2021届广东省广州市执信中学高三上学期第二次月考英语试卷及答案

2021年广州执信中学高三英语第二次联考试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AArtificial intelligence (Al) is practically everywhere today. There are so many products out there which use Al. Some are being developed, some are already in use, and some failed and are being improved, so it’s very difficult to name a few of them and regard them as the best.ViIt is an Al personal trainer which is mainly concerned with fitness and coaching. It, however, requires the use of bio-sensing earphones and other fitness tracking equipment! It can play your favourite music while you work out and all you have to worry about is the exercise you're doing.Deep TextDo you ever wonder how an ad appears suddenly just when you are looking for something similar? This is because of Deep Text. It uses real-time consumer information to produce data which in turn is used to target consumers. Thus, if you search online for flight tickets fromBangaloretoDelhi, it is very likely that an ad relating to hotels inDelhiwill soon follow.Hello EggIf you live alone and miss your mother because you always miss your breakfast or don’t know what to eat for dinner, then Hello Egg is exactly what you are looking for. A very healthy choice of the 2-minute noodles and oats, Hello Egg provides you with a detailed weekly meal plan about the needs of your body. It is truly a modern AI-powered home cooking tool for the young.WordsmithYou can put Mr. Smith into your Microsoft Excel using their free API, and let it write up detailed analysis of the stories behind your numbers. It can produce detailed reports on thousands of pages of spreadsheets in seconds.1. What can we learn about Vi from the text?A. It is an AI music player.B. It is a bio-sensing earphone.C. It doesn't work without bio-sensing earphones.D. It can make you more energetic while you work out.2. Which can help you improve cooking skill?A. Deep Text.B. Vi.C. Wordsmith.D. Hello Egg.3. What can Wordsmith do for us?A. Produce a detailed report.B. Provide us with a detailed meal plan.C. Book a ticket ahead of time.D. Offer us information on hotels for traveling.BIn the northern part ofAustin there once lived an honest family by the name of Smothers. The family had John Smothers, his wife and their five-year-old daughter.One night after supper the little girl was ill with a serious stomachache, and John Smothers hurried downtown to get some medicine. He never came back. The mother was very sad over her husband's disappearance, and it was nearly three months before she married again, and moved to San Antonio. The little girl recovered and in time grew up to womanhood. After a few years had rolled around, the little girl also married in time, and she also had a little girl of five years. She still lived in the same house where theydweltwhen her father had left and never returned.By an unbelievable coincidence her little girl was taken with the same stomachache on the same night of the disappearance of John Smothers, who would now have been her grandfather if he had been alive. “I will go downtown and get some medicine for her,” said John Smith(for it was he whom she had married). “No, no, dear John,” cried his wife. “You, too, might disappear forever, and then forget to come back.” So John Smith did not go, and together they sat by the bedside of little Pansy. After a little while Pansy seemed to grow worse, and John Smith again wanted to go for medicine, but his wife would not let him.Just then, the door suddenly opened and an old man with long white hair entered the room. “Hello, here is grandpa,” said Pansy. She had recognized him before any of the others. The old man drew a bottle of medicine from his pocket and gave Pansy a spoonful. She got well immediately. “I was a little late,” said John Smothers, “as I waited for a street car.”4. What happened after John Smothers disappeared?A. His daughter took some medicine.B. His wife left for San Antonio.C. Pansy immediately had a stomachache.D. John Smith went for medicine.5. What does the underlined word “dwelt” in paragraph 2 probably mean?A. Lived.B. Left.C. Returned.D. Married.6. What is the relationship between John Smothersand Pansy?A. Husband and wife.B. Father and daughter.C. Grandfather and granddaughter.D. Father and son.7. How could Pansy's mother feel when she saw John Smothers?A. Worried.B. Sad.C. Uninterested.D. Surprised.CThe AI research arm of Alibaba created a machine learning model that received a higher score on the Stanford Question Answering Dataset than humans. The database consists of more than 100,000 questions to test reading comprehension.In early January this year the Alibaba AI software machine scored 82.44 on the test while humans scored 82.304. Besides, computers and AI have already defeated humans, for example in games such as chess. However, it seemed that language skills were superior in humans as machines find languages hard to master.A large number of call center employees, often in developing countries, may be out of work soon if the AI robots are cheaper and as effective as human labor. Soon when you phone a company for information the conversation will go like this: “ We are sorry but all our robots are busy right now. We value your call. Please stay on the line until a robot is free to serve you. There are just 12 callers ahead of you.” A robot will serve you some popular tunes while you wait.Si Luo, who is a chief scientist of natural language processing at Alibaba’s AI research group noted that questions such as “What causes rain?” can now be answered with a high degree of accuracy by robots. Si Luo said, “ We believe the foundational technology can be gradually applied to a lot of applications such as customer service, museum tutorials, and online responses to inquiries from patients, freeing human efforts in a new way.”Si Luo’s team is working closely with Ali Xiaomi, a mobile customer service chatbot. Ali Xiaomi can be customized to be used on Alibaba’s platforms such as Taobao and Tmall. The new AI robots could answer consumers’ questions as they did the Stanford questions. The robots would look for the answers from prepared information. However, there are limits to what the system will be able to do. If questions do not have clear-cut answers, or the questions asked are too unclear or ungrammatical, the robot may not be able to deal with them.8. What can we learn about the Alibaba AI software machine?A. It has been tested in some areas.B. It has become popular since January.C. It has offered a special learning style.D. It has made people interested in reading.9. What does the example in paragraph 3 show about the AI robots?A. They should have better language skills.B. They may replace humans in some fields.C. They need to be customized to serve customers.D. They will be widely used in developing countries.10. How does Si Luo feel about the foundational technology?A. Doubtful.B. Worried.C. Curious.D. Confident.11. What can we infer from the lastparagraph about Ali Xiaomi?A. It needs to improve in some ways.B. It is connected with another system.C. It is a platform to show good service.D. It can answer any questions accordingly.DWater 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 cropslike 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.12. 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.13. 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.14. 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.15. 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.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年执信中学高三英语第二次联考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ACovid-19 has brought a great deal of trouble for all of us since March 2020. During this time, mobile phones have been the solution for the boredom and restlessness caused from staying indoors. The most downloaded apps on play store 2020 are;TikTokTikTok was the most downloaded app. With over 111.9 million downloads, TikTok has seen a huge growth in 2020, twice more than what it got in 2019. 20% of its total downloads were fromIndiaand around 9. 3% of the total downloads were in theUS.ZoomZoom was the second most installed app in the overall downloads category. With nearly 94. 6 million installs, Zoom is the most used app for online meetings and virtual classrooms. 17% of its downloads were in theUSandIndia. Offices and educational institutes were shut down and to continue working and studying from home, people relied heavily on Zoom for video conferencing and calling.WhatsAppWhatsApp ranked third in overall downloads with more than 100 million downloads. It is one of the most popular and widely used chat applications; WhatsApp also supports communication between international phone networks.FacebookIt ranked fourth in the overall downloaded list. Facebook is the world’s most popular social networking application. Facebook builds technologies that give people the power to connect with friends and family, find communities and grow businesses.1. What do we know about TikTok?A. It is an India-based app.B. It has most users inAmerica.C. It is used for growing business.D. It has doubled its download than in 2019.2. Which app is the best to turn to for online education?A. TikTok.B. Zoom.C. WhatsApp.D. Facebook.3. What function does Facebook probably serve?A. Communication.B. Training.C. Teaching.D. PaymentBA Bridge Linking Art and the AudienceAccording to a 2018 report, people aged between 16 and 24 make up about 15 percent of the population but only 10 percent of museum-goers. Similarly, people aged over35 go half as much as you would expect from their population size. We have reached the point of recognising the disconnection between art and the audience but haven’t yet determined how to bridge the gap. Two answers to tackling this challenge lie in telling a greater diversity of art histories and communicating these stories in more accessible ways.In 2018, a radio program called Art Matters was started with the aim of discussing art from a pop-culture viewpoint with topics that would engage younger and more diverse audience. It offers an accessible pathway to art history with conversations on different topics. Art history is about storytelling; art content shines when there is an effort to bring audience along for the discussion.More traditional institutions are paying attention. Recently theGettyMuseumissued a social-media challenge for people to recreate paintings using items they had at home. Users displayed incredible creativity, and the museum was flooded with submissions. This reaction proves that there is a potential desire for the audience to engage with art topics if the format is appealing. Since many people feelintimidatedand think that there’s a base level of understanding required to join the conversation, the Getty initiative serves as a reminder that there are many pathways to engaging with it.Another result of the Getty challenge was the exposure given to a diversity of artworks. The famous opera singer Peter Brathwaite, for example, made scores of attractive recreations highlighting centuries of black paintings. His efforts opposed the idea that there were not many historical paintings of black figures. It is extremely important that we do a better job of showing the complex and diverse stories that are represented in art.Social media have offered a platform for people who have not traditionally had a seat at the table. Anyone can recognise a gap in the field and address it. Accounts have gathered tens of thousands of followers. They are the proof that there is hunger to hear these art histories, and these themes work brilliantly for museumprogramming.But there is only so much that can be done without the museums and galleries changing meaningfully from within. We need to see a better balance of these stories represented in permanent collections. We also need a much wider diversity of people and interests represented on board. Ensuring that art-and writing and talking about art-is able to continue on the rising generation of storytellers, inside and outside of institutions, getting the funding and support they need to paint a brighter picture for the part.4. What challenge is the author trying to tackle?A. People doubt a great diversity of artworks.B. Fewer and fewer young people go to museums.C. Art appears too distant from common audience.D. Adult audience has a different understanding of art.5. What does the underlined word “intimidated” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?A. Tired.B. Worried.C. Annoyed.D. Surprised.6. In the author’s opinion, the museums and galleries should ________.A. make the art history stories accessible in a traditional way.B. change meaningfully for activities like the Getty challenge.C. limit the number of storytellers both in and out of institutions.D. improve the permanent collections by adding famous artworks.7. We can conclude from the passage that common audience ________.A. lacks the channels to understand and talk about art history.B. prefers to view artworks and hear art stories on social media.C. feels satisfied with people and interests represented on board.D. refuses to engage with diverse art topics and art history stories.CChildren's average daily time spent watching television or using mobile device increased from 53 minutes at age 12 months to more than 150 minutes at 3 years, according toan analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). By age 8, children were more likely to log the highest amount of screen time if they had been in home-based children or were born to first-time mothers.“Our results indicate that screen habits begin early, ”said Edwina Yeung, an investigator in National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).“This finding suggests that interventions(干涉) to reduce screentime could have a better chance of success if introduced early.”In the research, mothers of 4, 000 children responded to questions on their kids' media habits when they were 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months of age.TheAmericanAcademyof Pediatrics recommends avoiding digital media exposure for children under 18 months of age, introducing children 18 to 24 months of age to screen media slowly, and limiting screen time to an hour a day for children from 2 to 5 years of age. In the current study, researchers found that 87% of the children had screen time exceeding (超过) these recommendations. However, while screen time increased throughout toddlerhood, by age 7 and 8, screen time fell to under 1.5 hours per day. The researchers believe this decrease relates to time consumed by school-related activities.The study authors classified the children into two groups based on how much their average daily screen time increased from age 1 to age 3. The first group, 73% of the total had the lowest increase, from an average of nearly 51 minutes a day to nearly an hour and 47 minutes a day. The second group, 27% of the total, had the highest increase, from nearly 37 minutes of screen time a day to about 4 hours a day. Higher levels of parental education were associated with lower odds of inclusion in the second group.8. Who use mobile device longest according to the NIH's analysis?A. 10-year-old born to first-time mothers.B. 3-year-old children in low income families.C. 8-year-old children in home-based childcare.D. 1-year-old children with parents poorly educated.9. What does the research suggest according to Edwina?A. Parents should stop their children using media.B. Parents should limit the use of digital media themselves.C. Parents should reduce their children's screen time earlier.D. Parents should avoid their children using digital media at infancy (婴儿期).10. Why does children's screen time fall when they age 7 and 8?A. They are studying at school.B. They can control themselves.C. They are tired of using them.D. They are forbidden to use them.11. Which of the following may be the best title?A. Keep Away from MediaB. Screen Habits Begin EarlyC. Urgency of Parental EducationD. Harm of Home-based ChildcareDLast summer, Maria and her mother moved from their house in the countryside to a flat building in Chicago. Maria really liked some things about the city, but she missed her house and yard in the countryside.One day, Maria was in her flat building when she noticed her neighbor, Mrs. Garcia, carrying a gardening tool and a bag of soil. Maria wondered how Mrs. Garcia was able to garden in the city.“My mom used to grow the most delicious vegetables, and I know she misses her garden now that we don’t have a yard,” said Maria.Mrs. Garcia laughed. “I’ll show you,” she said.Maria thought that Mrs. Garcia would take her to the park, but she took her to the roof. When the door opened, Maria was surprised to see rows of flowers and vegetables on the roof.“What a wonderful garden!” said Maria.Mrs. Garcia told Maria that for a long time the roof was just an empty space. Then some of the people in the building asked the owners to turn it into a community garden. The building owners liked the idea because the plants not only helped to keep the air clean, but they also helped to keep the building cooler during warmer weather.“I plant flowers in my own place,” Mrs. Garcia said, “but you would be surprised by how different the plants are up here. Some people grow vegetables just like your mom. You can do some of the same things in the city as in the countryside. You just have to be creative!”12. Where did Mrs. Garcia take Maria to one day?A. The park.B. The roof.C. The garden in front of her house.D. The countryside.13. Which of the following is NOT the good side of the community garden?A. It made the building stronger.B. It helped keep the air clean.C. It helped keep the building cooler.D. It used the empty space well.14. After Maria visited the garden, she would most probably ask her mom to ________.A. go back to the countrysideB. pick flowers from the gardenC show her around the park D. grow vegetables on the roof15. What is the best title for this passage?A. A Creative LadyB. An Empty RoofC. A Rooftop GardenD. A Special Building第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年广州执信中学高三英语第二次联考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ATop Music Festivals in 2021CoachellaSelling out fast every year, the Indio desert becomes a fashionable place where the coolest bands are watched by trendy people and celebrities. Near the top of everyone's bucket list of festivals, Coachella is a constant source of annual expectation and a hotbed for musical discussion.When &. where: April 9-11 &. 16-18, 2021; IndioUltra Music FestivalSeen as the ultimate gathering for electronic music fans across the nation and globe, the streets of Miami turn into a and bumping party with popular DJs playing what will be the sounds of summer.When & where: March 26-28, 2021; MiamiSouth By South WestRegarded as the ultimate trend-setter and launcher of careers, SXSW is an annual showcase of music, films and interactive highlights enjoyed through performances, showcases, talks, screenings and more. Virtually taking over the city of Austin, everyone in the world of music from fans to media flock here to discover the next big thing.When &, where: March 16-20, 2021; AustinThe Governors Ball Music FestivalAnother event which proves the music loving potential of Randall's Island Park is Governors Ball, an exciting and infectious mix of rock, hip-hop, electronic, pop and folk. Providing a variety of music and food tastes, whether you look to kick back and relax or dance to the beats, Governors Ball has what you want.When & where: June 11-14, 2021; New York1.Which music festival lasts the most days?A.CoachellaB.Ultra Music Festival.C.South By South WestD.The Governors Ball Music Festival.2.What is special about Ultra Music Festival?A.It's held in a park.B.It features electronic musicC.It's a gathering of popular DJs.D.It's the most popular in the country.3.Which city could you go if you love both music and movies?A.Indio.B.Miami.C.AustinD.New York.BNowadays medical technology seems to be advanced enough for doctors to perform brain transplants (移植). Though this procedure (程序) has only been successfully performed on animals so far, doctors are still hopingto perform this procedure on humans. However, in my opinion, brain transplants should not be performed at all, especially not on humans because of the large number of problems and side effects that could come along with. Hopefully these dangerous side effects will convince doctors not to perform this procedure on humans.Despite many benefits technology brings. I do not think this medical technology of brain transplants will help. We were all born with one brain and through childhood to adults our mind developed into who we are, so if with a different brain we would no longer be unique. A person with a different brain would seem to be a total stranger and in many ways they would be. No one should steal our identity from us, even if we are seriously injured, and change it to a completely new one. Also for the people who have died with healthy brains, that was their identity and it should not be given to anyone else.Another problem with brain transplants is how doctors can choose what are “healthy” or “normal” brains. An elderly person who has died would have an aged brain that would not be as efficient as younger person’s brain. Then would doctors have to find healthy brains of the same age as the person who needs it? This could also bring up other factors such as intelligence, sex, or physical problems that a person might have had before death. Also another problem might be how long a brain can be kept “alive” after death and how it can be kept “alive” without damage.Overall. my feelings about this operation are that it should not be done on humans until doctors have overcome all the problems and challenges that stand in their way of making human brain transplants successful.4. Why does the author think brain transplants should not be performed at all?A. The cost of the operation is extremely high.B. Doctors are not able to perform brain transplants.C. A good many problems and side effects may arise.D. This procedure has only been successful on animals5. What is the second paragraph mainly about?A. People shouldn’t give their healthy brains to others.B. Having a brain transplant means losing one’s identity.C. Transplanting brains is changing old brains into new ones.D. Having brain transplants indicates stealing identity from others.6. What is the writers’ attitude towards brain transplants an humans?A. indifferentB. favorableC. disapprovingD. objective7. What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?A. To encourage brain donation.B. To stress the importance of brain operation.C. Toargue against brain transplants on humans.D. To introduce the technology of brain transplants.CThereare two days that set you on your path in life: the day you’re born, and the day you realize why you were born.Growing up south of Chicago in Harvey, Illinois, most people just had their heads down trying to make it from point A to point B. I was the same way, just going with the flow. I played basketball in high school because I was good at it and because other people thought I should until I discovered my talent.I give up basketball and started doing speeches. It wasn’t a popular decision but my grandfather told me to do what made me happy. I fell in love with comedy and performing. And when I discovered the passion, I realized why I was born.I knew I had something to offer —I knew that not only am I powerful, but I can make a difference.I realized a long time ago that my dream is not to be famous or rich. My talent is to entertain. But it’s more than that. I have the chance to reach people, to brighten days, to bring laughter and positive energy into lives and inspire. And I am grateful forit.Acting putting myself out there and having doors closed on me time and time again has taught me a lot about myself. I have learned to trust what I have to offer the world over momentary doubt. I’ve learned to put my faith over my feelings. And I've grown a tough skin. More importantly, I have learned there is a long way towards our goals and that when we put our talents and passion to work, we determine our value.Like a lot of places across the country, there’s poverty, crime, violence and unemployment in Harvey. And growing up there, a lot of people have tragically low expectations for life. But I know that with the right opportunity and with help along the way, everyone can find their passion and go after it. My life is proof.8. What was the author born to do according to the text?A. Be a basketball player.B. Act and perform.C. Make speeches.D. Teach people.9. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 5 refer to?A. Chance.B. Energy.C. Days.D. Laughter.10. What is the author’s purpose of writing this text?A. To help others find their talents.B. To prove his decision was right.C. To inspire people to follow their dreams.D. To encourage people to set a goal.11. What can be the best tile for the text?A. Success Lies in Hard Work.B. How to Achieve the Dream Is Important.C. The Two Important Days in Life.D. The Day I Realized What I Was Born to Do.DGetting drunk on ice cream used to be the stuff of dreams, but thanks to Will Rogers, inventor and owner of WDS Dessert Stations in Hinkley, Illinois, it has become a delicious reality. The Below Zero icecream machine uses a unique technique to freeze alcohol, which allows you to turn beers, cocktails and even spirits (烈酒) into delicious soft —serve ice cream.Rogers was trying to create a highly — caffeinated espresso ice cream flavor when he realized hecould use the same technique with alcoholic beverages. He started experimenting with various gums and stabilizers commonly used in the ice cream industry and eventually patented something called the NEA gel. It’s this magical concoction (调制品) that allows the alcohol to freeze to a near solid inside the Below Zero ice cream machine.Even though Below Zero changes the texture (质地) of beer, cocktails and even spirits, essentially turning them into soft —serve ice cream, it does not affect the alcohol contentat all. The ABV (酒精度) remains exactly the same, which means you can get drunk on ice — cream just as you would on the same concoctions in liquid form.Will Rogers claims that it takes around 30 minutes for beer to go from liquid to ice cream form, but higher alcohol content drinks take longer. Essentially, the higher the alcohol level, the longer the wait.The American inventor plans to sell Below Zero ice cream machines to bars and breweries wanting to surprisetheir patrons. Metro reports that machines will sell for about 6,000.12. What’s the name of the machine which can change beer and spirits into ice cream?A. Will RogersB. WDS Dessert StationsC. HinkleyD. Below Zero13. What makes alcohol to freeze to a near solid inside the machine?A. gums.B. stabilizers.C. NEA gel.D. ABV.14. What can we know from the passage?A. The machine can change all liquids into ice cream.B. It takes 20 minutes for beer to change into ice cream.C. The higher the alcohol level, the shorter the wait will be.D. The machine changes the texture of beer, cocktails and even spirits.15. What can we infer from the passage?A. The machine affects the alcohol content.B. You can get drunk if you have ice—creams made from spirits.C. The American inventor doesn’t want to sell themagical machine.D. Bars and breweries will not become potential buyers of the machine.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届执信中学高三英语第二次联考试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项A“Why do I feel cold when I have a fever?” “Why does the sun rise in the east?” I knew the day would come when my little girl Sophie would learn to talk and inevitably (不可避免地) start askingthose questions. The questions themselves weren’t worrying me. I was actually looking forward to seeing where her curiosity would lie.What was bothering (烦恼) me was whether or not I would know the answers. In the age of the smartphone, this may seem like a silly worry. The answers to almost everything would be just one Google away.Still, I struggled with how I was going to prepare to become an all-knowing mother. Then one day, it struck me: I didn’t need to have all the answers. What a great example I could set if I let my daughter know that I, too, was still learning. And I realized how much more I could learn if I took another look at things I thought I already knew the answer to with the curiosity of a child. My little girl’s mind is a beginner’s mind--- curious, open to new ideas, eager to learn, and not based on knowledge that already exists. I decided that I would deal with her questions with a beginner’s mind, too.Once I decided to become more curious, I started noticing that curiosity was becoming more important in the workplace, too. It seems that leaders don't need to have all the answers, but they do need to be curious.Curious about curiosity, I searched for answers and found Albert Einstein’s famous words, “I have no special talent. I am only passionately (热情地) curious.” We mightquibble overthe view that Einstein had no special talent, but there is one thing for certain---he wouldn't have solved the puzzles of the universe without his passionate curiosity. Then I came across another Einstein quote, “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason or existence.”1. The advantage of having a beginner’s mind is that ________.A. people can learn much faster.B. people won't be afraid to make mistakes.C. people are willing to receive new things.D. people won't be expected to answer all questions.2. What does the example of Einstein’s words show?A. Einstein was passionate about curiosity.B. Einstein’s quotes are very famous.C. Curiosity is of great significance.D. Curiosity is more necessary than talent.3. What does the underlined phrase “quibble over” in the last paragraph probably mean?A. Fight against.B. Argue about.C. Work out.D. Agree withBAs a 51-year-old first-aid responder since 1984, Jeffrey never knows what type of situation he might walk into, or who he'll meet along the wayTen years into the job, Jeffrey received a call that reported that a man in his early 30s had fallen down in the Mall of America. When Jeffrey and his partner arrived at the scene, they found the young male face down on the ground. He had gone unconscious, making weak attempts to breathe. His wife stood beside him holding their small son in horror. They quickly rushed to calm the man to keep him under control and offer necessary first aid. After Jeffrey dropped the patient off at the neighboring hospital, he thought about the man and his family for a long time.Jeffrey thought he had experienced everything under the sun until one random visit to Office Max three years ago, where he met a man repeatedly walking back and forth while staring at him. As it turned out, the man was the patient he had saved 20 years earlier."You gave me 20 years more than I ever thought I'd have," the man said. He thanked Jeffrey repeatedly and told him he had someone he wanted him to meet. He stepped around the corner and reappeared with a 20-something-year-old man. Jeffrey instantly knew that it was the son he had seen standing by his mother all those years ago"That day changed my life," Jeffrey said. "Before that, everything was about work…When I talk to my beginner-training class, I tell them you never know the effect you can have on someone's life."4. What did Jeffrey do with the young man?A. He cured the man at the scene.B. He took care of the man's wife and son.C. He only sent the man to hospital.D. He did what was needed5. What did Jeffrey think of the encounter with the man at Office Max?A. It was a common routine.B. It was troublesomeC. It was unbelievableD. It was a dangerous situation.6. Why was the man thankful to Jeffrey?A. Jeffrey helped bring up his little sonB. Jeffrey donated to support his family.C. Jeffrey's help gave him the present happy life.D. Jeffrey's kindness taught his son to be a new doctor.7. How did the meeting change Jeffrey's life?A. He was rewarded with much moneyB. He changed his attitude to his job.C. He got a promotion to be a team leader.D. He took up teaching work to train newcomers.CThe outbreak of the novel corona virus pneumonia (NCP) has disrupted the lives and work of nearly every Chinese person. However, a new trend has been on the rise: many have turned themselves into livestreaming users orfollowers.According to Questmobile, a professional big data intelligence services provider in China, the audience for Douyin, Kuaishou and other livestreaming platforms surged to 574 million during the Spring Festival holiday, up 35 percent from 2019.Confined at home, away from their friends and loved ones, people turn to livestreaming to reach out to the world. For them livestreaming can help them share their lives and interest with a global audience, which will give them the sense of being “in the moment”. Even as viewers, they can also engage immediately with livestreamers by commenting and making suggestions.“When I comment on the livestreaming videos, I’m not simply an audience member, but also an active part of the program. That gives me a sense of engagement,” an Internet user named Wang Hao told People’s Daily.Livestreaming is not only for fun, but also a new tool for many businesses. Affected by the pandemic, many businesses had to stop their sales in physical stores. To meet their business goals and survive during these trying times, many chose to livestream to revive their businesses.Joyoung, a leading maker of small kitchen appliances, is a good example. The company not only added a number of broadcasts each day to advertise their products, but also shared the menus that were beneficial to health. “The responses to our livestreaming shows have been well beyond expectations,” Kang Li, who oversees the company’s livestreaming unit, told China daily. “It’s a natural opportunity to truly bond with our followers.”Like it or not, livestreaming is likely to go mainstream in China for both entertainment and business.8. What is the purpose of writing the second paragraph?A. To introduce some popular livestreaming platforms in China.B. To report data on the development of livestreaming in 2019.C. To show that Chinese people spend too much time on livestreaming apps.D. To prove that livestreaming are becoming increasingly popular in China.9. What does Wang Hao think of commenting on livestreaming?A. It is boring to make comments.B. It is the only way to share viewers’ lives.C. It makes people feel involved in the stream.D. It helps livestreamers improve themselves.10. What do paragraphs 5&6 mainly talk about?A. Livestreaming replaced physical stores in many areas.B. Many businesses turned to livestreaming platform for marketing.C. Livestreaming platforms faced challenges during the pandemic.D. Livestreaming platforms made changes to their services.11. How does the author feel about thefuture of livestreaming？A. Positive.B. Uncertain.C. Disappointed.D. Confused.DTOKYO—Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told the media on Monday if any places hosting events of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics declare a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 epidemic during the games, the events will continue to beheld but without spectators (观众). With one month to go before the games are due to begin on July 23, Suga is again showing his administration’s determination to hold the Olympic Games as planned, despite so much pressure from various parties urging it tocancel the event.Although the Japanese government regards the Tokyo Olympics as an important opportunity to improve its soft power, the Japanese people’s enthusiasm for the Games has been continuously dented (挫伤) since they were postponed last year. The resurgence (再猖獗) of the novel coronavirus in some places is Japan in recent months has cast a shadow over people’s confidence that the Olympics will not give rise to new clusters (群) of infections, and there are fears that the Games will provide new channels for the virus’ global transmission.Some torchbearers from Japan have withdrawn from the Olympic torch relay in the country. And the latest survey indicates only 34 percent of Japanese people support holding the games as scheduled. Predictably, the Suga administration will do all it can to try to ensure the games go ahead. But it remains to be seen whether it can stand the tests of the uncertainties related to epidemic prevention and control that might happen during the Games.Since it has not yet got the virus under control at home, the people have reasons to question is ability to deal with the prevention and control work when large numbers of participants will be flocking to Japan from around the world in a short time. It is to be hoped that Japan can draw lessons from the organization of epidemic prevention and control work during the ongoing UEFA European Championship, carry out strict epidemic prevention and control measures, and be prepared for emergencies to guarantee the safety and success of the Olympics at this special time.It should be a common wish of the whole world that the Tokyo Olympics can become a stage showing unity and resolve of human beings in their fight against the virus. That willendowthe games with special meaning beyond sports.12. What is the second paragraph mainly about?A. The virus’ global transmission.B. People’ worry about the infections.C. The resurgence of the novel coronavirus.D. The benefit of holding the Tokyo Olympics.13. How do about one third of Japanese people like holding the games as planned?A. Uncertain.B. Negative.C. Approving.D. Indifferent.14. Which of the following words can replace the underlined word “endow” in the last paragraph?A. Compare.B. Equip.C. Provide.D. Charge.15. What can be the best title for the news report?A. Japan can ensure Olympics go aheadB. Olympics big test for Japanese governmentC. Japanese people’s enthusiasm for the GamesD. Japan to carry out strict epidemic prevention during the Games第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021届广州市执信中学高三英语月考试卷及答案第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AYou have to praise the smoothness（顺畅）of ants on the move. No matter how many of them are going toward a place, there's never a hold-up. A new research paper shows how ants keep traffic flowing by changing their behavior to meet changing conditions.For their experiments, researchers from the University of Toulouse focused on Argentine ants, animals that often move from colony（群落）to colony depending on where the food is. Making use of Argentine ants' talent for fast travel, the researchers built bridges connecting their colonies. The bridges were different in width from a fifth to three-quarters of an inch. The colonies, too, were of different sizes, ranging from 400 to more than 25,000 ants.Then the researchers sat back andmonitoredthe traffic. To their surprise, even when those narrower bridges were full of ants, there were no "traffic accidents". "When the number of ants on the bridge increased, ants seemed to be able to understand the situation and adjusted（调整）their speed accordingly to avoid making the traffic flow stop. "the authors note. "Moreover, ants avoided entering a busy road and made sure that the bridge was never too packed to cross.”The lesson for humans? The traffic problem may lie in our inability to adjust our driving habits for the good of the whole. Driving is fun when there are few cars on the road. Then the traffic moves very slowly. And yet, some impatient driver still acts like he's alone on the road.The research suggests that projects, like the ever-widening of highways, may never free us from traffic jams. As long as we drive along with our own habits, no matter how many other people are on the road, we'll always end up in a traffic jam. Indeed, less space may actually be a good thing. It leaves less room for individual choice and forces us to take a page from the driving book of ants.1. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?A. The results of the experiments.B. The purpose of the experimentsC. The preparation of the experiments.D. The requirements of the experiments2. What does the underlined word "monitor" in paragraph 3 probably mean?A. watch and check.B. seek and improveC. design and planD. discuss and practise3. What is the best title for the text?A. Is widening highways a solution?B. Why don't ants need traffic lights?C. Can we learn safe driving from ants?D. What can ants teach us about traffic jams?BAs COVID-19 spread through Japan last spring, a doctor despaired. What shocked him was not the pace of infection, or a lack of protective equipment, but the old systems used to record test results and so track the course of the epidemic. “Even with coronavirus, we're handwriting and faxing,” he complained on Twitter.Japan has excellent health care. Life expectancy at birth is 85 years, the highest in the world. But doctors have been slow to embrace(欣然接受) the efficiencies of information technology, despite Japan's reputation for medical technology. The OECD ranks it last among its members for its management and use of data in health care.A commission of experts convened(召集) by the Asia-Pacific Initiative, a think-tank in Tokyo, declared Japan's response to COVID-19 a “digital defeat”。

2021年执信中学高三英语月考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.BDid you know people who live in different parts ofChinahave different habits and preferences? For example, people from southernChinaprefer to eat vegetables, while people from northChinalike to eat meat. According to a new study in a journal, gene variations (变异) might be responsible for these differences. Researchers fromChina’s BGI collected genetic information from 141,431 Chinese women, who came from 31 provinces and consisted of 36 ethnic minority groups.They found that natural selection has played an important role in the ways that people living in different regions of China have developed, affecting their food preferences, immunities (免疫力) to illness and physical features.A variation of the gene FADS2 is more commonly found in northern people. It helps people metabolize (新陈代谢) fatty acids, which suggests a diet that is rich in flesh. This is due to climate differences.Northern Chinais at a higher latitude. This weather is difficult to grow vegetables in. Therefore, northerners tend to eat more meat.The study also found differences in the immune systems of both groups. Most people in southernChinacarry the gene CR1, which protects against malaria. Malaria was once quite common in southernChina. In order to survive, the genes of people in the south evolved to fight against this disease. However, people in the south are also more sensitive to certain illnesses, as they lack the genes to stop them.Genes can also cause physical differences between northerners and southerners. Most northerners have the ABCC11 gene, which causes dry earwax, less body smell and fewer sweats. These physical differences are also more beneficial to living in cold environments. Southerners are less likely to have this gene, as it did not develop in their population.4. What did the new study focus on?A. Regions.B. Eating habits.C. Gene variations.D. Ethnic minority groups.5. What is the main function of the gene FADS2?A. It helps store fat.B. It helps digest meat.C. It helps gain weight.D. It helps treat an illness.6. According to the study, most northerners ________.A. sweat less frequentlyB. are immune to malariaC. prefer vegetables to meatD. are more sensitive to climates7. How many differences did the study find related to genes?A. Two.B. Three.C. Four.D. Five.CWhy can friendships be hard? Because often people aren't as honest and open as they should be. Sometimes, people end up getting hurt.Most problems with friendships come up because people are just too selfish to care about the things that their friends need. They care about their own needs much more, which makes it hard for friendships to work. However, being selfish is part of human nature. A person is put together in order to take care of himself and his own needs, not necessarily those needs of other people. Even though being selfish is something that all humans are born with, it is something that everyone should guard against.The best thing to remember when you are a friend to anyone is that you need to treat your friend the same way as you'd like to be treated. This is wonderful advice for a friendship, because it is really the only way to make sure that you are giving your friend everything you would want to be given in a friendship. Whenever you have a question about how you should treat a friend, it is easy to find an answer simply by asking yourself what you would like your friend to do for you, if he or she is in your shoes.Even if you're always thinking about how you'd like to be treated, and your friends are too, there are issues that come up from time to time in each friendship, and it is important to understand how to deal with these issues so that you can build stronger and healthier friendships. Issues like friends getting boyfriends or girlfriends and not spending enough time with their friends, or even friends finding new friends and leaving old friends behind are issues that will probably come up with one or more of your friendships. It is important to know how to deal with these issues so that you can keep your friends and make new ones. No one wants to have a broken friendship.8. Why may problems with friendships appear?A. One is selfish.B. One is alone.C. One is too anxious.D. One is too busy.9. What's the first and most important thing to be other people's friend?A. Not to hurt your friends' feelings.B. To give your friends whatever you have.C. To treat your friends as fairly as possible.D. Not to think of your own needs any more.10. What is the text mainly about?A. The Meaning of FriendshipsB. The Importance of FriendshipsC. The Advantages of FriendshipsD. The Problems with Friendships11. What may follow the last paragraph of the text?A. How to make many friends.B. How to keep friends happy.C. How to treat friends correctly.D. How to solve friendship issues.DIvrea is a town in the Piedmont province of northern Italy. It is known for its localcarnival（狂欢节）organized in February.The main part of the carnival is the famous Battle of the Oranges (La battaglia delle arance). The Battle includes nine teams who throw oranges at each other during three carnival days – Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.Oranges were not always used in the battle. In the middle ages people used beans. Twice a year the local feudal lord gave a pot of beans to the poor families who, as sign of rebellion, threw them out of their homes. Later beans became part of carnival as sort of “ammunition” for throwing at people passing by.It is still not known why exactly people started using oranges. It is believed that the origin for this tradition is in the mid 19th century. The legend says that local girls, standing on balconies, started to throw some oranges, together with confetti,lupins(白羽扇豆)and flowers, onto the parade carriages. The girls actually wanted to draw attention of boysin the carriages. Boys “answered” by throwing some objects back at girls. Little battle started that way.Battle of the Oranges got strict rules after the World War II. The battles are organized on town's squares. The battles are fought between teams in carriages (symbolizing local the guards of localtyrant(恶霸)) and the teamswalking beside those carriages (symbolizing rebellious people of Ivrea).Oranges for the event are brought from the island of Sicily. The oranges used are of low quality, not suitable for humans. About 270,000 kilograms of oranges are used each year.The carnival ends with a silent march on the night of “Fat Tuesday”. The Carnival "general" says goodbye to everyone with the phrase "See you next Fat Thursday at 1 p.m."Special prizes are awarded to three best foot teams, three carriages drawn by two horses and three carriages drawn by four horses. Different elements are judged like for example throwing ability, fair play or decoration of carriages.12. The word "ammunition" (paragraph 3) is closest in meaning to________.A. decorationB. bulletsC. advertisementD. presents13. In Battle of the Oranges, the teams walking beside carriages act as ________.A. the Carnival generalB. the local feudal lordC. the rebellious people of IvreaD. the guards of local tyrant(暴君)14. Which of the following statements about Battle of the Oranges is NOT true?A. In the middle ages, people threw beans out of homes as a sign of rebellion.B. Girls throw oranges towards carriages in the parade to attract the attention of boys inside.C. Tons of oranges are used every year to hold the festival.D. People started to throw oranges because they are of low quality and not suitable to eat.15. What is this passage mainly about?A. A traditional activity in an Italian carnivalB. The origin of Battle of the OrangeC. How people enjoy themselves in the Orange CarnivalD. The rules of activities in carnivals in Italy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。

广州市执信中学2021届高三年级第二次月考英语全卷满分120分，考试用时120分钟。

第一部分阅读理解( 共两节，满分50分)第一节( 共15小题；每小题2.5分，满分37.5分)阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

APlanning a visit to the UK? Here we help with ways to cut your costs.A VOID BIG EVENTS Big sporting events, concerts and exhibitions can increase the cost of accommodation and make it harder to find a room. A standard double room at the Thistle Brighton on the final Friday of the Brighton Comedy Festival (19 Oct.) cost £169.15 at . A week later, the same room cost £118.15.If you can be flexible and want to know dates to avoid —or you’re looking for a big event to pass your time — check out sites such as , which allow you to search for events in the UK by city, date and category.STAY AW AY FROM THE STATION If traveling to your destination by train, you may want to find a good base close to the station, but you could end up paying more for the sake of convenience at the start of your holiday.Don’t be too choosy abou t the part of town you stay in. Booking two months in advance, the cheapest room at Travelodge’s Central Euston hotel in London for Saturday 22 September was £95.95. A room just a tube journey away at its Covent Garden hotel was £75.75. And at Farringdon, a double room cost just £62.95.LOOK AFTER YOURSELF Really central hotels in cities such as London, Edinburgh and Cardiff can cost a fortune, especially at weekends and during big events. As an alternative consider checking into a self-catering flat with its own kitchen. Often these flats are hidden away on the top floors of city centre buildings. A great example is the historic O’Neill Flat on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, available for £420 for five days in late September, with room for four adults.GET ON A BIKE London’s “Boris bikes” have attracted the most attention, but other cities also have similar programmes that let you rent a bicycle and explore at your own pace, saving youon public transport or car parking costs.Among the smaller cities with their own programmes are Newcastle (casual members pay around £1.50 for two hours) and Cardiff (free for up to 30 minutes, or £5 per day).1. The Brighton Comedy Festival is mentioned mainly to show big events may ________.A. help travelers pass timeB. attract lots of travelers to the UKC. allow travelers to make flexible plansD. cause travelers to pay more for living2. “Farringdon” in Paragraph 5 is most probably ________.A. a hotel away from the train stationB. the tube line to Covent GardenC. an ideal holiday destinationD. the name of a travel agency3. The passage shows that the O’Neill Flat ________.A. lies on the ground floorB. is located in central LondonC. provides cooking facilities for touristsD. costs over £100 on average per day in late September【答案】1. D 2. A 3. C【解析】本文是一篇说明文。

2021年广州市执信中学高三英语月考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.BMany Americans experience surprise (or disappointment) when they wake up on Christmas Day. They might be surprised or disappointed by a family member’s actions. They might be happy or unhappy about a Christmas gift. Imagine a child expects to get an Xbox or PlayStation for Christmas. On Christmas morning, they quickly open their gift. Inside is an English grammar book. They might feel disappointed. The Everyday Grammar team would prefer the new English grammar book. But if you are like most young people, you would probably rather have a new video game.Today, we are going to explore those feelings-feelings of surprise and disappointment. In other words, we are going to explore how speakers show that reality was better or worse than their expectations.Many languages use words to express expectation. Speakers also use words to express how events are not happening as expected. This idea is known as “counter expectation”.Do not worry about the term. Just remember that it means that speakers use words to show that reality is countering their expectations.English has many words that serve this purpose. Three of the most common are the words “even”, “still” and “actually”. You will often hear them in informal, everyday speech. Speakers use these words to show disappointment. The pitch of their voice tells you what they mean. Let’s study examples of each word.Speakers often use the word "even” to show disappointment or surprise. Imagine a young child that expects a phone call from a family member-perhaps an uncle or grandparent. The phone call never comes. The child might say the following: “What’s wrong with him? He didn’t even call me on Christmas day.” Americans sometimes use “still” for showing how reality does not quite meet their expectations: “You’re still here? It’s over! Go home. Go!” Another common word that shows surprise or disappointment is “actually”: “I can’t believe it! Uncle Bob actually stole her Christmas gift.”4. What might most young Americans prefer as a Christmas gift according to paragraph 1?A. A newly made video game.B. An English grammar book.C. A new designed school bag.D. A unique jacket from their parents.5. What does the underlined phrase “counter expectation” in paragraph 3 mean?A. Expression of disappointment.B. Something expected to happen.C. The same with one’s expectation.D. A result against what is expected.6. What do the three words “even”, “still” and “actually” have in common?A. They are easy to understand.B. They express disappointment.C. They show delighted feelings.D. They are used most at Christmas.7. What’s the last paragraph mainly about?A. Expectations from loved ones.B. Different uses of the three words.C. Examples of the use of the three words.D. Emotions of disappointment and surprise.CIs renting clothes greener than buying them? Sustainable (可持续的) fashion expert Elizabeth Cline isn’t sure. Clothing renting is a hot new industry and businessmen are trying to attract shoppers who care about the environment. Last summer alone,Urban Outfitters, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s American EagleandBanana Republicall announced renting services – a sure sign of changing times.But is renting fashion actually more environmentally-friendly than buying it? And if so, how much more? Journalist and author Elizabeth Cline researched this question in a feature article for Elle, and she concluded that it’s not as sustainable as it seems.Take shipping for example, which has to go two ways if an item is rented – receiving and returning. Cline writes that consumer transportation has the second largest carbon footprint of our collective fashion habit after manufacturing.Then there’s the burden of washing, which has to happen for every item when it’s returned, regardless of whether or not it was worn. For most renting services, this usually means dry-cleaning, which is a polluting process. All the renting services that Cline looked into have replaced perchloroethylene, a carcinogenic (致癌的) air pollutants that’s still used by 70 percent of US dry cleaners, with hydrocarbon (碳氢化合物) alternatives, although these aren’t great either. They can produce harmful waste and air pollution if not handled correctly.Lastly, Cline fears that renting services will increase our appetite for fast fashion, simply because it’s so easily accessible. There’s something called “share-washing” that makes people have more wasteful behaviors because aproduct or service is shared and thus is considered more eco-friendly. Uber is one example of this: advertised as a way to share rides and reduce car ownership, and yet it has been proven to discourage walking, bicycling and public transportation use.Renting clothes is still preferable to buying them cheap and throwing them into the bin after wearing them a few times, but we shouldn’t let the availability of these services make us self-satisfied. There’s an even better step – and that’s wearing what we already have.8. What do we know about Elizabeth Cline from the passage?A. She is trying to attract shoppers.B. She is an expert and journalist.C. She has created “share-washing”.D. She never rents clothes.9. Why does renting services increase people’s appetite for fast fashion?A. Because it is handled correctly.B. Because it is transported easily.C. Because it is fairly eco-friendly.D. Because it is easily accessible.10. What can we infer from the passage?A. Clothing renting became popular ten years ago.B. Consumer transportation has the largest carbon footprint.C. Renting clothes deserves further consideration.D. Uber is a good example of sharing rides.11. Which section of a newspaper does the text probably come from?A. Environment.B. Technology.C. Travel.D. Medicine.DLight pollution is a significant but overlooked driver of the rapid decline of insect populations, according to the most comprehensive review of the scientific evidence to date.Artificial light at night can affect every aspect of insects' lives, the researchers said. "We strongly believe artificial light at night — in combination with habitat loss, chemical pollution.invasive (入侵的) species, and climate change — is driving insect declines, " the scientists concluded after assessing more than 150 studies.Insect population collapses have been reported around the world, and the first global scientific review published in February,said widespread declines threatened to cause a "catastrophic collapse of nature's ecosystems".There are thought to be millions of insect species, most still unknown to science, and about half are active atnight. Those active in the day may also be disturbed by light at night when they are at rest.The most familiar impact of light pollution is moths (飞蛾) flapping around a bulb, mistaking it for the moon. Some insects use the polarisation of light to find the water they need to breed, as light waves line up after reflecting from a smooth surface. But artificial light can scupper (使泡汤) this. Insects areimportant prey (猎物) for many species, but light pollution can tip the balance in favour of the predator if it traps insects around lights. Such increases in predation risk were likely to cause the rapid extinction of affected species, the researchers said.The researchers said most human-caused threats to insects have analogues in nature, such as climate change and invasive species. But light pollution is particularly hard for insects to deal with.However, unlike other drivers of decline, light pollution is ly easy to prevent. Simply turning off lights that are not needed is the most obvious action, he said, while making lights motion-activated also cuts light pollution. Shading lights so only the area needed is lit up is important. It is the same with avoiding blue-white lights, which interfere with daily rhythms. LED lights also offer hope as they can be easily tuned to avoid harmful colours and flicker rates.12. What is discussed in the passage?A. Causes of declining insect populations.B. Consequences of insect population collapses.C. Light pollution: the key bringer of insect declines.D. Insect declines: the driver of the collapsed ecosystem.13. What is the 5th paragraph mainly about?A. How light travels in space.B. How light helps insects find food.C. How the food chain is interrelated.D. How light pollution affects insects.14. What does the underlined word"analogues"in Paragraph 6probably mean?A. Selective things.B. Similar things.C. Variations.D. Limitations.15. What is the purpose of the last paragraph?A. To offer solutions.B. To give examples.C. To make comparisons.D. To present arguments.第二节（共5小题；每小题2分，满分10分）阅读下面短文，从短文后的选项中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。

2021年广州市番禺执信中学高三英语第二次联考试题及答案解析第一部分阅读（共两节，满分40分）第一节（共15小题；每小题2分，满分30分）阅读下列短文，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项AIn theUnited States, the word "holiday" is synonymous with celebration. The following tenholidaysper year are proclaimed by the federal government.Independence DayIndependence Day is annually celebrated on July 4 and is often known as "the Fourthof July”. It is the anniversary of the publication of the declaration of independence fromGreat Britainin 1776. Now it is celebrated in all the states. The army marks the occasion by firing a 13-gun salute every year. Ceremonies may include parades, official speeches, visits to historic monuments and fireworks displays.Memorial DayThis holiday, on the fourth Monday of every May, is a day on which Americans honor the dead. Originally a day on which flags and flowers were placed on graves of soldiers who died in the American Civil War, now it has become a day on which the dead of all wars and all other dead are remembered the same way.Veterans DayVeterans Day was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I. It falls on November 11, the day when that war ended in 1918, but it now honors veterans of all wars in which the United States has fought Veterans' organizations hold parades or other special ceremonies, and the US president customarily places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National.ThanksgivingThanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. It has been an annual tradition in theUnited Statessince 1863. Today, people celebrate Thanksgiving to remember these early days. The most important part of the celebration is a traditional dinner. Thanksgiving dinner almost always includes some of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce potatoes pumpkin pies. Before the meal begins, families often pause to give thanks.1. When isIndependence Day?A. May 14，B. July 13.C. July 14.D. July 4.2. Which holiday honors dead soliders?A. Independence Day.B. Memorial Day.C. Veterans Day.D. Thanksgiving.3. What will Americans do on Thanksgiving Day?A. They say thanks.B. They havefriend gatherings.C. They go on holiday.D. They buy many cards.BOnce a rich and clever boy had practically everything a boy could want, so he was not interested in most toys. But he couldn't get a very old mirror, and heconvinced his parents to buy it from mysterious（神秘的）old man. When the mirror arrived home, the boy went to see his reflection in it. His face looked very sad indeed. He tried smiling and making funny faces, but his reflection continued with its sad expression. "What a terrible mirror! It's the first time I've seen a mirror that didn't work properly!" the boy jumped violently.That same afternoon he went into the street to play and bought a few toys, but on his way to the park he saw a little girl who was crying her heart out. The girl was crying so much and looked so lonely that the rich boy went over to help her and to see what had happened. The little girl told him that she had lost her parents.Together the two set off in search of the parents. As the little girl wouldn't stop crying, the boy spent his money buying her sweets to cheer her up. Finally, after much walking, they found her parents who were much worried and were looking for her everywhere.The rich boy said goodbye to them. As it was getting late, he decided to head for home, without being able to play. At home, he went to his room, and noticed a shining light in the corner, the same corner he had left the mirror in. Seeing this, he went over to the mirror, and realised that the light was coming from his own body, so radiant（闪亮的）with happiness he had become.And so he understood the mystery of that mirror, the only mirror which could faithfully reflect the true joy of its owner. He realised it was true. He felt very happy at having helped that little girl. And since then, each morning when he looked in that mirror and failed to see a special shine, he knew what he had to do to bring it back.4. How did the boy feel when he first looked into the mirror?A. Embarrassed.B. Angry.C. Worried.D. Delighted.5. Why was the little girl crying so hard?A. She couldn't find her parents.B. She couldn't get the mysterious mirror.C. Her parents couldn't buy toys for her.D. The boy refused to give his toys to her.6. What could the boy see in the mirror after he went back from the park?A. A shining toy.B. A broken mirror.C. His happy face.D. The lovely girl.7. What is the purpose of this text?A. To tell us a horrible story.B. To introduce to us a strange mirror.C. To warn us not to be selfish.D. To encourage us to help others.CMany cars in advertisements and on exhibition in the United States are red, blue or green, but almost 75 percent of new cars sold in the United States are black, white, silver orgray.Les Jackson is a reporter who writes about cars. He says the color1 s of cars Americans choose do not show dirt. He says that means the owners wash their cars less in order to save money. And he notes some areas that are suffering from water shortages do not permit people to wash their cars often.Dan Benton works for a company called Axalta, which makes supplies for international car makers. He says white cars are often sold more expensive than cars of other color1 s. And he notes that white cars “absorb(吸收)less energy” than cars of other color1 s. This means temperatures inside them are lower in warmer areas. Benton also says research at Monash University in Australia suggests that there is a lower risk of crashes during the day for white cars compared with darker ones.Car buyers in other countries also like white. Jane Harrington works for PPG Industries, a company that makes paint for cars. She said in China, buyers say white makes a small car look bigger.About 11 percent of cars sold in North America are red and 8 percent are blue. Green has become less popular. Benton notes that in the mid-1990s green was the most popular color1 in North America. Today, green is hard to find.Sometime in the future, people may not have to choose the color1 of their cars —— technology may let owners change their cars’ paint color1 anytime.8. What can we learn from Paragraph 2?A. Most Americans don’t like red cars.B. People in America are not allowed to wash their cars.C. Many people prefer to choose white cars in America.D. Americans may consider the cost of cleaning when choosing cars.9. Why do many people choose white cars?A. They are much cheaper than cars of other color1 s..B. They are much safer while crashing.C. They are bigger than cars of other color1 s.D. They are more comfortable inside in warmer areas.10. What do we know from the text?A. Les Jackson is a member of Axalta.B. Most Americans rarely wash their cars.C. PPG Industries mainly produces cars in China.D. Green cars were once popular in North America.11. What does the text mainly tell us?A. Choices of car color1 sB. How to buy a good car.C. Differences of car color1 s.D. Popular car color1 s in history.DAbout a month after I joined Facebook, I got a call from Lori Goler, a highly regarded senior director of marketing at eBay. She made it clear this was a business call. “I want to apply to work with you at Facebook,” she said. “Instead of recommending myself, I want to ask you: What is your biggest problem, and how can I solve it?”My jaw hit the floor. I had hired thousands of people over the previous decade and no one had ever said anything remotely like that. People usually focus on finding the right role for themselves, with the implication that their skills will help the company. Lori put Facebook’s needs front and center. It was a killer approach. I responded, “Recruiting is my biggest problem. And, yes, you can solve it.”Lori never dreamed she would work in recruiting, but she jumped in. She even agreed to trade earnings for acquiring new skills in a new field. Lori did a great job running recruiting and within months was promoted to her current job, leading People@Facebook.The most common metaphor for careers is a ladder, but this concept no longer applies to most workers. As of 2010, the average American had eleven jobs from the ages of eighteen to forty-six alone. Lori often quotes Pattie Sellers, who came up with a much better metaphor: “Careers are a jungle gym, not a ladder.”As Lori describes it, there’s only one way to get to the top of a ladder, but there are many ways to get to the top of a jungle gym. The jungle gym model benefits everyone, but especially women who might be starting careers, switching careers, getting blocked by external barriers, or reentering the workforce after taking time off. The ability to create a unique path with occasional dips, detours (弯路), and even dead ends presents great views of many people, not just those at the top. On a ladder, most climbers are stuck staring at the butt of the personabove.12. Why did Lori make the call?A. She helped Facebook to solve the biggest problem.B. She wanted to make a business deal with Facebook.C. She tried to ask for a pay rise in Facebook.D. She wanted to become an employee in Facebook.13. What impressed “I” by Lori?A. Lori was good at running recruiting.B. Lori attached great importance to Facebook’s needs.C. Lori jumped in Facebook with no adequate experience.D. Lori was skilled in marketing at eBay.14. What can we infer from the passage?A. Now all people don’t tend to climb the ladder.B. None on the ladder can enjoy the great views.C. Jungle gyms offer limited exploration for employees.D. A pregnant woman, jobless, benefits little from the jungle gyms.15. What is the best title of the passage?A. It’s a Jungle Gym, Not a Ladder.B. Facebook’s Biggest Problem.C. Applying for a Job in Facebook.D. A Jungle Gym is Better than a Ladder.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。