四川省成都七中2020级高三英语上学期期中考试试卷

2020年成都七中高三英语上学期期中考试试题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AOne day when I was 5, my mother blamed me for not finishing my rice and I got angry. I wanted to play outside and not to be made to finish eating my old rice. When angrily opening the screen door (纱门) with my foot, I kicked back about a 12-inch part of the lower left hand corner of the new screen door. But I had no regret, for I was happy to be playing in the backyard with my toys.Today, I know if my child had done what I did, I would have blamed my child, and told him about how expensive this new screen door was, and I would have delivered a spanking (打屁股) for it. However, my parents never said a word. They left the corner of the screen door pushed out, creating an opening, in the defense against unwanted insects.For years, every time I saw that corner of the screen, it would constantly make me think about my mistake. For years, I knew that everyone in my family would see that hole and remember who did it. For years, every time I saw a fly buzzing (嗡嗡) in the kitchen, I would wonder if it came in through the hole that I had created with my angry foot. Iwould wonder if my family members were thinking the same thing, silently blaming me every time a flying insect entered our home, making life more terrible for us all. My parents taught me a valuable lesson, one that a spanking or stern (严厉的) words perhapscould not deliver. Their silent punishment for what I had done delivered a hundred stern messages to me. Above all, it has helped me become a more patient person and not burst out so easily.1. When the author damaged the door, his parents _______.A. gave him a spankingB. left the door unrepairedC. told him how expensive it wasD. blamed him for what he had done2. The experience may cause the author _______.A. not to go against his parents’ willB. to have a better control of himselfC. not to make mistakes in the futureD. to hide his anger away from others3. What is the main idea of this text?A. Parents is the best way to solve problems.B. Parents are the best teachers of their children.C. Adults should ignore their children’s bad behavior.D. Silent punishment may have a better effect on educating people.BIn Australia, plenty of wild things can bite or sting(刺伤) you. Strangely enough, one of them is a tree. Now scientists have figured out what makes the tree’s sting so bad.The rainforests of eastern Australia are home to a stinging tree known as Dendrocnide. Many people callit the gympie-gympie tree—a name given to the tree by native Australians. It’s covered with sharp, needle-like hairs that carry poison. If you touch a gympie-gympie tree, you won’t forget it anytime soon. The pain can stay with you for hours, days or weeks. In some cases, it’s been reported to stay for months.Scientists have long looked for the source of this powerful sting. Now researchers at the University of Queensland have discovered what makes this stinging plant so painful. After carefully studying different kinds of gympie-gympie trees, the scientists were able to separate out different chemicals that the trees produce. This allowed them to identify a group of chemicals that they believed was responsible for the pain.The researchers created artificial versions of these chemicals, which they call “gympietides”. Sure enough, when the scientists injected mice with gympietides, the mice licked(舔) at the places where they’d been injected, indicating that they hurt in those places. When the scientists studied the way gympietides were built, they found that they formed a knot-like shape. The shape makes the chemicals very stable, which helps explain why the pain stays so long.The knot-like shape of the gympietides was similar to the shape of poisons produced by poisonous spiders and cone snails. The scientists were surprised to see three very different kinds of life all using similar poisons. Spiders and cone snails carry poisons because they catch food by stinging other creatures. It’s not clear how stinging helps the gympie-gympie tree.Though the tree’s sting may stop some animals from eating it, it doesn’t stop all animals. Beetles and pademelons (small s of the kangaroo) are able to eat the plant without trouble.4. Why is a touch on the stinging tree unforgettable?A. Because it has so unusual an appearance.B. Because it is extremely rare in existence.C. Because touching it creates a quite strange feeling.D. Because the pain caused by it doesn’t go away quickly.5. What do scientists fail to find out about the stinging tree?A. How it produces poisons.B. What poisons it produces.C. How it benefits from the sting.D. The consequences of its sting.6. What does the text imply about the stinging tree?A. It produces the same poisons as spiders.B. Poisonous as it is, it also has natural enemies.C. Animals are wise enough to stay away from it.D. Only one chemical in it causes pain to the toucher.7. What’s the best title for the text?A. Scientists Discover Stinging Tree's SecretB. Caution: Stinging Tree Can Bite and Poison YouC. Scientists Discover a Strange Species in AustraliaD. Effective Ways to Avoid Being Hurt by Stinging TreeCIn the Hollywood industry, most of the studios are using AI to make movies for various reasons such as getting the actors out of danger, replacing the actors indifferent scenes, forming appealing atmosphere to enhance（增强）the views, etc.Directors and producers are using VFX (Visual effects), animations and AI to makea model that looks like the actor and replaces the actor's place. In particular, AI is used in scenes where actor shave to produce certain stunts （特技）to develop setups in the studio artificially. VFX is used to later change the internal studio backgroundsto a different place in the movie.There are many movies with two characters of the same actor. When AI was not a part of the film, editors used different methods to show the two aspects of the same actor in one scene, but now AI is being used to form the second character of the same actor and is being performed to the viewers.By a perfect combination of animation, VFX and AI, realistic models are being created. And the most fun part is the fictitious character can hold the face of the actor but the age, hairstyles, and clothing can be changed to create more enhanced looks according to the movie scene and story. With the help of AI, the directors recreating appealing scenes to enhance the thrill and excitement. InJurassic Park,no dinosaurs were running but with the help of AI and visual effects, we could enjoy the scenes and the atmospheres.The directors and the producers direct to form a green screen including the obstacles and those green screens get replaced with the views that are made from AI and VFX, and the actors make the scenes alive and deliver the most suitable action-packed movie scenes. This method also enhances the viewers' experience, which makes the movie a blockbuster（大片）.8. What does the author intend to tell us in paragraph 1?A. How AI helps actors.B. What AI brings to movies.C. Why AI is applied to movies.D. Where AI is made full use of.9. What can we infer from paragraph 3?A. AI can be used as an editor.B. Editors consider AI irreplaceable.C. Editors used many methods to replace AI.D. AI makes what used to be complex scenes easier.10. What's the author's attitude to using VFX, animations and AI in movies?A. Supportive.B. Sceptical.C. Unconcerned.D. Enthusiastic.11. Which of the following could be the best title for thetext?A. What AI Brings Out Hollywood MoviesB. Why AI Is Applied to Hollywood MoviesC. Which Hollywood Movies Make Much Use of AID. How AI Is Being Applied to Hollywood MoviesDA Chinese space mining company has designed a robot that can capture waste material left behind by spacecraft in outer space with a big net.The state-run Xinhua news agency recently reported that the robot launched on the government's Long March 6 rocket along with several satellites. The robot will also investigate deep space to observe small objects in the universe. The 30-kilogram robot, called NEO-01 , was developed by Origin Space. Pounded in 2019 and based in the southern Chinese tech hub(技术中心)Shenzhen, Origin Space has been devoted to exploring and using space resources, according to the company. The company says the robot will lead the way for future technologies capable of mining on asteroids(小行星).The world's first asteroid mining company, Planetary Resources, was established in 2009. Since then, more than 12 businesses around the world have entered the industry, including 3D Systems of the United States and Japan's Astroscale. Astroscale's technology uses magnets (磁铁)to gather up space waste. But a report on the Origin Space website says NEO-01 will use a net to capture waste and then bum it. Thousands of satellites havebeen launched worldwide. As they are used too long, many end up as waste and put other operating satellites at risk.Su Meng is the founder of Origin Space. He said the company plans to launch many space telescopes and more spacecraft to begin the first for-profit mining of asteroids by 2045. Su added that NEO-01 will serve as a prototype (雏形)of future space mining robots, which can use rich mineral resources on asteroids to support the development of the space industry.The Xinhua news agency reported that China was increasing efforts to land a spacecraft on a near-Earth asteroid to collectmaterials. China is also speeding up a plan to build a defense system against near-Earth asteroids. The country aims to follow Russia and the United States in becoming a major space power by 2030.12. Which of the following can correctly describe NEO-01?A. It weighs 60 kilograms.B. It was created by Planetary Resources.C. It will be burnt after finishing its mission.D. It is mainly used to catch space waste.13. What can be inferred from the text?A. China will be the most powerful in space by 2030.B. Origin Space will open more mines on asteroids.C. It is those useless satellites that make space waste.D. The robot will look into deep space for more waste.14. What does Su Meng think of NEO-01 ?A. It is promising and rewarding.B. It has benefited the space industry.C. It's a long way to produce it.D. It'll help make money for the company.15. What can be the best title for the text?A. NEO-01 , A Smart Robot Used in SpaceB. A Chinese Robot Can Catch Space WasteC. A New Robot Makes China a SpacePowerD. NEO-01 , the Pioneer of Future Space Robots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。

2020年成都七中高三英语上学期期中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AAre you looking for somewhere special to go this weekend? Do you want to try something new?Check out one of these hot new restaurants.Fast BestFast food doesn't have to be junk food, as this café proves. Do you fancy a really good hamburger made with the best ingredients, or old-fashioned fish and chips fried to perfection, all on the table in super-quick time? Speed and quality are important here, and the prices aren't bad either.Your Local Caff (小餐馆)Remember when cafés served full English breakfasts—sausages, beans, fried bread, bacon and eggs—with a strong cup of tea? Well, this place still does and you can have your breakfast at any time you like during the day while you listen to your favourite tunes from the 1980s.Last Days of the RajA centrally located Indian restaurant, perfect for eating before or after the cinema or a show. In summer enjoy your meal in the beautiful garden. The most popular dishes are lamb and chicken cooked with mild, medium or hot spices. For brave customers there is extra hot!The Chocolate BoxThe owner of this small café used to cook all kinds of food, but then she realised she preferred desserts to anything else. If you want meat or fish, don't come here. They only do desserts! Lots of different kinds of sweets. Chocolate lovers will be excited by the range of chocolate cakes.1.Fast Best suits a person ______.A.who has a sweet toothB.who loves spicy foodC.who wants to have good breakfastD.who gets 30 minutes off for lunch2.Which is true about Last Days of the Raj?A.You can listen to great music in it.B.It serves hot food with pepper.C.It serves an all-day breakfast.D.It is prefect for vegetarians.3.Which restaurant serves only desserts and sweets?A.Fast Best.B.Your Local Caff.st Days of the Raj.D.The Chocolate Box.BElizabeth Spelke, a cognitive psychologist at Harvard, has spent her career testing the world’s most complex learning system-the mind of a baby. Babies might seem like no match for artificial intelligence (AI). They are terrible at labeling images, hopeless at mining text, and awful at video games. Then again, babies can do things beyond the reach of any AI. By just a few months old, they’ve begun to grasp the foundations of language, such as grammar. They’ve started to understand how to adapt to unfamiliar situations.Yet even experts like Spelke don’t understand precisely how babies or adults learn. Consider one of the most impressive examples of AI, Alpha Zero, a programme that plays board games with superhuman skill. After playing thousands of games against itself at a super speed, and learning from winning positions, Alpha Zero independently discovered several famous chess strategies and even invented new ones. It certainly seems like a machineeclipsinghuman cognitive abilities. But Alpha Zero needs to play millions more games than a person during practice to learn a game. Most importantly, it cannot take what it has learned from the game and apply it to another area.To some AI experts, that calls for a new approach. In a November research paper, Francois Chollet, a well-known AI engineer, argued that it’s misguided to measure machine intelligence just according to its skills at specific tasks. “Humans don’t start out with skills; they start out with a broad ability to acquire new skills,” he says. “What a strong human chess player is demonstrating is not only the ability to play chess, but the potential to fulfill any task of a similar difficulty.”4. Compared to an advanced AI programme, a baby might be better at ________.A playing games B. identifying locations C. labeling pictures D. making adjustments5. What does the underlined word “eclipsing” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?A. Imitating.B. Beating.C. Limiting.D. Promoting.6. According to the text, Francois Chollet may agree that ________.A. AI is good at completing certain assignments.B. AI is likely to gain abilities with less training.C. AI lacks the ability of acquiring specific skills.D. AI performs better than humans in cognitive ability.7. Whichwould be the best title for this passage?A. What is exactly intelligence?B. Why is modern AI advanced?C. Where is human intelligence going?D. How do humans face the challenge of AI?CA growing body of research is revealing associations between birth defects (缺陷) and a father's age, alcohol use and environmental factors, say researchers atGeorgetown University Medical Center. They say these defects result from epigenetic changes that can potentially affect multiple generations.The study, published in theAmerican Journal of Stem Cells, suggest both parents contribute to the health status of their offspring — a common sense conclusion which science is only now beginning to demonstrate, says the study's senior investigator, Joanna Kitlinska, PhD, an associate professor in biochemistry, and molecular and cellular biology.“We know the nutritional, hormonal and psychological environment provided by the mother permanently influences organ structure, cellular response and gene expression in her offspring,” she says.“But our study shows the same thing to be true with fathers — his lifestyle, and how old he is, can be reflected in molecules that control gene function,” she says. “In this way, a father can affect not only his immediate offspring, but future generations as well.”For example, a newborn can be diagnosed with fetal (胎儿的) alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), even though the mother has never consumed alcohol, Kitlinska says. “Up to 75 percent of children with FASD have biological fathers who are alcoholics, suggesting that preconceptual paternal alcohol consumption negatively impacts their offspring.”Advanced age of a father is correlated with elevated rates of certain diseases, and birth defects in his children.A limited diet during a father’s preadolescence has been linked to reduced risk of cardiovascular death in his children and grandchildren. Paternal obesity is linked to enlarged fat cells, changes in metabolic regulation, diabetes, obesity and development of brain cancer. Psychosocial stress on the father is linked to defective behavioral traits in his offspring. And paternal alcohol use leads to decreased newborn birth weight, marked reduction in overall brain size and impaired cognitive function.“This new field of inherited paternal epigenetics needs to be organized into clinically applicable recommendations and lifestyle alternations,” Kitlinska says. “And to really understand the epigenetic influences of a child, we need to study the interplay between maternal and paternal effects, as opposed to considering each in isolation.”8. What’s the message the writer conveys in the passage?A. Both parents contribute to the health status of their offspring.B. Father’s age and lifestyle are tied to birth defects.C. Father plays a more critical role in birth defects.D. Birth defects can potentially affect multiple generations.9. What can we infer from the example in Paragraph 5?A. FASD can only be diagnosed in a newborn whose father is addicted to alcohol.B. A newborn will not contract FASD if his mother has never consumed alcohol.C. A father’s lifestyle can negatively impact his offspring.D. Most children have biological fathers who are alcoholics.10. Which of the following situations is less likely to lead to children’s birth defects?A. Having a father with a limited diet.B. Having a father who is an alcoholic.C. Having an overweight father.D. Having a father with psychosocial stress.11. What will the research probably continue to focus on in the part that follows?A. The maternal epigenetic influences of a child.B. The ways to avoid negative paternal influence on children.C. The clinical application of the research findings.D. The interaction between maternal and paternal effects.DAncient Dunhuang manuscripts housed abroad have been edited and published by the Institute for Overseas National Literature of Northwest Minzu University since 2006. Up till now, 9 manuscripts kept in the British Library and22 inthe National Library of France have been finished, the institute said on April 24, 2018.Tens of thousands of valuable ancient documents and cultural relics, discovered in the Mogao Grottos in Dunhuang, Gansu province, were scattered overseas in the early 20th century. Dunhuang manuscripts currently in the British Library and the National Library of France are the most important ancient national documents housed abroad.Co-edited by Institute for Overseas National Literature of Northwest Minzu University, Shanghai Classics Publishing House, the British Library and the National Library of France, these Dunhuang manuscripts return home in publication form for the first time. The institute is also preparing an online database of the manuscripts.According to Cai Rang, associate director of the institute, Dunhuang manuscripts scattered overseas in Russia,Britain, France and Japan have rich contents, including Buddhism law, social contract, history,linguisticsand art. The institute has edited and published 31 manuscripts over the past 13 years, but the work has not been finished. It plans to publish 15 from the British Library and over 30 from the National Library of France all together. In addition, it will also publish manuscripts collected by other countries.“Some manuscripts are hard to read because of the indecipherable words. So we read carefully and understand them by comparing with Buddhism documents handed down from ancient times,” Cai said. “Next, document classification and compilation will be our key work for further research.”The work done by the institute is helpful to study the history and culture of Tubo(present-day Tibet) during the period of 8th to 11th century and the history of national cultural exchanges at that time.12. When did so many valuable ancient documents, discovered in the Mogao Grottos, were scattered overseas?A. In the late 19th century.B. In the middle of the 19th century.C. At the beginning of the 19th century.D. At the beginning of the 20th century.13. How do the members of the institute understand some manuscripts that are hard to read?A. By using modern technology.B. By asking other famous experts.C. By comparing them with Buddhism documents.D. By studying the history and culture of Tubo.14. The possible meaning of the underlined word “linguistics” in paragraph 4 is “______”.A. the scientific study of languageB. the opinion that people have about someone or somethingC. something that people may have as part of their characterD. a system or method for carrying passengers or goods from one place to another15. What is the theme of the news report?A. Dunhuang manuscripts scattered overseas have rich contents.B. China publishes Dunhuang manuscripts housed overseas.C. High value of ancient documents and cultural relics in Mogao Grottos.D. Prepare an online database of Dunhuang manuscripts housed overseas.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。

2020届成都七中高三英语上学期期中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AIf you are sending a text message watching TV or listening to the radio, you may stop and give this your full attention. Multitasking shrinks (使.....萎缩)the brain? research suggests.A study found that men and womenwho frequently used several types of technology at the same time had less grey matter in a key part of the brain. University of Sussex researchers said, " Using mobile phones, laptops and other media devicessimultaneouslycould be changing the structure of our brains."Worryingly, the part of the brain that shrinks is involved in processing emotion. The finding follows research which has linked multitasking with a shortened attention span, depression , anxiety and lower grades at school.The researchers began by asking 75 healthy men and women how often they divided their attention between different types of technology. This could mean sending a text message while listening to music and checking e-mail, or speaking on the phone while watching TV and surfing the Internet. The volunteers were then given brain scans which showed they had less grey matter in a region called the anterior cingu-late cortex (ACC)(前扣带皮层).Scientists have proved that brain structure can be changed on exposure to fresh environments and experience.Other studies have shown that training—such as learning to play magic tricks or taxi drivers' learning the map of London―can increase grey matter densities (密度)in certain parts.Experts have also warned of the harmful impact technology can have on our memory and attention span. The University of California team conducted a survey of more than 18,000 people aged between 18 and 99，and found 20%had problems with memory. Researchers were shocked greatly by the 14 % of 18 to 39-year-old people who also worried about their memories.Multitasking may shorten attention span, making it harder to focus and form memories, the researchers said, adding that youngsters may be particularly affected by stress.1. The underlined word " simultaneously" in Paragraph 2 means "________，"A. on one's ownB. at no timeC. at the same timeD. by accident2. All of the following are possible effects of multitasking EXCEPT________ .A. saving timeB. a shortened attention spanC. lower grades at schoolD. depression and anxiety3. Which ofthe following can be the best title of this passage?A. Media multitasking is becoming more popularB. Multitasking shrinks the brainC. Multitasking may shorten attention spanD. People are worried about their memories.BWater keeps us alive. When it runs out, we have a problem.About one out of four people on the planet are facing a shortage of water. Seventeen countries around the world are dealing with high-water stress. This means they are using almost all the water they have access to. Many are dry countries. Some waste much of their water. Some may currently use too much of their groundwater that they should be saving. Several big cities face acute shortages. These include Sao Paulo, Brazil; Chennai, India; and Cape Town, South Africa. A year ago, Cape Town faced nay Zero-the day when all its dams would he dry.Climate change adds to the risk of water shortages. Rainfall is less steady. The water supply becomes less reliable. The days grow hotter. More water evaporates(蒸发)from lakes and rivers even as demand for water increases. By 2030, the number of cities in the high-stress category may have risen to 45 and include almost 470 million people.All over the world, farmers compete with city residents for water. Rich urban places, such as Los Angeles, use too much water for pools and golf courses. But the worst problem is the growth of cities. Bangalore, India, for example, had a few years with little rain. It built over its many lakes or filled them with city waste. The lakes are no longer the rain water storage tanks they once were. Bangalore now imports water. A lot of the imported water, however, gets lost on the way to Bangalore.To address this issue, what can be done? First, cities can plug leaks in their water distribution system. Wastewater can be recycled. Rain can be harvested and saved for hard times. Lakes and wetlands can be cleaned up and old wells can be restored. And farmers can switch from water-intensive crops like rice to less-thirsty crops like millet(小米).Experts are looking at ways to reduce the number of people on the planet. They are looking at ways to reduce the size of cities. They are looking for ways to encourage people, factories and farmers to use less water.4. What can we know from Paragraph 2?A. A quarter of the world's population is living with water shortages.B. Nearly all countries are facing acute water shortages now.C. Underground water should he used to meet the water demand.D. Measures have been taken to deal with the water shortage in India.5. What is the main idea of the third paragraph?A. Rainfall is not as steady as before.B. Climate change may lead to water shortages.C. The water supply relies more on rainfall.D. Hotter weather changes the water demand.6. What can farmers do to deal with water shortage?A. Plug leaks in the water distribution system.B. Clean up lakes and wetlands and restore wells.C. Reduce the number of people in the cities.D. Grow less-water consumption crops instead.7. What will be discussed if the passage continues?A. How to prevent from climate change.B. How to inspire people to save water.C. How to recycle wastewater in citiesD. How to make people get access to clean water.CFor years video games have been criticised for making people more antisocial, overweight or depressed. Bui now researchers are finding that video games can actually change us for the better and improve both our body and mind.Games can help to develop physical skills. Pre-school children who played interactive games have been shown to have improved motor skills, for example they can kick, catch and throw a ball better than children who don’t play video games. A study found that those who played video games were 27 percent faster and made 37 percent fewer errors than those who didn't.Games also benefit a variety of brain functions, including decision-making. People who play action-based games make decisions 25 percent faster than others, according to one study. It was also found that the best gamers can make choices and act on them up to six times a second, four times faster than most people. In another study by researchers from the University of Rochester in New York, experienced gamers were shown to be able to pay attention to more than six things at once without getting confused, compared with the four that most people can normally keep in mind.There is also evidence that gaming can help with psychological problems. At the University of Auckland in New Zealand, researchers asked 94 young people diagnosed with depression to play a 3D fantasy game calledSPARX and in many cases, the game reduced symptoms of depression more than conventional treatment.8. In what way playing video games benefits very young children?A. Muscle control.B. Social interaction.C. Decision-making.D. The ability to focus.9. Which type of video game improves the decision-making speed?A. Interactive games.B. Action-based games.C. 3D fantasy games.D. Violent games.10. What is the authors attitude to video games?A. Indifferent.B. Objective.C. Worried.D. Critical.11. What is the text mainly about?A. The effects of different types of video games.B. The negative effects of playing video games.C. The beneficial effects of playing video games.D. The effects of games on people's behavior.DMy entire life has been influenced by the fact that I stand way above the average height for both men and women. I was born two weeks late. When I finally entered the world I weighed 11 pounds 10 ounces and was 24 inches long. When my mom told my grandmother my measurements, she asked in amazement, "Are you okay?!"I was healthy, but very shy as a child and into my teens. I'm from a small town, and I grew up and graduated with the same 50 people. I started playing basketball in third grade every Saturday, but I didn't have any control over my awkward body. (I didn't even score a point in a game until many years later.) I was 5-foot-10 in fourth grade. I had a small group of friends in elementary school, but sometimes the boys picked on me, calling me a bean pole or the Jolly Green Giant. I still remember my embarrassment when they laughed at me, and how badly I wanted to be invisible.In high school I got more involved in sports, but I spent most days in the art room. By this time everyone at my school was used to my height (by ninth grade I was 6-foot-3), but if I went out of town people would stare at me and comment about my appearance.I was forced into the spotlight wherever I went.With high school came more confidence. I had success in school, the arts and sports. I played basketball, but my true passion was track and field. During my senior year I was the conference champion in high jump and the 400-meter run. The friendships I gained through my involvement in high school boosted my confidence and helped me develop a sense of humor. Now when a stranger told me I was tall I would smile and nod or, if I was feeling determined, I would pretend to feel shocked and thank them for telling me. I had no idea!Still, society keeps me aware of my status as something rare. And even though people tell me I'm beautiful and I should be a model, there are times when I would trade in my long legs for a small frame and tiny feet. I often wish people weren't so rude. I'm a minority only in the sense of height. I like to think that those who have insulted me didn't intend to. I do believe that most people are basically good, but they can be insensitive.12. What can be inferred from Para.1?A. The writer's height has something to do with her late birth.B. Grandmother was unwilling to have the writer as her grandchild.C. The writer failed to have a successful life because of her unusual height.D. The writer was heavier and bigger compared with other babies when she was born.13. By saying 'I was forced into the spotlight', the author probably means that she ________.A.was criticized by othersB. caught public attentionC. was threatenedD. felt inferior14. Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned as the writer's experiences in high school?A. She quit playing basketball and joined the track and field team.B. She no longer felt upset when facing her height problem.C. She had a passion for some sports events.D. She built up more confidence.15. What does the last sentence imply?A. People enjoy making fun of others.B. People are bad andcannot be trusted.C. People tend to bully those who are weaker.D. People sometimes care little about how others feel.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。

2020届成都市第七中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题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AHubeiProvincehas long been a favorite Chinese tourist destination because of its natural scenery, historic cities, and beautiful mountains. Here are some of the best places to visit inHubeiProvince.YellowCraneTowerYellowCraneToweris known as one of the Three Famous Towers South of Yangtze River, together withYueyangTowerinHunanand Tengwang Pavilion inJiangxi. The history ofYellowCraneTowerdates back to the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) in Chinese history. The tower was used as a watchtower by the King of Wu's army in the beginning.Enshi Grand CanyonEnshi Grand Canyon can beChina's answer to the Grand Canyon inArizona, theUnited Statesin beauty. The canyon runs 108 kilometers and occupies a land area of 3,000 square kilometers. The region where Enshi Grand Canyon is located used to be a vast sea with many limestone deposits 230 million years ago.Shennongjia Scenic AreaIt is famous for its varied plant species as well as mountains. Regarded as the “Lungs of Central China", the forest coverage reaches over 90 percent of the area. Due to the special climate, it is neither too hot in summer nor too cold in winter. Sometimes clouds stretch around mountains, rewarding tourists with unforgettable views. Besides, the area is home to some rare animals such as golden monkeys, white bears and antelope.The Three-Gorge Tribe scenic spotLocated in the area of the Xiling Gorge in the city ofYichang, it has the beauty of landscape paintings. The spot is a “ProtectedCenterof the Popular Culture and Art of the Three Gorges”. Since ancient times, a lot of famous scholars have produced a great number of excellent poems praising the beauty of this place, some of which are carved on the stones along theYangtze River.1. What is special aboutYellowCraneTower?A. It has a long history.B. It offers a scenic view.C. It once served war's purposes.D. It is the best-known tower inChina2. Why is the Grand Canyon inArizonamentioned ?A. To explain its popularity inChina.B. To help readers know more about it.C. To prove the beauty of the Chinese canyon.D. To show differences between the two canyons.3. Which place will a Chinese literature lover probably visit?A. Enshi Grand Canyon.B.YellowCraneTower.C. Shennongjia Scenic Area.D. TheThree-Gorge Tribe scenic spot.BNextdoor，an online social network for neighbors，says it has attracted $60 million from early backers of technology giants，Google，Amazon and Facebook.The new investment，1ed by venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers and investment firm Tiger Global Management，values Nextdoor at more than $500 million，said a personfamiliar with the matter.Nextdoor members make Facebook-style postings，giving or seeking recommendations for services such as babysitters and yard maintenance or local retailers and restaurants. They also post about community issues such as parking，crimeand safety，or items for sale or loan.The investment sum emphasizes the appeal of businesses that can tap into the growing use of mobile devices，as well as social networking Perhaps the best current example is Twitter，which is preparing for an initial public offering that values the company at up to about $11 billion.“We’re all spending more time with our screens，more engaged，but I think data shows we’re less connected，”said John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins，mentioning his own experience of knowing few of his neighbors. Nextdoor，with its ability to introduce neighbors to each other，helps people regain the sense of connection，he said.Early next year，Nextdoor plans to expand to Canada，followed by Great Britain，Australia，and South Africa，chief executive NiravTolia said. While Nextdoor has not yet have made any profit after two years of operations，Tolia said he is not worried.“If we look at the great companies at this stage，none of them started to monetize this early in theirevolution. ”Tolia said. “It’s all about getting the product right. ”Eventually，Nextdoor plans to tap into local advertising，he said.Nextdoor is currently used in 22，527 neighborhoods across the United States，up from 5，694 a year ago. Including the latest funding round，it has raised just over $100 million.4. What attitude do the early backers of technology grant hold towards Nextdoor?A. They doubt its value.B. They think poorly of it.C. They are in favor of it.D. They are worried about it.5. What is mainly discussed about Nextdoor in Paragraph 3?A. Its members.B. Its service.C. Its value.D. Its location.6. What is the author’s purpose of mentioning Twitter in Paragraph 4?A. To support his viewpoint.B. To post an advertisement.C. To introduce a network.D. To makea public offer.7. How does Nirav Tolia feel about the future of Nextdoor?A. Curious.B. Upset.C. Cautious.D. Optimistic.C"Sorry, but I don't agree with you..."This is usually followed by unbearable silence and angry tears. I've always found it difficult to disagree with someone, because I don't want to lose a friend. I've found it even harder to accept it when someone disagrees with me, because my ego（自尊心）ishurt.Before the other person gets a chance to explain why she disagrees with me, my usual response would be," If you aren't able to see my point of view, then what you think isn't worth my time or consideration, either." But now I've come to realize that when a friend disagrees with me, sometimes she is simply saying, "I don't agree with the way things are done." She still respects me as a person, and is only pointing out a better way to look at a matter. However, there may be times when my friend disagrees with me because I'm against the truth. That's when need to listen to what she says.I've learned that one way to help my friend is for me to be open and honest with the other to voice mythoughts and listen to the other carefully. While we can't control how a person will respond to our views, we must learn to disagree with our friends in love. We will never feel that we are better than the other person.And that will help us to be less emotional, and more objective in the way we express our opinions.In the same way, we can also stay open to feedback（反馈）from others,knowing that our friends may be correcting us in love.Good friendships build each other up, sometimes through disagreements and honest opinions. Though I don't like being disagreed with, I'm starting to see the value of such disagreements.8. The author has found it difficult to disagree with someone because .A. he is a friendly personB. he usually hides his ideasC. he has no mind of his ownD. he wants to keep the friendship9. When a friend disagreed with him,the author used to .A. be unhappyB. argue with the friendC. break up with the friendD. explain things calmly10. The author will listen to a friend when .A. he is against the truthB. he doesn't tell the truthC. he is respected by a friendD. he does things in the wrong way11. What does the author mainly talk about in the text?A. How to keep friendship.B. How to avoid hurting a friend.C. How to express disagreements.D. How to deal with disagreements.DRecycling plastic has always been a stop-start effort, and the wide variety of plastics we produce, the pollution from waste, and other limitations make recycling an economic(经济) problem. It’s estimated(估计)only 9% of plastic ever created has been recycled. But with the help of a chemical process, Canadian Miranda Wang and her company BioCellection want to change that.Stability is one of plastic greatest qualities and downside. There's limited evidence that some plastics can biodegrade (生物降解)but largely photo-plastics degrade in the sun. It’s a long process, and the truth is that we can only estimate how long it takes. Wang is looking to break the inaction and BioCellection's task is to make most plastic waste recyclable.She outlines two current methods. One is to take plastics like water bottles, wash them, cut them, melt and reconstitute them. “That's a very limited process” she says, due to the requirement that plastics be “clean” . The other, which can handle dirtier plastics and a level of pollution, is called hydrolysis(热解). Intense heat is applied tobreak down plastics so they can be reused as oils for energy, but “it’s not economical,’’ she says.BioCellection’s solution builds on research from over ten years ago, Wang explains, when a US studydiscovered pure polyethylene powder (聚乙烯粉)could be broken down by a catalyst (催化剂). Wang and her co-founder Jean hit upon a bacterium being able to eat plastic. In the years since, they engineered a comparable catalyst capable of doing the same job, only faster, which even works on plastics no one else can recycle at present. “We have now found a catalyst that is much cheaper than the one that was used before, Wang says.Currently focusing on plastic films like shopping hags, the three-hour process breaks clown plastic into chemicals that can act as the building blocks for more complex plastic products.“Right now we’re able to achieve about 70% transformation from plastic waste material to these chemicals,” she adds, saying they’re working to increase that figure.12. Why has so little plastic been recycled?A. Plastic is chemically stable.B. Recycling plastic led to pollution.C. We produced various plastics.D. Most photo-plastics degrade in the sun.13. What does Wang think of the two current methods?A. Highly effective and dynamic.B. Expensive and pollution-causing.C. Limited and energy-consuming.D. Widely used and recognized.14. What did BioCellection find effective to recycle plastics?A. Polyethylene powder.B. Chemical products.C. Plastic films.D. A catalyst.15. What is the text mainly about?A. Miranda Wang and her company.B. A new plastic recycling method.C. The greatest downside of plastic.D. Transformation of plastic waste.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。

2020年成都七中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AFor some people, there’s no better companion than mans best friend-a dog. This four-legged pet can bring comfort and joy and provide much- needed exercise for you when it needs walkies! This probably explains why dog ownership increased last year because people spent more time at home during he CovID-I9 lockdown.However, as demand for a new dog increased, so did the price tag. Popular breeds, such as Cockapoos and Cocker Spaniels, saw even sharper price increases, and puppies have been selling for $3,000 or more.Animal welfare charities fearthat high prices could encourage puppy farming, smuggling (走私) or dog theft. An investigation found some breeders have been selling puppies and kittens on social media sites--something charities have called “extremely irresponsible”.But despite some new owners purchasing a dog legally, maybe from a rescue center or registered breeder, they’ve proved to be ill-prepared for life with a new pet, and the pet itself has found it hard tocome to terms withlife in a new home.Looking to the future, there are concerns about the welfare of these much-loved pets. Lan Alkin manager of the Oxfordshire Animal Sanct uary in the UK, notes: “At the moment, the dogs are having a great time, but separation anxiety could still surface when people go back to work.” And Cliare Calder from the UKs Dogs Trust rescue charity says, “The economic situation also means that some people may find they can’t afford to look aftera dog.” The message is not to buy a dog in haste and to pick one that fits into our lifestyle.1. The greater demand for dogs can cause the following problems except ________.A. illegal trade of dogsB. less dog farmingC. high prices of dogsD. online sale of dogs2. What does the underlined phrase"come to terms with"in paragraph 4 mean?A. Fit in withB. Go in forC. Make up for.D. End up with3. What can we learn from the last paragraph?A. Despite the problems, dogs are living happily.B. The writer has a positive attitude towards dogs future.C. Experts are worried that dogs will be unaffordable to people.D. The writer advises people to think twice before keeping dogs as pets.BA lot of us lose life’s tough battles by starting a frontal attack—when a touch of humor might well enable us to win．Consider the case of a young friend of mine，who hita traffic jam on his way to work shortly after receiving an ultimatum about beinglate on the job．Although there was a good reason for Sam’s a being late—serious illness at home—he decided that this by-now-familiar excuse wouldn’t work any longer．His supervisor was probably already pacing up and down preparing a dismissal speech．Yes，the boss was．Sam entered the office at 9：35．The place was as quiet as a locker room；everyone was hard at work．Sam’s supervisor came up to him．Suddenly，Sam forced a grin and stretched out his hand．“How do you do！” he said．“I’m Sam Maynard．I’m applying for a job，which，I understand，became available just 35 minutes ago．Does the early bird get the worm？”The room exploded in laughter．The supervisor“clamped off”a smile and walked back to his office．Sam Maynard had saved his job—with the only tool that could win，a laugh．Humor is a most effective，yet frequently neglected，means of handling the difficult situations in our lives．It can be used for patching up differences，apologizing，saying “no”，criticizing，getting the other fellow to do what you want without his losingface．For some jobs，it’s the only tool that can succeed．It is a way to discuss subjects so sensitive that serious dialog may start a quarrel．For example，many believe that comedians on television are doing more today for racial and religious tolerancethan people in any other forum．4. Why was Sam late for his job？A. Because he was ill．B. Because he got up late．C. Because he was caught in a traffic jam．D. He was busy applying for a new job．5. The main idea of this passage is ________．A. Sam Maynard saved his job with humorB. humor is important in our livesC. early bird gets the wormD. humor can solve racial discriminations6. The phrase “clamped off” in Paragraph 3 means ________．A tried to hold back B. tried to setC. chargedD. gave out7. Which of the following statements can we infer from the passage？A. Many lose life’s battles for they are lacking in a sense of humor．B. It wasn’t the first time that Sam came late for his work．C. Sam was supposed to come to his office at 8：30．D. Humor is the most effective way of solving problems．CIn recent years,people have been focusing on the quality of food that children are fed in schools. Former First Lady Michelle Obama worked hard to make school lunches healthier, resulting in new menus that featured less fat and salt, more fruits and vegetables.But high-quality nutrients count for little when there is no time to eat them. Amy Ettinger reports, "There is no national standard on how much time kids get to eat that meal. " And with schools being occupied with test scores, teachers are using every available minute for lesson time, which often leaves kids without enough eating time.This is a problem because the length of the school lunch period is a key factor (因素) in how much nutrition children actually gel. Research has found that having less than 20 minutes for lunch results in children consuming much less of their lunch than those with more than 20 minutes.This is really terrible. For many low-income kids, that cafeteria lunch can represent half their daily energy intake. There's also another terrible message that it's acceptable to wolf down food as fast as possible before rushing off to your next class. Cafeteria time should be a chance to interact with friends, to learn important social skills, to observe and share varieties of food. It should be a break in day, a chance to relax before heading into the afternoon.As Ettinger explains,some parents are hoping the National Parent Teacher Association will address this issue. This, in turn, would help parents push their kids' schools for better lunch time standards. Meanwhile, if you have a kid in this situation, you can help by packing a healthy lunch to spare them the cafeteria lineup. Make the foods easy to eat, provide non-messy snacks that can be eaten in class, put great effort into serving a hearty breakfast, and sit down as a family for dinner whenever possible.8. What did Michelle Obama make efforts to improve?A. The quality of school lunches.B. The performance of school kids.C. The school lunch time kids have.D. The eating habits of school kids.9. What happens to children in American schools?A. They are occupied with many tests.B. They fail to get along with each other.C. They consume more meat than before.D. They have less lunch time than before.10. How are low-income kids influenced by the problem at school?A. They can't go to classes on time.B. They can't have enough energy.C. They can't share different kinds of food.D. They can't hold a positive attitude toward life.11.What can parents do to solve the problem?A. Prepare a better lunch for their kids.B. Stop their kids going to the cafeteria.C. Force schools to make adjustments to lunch.D. Guide their kids on how to pack their own lunch.DBlood donations save lives. But blood can only be stored under refrigeration (冷藏) for up to six weeks. After that, it’s no longer usable for transfusions(输血).“Because of that limitation, people have to continually donate blood to meet the needs. But also, in places where refrigeration may not be available, that can also bea challenge. It’s difficult to have blood available when needed.”UniversityofLouisvillebioengineer Jonathan Kopechek says. He also says disruptions to regular blood donations due to COVID-19 have put stress on the blood supply, and COVID-19 strengthens the need for more reliable long-term storage methods.But it’s pretty rare because of all the challenges and complexities with that process. Instead Kopechek’s team has developed a method of preserving blood so it can be stored in a dehydrated(脱水的) state at room temperature. To do so, they turned to an unusual preservative(防腐剂): a sugar called trehalose, which is a common ingredient(成分) in donuts（甜甜圈）to help make them look fresh even when they might be months old, and people wouldn’t know the difference.At that point, the blood could be dried and made into a powder(粉末). And then we can rehydrate(再水化) the blood and have it return back to normal. The team is still trying to improve yields but thinks the dried blood could be stored at room temperature for years. Kopechek says the technique could be ready for clinical trials in three to five years. If successful, itcould be used to create stores of dried blood in case of future pandemics ornatural disasters, and for first aid work, military operations or even missions to Mars. Maybe first aid kits on the Red Planet will include dried red blood cells.12. Why we need a more reliable method to preserve blood?A. Refrigeration can’t be afforded.B. The cost to store blood is very high.C. People can’t donate their blood for COVID-19.D. Blood can only be stored under refrigeration for a short time.13. What makes the food or blood look fresh?A. Trehalose.B. Donuts.C. Powder.D. The new technique.14. What can we know about the technique?A. It is successful now.B. It has been put into use.C. It will be widely used.D. It has been researched for 3 to 4 years.15. What is the text mainly about?A. How to store blood.B. Shortage of refrigeration .C. A new technique of storing blood.D. A new technique used in many fields.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。

2020届成都市第七中学高三英语上学期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ABook reading is certainly one of the most absorbing habits. For young adults who love to read, finding some good books to read is very essential. Writing a book review can help you to improve your language and writing skills.The Book ThiefListed onThe New York Times Children’s Best Seller List for over 100 weeks, The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is the story of a young girl in the Nazi camps set during World War II. So, if you love history and wish to learn how the life was during Adolf Hitler’s time, read this historic book.The Diary of Young GirlEven Anne Frank can not have imagined that her personal diary written during World War II would become such a popular book. It’s a must read that describes the situation of a family in the evils of wars through the eyes of a teenager.Animal FarmAnimal Farm is one of the most popular books by George Orwell. It is just a reflection of the Stalin and World War II period that has been so creatively presented in this book. It is an interesting example of how literature can be used to present conditions common in the society.Adventures of Huckleberry FinnMark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is one of the great American novels in history, and is certainly a great pick for young adults. Young Huck Finn and his mischief along with the color1 ful description of people around theMississippi Rivermake this novel a great book to read.1.Which book describes the author’s own experiences according to this passage?A.The Book ThiefB.The Diary of Young GirlC.Animal FarmD.Adventures of Huckleberry Finn2.What do the first three books have in common?A.All of them are about wars.B.All of them are about farms.C.All of them are intended for history lovers.D.All of them were written during World War II.3.The purpose of this passage is to _________.A.instruct youngsters how to improve skillsB.tell youngsters some wonderful reading habitsC.introduce several good books to youngstersD.give youngsters advice on writing a book reviewBAddiction to smartphones will result in poor sleep, according to a new study.The study, published Tuesday in Frontiers in Psychiatry, looked at smartphone use among 1,043 students between the ages of 18 and 30at King's College London. Researchers asked the students to complete two questionnaires on their sleep quality and smartphone use, in person and online.Using a 10-question scale that was developed to judge smartphone addiction in children, nearly 40% of the university students qualified as "addicted" to smartphones, the study found. “Our findings are in agreement with other reported studies in young adult populations globally, which are in the range of 30-45%,” lead author Sei Yon Sohn and her co-authors wrote in the study. "Later time of use was also significantly connected with smartphone addiction, with use after 1 a.m. increasing a 3- times risk," the authors wrote.Students who reported high use of smartphones also reported poor sleep quality, the study found. That foils in line with previous studies that have found overuse of smartphones at night to be associated with trouble falling asleep, reduced sleep duration (睡眠持续时间)and daytime tiredness. That's likely because use of smartphones close to bedtime has been shown to delay the body's normal sleep - and - wake clock.In fact, the No. 1 rule is "no computers, cell phones, and ipads in bed and at least one hour beforebed Dr. Vsevolod Polotsky, who directs sleep basic research, said in a recent interview. That's because "any LED light source from electronics (电子设备)may further hold back melatonin (褪黑激素)levels," Polotsky said. Melatonin is often referred to as a "sleep hormone," because we sleep better during the night when levels reach the top.“This is a cross-sectional study, and it cannot lead to any firm conclusions about smartphone use as the cause of reduced sleep quality, said Bob Patton, a lecturer in clinical psychology at the University of Surrey, via email.4. How did Sei Yon Sohn's team begin their study?A. By publishing researching papers.B. By responding to others’ concern.C. By collecting firsthand data.D. By turning to related experts.5. What did the study find about sleep quality and smartphone use?A. 30-45% of the university students are addicted to smartphones.B. High use of smartphones is related to poor sleep quality.C. Overuse of smartphones leads to shorter sleep duration.D. Use after 1 a.m. will result in smartphone addiction.6. What is Polotsky's opinion on electronics ?A. We should stop using them an hour before going to sleep.B. LED light source from them will delay normal sleep- and- wake clock.C. Reduced sleep quality has nothingto do with them.D. No electronics should be used in bed at any time.7. What can be a suitable title for the text?A. Say No to SmartphonesB. Sleep Quality Can Be ImprovedC. LED Light Source Causes Great HarmD. Smartphone Addiction Ruins SleepCScientists have recently discovered thatAndean condors (秀鹫)— some of the world’s largest birds——barely flap their wings at all while flying. Instead, they use rising air currents to remain in the air for hours.The Andean condor is the world’s largest soaring bird. They can weigh up to 15 kilograms. Their wings, when spread out, measure up to three meters. Their main food source is the meat of large animals which have died. Soaring high in the sky allows condors to easily spot possible meals on the ground.Scientists worked together to study the flight patterns of these huge birds and how much effort the birds use when flying. To study the birds while they were in the sky, the researchers attached special devices which could record every beat of their wings.The scientists learned that most of the condors’ flapping— over 75%— came when the birds were taking off. Once in the sky, the birds flew for very long periods of time without flapping at all. In fact, they only flapped their wings for 1% of the time they were in the air. One bird flew for over five hours without flapping, covering nearly 117miles.Soaring without flapping is important because birds bum energy every time they flap their wings.The birds’ soaring isn’t magic. They use the fact that hot air rises to keep themselves up. As hot air rises, itoften creates “thermals”— currents of warm air moving upward. The condors soar by making use of these thermals. The tricky part is finding thermals and moving between them.When birds are forced to land and take off again often, it costs them a lot of energy. The researchers learned that to avoid having to land, the condors did most of their non-take-off flapping when they were closer to the ground and looking for a new thermal.The scientists reported that even though all of the condors they studied were young, they knew well how to take advantage of the air currents.8. What can we learn about the Andean condor from the text?A. They live mairly on small animals.B. Their wingspan is at least three meters.C. They rely on hot air to remain high in the sky.D. They are the birds with the strongest flying ability.9. Why was the equipment tied to the birds?A. To measure how far they could fly without flapping.B. To keep track of how often they flapped while flying.C. To calculate the energy required for their flight.D. To confirm their flight patterns.10. Which of the following acts consumes the most energy for a condor?A. Hunting for food.B. Flying in the sky.C. Getting off the ground.D. Landing on the ground.11. What can we infer from the text?A. Condors flap the most when looking for a new thermal.B. No condor can fly for more than five hours without flapping.C. Condors don’t need to look for thermals when soaring in the sky.D. Soaring by using thermals is probably a natural ability of condors.DA world in which extinct creatures could be brought back to life came a step closer yesterday. Australian scientists have managed to extract a gene from a preserved sample of a Tasmanian tiger and make it active. Thebreakthroughhas left them dreaming that one day they will be able to recreate the animal, which died out more than 70 years ago. And if it can be done with the Tasmanian tiger, it may also be possible to resurrect (复活)creatures that have been extinct for far longer.“There used to be a time when extinction meant forever, but no more, ” said Professor Mike Archer. “We are now able to seriously challenge whether those animals that have gone for ever. What has been achieved is a very important step in bringing back those animals that are extinct. And while I think that technically it is still pretty difficult at the moment, we can now see the possibilities. I’m personally convinced that the Tasmanian tiger will be brought back to life in my lifetime.”The breakthrough came after nine years of experiments by scientists at the University of Melbourne, who extracted a gene from one of several tigers preserved in alcohol in a Melbourne museum. They removed the equivalent gene from a mouse embryo implanted the tiger gene and then watched as the mouse continued to grow normally, suggesting the tiger gene had been activated.Team leader Dr. Andrew Pask said it was the first time DNA from an extinct species had been used to “induce (引起) a functional response in another living organism”.However, the animal’s entire gene structure would have to be revived in the same way to even begin the possibility of bringing the Tasmanian tiger back from the dead.Mick Mooney, a wildlife officer ofthe Tasmanian Government, was worried that such developments could encourage people’s indifference to the protection of endangered species.“If people think that we can bring animals back to life after they’ve gone, they will start saying that there is nothing to worry about because we can fix it up later.”12. What does the underlined word “breakthrough” in the l paragraph refer to?A. Scientists have recreated new animals.B. Scientists have resurrected endangered animal.C. It has turned out that some creatures would not go extinct.D. A tiger gene has been extracted successfully and activated.13. Scientists are carrying out the experiments in order to ________.A. bring extinct animals back to lifeB. transplant the genes of tigers into other animalsC. find out what factors lead to the animals’ extinctionD. find a new way to extract animals’ DNA14. Mike Archer thinks that ________.A. scientists now have no technological difficulty reconnecting extinct animalsB. it’ll be a century or so before a Tasmanian tiger walks on the earth againC. humans have come closer in reconnecting extinct animalsD. reconnecting extinct animals is impossible15. We can learn from Mick Mooncy’s words that_________.A. he thought it unnecessary to worry about endangered animalsB. his opinion is in contrast with that of the Tasmanian GovernmentC. he thought people should be encouraged to protect endangered animalsD. he is concerned that bringing extinct animals back to life may have a negative effect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。

2020届成都市第七中学高三英语上学期期中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AI started working with my hands at a young age. The youngest of five brothers, I took on the role as a “maintenance (维修) man” at an early age for our family’s small grocery store. Often my dad wouldn’t give me a clear idea of how something shouldbe done, so I just had to figure it out by researching or through trial and error.Fast forward to 2016 and those problem-solving skills would become the focus of Tippecanoe High School’s Homebuilding class. I knew I wanted to teach the students skills that went beyond just being able to hammer nails or cut pieces of two-by-fours. The problem was that we didn’t have the resources at the time to do much else. The idea of attracting some type of funding seemed very important. Designing, building and selling a tiny house on wheels seemed like the perfect project to accomplishthe task. I reached out to a number of local businesses and most of them responded with the greatest support for what x k w we were doing.This year we added a new element to the program. Through one of our partners, we were able to connect with the nonprofit Veteran’s Ananda Incorporated. Students in the Homebuilding class are leading the design and production of micro houses to be donated to this organization. The new partnership gives the students another focus to consider when designing and building the houses.There has been no shortage of students since our first year. Three years ago we had 41 students, the next 191, and this year it was limited to just over 160 students so we could have a safe and manageable classroom environment. The number of girls taking the class has risen steadily over the last few years as well. This class offers something for everyone and the skills are universal.1. How can we describe the young author?A. He opened a small grocery store.B. He did a lot of research in the lab.C. He enjoyed doing hands-on activities.D. He learnt about maintenance from his father.2. What do the underlined words “the task” in paragraph 2 refer to?A. Getting some financial support.B. Selling a tiny house on wheels.C. Reaching out to many local businesses.D. Offering the students some problem-solving skills.3. What can be inferred about the Homebuilding class from the last paragraph?A. Its size needs increasing.B. Itis popular with the students.C. It has caused some safety concerns.D. Its classroom environment is hard to manage.BA Hug from a Teenage BoyFifteen years spent in the field of education have provided Nancy Marra with many treasured moments. One of the most endearing happened when she was teaching second grade.That year, she decided to plan something special for the children: a Mother’s Day tea. After all the preparations were made for it, each child took home an invitation.Nancywas surprised and relieved to see that every mother was planning to attend. She even invited her own mother.Finally, the day arrived. That afternoon, each child lined up at the classroom door expecting the arrival of his or her mom. As it got closer to starting time,Nancylooked around and her eyes quickly found Jimmy. His mother hadn’t shown up and he was looking upset.Nancytook her mother by the hand and walked over to Jimmy. “Jimmy,”Nancysaid, “I have a bit of a problem here and I was wondering if you could help out. Since I’m going to be really busy today, I was wondering if you could keep my mother company.”Nancy’s mom and Jimmy sat at a table with two other mother-child pairs. Jimmy servedNancy’s mom her treats, presented her with the giftNancyhad made, and pulled out and pushed in her chair, just as they had practiced the day before. WheneverNancylooked over, her mom and Jimmy were in deep conversation Ten years later,Nancywas at a high school to take a senior class on a field trip, and there was Jimmy. On the way back,Nancyhad the students complete an evaluation form of their trip. She collected and checked the forms one by one.When she came to Jimmy’s evaluation page, he had written, “Remember our Mother’s Day tea we had in second grade, Mrs. Marra? I do! Thanks for all you did for me, and thank your mother, too.”As they began unloading at the school, Jimmy made sure he was the last one to go.Nancytold him she really enjoyed what he had written. He looked rather embarrassed, mumbled (咕哝) his own thanks, and then turned towalk away. As the bus driverbegan pulling the bus away, Jimmy ran back and knocked on the bus door. He jumped back on board and gaveNancya big hug. “Thanks again, Mrs. Marra. No one even knew my mom didn’t make it that day!”She ended her workday with a hug from a teenage boy who had probably stopped hugging teachers years ago.4. Why was Jimmy paired withNancy’s mother?A. Nancy was too busy to spend time with her.B. Jimmy’s mother didn’t come to the event.C. Nancy wanted Jimmy to get to know her.D. Jimmy could get along well with her.5. Where did Jimmy meetNancyten years later?A. Near Jimmy’s high school.B. At a Mother’s Day tea.C. In Nancy’s classroom.D. On a field trip.6. How did Jimmy feel about whatNancyhad done for him?A. Upset.B. Embarrassed.C. Grateful.D. Satisfied.7. Which of the following best presents the theme of the passage?A. No act of kindness is ever wasted.B. A friend in need is a friend indeed.C. A mother’s hug lasts long after she lets go.D. The best teacher must be the best performer.CA year ago I received a full scholarship to attend the University of San Francisco. All of my hard work paid off. My mom had spent a lot on my attending a private high school, so I made sure to push myself: I volunteered, took part in various clubs, and graduated with honors. I was so excited to start a new part of my life.Soon enough, the big day came, but it wasn't like what I had thought. The first two weeks were the most difficult days of my entire life. Every night I would cry myself to sleep. I was missing my family, my home and everything in my hometown so much and I didn’t know how to deal with my broken heart.To distract myself, I threw myself into my studies. I also found a ton of jobs. In any free time, I started forcingmyself to go to the gym. I wanted to keep every part of my day busy so I wouldn’t think about how lonely I felt. Soon after, I began to control my eating, considering it another solution to my homesickness. But soon there was something wrong with me.Finally, I went to see a doctor. When the doctor told me I had no choice but to take time away from school, I started to fear. How could I stop? School was what I was best at. “I’m not so bad,” I thought in my head. But the result was that I was taken to hospital again a month later and my mother camewoefully. I had to take a semester off from school, and go to the treatment center near my home.If there are girls who are suffering similarly, I hope you know that there is hope and that you should have a positive attitude towards life. Though you may feel alone, there are so many people who can understand your struggle. That’s why I want to share my story.8. Why did the author push herself during high school?A. She wanted to attend the University of San Francisco.B. It cost too much to study in a private school.C. Her parents controlled much of her life.D. Her family put her under pressure,9. What can we know about the author in the first two weeks?A. She couldn't fall asleep because of pressure.B. She couldn't pay attention to her study.C. She couldn't deal with her homesickness.D. She couldn't catch up with others.10. What does the underlined word “woefully” in paragraph 4 mean?A. Sadly.B. Surprisingly.C. Curiously.D. Happily.11. What is the author's purpose in writing this text?A. To look back on her past life.B. To increase her own confidence.C. To express appreciation to her mother.D. To encourage other girls like her to be positive.DIt is a question people have been asking for ages. Is there a way to turn back the aging process?For centuries, people have been looking for a “fountain of youth”. The idea is that if you find a magical fountain, and drink from its waters, you will not age.Researchers in New York did not find an actual fountain of youth, but they may have found a way to turn backthe aging process. It appears the answer may be hidden right between your eyes, in an area called the hypothalamus (下丘脑). The hypothalamus is part of your brain. It controls important activities within the body.Researchers at New York’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine found that hypothalamus neural (神经的) stem cells also influence how fast aging takes place in the body.What are stem cells(干细胞)? They are simple cells that can develop into specialized cells, like blood or skin cells. Stem cells can also repair damaged tissues and organs.Dongsheng Cai is a professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He was the lead researcher in a study on aging in mice. He and his team reported their findings in the journal Nature, Cai explained when hypothalamus function is in decline, particularly the loss of hypothalamus stem cells, and this protection against the aging development is lost. it eventually leads to aging.Using this information, the researchers began trying to activate, or energize, the hypothalamus laboratory mice. They did this by injecting the animals with stem cells, Later, the researchers examined tissues and tested for changes in behavior. They looked for changes in the strength and coordination (协调) of the animals muscles. They also studied the social behavior and cognitive ability of the mice. The researchers say the results show that the treatment slowed aging in the animals, Cai says injecting middle-aged mice with stem cells from younger mice helped the older animals live longer.But these results were just from studying mice in a laboratory. If the mice can live longer, does that mean people could have longer lives? The next step is to see if the anti-aging effects also work in.12. In Paragraph 2 a “fountain of youth” is mentioned to ________.A. introduce the main topicB. show a hidden secret.C. describe scientists researchD. recommend a way to stay young13. Aging takes place in the body when _______.A. stem cells develop into specialized cellsB. there are important activities within the bodyC. hypothalamus neural stem cells fail to protect against agingD. the hypothalamus fails to repair damaged tissues and organs14. What do we know about the researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine from the text?A. They did experiments to see how stem cells work.B. They studied mice to find their connection with humans.C. They have found a possible way to slow the aging progress.D. They have found no changes in mice s behavior during the experiment15. What will the researchers probably do next?A. They will help some animals live longer.B. They will announce the fountain of youth doesn’t existC. They will develop products to help people live a longer life immediatelyD. They will do research to see if what they have found in mice will apply to humans.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。

2020届成都七中高三英语上学期期中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AFind Your Chicago Architecture TourChicago is known around the world for its architecture. Whether you tour downtown or a neighborhood, our guides will tell you the stories behind the buildings.Must-see ChicagoMust-see Chicago is a fast-paced, 90-minute tour to Chicago featuring(以…为特色) some of its most famous buildings, including the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower and more! Get a brief overview of more than a dozen buildings—as well as Chicago landmarks like Millennium Park, the Loop and the Chicago River.Duration: 1.5 hoursPrice: $ 26 public, free for CAC membersArchitecture HighlightsDiscover the exciting diversity(多样性) of Chicago architecture, which traces the city’s development from its founding through present day. We cover about 30 miles of Chicago design, passing through the Loop and the Gold Coast, as well as Hyde Park and other areas of the South Side. We’ll see two university campuses and several parks.Duration: 3.5 hoursPrice: $ 55 public, free for CAC membersHistoric Treasures of Chicago’s Golden AgeLearn about the great architectural landmarks of Michigan Avenue and State Street, with views inside beautiful buildings from the 1890s〜1930s. The most memorable parts include the amazing interiors(内部) of the Palmer House Hotel and the Chicago Cultural Center.Duration: 2 hoursPrice: $ 26 public, free for CAC membersElevated Architecture: Downtown “L” TrainExplore Chicago’s amazing architecture from the unique view of elevated trains and station platforms. Learn the history behind the famous “L” system and hear how it has shaped the development of buildings within theLoop. The city’s first elevated train started making trips in 1892. Now considered one of Chicago’s most wonderful features, the “L” offers impressive views of downtown.Duration: 2 hoursPrice: $ 26 public, free for CAC members1.Which tour can you choose if you want to see Millennium Park?A.Must-see Chicago.B.Historic Treasures of Chicago’s Golden AgeC.Architecture Highlights.D.Elevated Architecture：Downtown “L” Train.2.When visiting Architecture Highlights, a couple should pay ______.A.$55B.$ 110C.$ 165D.$ 2203.What can you see on the third tour?A.The Chicago River.B.The Gold Coast.C.The elevated trains.D.The Palmer House Hotel.BThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) included on December 17, 2020 China's Tai Chi on the RepresentativeList of the Intangible（无形的）Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The decision was announced during the online meeting of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held from December 14 to19 inKingston, capital ofJamaica.“Born in the mid-17th century in a small village named Chenjiagou located in Central China's Henan province, Tai Chi is not only a kind of traditional Wushu integrated with slow movements and deep breathing, but is also deeply rooted in many areas of Chinese culture, such as medicine and philosophy,”Zhu Xianghua says, who is the son of the famous Tai Chi master Zhu Tiancai.Although it has spread to more than 150 countries and regions, attracting more than 100 million people to practice, the idea that Tai Chi is for the elderly has stopped many young people practicing the ancient Wushu. They think of it as a slow exercise, which is specially made and better suited for their grandparents. Instead, many young people are turning to the Indian practice of yoga（瑜伽）to relieve stress, which was placed on the UNESCO's List in 2019.In order to promote Tai Chi, joint efforts have been made from individuals and the Chinese government in the last decades. Xi'an Jiaotong University requires students to learn Tai Chi. Wang Yunbing, a professor in theuniversity's sports center, stressed that Tai Chi is not only good physical exercise-researchers from the American College of Rheumatology find that it can help manage several diseases but is also conned ted to ancient Chinese eivilization. Since 2014, the World Tai Chi Championships have been held every two years by the International Wushu Federation. It provides a platform for communication and learning between the Tai Chi masters and Tai Chi lovers around the globe. In January 2020, Tai Chi became an official event in the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.4. What does Zhu Xianghua say about Tai Chi in paragraph 2?A. It originated from fast Kung Fu action.B. It was born around the 1750s in a village.C. It is related to other cultural fields ofChina.D. It integrates Chinese medicine and western philosophy.5. Why do some young people choose to practice yoga instead of Tai Chi?A. They think it easier to practice yoga to keep fit.B. The elderly stop young people practicing Tai Chi.C. They consider Tai Chi is custom-built for old people.D. Yoga was included in the world culture earlier than Tai Chi.6. What is the main purpose of the last paragraph?A. To promote contemporary Chinese civilization.B. To show many efforts made to popularize Tai Chi.C. To stress the importance of Chinese Tai Chi masters.D. To advise people to practise Tai Chi to cure diseases.7.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?A. Tai Chi Steps on the UNESCO's List.B. Tai Chi is Competing against Yoga.C. Tai Chi Has Regained populate Globally.D. Opinions Greatly Differ on Tai Chi and Yoga.CCigarettes aren’t just harmful when they’re being smoked. Even when cigarette ends go out and are cold, new research has found they continue to give off harmful chemicals in the air. In the first 24 hours alone, scientists say a used cigarette end will produce 14 percent of the nicotine (尼古丁) that an actively burning cigarette wouldproduce.While most of these chemicals are released within a day of being put out,an analysis for the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found the level of nicotine fell by just 50% five days later.“I was ly surprised,” since environmental engineer Dustin Poppendieck from the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). “The numbers are significant and could have important impacts when cigarette ends are dealt with indoors or in cars. While much attention has been paid to the health influence of first-hand, second-hand and now third-hand smoking, it is not the case when it comes to the actual cigarette end of the matter.”To measure emissions (排放) from this forgotten thing, Poppendieck and his team placed 2,100 cigarettes that were recently put out inside a special room. Once the ends weresealed away, the team measured eight chemicals commonly produced by cigarettes, four of which the FDA have their eye on for being harmful or potentially so.After setting the room’s temperature, the researchers tested how emissions changed under certain conditions. When the air temperature of the room was higher, for instance, they noticed the ends produced these chemicals at higher rates. This finding might discourage those who want to leave ashtrays (烟灰缸) out for days ata time, especially in the heat.8. What do the researchers say about cigarette ends?A They contain little nicotine.B. They produce no nicotine five days later.C. They give off nicotine for days.D. They create as much nicotine as burning cigarettes.9. What do Poppendieck’s words suggest?A. First-hand smoking does most harm.B. The findings are within his expectation.C. Cigarettes should be dealt with indoors.D. Health influence of cigarette ends is ignored.10. Which word best describes the author’s attitude to not cleaning ashtrays for days?A. Unclear.B. Disapproving.C. Unconcerned.D. Puzzled.11. What can be the best title for the text?A. Used Cigarette Ends Release Harmful ChemicalsB. Cigarettes Are More Harmful While Being SmokedC. Research Found Reasons For Cigarette Ends’ HarmD. Cigarette Ends Produce More Chemicals in the HeatDWe are in lack of enough sleep, according to Arianna Huffington, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post. And thishas great consequences on our health, our job performance, our relationships and our happiness. What is needed, she ly declares, is nothing short of a sleep revolution. Only by renewing our relationship with sleep can we take back control of our lives.In her bestseller Thrive, Arianna wrote about our need to redefine success through wellbeing, wisdom, wonder, and giving. Her discussion of the importance of sleep as a gateway to this more fulfilling way of living struck such a powerful chord (弦) that she realized the mystery and transformative power of sleep called for a fuller investigation (调查).The result is a scientifically sweeping and personal exploration of sleep from all angles, from the history of sleep, to the role of dreams in our lives, to the consequences of sleep deprivation (剥夺), and the new golden age of sleep science that is showing the vital role sleep plays in our every waking moment and every aspect of our health — from weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease to cancer and Alzheimer’s.In The Sleep Revolution, Arianna shows how our cultural removal of sleep as time wasted damages our health and our decision-making and our work lives and shortens our personal lives. She explores all the latest science on what exactly is going on while we sleep and dream. She decides the dangerous sleeping pill industry, and all the ways of our addiction to technology disturb our sleep. She also offers a range of recommendations and tips from leading scientists on how we can get better and more restorative sleep.In today’s fast-paced, always-connected and sleep-deprived world, our need for a good night’s sleep is more important than ever. The Sleep Revolution both sounds the alarm on our worldwide sleep crisis and provides a detailed road map to the great sleep awakening that can help transform our lives, our communities, and our world.12. What is the first paragraph mainly about?A. The importance of sleep.B. The necessity of improving sleep.C. The way to improve our sleep.D. The effect of sleep on health.13. What can be inferred about Arianna’s attitude to success?A. She thinks good sleep is more important.B. She doesn’t think much of becoming successful.C. She thinks it wrong to sacrifice health to success.D. She is concerned about the nature of success.14. What can be said about Arianna’s investigation?A. It is really of great value.B. It is scientific and historical.C. It costs Arianna’s sleep in practice.D. It covers all necessary aspects scientifically,15. What influence does TheSleep Revolution have on society?A. It helps to slow down the pace of modern life.B. It warns people against taking sleeping pills.C. It warns the harm of inadequate sleep of people.D. It helps to stress the value of sleep to success.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。

四川省成都市第七中学2020届高三英语上学期期中试题考试时间：120 分钟满分：150 分注意事项：1.考生务必将自己的姓名、考号填写在答题卡上；2.作答时, 将答案写在答题卡上。

写在本试卷和草稿纸上无效；3.考试结束后, 只将答题卡交回。

第一部分听力（共两节, 满分 30 分）第一节（共 5 小题；每小题 1.5 分, 满分 7.5 分）听下面 5 段对话。

每段对话后有一个小题, 从题中所给的A、B、C 三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。

听完每段对话后, 你都有 10 秒钟的时间来回答有关小题和阅读下一小题。

每段对话仅读一遍。

1. When will the man’s mother probably arrive?A. At 3:30 pm.B. At 4:30 pm.C. At 7:00 pm.2.What does the man mean?A.H e is waiting for someone else.B.He doesn’t want to talk with Mr Miller.C.He doesn’t have time now.3.What does the woman want to be after graduation?A. A lawyer.B. A teacher.C. A doctor.4. Where is Mr Davis now?A. At home.B. In his office.C. On his way to office.5. What is the man doing?A. Making a phone call.B. Making a visit.C. Making an appointment.第二节（共 15 小题；每小题 1.5 分, 满分 22.5 分）听下面 5 段对话或独白。

每段对话或独白后有几个小题, 从题中所给的 A、B、C 三个选项中选出最佳选项，并标在试卷的相应位置。

2020届成都市第七中学高三英语上学期期中考试试题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 following 4 famous paintings, from Jan van Eyck’s portrait to Pablo Picasso’s masterpiece, have stood the test of time.The Arnolfini PortraitJan van Eyck’s Arnolfini Portrait, an oil painting on wood produced in 1434, is undoubtedly one of the masterpieces in the National Gallery,London. This painting is as visually interesting as it is famed. It is also an informative document on fifteenth-century society, through van Eyck’s heavy use of symbolism-while husbands went out to engage in business, wives concerned themselves with domestic duties.The Starry NightVincent van Gogh painted The Starry Night, oil on canvas, a moderately abstract landscape painting of an expressive night sky over a small hillside village, during his 12-month stay at the mental hospital nearSaint-Remy-de-Provence,Francebetween 1889 and 1890. When theMuseumofModern ArtinNew York Citypurchased the painting from a private collector in 1941, it was not well known, but it has since become one of van Gogh's most famous works.The HarvestersThe Harvesters is an oil painting on wood completed by Pieter Bruegel the Elder in 1565. It depicts the harvest time which most commonly occurred within the months of August and September. Nicolaes Jonghelinck, a merchant banker and art collector fromAntwerp, commissioned this painting. The painting has been at the Metropolitan Museum of Art inNew York Citysince 1919.GuernicaGuernica,a large black-and-white oil painting, was painted by the Cubist Spanish painter, Pablo Picasso in 1937. The title ‘Guernica’ refers to the city that was bombed by Nazi planes during the Spanish Civil War. The painting depicts the horrors of war and as a result, has come to be an anti-war symbol and a reminder of the tragedies of war. Today, the painting is housed at the Museo National Centro de Arte ReinaSofiainMadrid.1. What do the four paintings have in common?A. They are oil paintings.B. They are kept inNew York.C. They show different people’s lives.D. They are created during 10th century to 19th century.2. What do we know about The Starry Night?A. It shows the scenery of a small hillside village.B. Van Gogh produced it when living in his home.C. A private collector gave it away to the museum.D. It was not famous before 1941.3. Whose painting shows the destruction of war?A. Jan van Eyck.B. Vincent van Gogh.C. Pieter Bruegel.D. Pablo Picasso.BThe term "bird brain" is frequently used to describe a person's lack of intelligence and good decision-making ability. However, some scientists believe it should be considered a praise, given that many birds can perform human tasks like producing and using tools, solving problems, and planning for future needs. Now,Griffin, an African Grey parrot, has proved that birds may even possess better visual memories than human adults and children.The study, led by Hrag Pailian, a researcher at Harvard University, had the parrot compete in the game against twenty-one undergraduate students and twenty-one 6 to 8-year-old children. The popular challenge involves hiding a small object under one of three or more upside-down cups, which are moved around. Participants are required to accurately identify the cup under which the object lies. To make the task more challenging, the researchers required participants to track two, three, and four objects at the same time.An analysis of the results showed thatGriffinoutperformed the 6 to 8-year-olds across all levels on average. Even more impressive, the "bird brain" performed as well as, or slightly better than, the 21 Harvard students on 12 of the 14 trials! It was only in the final two tests, which had the most objects and most movement, that the parrot fell behind the adults. However,Griffin's performance was never below that of the children.Griffinwas the candidate of choice because the scientists needed an animal that had a brain functionality similar to that of humans. "The fact that the smart parrot loves to show off his brain power in exchange for a few cashews (腰果) did not hurt either", said Irene Pepperberg, a Harvard lecturer, who has trained Griffin and several other African Grey parrots, has been studying the species for over four decades and is considered a pioneer in the study of bird intelligence.4. Whatwere the participants required to do in the study?A. Identify different kinds of objects.B. Tell where the hidden object lies.C. Track other participants' performance.D. Move around upside-down cups.5. What did the results of the study indicate?A. 6 to 8-year-olds did better thanGriffin.B. Parrots have a better memory than other birds.C. Harvard students have a better visual memory.D.Griffinoutsmarted Harvard students in some trials.6. Why wasGriffinchosen for the experiment?A. It was good at making decisions.B. It was specially trained for experiments.C. It had similar brain functions to human beings.D. It loved to show off his language power for some treats.7. What is the best title for the text?A. "Bird brain" becomes a term for a stupid person.B. Harvard lecturer pioneers in bird intelligence study.C. Parrot outsmarted Harvard students in visual memory test.D. Researchers made new discoveries about human intelligence.CParents and math teachers regularly asked by their school-aged charges whether math matters inreal life now have an answer.In a study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research this week, Harvard Kennedy School Policy Professor Joshua Goodman took a look at what happened to students whose high schools were required in the 1980s to increase the minimum level of coursework required to graduate. What he found is that the students were more likely to increase the number of math courses they took as a result of the change in standards and that translated into higher earnings down the line.Put simply: About 15 years after they graduated, the high school graduates who went to school when these changes took effect saw their average earnings increase about 10% for every extra year of math coursework. The findings may add fuel to the steady drum of education experts, policy makers and others calling for an increased focus on science and math education.The increase in required math courses didn’t necessarily produce rocket scientists, Goodman notes, becausethe extra coursework wasn’t at a particularly high level. But becoming familiar with and practicing ly basic math skills allowed high school graduates to pursue and excel at jobs that required some level of computational knowledge, he said.Goodman acknowledged that the earnings boost for the students connected with the up tick （上升）in math education may be dependent on the state of the economy. When Goodman checked in the late 1990s and early 2000s on the earnings of the students who graduated in the late 1985，he found that their earnings increased significantly if they took more math.8. What does Joshua Goodman’s study find?A. High school graduates earn more.B. High school students prefer math.C. Math matters a lot in one’s income.D. Math is a compulsory course in school.9. Why is increase in required math courses useful?A. It produced rocket scientists.B. It makes high school students smarter.C. It meets the requirements of the government.D. It enables high school graduates to get better jobs.10. What might be the author’s purpose in writing the text?A. To give a warning to policy makers.B. To seek help for high school students’ problems.C. To show the great importance of learning math.D. To tell a struggling history of high school students.11. What could be the best title for the text?A. Efforts matter mostB. Math makes moneyC. Earnings of different graduatesD. Changes of high school coursesDTexas has been one of the most restrictive gun-rights states in America.Thanks to a new law,however,the state will be one of the most relaxed,to the degree that police are discouraged from even asking about someone's guns.And if they do, they may not have much power to do anything if the person refuses to show a license.To be sure, the law is strict in its own way,offering a model for regulation. Under the law, open-carry citizens have to be licensed, a process that includes safety and shooting tests. They also have to show no prior psychological problems, and they have to be at least 21 years old.It is true that gun violence dropped sharply after restrictive laws were put in place in countries like Great Britain and Australia. However,the US public seems more interested than ever in weapons and the power they convey,despite gun control groups' concern over the increase of violence. Most states in America have steadily expanded gun rights since the end of a 10-year assault(攻击)weapons ban in 2004. Black Friday this year saw the biggest gun cache(贮存)ever purchased in one day.Considering those trends,there's a heated debate about whether the new Texas law is a model piece of legislation(立法)for a changing America,or a walking disaster just begging for trouble. As the law doesn't provide any punishment for those who refuse to show a license to a police officer, critics fear that officers may find it tough to handle potentially deadly situations. After all, armed citizens will no longer be considered suspicious, even though a lot of people might be alarmed by the sight. Most police in Texas have been told to not engage gun carriers unless they are doing something questionable or appear drunk.For sure,New Year's Day will be an exciting one for Texas gun owners. What's not yet known is how the rest of Texas will respond.12. All of the following are required in the new Texas law for open carry EXCEPTA. age limitB. mental conditionC. online registrationD. gun-operating skills13. What is mainly talked about in Paragraph 3?A. The reason for putting forward the new Texas law.B. The present situation of gun possession in America.C. The impact of the assault weapons ban in 2004.D. The inaction of the US government as to gun control.14. What do critics think the new Texas law will probably lead to?A. Heavier workload for policemen.B. Disrespect for officers.C. Lack of trust among citizens.D. Difficulty in crime prevention.15. What is the author's attitude towards the new Texas law?A. Negative.B. Cautious.C. Indifferent.D. Approving.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。