考试中心——2015年高考押题英语本卷共18题，三种题型：阅读理解、英语知识运用和写作。
阅读理解10小题，英语知识运用4小题，写作4小题。
第一部分阅读理解 (10小题)第一节阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项，并在题卡上将该项涂黑。
A1A report from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences' Commission reveals that, due to a job market which disproportionately rewards graduates in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, more and more students are seeking degrees in business and hard-science subjects.Some institutions have responded by cutting budgets in the arts and humanities and directing those funds elsewhere. That's the wrong thing to do. The humanities study of languages, literature, history, philosophy, religion, ethics, etc.-and the arts are vital to our future. We should be investing more funds, more time and more expertise, not less, into these endeavors.What detractors（诋毁者）of the "soft" subjects miss is that the arts and humanities provide an essential framework and context for understanding the wider world. Studying the humanities strengthens the ability to communicate and work with others. It allows students to develop broad intellectual and cultural understanding; it nurtures creativity and deepens participation in public discourse and modem democracy.The commission's report points out that "at the very moment when China is seeking to adopt our model of broad education in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences as a stimulus to invention, the United States is instead narrowing our focus and abandoning our sense of what education has been and should continue to be our sense of what makes America great."These are the telling statistics: First, federal funding for helping American students include international training in their education has been cut 41 percent in four years. Second, the National Assessment of Educational Progress test shows that only less than a quarter of eighth- and 12th-grade US students are proficient in reading, writing and civics.How can we possibly equip the US for its leadership role in an increasingly connected world if we are not adequately teaching students to communicate and helping them understand and encounter diverse perspectives? If we fail to invest in the arts and humanities, our country's future leaders will not have the ability to connect on an emotional level with others. This ability is developed by studying the humanities, and in the global community this skill is not optional - it's essential.In a word, we must enthusiastically support and fund the study of the arts and humanities. For anyone concerned with how this translates into a sound economy and a sound financial future,simply recall what Steve Jobs told graduates of Stanford University in 2005: One of the most influential experiences in his brief time at Reed College was his exposure to the fine art of calligraphy（书法）．It taught him the important lesson of the relationship between discipline and creativity.1. What can be inferred from the passage?A. Business and hard-science subjects are based upon the arts and humanities.B. At present too much emphasis and investment are put on science in America.C. More students will learn the arts and humanities instead of science in the USA.D. China has spent more money in the humanities and social sciences than the USA.2. The author mentions Steve Jobs in the last paragraph to prove that _____.A. science has a close relationship with the arts and humanitiesB. investment in the arts and humanities promotes economic developmentC. calligraphy plays a determining role in Steve Jobs' accomplishmentD. Reed College supports and funds the study of the arts and humanities3. Which of the following is the most suitable title for this passage?A. Significance of arts and humanitiesB. Key qualities of future leadersC. Decline of arts and humanitiesD. Rise and fall of hard sciencesA2Fuel Cell Technology for CarsFill her up with hydrogen? That's what someCalifornia motorists may be saying soon, as car makers tryto speed up production of zero emission（零排放）cars tomeet state requirements in the near future.Beneath the skin of this ordinary looking HondasFCX Concept Vehicle sits an electro-chemical reactor: ahand built, astronomically expensive power plant knownas a fuel cell. It's expected to be running ordinary family cars on California's roads within three years.So what exactly is a fuel cell, anyway? Why are governments, private businesses and academic institutions cooperating to develop and produce them? A fuel cell, very simply described, is a power generator, making electricity through the combination of hydrogen and oxygen. Fuel cells generate electrical power quietly and efficiently, without pollution, unlike power sources that use fossil fuels, the only by-products from an operating fuel cell are heat and water. To be more technical about it, a hydrogen atom with its one electron, attempts to pass through a fuel cell membrane（膜）to unite with an oxygen atom. The membrane allows only the hydrogen proton （质子）to pass through, forcing its electron to run around the membrane to catch up with the proton on the other side. This creates electricity, water, and heat, but no exhaust emissions.If the fuel cell is powered with pure hydrogen, it has the potential to be up to 80-percent efficient, That is, it turns 80 percent of the energy content of the hydrogen into electrical energy. However, we still need to turn the electrical energy into mechanical work. This is accomplished by the electric motor. A reasonable number for the efficiency of the motor is about 80 percent. So wehave 80-percent efficiency in generating electricity, and 80-percent efficiency turning it into mechanical power. That gives an overall efficiency of about64 percent. Honda's FCX concept vehicle reportedly has 60-percent energy efficiency, which is twice or even three times more efficient than usual cars.But in spite of all the advantages described above, experts say, "We still have technical challenges getting this extremely complex system to work properly, the way customers expect it to work. There are challenges in using new fuels, and providing the new fuel basic facilities. And before fuel cell vehicles hit the road, there will have to be a network of hydrogen stations that will allow drivers to fill up with the flammable gas, under 36-hundred pounds of pressure."4. What can be inferred from California's "zero emissions policy"?A. New cars with fuel cell technology will surely become much cheaper.B. By carrying out the policy, traffic will not be so busy as it is now.C. The quality of life in California will improve once this policy is in effect.D. With facilities of new kinds, more local employment will be created.5. What does the phrase "power plant" refer to?A. A power device generating electricity.B. A power station providing electricity.C. A power component consuming electricity.D. A power engine using electricity.6. One of the reasons why fuel cell powered vehicles are superior is that . .A. they give out almost no water or heatB. they run faster and more smoothlyC. they give out almost no noiseD. they turn 64% of the energy into electricity7. What does the author want to tell us in the last paragraph?A. Customers will not think it a good idea to develop fuel cell technology.B. It is still not very easy to speed up production of zero emission cars.C. We can't ignore the financial problems to build a network of hydrogen stations.D. We still have much difficulty turning all the chains of the business into reality.A3When DeKalb Walcott III was just 8 years old, his father, a Chicago fire chief, let him tag along on a call. DeKalb says a lot of kids idolized basketball player Michael Jordan when he was growing up in Chicago in the 1990s. Not him."I wanted to be like DeKalb Walcott Jr.," he says of his father.So when his dad asked if he wanted to go on that call with him when he was 8, DeKalb was excited. "I'm jumping up and down, saying, "Mom, can I go? Can I go?' "The experience changed DeKalb’s life, he tells his dad on a visit to Story Corps. "My eyes got big from the moment the alarm went off." the younger DeKalb says. “This is the life that I want to live someday.”Now 27, the younger DeKalb is living that life. He became a firefighter at 21 and went to work alongside his dad at the Chicago Fire Department. Before his father retired, the pair even went out on a call together — father supervising（监督）son."You know, it's everything for me to watch you grow," his father says. But he also recalls worrying about one particular fire that his son faced."I received a phone call that night. And they said, 'Well, your son was at this fire.' I said, 'OK, which way is this conversation going to go?' “DeKalb Walcott Jr. recalls."And they said, 'but he's OK. And he put it out all by himself. Everybody here was proud ofhim.'"And the word went around, 'Who was out there managing that fire? Oh, that's Walcott! That's Walcott up there!' So, you know, moments like that, it's heaven on Earth for a dad."DeKalb Walcott Jr. retired in 2009. The younger DeKalb says he's proud of being a second-generation firefighter. "You know, it makes me look forward to fatherhood as well, because I'm definitely looking forward to passing that torch down to my son."8. The underlined phrase tag along in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ______.A. put out fireB. watch basketballC. follow his fatherD. ask his mother’s permission9. DeKalb Walcott III determined to become a firefighter at the age of _________.A. 8B. 21C. 27D. 3510. What did DeKalb Walcott Jr want to do before he was told that the fire was put out?A. Go on with the conversationB. Put it out all by himselfC. Supervise his sonD. Go to the fire scene11. What can we learn from the last paragraph?A. DeKalb Walcott Jr is proud to be a second-generation firefighter.B. DeKalb Walcott III wants his son to become a firefighter too.C. DeKalb Walcott Jr wants to pass the torch to DeKalb Walcott III.D. DeKalb Walcott III is proud that his son has become an excellent firefighter.A4Engineers should embrace（接受）the arts, Sir John O'Reilly, a fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, argued in a lecture.About 59% of engineering companies in the IET's 2014 survey feared skill shortages could threaten（威胁）business."There is nothing as creative as engineering," Sir John told the reporter. He says science, technology, engineering and mathematics - often known as "Stem" subjects, are vital for a modern knowledge economy. But there is a massive shortfall in the number of recruits（招聘）- with a recent study by the Royal Academy of Engineering saying the UK needs to increase by as much as 50% the number of Stem graduates it produces.Delivering this year's Mountbatten Lecture at the Royal Institution, Sir John argued that engineers should recognise the role of the arts in their work - among other benefits; this could attract more people into the profession. The lecture, Full Steam Ahead for Growth, advocated a wider adoption -- Steam, or science, technology, engineering, arts and maths. Engineers should embrace the arts as being key to creativity and an important component of innovation（创新）, crucial to creating new products and boosting future competitiveness, he argued. "Engineering and technology is an increasingly diverse and creative field," said Sir John.Some university engineering departments already cooperated with art schools to develop understanding, he told the reporter. In particular he mentioned Cranfield University's Centre forCreative Competitive Design and Imperial College's work with the Royal College of Art. The two sets of people could work well together and more emphasis on the creative side of engineering could improve the success of products, he said."Aesthetics(美学) is part of it," he told the reporter, adding that Apple's iPod was not the first digital media player, nor the only one that worked - but it came to dominate the market "because it was nice to have".Sir John said he was not suggesting universities started requiring A-level art from engineering applicants - the key subjects for admission would continue to be maths and the sciences. But an emphasis on creative skills would help "broaden the pool and attract more people in".12. According to the lecture Full Steam Ahead for Growth, _______.A. engineers should cooperate with arts majorsB. Accepting the arts could attract more people into engineeringC. engineers should realize arts play the most important part in their workD. engineering and technology is as diverse and creative as before13. By giving the example of Apple's iPod, Sir John intends to _______.A. stress the importance of artsB. stress the importance of marketingC. stress the importance of communicationD. stress the importance of science and technology14. Which of the following is true according to the passage?A. More university students should study arts instead of engineering.B. Engineering and technology is increasingly different and unrelated fields.C. The IET's skills survey raised concerns about the number of recruits to engineering.D. Students from some university engineering departments have already transferred to art schools15. What is the passage mainly about?A. Lack of creativity makes it difficult for the engineering major to find a satisfactory job.B. The key subjects for engineering majors remain to be maths and the sciences rather than arts.C. University engineering departments should cooperate with art schools to improve the success of products.D. Engineering needs to emphasize its creative side to encourage more young people to choose it as a career.B1Exercise seems to be good for the human brain, with many recent studies suggesting that regular exercise improves memory and thinking skills. But an interesting new study asks whether the apparent cognitive benefits from exercise are real or just a placebo effect — that is, if we think we will be “smarter” after exercise, do our brains respond accordingly? The answer has significant implications for any of us hoping to use exercise to keep our minds sharp throughout our lives.While many studies suggest that exercise may have cognitive benefits, recently some scientists have begun to question whether the apparently beneficial effects of exercise on thinkingmight be a placebo effect. So researchers at Florida State University in Tallahassee and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign decided to focus on expectations, on what people anticipate that exercise will do for thinking. If people’s expectations jibe (吻合) closely with the actual benefits, then at least some of those improvements are probably a result of the placebo effect and not of exercise.For the new study, which was published last month in PLOS One, the researchers recruited 171 people through an online survey system, they asked half of these volunteers to estimate by how much a stretching and toning regimens (拉伸运动) performed three times a week might improve various measures of thinking. The other volunteers were asked the same questions, but about a regular walking program.In actual experiments, stretching and toning program generally have little if any impact on people’s cognitive skills. Walking, on the other hand, seems to substantially improve thinking ability.But the survey respondents believed the opposite, estimating that the stretching and toning program would be more beneficial for the mind than walking. The estimates of benefits from walking were lower.These data, while they do not involve any actual exercise, are good news for people who do exercise. “The results from our study suggest that the benefits of aerobic exercise are not a placebo effec t,” said Cary Stothart, a graduate student in cognitive psychology at Florida State University, who led the study.If expectations had been driving the improvements in cognition seen in studies after exercise, Mr. Stothart said, then people should have expected walking to be more beneficial for thinking than stretching. They didn’t, implying that the changes in the brain and thinking after exercise are physiologically genuine.The findings are strong enough to suggest that exercise really does change the brain and may, in the process, improve thinking, Mr. Stothart said. That conclusion should encourage scientists to look even more closely into how, at a molecular level, exercise remodels the human brain, he said. It also should encourage the rest of us to move, since the benefits are, it seems, not imaginary, even if they are in our head.1. Why did the researchers at the two universities conduct the research?A. To discover the placebo effect in the exercise.B. To prove the previous studies have a big drawback.C. To test whether exercise can really improve cognition.D. To encourage more scientists to get involved in the research.2. What can we know about the research Cary Stothart and his team carried out?A. They employed 171 people to take part in the actual exercise.B. The result of the research removed the recent doubt of some scientists.C. The participants thought walking had a greater impact on thinking ability.D. Their conclusion drives scientists to do research on the placebo effect.3. What might be the best title for the passage?A. Is it necessary for us to take exercise?B. How should people exercise properly?C. What makes us smarter during exercise?D. Does exercise really make us smarter?B2The current Ebola (埃博拉病毒) outbreak in western and central Africa has infected at least 3,069 people, including 1,552 dead, making it the largest outbreak in history. Ebola is a deadly virus —about 60 percent of people infected with it have died.How is Ebola doing its harm?When a per son becomes infected with Ebola, the virus damages the body’s immune (免疫的) cells, which defend against infection, said a researcher at Lancaster University. But if a person’s immune system can stand up to this attack, then he is more likely to survive the disease.The patients that survive it best are those who don’t get such a bad disadvantage in immune system. But if the body isn’t able to get rid of this attack, then the immune system becomes less able to regulate (调节) itself. This means the immune system is more likely to run out of control, leading to a drop in blood pressure, multi-organ failure and eventually death.What are the common symptoms of the disease?Fever. Headache. Joint and muscle aches. Weakness. Diarrhea. Vomiting. Stomach pain. Lack of appetite. Chills. Rash. Redness in the eyes. Hiccups. Cough. Sore throat. Chest pain. Difficult breathing or swallowing. Bleeding inside and outside of the body.How to prevent the spread of Ebola?Ebola can be spread primarily via direct contact with patients, specifically the blood and fluids of an infected patient.We should avoid contact with infected patients and objects such as clothing, bedding, and needles used by them. Avoid areas where infections have been reported. For now, the disease has only been confirmed in central and West Africa, four cases in America and Europe. Avoid eating wild-caught bush meat. Researchers have suspected that the disease came to humans via animals, probably through the meat of primates(灵长类). If you’re in an area wher e the disease has been reported, avoid purchasing, eating, or handling wild game to stay on the safe side.Wear protective medical clothing if you’re around infected patients. Extreme caution is necessary. Hospital workers must use masks, gloves, goggles, and gowns, which needed to be worn at all times if you’re around infected patients.How Do People Survive Ebola?Doctors don’t know for certain who will survive Ebola, and there is no specific treatment or cure for the disease. Although in the minority, some people do recover from infection.Our suggestions include:Maintain your electrolytes (电解质) and body liquid. Sports drinks can be used. Monitor your blood pressure and control it if necessary. Dropping blood pressure may be a serious sign of infection. Breathe in an oxygen-rich environment. Quickly address any symptoms of infection. Be honest about when and where you’re feeling pain.4. Ebola causes the death of a human being by ________.A. attacking him with high feverB. regulating his immune systemC. damaging his immune cellsD. harming all his organs directly5. What is NOT mentioned as the symptom of Ebola?A. Fever and chills.B. Swallowing difficulty.C. Loss of blood.D. High blood pressure.6. In order not to be infected by Ebola, we should _________.A. have the clothing of the infected cleanedB. avoid eating wild animals like monkeysC. not travel to Africa, America or EuropeD. stay at home without going anywhere7. It is true that ________.A. a certain number of people survive EbolaB. human has found a special cure for EbolaC. oxygen can save infected people’s livesD. low blood pressure is surely caused by EbolaB3The term “Industry 4.0” refers to the fourth industrial revolution. The first industrial revolution was the production of goods with machines like steam engines, which was followed by the second industrial revolution that introduced mass production with the help of electric power, followed by the digital revolution —the use of electronics and IT in production.Industry 4.0 is a high-tech project, which promotes the computerization of manufacturing (制造业). The basic principle of Industry 4.0 is that by connecting machines, work pieces and systems, we are creating intelligent networks along the entire value chain that can control each other automatically. The goal is the Smart Factory, which adapts well and uses resources efficiently as well as linking customers and business partners with great intelligence. Technological basis are the Internet systems and advanced factories. Experts believe that Industry 4.0 could be a reality in about 10 to 20 years.So, what effects does this change have on the classic manufacturing? According to an expert, “it is highly likely that the world of production wi ll become more and more networked until everything is connected with everything else.” Networks and processes have so far been limited to one factory. But in the time of Industry 4.0, the boundaries (界限) of individual factories will most likely no longer exist. Instead, they will be lifted in order to inter-connect multiple factories or even geographical regions.How is an Industry 4.0 factory different from a today’s factory? In current industry environment, providing high-end quality service or product with the least cost is the key to success. Factories are trying to increase their profit as much as possible. In the time of Industry 4.0, various data sources are available to provide worthwhile information about different aspects of the factory. Using data for understanding the current condition and checking faults and failures is a natural thing. The sharing of information around the clock and around the globe will enable these connected systems to manage themselves independently, work more efficiently and identify any errors quickly.The good news is that Europe is much better prepared for the Industry 4.0 revolution than one might think. Europe will position itself as a pioneer in the fourth revolution. Industry 4.0 is a project in the high-tech strategy of the German government. Meanwhile, in the U.S., some companies are also working hard on it. But the success of industry depends on whether business and politics can work together. It’s not only politics that needs to help open the door for Industry 4.0. Every company is advised to seize the new digital opportunities.8. What marks the coming of Industry 4.0?A. Steam engines.B. Mass production.C. Use of electronics.D. Intelligent networks.9. Industry 4.0 will probably result in ________ in the world of manufacturing.A. production limited to an individual factoryB. everything connected with everythingelseC. networks and processes no longer existingD. classic factories stopping their competition10What’s the meaning of the underlined p art in Para. 4?A. Sharing information of the world time.B. Global news broadcast at any time.C. Instant worldwide information exchange.D. Spreading news widely on the hour.11. According to the last paragraph, who is the most active in pushing Industry 4.0?A. The European companies.B. The American government.C. The American companies.D. The German government.B4“One City One Book” is a generic name (通称) for a community reading program that attempts to get everyone in a city to read and discuss the same book. Popular book picks have been Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird，Ernest Gaines’s A Lesson Before Dying，and Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451.“One City One Book” programs take the idea of a localized book discussion clu b and expand it to cover a whole city. The first such program was “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book” in 1998，started by Nancy Pearl at Seattle Public Library’s Washington Center for the Book. The book chosen for the program was The Sweet Hereafter by Russell Banks，written in 1991.Other cities copied the idea，and the Library of Congress listed 404 programs occurring in 2007.Each city’s program has its own goals；These typically include building a sense of community and promoting literacy. Nancy Pearl warns against expecting too much from a program：“Keep in mind that this is a library program，it’s not an exercise in civics，and that it’s not intended to have literature cure the racial divide. This is about a work of literature.”Programs typically involve more than having everyone read the same book. Some other activities that have been included are：book discussion sessions，scholarly lectures on the book or related topics，a visit by the author，exhibits，related arts programming (especially showing a movie of the book if there is one)，and integration into school curricula. In Boston the “One City One Story” program used shorter stories and distributed tens of thousands of free copies of the story over the course of a month.American Library Association puts out a detailed step-by-step guide on how to organize a local program，including the critical step of picking the one book. The Center for the Book at the Library of Congress tracks all known programs and the books they have used.12．“One City One Book” progr ams________.A．ask everyone in a city to donate one bookB．can rid a city of racial divide through readingC．choose short stories for people to readD．encourage everyone in a city to read and discuss the same book13．We know from the second parag raph that “One City One Book” programs________.A．became popular very quicklyB．have been held more than 400 times in SeattleC．were sponsored by the Library of CongressD．reached its peak in 200714．We can infer from the third paragraph that Nancy Pearl________.A．expects much from the programsB．doesn’t expect that the programs would run so wellC．has a practical attitude towards the programsD．believes the programs will push forward community building15．What kind of role does American Library Association play in the programs?。
