a wall between the city and the ocean.) When Hurricane Katrina came ashore, water moved over the levees into the city. Flooding made it necessary for everyone to leave the city. Before Katrina, Creole food (a special kind of cooking only inLouisiana) filled the air with delicious smells. Thesound of jazz music traveled through the streets. Now the city has to return to its former glory.Before Katrina, ernment had never made everyone leave a city. People inNew Orleanshad to find shelter quickly. Some had to stay at theSuperdomeSportsCenter. Some rode on buses to other towns. Thousands drove their cars to get away from the storm. The roads and shelters filled up fast.The lesson learned from Katrina was that cities must be better prepared for big storms and other terrible disasters caused by nature. Being prepared might have kept more people safe. Hurricane Katrina is one of the history-making events that will be remembered forever. Today, history is still being made that will shape the future.8. What does the author tell us aboutNew Orleans?A. It was built above sea level.B. It had few jazz musicians after Katrina.C. It was the firstU.S.city that had been flooded.D. It created a wholly new way to cook after Katrina.9. What can we say about the levees?A. They were almost useless for fighting Katrina.B. They helped people leaveNew Orleansquickly.C. They made NewOrleansa special American city.D. They should be built to match the size ofNew Orleans.10. What might the author advise city governments to do?A. Put up more shelters in the city.B. Build more levees around the city.C. Teach people how to avoid floods.D. Try to get ready for natural disasters.11. What is the best title for the text?A. Storms are dangerousB. Katrina makes historyC. Floods shapeLouisianaD. History must be rememberedDDisease-carrying mosquitoes can spread diseases without affecting themselves. Nearly 700 million people get a mosquito-borne illness each year, which results in over one million deaths. Humans experience continuous pressures from disease-carrying mosquitoes in many parts of the world, so we have to find ways to fight against those insects because they keep getting scarier.Even though DEET remains the most commonly used, and most powerful, mosquito repellent ever developed,scientists are actively pursuing effective products based entirely on plant oils. While DEET is an effective contact repellent, many people dislike the oily feel and smell on their skin, and sometimes some people are sensitive to it. Consumers are always interested in alternatives to DEET and other synthetic repellents, so there are numerous natural repellents on the market.In his lab atIowaStateUniversity, Dr. Joel Coats and his team have successfully tested these repellents against three species of dangerous mosquitoes. The first group of the new repellents act through the air. These chemicals have a vapor action that provides protection, and they are called “spatial” repellents, since they act through space. These are potentially most useful in backyards, parks, and houses. The other group are the classic ones that stop insects from standing on a treated surface, such as human skin, clothing or tents; collaborators at the USDA-ARS and BioGents have conducted testing with humans to confirm the effectiveness and identify the very best ones.The new repellents were designed and made from the natural materials in plant essential oils. They maintain many of the advantages of the natural repellents: They are fully biodegradable, with no ecological concerns or environmental wastes, and generally considered safe like the thousands of types of plant essential oils used in the flavor and perfume industries. However, thorough testing will be conducted to determine if they are truly non-poisonous because there is still no enough evidence.12. What does the author mainly want to show in paragraph 1?A. The way mosquitoes spread disease.B. The high death rate of mosquito-borne illness.C. The difficulty of fighting disease-carrying mosquitoes.D. The urgency of finding tools to fight against mosquitoes.13. What is a disadvantage of DEET?A. It won’t be effective for long.B. It can’t be applied universally.C. It causes discomfort to the users.D. It greatly harms people’s health.14. What can we learn about the second group of the new repellents?A. They can kill mosquitoes indirectly.B. They are mainly used in the open air.C. They are more effective on human skin.D. They can prevent mosquitoes from contacting users.15. What’s the author’s attitude to the new repellents?A. Subjective.B. Objective.C. Doubtful.D. Disapproving.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。